Behind the Mask (62 page)

“I’ll bring the dress to your home next week on Wednesday,” she said, “and that will give us time to see if it needs any alterations. I will also bring over several veils and accessories for you to choose from.”

“That sounds perfect,” Abbi said. “Thank you. You’ve been most helpful.”

Arriving home Abbi was pleasantly surprised to find that a small package had arrived from Magda and Lena. The message with it read:
We heard last night about your marriage plans and are both pleased and excited. The enclosed gift is just for you as a bride. Carry it with you on that special day. We wish you much happiness in your future. We will both be at the wedding. Affectionately, Magda and Lena.

Abbi sat on the bed to open the package. Pulling back the tissue she found an elegant lace handkerchief of fine quality. She smiled and held it tenderly, again indulging in daydreams of what the wedding might be like. She wondered how this switching of the groom could possibly come together, and she felt a little panicked to think how everyone might respond when that happened. But she forced such thoughts out of her head, concentrating only on her vision of marrying Cameron publicly in the cathedral where they had been married privately.

Despite being involved with wedding arrangements, the hours of the day dragged for Abbi. She tried in vain to take a nap and catch up on her sleep, and she had picked at her meals with little enthusiasm. She felt a combination of intolerable excitement and unexplainable worry, perhaps brought on by the confusion of these bizarre wedding plans. She finally forced herself to work on her painting to keep busy, knowing that it was almost finished.

Lance returned for dinner, and the aunts chattered constantly about the wedding. Abbi was glad to have the meal over and be able to escape them, going back to the lawn where she’d left her easel set up. Lance sat peaceably beside her on the little bench while she dabbed some finishing touches of paint on the canvas.

He chatted casually as he watched her, mostly talking about his work. Since he rarely spoke of anything else, she was surprised to hear him bring up his parents, who were both dead. He spoke freely and openly of them, and Abbi saw a side of Lance she’d never considered before.
He was human
. She listened attentively as he went on. “My father was a good man, who had a great deal of integrity and worked very hard, but he was not necessarily warm. I knew he loved me, but he didn’t display any kind of affection openly.”

“And did he also have a military career?” Abbi asked.

“He did,” Lance said with pride. “In fact, he also served as Captain of the Guard, although I’m sure he was much better at it than I could ever be. I’m relatively certain the biggest reason I have this position is a combination of my family traditions and Nikolaus’s preference. I was hesitant to take the position, but I was encouraged by many of my fellow officers. They felt that I could perhaps curb Nikolaus’s behavior, due to our friendship. I’ve certainly tried, but he becomes increasingly difficult. I’m not certain I am necessarily the best man for the job, but I do my best to honor my father’s example and serve my country well.”

“I’m certain he would be very proud of you,” Abbi said, struck with a fresh admiration for Lance. The more she got to know him, the more she could see the evidence that he
was
a good man, and she couldn’t help but respect him. His willingness to help her in less-than-favorable circumstances only strengthened her regard. In contemplating her feelings toward him in the past, she had to give herself a lesson in judgment. Lance was not dull at all. He’d been somewhat guarded initially, but he was a man with depth and sensitivity, and she was grateful for his presence in her life.

“I’m not so certain,” he said, glancing down in a way that implied he didn’t feel as confident about himself and his position as he usually let on. But seeing his human qualities only warmed her toward him even further. “In some ways he would be, I suppose. He was rather close to the duke—Nikolaus’s father—and he wanted very much for his children to be involved with the royal family and to work for prestigious positions.” As he spoke on about his relationship with his father, Abbi couldn’t help thinking of what Cameron had said about his own. It was clear that Lance had also been expected to follow his father’s career. The difference was that Lance enjoyed his work and had been drawn to the military, which had given him a common bond with his father. He showed her the fine dagger he always wore and told her it had been a gift from his father when he’d completed his military training, and he carried it purely for sentimental reasons as a reminder of honoring his father’s legacy.

Abbi provoked the conversation further by asking what exactly was entailed in the training necessary to serve on Horstberg’s military force. Just hearing him give a brief summary made the process sound grueling. She wasn’t surprised to hear of the extensive training in swordplay and marksmanship, but she hadn’t expected to learn that every officer of the Guard had been trained in criminal behavior, the politics and history of Horstberg, and a fairly extensive education in medical matters.

“Why?” she asked.

“To aid fellow officers on a battlefield,” he said, “or simply to be able to handle any emergency that might arise in offering aid or protection to the citizens of Horstberg.”

“Of course,” Abbi said distantly.
Like setting a dislocated ankle,
she thought, trying to imagine Cameron’s expertise on everything that Lance had just listed. There was so little she knew about the man she had married. But she smiled to think of how he’d looked wearing the coat of his uniform, then she felt her smile deepen as she recalled him saying,
I don’t think looking good in the uniform is a job requirement.
But it didn’t hurt any, Abbi thought.

Silence prompted Abbi to remember herself. She told Lance how impressed she was with all he’d learned in order to follow his career. He smiled humbly and asked her questions about her relationship with her grandfather. She got a little teary as she spoke of him, but Lance was compassionate and in turn spoke of his mother and how difficult her death had been on the family.

“Was it difficult for you when your father married Ramona?”

