Read The Princess Spy Online

Authors: Melanie Dickerson

Tags: #Juvenile Fiction, #Love & Romance, #ebook

The Princess Spy (25 page)

BOOK: The Princess Spy
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“Yes. Lord Claybrook was courting me — ”

“But you didn’t want to marry him. I remember that.” He looked at her with wide, excited eyes.

“Yes. I mean, no, I didn’t.”

He squeezed his eyes tightly shut, as if trying to remember something. “You were on a black horse. I thought you were about to be killed. The horse stopped and you flew off. Were you hurt? I can’t remember.”

“No, I was not badly hurt. How does your head feel? Are you feeling pain anywhere else?”

“I think someone kicked me in the side, but nothing feels broken. Except my head.” He lifted his hand to his forehead and touched the old wound. He winced. “My head feels broken.”

“You just lie still.” Margaretha didn’t know what else to do. “I don’t think you should get up. You might faint. Do you remember yet that we were on our way to Marienberg?”

He kept his eyes closed while he talked. “Marienberg does not sound familiar. But I do remember you didn’t want to marry me because you don’t want to leave your family.”

“Well, I . . . I . . .” Margaretha felt her face grow hot. “I don’t believe anything was ever said about . . . that, but . . . it is true that I had hoped to marry someone near my family.”

His lips parted, then his face gradually became tense. He opened his eyes and squinted up at her. “I am talking like a madman again, aren’t I? I remember now. You thought I was mad. You and everyone else at Hagenheim Castle, because I was raving about Claybrook, and no one could understand my English, except you. But even you thought I was mad. I remember now.”

Her face seemed to be afflicted with a perpetual blush. “I am sorry about that. I should not have doubted you. You were completely justified in warning me, as it turned out. And I don’t believe you are mad now, either. You simply need to rest and your memory will come back to you.” But she wasn’t nearly as sure as she wished she was.

He opened his eyes. “I’m afraid I don’t remember much about the last few days . . . or weeks. I’m not sure how long.”

“Don’t worry. It will come back to you.”

“But you and I . . . we are . . . ?” He lifted questioning brows at her.

Margaretha wasn’t sure what he was about to say, but she was too afraid to wait for it. “We are friends who are on our way to Marienberg. We escaped from Claybrook and his guards and Hagenheim Castle with Lady Anne, my cousin, and a maid named Britta. Do you remember that?”

“Was I in the dungeon?”

“Yes! You are remembering. We escaped the castle through a tunnel that went from the dungeon to a meadow outside the town wall. Then we found Bezilo, one of my father’s trusted guards, and we rescued him from two of Claybrook’s men.”

“Did Bezilo kill them? With a sword?”

“Yes. Britta went back to Hagenheim and we took Anne to her home, where we stole two horses.”

“I remember this. It was good that Anne did not come with us. We stole the horses . . . What happened next?”

Why did he think it was good Anne did not come with them? “Well, we rode the rest of that day and all the next day. Then that night we saw five of Claybrook’s men, who had decided to stop for the night in almost the same spot we had chosen.”

“Yes, I remember that. We were in the woods and it was dark. You were holding on to my arm, and I kissed you.”

“What?” Margaretha sat back on her heels. “No. No, that did not happen.” She felt herself blushing more furiously than ever, her breath coming fast at the thought. “I can’t imagine why you would think . . . no, you did not kiss me.”
I would have remembered that
.

“Oh. No, of course not. Forgive me. Of course I didn’t . . . I wouldn’t . . .” Now
he
was blushing.

He was very handsome when he blushed.

A tragic expression of horror came over his face. “I almost let you get killed — again. Why didn’t you listen to me? I told you this trip was dangerous. Why didn’t you stay with Anne?” He closed his eyes and his face was pale. “I failed you. I cannot protect you, Margaretha. You shouldn’t have come with me.”

“No, you did not fail me.” Margaretha touched his face, turning it toward her, and his eyes met hers. “You came back when you could have gone on and left me. You saved me.” She felt the tears welling up in her eyes again and blinked them back. “And if you hadn’t said that I was Duke Wilhelm’s daughter, they would have taken my dress. But after you said that, their leader forced them to leave me alone. You saved me, Colin, from being humiliated, losing my dress, and possibly much worse.”

The woebegone look in his eyes faded. She must have convinced him that he had indeed saved her. He placed his hand over hers, and her heart tripped at the warmth and gentleness of his touch.

O God
,
what would I have done if those robbers had killed him?

“You must be so worried about your family,” he said. “We should start walking. We have to get to Marienberg.” He started trying to sit up.

“Are you sure you are able to get up?” She helped him by taking hold of his shoulder and arm and pulling him. Once he was sitting, he closed his eyes again.

“Should you lie back down? Are you in pain? You look so pale. Are you sure you won’t faint?” He swayed a bit and she steadied him. “I’m sorry. When I get nervous I talk too much and ask too many questions and don’t give the other person enough time to answer. You surely remember that. It’s my worst fault. I always say that, but the truth is, I hope that is my worst fault, but people often don’t realize what their worst fault is, so maybe it isn’t — And I’m doing it again. Forgive me.”

“I like hearing you talk.” He opened his eyes and smiled. “It’s soothing.”

Who was this man? No one liked her talking. It was annoying, not soothing.

Colin’s head injury had loosened his tongue. First he seemed to know that she wouldn’t marry him and why, which she had never discussed with him, then he was saying he had kissed her, which he hadn’t, and now he was saying he liked hearing her talk. He had also said last night that her talking sounded cheerful, now that she thought about it. Could he truly think that?

