Escape from the Past (10 page)

I’d return to Bero’s house and develop a new plan. No use getting soaked and freezing. Even if the house reeked, at least it was warmer. And there was Juliana. She’d be gone in a few hours—another failure on my part. I sighed. The rain increased and I began to shiver. As I picked myself off the water trough, I heard the clatter of hooves. A boy led a carriage with two chocolate-brown mares. They appeared well cared for and the covered carriage, a square box on high wooden wheels, looked brand-new.

“Move. I need to water the horses,” the boy said, stopping in front of me.

I furtively wiped my face and stepped aside, watching the boy fill a pail in the trench and set it in front of the first horse. It neighed and scraped the cobblestone as if it were impatient to get away.

“What’s your name?” I asked.

“Alexander.” Without looking up, the boy took a brush and combed the horse’s neck and rump. He looked like a servant or a squire, his hands reasonably clean and his tunic new.

“I’m Max. I have a question,” I said. These guys all gossiped among each other. Maybe he knew something.

“I’m busy, can’t you see. Ask your question somewhere else.”

“Do you know the Duke von Schwarzburg and Lady Clara?”

For a split second the boy stopped his combing before he resumed. The rain didn’t seem to bother him while I trembled with cold and discouragement.

“Come on, I need to know his address. It’s a matter of life and death.” I summoned the rest of my energy to sound more forceful.

“What if I do,” the boy said, his voice almost too low to hear.

“Tell me.” My voice had gone up in volume. Why was everyone acting like an idiot?

“Castle Rusteberg,” the boy said. “Yonder, on the mountain.”

“How far is that?”

“A half day’s travel by horse.” Alexander glanced at Max. “On foot, it’ll be longer.”

My shoulders slumped and I sagged back on the rim of the trough. Even if I knew the way, I’d run out of time. Even if the Duke allowed me to see Lady Clara…
if
my plea were successful, Juliana would be long gone before I’d return. Once she was back with Miranda it’d be impossible to get her back. In the meantime, Ott would have free reign.

“Why do you want to see him?” Alexander had picked up his brush and listlessly stroked the horse’s neck. “He’s powerful…and wicked.”

“I really need to see Lady Clara, not the Duke. Never mind. It’s too late anyway.”

Alexander turned and stepped closer. I smelled the horses on him. “Why do you need to see the lady?”

“To save a girl. Lady Clara can help.”

“I doubt that.” Alexander turned back to his horses.

“No, please hear me out.” I dragged myself off the ledge and stepped next to the boy to pat the horse’s neck. “I’m not kidding. If this girl doesn’t get help, she may die or get raped. I like her and…”

The boy turned quickly and scanned the windows of the Klausenhof. I had completely forgotten where I was. I might as well return to Bero’s hut. At least I’d have a few more hours to spend with Juliana.

“She’s inside. But you can’t speak to her.”

“What?”

“Lady Clara. They’re traveling. But you can’t see her.”

“Why the heck not?”

“‘Cause he keeps her under lock. She’s going where he’s going, understand? If my master sees me talking, he’ll kick me to high heaven.”

“Your master?”

“The Duke von Schwarzburg. He’s collecting taxes.”

“Is he the beadle, the guy who stole her from the blind knight?”

The boy nodded and resumed brushing. “Go away. I didn’t talk to you. If he sees me, he’ll make me work the stalls again. Or worse.”

“Thanks, man.” I slapped Alexander on the shoulder. “You just saved my life.”

Without waiting for a response, I scurried toward the entrance of the Klausenhof. Then I stopped. I couldn’t go in and ask for her. The barkeep would throw me out. Not to mention the Duke who’d defeated Knight Werner.

I scanned the outside of the building and tried to remember the layout. The Klausenhof was huge, especially for the Middle Ages. I’d eaten here when my parents were still together. The restaurant had a great reputation and was expensive. We’d had money back then. The main dining room was on the first floor across from the little bar I’d been in earlier. The basement formed a huge catacomb with tables and benches. The restaurant’s great hall and private meeting rooms were on the second floor. Tourists loved to play knight and feast during the medieval fair. They slept in the antique bedrooms, modernized for twenty-first-century travelers. I shook my head. I smelled the oily varnish on the wood, the chalky paint. The place was brand-new. And I suddenly realized that the game had made me travel back in time.