“Not at all,” he said. “It was good to see him find someone. They were very good for each other, I believe.”

“Were you close to Ramona then, prior to your father’s death?”

“Not necessarily. She’s a good woman and we’ve always had a mutual respect. She treated us well, but we were practically grown before she came into our lives.”

“You have brothers and sisters, then,” she said. He looked confused and she clarified, “You said
our
lives . . . I assume you have brothers and sisters.”

“Only one,” he said, suddenly uncomfortable, “who was killed. But I don’t want to talk about that.”

“Very well,” she said and found herself looking into his eyes. She was struck with an insight that touched her deeply. Not only was he human, he was lonely. He had no parents beyond a stepmother who shared little with him beyond a persuasive respect. He had only one sibling, who had been killed. And she’d seen no evidence that he had any friendships beyond Nikolaus du Woernig, and that relationship was strained at best. She wondered about his honest opinions of Nikolaus, but had no desire to even bring him up. In that moment she felt a deep affinity with Lance, and prayed in her heart that whatever the outcome of their association, he would find great happiness in his life. He certainly deserved it. She truly appreciated his support and friendship, and felt compelled to tell him so. Impulsively she touched the side of his face, saying gently, “You’re a good man, Captain. I’m truly grateful for all that you’re doing for me.”

He smiled with a distinct sparkle in his eyes, leading her to believe that her words had touched him. She watched him close his eyes and turn his face to kiss the palm of her hand as he pressed his hand over hers. “It is my deepest pleasure, Abbi,” he said in a voice of hushed reverence, “to do anything in my power to aid your happiness.”

Abbi sighed contentedly and felt no desire to refuse his kiss. While her feelings for him could never compare to her love for Cameron, and she knew giving Lance her kiss was mostly for the sake of pretenses, she felt a marked affection for him. Her deepest hope in that moment, beyond her desire to see Cameron free and safe, was that Lance would emerge from this experience unscathed and not hating her for her deception. She recalled Cameron saying that when all was said and done, he really believed Lance would understand. She certainly hoped so.

Feeling a sudden tension between them, Abbi gently cleared her throat and continued with her work, and he seemed content to watch her. A few minutes later, Lance leaned closer to her painting and commented, “I can see now what this is. It’s a bit abstract but . . . I’ve never seen the valley from that angle before. Still, I recognize the castle there at the left and . . .” He paused carefully. “Where did you ever see it from that point of view?”

Abbi covered her nervousness well. “From the mountain, of course. I spent the winter there, remember?”

“I know,” he said, “but from the direction you’re looking at it . . . well, I didn’t think there was anyone living up that way.”

“I saw this view quite far from where I stayed. I wandered a great deal.”

“I see,” he said. “It
is
a nice painting.”

“Thank you,” she said and was grateful when he turned the conversation back to his work. Abbi stopped painting when it became too dark to see. Lance helped carry her things inside, and when he set them down a loose, wrinkled sketch fell out from inside her sketchbook. Before Abbi realized what it was, Lance had picked it up and was looking at it. She snatched it from him with such vehemence that he looked startled.

Taking a glance at the drawing, she was relieved to see that the depiction of Cameron in the window seat of the lodge didn’t show enough of his face to make it recognizable, especially with the emphasis on his beard. Still she felt unsettled to hear Lance say, “Your husband?”

“Yes,” she said and tucked the drawing back inside the sketch book where she kept it.

“Forgive me,” he said. “I didn’t mean to pry. It’s very good work.”

“Thank you,” she said, pretending not to be upset. She told him good-night and excused herself, insisting she needed some rest. He kissed her brow before she hurried to her room, wondering when Cameron would show himself.

Cameron nearly laughed out loud when he saw the trellis leading to Abbi’s window. He’d jokingly mentioned it to Georg in passing, but he hadn’t honestly believed Georg would take the suggestion seriously. The strong lattice was easy to climb, and felt sturdy holding his weight. He knew it had not been built for roses. Making a mental note to thank Georg for fitting this into his already busy schedule, Cameron swung his leg over the balcony and was disappointed to find the room empty and dark. But he’d told Abbi he was coming tonight, and he knew she couldn’t be long. He lit a lamp and made himself comfortable in a chair near the bed, taking time to admire the surroundings and the way they spoke of Abbi.

Cameron jolted when the bedroom door opened and he realized that he’d dozed off. The maid standing in the doorway looked only a little more shocked than he felt as they stared at each other for just a moment before she closed the door.

“Blast,” Cameron muttered under his breath, hoping this would not create any problems for Abbi.

Abbi was almost to her room when Elsa practically ran into her, looking frantic. She expected Elsa to say something, but she just glanced toward Abbi’s room and moved on. Opening the door, Abbi saw Cameron looking concerned. It took little to figure out what had just happened.

“Elsa,” she called down the hall, knowing the situation needed to be cleared up.

“Yes, Miss Abbi?” she replied timidly.

“Come in here please.”

“Oh no, Miss Abbi, I don’t think that—”

“Elsa,” she said firmly and they both entered the room. Abbi closed the door and sighed.

Cameron stood quietly with his arms folded, looking mildly upset.

“Would you please,” Abbi said to Elsa, “inform my husband that he has no reason to be concerned about your finding him here.”