“Anne was wrong.” Margaretha’s voice was soft as she drew closer to him, never taking her eyes off his. “I will not resent you, Colin. Yes, I will miss my mother, and my father, sisters, and brothers. I will miss Hagenheim. But I am ready to start a new life with you. I am sure we will face problems, but nothing will be too hard for us, because God has brought us together. We must have faith and courage, and I will never regret my decision to love you and marry you and move to England with you.”
He didn’t think he could possibly love her more than he did at this moment. And at the risk of spoiling it, he had to mention something he was dreading. But if he did not tell her now, she would find out later, when they went to England. “There is one more thing. I want to ask forgiveness for calling you a flibbertigibbet.”
“Why? Because I turned out to be such a good spy?” She arched her brows and grinned.
Could she possibly be more beguiling?
“That is not what flibbertigibbet means. It means . . . but you have to promise not to be angry with me.”
“I will promise no such thing.” She was still smiling playfully.
“Then you must promise to forgive me and to know that I don’t think you are a flibbertigibbet at all anymore.”
“Colin, what is a flibbertigibbet?” She narrowed her eyes at him.
“It is a person who . . . chatters a lot and is not very . . . intelligent.”
Her face instantly lost its playful look. “You thought that about me?” Anger and pain seemed to be warring behind her eyes.
“No, not after I got to know you. Only when you thought I was mad and didn’t believe me about Claybrook.”
“Oh.” She took a step back.
“I regret ever thinking that about you. It isn’t true at all.” He reached out for her, but she curled her arms into her chest. “Now I know that you are a courageous woman who bashes soldiers twice her size in the head with whatever she finds nearby. You are a woman with a strong will, who never gives up, and is fiercely faithful to those she loves.”
The smile came back to her face. “I am powerful, aren’t I? I’m the kind of woman you want by your side in a fight, am I not?”
“You are,” he readily acknowledged, sighing in relief to see her anger dissipating. “You are the kind of woman any man would want by his side, in times of peace and times of war. And best of all, you are always full of faith in God, and you have taught me a lot about finding peace.”
“I’m glad to hear it. And you have taught me that, even though I do sometimes talk too much, I am still a woman of great worth.”
“You are indeed a woman of great worth, and I do not think you talk too much.” He took her face in his hands and kissed her briefly on the lips. “I am happiest when I can hear your voice.” He kissed her again. “And I thank God that you love me.” He kissed her for a long time.
Epilogue
Margaretha’s wedding day had finally come. The sky was glorious: Bright blue with big fluffy clouds floating overhead. Colin, who looked breathtakingly handsome in a dark blue tunic, his dark brown hair shining in the sun, walked beside her on the way to the church.
Gisela and Valten’s new baby was two months old, and fat and healthy. She didn’t even cry while the priest said the marriage rites over Colin and Margaretha before the bronze doors of Hagenheim Cathedral. All of the Gerstenberg family was there for the wedding, along with Colin’s father, the Earl of Glynval, who had stayed to accompany the newly married couple back to England.
Toby was also there, and he stood beside Steffan and Wolfgang, learning all their mischievous tricks, no doubt. But he was smiling and happy. After being with them for a month and a half, he had grown two inches and his cheeks had filled out. He stayed close to her mother, who had sent for him immediately after Margaretha told her about him. She doted on him, and he was calling her “Mama” after only two days.
Gabe and Sophie had made the trip from Hohendorf with their two children. Her niece and nephew had grown so much, Margaretha barely recognized them.
She caught a few glimpses of Anne in the crowd, making nice with her smiles and waves, but Margaretha was not fooled. Her cousin was on the side of whoever could help her gain the most. And since Claybrook and his captain, Sir Reginald, had been defeated and taken to the king to be judged and punished, she would pretend loyalty and love for Duke Wilhelm and his family.
And Colin’s new friend, Sir Gerek, was there with a beautiful young woman who looked strangely familiar, although Margaretha couldn’t remember ever meeting her.
After the ceremony, they feasted at the castle, and it was quite a contrast to the feast after her wedding to Claybrook. Everyone was smiling and laughing, even her mother and father, whom she knew were a little sad that she was leaving in a few days. They were taking turns holding their grandchildren; they would have sufficient consolation when she was gone.
When the Meistersingers began to play a lively tune, Colin asked her to dance. By the end of it, she was laughing in his arms. Looking down into her eyes, he asked, “Are you happy?”
“Very happy.”
He kissed her cheek, and, even though the last two months had been the happiest of her life, the next two months, two years, two decades, promised to be even happier.