Rose blinked back tears. Her mistress was proud of her. “Thank God he didn’t hurt me.”
Frau Geruscha stared at her hard. “Where did he grab you? Was it here?” She touched Rose’s face.
“Yes.” She had a terrible thought. “There isn’t a bruise, is there?”
“Three fingerprints.” Frau Geruscha’s face grew taut. Fury flashed from her eyes.
Accompanying Lord Rupert to the feast, sitting beside him with bruises on her face. How embarrassing.
“I could kill him with my bare hands.”
Rose stared at Frau Geruscha in shock. If Frau Geruscha felt that way, how would Lord Rupert react? She would have to tell him, she supposed, to explain the bruises. Would the same look of fury come over his face? Did he care enough about her to be that upset?
She tested her jaw by opening her mouth, feeling the soreness, remembering for a moment the raw fear that had swept over her when the man grabbed her. The memory of his black eyes boring into her caused a shudder to pass through her. What had he wanted? His words hadn’t made sense.
“I shall speak with Duke Nicolaus’s bailiff this moment. And the duke himself, if possible.” Frau Geruscha stood. She started toward the door, then looked back at Rose. “You stay here.”
Rose waited anxiously for Frau Geruscha. It was nearing ten o’clock, but she couldn’t leave to go meet Lord Rupert until her mistress came back. She rubbed her arms up and down and tried not to think about the man’s face. But his cold eyes and twisted mouth appeared whenever she closed her eyes.
What would be done to him? A common punishment for violent crime was hanging. Could Peter Brunckhorst be hanged for what he had done to her? Probably not. Perhaps they would banish him from the region. She would never have to see him again.
Just as she began to pace the room, Frau Geruscha stepped in the door. “Well, that will be well taken care of, I have no doubt.” She sighed and sank on the bench. “I spoke to Bailiff Eckehart. He doesn’t know a Peter Brunckhorst, but he promised that he and his men would find him. They will imprison him in the dungeon until he can be sentenced by the duke.” She crossed her arms with a satisfied look on her face.
“Thank you, Frau Geruscha.” Rose hugged her.
“Now don’t let this frighten you too much, Rose. You go ahead and attend the Midsummer’s Eve festival tonight. I’m sure Hildy will be with you.”
“Yes, she will.” Rose hesitated for a moment. “And Lord Rupert has invited me to join his family for their St. John’s Day feast.”
Frau Geruscha gave her a sharp look. After a momentary silence, she said, “What do you think about Lord Rupert and his attentions to you, Rose?”
Rose thought carefully before speaking. “At first I didn’t believe he was sincere. But now I think he is. He told Lord Hamlin that he loved me. Lord Hamlin believes his brother wants to marry me.”
Frau Geruscha’s mouth fell open and her brows came down in a way that made Rose’s stomach twist into a knot. Frau Geruscha turned away and walked to the window. After standing there for several minutes, she began to shake her head back and forth.
“Oh, please don’t disapprove of Lord Rupert, Frau Geruscha. Surely you see that he is the best thing that could ever happen to me. I’ll be able to help my family if I marry him.”
Frau Geruscha turned from the window and faced her. Was she angry—or sad? Rose couldn’t tell.
“Oh, my precious Rose. Please believe me when I tell you that Lord Rupert is not part of your future happiness. I want to help you, but you must make wise decisions and not try to take matters into your own hands.” She crossed the room and laid her hands on Rose’s shoulders. “Promise me.”
“Promise you?”
“Promise me that you won’t make rash decisions when it comes to Lord Rupert, that you won’t allow yourself to succumb to his persuasiveness to do something you might later be ashamed of. Ask God to lead you in this matter.”
Something I might be ashamed of? Rose tried not to feel offended at Geruscha’s insinuation. “I promise.”
“All right, then.” She let go of Rose’s shoulders. “I hear the cathedral bells striking ten o’clock. Go on now and enjoy yourself.”
Rose quickly changed into her new dress and hastened to the well. She wished she weren’t on her way to a feast, about to face a crowd of people. She smiled when she saw Lord Rupert approaching.
He looked distracted, glancing around the courtyard. He took in her new dress in one swift glance. “You look beautiful. Are you ready?”
“Yes.”
He started to look away then his eyes snapped back and settled on her cheek. He frowned. “What happened to your face?”
Her smile disappeared. So it was noticeable. She hadn’t wanted to tell him about it while standing in the castle courtyard where people might be watching.
He looked away, scanning the courtyard again.