When he saw the carriage and the crest emblazoned on the side he knew the reason for her fear. The von Stroebels had arrived to take their daughter. That left a bitter taste in his mouth. Grabbing his shirt from the edge of the circle, he headed toward Tressey.
“Giving up so soon?” Penn said, wiping the sweat from his brow. He had been dueling with one of Nick’s best swordsmen. And Penn had beaten the lad very quickly.
Nick glared at him. “Visitors.”
Penn glanced at the carriage and said nothing more to Nick, focusing his wit instead on the rest of the men in the circle.
Nick pretended he did not hear Penn accuse him of cowardice, and headed toward Kiki and Tressey.
“Nick,” Tressey said, watching intently as he pulled his tunic over his head. He felt a tug in his groin at her appraisal, though he knew it was not appropriate at that moment. Her eyes shone with worry yet she smiled at him as if he were the one who needed reassuring.
“Ugh. Nick, you smell like a goat’s butt,” Kiki said, waving her hand before her face.
“He does not,” Tressey said. She stepped closer to Nick, and he put his hand on the small of her back.
“You must be enamored with him. He smells awful and you are still making calf eyes at him.”
“Enrika,” Nick warned.
The carriage had stopped in front of the castle and servants milled about, helping the duke and his wife alight and remove their luggage.
Kiki watched for a moment. “So, brother, what are the von Stroebels doing here? You did not tell them she was here, did you?”
Nick did not dignify Kiki’s comment with a reply, but it hardly seemed to matter. She prattled on without even pausing to give him a chance.
“I do not think you look like either of them, Tressey. They are old. And hunched over. Look.”
They all watched the duke and duchess walk into the castle. They both seemed to be swimming in their clothing. The duke’s hair was much whiter than Nick remembered, and he stooped as he walked to the castle doors.
“They are here to see you,” Nick whispered to Tressey.
“I know,” she replied, stepping closer to him.
“Do you want to see them?”
“Not alone,” she answered.
“You will not be.” Nick glanced at Kiki. “Go, entertain the von Stroebels. I shall take her in the other way.”
Kiki rolled her eyes. “Of course, I get to entertain the old people. My most favorite thing to do,” she muttered, and continued muttering as she crossed the courtyard. Still, she did as she was told, and headed toward the main entrance, following the procession of the duke and duchess into the castle.
“She is very passionate,” Tressey said.
“Sometimes too passionate,” Nick replied, not wanting to think about his sister. “Come, this way.”
They headed toward a side service entrance to the castle, usually used for deliveries and, occasionally, to get inside without being seen by the prying eyes of a rather nosy mother.
“Where are we going?”
“I must change, if I am to escort you to speak to the von Stroebels. And you would surely like a moment to prepare.”
“Yes.”
He pulled open the heavy door and she stepped through. She stumbled as she entered the tiny hallway, dropping…her shoes? She had been carrying her shoes? He looked down at her bare feet and could not help smiling.
“Enjoying the grass?” he asked as he picked up the shoes and handed them to her.
“Yes,” she said, clutching her shoes to her chest, her eyes dancing. “Kiki promised to take me to the river to walk on the moss.”
Nick grinned as he put his hand on her back. “You would like that, I think.”
“I am sure,” she said, glancing around, taking a deep breath of the heavy smells of food. The kitchen was filled with the amazing aromas of potatoes roasting, bread baking and pots simmering as the cooks made their stock.
“This is the kitchen?”
“Yes,” he said, escorting her through the main walkway of the kitchen. “It always smells wonderful in here.”
“It makes my stomach grumble.”
“Shh,” Nick replied. “Do not say that too loud, or Mrs. Silver will start stuffing you with food.”
She laughed. Servants worked, preparing food for the coming meals. Several, with the soft sheen of sweat marring their brows, seemed startled by their appearance. Nick nodded to them as he led Tressey through the kitchen to the labyrinth of corridors that led to the upper level. He could not help smiling at the warm smells, even though the heat in the kitchen was horrible.
His hand rested on the small of Tressey’s back the entire time, feeling so natural it was as if she had been crafted just for him. She said nothing as they walked, only looked at everything. She would slow to watch the cooks, inhaling smells and marveling at the noise as they moved through the kitchen.
He had never considered she would not have seen a large, functioning kitchen, but of course she had not. Perhaps he would take her on a tour of the castle, show her all the things he now took for granted.
That was the beauty of her. She saw everything around her with new eyes, and a new appreciation. Something he had not done in quite some time. He should appreciate the unseen workings of the castle more. A good duke would know and appreciate everything he had.
Completely unaware of his revelation, Tressey approached the servant stairs with trepidation.
“They are safe,” Nick said.
She raised an eyebrow at him. “The last time you said that, you fell through a stair.”
He nodded, acknowledging the point. “Then perhaps you should go first.”
She smiled at him and took a few steps. After she stood for a second, the concern seemed to disappear from her eyes, and they headed to the upper level where the bedrooms were located.
“Do they always prepare so much food?” she asked.
“There is a large staff here,” he replied. “It takes a great deal of work to feed everyone.”
