The Fairest Beauty Read Online Free PDF Page A

telling herself that.
    “Very well, then. If you can get me out, I’ll go with you.”
    Sophie immediately regretted her words.
    Lorencz jumped to his feet. He swept the leather cap from his head and bowed low. “Fare well, then, my lady.”
    He was mocking her now. He chuckled as he strode away.
    She shuddered at the commitment she now couldn’t rescind, even as a surge of hope rose inside her.

Chapter
3
    Valten had stared down the tip of a lance and had been confronted with broadsword and battle-ax, but those tournament games seemed like a child’s playacting. His betrothed alive? And in danger? If there were any small possibility that she was his betrothed, he had to go and rescue her. But how? He couldn’t go anywhere with a broken leg.
    “We must find out if this Sophie is Duke Baldewin’s daughter. It wouldn’t be right to ignore the woman’s claims.” Valten clenched his hand into a fist and met his father’s gaze. “I would leave today if I could sit a horse.”
    “I know, son.” His father thoughtfully rubbed his jaw.
    Valten glanced at Gabe, who stood in the background, looking as deep in thought as Valten felt. Surely Gabe wasn’t concerned with this business? Valten felt a twinge of resentment at his little brother even being allowed in on the discussion. After all, Gabe was no warrior. What could he do? And it wasn’t
his
betrothed in question. It was Valten’s. Or, rather, she might be.
    “I would go and take a few knights with me,” Duke Wilhelm said, “but I have that emissary coming from King Sigismund in two days. It is too late to put him off.”
    Gabe stared steadily at Valten, then at his father. Valten knew that look. His little brother was about to propose something foolhardy.
    “You must send me, Father. I can find the girl.” Gabe was twenty years old, only two years younger than Valten, but in Valten’s eyes Gabe was still a mere boy — an irresponsible, reckless boy who often overestimated his charm and the trouble it could get him out of.
    Valten stifled a laugh, which came out as a snort. “Come now, Gabe. You know …” Valten shook his head at him.
    “What? You can’t go, Father can’t go, but I can.”
    Valten raised himself higher, pulling himself up with his arms until he felt a stab of pain in his leg. His face grew hot at hearing his brother state the obvious.
    “Do you think you can save a duke’s daughter from an evil and powerful duchess? Do you fancy yourself a fierce knight bent on rescuing the damsel in distress?” Valten knew he was being unkind to his little brother, but Gabe needed to come to his senses. “You only like the idea of playing the hero and saving
my betrothed
.”
    Gabe glared back, holding his brother’s gaze without blinking.
    Valten folded his arms across his chest and turned to the man he knew would support his argument. “Father, you’re not thinking of letting him go, are you?”
    His father raised his brows and took a deep breath. He turned to Gabe. “Son, I’m glad you are willing to go, but I’m afraid it’s just too dangerous for you to venture alone. When Valten is well again, we can travel to Hohendorf. Besides, the old woman’s claims will most likely turn out to be false. We may learn there is no Sophie, and the duke’s daughter is dead, as we have all believed for the past fifteen years. And even if there is a Sophie who turns out to be the duke’s daughter, she will be safe until we are all able to journey there.”
    Gabe shrugged and looked at the floor. “As you say, Father.”
    He was giving up too easily, which was a sign that Gabe hadan idea — a dangerous idea. Gabe had better not be planning to take on the rescue alone, because Duchess Ermengard had a very alarming reputation, and Gabe was just a thoughtless boy.
    Just as Sophie’s eyes closed and her body and mind threatened to relax enough to let her fall asleep, the scurry of tiny claws against the hard dirt floor forced them open again. She