The Beautiful Pretender (A Medieval Fairy Tale #2)(27)

“I shall stay by your side for this dance, my lord, even though I do enjoy dancing very much. I would much rather talk with you.”

He looked down at her. “That is very sacrificial of you.”

She blinked, looking as if she did not know how to respond to that. She was not nonplussed for long. “I do love this room. The floors are beautiful and I’ve never seen such a perfect room for dancing.”

Fronicka continued to talk about the room and the castle as everyone else started to dance. Everyone, that is, except Lady Dorothea, who stood nearby, talking with one of the young noblemen, the Duke of Wolfberg. Did Lady Dorothea think him handsome? He was younger than Reinhart, and as a duke, his rank was higher. Besides that, he had two strong ankles, unlike him. Was Wolfberg complimenting her as she smiled and glanced down at her hands? Why were they not dancing?

“What do you know of Lady Dorothea?” Fronicka suddenly asked. “There was some rumor I had heard about her from some travelers who came from Plimmwald. I’m sure it cannot be true.”

“What rumor?” Reinhart purposely kept his tone bland.

“Oh, I would never repeat it. Something about Lady Dorothea and one of her father’s knights, Sir Dietric. I am sure it cannot be true. People do gossip, especially the lower classes.”

Reinhart forced himself not to react to her words. Calmly he said, “If you are sure it cannot be true, I am surprised you mention it.”

Lady Fronicka opened her mouth to speak, closed it, then opened it again. “I do not know why . . . I say whatever comes to my mind. It is my greatest fault. But I cannot help it if someone blurts out such gossip in my hearing. I would not wish to hurt Lady Dorothea with such false gossip, which I am sure is exactly what it was. After all, if she truly were with child, it would show. I am sure it must not be true.”

He glanced at Lady Dorothea as she spoke to the Duke of Wolfberg. Her face had such a look of innocence and modesty. Was it false? Was she pregnant with the child of her father’s knight? Or was Fronicka only trying to make Lady Dorothea look bad? But the information was so detailed—she gave the name of the knight Lady Dorothea was supposed to be in love with.

His stomach churned. He hated that he was even considering that this rumor might be true, especially about Lady Dorothea. But he also needed to know if it was true.





11



AVELINA STOOD WITH the Duke of Wolfberg. Even though she enjoyed talking with him, she reminded herself of the fact that he was not a stable boy or a manservant, but a handsome duke.

She had made it through the one dance with the young baron’s son with the prominent front teeth. She only made two or three mistakes, including stepping on his foot. She’d been mortified, but he merely smiled and pretended not to notice. She never would have danced if not for wanting to give Lady Magdalen a chance to talk with Lord Thornbeck. He was so much less intimidating when one was speaking directly with him, with no one else around. She would almost say he was pleasant, and that there was gentleness, if one were able to get beneath his austere margrave facade. Perhaps Lady Magdalen would think so too if she had a chance to talk to him for a bit.

Surely he would fall in love with Lady Magdalen and choose her to be his bride. Who could not love her, with her sweet smile and calm contentment? She was sophisticated yet friendly and welcoming. She was everything a noblewoman should be. Lord Thornbeck must see that, if he spoke with her for even the length of time it took to dance one dance.

So Avelina had muddled through the dance. At least while she was dancing, Lady Fronicka had stopped trying to poison her with every hate-filled glance she threw her way while Avelina stood talking to Lord Thornbeck.

But when the music began again, the baron’s son moved away and asked someone else, and the Duke of Wolfberg had asked her to dance. She begged off, admitting to him that she was afraid she did not know the steps very well and would disgrace herself. He smiled most kindly—everyone was ever so kind to the woman they thought was Lady Dorothea—and stood talking with her, while Lady Fronicka dominated Lord Thornbeck’s attention.

“Were you glad to get Lord Thornbeck’s invitation to Thornbeck Castle?” the Duke of Wolfberg asked. “I was very glad to get away from home for a few days.”

“Oh, I have been pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable it has been.”

He opened his mouth as if to say something else, but a commotion seemed to be interrupting the musicians, who broke off their song on a discordant note.

Avelina and the duke both turned their heads to see who was shouting. A woman, looking very out of place in her dull-gray woolen kirtle and a bedraggled wimple covering her hair, was shaking her finger at the musicians.

“You should not be here,” she cried. “You were never here before. Annlin! Annlin!” She turned and cupped her mouth with her hands. “Annlin!” she called up the stairs.

“The woman must surely be mad,” the duke said quietly, as everyone in the room was now staring at her.

Lord Thornbeck, leaning on his cane, was walking toward her. Would he have her punished? Sent away with an angry rebuke for disturbing the ball?

“You there!” Lord Thornbeck shouted at a manservant. “Who’s responsible for watching her tonight?”

Jorgen appeared from the other end of the room and hurried toward them. The chancellor took the older woman’s elbow and nudged her toward the stairs. Lord Thornbeck said something near his ear, then turned and came back toward his guests.