The Fairest Beauty

No, I will trust Gabe.

 

The inn’s stew tasted good, especially after eating nothing but jerky, apples, and stale bread for three days. She sat between Valten and Duke Wilhelm. The duke was a good conversationalist, asking her, gently, about her childhood. She told him and Valten that she didn’t remember her parents, and she hadn’t known that Duchess Ermengard was her stepmother or that she was the daughter of the duke of Hohendorf until Gabe came and told her.

 

“I am glad my son found you when he did.”

 

Sophie smiled. “As am I.” She felt Valten stiffen beside her, but she couldn’t stop herself from speaking the words rushing through her head. “He was so well-mannered and chivalrous, and very brave — even after he was struck by the arrow that was meant for me.”

 

Valten stared at her, unblinking, his jaw clenched, as if her words didn’t exactly please him. But she refused to be intimidated by him.

 

“I am very thankful to the men at the Cottage of the Seven. When we arrived at the Cottage, Gabe was so ill. I was terrified for him, but Bartel, one of the seven, was very knowlegable in the healing arts, and was able to save him, and all the men there were so gracious to us. They all came to love Gabe — it would be impossible not to.”

 

Duke Wilhelm’s eyes remained kind, but Valten was scowling at her so darkly, she wondered if she’d gone too far.

 

“Do you think Gabe will follow immediately to Hagenheim?” Duke Wilhelm asked. She was suddenly very grateful that he had accompanied Valten on this trip.

 

“He said he hoped he would only be gone for a few days, and he would follow us to Hagenheim if you and Valten had already come to fetch me when he got back.”

 

“Had it all planned out,” Valten muttered. “He would.” He crossed his arms, bulging with muscles, and glared at the wall.

 

“Brothers,” Duke Wilhelm said, smiling a lopsided grin that very much reminded her of Gabe. “Always a bit of rivalry there.”

 

Yes, especially if the older one is a bully. But she smiled back at Gabe’s father. He was a handsome man, and her heart swelled at the thought that he would one day be her father-in-law.

 

Valten continued to scowl. He had spoken very few thoughtful words during the meal. In fact, he had hardly spoken at all during the three days she’d known him. But now he looked at her and said, with his usual, serious expression, “I’m glad you and Gabe are well and safe after your escape from the duchess.”

 

She searched his eyes for sarcasm but saw only sincerity. Maybe he wasn’t so bad after all. Gabe seemed to love him, even if they had not always been kind to each other while growing up. Not that I want to marry Valten.

 

She held his gaze and allowed her eyes to soften slightly. “Thank you.”

 

“It is growing late,” Valten said. “If you are tired, I will accompany you to your room.”

 

They all stood up and made their way upstairs. Both Duke Wilhelm and Valten inspected her room, looking under the bed and combing every foot of the room, as if someone could be lurking. They tested the lock on the door, and then Duke Wilhelm sprinkled dried pennyroyal on the bed “to keep away fleas.”

 

“Thank you,” Sophie said as they left her room. She had no doubt that Valten truly would sleep outside her door on the hard wood floor.

 

Unfortunately, he was doing it because he thought she was soon to be his wife.

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter 27

 

 

Gabe had known Duke Baldewin would slow him down, but it couldn’t be helped. Without the duke’s blessing, there was little chance he would ever be allowed to marry Sophie. At least the duke had been willing to set out for Hagenheim the day after they arrived at the Cottage. Although he had seemed a bit reluctant to leave Petra behind. Twice before they left, Gabe had walked into a room and found the two of them speaking to each other, their heads together as if they were whispering. When Gabe asked the duke if Petra would be accompanying them, he said no. Petra and Roslind would stay with the Seven and help the men with the cooking. But something about his manner gave Gabe the impression that there was something unsettled between him and Petra. There had been plenty of opportunity to ask the duke about it during their slow trip to Hagenheim, but he decided to let the duke have his privacy.

 

Gabe was just happy to be on his way back to Sophie. And happy he had her father with him to grant permission for her and Valten’s betrothal to be broken.

 

Thank you, God.

 

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