She nodded. “I had read of large kitchens, bakers, cooks and such, but I had never seen so many people working like that. It was truly amazing to see. Thank you.”
When they reached the level, Nick pushed the door open and the two maids who were about to enter jumped and gave a little shriek.
“Lina, Sophia,” Nick said. “All is well. It is only me. We were sneaking about.”
Both happily married and well into their forties, they grinned back at him. “Ye best behave,” Lina said.
Nick grinned. “I always behave.”
Sophia snorted. “The stories I could tell…” She glanced at Tressey. “If, milady, you ever want to know how terrible this beau of yours is, you come find me.” She leaned over, as if to confide in Tressey, but neglected to lower her voice. “Why, just the other day, he had his friend shooting arrows at Lady Kiki…”
“I did not tell him to,” Nick said with a laugh.
“Ye did not tell him to stop, did ye, milord?” Lina added.
Tressey had a smile on her face. “I will certainly be seeking your counsel on the subject very soon.” She glanced at him, making Nick’s heart swell.
The two maids headed into the stairwell. “I like her, my lord,” Sophia said.
Nick grinned.
As they walked away, the cloud fell over Tressey’s eyes again. “They seem to like you a great deal.” Her hand moved to her shoulder, as if reaching for her braid.
“They have known me my entire life.” He caressed her spine. “Unfortunately, they do know quite a bit about me.”
They reached the door to her rooms. Stopping, Nick placed his hand on her shoulder.
The anxiety in her eyes found voice. “What will they think of me?”
“They will love you,” he said, stroking a hair out of her face–a short, soft, hair fluttering about her in the breeze from the nearby open shutters. “You are amazing.”
Nick pressed a slow, soft
kiss to her lips. She held herself stiffly for a moment, before sighing gently and leaning into him. He slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him. The swirls of her dress rustled in the otherwise quiet hall as they kissed.
His heart opened, and he began pouring out emotions he could not articulate, the ones begging her to stay, to be his. As if she heard his unspoken words, she wrapped her arms around his neck and crushed her body to his. He slid his tongue along her closed lips and her mouth opened to him. She tasted wonderful and he moaned into her mouth, tightening his arms around her.
A shudder went through her, and her fingers knotted in his hair.
Nick trailed his hands over her back, tracing the neckline of her dress, his fingers bumping the little mole on her shoulder. Inevitably, his thoughts wandered to the last time they had been in an intimate embrace. With the way her hips rocked into his, he knew she remembered as well. He wanted nothing more than to open her chamber door and throw her on the bed.
He forced himself to break the kiss, panting as he did. “Tressey.”
She let out a sigh, but the darkness in her eyes had disappeared.
“Later,” he whispered, his brow touching hers. “After. I will come to your room.”
She nodded, but did not let him go.
Reluctantly, he forced himself to move away from her and open her chamber door.
“I will be back shortly to escort you to the duke and duchess,” he said, and closed the door before the invitation in her eyes made it impossible to leave.
He would be at her door tonight.
No matter what.
Chapter 33
As I entered the parlor, Nick at my side, I could not help gazing between the two couples. The Duke and Duchess von Hohburg sat on one side of the room, the Duke and Duchess von Stroebel on the other, like a study in opposites. The differences in the two couples stupefied me.
Glancing at the von Hohburgs, I could easily see the resemblance to Nick and Kiki. The dark hair, the bright blue eyes, even their builds were similar. They sat tall in their chairs, looking regal and full of life.
I could not find myself in the von Stroebels.
Their clothing sagged around their frames, as though even the clothes rejected them. The couple slumped with grief, and I wondered when last either of them had truly smiled. The lines in their faces seemed carved in granite. I immediately wanted to embrace the duchess and duke, to soothe the shadows in their eyes. Even if I were their daughter, I wondered if it would bring them any joy.
When they turned those darkly circled eyes to me, their faces went so pale I thought perhaps they were ill.
“Greta,” they both said, staring at me as if I were an apparition.
“May I present, Lady Katherina…von Stroebel.” Nick choked on the surname, though I could not blame him.
I knew it was my given name, but I felt flummoxed at being introduced by it. The urge to look behind me for someone else coming in the door was overwhelming. I forced myself to keep my head up, to not stare at the stone floor or my toes, though the temptation was great.
Unsure how I should behave, I curtseyed to the entire room, hoping that was the proper thing to do. Once again, I felt a fool and a failure. My cheeks burned and I looked to Nick for support. He put his hand on the small of my back, and I glanced up at him, smiling slightly. He nodded in encouragement.
The Duchess von Stroebel leaped out of her seat with a vigor I would never have expected, the folds of her dress flying around her like a billowing sail. She crossed the parlor and reached for me–pausing just out of arms length–as if she wanted to touch me, but her fingers trembled too much.
The duke followed his wife, stopping next to her with his hand on the small of her back the same way Nick touched me, though neither of them noticed him. Their gazes remained riveted on me.
I took a small step toward Nick, closer to the protection his warm hand offered, and he pulled me to him.
“I have never seen anything like it,” the duke whispered.
“Astounding,” the duchess replied.
