The Fairest Beauty

“I suppose Brittola had tutors and learned to read and write, everything a well-bred lady should.”

 

 

“I suppose. Although she did tell me that she wasn’t a very good student and often pretended to be sick or ignored her tutor. Which surprised me, because she seemed so docile and meek when she visited Hagenheim.”

 

“It is easy to pretend sometimes,” Sophie murmured, thinking of her own pretending. But other times, it was quite hard. “I am sure she must have learned to dance as well.” Sophie had always wanted to learn how to dance. Not that she’d ever had the occasion to do it, but she’d dreamed of having many opportunities once she was able to get away from the duchess.

 

“Yes, she knows all the dances.”

 

They were silent for a few moments. Finally, Sophie said, “It will be embarrassing for your brother if his betrothed does not know how to dance.”

 

“We’ll teach you. My family knows how to play the songs and can teach you all of the necessary steps in only a day or two.”

 

Sophie felt herself blush with pleasure. She imagined learning to dance with her betrothed’s family looking on, swirling around the floor holding Gabe’s —

 

No, of course not Gabe’s hand. She would learn holding Valten’s hand.

 

Learning to dance would be enjoyable. And by the time she became a duke’s wife, she would know how to dance very well and he would not have to be ashamed of her. She hoped.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 12

 

 

Gabe looked up at the sun, high overhead. Almost time to stop and let Gingerbread rest so they all could get a drink. They hadn’t seen any sign of the duchess’s guards or the murderous archer from the day before. But they could catch up to Gabe and Sophie at any time. Best to keep their times of rest as short as possible.

 

He turned his horse toward the river and went down the slight hill into the trees.

 

Gabe pulled on the reins and stopped Gingerbread. By the river’s edge, a large brown rabbit stood nibbling the grass.

 

He quietly helped Sophie down, then he slowly dismounted. He pulled his crossbow from his back, loaded it, and as the arrow clicked into place, the rabbit lifted its head, suddenly alert. Gabe aimed carefully. He pulled the trigger to release the arrow. It found its mark, right into the hare’s skull, knocking it over.

 

“That was a perfect shot.”

 

Her words warmed him. Valten probably wouldn’t have been able to hit the animal, especially from that distance. Gabe always had been a better shot.

 

He chided himself for his pride and for having such unkind thoughts about his brother. But he was still proud he could provide meat for them both.

 

He hurriedly skinned the hare while Sophie built a fire.

 

“We can’t take any with us, so we need to eat it all now.”

 

They roasted the meat and Sophie ate almost as much as he did. He wanted to compliment her good appetite, but from his experiences with his sisters, he was relatively sure that would be a bad idea.

 

He and Sophie covered their fire with dirt, then poured water over it from the river. They climbed back on Gingerbread and headed away from their midday camp.

 

If they continued to travel hard and fast, they should be close to the Cottage of the Seven by tomorrow afternoon. It would be a good place to spend the night after sleeping outside for two nights. And he hoped to find someone at the Cottage who would travel with them, which would also help preserve Sophie’s reputation.

 

As night fell, Sophie relaxed against his chest, apparently asleep. He should start looking for a place for them to settle for the night, but he wanted to travel as far as he could, as long as he could still see several feet in front of him.

 

Perhaps he shouldn’t have come alone to rescue Sophie. But he was taking care of her. God willing, he would get her safely to Hagenheim. For once, everyone would be patting him on the back instead of Valten.

 

But somehow, that didn’t matter so much to him anymore. He no longer relished the thought of Valten’s envy and anger at Gabe rescuing his betrothed. And the praise he would get wasn’t as important to him as he had thought it would be. In fact, he would do it all again even if no one else knew, because he was doing it for Sophie. He wanted to take care of her and keep her safe just because … she was kind and unselfish and smart and beautiful.

 

And she thought of him as a brother.

 

Where were these thoughts about Sophie taking him? Even thinking the wrong thoughts about one’s brother’s wife was a sin. Valten wasn’t married to Sophie, and he had not been the one to pledge himself to her, but Gabe needed to look at her as if she was Valten’s beloved.

 

Gabe realized he was tired, and exhaustion was weakening his defenses. He had to find a place for them to shelter for the night. Anyway, it was almost dark.

 

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