Page 16 of The Noble Servant

“Perhaps I shall see you at mealtime. Thank you for this information.” She backed away from him even as she spoke.

“Come to the kitchen with me.”

“I must go now. Back to my duties.” She turned and fled.

A heaviness settled over her chest. What was happening here? Was there an imposter in the duke’s place?

What could she do? Who could she turn to? She hurried back toward the door she had come in through before someone who knew all the indoor servants confronted her.

The same guard who had let her into the castle was still guarding the door. He stared at her as she approached. He opened his mouth, as if about to say something.

“Frau Clara sent me to fetch ...” She smiled at him and let her voice trail off as she reached the door. She left as the door shut behind her.

She ran to the maidservants’ barracks. Inside the empty room, she knelt beside her bed. Tears leaked out as she put her hands over her face. “God, I’m so afraid ... so alone. What do I do? Where do I turn?”

She had put all her hope in finding the duke and convincing him she was Lady Magdalen. Now she did not even know who the duke was. Had the man at Thornbeck Castle two years ago been a pretender? Or was this man talking with Agnes in the Great Hall the imposter? And how could she ever prove her identity now?

She had to get someone to help her, someone like the Margrave of Thornbeck who was married to her friend Avelina. They would certainly help her figure out what was going on here in Wolfberg and with the duke. But how would she get to them? They lived at least a two-day journey from Wolfberg to the southwest, while Mallin was to the southeast. It was not safe for her to travel alone, but who would she ask to accompany her?

“God, help me. Please. I don’t want to be lost and alone, and I don’t want to be a goose girl.”

Steffan approached the castle, a feeling of anticipation in his heart. He had not seen his home in nearly two years, and he had also not seen any familiar faces. What had happened to all of his loyal servants whom he had grown up with? People he loved and who loved him? According to Frau Binder, the indoor servants had been ousted from their positions, but perhaps he would at least get to see his favorite horse groomer, Ansel, who had taught him as a small child how to ride a horse.

As he approached the stables, a man he did not recognize walked out and gave him a sullen stare.

“I’m looking for Gregor, the man in charge of the outdoor servants.”

“He’s at the blacksmith’s on the other side of the castle.” The middle-aged man spit on the ground and gestured with his arm.

“Thank you. And I was wondering ... is Ansel still working here at the stables?”

“Never heard of any Ansel here.”

Steffan nodded and moved on, walking across the bailey and around the castle. How could everyone he ever knew have vanished? Surely his servants had not all been killed, as Jacob had been. Were they living in the village below, struggling to survive? Or had his uncle banished them from the region?

Magdalen had been watching the geese for a week. She was learning which of them were friendly and liked to have their backs stroked and which she should stay away from, like Gus.

She walked behind the waddling birds as she guided them to their little shed, closed the door, and locked it. Then she trudged the rest of the way up the hill to the servants’ dining hall.

As usual Katrin joined her as they lined up to receive their food. “There is a new shepherd.” She whispered loud enough for Magdalen to hear over the rest of the servants’ voices. “I think he is very handsome. See him there?”

Magdalen turned to see a man walking along the far wall of the dining hall, then finding a seat at the table. She couldn’t help but stare. He looked so familiar. He looked like ... the Duke of Wolfberg.

Could he possibly be the duke? This man had a beard, and he wore coarse woolen clothing, the kind poor peasants and outdoor servants wore. Besides that, he seemed larger, broader in the shoulders, and more muscular. It was certainly possible that the duke might have grown a bit larger, since he was only nineteen when she met him, and he could have grown a beard, but he would not be working as a shepherd.

She tried not to stare, especially since Katrin found the man handsome.

They got their food, and Katrin led her to a seat not far from the new shepherd. Again, Magdalen could not help looking at him. Did he have the same eyes? The same brown hair? The same mouth? It was so difficult to remember exact features from two years ago. Were his mannerisms the same? He did sit very tall and straight, reminding her of the duke.

Besides the fact that he wore the clothing of a shepherd, he had a scowl on his face, an angry wrinkle between his brows. The Duke of Wolfberg had nearly always been smiling, a kind, mild expression on his face. Still, that did not prove it wasn’t him.

The man’s head was down as he stared at his food. Tonight was frumenty. It was bland and grainy, similar to thick pea soup, but Magdalen was getting used to the meatless meals. No doubt it resembled what her people were eating.

“What are these bits that are sometimes in our food?” Magdalen pointed at a small piece of something fatty on her spoon.

“Oh, that is bacon,” Katrin said. “Have you never had it?”

She shook her head. “It tastes quite good in the evening stews. I’d like to have a bowl of only bacon someday.”