Page 91 of The Noble Servant

He stared down at the bread in his hands. “I always hated Alexander, even though I haven’t spoken to him much in years. So to hear the way he speaks to Agnes ... it doesn’t make sense.”

“What do you mean?”

“He said he knew it was wrong to pretend to be me, but he didn’t know what else to do. He was afraid of his father.”

“He must have told Agnes the truth.”

“Which was shocking enough—”

“Ja, since he didn’t have to tell her the truth. She wouldn’t have known, since I didn’t tell her.”

“But he also said he was glad he had done it because it had led him to ... fall in love with her.”

Magdalen absorbed this information in silence. She could not imagine anyone falling in love with mean-spirited little Agnes.

“But I still want to plant my fist in his face.”

“Agnes doesn’t deserve ...” She almost said, “Doesn’t deserve to be loved,” but that sounded cruel.

“What she did to you was wicked and unjust.”

“Perhaps they are both sorry.”

Steffan gave a slow nod. “But it’s best not to trust them.”

Ugly thoughts and feelings churned inside her. Her longings felt so unfulfilled. Was it right that Agnes had gotten exactly what Magdalen had wanted? Agnes had gotten true love and wealth by stealing them. Would her wrongdoing be rewarded?

Would Magdalen be punished for not taking what she wanted?For not fighting back and for being too kind and gentle to kill Agnes in her sleep? Magdalen had refrained from telling Lord Hazen the truth partially because she did not want him to execute Agnes. Still, she wasn’t sorry she hadn’t killed Agnes.

“Wait for the Lord,” she whispered.

“What?”

“In the Psalter it is written, ‘I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.’ ”

He sat quietly for a moment, then took her hand in his and squeezed it. “That is what we will do. We will be confident in the Lord’s goodness, and we will wait for the Lord.”

Her heart soared at the way he was looking at her, at his warm eyes and sweet smile.

“Besides,” he went on, “the way of the wicked will not prosper for much longer. We shall regain our proper places soon, and they shall get what their actions deserve.”

Would he take revenge on his uncle and cousin? Or did he only mean that they would be justly punished?

He let go of her hand, and they both went back to eating.

“What else did Alexander and Agnes say? Did you learn anything?”

Steffan opened his mouth, but then raised his hand, as if to keep her from talking. Then she heard it too—the noise of many bridles clinking, horses’ hooves, and men’s voices.

He helped her to her feet and they both looked out the open window.

“Don’t get too close,” he said, his hand on her shoulder. “We don’t want them to see us.”

Many men on horseback made their way through the castlegate. She caught a glimpse of Lord Hazen near the front, his head high.

As she strained her eyes to recognize the faces of the people entering the gate, she said, “I see Katrin. She’s to the right of Lord Hazen.”

“I see her.” Steffan’s voice was grim.