“You’re wrong. I am exactly like the other servant girls.” Poor, orphaned, and powerless against her mistress.
“No, there’s something special about you.” He leaned his shoulder against the stone casing around the window, giving her a lopsided grin, his eyes focused on her face. “You have” — he sighed — “a beauty that is quite rare. Any man would be proud to have you for a wife.”
Sophie snorted and was glad she had allowed the rude sound to come forth. She wanted him to know she didn’t trust him, that she believed his mention of marriage was a ruse. He was hoping to fool her into trusting him.
“Why don’t you trust me, Sophie? Don’t you believe that I like you? That you’ve stirred this hard heart of mine?”
So he admits his heart is hard. “Maybe I don’t trust you because I’ve heard it all before. Maybe you’re not the first to lie to me … to attempt to lead me astray.”
Lorencz laughed out loud. Sophie resisted the urge to shush him. She supposed it wouldn’t matter if he did get caught, seeing as he was immune to the duchess’s rules and above punishment. Still chuckling, his gaze returned to her face, and she tried hard to find sincerity in his expression. Was it possible that he was willing to help free her from Duchess Ermengard’s clutches? Unfortunately, there was a wily, secretive glint in his eyes that made such hopes seem foolish.
Still, it was tempting to throw off caution and tell him she’d love to go on a picnic with him, just so he would get her out of her cell. Perhaps she should agree. Why not?
Why not? For many reasons.
Though his laughter had ceased completely, he continued to smile at her in a way that made her feel funny inside. His half grin, his confident look, and the obvious strength in his broad chest and shoulders appealed to her much more than they should have. If anyone could help her escape the duchess, it was surely this man.
He leaned into the bars, only a foot away from her. She took a half step back.
“Come with me,” he whispered, his brown eyes mesmerizing her, like an invisible string holding her to him. “I promise not to lead you astray on our first picnic together.” His mouth twisted in a grin.
Sophie’s heart thumped hard against her chest. He was handsome, yes, and he had singled her out, but he was dangerous. She had to keep telling herself that.
“Very well, then. If you can get me out, I’ll go with you.”
Sophie immediately regretted her words.
Lorencz jumped to his feet. He swept the leather cap from his head and bowed low. “Fare well, then, my lady.”
He was mocking her now. He chuckled as he strode away.
She shuddered at the commitment she now couldn’t rescind, even as a surge of hope rose inside her.
Chapter 3
Valten had stared down the tip of a lance and had been confronted with broadsword and battle-ax, but those tournament games seemed like a child’s playacting. His betrothed alive? And in danger? If there were any small possibility that she was his betrothed, he had to go and rescue her. But how? He couldn’t go anywhere with a broken leg.
“We must find out if this Sophie is Duke Baldewin’s daughter. It wouldn’t be right to ignore the woman’s claims.” Valten clenched his hand into a fist and met his father’s gaze. “I would leave today if I could sit a horse.”
“I know, son.” His father thoughtfully rubbed his jaw.
Valten glanced at Gabe, who stood in the background, looking as deep in thought as Valten felt. Surely Gabe wasn’t concerned with this business? Valten felt a twinge of resentment at his little brother even being allowed in on the discussion. After all, Gabe was no warrior. What could he do? And it wasn’t his betrothed in question. It was Valten’s. Or, rather, she might be.
“I would go and take a few knights with me,” Duke Wilhelm said, “but I have that emissary coming from King Sigismund in two days. It is too late to put him off.”
Gabe stared steadily at Valten, then at his father. Valten knew that look. His little brother was about to propose something foolhardy.
“You must send me, Father. I can find the girl.” Gabe was twenty years old, only two years younger than Valten, but in Valten’s eyes Gabe was still a mere boy — an irresponsible, reckless boy who often overestimated his charm and the trouble it could get him out of.
Valten stifled a laugh, which came out as a snort. “Come now, Gabe. You know …” Valten shook his head at him.
“What? You can’t go, Father can’t go, but I can.”
Valten raised himself higher, pulling himself up with his arms until he felt a stab of pain in his leg. His face grew hot at hearing his brother state the obvious.
“Do you think you can save a duke’s daughter from an evil and powerful duchess? Do you fancy yourself a fierce knight bent on rescuing the damsel in distress?” Valten knew he was being unkind to his little brother, but Gabe needed to come to his senses. “You only like the idea of playing the hero and saving my betrothed.”