I leaned into Nick, unsure how to take their bizarre behavior. “Madame?”
“Your Grace,” Nick whispered.
I turned to Nick. “Pardon?”
“When addressing a duke or duchess, you say ‘Your Grace,’” he said, his words soft.
I blinked, feeling a fool yet again. “I apologize.” I turned to the Duchess von Stroebel. “Your Grace.”
The duchess blinked, as if she were not sure what I was doing–of course, I did not know either–then a warm smile spread over her face. “Do you not know of propriety?”
I shook my head, looking at the floor. “No, madame.”
“Your Grace,” Nick whispered.
“Your Grace,” I mumbled, feeling even more the fool, reaching for the locks that were now gone.
She let out a sigh. “You will learn in time.” She stared at me–a hard, appraising stare that made me feel as though she conducted some test I had no hope of passing. “You look like my sister. Greta.”
“A mirror image,” the duke added.
“Pardon?” I asked, then glanced at Nick. “Your Grace.”
“My sister. You quite strongly resemble her as she looked at your age.” This did bring a smile to Duchess von Stroebel’s face.
Unsure how to respond, I merely stood there, for I did not see any resemblance. Inside, every part of me trembled, and I knew not what to think. All I truly wanted to do was hide behind Nick. Or the nearest curtains.
The Duke von Hohburg, an older, thicker version of Nick, stood and stepped between me and the von Stroebels. “She may resemble your sister, but I believe more proof is necessary to confirm her identity, Stroebel.”
Duke von Stroebel nodded, then turned to face Nick. “Does she have the mark?”
He stepped behind me, putting one hand on my shoulder. “She does.”
His thumb caressed the mole through the fabric of my dress. He whispered in my ear, “They need to see it, Tressey.”
“I am going to loosen this,” Nick said as he began undoing the laces.
“Wait,” cried Duchess von Hohburg, standing. “The men must first leave the room.”
The two dukes did not hesitate–walking out of the room and closing the door behind them with a thud. Nick, however, did not move from his spot and still worked on the laces.
“Nicolas!” His mother glared at him. “We will discuss how you know of this birthmark later, but for now…this is a woman’s matter.”
His mother stepped behind me and slapped his hands away. “Go, boy. I will deal with you later.”
Nick released the laces, but leaned forward to kiss my cheek. “My mother will take good care of you.”
I reached up to stroke his face, and the soft scruff of his beard tickled my hand as I ran my fingers across his jaw. “Thank you.”
“That is enough,” Duchess von Hohburg said, though her tone was not nearly as harsh as it had been a moment before.
When Nick had shut the door tight, Duchess von Hohburg took Nick’s place. “Now then,” she said, putting her hands on the laces on my back. “Let us unlace this bodice.” With quick precision, she had it loose, and untied the back of the chemise.
“It is so strange to have all this lacing in the back,” I said, nerves getting the better of me. “I have always dressed myself, you see, and I never worried about needing help with my laces.” The air hit my back, and I shivered.
“A lady of station has a maid to help her dress,” Duchess von Stroebel said, standing in front of me.
“She will learn those things in time,” Duchess von Hohburg said.
The Duchess von Stroebel glanced away from me. “Yes, yes, of course.”
“Now, where is this mark?” Nick’s mother asked.
“On the lower left shoulder,” Duchess von Stroebel and I said together. Her gaze met mine, and her eyes glimmered with tears.
Duchess von Hohburg pulled on my chemi
se. “Ah, here we are,” she said, her tone chipper.
Duchess von Stroebel stepped around me and, though she did not touch me, I heard her intake of breath at the sight of the mole.
“I know it is very ugly.”
“No,” the duchess said. “It is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.” She stepped in front of me, tears falling freely now. She put a hand on each of my shoulders, tenderly pulling my dress back into position. “You are my daughter,” she whispered, her voice hoarse.
I smiled at her, tears wet on my cheeks. We stood for a long moment, staring at each other, the only movement the Duchess von Hohburg pulling the laces into place.
“I suppose we can let the men back in now,” she said, walking to the door.
I could not take my eyes off the Duchess von Stroebel.
My mother.
There was elation in that thought, but sorrow as well. This woman was my mother, and yet I had no idea how to talk to her, to feel a part of her. Gothel was the only mother I had ever known, and she had found no use for me.
What if I was as useless to the duchess? I did not want to fail her, but I had no idea how to make her happy. I had spent my entire life trying to make Gothel happy and failed. How could I succeed with this stranger?
I knew nothing about being a lady and had no idea how to correct any of it. It seemed the sort of thing a girl should have been taught from childhood. Who would take the time to tutor a woman of eighteen?
Duke von Stroebel appeared at her side, wrapped an arm around her. “Is it true?”
The duchess nodded and the duke looked me over again, his eyes misty.
“We thought we would never see you again,” he said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Yet here you are, a grown woman.”
“We are so sorry,” the duchess said between her tears. The duke passed her his handkerchief.
A hand touched my shoulder, and I turned to see Nick standing there. I leaned into him, my insides swirling like a breaking storm. Nick put his hand on my hip and a soft kiss on my temple.
Rescuing Rapunzel Page 16