“I don’t know how I know, I just know.” Margaretha grabbed Anne by her elbows. “Now do as I say and everything will come out right. We will use the garderobe. When we leave, I will hit the guards over the head with this candlestick. I know of a secret escape route out of the castle. We can go for help.” She didn’t tell Anne that they would have to go through the dungeon to fetch Colin. Anne wouldn’t like that at all.
Anne let go of Margaretha’s arm, and they both took care of their needs rather quickly. Even so, the guard called, “Hurry up in there or I’ll come in after you.”
“No need,” Margaretha called back. Anne had caught hold of her left arm again as Margaretha slipped the heavy candlestick out of her sleeve and held it behind her back while they emerged out into the corridor. The guard looked them over. He seemed satisfied with their appearance and turned toward the Great Hall. The second guard waited a little farther down the corridor. He was distracted by a pretty maid walking by — Britta, who was probably on her way to the kitchen. Margaretha stepped forward, every nerve under her skin leaping, and raised the silver candlestick. With all the force she could muster, she struck the back of the guard’s head.
Britta happened to glance in her direction just as the guard fell. The shock on her face would no doubt alert the second guard, so Margaretha ran forward just as the second guard was turning toward her.
He grabbed the hilt of his sword and began drawing it from its scabbard. Margaretha struck him across the side of his head before he could get the tip of his sword free. He fell to the stone floor, his sword clattering down beside him, and didn’t move.
No time to check if they’re still breathing. She dashed down the corridor, tucking her candlestick in her sleeve again.
Britta’s eyes were almost as round as her open mouth.
“Follow me!” Margaretha called to Britta in a loud whisper over her shoulder. Without waiting to see if Britta would follow, Margaretha headed to the dungeon. Her hands shook, but a sense of power surged through her limbs. She felt as if she could save them all.
“If you get me killed,” Anne said in a shaky voice, “I shall come back and haunt you, Margaretha. I shall not rest until I’ve driven you mad.”
Margaretha stifled a rather hysterical laugh. No time to argue with her cousin as she flew down the uneven stone steps into the darkness.
The gaoler had left one torch burning somewhere up the steps. The light was barely enough for Colin to make out the rats that scurried by the far wall. The smell of smoke, mold, and human excrement was almost like a tangible thing, closing in on him in the dark.
The light grew brighter and he heard footsteps, quick and soft, not at all like the gaoler’s heavy footfalls.
He stood up, making his chains rattle, as three young women appeared, hurrying down the steps.
Lady Margaretha led the two others. She smiled when she saw him. No one had ever looked more beautiful or been a more welcome sight. Her eyes flashed with a wildness that matched the tone of her voice, for of course, she was talking. Most of it was in English, although she occasionally slipped into German.
“Colin, we have come to rescue you before we escape. I’ve knocked out Lord Claybrook’s two guards who were watching Anne and me, and this is Britta, a maid who was in the corridor. Do you think we have time to go get my family? Claybrook might catch us, though, and we must — ”
“I don’t know half of what you’re saying, but if you have the key to my irons, I will be very grateful.” He shook his chains to make sure she understood.
Before she could answer, Lady Margaretha and her two companions turned at the sound of voices and more footsteps.
“Wer ist da?” the gaoler’s voice called as he and the priest came into view.
Margaretha turned and spoke to the gaoler and the priest coming down the dungeon steps. Colin wasn’t sure what she told him, but the gaoler looked at her as if she had just told him to go kiss a toad.
Colin suspected Margaretha was demanding that the gaoler let Colin go, and the gaoler was arguing with her. The priest, who turned to Colin with a surprised look on his face, began to relay what they were saying.
As Margaretha spoke, the priest translated, “I am sorry to tell you this, but it is Lord Claybrook and his guards who are dangerous. This man came here to warn us to be on our guard against Claybrook, who intends to kill him — and to kill my father, Duke Wilhelm. You must not listen to what Lord Claybrook’s guards tell you.”
“Ach du meine Güte,” the priest said, whatever that meant. He crossed himself, lifting the large cross around his neck and kissing it.
The gaoler only muttered and shook his head before lifting the keys that were dangling around his wrist and sorting through them. He stepped toward Colin and began unlocking his irons.
“We must escape,” Margaretha said to Colin while the gaoler loosed him from his chains, “and find help. I don’t know if any of our men got through to warn Father, but we must find him. If he is near enough, he can prevent the Earl of Keiterhafen’s men from getting into Hagenheim tonight and defeat Claybrook before morning.”