Casually, I walked toward the two windows on the main floor, the restaurant section. The glass panes were thick and rounded like the undersides of bottles. I leaned against the wall and peeked into the gloom. And forgot to breathe. The thick braid of blond hair was impossible to miss. Lady Clara faced away from me toward a man dressed entirely in red. His cape looked thick and luxurious, the matching hat like a velvet water bottle with wrinkles. I had imagined him old, but the guy wasn’t any older than Lord Werner. The man’s brownish hair hung in limp strings. But his most prominent feature was his nose. Long and extremely bowed, it looked like a bird’s beak. Heck, the Duke reminded me of a colorful parrot.

Inside, the barkeep had appeared next to the table. I pressed myself closer to the wall. The fat guy wrung his hands and bowed, then fussed with the dishes and disappeared again.

I kept peeking. After throwing a suspicious glance around the room, the Duke stood up and left. I held my breath when he appeared outside and walked toward the outhouses. I could’ve sworn I heard a fart. Would be just like him—disgusting. Before I could change my mind I sneaked inside. The barkeep wasn’t
behind his counter and I quickly opened the door across the hall to enter the restaurant.

Lady Clara sat unmoving like a statue, but when she saw me, her eyes widened in a mixture of surprise and horror.

I rushed to her side and crouched low. “I’m Max,” I whispered. “I need your help.”

Lady Clara turned her eyes on me. They were bluish purple like cornflowers and blazed with irritation. “You want
my
help? I’m being held captive,” she hissed. “You must leave at once. The Duke will throw you in the dungeon.”

“I can’t,” I said. “Just look straight ahead and hear me out. I’ll help you if you give me a chance.”

“Why should I trust you? You look…foolish with that hair and these…robes.”

I sighed. “I know I look strange to you. I have the best intentions. You’re already in hell with this guy. How much worse could it get?”

“A lot—if he catches me.” Lady Clara stared out the window and the room turned quiet. Impatiently, I kneeled on the grimy straw. They probably had a bunch of rats and bugs.

“How long will you stay at the Klausenhof?” I asked.

“The Duke is here to exact payment from the villagers. And attend the harvest festival.” She paused, throwing a nervous glance toward the door. “We’ll leave tomorrow night or Sunday morn…I think. He never tells me what we do. He’s afraid I’ll make plans.”

“I’ll —”

The door to the restaurant opened and the barkeep shuffled in. I scrambled underneath the table, my nose a half an inch from Lady Clara’ knees. I forgot to breathe.

“Ah yes, My Lady,” the barman purred. “Do you have any more wishes while Your Lordship is waiting?” I wanted to throw up—what a brownnoser. “Maybe my humble self can keep you company until your husband returns?”

The filthy liar. He knew exactly that Lady Clara had been stolen from the blind knight. I struggled to find a more comfortable position and moved my foot. I wanted to smack the man’s greasy middle. Instead I felt the lady’s hand on my head, patting me like a dog.

“You’re so kind,” I heard her say. “I’d prefer a little solitude. I will make sure to let His Lordship know about your generous service.”

“Very well, My Lady.”

I saw the barkeep’s dirty boots hobble off. Then the door closed.

“Make haste,” Lady Clara said. “The Duke will return any minute.”

I crawled a couple feet and leaned against the wall underneath the window to stretch my legs. “I’ll get Knight Werner, the Lord von Hanstein. He wanted to rescue you last week, but he must not have found a way.”

“The Duke took me to his manor on Rusteberg. It is well fortified.”

“Anyway,” I spoke faster. “I’ll get him. He’ll come for you before you leave.”

“Promise?”

“Yes. But you must do something for me. My friend Bero’s sister is lady Miranda’s maid. Her son, Ott, attacked her. She almost died from her wounds.”

“What do I have to do with Miranda’s maid?”

“She used to work for you. Remember Juliana. Brown eyes, long brown hair.” They all had long hair, I thought.

“Sweet girl, my household was…is not what it used to be.”

“Hear me out.” I was past exchanging pleasantries. “Miranda is forcing Juliana to return to her tonight. If she does, Ott will rape her. Give her a bastard. She…Juliana will be lost. You know what it’s like. You’re her last chance.” Lady Clara turned her startling eyes to face me. No wonder men were going soft for her.
“You must ask Miranda to give up Juliana. You must do it today.”

“What if she’ll refuse? I know the girl pleases her.”

