The Golden Braid (39 page)

Finally, the beautiful bride and her handsome English husband, both smiling—mostly at each other—led the way to the cathedral. They acknowledged their vows in front of the church door and the priest. Afterward, they all went inside for the wedding mass.

On the way back to the castle, Rapunzel's heart felt heavy. Would she ever be as overjoyed as Lady Margaretha, or feel loved the way she wished to? But she reminded herself of what Lady Rose had told her: a man could only love her imperfectly, but God could give her the perfect love she desired. Lady Rose had learned to comfort her husband in his pain instead of expecting him to heal her own.

She glanced up at Sir Gerek. He seemed almost afraid to look at her or speak to her. The corners of his mouth drooped and his brows were drawn together to form a crease between his eyes. Truly, she did not know why he seemed so despondent, but her anger left her and she suddenly wished she could comfort him.

As they walked with the rest of the crowd, who were all talking among themselves, she leaned closer to Sir Gerek.

“I am sorry I was so cross with you on the night we arrived back in Hagenheim.”

His eyes eagerly met hers, but then he quickly lowered his gaze.

“I am so grateful to you for saving me from that tower. If you had not persevered and kept searching for me, I don't know how long I would have remained there. So I want to thank you.”

His throat bobbed as he swallowed. “I am grateful that God led me to you.” If the intense look in his brown eyes was any proof, he meant it.

When they returned to the castle, Rapunzel said, “It was a beautiful wedding. Thank you for escorting me. Now I have to go help in the kitchen—after I change clothes, of course.”

He opened his mouth but didn't say anything. So she turned and started walking toward the servants' quarters.

“Wait.” His hand wrapped around her arm.

He came around in front of her. “Rapunzel.” He ran his hand through his hair and blew out a loud breath of air. “I . . .” He glanced around. People were walking by, turning their heads to look at them. “I need to talk to you. Please.”

“Very well.”

Her heart beat fast as he took her hand and led her around the side of the castle. He passed the kitchen and walked toward the giant beech tree that stood between the kitchen and the stable.

No one was around, and no one could see them from the castle courtyard.

He brought her to the other side of the enormous tree trunk, then turned her around and faced her. He leaned his hands against the trunk on either side of her head. She tried to step back, but her foot hit the tree and her back pressed against the trunk. Her breath seemed stuck in her throat. It was the way he was looking at her, so intent and anxious.

“I have to ask you something.” He scrunched his brow, opened his mouth, then closed it. For a long moment, he said nothing, his expression growing even more anxious.

“Then ask me. If you have something to say, don't be a coward. Say it.”

He leaned closer. “I want to know how you feel about me.”

“You want to know how I feel about you? After I rode with my head on your chest, hugging you for hours? After I cried on your shirt? How many men do you think I've ever embraced in my life? How many men's shoulders do you think I've cried on?”

He leaned closer, and his intense brown eyes locked on hers. “Please. Just answer the question.”

She crossed her arms in front of herself, hiding behind her anger and defiance. Still, something made her answer truthfully, “I love you.”

His chest rose and fell quickly, his eyes boring into hers. “You are a duke's daughter. You deserve to marry a duke, or someone else wealthy and powerful.”

“Do I look like I want to marry a duke? Have I ever seemed as if I wanted to be wealthy or powerful?” She wanted to yell at him, to beat his chest with her fists and accuse him of being addled and stubborn and blind.

“I said things.” He narrowed his eyes. “I did things. When I thought you were poor, I said I wanted to marry a wealthy heiress. I was rude to you. How can you not hate me?”

“What were you going to tell me the last day of our journey? You were going to tell me something about why you no longer wanted to marry Lady Lankouwen. What was it?” She leaned closer to his face.

He looked away.

She jabbed his chest with her finger. “Tell me.”

The pained look was back in his eyes. “I was going to ask you to marry me.”

“When you thought I was only a maidservant?”

“You don't believe me. I knew you wouldn't.”

“I want to.”

“Then believe me.”

He reached out and touched her face, his fingertips caressing her cheek. Her breath came fast and shallow as she gazed into his eyes.

“I realized it would be wrong not to marry you.” His intense stare dipped from her eyes to her lips. “Would be wrong to marry Lady Lankouwen when I loved you, Rapunzel.” His thumb brushed her
chin. He leaned down and hovered, his breath on her temple. Then he pressed his lips to her cheek.

Her heart stuttered and her breath froze in her chest. He kissed her other cheek. She lifted her face to look up at him. He cupped her face with one hand and pulled her closer with the other. He kissed the corner of her mouth, then gazed into her eyes.

She slid her hand behind his head and closed her eyes. He kissed her full on the lips.

Her knees went weak, and he lifted her feet off the ground, reminding her of their embrace when he had rescued her from the tower.

He suddenly broke off the kiss and put her down. “I shouldn't have done that.” He was breathing hard as he pressed his forehead to hers.

“Why not?”

“Because I love you, and your father will not like it.”

“Duke Wilhelm will be pleased. That we fell in love.”

“I will ask him, then.” He brushed his lips over hers. “If I can marry you.”

Her heart soared. She stood on tiptoe and kissed him. “He will say yes. Lady Rose will tell him to.”

