Behind the Mask (43 page)

“Let’s go,” he said sadly, holding out his hand for her.

Once outside he helped her mount Blaze. Then he took the reins and walked, leading the horse toward the pass. When they reached the crevice in the rock, he took her by the waist and helped her down.

“You’ll have to walk through,” Cameron stated. With the reins in one hand and Abbi’s arm in the other, he led them carefully between the rock walls. Abbi felt as though she were moving into another dimension. Centuries seemed to have passed since she’d fallen on these rocks.

The meadow opened up as Cameron pushed his way through the thicket that kept his secret hidden. He silently helped Abbi remount Blaze and looked up at her, saying with heartbreaking intensity, “I love you, Abbi.”

In desperation Abbi slid back down and threw herself into his arms. “One more moment, please!”

“Oh, Abbi.” His voice trembled as he held her. He searched frantically for something to say to express all that was happening inside of him. But there was nothing that hadn’t been said before, and he forced himself to step back, touching her chin with his fingertips. “Don’t forget me, my love,” he whispered.

“How could I possibly?” She tried to smile.

Again Cameron helped her mount, pressing her hand to his lips. “God go with you,” he murmured. Knowing this would only become more difficult by the minute, he didn’t give her a chance to reply before he slapped Blaze and the stallion broke into a gallop. He watched her cross the meadow, halting briefly as she looked back at him. She touched her fingers to her lips and waved. Cameron returned the gesture and watched her disappear into the forest that now separated their lives.

Slowly Cameron walked back to the lodge. Not wanting to face the emptiness waiting there to torment him, he lingered outside. Well past dark he finally went in, knowing that if he could make it through the time until he saw Abbi again, he could do anything.

Georg found Elsa in Abbi’s room, straightening out the bureau drawers. No matter how many times he saw his sweet wife, his heart still quickened at the sight of her.

“Oh, hello.” She smiled up at him and her eyes sparkled.

Georg kissed her in greeting, but that wasn’t enough so he kissed her again.

“What are you doing?” he asked, making himself comfortable in a chair near the window.

“You keep telling me Abbi will be home any day. I certainly don’t want her to find things left untidy.”

“You must have straightened those drawers a hundred times,” he chuckled.

“I’ll not deny it.” She laughed in return, then proceeded to set Abbi’s nightclothes on the bureau so she could dust out the drawer.

“There’s something I need to tell you,” Georg said in a tone so serious that Elsa stopped abruptly to look at him. “I have a friend who is in some trouble. He needs my help.”

“What kind of trouble?” she asked warily.

“It’s nothing to worry about, I can assure you. But you must trust me.”

“Are you saying that you’re not going to tell me?”

“I can’t.”

Elsa said nothing.

“I know it’s a lot to ask,” he said gently, rising to take her hands into his.

“What are you saying?” she asked fearfully.

“I’m saying that it’s going to take some time and dedication on my part. And it involves things that I cannot discuss with you until it is over, for your own protection.” She looked stunned as he proceeded. “All I’m asking is that . . . you trust me in this, and with any luck, it will be over in a matter of weeks. Please say you’ll understand, Elsa. I need to have you behind me in this. It would mean so much to me.”

Elsa looked searchingly into his eyes and felt reassured to see the love and sincerity that had always been there. “I’ll do whatever you ask of me, Georg. You know that. You’ve never given me reason not to trust you.”

“Thank you,” he said, his relief evident. “You are an angel.”

“You know how much I love you, Georg,” she said quietly.

“No more than I love you.” He kissed her gently. “I’ll make it up to you.” Embracing her he added, “You are so good to me. Better than I deserve.”

Elsa laughed. “No, it’s the other way around.”

Georg hugged her again as his eye caught something on the bureau, and he pulled away to pick it up. “What is this?” he asked, turning the little packet of papers over in his hand to see that there was nothing written on it.

“How should I know? I don’t pry into Miss Abbi’s personal affairs—and neither should you.”

He picked up the other one and compared them. They were identical.

“Mind your business, Georg Heinrich,” she insisted lightly, taking them from him and replacing them in the drawer where they belonged.

“How about if I mind yours instead?” he laughed, pulling her into his arms and smothering her throat with kisses.

“I’ve got work to do, Georg,” she protested, giggling when he persisted.

“Very well.” He sighed reluctantly. “I suppose I’ve got work to do as well.”

Elsa smiled at him as he moved toward the door. He paused with his hand on the knob and turned back to look at her. “I love you, Elsa,” he said and left the room.

Georg returned to the stable to find a message waiting for him. Hoping this would be the one he’d been expecting, he untied it quickly, laughing aloud as he read:
She is on her way home. Take good care of her and see that she’s watched
.

Georg scribbled a reply to acknowledge that he’d received the message, and then he sent the pigeon off and waited for Abbi to appear.

Abbi felt a mixture of emotions as she made her way home. It surprised her to think that she hadn’t spent much time missing what she’d left behind. She had found joy and fulfillment from her winter in seclusion, and a deep ache settled into her heart as Blaze took her ever farther from the man she loved. She was tempted more than once to turn around and go back for just one more day. Knowing it was impossible, she forced back thoughts of what she had left behind and concentrated more on her destination. As the scenery became more familiar, Abbi had to admit she had missed Horstberg more than she’d realized. Crossing the covered bridge, her home came into view. A flutter of excitement rushed over her as she thought of the changes she’d gone through since she’d last seen it.

It was early evening when Abbi rode onto the estate. She dismounted Blaze and led him quietly into the stable, where she saw Georg, his back toward her. For a moment she felt as if she’d never been gone. “Hello, Georg,” she said.

