Up to that point, Duke Wilhelm had looked at him with piercing but expressionless blue eyes. His brows lifted when Colin mentioned Hagenheim Castle, and as Sir Gerek interpreted Colin’s English into German for Duke Wilhelm.
“Before I could recover enough to come to you with my story, you had left Hagenheim. I managed to tell your daughter, Lady Margaretha, of Claybrook’s true character, and she bravely eavesdropped on Claybrook and discovered what he was about to do in Hagenheim. We were both captured by him, but we escaped and tried to make our way to Marienberg. We traveled for several days — ”
“You traveled with my daughter? Who accompanied you?”
His heart leapt to his throat at the look in Duke Wilhelm’s eyes. “Sir, we were alone most of the time.” He continued quickly, so as not to give the duke a chance to interrupt. “But I assure you, your daughter is as virtuous as ever, and I wish to ask your blessing and permission to marry her, if she is willing, for I have fallen in love with her.”
Duke Wilhelm studied him with slightly narrowed eyes. “And how does my daughter feel? Is she in love with you?”
“I don’t know, sir. I would like to discover that myself, as soon as I see her again.”
“And where is my daughter now?”
His throat went dry, and he had to swallow, hard, to get the words out. “I do not know for certain. She was taken by Claybrook’s men. I believe she should have arrived back at Hagenheim one or two days ago.”
Duke Wilhelm said nothing, but stared at Colin from beneath those lordly brows of his. Colin had to force himself not to squirm, but to meet him stare for stare.
“Your father is an earl, from England, and you have no title. Is that true?”
“My father is the first Earl of Glynval, for services rendered to King Richard. I am the oldest son, and my father’s family has long held many lands and estates in England, from Lincolnshire to Surrey.” He hated laying out his pedigree to prove his worth, as if he was a stallion or a hunting dog, but he would do anything to win Margaretha’s father’s permission to marry her. “More importantly, sir, you have my word that I would cherish your daughter and treat her well, bringing her back to Hagenheim for visits, whenever feasible, and that I am a God-fearing man whose priorities are God and family.”
Duke Wilhelm’s tense features relaxed, but he never took his eyes off Colin. “I believe you are an honorable man, Lord le Wyse. If Margaretha wishes it, and if her mother approves of you, you have my blessing to wed.”
Margaretha opened her eyes in the strange bed and immediately remembered where she was. She could not have slept long, as it was still quite dark outside. What had awakened her?
A strange noise was coming from outside. It was not loud, but it was pervasive, almost a rumbling sound. She slipped out of bed, still wearing her mother’s emerald green dress, and looked out the narrow window.
A hundred men or more and their horses were passing by the house at a fast walk. She immediately recognized her father in his chain mail and sitting on his favorite horse.
Margaretha drew in a startled breath, hurriedly slipped on her shoes, and raced out the door and down the stairs. She ran across the main floor of the house. A young man was guarding the front door, and he jumped up from his stool at the sound of her footsteps pattering across the flagstone floor.
“Open the door,” she cried. “It’s my father!”
The boy obeyed, unbolting the crossbar and pushing open the massive wooden door.
Margaretha hurried outside. There were so many men. How would she find her father? “Father!” she called out. “Father, it’s Margaretha!”
The crowd of men parted, and her father appeared on his horse. He dismounted and came toward her.
Margaretha threw her arms around him. “Father! You’re here! We have been waiting for you to come.” His mail hauberk was not comfortable against her cheek, but she hardly cared.
“My Liebling, Margaretha.” He kissed her forehead. When he pulled away and looked down into her eyes, there was something almost sad about his smile. What was he thinking?
“Father, I’m so glad you’ve come. Please be careful. Claybrook has guards at all the gates and inside the castle, but he was poisoned last night and I don’t know how sick he is, but maybe he will die. I escaped with two of Claybrook’s men who were coming to join you.”
“Yes, Thomas and Thaddeus told me what transpired.”
“Oh, good. They found you.”
“And there is someone else here who has found me.” Her father stepped back and Colin stepped closer.
“Colin!” Even in his mail hauberk, he took her breath away.
Margaretha’s voice set Colin’s heart to pounding. When her father stepped away to watch the two of them greet each other, it beat even harder.