Once I finished crying and recovered my breathing, I stood and went to find Jack, to inform him of the terrible news.
CHAPTER 20
The day of Britta’s wedding finally arrived. Jack escorted me to the village because he loved weddings. Any chance to dance and hear music excited him. And I preferred going out with him than with Malachi.
Britta and Eric were both stunning, and it was obvious they were in love. Britta looked beautiful in her blue wedding dress, and Eric was every bit as handsome as Britta had said. He had thick, dark wavy hair and brown eyes.
They looked perfect together.
After the wedding, everyone rushed outside to get in line to congratulate Eric and Britta. It was a mild day, but the sun had begun to grow quite warm. I wore a turquoise dress with long, fitted sleeves, and my hair down. I wished I’d worn it up, especially because there was going to be dancing following the wedding.
“Will you miss her?” Jack asked me as we waited in the line of people.
I nodded. “Yes.”
“But she does look happy,” he pointed out.
“She certainly does,” I agreed. “As does Eric.”
We finally stood in front of Eric and Britta, and I hugged Britta. “I am so happy for you!”
She sighed and hugged me tighter. When she released me she turned to her husband. “Liebling, may I introduce you to Lady Scarlett.”
“It’s an honor to meet you,” Eric said politely. “Britta has told me a lot about you. I understand she was your maid.”
I nodded. “The honor is mine. And yes, that is true. I pray God blesses your marriage.”
Eric smiled at me. “Thank you.” He glanced at Britta, who was now talking with Jack. “I believe I am the luckiest man on earth.”
“I couldn’t disagree with you. Britta is wonderful.” I didn’t want to admit it, but I felt a little bitter toward Eric, as I would miss Britta terribly. But I knew how much and for how long she wanted to be married, and knowing that Eric could provide the life Britta desired was enough. “Take good care of her.”
“With all my heart, my lady.” Eric bowed to me.
When all of the guests had talked with the Eric and his bride, they began making their way to the circular plaza and its cobblestone flooring. Girls in pretty dresses began to gather, waiting for gentlemen to ask them to dance. Their expressions were expectant; petty, even.
“Glory and praise,” I heard Jack mumble to himself as he looked out at the plaza and the young maidens. He met each of their gazes until they blushed and giggled.
I rolled my eyes.
A fountain was in the center of the plaza, and the four musicians in the corner began playing a merry tune. Eric was the first of the men to lead his maiden out of the crowd, and he began spinning Britta around in wide circles. Her beautiful dress swished around her ankles. The crowd cheered and didn’t hesitate to join them.
My brother wasted no time asking a young maiden to dance. I was surprised he wasn’t married yet, though doing so would make him choose just one girl. I smiled at the thought of my flirtatious brother settling down. He just had to meet the right woman. I knew he would be loyal to his wife when he did marry, but he wanted to meet every maiden he possibly could before that time came.
As the song went on, it seemed more and more people began to arrive. I stood on my own, watching the dancing couples. Soon the whole town will be here.
I watched the first two songs, and by the third Britta and Eric took a break. Britta came and found me.
“You dance beautifully!” I told her.
She rolled her eyes. “Ah, you sound like Eric. I think he is the one who dances well.” Looking over at the dancers, she said, “I’ll be happy when the merry-making is over. It’s fun, but all I want to do is talk with Eric for hours and hours.” She looked up at the sky and sighed dreamily, not even realizing she was daydreaming until I touched her arm. She blinked and looked back at me. “I’m sorry.” She giggled. “This must be what marriage does to a woman.”
She soon left me, and Jack returned to my side. We talked about the “beautiful, sweet, and kind hearted” maiden he danced with.
“She’s like the maiden in my favorite song,” he said. “I’m going to go find her and ask her to dance the next dance with me!” Then he ran off.
I stood by myself once again, feeling slightly out of place. I didn’t have a handsome suitor asking me to dance and telling me I was beautiful. Britta had Eric, Merida had Barrett, Cordel had Grizelda, and Jack…well, he had girls at every corner who wanted to marry him because he was Duke William’s only available son. And he put himself out there and danced with every maiden he thought was pretty.