Georg closed his eyes just to absorb the sound of her voice. He opened them and turned slowly, attempting to comprehend that she had just left Cameron. But he wasn’t prepared for the way that seeing her took his breath away. His feelings for Abbi were nothing like what he felt for Elsa. Still, he loved her. And she was more beautiful than he’d remembered. Or perhaps she’d become more beautiful through the course of her absence.

“Abbi,” he murmured. His desire to just look at her made it difficult to move.

Abbi inhaled Georg’s presence and realized how much she had missed him. They shared a smile and she said, “You need not pretend you’re surprised to see me.”

“What makes you think I’m not?” he asked, ambling toward her.

Abbi looked up into his face.
He is as tall as Cameron,
she thought. “I have reason to believe a little bird told you I was coming.”

Georg laughed and pulled her into his arms, lifting her off the ground. Abbi held to him tightly as he turned in circles. “Oh, Abbi, Abbi, Abbi! Do you know how much I’ve missed you? It was a long winter without you.”

He set her down and held her hands out to her sides, looking her up and down. “Oh, but you’ve changed.” Abbi saw him glance toward the bracelet on her wrist.

“Have I?” she asked, intrigued to know his opinion.

“You seem . . . different somehow; perhaps older. No,” he cocked his head to the side, “it’s as if . . . you left here a girl, and you’ve come home a woman.”

Abbi glanced away, warmed by the memory of how Cameron had changed her. As if he’d read her mind, Georg asked, “Is Cameron well?”

Abbi breathed in relief just to hear his name voiced. “He is,” she said, becoming lost in thought until Georg touched her chin, tilting her face to his view.

“Sadness?” he asked, looking into her eyes. “I thought you’d be glad to come home.”

Abbi wondered what to tell him. Cameron had said that he could be trusted, but there were feelings close to her heart that she wasn’t ready to share. She forced a smile. “I am glad to be home,” she said. “It’s just that . . . Cameron is alone, and . . . I worry for him.”

“I know well how you feel,” Georg said. “I’ve been worried for more than three and a half years.”

Abbi was taken aback as the reality settled in regarding all Cameron had told her that Georg had done for him. She had to clarify, “You’re the one who got him out of prison.”

Georg’s face tightened before he nodded. It was a difficult topic. She was wondering how to change the subject when a woman’s voice called, “Georg?”

Georg bolted toward the door, motioning for Abbi to stay quiet. She turned and saw him leading Elsa into the stable, his hands over her eyes.

“I have a surprise for you,” he said. “Just come a little farther.”

“What is it?” Elsa laughed, and Abbi’s insides bubbled with excitement. It was truly good to be home, if not for being without Cameron.

When Georg had Elsa standing directly in front of Abbi, he nodded toward her. “Hello, Elsa,” she said as Georg moved his hands.

It was difficult to tell if Elsa’s scream was from excitement or fear at being faced with someone believed dead. “You
are
alive!” she squealed, and they embraced while Elsa began to cry. “I can’t believe it. Oh, I can’t believe it.” Elsa pulled back and wiped at her tears. “Goodness, I must remember my manners.”

“You’re perfectly fine,” Abbi said. “I missed you terribly.”

They embraced again with laughter, then Abbi pulled back, holding both of Elsa’s hands as they absorbed each other’s presence. Abbi’s eye was drawn to something different about Elsa, and she couldn’t hold back a little gasp. “Good heavens,” Abbi muttered, “what have you been doing?”

The implication was obvious, since Abbi was staring at her middle, where a gentle mound was just starting to show. The straight cut of her dress left no doubt that Elsa was pregnant.

“Surely she doesn’t need to explain,” Georg said. Abbi glared at him in disgust and he laughed.

“Let me rephrase that,” Abbi said directly to Elsa. “What kind of scoundrel have you been consorting with while I was gone?”

“Not a scoundrel, Miss Abbi, my husband.” She lifted her hand to show off her wedding ring.

“Elsa!” Abbi laughed and hugged her again. “Tell me! Who? When? How?”

“Don’t let her fool you, Abbi. Her husband most certainly
is
a scoundrel, and if he’d had any brains, he’d have married her a long time ago.”

Elsa shot a scolding glance toward Georg before laughing and holding out her hand toward him. It took Abbi a minute to absorb the implication as Georg took Elsa in his arms and kissed her.

“You?”
Abbi shrieked. She laughed again. “I don’t believe it! When?”

“We were married January 27th,” Georg said, looking directly at Elsa.

Abbi’s smile faded into sadness. She and Cameron had been married the following day. One more strange coincidence. She watched them exchange another kiss and her heart ached from loneliness. How she longed to shout out her own news! But she had to remain silent. Forcing her thoughts away from Cameron, Abbi took both their hands. “I’m truly happy for you,” she said. “Little could make me happier than to see two of my favorite people together. This way I’ll never have to lose either one of you.”

“Which makes us all happy,” Georg said impishly. “Come on,” he added, taking her hand, “let’s get you into the house and surprise the living daylights out of everybody.”

Once Blaze was taken care of, the three of them tiptoed into the entry hall of the big house, grinning at each other as if they were playing a child’s game. Abbi could hear her aunts talking in the drawing room, and she nearly burst into giggles as they listened. Ramona was saying at that very moment, “If Abbi was going to come home, she would have by now, I tell you. As much as I hate to admit it, or even think about it, she must be dead. The snow has been gone for quite some time now. Yes, quite some time. I hate to admit it, but she must be dead.”