He held her face between his hands. “Duke Wilhelm will think I only want to marry you because you're his daughter. I would dare to defy Duke Wilhelm to marry you, Rapunzel. But are you sure you want me? Are you sure you wouldn't regret marrying me, a man who has nothing to give you except his heart?”

“Your heart is what I want. I want your love. I want . . . I want you. Just say you'll love me forever.” She clung to his shoulders.

“I promise. Forever.”

“And never hurt me.”

“I will never, ever hurt you the way your mother hurt you, or the way my father hurt my mother.”

“I know.” She never imagined trusting someone could fill her with so much joy.

He kissed her again, in the shade of the giant beech tree, between the kitchen and the stable.

The next day, as Colin and Lady Margaretha left on their journey to England, Rapunzel prepared to return her dress to Lady Rose—and to reveal her news.

She climbed the steps to the solar. Lady Rose appeared to be alone and called to Rapunzel to come in.

“Oh, my dear, you didn't have to bring back the dress so soon.”

“I also had something I wanted to talk to you about. It is very important.” Rapunzel's stomach did a somersault inside her.

“Come and sit beside me.” Lady Rose patted the long bench. She smiled. “My girls have deserted me. Gisela is taking care of her baby in her bedchamber, and Kirstyn is moping about because she misses Margaretha. Adela and the boys—including little Toby—are on an outing with some of the servants, playing a game of blind man's buff in the sheep pasture, and so it is only me here today. Not that I mind, but Toby has been my constant shadow these last few weeks, and Duke Wilhelm thought I needed some time alone.” She smiled and sighed contentedly. “But I am glad to see you. Tell me what it is you wanted to talk about.”

“I-I want to tell you something that I learned from Frau Adelheit.”

Lady Rose tilted her head to the side with a look of curiosity.

“Just before I was given a sleeping potion and taken away by Gothel, Frau Adelheit told me how your daughter, Elsebeth, fell and cut her hand when she was little.” Her heart stuttered in her chest. Could she truly go on and claim to be Lady Rose's daughter?

“Yes?” Pain and confusion shone behind Lady Rose's eyes. Rapunzel had to explain.

“For as long as I can remember, I have had this scar on my hand.” Rapunzel lifted her hand, palm up. “Frau Adelheit says it is identical to the scar—”

Lady Rose grabbed her hand and gasped, staring hard. “Oh! What does this mean? Could it be?”

“Gothel, the woman who raised me, confessed everything. She said she pulled me into the river, then rescued me downstream. She knew I was your daughter and she . . .”

Lady Rose was weeping now, tears streaming down her cheeks as she reached out to touch her face. “How did I not know it was you? How did I not know as soon as I saw you? Oh, my baby. My Elsebeth.” She pulled Rapunzel close, clutching her shoulders.

Rapunzel hugged her, tears wetting her own cheeks, her heart swelling inside her. “I love you, Lady Rose.”

“You should never have to call me Lady Rose.” She half laughed, half choked on her tears. “I am your mother.” Her voice broke on the word
mother
and she pulled away. “I just want to look at you. You're so beautiful. I can hardly bear this joy, to have you back again.” She pulled her close and began weeping again.

Rapunzel was overjoyed and held on to her, crying just as much as Lady Rose. She knew she should be full of joy at being reunited with her mother . . . such a loving mother . . . but she couldn't help crying over the lost years, the lost love she could have had, and the pain and suffering her own good-hearted mother had gone through. And yet here they were.

She suddenly did not want to waste one more moment on pain or sadness or anger. “Please don't cry, Mother,” Rapunzel said, forcing back her own tears. “I don't want you to feel sad.”

“I am not sad!” Lady Rose—Mother—laughed through her tears. “I am overjoyed. I have you back.”

When Rapunzel went to talk to Lady Rose, Gerek headed to see Duke Wilhelm.

Duke Wilhelm was in the library, sitting in the back corner at his desk. “Sir Gerek.” He stood as he greeted him. “I want to congratulate you on saving the maidservant, Rapunzel. Lady Rose is very fond of her.”

“You are not annoyed with me for spending two months away from my duties?”

“Of course not. It was a noble quest. I am always in favor of noble quests.” He came around the desk and the two stood side by side, staring out the library window at the hill in the distance.

“Thank you, your grace.”

“And now that my oldest daughter is married, I suppose I'll be having to search for a husband for Kirstyn. Although, I hope she will find her own, as Margaretha did. It seems to have worked out better than when I was trying to find her one.”

“Yes, your grace.” Gerek was glad Duke Wilhelm was in a talkative mood, as it gave him time to gather his courage.

“Why do you not get married, Gerek? I think Sir Edgar's daughter would say yes if you asked her, although—”

“I am not interested in marrying Rainhilda, your grace.”

“Then I won't have to warn you about what she did to my daughter-in-law. I heard you were also thinking of marrying Lankouwen's widow. Is that what you're here to talk to me about?”

“Not exactly. I do want to marry, but not Lady Lankouwen.”

Duke Wilhelm gave him a hard stare in reply.

“I am in love . . . with Rapunzel.”

“The maidservant? The one you rescued?”

“Yes, your grace.”

He smiled and clapped him on the back. “Then I shall have to reward you with a house.”

“I would be very grateful, your grace, since you know I have no inheritance or fortune.”

“You are a good man, Sir Gerek, a man of integrity. You will do well in life.”