Behind the Mask (65 page)

“Oh, yes,” she retorted. “I can see that. The blood is a good indication that everything’s in perfect control.”

“I let you know a long time ago that it wouldn’t be easy to be involved with me. Why do you think I tried so hard to keep you out of it?”

“I did not ask to become involved in all of this, either!”

Abbi saw a fury come into Cameron’s eyes that she hadn’t seen since long before they’d exchanged vows on the mountain. She actually felt afraid as his voice turned hard and brusque. “Just say the word, Abbi. Say it, and I’ll leave you in peace.” Abbi knew he was too angry to be thinking rationally, but the very implication pierced her heart. “I could go someplace far away and save many people a great amount of trouble—especially you.”

Abbi could only stare at him, feeling afraid—not of him, but of his threat.

“Just say it, Abbi!” He spoke softly to avoid being overheard, but for the impact in her heart he could have been shouting.

“I don’t want you to go, and you know it!”

“Then what would you have me do?”

Cameron regretted his outburst when he saw the fear in Abbi’s eyes and a feeble sob escaped her. “Oh Abbi,” he said, “forgive me. I just . . .” He couldn’t find the words to finish.

“I’m sorry.” She blinked hard against her threatening tears. “I didn’t mean to get so upset. It’s just that . . . all those months, waiting and wondering, knowing I was pregnant and not knowing what would happen, and now . . .” She drew a deep sigh. “I can’t ask you what happened because I know you won’t tell me. I’m so tired of not knowing what’s going on in your life.”

“How do you know I won’t tell you?”

“Fine.” She sniffled and calmed down. “What happened?”

“Well, I was sitting at the pub in a dark corner, minding my business, when several officers came in. One of them thought he recognized me, so I left. There were officers standing around where I had left my horse. I ran like mad to be certain they weren’t after me. I didn’t dare stop until I got here, or I might have fallen asleep under a tree or something, and ended up in prison by morning. As for my being hurt, that’s just because I’m clumsy. It’s a dark night, you know, which is a good thing, but I ran into something . . . I don’t even know what . . .and cut my forehead. Then I fell when I was climbing through a fence and cut my shoulder. There. That’s the entire truth. Are you satisfied? Will that make you trust me until Saturday?”

“I’ve always trusted you, but I . . .” She paused, emotional again.

“But you what?”

“But that doesn’t make me worry any less. What if you don’t outrun them next time?”

“Worrying will only make you and that baby sick. I’ve told you before that I’ll be careful, and you can see that I was tonight. Besides, I’m smarter than they are, and quicker.”

He smiled encouragingly until Abbi snarled at him, “Don’t you
ever
threaten to leave me again!”

“Oh, my love,” he whispered with regret, “I could never, ever leave you.” She knelt on the floor beside him when he opened his arms to her. “My life was nothing before you came into it.” He brushed his lips over her brow. “I may be a fool, but never foolish enough to let you slip away, my darling. Forgive me.”

Abbi relaxed with her head against his shoulder, allowing herself to accept that he was all right, and she had to have the faith that he would remain safe until the wedding was over. Feeling much better, she pulled the sponge out of the water and wrung it over his head.

“What are you doing?” he sputtered.

“I’m going to wash your hair.” She soaped his head and began massaging his scalp, twisting and playing in the mass of lather for several minutes as he contentedly closed his eyes.

“Are you feeling better?” she asked, noting that the cut over his eye had nearly stopped bleeding.

“Oh, yes.”

Gradually she worked the lather down through his beard. She giggled and Cameron tipped his head back to look at her upside down.

“What’s so funny?” he asked.

“You are.”

He smirked and pulled a handful of lather from his head to put it on Abbi’s nose. She giggled loudly and he said, “Be quiet. Someone will hear you.”

“No one except Elsa is ever in this part of the house so late.”

“Really?” he said and tried to grab her with his soapy hands, but she jumped out of his reach.

“Now Cameron, be a nice boy. I’ve got to rinse your hair.”

“Fine, rinse my hair.”

Abbi moved behind him and pushed his head under the water. He came up laughing and spitting water, and she did it again. “That ought to do it,” she giggled, and a moment later she found herself in the tub with him, every inch of her clothing soaked. She laughed and tried to hit him until he pressed his lips over hers with a kiss that melted her.

“Fine,” she said, “you win. You’re stronger than I am.” He kissed her again and she responded with passion. “And for your prize, you get to mop up all the water you just got on the floor, because I am
not
going to try to explain to Elsa, or anybody else, why it’s there.”

“Yes, madame!” he said firmly and they both laughed.

Cameron finally got out of the tub and put on his breeches. He emptied the bathtub with a bucket, tossing the water out over the balcony. Abbi put her wet clothes into the tub, followed by the towels they used to wipe up the water off the floor.

“Are you feeling better now?” Abbi asked Cameron when the mess was cleaned up and he lay back on the bed.

“Extremely.” He smirked.

“I mean your injuries.”

“I’d forgotten all about them.”

“Elsa brought some salve and I’m going to see that they’re properly cared for. Now let me have a look at your shoulder.”

“It’s just a scratch. Nothing serious.”

“Scratches don’t leave bloodstains, and if you’ll stop being so proud and let me take care of it properly, it won’t turn into something serious.”

When the cut was bandaged, Abbi reached up to put salve on the cut over his eye. But he grabbed her wrist, kissing her hand tenderly. “I love you,” he said.

“Why?” she asked, continuing with her task.