But me, well, I had never met a man I considered marrying. Part of that was because my father sheltered me and never introduced me to any potential suitors. Also, I wasn’t flirty and bold like Jack, nor did I desire to be. There was more to life than romance, but at that moment I felt awkward and alone standing there with no one to dance with.
KOLTON
I stood by myself in the large circular plaza, watching my beautiful cousin dance with her new husband. Almost all the young people were dancing, making me feel a little out of place. At weddings, it felt as though not only the bride and groom were in love, but everyone else — besides the old people and children — seemed to be paired up with someone too.
So far, a few girls had tried to get my attention. One smiled and winked at me, another waved, and one young maiden began talking to me, trying to engage me in conversation. When she realized I wasn’t very interested in talking with her, she looked bored and walked away. All three of them had extremely revealing bodices and flashy veils or headdresses. None of them stood out to me.
That was what my father despised about me. I wasn’t good at showing how I was feeling when it came to women, and I often held a look of disinterest when one spoke to me.
I walked along the outskirts of the plaza, my hand on my sword hilt. I was grateful for the great weather, as my journey to Darrenberg wouldn’t have been as easy if it had been cold or raining. The sun shone down on the dancers, but I didn’t see Britta and her husband dancing anymore.
I noticed a girl standing by herself within the crowd, watching the other dancers. It took me a moment, but I suddenly recognized her. The girl from the woods. The girl I saved.
It had to be her, but she looked even more beautiful than I remembered, and she had a lonely expression on her face. Her hair was thick and curly, and it hung down her back, all the way to her waist. In a way, she reminded me of my sister Odelette, only Odelette’s hair was straighter and her skin was not as fair. This girl obviously hadn’t been out in the sun for long periods of time. Her dress wasn’t gaudy or flashy like the other maidens’ were, but it was very nice and elegant, her wealth very evident.
Was she Duke William’s daughter? Britta had told me his daughter was very beautiful, and if this was her, my cousin was not mistaken.
The girl stood by herself. The men standing nearby were staring at her — even the ones who were much too old for her. But she didn’t seem to notice. Or at least, she pretended not to. The sight made me want to gag.
I wondered if I should talk to her, to see if she remembered me from the woods. I knew I would regret it if I left here without talking to her. I’d been thinking about her since that day in the woods. I didn’t want to let this girl slip from my fingertips again, at least not without finding out exactly who she was.
I was gathering my courage to go speak to her when a young orange-haired man about my age approached her and began talking to her. He looked joyful and excited as he spoke, but she only smirked and rolled her eyes. If I went and introduced myself to her, would she have the same reaction toward me?
When the man with orange hair walked away, I decided I would go talk to her, even if she didn’t remember me or was rude to me. I wasn’t going to leave Darrenberg without at least learning her name.
But as I stepped
forward, Britta approached me. “Kolton! There’s someone I want you to meet.”
###
Several minutes later, Britta came back over, this time bringing with her a young man that wasn’t Eric. “Lady Scarlett,” she said, “may I introduce to you my cousin, Sir Kolton Reinhart, son of Valdemar Reinhart, the baron of Rhineland.”
Sir Kolton?! My heart jumped in surprise.
“It is an honor to meet you, Lady Scarlett.” He bowed. “But I believe this isn’t the first time we’ve met.” He raised his eyebrows at me in a slightly playful yet respectful way.
“You have already met?” Britta asked. “How wonderful!”
I realized I hadn’t said anything yet. “Why, yes. Britta, this is the man who saved my life by killing that bear. I didn’t know he was your cousin ….” I felt a little embarrassed.
“Kolton!” Britta exclaimed. “Why didn’t you tell me that you rescued Duke William’s daughter?” She playfully slapped her cousin’s arm.
“I’m afraid I wasn’t aware that you’re Duke William’s daughter,” Sir Kolton said to me. “Forgive me.”
