The guards halted their little group, and Erlich made a show of helping Agnes down out of the cart. He told them in a gruff voice, “This is the duke’s future bride, Lady Magdalen of Mallin.”
He bowed to Agnes, who stepped forward and smiled at the guards.
Their mouths went slack and they bowed respectfully, then stepped back to let them pass.
As Magdalen walked past, their gazes lingered on her and her brown woolen kirtle. One of them gave her a lascivious wink.
Magdalen had to look straight ahead to hide her expression. It seemed these men respected only a woman of noble rank, and nobility was only as deep as one’s clothing.
A guard escorted them up the steps toward the door of the castle, while a servant came to lead away their horse, cart, and mules.
“Let this servant boy help with the horse and mules,” Erlich said. “He is fit only to serve in the stables, since he is mute.”
The guard nodded.
Magdalen picked up a bag of her things from the cart, but Agnes snatched it out of her hands, then shoved her own bag at Magdalen.
A woman appeared in the doorway and bowed to Agnes. “Lady Magdalen, I am Frau Clara, and I am the head house servant. Please allow me to welcome you to Wolfberg Castle.”
“Thank you, Frau Clara. Before we go in”—Agnes pointed at Magdalen—“would you please send this servant girl to do some menial task outside the castle? She has displeased me greatly, and I no longer wish her to be my personal servant.”
“I believe our most menial task would be seeing to the geese.” She looked down her pointed nose at Magdalen.
“Yes, that is the best task for her.” Agnes narrowed her eyes. “She cannot unleash her sharp tongue on anyone, gossiping and lying, which is her wont, for there will be no one around except the geese.”
The guard hurried up the steps and through the front door, which was guarded by two more soldiers. He disappeared inside, then several moments later he returned, accompanied by four servants who rushed toward the cart, gathered all their things, and carried them back up the steps and into the castle.
A middle-aged man with dark hair mixed with white emerged from the castle door and met them at the top of the steps.
Frau Clara said, “Lady Magdalen, this is Lord Hazen, the duke’s uncle.”
Agnes smiled at Lord Hazen, a short, balding man with small eyes.
“Frau Clara,” Lord Hazen said, “take Lady Magdalen’s servants to their quarters while I show the lady to her room.”
As Magdalen and Erlich walked away, Lord Hazen said, “The duke is not feeling well this evening, but I believe you will get a chance to meet him in the morning.”
The rest of their conversation was lost as Frau Clara hurried Magdalen along.
“No dawdling. And if you think you shall be turning your sharp tongue on me, you shall regret it. We do not accept such behavior here from our servants. You will find yourself without a position at all. You can sleep in the maidservants’ quarters and take your meals with the other servants. I expect Katrin will be pleased to let you take her place with the geese. She’s been asking to be promoted to the kitchen.”
Magdalen said nothing, her cheeks burning at the unjust scolding. What would the woman say when she discovered she’d been speaking this way to the actual Lady Magdalen?
And what if the duke did not realize Agnes was an imposter before Magdalen could convince him he was making a mistake? The thought of the Duke of Wolfberg marrying Agnes made Magdalen’s stomach churn. Her people needed her to help them have enough food again. She could not allow Agnes to ruin Mallin.
How furious Mother would be at Magdalen for allowing this to happen.
Frau Clara led her outside. They passed the kitchen, which was a detached brick building only two feet from a side door of the large stone castle. They descended a series of steps built into the grass-covered mountainside until they curved to the right and revealed a gaggle of geese and a young woman beside them.
Frau Clara put her hands up and cupped the sides of her mouth. “Katrin!”
The maiden looked up in the last rays of the bright-orange sunset, herding the geese with a stick toward a small stone structure. The birds waddled right inside. Katrin closed the door and bent to lock it, then ascended the steps toward them.
“Katrin, this is Agnes. She is taking your place as goose girl, and you will go to work in the kitchen forthwith.”
Katrin’s eyes brightened as the smile stretched across her face. “Truly?”
“I don’t know why you are so joyous. Working in the kitchen is hardly better than being the goose girl.”
“Oh, it is so much better. Thank you, Frau Clara.” She grasped the house frau’s hand and grinned up at her. Then she turned to Magdalen and clasped her hand as well. “Thank you ever so much.” Katrin darted past them, her feet tapping up the steps.
“You saw where Katrin put the geese. You will take them out every morning to forage in the meadows and along the hillside, wherever you find grass, and put them away every evening at sunset. If you lose any of the geese, you shall be severely punished. Now, come along and you can have your supper with the other servants.”
Magdalen opened her mouth to ask a question, but Frau Clara set a fast pace as she climbed the steep steps again. Magdalen hurried to keep up.
They entered a dim room where the only light came in through one window. A man came in behind Magdalen carrying a torch. He lit the torches attached to the wall. Several other servants stood in line, accepting food from a woman handing out wooden bowls and bread rolls. Then they sat at a long wooden trestle table.
“Get in line for your food,” Frau Clara said. “Katrin!” She called to the goose girl, who stood in the queue. “Show Agnes to the servants’ quarters after you finish your meal, and help her find a bed tonight.”
“Yes, Frau Clara.” Katrin smiled at Magdalen and waved her over. “You can get in front of me, since you are new. Do you live here in Wolfberg? I’ve never seen you before.”
Magdalen was thinking about how to answer her when a man yelled, “Who do you think you are?”
The man behind Katrin leaned toward Magdalen with a fierce scowl in his eyes. “You cannot cut in front of the rest of us. We were here before you.”
“Leave her alone, Hanns.” Katrin pushed his shoulder, even though she was a head shorter than he and only half as wide. “She just got here. Can’t you see you’re scaring her? But you don’t scare me, so quiet down.” She turned back to Magdalen and whispered, “Don’t pay any attention to him.”
“What’s your name?” The man peered around Katrin’s shoulder. He was smiling now and missing at least two teeth.
Katrin scrunched her face and shook her head. Someone distracted the man and he turned around.
“Thank you,” Magdalen whispered.
“You don’t want Hanns to ever start talking to you. He will make you want to slap his face in less time than it takes to tell him to go jump in the Baltic Sea.” Katrin widened her eyes and shook her head again.
They had reached the front of the line. A large woman with a cloth around her hair handed them each a bowl and a roll of bread. After they sat at the table, Magdalen lifted her spoon. It appeared to be pea porridge thickened with oats.