An Uncertain Choice

He nodded, his armor clinking again. “It was obvious that you hadn’t ordered the boiling or the stretching upon the rack. That you, in fact, were opposed to torture. And after gaining the duke’s permission, I took the liberty to investigate the matter further.”


Was he the knight who had rescued the criminals earlier in the day? I wanted to command him to come closer, to reveal his face, to let me gaze on him. But he was keeping a respectable distance, and ordering him closer would surely be too brazen.

“Go on, sir,” I whispered. “Please share anything you’ve learned.”

He nodded and continued in a low voice. “I rode to the sheriff’s estate and . . . let myself in.”

I held back a smile at the knight’s chosen words. It was well known in my land that the sheriff kept a tight watch over his estate, the grand home my father had awarded him after he’d saved my life from the peasant with the Plague. With a heavy guard and vicious dogs, letting oneself in to the sheriff’s manor was tantamount to breaching the walls of a well-fortified castle.

“I’m surprised you weren’t torn to pieces in spite of your armor,” I whispered, eyeing him for any signs of distress.

“I have a special way with dogs, my lady.” His voice hinted at humor.

“You must.”

“And I also have a special way of extracting information from sheriffs who decide to play mute.” Again the humor in his tone belied the danger of the situation. I had no doubt he’d put his own life in peril to retrieve information about the sheriff’s use of torture.

“You’re a brave knight.”

“Apparently, news of my expertise with various weapons had reached him ahead of me, so ’twas not difficult to gain his cooperation when he saw my fingers upon my dagger.”

Not difficult? I studied him again through the dim lighting, wishing I could see him clearly. But in his armor, I could no more see him now than I could the knight earlier in the day. “And what did my sheriff reveal, sir?”

The knight held himself stiffly. “He said that once you’re in the convent, he’ll finally be able to do his job the way it’s meant to be done, that he’ll be able to handle criminals any way he wants without a girl telling him what to do.”

At the bitter bite of the words, I sucked in a sharp breath. “And you agree with him?”

“Not in the least,” the knight protested harshly. “Man or woman, you’re his ruler and he ought to obey your orders whether he agrees or not.”

I should have punished the sheriff earlier for his insolence. By showing him compassion, I’d apparently proven myself weak. “Once I’m of age, he’ll learn soon enough that I’ll rule as strongly and rightly as my father before me.”

The young knight bowed. “I’m sorry that I had to bring you such news, my lady. I regret that I had to cause you even the slightest distress.”

“You were noble to investigate the matter further, and I thank you.”

I would need to speak with my sheriff again, although the idea of another confrontation filled me with dread. What would truly happen once I turned eighteen? I’d always thought I’d be able to rule just as my father had, even if it was from afar. But what if the sheriff did indeed have different plans? How would I be able to stop him if I was confined to the abbey?

If the sheriff felt that my power would decrease even though I’d come of age, how many more of my people felt the same way?

The duke had moved back into the chapel. He cocked his head at the door, signaling his young knight. The man bowed toward me and began to withdraw.

As he strode across the chapel, I called after him. “Wait.” He stopped and turned.

“Thank you,” I said. “You’ve done a hard thing in uncovering and bearing this news. And I admire you for your courage.”

He gave a slight bow and continued toward the chapel exit. I could only stare after him, my heart thumping a strange rhythm at the realization that this was one of the potential suitors the duke had picked to woo me. If all of them were like this man, then the month would certainly not be dull.

“I’m sorry, Rosemarie.” The duke crossed to me. “He didn’t want to speak with you, since the sheriff’s confession was insulting. But I encouraged him to see the task through to completion. For it is often the hardest tasks that build the most character.”

I sighed. “Perhaps I’ve harbored false hope for what my rule will be like once I’ve entered the convent.”

“You’ve been a compassionate ruler,” the duke offered. “Your father and mother would have been proud of the way you’ve ruled this land, just as I am. No one could have done better.”

The duke’s praise was like a crown set upon my head. Whether he’d known it or not, he’d given me the highest compliment. “I’ll rule my people justly, even from a distance,” I said. “Once I have the power to make all the decisions, I’ll do even more for my subjects.”

He shook his head. “Although legally the power will be yours, I want you to think about how you’ll know what your people need if you’re closeted away from the world. Will you truly be able to govern justly?”