She had no idea which way to go.
She could call out, hoping Colin would hear her and come for her. But what if someone else heard her, someone not so friendly, like those robbers who had stolen their horses and everything they had of value?
“What would Mother tell me to do?” She bit her lip and closed her eyes to force herself to think.
Pray. Mother would tell her to pray.
Margaretha began to ask God to help her find her way. “If I don’t get out of here, I’ll be lost away from Colin and Toby. They won’t know what happened to me. They might think something terrible happened to me. They might get lost themselves, looking for me.”
Margaretha was on the brink of tears. This was no good. Why was she saying such a fearful prayer?
“God, forgive me. You know the way back. Help me find my way.”
Opening her eyes, the glow in the sky seemed brighter to her right. That must be the east. Straight ahead was north, and according to what she remembered about last night and where they went to sleep, the road must be straight ahead. If she could find the road, she could find Colin and Toby.
She hurried through the trees. Her heart was still pounding incredibly fast. “God, please help me,” she whispered, hearing the desperation in her voice, so she deliberately infused her next words with faith. “God, I know you will help me. You will never leave me or forsake me. Help me find the road and get back to Colin and Toby and get to Marienberg before nightfall. Nothing is too hard for you.”
That last thought gave her strength, so she repeated it in her mind as she walked through the thick undergrowth, leaves, and bushes. Nothing is too hard for God. Nothing is too hard for God.
The trees began to thin and she could see glimpses of the bare road ahead through the leaves and tree trunks. The closer she got, the more she was convinced that she was near where they had veered off the road the night before. Once she was on the road again, she was certain she could find it.
She broke out of the trees and nearly laughed out loud in relief. To the east, the sun was just peeking over the horizon, as if it lay a few miles down the road. But she didn’t see the spot where they had turned off the road the night before.
She looked to her left, and her breath stilled in her throat.
A group of five men — Claybrook’s men — and their horses stood in the road looking at her.
When Toby awoke, Margaretha was nowhere in sight, so Colin took him by the hand so that he could help Colin collect their game from the snares he had set the night before. Toby was very interested in the snares. Colin could only hope the little boy’s excited voice didn’t attract the attention of more robbers — or even Claybrook’s men, who were doubtless still searching for them.
They made their way back to where they had slept, but Margaretha had not returned. Immediately, he felt a sense of dread. Had something happened?
“Margaretha.” He called her name, but not too loudly.
Toby prattled on, but of course, Colin didn’t understand him.
Where was Margaretha?
Men’s voices came from the direction of the road.
Margaretha froze. Her head seemed to float, and her stomach sank to her toes. Was she about to faint?
Claybrook’s men sprang toward her, two on their horses, three on foot. She couldn’t hope to outrun them, and in a few moments, two of them were holding her by her arms.
“You have led us on a merry chase,” one of them growled. He appeared to be in charge, because the other men only stared and let him do the talking. “But we have you now. Tell us where your friend, Colin le Wyse, has wandered off to.”
“He isn’t here.” Margaretha’s voice was quiet, solemn, and strangely calm. Thank you, God, for that.
“We saw your footprints — two sets of footprints — leading off this road. We know there were two of you, so where is he?”
She saw no way to escape from them. The only thing she could do was to lead them away from Colin. At least he could make it to Marienberg and get help. They would not kill Margaretha, especially if Lord Claybrook still intended to marry her. But they surely had orders to kill Colin on sight.
“Colin is dead.” Margaretha burst into tears, covering her face with her hands.
It was not difficult to cry. After all, she had come so close to reaching Marienberg, only to be found by these evil men. And her fear for Colin and Toby was great enough to add to her distress.
“Dead? You’re lying.”
“He caught a fever and died in the night.” She began to sob harder.
“Are you telling me the truth?”
Margaretha could only nod.
Another man said softly, “Let us go. It’s the girl Claybrook wants. Let him rot in the forest.”
A third added, “We’ve been chasing this wench for too long. I want to get back to the fighting, if there is to be any.”