Loyal Heart (The Von Wolfenberg Dynasty #1) by Anna Markland Page B
Authors: Anna Markland
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in your condition.”
Her mouth had triumphed and her face was likely as red as the gown she’d worn at the wedding. “I mean, not that you’d want to.”
He put a hand on her knee, reminding her of their closeness at the waterfall. “I understood what you meant.”
She studied the elegant fingers as his heat flowed up her thigh and thence into her womb. When she lifted her gaze, her eyes locked with his.
“And I do want to,” he rasped.
~~~
Wendelin reappeared abruptly with a large bowl full of steaming compresses. She cocked her head in the direction of the hallway. “It’s all quiet now. Graf Dieter has given your naughty brothers strict instructions they’re not to bother the newlyweds.”
Her cheeks rosy red, Sophia rose from the edge of the bed. Brandt instantly missed the warmth of her knee beneath his hand, but the die had been cast, the enchantment woven in the moments they’d stared into each other’s eyes. “You should go,” he whispered. “I’m not a pretty sight swathed in hot green compresses.”
“Knitbone,” Wendelin explained when Sophia frowned. “The tea will help him sleep this night, and you can see him on the morrow.”
“And mayhap I can get up then,” he tried.
The healer wagged her finger. “ Nein . At least a sennight abed.”
Sophia smiled. “Wendelin is right. Your body needs time to heal.” She fluttered her eyelashes, warming his heart with the innocence of her unpractised flirtation. “I’ll come every day to help you pass the time,” she said.
He beckoned her closer so he could whisper, “Wear your hair down next time.”
She rolled her eyes up at the once elegant coiffure, blew a wayward strand off her face, smiled wryly and took her leave.
Wendelin pulled the sheet from his chest. “ Gut !” she declared. “Bruises aren’t as red.”
He closed his eyes as she set about placing the compresses on his body. The heat was soothing, but a maelstrom whirled in his mind. He had to devise a plan to make Sophia his, but the obstacles seemed insurmountable. A question arose. He blinked open his eyes. “Is Fräulein von Wolfenberg promised in marriage?”
Wendelin eyed him like a tutor eyes an impertinent child. “ Nein ,” she croaked. “Her parents have allowed her to chose her husband. Not a good idea in my opinion. She should be wed by now.”
Brandt drifted off to sleep smiling inwardly. One less impediment. He was confident Sophia would choose him.
DIFFICULT INTERVIEWS
No one expressed surprised that Johann and Kristina didn’t appear when the family gathered the next morning in the small private dining room.
Sophia wished she’d been able to stay abed. She’d tossed and turned all night, drowning in the depths of Brandt’s blue eyes, practising different ways to break the news about her feelings for the Franken envoy.
Lute looked pale and out of sorts, Kon not much better. Both stared at the smoked ham and fresh bread set before them, but neither spoke. They weren’t used to imbibing copious amounts of ale and wine and were probably suffering the consequences of the previous evening’s over indulgence.
Her parents also looked tired, but happy, exactly as she’d expected. However, perhaps this wasn’t the best time to…
“I understand you helped Wendelin with our injured guest yestereve,” her father said.
She poked at the ham, reluctant to meet his gaze. This wasn’t going to be as easy as she’d thought. Last night the future seemed to fall in place, now Brandt’s status as the representative of her family’s enemy loomed large. She decided to put on a brave face. “ Ja . He is making good progress. We gave him tea and fed him mashed vegetables.”
Lute made a strange choking sound. “May I be excused?” he rasped, fleeing the table before permission was granted.
Kon shifted his weight on the bench, his eating dagger poised in mid-air.
“Do you need to be excused also, Konrad?” their father asked with a
Her mouth had triumphed and her face was likely as red as the gown she’d worn at the wedding. “I mean, not that you’d want to.”
He put a hand on her knee, reminding her of their closeness at the waterfall. “I understood what you meant.”
She studied the elegant fingers as his heat flowed up her thigh and thence into her womb. When she lifted her gaze, her eyes locked with his.
“And I do want to,” he rasped.
~~~
Wendelin reappeared abruptly with a large bowl full of steaming compresses. She cocked her head in the direction of the hallway. “It’s all quiet now. Graf Dieter has given your naughty brothers strict instructions they’re not to bother the newlyweds.”
Her cheeks rosy red, Sophia rose from the edge of the bed. Brandt instantly missed the warmth of her knee beneath his hand, but the die had been cast, the enchantment woven in the moments they’d stared into each other’s eyes. “You should go,” he whispered. “I’m not a pretty sight swathed in hot green compresses.”
“Knitbone,” Wendelin explained when Sophia frowned. “The tea will help him sleep this night, and you can see him on the morrow.”
“And mayhap I can get up then,” he tried.
The healer wagged her finger. “ Nein . At least a sennight abed.”
Sophia smiled. “Wendelin is right. Your body needs time to heal.” She fluttered her eyelashes, warming his heart with the innocence of her unpractised flirtation. “I’ll come every day to help you pass the time,” she said.
He beckoned her closer so he could whisper, “Wear your hair down next time.”
She rolled her eyes up at the once elegant coiffure, blew a wayward strand off her face, smiled wryly and took her leave.
Wendelin pulled the sheet from his chest. “ Gut !” she declared. “Bruises aren’t as red.”
He closed his eyes as she set about placing the compresses on his body. The heat was soothing, but a maelstrom whirled in his mind. He had to devise a plan to make Sophia his, but the obstacles seemed insurmountable. A question arose. He blinked open his eyes. “Is Fräulein von Wolfenberg promised in marriage?”
Wendelin eyed him like a tutor eyes an impertinent child. “ Nein ,” she croaked. “Her parents have allowed her to chose her husband. Not a good idea in my opinion. She should be wed by now.”
Brandt drifted off to sleep smiling inwardly. One less impediment. He was confident Sophia would choose him.
DIFFICULT INTERVIEWS
No one expressed surprised that Johann and Kristina didn’t appear when the family gathered the next morning in the small private dining room.
Sophia wished she’d been able to stay abed. She’d tossed and turned all night, drowning in the depths of Brandt’s blue eyes, practising different ways to break the news about her feelings for the Franken envoy.
Lute looked pale and out of sorts, Kon not much better. Both stared at the smoked ham and fresh bread set before them, but neither spoke. They weren’t used to imbibing copious amounts of ale and wine and were probably suffering the consequences of the previous evening’s over indulgence.
Her parents also looked tired, but happy, exactly as she’d expected. However, perhaps this wasn’t the best time to…
“I understand you helped Wendelin with our injured guest yestereve,” her father said.
She poked at the ham, reluctant to meet his gaze. This wasn’t going to be as easy as she’d thought. Last night the future seemed to fall in place, now Brandt’s status as the representative of her family’s enemy loomed large. She decided to put on a brave face. “ Ja . He is making good progress. We gave him tea and fed him mashed vegetables.”
Lute made a strange choking sound. “May I be excused?” he rasped, fleeing the table before permission was granted.
Kon shifted his weight on the bench, his eating dagger poised in mid-air.
“Do you need to be excused also, Konrad?” their father asked with a
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