“I can’t think of a good reason why I shouldn’t. Actually, I can’t think of
any
reason why I shouldn’t.”

“Good,” she said triumphantly. “Now you’re all fixed.”

Georg had barely gotten cleaned up from the day’s work when he heard a harsh knock at the door. He pulled it open as he tugged on a shirt, dread already tightening his muscles. He relaxed slightly when he saw the teen-aged boy who worked for Boris.

“What is it, lad?” he asked.

“Boris sent me to tell you that he lost him, sir.”

By
him
Georg knew he meant Cameron. His name was never spoken among those helping him, for fear of being overheard.

“What do you mean
lost him?”
Georg bellowed quietly, grateful Elsa had not returned from the big house yet.

“He was sittin’ in the corner. Boris went in the back room. He came back and he was gone. There were officers all over the place. His horse was still there. I brought it back. It’s in the stable.”

“Anything else?” Georg demanded, hating the fear consuming him.

“No, sir.”

“All right. You go unsaddle that horse and keep hidden in the stable while I check something. I may need you to take a message back to Boris.”

“Yes, sir.” The boy hurried toward the stable.

“Damn,” Georg muttered, pulling on his boots. If Cameron wasn’t with Abbi, he would have to put in action a carefully planned network to find him; a part of the plan he’d hoped to avoid using.

He was almost to Abbi’s bedroom door when it came open and she stepped into the hall. For a moment their eyes met and he feared the worst. If she hadn’t seen him, then . . .

“I was just coming to find you,” she said. “Cameron wanted you to know that he’s all right now.”

Georg leaned back against the wall, nearly collapsing from relief. “Oh, thank God,” he murmured while Abbi gazed at him aghast, wondering if there was more to the story than Cameron had told her.

“What do you mean he’s all right
now?
Where is he?” Georg asked and Abbi motioned toward the bedroom. She followed him in and closed the door. “What on earth happened?” Georg demanded.

“I’m fine,” Cameron insisted.

“There are a number of people having fatal heart failure right now because you’re
lost.”

“Forgive me, Georg.”

“What do you mean, lost?” Abbi asked Georg.

“We have a network set up so that we know exactly where he is at all times,” Georg explained. Abbi smiled. She liked that idea.

“What happened?” Georg asked.

Abbi listened as he repeated the same story to Georg, adding some names and details that he’d omitted before. “That’s it, Georg, I swear.”

“If Wurtzur thinks he’s recognized you, all hell could break loose. I told you loitering in the pub was not a good idea. I will see you at dawn and we’ll discuss it.”

Georg left the room, the lines of his body taut with anger. Abbi closed the door and locked it. Cameron wasn’t looking very happy, either, so Abbi sat at her dressing table, combing through her wet hair, trying not to think about the fears assaulting her. She glanced up to see Cameron’s reflection behind hers.

“What’s wrong?” he asked. “You look as if you’re about to cry.”

“I’m scared, Cameron. And don’t try to promise me that everything’s going to be all right, because you can’t possibly know.” She turned in her chair to face him as he squatted beside her. “I wonder if these stolen moments together are all we’re going to have. And I can’t bear the thought.”

“Then don’t think about it.”

“I have to! I try not to, but . . . how can I avoid it? I spend my days betrothed to a man I don’t love. Every hour I’m reminded of the possibility of spending life without you. And I don’t even know who you are. If you don’t make it to the wedding, even by some odd accident that has nothing to do with all this mischief you’re into, my child would not even know who his father was. How do I look my child in the face and say, ‘Your father died before you were born, but I can’t tell you anything about him? I didn’t even know his
name?’ ”

“Do you want me to tell you?” he asked. “Just say the word, Abbi, and I’ll tell you everything.”

Abbi looked into his eyes, amazed to see that he really meant it. “But aren’t you concerned that my knowledge could incriminate me if—”

“Yes, Abbi, I am. I’d rather not put you in danger, but if you feel this troubled by it, perhaps your fears should be an equal concern. Do you want me to tell you?”

“No . . . I mean, I don’t care . . . I mean . . .” She sighed heavily. “That’s not the point.” She paused and looked up at the ceiling. “I want to be sure you’ll be there. I want this to all be over.”

“Abbi, look at me.” She did and he touched her face softly. “There is no way I can guarantee I won’t die tomorrow. It’s impossible. You shouldn’t worry over such things. If the worst happens, Georg will see that you know all you need to know. He has everything in his possession to prove our marriage, and to give my child the rights to all that is mine. I love you, and we have to believe we’ll make it through this together, the three of us.” He pressed a hand to her belly. “Come along.” He took her hand. “It’s late. You need your rest.”

Abbi relented and went to bed, reminding herself that tomorrow they would be one day closer to having this nightmare over.

Cameron instinctively reached out to hold Abbi in his sleep. Not finding her there, he came immediately awake. He was alone in the bed and couldn’t see her in the room, so he pulled on his breeches and found her standing on the balcony.

“Is something wrong?” he asked as he came behind her, moving her nightgown and wrapper aside just enough to kiss her shoulder.

“Do you remember when we were on the mountain and I was having nightmares?”

“Yes, of course.”

“I just had the same dream.”

“Which one?” he asked lightly, hoping to ease her anxiety. “Was I dead on the floor, or just sitting on Blaze not being myself while you were freezing?”

“Oh, hush!” she scolded, not in the mood for his teasing.

“Tell me what you dreamed,” he said gently.