“I thought they wouldn’t be here for two more days.”
“I received a missive from him last night. They will come tonight, but we will wait until dawn. Then we attack. We shall cut them off from the town by closing the castle gate. Fifty soldiers should be enough to control the townspeople, while we will use the rest to defeat Duke Wilhelm’s guards. We’ll confine the family to the solar in the center tower.”
A sound like a rushing wind filled Margaretha’s ears. She fought back panic. But she had to keep listening and find out whatever she could.
“How many guards do you think are left at the castle?” Lord Claybrook asked the question calmly, as if it was a matter of little consequence.
“About thirty. Most of his guards and soldiers are with the duke.”
“Excellent. We can subdue thirty guards in no time.”
“What did you want to do with Lady Margaretha?”
“We will have the priest marry us immediately, in the castle chapel. Once we kill Duke Wilhelm and his oldest son, Valten, there will be no one to object. Lady Margaretha will think the guards were attacking on my uncle’s orders, and that I am her savior. Even the king will sanction our marriage.” Lord Claybrook laughed.
Margaretha clung to the tree branch she was leaning on, her stomach tumbling like a stone rolling downhill.
The two of them spoke of who would attack where, and of killing the guard at the castle gate first. Margaretha became so dizzy, she had to close her eyes and hang on tight. She heard little of what they said next, unable to defeat the panic that overwhelmed her senses. She focused on breathing in and out; she couldn’t faint.
After what seemed like a long time, Lord Claybrook and the captain of his guard started walking back toward the castle. Soon she couldn’t hear them at all.
“O God, what shall I do?” Her voice shook. She began to climb down out of the tree, which was difficult, the way her arms and legs were shaking.
I must tell someone. But who should she tell, since neither her father nor Valten were home? She didn’t want to terrify her mother. She should tell her father’s guards, but she had to be careful. If Lord Claybrook found out she knew his plan . . .
She stumbled over her own feet as she ran through the orchard and up the hill toward the castle. Would her father’s guards even believe her story? Perhaps not. But there was one person she knew who would.
Chapter
11
Margaretha ran through the town gate, then the castle gate, and across the stable yard. The sun was already shining over the horizon, but the stable was still dark. She blinked, waiting for her eyes to adjust, and then she saw Colin dumping oats into a bucket. He looked over his shoulder, and when he saw her, gasping for breath after her long run, he dropped the bucket and hurried toward her.
“What happened?” He grabbed her arm.
“Is anyone around?”
“The other stable boys, but they don’t speak English.”
She whispered, “You were right,” and paused to catch her breath. “I spied on Lord — on him. It is just as you said. We’re all in danger.” She glanced around. Two other stable boys were bringing oats to the horses. They glanced at her curiously but looked away when she made eye contact with them. She leaned even closer to Colin. What did it matter if it looked like she was being much too familiar with a servant?
“He is planning to attack the castle guards and take over the castle and the town.”
“When?”
“At dawn tomorrow. He will make it look like he is saving us from his uncle. He will force me to marry him and kill my father and brother when they come home.” Her voice caught on the last word and a dry sob escaped her throat.
“Don’t worry.” Colin clasped her hand. “We will stop him, now that we know his plan. Good work, my lady.”
His words and the expression on his face helped her take control of herself. But would Colin know what to do? How could he keep Lord Claybrook from killing her father and brother? Or from forcing her to marry him?
“We have no weapons. We must tell my father’s guards, the ones who are left. But how, without looking suspicious?”
“We will find a way. The element of surprise is on our side, as long as they don’t know that we know.”
Without warning, anger welled up inside her, stoking an internal fire that spread upward to the top of her head. “How dare he think he can take over my town and my family? How dare he talk of killing my father and brother? That hat-wearing, impudent, conceited . . . I don’t know enough English words to insult him properly.” She had never struck anyone in her life, but she could slap his face if he were in front of her now. “If he thinks I will marry him — ”
“Listen. We don’t have much time. We need to form a plan.”