Gisela looked around and saw Margaretha was still beside her, but her back was turned as she was speaking to a young woman on her other side. Cristyne was starting to leave with her cousin. She turned and waved at Gisela. Gisela waved back, deciding not to ask her new friend if she could go home with her after all.
Margaretha turned back to Gisela and took her arm. “I can hardly wait to see you and Valten dancing together tomorrow night. It will be —”
“Gisela!”
Her heart froze as an icy chill raced across her shoulders.
“Gisela!” Her stepmother’s unmistakable voice.
Margaretha stopped and turned around, and Gisela was forced to do the same.
“Gisela, dear.” Evfemia was smiling, actually smiling at her. The friendly look chilled her blood worse than the darkest scowl. What could she be scheming?
Margaretha smiled back, completely unsuspecting.
“Gisela, my dear, aren’t you coming with your family?” Irma was flashing a sinister grin, and Contzel’s mouth was hanging open, her eyes wide and bulging.
Gisela almost said, What family? She looked at Margaretha, silently begging for help. But Margaretha only seemed to be waiting for an introduction.
“Lady Margaretha, please allow me to present my stepmother, Evfemia Mueller, and her two daughters, Irma and Contzel.”
“My lady.” Evfemia bowed low. Irma and Contzel curtsied.
Margaretha clasped her hands in front of her chest. “How lovely to meet Gisela’s family. You all must come to the ball tomorrow night.”
“You are too kind,” Evfemia purred. “Please do give your mother and father our greetings and well wishes. You must be so proud of your brother Valten. He has fought well.”
“And you must be so proud of Gisela, our Queen of Beauty and Love.”
Evfemia’s smile faltered.
“I am so delighted with her,” Margaretha went on. “I do hope to call her my sister some day. But I suppose I shouldn’t be saying such things. I will embarrass poor Gisela.”
Yes, and cause Evfemia a fit of fury.
Evfemia recovered well, only turning a slight shade of green, and she seemed to have difficulty swallowing. When she was able to speak again, she said, “We must go home now. Come, Gisela.” Evfemia held out her hand to Gisela.
Gisela turned desperate eyes on Margaretha.
Margaretha said, “I was about to ask if Gisela could sleep in my chamber again tonight, but if you need her to go home …”
“I’m sure my stepmother can spare me,” Gisela said quickly.
“No, in fact I can’t spare you, Gisela.” Evfemia’s eyes glinted. “I need you home with me. Come, come, we will be back tomorrow,” she sang out cheerfully, a cheer that no one except Gisela would suspect held a cartload of malice.
“Very well, then,” Margaretha said. “I shall see you tomorrow, my queen.” She gave Gisela a quick curtsy, then hugged her.
Don’t leave me! The words were on Gisela’s lips, but she didn’t want Valten’s sister to think she was crazed. She held on to her composure. Besides, what could she say? How could she avoid going home with her stepmother without causing a disturbance and embarrassing herself and Margaretha — and enraging her stepmother?
As Valten’s sister pulled away, Gisela stared at her, pleading with her to read her thoughts, but Margaretha only turned to speak to the guard who had been watching over Gisela all day.
The guard nodded, took one last long look at Gisela and her stepmother, then followed behind Margaretha through the crowd toward Hagenheim Castle.
“Let us be on our way, Gisela.” Evfemia’s voice was almost normal, almost friendly, almost the voice she used with her own two daughters.
Slowly, Gisela faced her. Her expression looked downright pleasant. It was terrifying.
“Come.” She motioned at Gisela with her hand and started down the steps, but when Gisela didn’t follow her, she said, “You aren’t afraid of your own stepmother, are you? Come, we must go home. The roads will be crowded and you must get your sleep so you can be ready for the ball tomorrow night. We must all be ready, as we were all invited. Didn’t you hear?”
Chapter
13
Was Evfemia sincere? Did she now want to show respect to Valten’s “Queen of Beauty and Love”? Had she decided to truly be kind, at least on the outside? Gisela didn’t dare believe it. Nevertheless, she followed her stepmother and stepsisters across the grassy slope toward their carriage.
Surely Evfemia wouldn’t harm her with the duke’s family all expecting her to come to the ball tomorrow night. She was the tournament queen, after all. Even Evfemia wouldn’t dare keep her away.
Was she foolish to think that?
She walked slightly behind the three as they made their way down the steps and across the lists. Irma and Contzel kept taking peeks over their shoulders at Gisela, like skittish horses spying something moving in the grass. Were they only biding their time until they got her into the carriage? Would they make her walk home after all? They’d never let her ride in the carriage before.