“Good riddance. I suppose he was deservedly ashamed and ran away.”
“Yes, but I don’t want to talk about him. Have you heard anything about when Lord Hamlin is coming home?”
“Actually, I have.” Rose sighed, remembering feeling an eager anticipation when she’d learned Lord Hamlin would be home in a few days. Her conscience smote her. Was she so inconstant? After all, she was falling in love with Lord Rupert, wasn’t she? She wasn’t supposed to be excited about his brother coming home—the arrogant, burdened-with-responsibility older brother.
“Well?”
“He’s coming home. He didn’t find Moncore, and his wedding is five months away.”
“I feel sorry for him.” Hildy shook her head. “He’s tried so hard to protect his betrothed from that horrible conjurer, and he hasn’t even been able to find him.”
“Oh, I suppose he’ll be able to protect her well enough once they’re married. Perhaps he should be trying to find her, before Moncore does.”
“Hmm. I wonder that he hasn’t thought of that.”
That afternoon, Hildy rushed into Frau Geruscha’s chambers, her eyes red, her face pale and desperate. She latched onto Rose and began to sob.
Rose had the eerie sensation that she had been through this before.
“What is it? What’s happened?” She grasped Hildy by the shoulders.
“It’s Gunther,” Hildy choked out. “The bailiff and his men have taken him to the dungeon. The duke has already sentenced him, Rose—to death!” Hildy blanched. Her eyelids fluttered and her eyes rolled back in her head.
“Frau Geruscha!” Rose held tight to Hildy, trying to support Hildy’s weight as she went limp in her arms.
Frau Geruscha entered from the storage room. “Oh my!”
The two of them half carried, half dragged Hildy to the bed and laid her on her back.
“Is she sick?” Frau Geruscha asked.
“I know not, I know not.” Rose pressed her hands to her face. “I wish she would wake up and tell me!” She wanted to cry, to relieve the hard knot in her chest, but that wouldn’t help her find out what had happened—although she was afraid she knew why Gunther was sentenced to die.
Frau Geruscha made a few passes under Hildy’s nose with a handful of pungent herbs and she began to rouse. She wrinkled her nose at the smell, weakly lifting her hand and swatting at the offensive odor.
“Hildy? Are you all right?” Rose took Hildy’s hand in hers as she hovered over her.
Hildy opened her eyes and looked up at Rose. Her face wrinkled up again. Tears overflowed their banks and slid across her temples into her hairline.
“Oh, Rose. I can’t bear it. It’s too horrible.”
“Don’t cry. I know there is something we can do. Please tell me everything. We’ll save Gunther. We will.” Rose infused her words with raw determination, hoping to bolster Hildy’s courage.
“They found Arnold Hintzen, Rose. He was dead. In the river. Someone said Gunther did it. When the bailiff asked him about it, I guess he must have said he did. I’m not sure, Rose. But I don’t care if he did kill Arnold Hintzen. I love him. He can’t die. I couldn’t bear it.”
Rose sat on the edge of the bed and pulled Hildy into her arms. She had never felt so helpless in her life. O God, please, please do something. Don’t let Gunther die. Surely he didn’t kill him. Something else must have happened. O Lord, please help us.
Rose tried to think. She had to find Gunther a way out of his sentence. But first she had to find out exactly what happened to Arnold Hintzen.
“Frau Geruscha, help me. Make Bailiff Eckehart take me to see Gunther.”
“Child, he’s in the dungeon. Are you sure you want to—”
“Yes! Frau Geruscha, please.”
“Rose…perhaps you should let his family try to help him. Besides, I don’t think there will be anything that can be done.”
“His mother has already tried,” Hildy wailed. “The duke won’t listen to her.”
“I must try. Please help me.” Rose was determined to help Gunther, since she felt partially responsible. And to help him she had to find out from him exactly what happened.
“Very well, then.” Frau Geruscha’s brows were knit together in wrinkles of worry. “Hildy, stay here. Don’t try to get up. Will you be all right for a few minutes?”
Hildy nodded, looking like a frightened, lost child.
Rose bent and kissed her cheek. “Don’t worry. God will help us.”
Chapter 16
Wilhelm, Georg, and Christoff made it to the little valley hamlet in the northern section of the Harz Mountains after riding for several days. A cold drizzle started falling. Wilhelm was anxious to find a stable for the horses and an inn with beds, preferably without lice, for himself and his men.