“There is nothing to forgive. Actually, I wanted to thank you, Sir Kolton. If it weren’t for you, I believe I wouldn’t be here today.”
“Of course. I thank God that He led me to you.”
I noticed his manly leather maroon doublet, and his white long sleeve undershirt. His golden brown, slightly wavy hair was combed neatly and curled by his ears. Was this truly the man who had saved me from that bear? I had thought of him often since that day, and it was strange to see him in my hometown.
“My cousin lives in Rhineland,” Britta explained.
“I have heard of Rhineland,” I said. “It sounds like a fascinating place to live.”
Sir Kolton smiled and shrugged. “It’s not nearly as exciting as Darrenberg.”
I laughed. “There isn’t much excitement here, besides weddings. Everyone becomes excited about weddings. What is your Rhineland like?”
“Rhineland is a rather small countryside, with many acres of flat land,” he replied. “There are no mountains and very few trees. But it’s a very good place to ride.”
“Do you enjoy hunting?” I asked.
“I do. Is the game good here?”
“Well, there are bears.”
He laughed. It was a rich sound, deep in timbre and light-hearted in tone.
My cheeks blushed and I smiled, happy that I could make him laugh.
“The game is very good,” I said. “My brothers and I enjoy it very much.”
“I think the ability to hunt is a good quality for women to have,” he said. “I admire a woman who isn’t dependent upon a man, but who can survive on her own.”
I nodded. “I agree with you.”
Suddenly, I noticed that Britta was no longer standing beside us. Also, the crowd of dancers had grown so large that they were about to run Sir Kolton and me over.
“Shall we walk?” Sir Kolton asked, as though reading my thoughts. I agreed, and he offered me his arm. We walked along the path that circled around the plaza. I saw Jack dancing, and I pointed him out to Sir Kolton. “That is my brother Jack. He is enjoying the dancing a little too much, I daresay.” We both laughed slightly. “Do you have any brothers?”
“Yes, I have two. And four sisters.”
I looked at him with wide eyes. “You’re very lucky. Do you enjoy having so many siblings?”
“It takes patience, I will say that. But I like it. My sisters are very sweet, and my brothers … well, they are brothers.”
“I know what you mean. I have two of them as well. Cordel and Jack. But I’ve never had a sister. The closest thing I’ve had to a sister is Britta.”
I liked that Sir Kolton called his sisters sweet. Would my brothers do that?
“Are you the youngest?” he asked.
“Yes. I am four years younger than Jack, who is two years younger than Cordel.”
“Do you get along well with them?” he asked.
I thought for a moment. “I get along well with Jack. Cordel is very responsible and thinks only about his duties and obligations. And Jack is a bit sly and flirtatious.” I laughed. “But even though he is a rogue, he is kind, and I enjoy being with him.”
“I would like to meet them someday,” Sir Kolton said.
“I’m sure I can arrange that.” I glanced over at him and smiled. “Are you the youngest in your family?”
“I am the oldest,” he said.
“That must take a lot of responsibility,” I pointed out.
“That’s true. I want to set a good example for my younger siblings. I don’t want them to grow up knowing me to be their absent brother who was never around to spend time with them. Do you know what I mean?”
Nodding, I said, “I am youngest in my family, but I understand what you mean. There must be a lot of pressure having six younger siblings who all look up to you.”
“Yes, but I try to trust God with every matter that might occur.”
I was lost in thought at his statement and didn’t even notice he had stopped walking and was now facing me.
“Will you dance with me, Lady Scarlett?”
My heart jumped in excitement. “Yes.”
We walked to the center of the plaza. A dance was about to begin. Dear Lord, don’t let me mess this up. I should’ve asked Jack for another dance lesson.
But it was too late. The dance began. Sir Kolton seemed to know what he was doing, and surprisingly, so did I. I had done it at the ball, though I couldn’t remember what it was called or with whom I had danced.