“Find some excuse. Tell her, you saw Juliana limping like an old goat. That she’ll be no good as a maid. That she looks sickly. Anything. If Miranda asks you to pay her, I’ll come up with the money.” I drew air. “Promise me you’ll help her.”

The intense blue of Lady Clara’ eyes softened to a lighter tone. “You must really be devoted to her.”

I looked away from the eyes and nodded.

“She’s a blessed girl.”

In the hall, a door opened and closed. I noticed how Lady Clara stiffened. Then her hands cramped as she pulled her arms close to herself.

Voices filtered in. “A pleasure, My Lord, as always,” the barkeep slimed.

I crawled toward the gloomy part of the room, taking cover underneath one of the larger tables. There were no table clothes and I felt exposed.

Behind me, the door opened.

“The wagon is arranged, My Lady. Please follow me.” The beadle had reclaimed his prey.

I heard nothing except chair legs scraping. If she’d said anything, her answer had been too low to hear. I peeked between the chairs. Lady Clara had stopped at the door. “I’ll need help to prepare for the festival. I’d like to send for a maid.”

“Ah, yes, My Lady,” the barkeep’s voice dripped with eagerness.

“I heard, Juliana, the tanner’s daughter is in town recovering from a wound.”

“I’ll send for someone from Rusteberg,” the Duke said.

“It’ll take too long. And I want someone I know and trust,” Lady Clara said. “She served me before and knows how to enhance my best features. You do
want
that, do you not?” Her
voice had turned defiant.

“Of course, dearest,” the Duke backpedaled. “Deliver Juliana to my chambers by this afternoon.”

“Yes, yes, My Lord, I’ll take care of it.”

I tried to suppress a grin. The lady
was
good. Now it was my turn.

As soon as the lock snapped shut, I hurried toward a second door in the back of the room. Maybe it was safer to find another way out. I couldn’t remember the floor plan. It had been a while since I’d been inside and who knew what changes the lodge had undergone. I thought of Bero and wondered how he managed without a father. Had the tanner run off with another woman like his own dad? More likely he’d died some horrible death.

I carefully cracked the door and peered into an even darker hallway. Darn. This didn’t at all look like an exit. I tiptoed back to the front and listened. They were in-between meals but who knew when lunch started. I had to get away before the brown-noser of a barkeep found me.

Peeking through the gap, I saw movement in the tavern. I had to trust that I was quick enough to sprint away. I opened wider and slid outside without looking. The horse carriage was gone, surely beadle cutthroat was extolling every last hard-earned Heller from his flock. I wanted to gag.

I tried to make up my mind what to do first, whether to find Knight Werner and let him know about Lady Clara or tell Juliana she’d be rescued. She probably hung out with Bero and his pigs. Maybe she was in the field with her mother. They’d agreed on taking her to Miranda’s place this afternoon. No longer necessary I thought with grim satisfaction.

I decided to head uphill toward the castle. Werner would have to plan an attack or something stealthy and that would take time. The Duke had guards with him and would be extra careful—especially after he’d collected cash. They might have an old-fashioned sword fight right in town. I ran out of air as I climbed the ever-steeper incline toward the gate in the wall. From my angle, Hanstein looked massive, a fortress of stone impossible to conquer. Yet, I knew the Swedes had destroyed the
castle during the thirty-year war. I still hadn’t learned what year it was and vowed to find out without drawing too much attention. The road leveled somewhat as the houses of Rimbach came into view. As before the few people I saw didn’t pay attention except for a few stares, a tired nod here and there.

As the gate came into view, I slowed down. I had no interest in a repeat of last Saturday.

“
Gottes
greetings, Max Nerds. State your business.” The guard I’d met a week ago stepped away from his niche and pulled his sword in salutation. The metallic swoosh of the blade sounded cold and threatening nonetheless.

I bowed. “I have urgent business for Lord Werner. I need to see him at once.”

The guard lowered his sword, but didn’t move. “Your Lordship has gone hunting. He will return tonight in time for the harvest festival.”

I swallowed the curse I wanted to shout. Nothing ever went smoothly. Not one thing.

“You may wait in the courtyard. I will send for a squire,” the guard said.

I thought back and forth. Should I wait or go? Who knew how long Werner would be out? I’d potentially waste the entire afternoon. But I had to catch Werner before he went out to party. There seemed to be festivities all over the place—at least among the rich lords. Chances were good he’d hang out with his knights in some manor, maybe not return for days.