She let go of the bank and the man’s grip on her wet arm slipped as he lost his hold on her. She was free of him but had to fight to keep her head above water. The river’s current pulled her downstream even as her heavy garments pulled her under.
Desperation gripped her as her chest began to ache from lack of air. She fought to get herself back to the surface, but the current was pulling her downstream too quickly. Finally she began to rise to the top again. She gasped, then choked, flailing her arms and splashing water. Again, the brown-haired man leaned over the edge of the bank and grabbed her, getting purchase on both of her arms this time and holding her up. He began to drag her out, but when she stopped sputtering and got a good deep breath into her lungs, she saw several other men’s faces, all staring down at her in horror and anger.
No. They would capture her. She couldn’t let them, especially not them. “Let me go!” she screamed at the man, but he only looked at her as if she hadn’t said anything, still pulling her farther onto the bank. Two more men stepped forward and reached for her. “No! Let go!” She lifted her hands to the tall man’s face and dragged her broken, ragged fingernails down his cheeks.
He cried out and let her go. She fell backward into the river with a splash.
The current grabbed her again, readily embracing her even as her cloak weighed her down. The shouts from the men seemed to come from far away, muffled and gurgled. Fighting to get back to the surface, she also tried to propel herself to the opposite side of the river, away from the men. But suddenly she wasn’t moving at all. Something was holding her in place. Frantically she flailed her arms under the water but she wasn’t heading upward or downstream. Then she saw that the skirt of her dress was caught on a root at the bottom of the river. She tugged at her skirt, trying to rip it, but it wouldn’t give.
She was going to die. Her strength was ebbing. Her chest was burning almost unbearably, causing her to swallow mouthfuls of water.
After all the things she had done, she couldn’t ask God for help or mercy. She would soon face the consequences.
But at least Sophie was dead.
Chapter 24
Gabe lay on the cot, unable to fall to sleep, even though he’d spent two days of riding hard and a night sleeping in the forest. He found himself listening for the sound of someone coming to fetch him, or for the duke himself. The longer he lay there, the more anxious he became about getting back to Sophie. When he could lie still no longer, he got up and went to ask for some water so he could clean himself up.
Was the duke still lying on the floor after hearing his daughter was alive? Surely he had come to his senses and was happy about the news Gabe had brought. Or was he still wracked with guilt, knowing that the duchess had treated his daughter horribly?
After washing himself up a bit, Gabe pulled on his boots, left his chamber, and went in search of the duke. A young boy scurried up to him and offered to take him to dinner.
“Can you take me to the du — I mean, Brother Baldewin?”
“He said to tell you he is still praying and can’t be disturbed.”
Gabe blew out a frustrated breath and agreed to follow the boy to the dining hall.
The boy led him to the abbot’s table, where they feasted on roast beef, eel soup, fresh bread, and stewed fruit. But he could hardly enjoy it, eager as he was to get back to Sophie. What was she doing now? Cleaning up the supper dishes? Spending time with the Seven as they played their musical instruments and sang for her? They adored her, but who wouldn’t? She was sweetness and beauty personified. And she was his. He wouldn’t give her up to Valten, not now, not ever.
She deserves to be Valten’s wife, to be privileged and pampered.
Gabe shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He wouldn’t listen to that voice.
But it came again. Wouldn’t she be happier with Valten? After all, he is the responsible one, the one who can give her everything.
Sweat broke out on Gabe’s forehead and trickled down his temple. She doesn’t love Valten, Gabe answered the voice defiantly. She loves me. She wants me.
How do you know? the voice argued. Instead of giving her a chance to choose, you tried to confuse her with kisses and premature declarations of love.
Gabe stared down at his food, his appetite lost.
Sophie blinked and realized she was lying on the floor. The second thing she realized was that her head hurt, and the third thing was that the seven men were hovering over her, and most of them had tears running down their cheeks.
“Just lie still, Sophie,” Bartel said.
She had never thought she would ever see the calm and impassive Bartel looking so pale and horror-stricken. “What is it? Is my head bleeding?”
They bent closer. Their eyes were all moving from her face to her chest, back and forth, with horror and curiosity. Sophie looked down and gasped. The knife was still sticking out of her chest. She cried out, then gasped again, surprised she didn’t feel great pain.