The Princess Spy (38 page)

Their fathers stood to be off, Colin’s father to assist Duke Wilhelm.

Margaretha also stood. “I shall go up to see if Mother needs any help with Gisela.”

“Wait a moment,” Colin said, touching her arm. “I think we need to talk.”

“We can go into the library, if you wish.”

No one seemed to notice them slip into the nearby library. It was rather dark, as the sky outside was cloudy and there was no fire and no candles lit. She turned to him, an eager light in her eyes.

“Margaretha.” She was so fair, with her long eyelashes and sweet smile. But he had to give her a chance to change her mind. “I don’t know if you realize what you are giving up to marry me. You will live across the ocean from your family. You won’t be able to visit Hagenheim very often. Are you sure you understand?”

“Of course I do. I’m not a child.”

He stared hard at her.

She sighed. “I know I will miss my family. I have a wonderful family. But I want to be with you.” She reached up and pressed her hand to his cheek. “I can’t stay at home forever, and I don’t want to. I need to have a family of my own.”

“Yes, but you will rarely see your parents.”

“Don’t you think we will be well-suited? That we will be content in our love?”

“I don’t know if . . . if I will be enough. Perhaps you will miss your mother and will come to resent me for taking you away. Anne said you would never leave your family.”

“Anne was wrong.” Margaretha’s voice was soft as she drew closer to him, never taking her eyes off his. “I will not resent you, Colin. Yes, I will miss my mother, and my father, sisters, and brothers. I will miss Hagenheim. But I am ready to start a new life with you. I am sure we will face problems, but nothing will be too hard for us, because God has brought us together. We must have faith and courage, and I will never regret my decision to love you and marry you and move to England with you.”

He didn’t think he could possibly love her more than he did at this moment. And at the risk of spoiling it, he had to mention something he was dreading. But if he did not tell her now, she would find out later, when they went to England. “There is one more thing. I want to ask forgiveness for calling you a flibbertigibbet.”

“Why? Because I turned out to be such a good spy?” She arched her brows and grinned.

Could she possibly be more beguiling?

“That is not what flibbertigibbet means. It means . . . but you have to promise not to be angry with me.”

“I will promise no such thing.” She was still smiling playfully.

“Then you must promise to forgive me and to know that I don’t think you are a flibbertigibbet at all anymore.”

“Colin, what is a flibbertigibbet?” She narrowed her eyes at him.

“It is a person who . . . chatters a lot and is not very . . . intelligent.”

Her face instantly lost its playful look. “You thought that about me?” Anger and pain seemed to be warring behind her eyes.

“No, not after I got to know you. Only when you thought I was mad and didn’t believe me about Claybrook.”

“Oh.” She took a step back.

“I regret ever thinking that about you. It isn’t true at all.” He reached out for her, but she curled her arms into her chest. “Now I know that you are a courageous woman who bashes soldiers twice her size in the head with whatever she finds nearby. You are a woman with a strong will, who never gives up, and is fiercely faithful to those she loves.”

The smile came back to her face. “I am powerful, aren’t I? I’m the kind of woman you want by your side in a fight, am I not?”

“You are,” he readily acknowledged, sighing in relief to see her anger dissipating. “You are the kind of woman any man would want by his side, in times of peace and times of war. And best of all, you are always full of faith in God, and you have taught me a lot about finding peace.”

“I’m glad to hear it. And you have taught me that, even though I do sometimes talk too much, I am still a woman of great worth.”

“You are indeed a woman of great worth, and I do not think you talk too much.” He took her face in his hands and kissed her briefly on the lips. “I am happiest when I can hear your voice.” He kissed her again. “And I thank God that you love me.” He kissed her for a long time.

Epilogue

Margaretha’s wedding day had finally come.
The sky was glorious: Bright blue with big fluffy clouds floating overhead. Colin, who looked breathtakingly handsome in a dark blue tunic, his dark brown hair shining in the sun, walked beside her on the way to the church.

Gisela and Valten’s new baby was two months old, and fat and healthy. She didn’t even cry while the priest said the marriage rites over Colin and Margaretha before the bronze doors of Hagenheim Cathedral. All of the Gerstenberg family was there for the wedding, along with Colin’s father, the Earl of Glynval, who had stayed to accompany the newly married couple back to England.

Toby was also there, and he stood beside Steffan and Wolfgang, learning all their mischievous tricks, no doubt. But he was smiling and happy. After being with them for a month and a half, he had grown two inches and his cheeks had filled out. He stayed close to her mother, who had sent for him immediately after Margaretha told her about him. She doted on him, and he was calling her “Mama” after only two days.

Gabe and Sophie had made the trip from Hohendorf with their two children. Her niece and nephew had grown so much, Margaretha barely recognized them.

