Page 89 of The Beautiful Pretender

Avelina despised the mocking tone of his voice and curve of his lips. He was like a small dark rooster who claimed every chicken in the henhouse as his personal property—every chicken, every egg, and even the humans who fed him.

“Since I do not know where Lord Thornbeck is, there is nothing more I can do for you. I suppose you have things to do.”

But the duke made no move to get up from the chair. He simply continued to finger the goblet beside him.

“I heard the margrave was very helpful in putting out the fire in the west wing an hour ago.”

“It is his castle. I am not surprised he would want to protect it.”

“You were also seen near the fire.”

“I was curious.”

The duke’s gaze settled on the basin of water, turned gray from the soot she and Lord Thornbeck had washed from their faces and necks. He inhaled a deep breath before speaking. “LordThornbeck was a knight before he injured his ankle and became Margrave of Thornbeck. Did you know?”

“Of course. Everyone knows.”

“I would imagine he knows how to sword fight very well.”

“I would imagine that is true.” From the muscles she had just seen on his back and arms, she would guess he was very good at it.

“If you see him, tell him I want to challenge him to a sword fight, just him and me.”

“I shall be sure to tell him, if I see him.”

He rose to his feet and looked directly at her. “If I have need of this chamber, I shall send you word. I suppose you may stay, for now.”

Avelina kept her face unreadable, she hoped. She watched him walk to the door.

He looked a bit annoyed when she stayed silent. “Good day, Avelina.” He walked out into the corridor without even closing the door behind him.

She closed it and locked it, leaving the large heavy key in the keyhole. She leaned back against the door and closed her eyes.O God, please don’t allow that man to hurt Lord Thornbeck.

When she opened her eyes, Lord Thornbeck was limping toward her.

Reinhart ground his teeth together. “That arrogant . . .” He did not want to assault Avelina’s ears with the words he was thinking. “He didn’t touch you, did he?”

“No.” She shook her head.

“I will take him up on his challenge.” He could defeat Geitbart in a sword fight even with his lame foot.

“It is only a trick to get you out in the open so he can kill youor throw you in the dungeon. You must not do it. Promise me you will not show yourself to him.”

He longed to slam his fist into Geitbart’s face.

“I shall help you find your men,” Avelina said stoutly. “Your people need you to stay alive. You cannot help them if you are dead, and the duke knows he will need to kill you to take Thornbeck Castle. You cannot trust him. I can tell from his eyes that he is cruel and deceitful.”

“You can see that from his eyes?” She was so lovely, it hurt his chest to gaze at her, especially knowing she was courageous and clever too.

“I am a good judge of character. You can see a lot in a person’s eyes. There’s a certain hardness and coldness in the eyes of a person like Geitbart and his daughter. And even though you had a severe look in your eyes when I first met you, a gentleness was also there, especially when you—” She abruptly stopped and turned away, walking to the water pitcher and pouring herself some.

“Especially when I what?”

She shrugged. “When you look at . . . certain people and say certain . . . things.” Her face was turning red. She tapped her fingers on the pitcher and did not meet his eyes.

“I see,” he said, even though he was not sure he did. A sudden urge came over him to stride over to her, put his arms around her, and make her tell him exactly what she meant, and then kiss her like it was his last day on earth.

But he could not do that. She was wise not to elaborate on what she meant. She seemed to remember—more often than he did—that they could not be together.