Rose shook her head again. “I’m afraid it’s more likely that Lord Rupert is hoping to use me for dishonorable purposes.”
“Rose, I know you like to be realistic, but have a little faith in people. Besides, stranger things have happened.”
“Name one.”
Hildy frowned and fell silent for a moment. “What about the duke’s nephew? He married that maiden who sold berries at the market.”
“Only because she was pregnant with his child. And then he abandoned her, secured an annulment from the pope, and married a duke’s daughter from Bavaria.”
“Oh.” Hildy’s frown deepened. “I forgot about that.”
Rose squeezed her eyes closed and rubbed her forehead.
A maiden caught giving away her virginity to someone other than her husband would be publicly humiliated, placed in the stocks in the Marktplatz for all to see and heckle—if the man was not in a position to marry her. But for Rose, something even more important was in jeopardy. If she allowed herself to be duped by Lord Rupert, if he pressured her and she gave in, she would disappoint her father, Frau Geruscha, and worst of all, God. The prospect was too horrible to contemplate. Rose shuddered.
“You’re not getting a chill, are you, Rose?”
“No.” She would heed Frau Geruscha’s warning. She would stay away from Lord Rupert.
“I can imagine that Lord Rupert was a wonderful dancer. Did you enjoy dancing with him? Oh, tell me again what it was like.”
Rose hadn’t told her she’d also danced with Lord Hamlin. For some reason, she couldn’t bear to tell Hildy about that. It would be like publicly showing off one’s most treasured possession. Some things weren’t meant to be shared.
“Dancing with Lord Rupert was very exciting.”
“Did he kiss your hand?”
“No.”
“Tell me again what he was wearing.”
Frau Geruscha emerged from the storage room. “Rose, I’m going into town to look in on Adelheide Bulger. She had a high fever yesterday. I may not be back until nones.”
Rose nodded and listened to her mistress’s instructions until she left, closing the door behind her.
Rose regaled Hildy with more details of everyone’s dress, from Lord Rupert to the duchess, to Lady Osanna and other girls who were there.
Hildy sighed deeply. “Oh, it would be heavenly to be able to dance and wear beautiful clothes and be admired.”
Rose hoped that Hildy would get her chance some day.
Someone knocked at the door. Rose got up and opened it to find Gunther Schoff.
“Good morning, Rose.” He smiled and bowed.
“Gunther! Come in, please.” Feeling almost as giggly and excited as Hildy often looked, Rose pulled Gunther inside. “Gunther Schoff, I present to you Hildy, daughter of Hezilo the chandler.”
“Good morning.” A look of interest flickered in his pale blue eyes. His sandy red hair and freckles made him boyishly handsome. “I came to see Frau Geruscha about some herbs for my mother.”
“She’ll be back later.” An idea came to Rose. She smiled and arched her eyebrows. “You have time to wait, don’t you? I want to teach Hildy to dance. It would be hard without a man to serve as her partner. Would you…?”
A smile spread across Gunther’s face, and Hildy’s cheeks turned pink.
Rose and Hildy set their sewing bundles in the corner. The chamber where Frau Geruscha and Rose tended the sick and injured was spacious. They pushed the benches against the wall, leaving plenty of room for a couple to dance.
Rose clapped to provide the rhythm while Gunther instructed Hildy in the dances, starting with the Maltese Branle. Rose watched with approval as Gunther gently guided his pupil, who caught on quickly to the order of the steps. The air was cool for May, and a breeze blew through the open windows and fanned the dancers’ cheeks. Rose hoped Gunther noticed the alluring tendrils of blonde hair that had wriggled loose from Hildy’s braid and fluttered at her temples.
As Hildy laughed at a misstep, someone moved into the open doorway. Lord Hamlin. Rose caught her breath and covered her mouth with her hand. Gunther and Hildy saw him too, and the dancing ceased.
“Good day.” Lord Hamlin nodded first to Rose, then to Gunther and Hildy.
Hildy snatched her hand away from Gunther’s and placed it behind her back. Though Rose and Hildy outnumbered Gunther two to one, they were all unmarried and, therefore, improperly chaperoned. Rose held her breath, waiting for Lord Hamlin’s reaction.
She swallowed. “Good day, Lord Hamlin. We were just teaching Hildy some dances.”
“I see.”
All the blood had drained from Hildy’s face. Her eyes had the look of a rabbit caught in a trap.
Finally, Lord Hamlin spoke. “I have my lute in my saddle bag. I could play for you.”
They all exhaled at once. Rose almost giggled.
“That is most gracious of you, my lord,” Gunther said.
Lord Hamlin disappeared from the doorway and returned moments later with the lute. “What dance were you practicing?”