She caught a few glimpses of Anne in the crowd, making nice with her smiles and waves, but Margaretha was not fooled. Her cousin was on the side of whoever could help her gain the most. And since Claybrook and his captain, Sir Reginald, had been defeated and taken to the king to be judged and punished, she would pretend loyalty and love for Duke Wilhelm and his family.

And Colin’s new friend, Sir Gerek, was there with a beautiful young woman who looked strangely familiar, although Margaretha couldn’t remember ever meeting her.

After the ceremony, they feasted at the castle, and it was quite a contrast to the feast after her wedding to Claybrook. Everyone was smiling and laughing, even her mother and father, whom she knew were a little sad that she was leaving in a few days. They were taking turns holding their grandchildren; they would have sufficient consolation when she was gone.

When the Meistersingers began to play a lively tune, Colin asked her to dance. By the end of it, she was laughing in his arms. Looking down into her eyes, he asked, “Are you happy?”

“Very happy.”

He kissed her cheek, and, even though the last two months had been the happiest of her life, the next two months, two years, two decades, promised to be even happier.

Acknowledgments

I want to acknowledge Rachel Hiebert, a
courageous sixteen-year-old battling leukemia, and Jess Doerksen, her sweet cousin and a reader of my books, for writing to me and keeping up with the Hagenheim residents. May God bless you both, and I hope you like Margaretha’s story!

My biggest cheerleader, Regina Carbulon, who always prays for my writing, with me, and for me.

Friends, beta readers, and critique partners Katie Clark, Carol Moncado, Carrie Pagels, for helping me fine tune the story, and my awesome daughters and helpful first readers, Grace and Faith Dickerson.

My wonderful editor, Jacque Alberta, who seems to have a supernatural sense of what needs to be extracted, tweaked, and added to make the story better.

And last but not least, Brittany Elsen, Sara Bierling, and Adriana Gwyn, who helped me get my German words and phrases correct. I am so grateful to you! And so grateful to everyone who helped with this story. Thank you so much!

Discussion questions for
The Princess Spy

1. At the beginning of the story, Margaretha is trying to convince herself Lord Claybrook could be a good match for her. Do you think Margaretha would have married Claybrook if Colin hadn’t arrived? Why or why not?

2. Colin’s original plan was to chase down Lord Claybrook and bring him to task for his crimes. Do you feel this plan would have been successful? Could John have done anything to deter Colin or change his approach?

3. When they first meet, Colin thinks Margaretha is a flibbertigibbet, and Margaretha thinks Colin is addled and impulsive. Do you think there is any truth in these first impressions? What leads you to that conclusion? How did the events of the story impact each characters’ behavior?

4. Throughout the story, Margaretha disparages herself because she tends to talk too much. Is this as negative a quality as she and her brothers seem to make it? How might her talkativeness been perceived in the 1300s, when the story is set?

5. In some ways, Margaretha seems independent and assertive— brandishing candlesticks and helping outwit Lord Claybrook— but in other ways she comes across as what could be called traditionally feminine. If she hadn’t lived as a medieval noblewoman, and was instead a modern character, what type of person do you think she would be? How might her and Colin’s relationship been different?

6. If you had been Margaretha, playing chess with Lord Claybrook after finding out his true intentions, how would you have reacted?

7. From the time Anne arrives at Hagenheim, she is focused on her own welfare, and becomes engaged to Sir Reginald, even spilling key information to Reginald and Claybrook’s men while ensuring her safety (and securing what would have been an advantageous marriage at the cost of her uncle’s death). What do you think happens to Anne by the end of the story? Do you think Anne acted the way she did because it was her innate personality, or because it was how she was raised? Why?

8. Throughout, Colin and Margaretha have several misunderstandings that come between them—chiefly Colin’s belief Margaretha will never leave her family, and Margaretha’s belief Colin doesn’t like spending time with her because she annoys him. Do you feel they were holding on to these misunderstandings as a way to avoid their true feelings? Or was there more keeping them apart (at least at first) than they could see?

9. If Margaretha and Colin had never found Duke Wilhelm, what do you think the two of them would have done next in hopes of stopping Claybrook? Why?

10. Toby, the child Margaretha and Colin find in the barn, seems to be a catalyst that finally forces Colin and Margaretha to face their true feelings. How else do you think Toby contributes to the storyline? Do you think Margaretha was right in taking Toby with them to Hagenheim?

11. Margaretha at one point admits she had the perfect man in mind, and it was keeping her from accepting any suitors. Do you think she found the perfect man for herself in Colin? And do you think he hit every box on her “husband-to-be” checklist? Why or why not? Do you think making a list of characteristics is a good or bad idea when it comes to finding a mate? How strictly should such a list be followed?

12. How do you think Margaretha will fare in England?