“Yes, my lord, sir.”
He let go and the boy shuffled his bare feet through the gate toward the castle. He turned back for a second, a wondering look in his face. Wilhelm winked at him.
If the boy was an orphan, perhaps he could put him to work in the stable. Lukas could sleep with the other stable hands and take his meals in the castle kitchen. At least he wouldn’t have to steal food anymore.
He climbed back on his horse, throwing his bad leg over the saddle. Raising himself as high as possible, he scanned the crowd and caught sight of Rose again. She stood in front of the players, but she was not watching the play. Instead, a man was holding her by the shoulder. She backed away from him, but he pressed toward her. Now he was touching her face. She cringed and shrank away.
Wilhelm’s face went hot with anger and his fists tightened on the reins. He thrust his heels into Shadow’s sides. But so many people were milling between him and Rose that he had to jerk back on the reins to keep from trampling them. He could only inch forward, forced to wait for the crowd to part.
A deep, ferocious bark rang out, and he imagined rather than saw Wolfie charge to Rose’s aid. The tall man backed away and lost himself in the crowd.
Wilhelm turned his horse in the direction he had gone. He hadn’t seen the man’s face, but he was sure he would recognize him by his clothing and his height. He searched the crowd, scanning the tops of heads, but the man seemed to have vanished.
The way the man had touched Rose made Wilhelm clench his teeth. How dare he? Remembering the fear and repulsion on her face, he maneuvered Shadow around the square, still forced to move slowly because of the crowd. Everywhere he turned, the people acknowledged him with a bow or curtsy, slowing him down even more. The man was certainly long gone now.
His muscles tensed with built-up energy. If only he could expend it on the brute who had dared to touch Rose. He would find a way to make sure this didn’t happen to her again.
Rose couldn’t help but smile at the cheerful red flowers in her arms. She hoped Frau Geruscha would be pleased, since red was her favorite color. She’d bought the ceramic pot with money from her new salary, and the geraniums came from a spot near her parents’ home.
Hildy stood beside the town gate, her older brother beside her. As Rose called out to Hildy, he tipped his hat and walked away. He’d waited with Hildy because of the Church law that said women were not allowed to walk unaccompanied through town—though like most other Church laws, the edict was often disobeyed. Wolfie was Rose’s usual escort, and she believed he was more than sufficient.
They started through town. Rose as usual found the view very impressive—the two-and three-story houses crisscrossed with heavy wooden beams, often decorated with carvings and brightly painted flowers and figures.
Beyond the town Marktplatz rose Hagenheim Castle’s five towers. Its towers anchored it on all four corners, with the largest tower, the keep, rising up in the middle. The crenellations around the top were like stone fringe, perfectly straight and even, decorating the imposing structure.
“Lovely flowers.” Hildy glanced at the red blossoms then fixed her eyes on Rose, her face aglow with excitement. “I have two things to tell you—very interesting things.” Hildy raised her eyebrows, as though trying to look mysterious.
Rose gave her a bland look. “Very interesting things” assaulted Hildy’s notice on a daily basis, things which Rose rarely found so thrilling. “That’s what I love about you, Hildy. Everything is interesting to you.”
“Don’t say another word until you see this.” Hildy practically dragged her forward.
Soon they were standing at the great bronze door to the Hagenheimer Dom—the town cathedral—where new decrees were often posted. A sheet of parchment was tacked to a large wooden placard next to the door. Rose read it aloud.
“Nicolaus Gerstenberg, Duke of Hagenheim, hereby decrees that no man or youth beyond the age of accountability shall touch any woman or maiden who is not a relative or is not his betrothed. Touching a maiden is punishable by placement in the stocks. Death by hanging shall be the penalty if it is found that the woman’s virginity has been compromised. Punishment shall be meted out according to the judgment of Nicolaus Gerstenberg, Duke of Hagenheim, or his son, Wilhelm Gerstenberg, Earl of Hamlin. May God be glorified in all things forever, and amen.”
Duke Nicolaus’s seal was stamped in red wax at the bottom.
She stared. Could this decree have something to do with Peter Brunckhorst accosting her? But how could it?
Hildy leaned forward and peered at her. “Well? Don’t you see what this means?”
“No.” Rose shifted her pot of geraniums to her other arm, abruptly turning away from the decree.