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shrugged and shook his head.
    â€œWhat sort of monastery is this?” Gerek sat up straighter, and his sword that he had been polishing slipped with a loud clatter onto the stone floor. “Why don’t you teach her?”
    â€œI must keep my vow of chastity. Being alone with a beautiful young maiden would not suit our abbot, nor be conducive to my vow.”
    â€œAndrew, I do not wish to succumb to temptation any more than you do. I have taken a vow of chastity as well, a vow never to know a woman before marriage, and I have promised myself that I will never marry a peasant girl. I shall marry an heiress or widow with a large estate, or marry into a noble family who can make my fortune. So, because of this, I have no less claim to the vow than you do.”
    â€œI could argue that, and I believe my brother monks would agree with me, brother knight.” Brother Andrew failed at hiding his grin. “You need only leave your door open when she is here. The brothers passing by your room will keep you from breaking your vow with the maiden.”
    â€œI happen to know her mother would not approve of her learning to read from me, and I do not want to teach her!”
    He chuckled and shook his head. “You always were overly excitable.”
    Andrew’s words struck him like an accusation. His first inclination was to defend himself and demand why Andrew would say such a thing. But instead, he studied his friend’s face. Andrew couldn’t know about Gerek’s father. Gerek had never told any of the other knights. He tried to push back the memories that were invading his thoughts and making his face and neck feel hot and prickly. Was he his father’s son?
    â€œYou have nothing else to do,” Andrew explained calmly, “but if you are so adamant about not teaching her, I suppose I could find an older monk to do so.”
    Before he could stop himself, Gerek asked, “Which older monk?” In his experience, a monk’s age did not necessarily end his lasciviousness.
    â€œOh, any monk over the age of thirty should do.”
    Gerek sputtered, then cleared his throat.
    â€œYou are not afraid,” Andrew said, “that the maiden will try to seduce you, are you?”
    â€œAre you afraid she will try to seduce you?”
    Andrew shrugged. “I am much more handsome than you.”
    Gerek glared at him.
    â€œAnd since you have too much self-control to seduce her , I believe you are the safest person to teach her.”
    Gerek growled. Why did his life have to be so frustrating? Was God preparing him for some huge, sacrificial quest? “I suppose I can make an attempt at teaching her. But if for any reason it seems a bad idea, I will end it.”
    â€œOf course. But do not worry. Your vow of chastity should remain safe.” Andrew hid his mouth behind his hand.
    Andrew was laughing at him. Gerek wanted to tell his old friend that he was not treating him nobly, as befitted a knight who was nearly killed trying to protect the people of the Hagenheim region from brigands and thieves. But Andrew might tell him he was being excitable again.
    He did not want to teach the maiden to read, but she might give up after a lesson or two, thinking it was too hard. Or her strange mother would force her to cease them. He couldn’t imagine her mother would approve of Rapunzel learning to read, especially from him, since she seemed to have a special dislike of him from the moment she saw him.
    Brother Andrew soon left and returned a few minutes later with Rapunzel. Her hair was completely hidden by an opaque wimple, but her cheeks were pink and she was smiling. However, when she saw Gerek, the smile faded.
    â€œRapunzel, I believe you know Sir Gerek van Hollan, a noble knight of Hagenheim. He has agreed to teach you to read, so I will leave you two to your studies.” Andrew ducked out of the room before either of them could say anything.
    The coward.

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