He cleared his throat. “We’d better try to sleep.”
“Yes.” She turned away from him and they spread their blankets, she on one side of the fire and he on the other. It was a cool night, and so he showed Margaretha how to roll herself up in the blanket for extra warmth.
When he closed his eyes to sleep, he could still see Margaretha, the way she had looked in the moonlight. Her voice was soft and sweet, and her smile was completely devoid of ill will. But he also remembered Anne saying Margaretha would never leave her family. England was a very long way from the Holy Roman Empire.
He should guard his heart, for he could see it was in danger, and they were still a long way from Marienberg.
Margaretha slept as soundly as she did in her own soft bed in Hagenheim. She awoke and wondered why she couldn’t move her arms, then remembered she had wrapped herself in her blanket.
Colin was not lying where he had been the night before. Hearing a noise, she saw him saddling one of the horses. The sun had not made an appearance yet, but the sky was streaked with pale pink and orange.
They broke their fast with some bread and cheese and were soon on the road again.
When the sun was high overhead, they stopped to rest and water the horses at the small stream that meandered near the roadside.
“I know I shouldn’t complain, but it is hard to sit so long in a saddle.” Margaretha resisted the urge to rub her sore backside as she watched Colin check the saddles and the packs and tighten them. Her hands were blistered from holding the reins. They both stretched and arched their backs while the horses grazed. “I will be overjoyed to see Marienberg Castle.” She didn’t want to tell Colin, but she’d also been thinking of her family back at Hagenheim Castle, wondering if they were being mistreated, if they were scared or hungry or cold, and if her father and Valten had found out about Lord Claybrook’s treachery. Were they attacking Claybrook’s guards at this very moment, outnumbered and getting beaten back?
She must be learning self-control, because she stopped herself from mentioning these fears to Colin. What good would it do? She’d probably start crying and that would not help anyone. Tears only made men feel uncomfortable, and they gave her a headache.
“I am grateful to you for wanting to help me and my family and the people of Hagenheim.” Margaretha occupied herself with checking the horses’ hooves to make sure they hadn’t picked up rocks or thrown a shoe. “I know you want to capture Claybrook for your own reasons, but you had no reason to want to help me and my family. If there is anything my father or my cousin, the Duke of Marienberg, can do for you, I am sure they will be pleased to reward you.”
Colin had been filling their water flasks while she checked the horses’ hooves. He now sat down and stretched his legs out on the ground and fixed her with a serious stare. “Lady Margaretha, I’m afraid you think more of me than I deserve. The truth is, I came here for the sole purpose of capturing Claybrook and taking him back to England to face punishment for his murders.”
“So you would not help us if it were not for wanting revenge on Lord Claybrook?”
“Not revenge. Justice.” He seemed to think for a moment, then lay down on the grass, reminding her of when he had lain on Frau Lena’s sick bed, ranting about Claybrook so passionately that she had thought he was mad. He said quietly, “But I would have helped you and your family, Margaretha, even if I had not known of Claybrook’s previous evil deeds.” He smiled at her, then closed his eyes.
Something about the way he looked at her made him seem even more handsome. But she refused to think about that. She stepped to the edge of the stream and started washing her hands in the cold water. “I believe you would have helped us anyway, and that is to your credit. I am thankful to have your assistance, for whatever reason. However, I must say, I am not sure your desire for justice is not simply a thirst for vengeance. You should be careful to leave room for God’s justice.”
Margaretha took a drink of the cold stream water. It wasn’t quite as good as the well water at Hagenheim, but almost.
“Vengeance?”
Margaretha glanced over her shoulder. The word seemed to have riled him into a sitting position as he squinted at her.
“You think me guilty of seeking revenge, then?”
“I am sorry if I sounded accusatory.” She wasn’t sure why, but she had to fight the smile that was creeping into her face. He was so intense. “A desire for justice is a good desire, and I believe you have that. I also think you ought to be careful not to let it lead you into vengefulness.”