This strange conversation was making her heart leap madly. She had to stop thinking these wonderful but confusing things about Colin. She must focus on the task at hand — making sure he was well enough to travel.

“How are you feeling? Are you dizzy?”

“My head is spinning like a drunken man with a wooden leg.”

Yes, re-injuring his head had done something to his inhibitions.

“But it is better.” He blinked. “I think I can walk now. There’s a stream nearby, yes?”

“Yes.” He was trying to get up, so she grabbed his arm and helped him to his feet. He closed his eyes and swayed. She wrapped her arm about his waist, pulling his arm around her shoulders to allow him to lean on her.

“Thank you. I’m not sure why I seem to be having trouble standing.”

“Could it be the kicks to the head?”

“Possibly.”

Margaretha helped him slowly cross the road. He seemed to get stronger as they drew near the stream. She sat him down on the bank, where he lay on his stomach at the edge and drank from his hand. Then he rolled over onto his back and lay still, his eyes closed.

His chest moved up and down and he seemed to be breathing hard.

“Can I do anything for you? Are you all right?”

“I am well. I’m sorry for slowing you down and for letting the horses get stolen. I know you want to get to Marienberg and send help to your family as fast as you can. I will be able to walk after I rest a moment.”

“Don’t worry. I am tired too. We rose very early this morning. After we rest for a little while, we can be on our way again.” Without horses, without food, without money. Margaretha felt the panic rising inside her.

No, she would not think about that. Besides, she was extremely tired, and things always seemed worse when she was tired. She would lie down near Colin, who was already asleep, she could tell by his steady breathing, and take a nap. Then they would both be better able to travel.

Margaretha stretched out on the thick grass and pillowed her head on her arm, tears pricking her eyes at the thought of the blankets that were now gone, tears of exhaustion and the remaining emotions after the attack by the robbers. At least they were alive. She could be grateful for that.

The soft grass actually felt good, and she felt herself drifting to sleep.

Margaretha awoke and sat up. Where was she?

When she saw Colin nearby, the morning’s events came back to her. She and Colin were taking a short sleep before continuing their journey — on foot, unfortunately.

“Colin?”

He didn’t move.

“Colin? Can you hear me?” She kept her voice low, remembering that Claybrook’s men were not too far behind them.

He still didn’t move. She stared at his chest. It looked still. “Oh no, please, no.” She scrambled over to him on her hands and knees and laid her ear on his chest, pressing as close as possible. She held her breath and waited. There it was. A
swoosh-thump
sound against her ear.

She kept her ear there. His chest was quite warm. Hadn’t she heard that people went cold if they were dead? No, he was definitely alive, and this was quite pleasant and comfortable — her head lying on his warm chest, listening to his heartbeat. She sighed deeply.

“Margaretha?”

She righted herself and stared into his bright blue eyes. “I woke up and couldn’t see your chest moving and I got scared and put my ear there to try to see if I could hear your heart beating. And it was. Beating, I mean.”

He simply stared at her, a sweet, soft look on his face. He seemed to be staring at her lips.

“Of course it was beating. You are alive.” She laughed — a nervous sound. “But I’m talking too much again. How do you feel?” She realized she was leaning over him and moved away.

He sat up. “Only a little dizzy. I am well.”

“Do you remember what happened to you?”

“Some of it seems a bit foggy. I don’t remember why my head hurts, but I remember . . . we were going to Marienberg . . . to get help to defeat Claybrook.”

When he said the name Claybrook, his face came alive. “Let us be off.” He stood a little shakily and looked around. “But where are the horses?”

“Oh dear. I do believe sleep is bad for your memory.”

“Why? No matter. We must be off. You can tell me what happened on the way.”

“Let us go, then.”

“Where are the horses?”

“We don’t have them anymore. Some men lay in wait for us in the road this morning, attacked us, and stole our horses.” Must she explain this to him every time he fainted or fell asleep?

“We will have to walk, then. I know you are anxious to get help for your family.”

At least he remembered that much. “Are you sure you are able to walk?” He didn’t look very sturdy, and he was still pale.

“I am able.” He looked down at her feet. “Since we’re walking, you will need better shoes. Those won’t last long on these roads.”

“I thought of that. Perhaps at the next village I can exchange my dress for something less fine and a sturdier pair of shoes.”

“Good idea.”

They set out, and Margaretha prayed silently,
Father God
,
please help us bring help before it is too late for Father
,
Valten
,
and the rest of our family.
Losing the horses had set them back several days. It was a harsh blow, a painful setback, but she had to believe that they would still make it to Marienberg and back to Hagenheim in time to save everyone. In her heart, strangely, she felt peace.

They had only been walking for a few minutes when the sound of horses’ hooves came from behind them. They leapt off the road and watched from the cover of the trees as Claybrook’s men thundered by.

Now that they had lost their horses, Claybrook’s men would reach Marienberg before they did.

Chapter
24

Colin did not complain about the pain in his
head or how dizzy he felt. And Margaretha did not complain either. Even when the soles of her shoes wore out, she simply wrapped strips of her underdress around her feet.

After a few hours, they came to a village and she was able to do what she had proposed to Colin; she exchanged her green silk cotehardie for a brown woolen kirtle and a pair of thicker soled shoes. She also managed to talk the woman into giving them some bread and two bowls of pea and oat pottage, which tasted terrible but filled them up.

BOOK: The Princess Spy
4.96Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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