The music was beautiful, and Sir Kolton was gentle as he held my hand, then released it, and then took it again and spun me around.
As we danced I studied his handsome face. It wasn’t considered rude to stare at a person if you were dancing with them. I had thought him handsome since the day I first saw him in the woods. He had a way of moving while we danced that was graceful and smooth, yet masculine at the same time. He was confident, but not arrogant or cocky. He held his strong, broad shoulders high, and his gaze seldom left my face. The white collar of his shirt contrasted with his suntanned skin, and his wavy golden-brown hair and dark blue eyes looked perfect in the sunlight that bathed the plaza.
Where was Merida? I expected she would have come to the plaza to dance. But I didn’t want to look for her now. I just wanted to enjoy this moment with the man who saved my life, even if I didn’t see him again after today. And I didn’t hope to see him again, since my Father didn’t allow me to leave Darrenberg, and rarely held balls or parties.
Sir Kolton spun me out once more, and the dance ended. His gaze lingered on my face, and mine on his.
“Thank you for dancing with me, Lady Scarlett.” He smiled gently.
“It was an honor,” I replied.
I realized he was still holding my hand in his. It was the hand with the scar on it, but he held it so gently, it didn’t cause any pain.
I pulled my hand away, and I realized that most people had exited the dance floor. There were couples already lining up for the next dance. Was Sir Kolton planning to ask me to dance again?
“Scarlett!” I turned around to see Merida approaching me. “Hello!” she said to me happily, briefly glancing at Sir Kolton, her eyes lighting up. She hooked her arm through mine. “May I talk with you for just a moment?”
“Yes.”
She looked at Sir Kolton. “Don’t worry, we’ll be back soon.”
He simply smiled and nodded. Our eyes locked for a moment before Merida and I turned and walked away.
I looked back over my shoulder, but Sir Kolton had disappeared into the crowd.
“I ‘m sorry to pull you away, but I’d like to talk to you,” said Merida.
I didn’t mind; I just hoped Sir Kolton would be there when I returned. I wanted to thank him once more for saving me.
Merida led me out of the plaza and to a quiet place under a large tree. She released my arm and l
eaned her back against the tree trunk, her face alight. “All right, I’m begging you, tell me about that handsome golden-brown-haired boy!”
I instantly blushed and looked away to try to prevent her from seeing. But she did.
“See, you’re blushing!” she pointed out, laughing at me. “You like him. What is his name? Who is he? How do you know him? I know he doesn’t live near here because I would have noticed him before.”
I sighed and shook my head. “You’re not going to believe it, Merida.” Truthfully, I couldn’t even believe it myself. “That man is Sir Kolton. The one who saved me from the bear.”
“Oh, my!” Merida cried. “Is it really?”
“Yes. He is the son of the baron of Rhineland, and he is Britta’s cousin.”
“Scarlett!” Her excitement spread across her face. “What is he like?”
I couldn’t help but smile. “He is very kind.”
“It didn’t look like you just met him, not with the way you were looking at each other.”
I gave her a look. “You’re a hopeless romantic.”
Merida was beaming. “Scar, you may not have realized this, but he could be a potential suitor. True, if he is the son of a baron he will not have a great amount of fortune, but if he is that handsome, who should care about his wealth?”
I laughed. “Oh, Merida. Marrying for fortune is repulsive.”
She raised her eyebrows in question.
“Perhaps, I will marry Derex Peterson, just to shock everyone and show society I don’t care about its pathetic rules.”
Merida shook her head. “That would cause the greatest scandal Darrenberg has ever seen. But I know you’re only jesting. You don’t even find Derex handsome! He’s like a brother to you.”
“And you assume I find Sir Kolton attractive?”
“You’d be blind not to! Just admit it.”
“All right, I’ll admit it. Sir Kolton is handsome.” It felt good to get it out, to tell it to Merida. “But you know how my father is. I won’t see that man again. He lives in Rhineland. What reason does he have to come back to Darrenberg?”
Escape the Woods Page 16
