Behind the Mask (66 page)

“I didn’t feel cold, only thwarted somehow.”

“Tell me about it.”

“It’s more simple than it was before. I could see you sitting on top of Blaze, and you seemed so different, strange somehow. I’m trying desperately to reach you, but I can’t.”

“You haven’t been having these dreams all this time, have you?”

“No, this is the first since last spring. I’d forgotten all about it.”

Cameron felt concerned but didn’t know what to say. He put his arms around her and pulled her against him. “Are you going to be all right?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Come back to bed with me. Let me hold you.”

Abbi turned in his arms and touched his face tenderly. “I would die without you, Cameron.”

“You shall live a very long time,” he assured her with a smile.

Abbi drifted back to sleep in his arms, waking only long enough to kiss Cameron good-bye when he left at dawn.

Elsa awakened Abbi before breakfast to remind her that she had an appointment to go into town with Lance this morning. She actually felt pretty as she observed her reflection in a burgundy day dress, and she was pleased to see that the design of the dress hid her swollen figure well. After Elsa did her hair up nicely, she put on the matching hat and went downstairs for breakfast.

Abbi was pleased to find some time left before Lance was due to arrive, and she went to the stable hoping to talk with Georg. She had wanted to for several days now, but he’d become difficult to find lately. She was relieved to discover him alone, but it became immediately evident that he was still in a foul mood. Perhaps he was feeling some of the same anxiety that troubled her. But that wasn’t what she wanted to talk about.

“Good morning, Georg.”

He looked up from a pile of tack he was sorting. “Good morning.”

“I’d like to talk with you, if I could,” she said. “I was beginning to think I’d have to make an appointment.”

“You’re the lady I work for. You can speak to me anytime you like.” His reply was a little terse.

“Well, I’m here.”

“Go on.”

“I was wondering, well . . . you know of course that my father won’t be at the wedding.”

“Yes, I know.”

“And with Papa gone now and . . .” She looked down for a moment.

“Good heavens, Abbi.” He smiled at last. “I thought I was your best friend. What’s the problem?”

“You
are
my best friend.”

“Then spit it out. There isn’t anything you can’t say to me.”

“I would like you to walk down the aisle with me at the wedding . . . to give me away, so to speak.”

Georg looked at her almost shyly, his face showing an emotion she couldn’t name.

“Cameron and I have already discussed it,” she went on, “and he agrees completely. Please, Georg, say you’ll do it.”

“You don’t have to beg me, Abbi.” He chuckled. “Of course I’ll do it. I’d be honored.”

“Oh, thank you!” She threw her arms around his neck, giving him a light kiss on the lips. “You’re a treasure.”

Georg laughed softly and hugged her. They were both surprised to hear Lance say, “Am I interrupting something?”

Abbi and Georg smiled at each other as he took his arms from around her. She moved her hand into his and gave it a gentle squeeze.

“Georg is going to give me away at the wedding,” she announced.

“How nice,” Lance said. “Shall we go, Abbi?” His tone felt a little off, but he was smiling, so Abbi dismissed the idea.

Abbi spent the better part of the day in town with Lance, shopping aimlessly and sharing lunch at an inn. As always, she was grateful for the distraction and enjoyed the diversion. She had come to feel comfortable with his company and found they were genuinely becoming friends. On their way back to the estate he asked if she would attend an opera with him. “It’s a traveling company,” he said, “and they’ll only be here for one night, which is tomorrow. I have box-seat tickets.”

“I would love to.” Anything was better than sitting at home worrying about Cameron. This way, she could keep the captain distracted as well.

As soon as Lance left, Abbi walked back out to the stable to pass some time. Georg wasn’t there, but she hovered near Blaze, currying him with tender care as she talked to him in a soft voice. She’d not felt up to riding much with her pregnancy, and when she did she was far more careful than she used to be, but a day never passed when she didn’t spend time with Blaze. Though Georg always saw that his needs were met, she had to see him nevertheless.

“Now I have proof,” a familiar voice said from above her. “You talk to horses.”

“Cameron,” she said, “what are you doing in the loft?”

He was lying down, leaning his chin against the edge so that all she could see was his face.

“Georg told me to stay here so he can keep an eye on me.”

“I like Georg more all the time.” She smiled. “It’s nice to see you in daylight for a change.”

“Yes, it is. And I must say the two of you look lovely in that dress.”

“Do you like it?” she asked, holding her arms up in an elaborate show. “It’s one of the few things I can still wear without looking conspicuously fat.”

“You look beautiful, as always,” he said tenderly, and then he disappeared as they heard a noise.

“It’s only Georg,” Abbi said when their friend came in through the back door.

Georg said nothing as he glanced toward Cameron, who stuck his head over the edge of the loft again.

“Rest easy, Georg,” Cameron said. “Next week I’ll be on my honeymoon, and your worries will be over.”

“You cannot imagine how much I’m looking forward to that.” Georg sounded weary.

“No more than I,” Cameron insisted.

“And what about me?” Abbi asked lightly. “If you men think that—”

“Someone approaching,” Georg interrupted and Cameron disappeared again. Abbi returned her attention to Blaze. She looked up to see one of the downstairs maids scurrying into the stable.

“What is it?” Georg asked.

“Is Miss Abbi . . . oh, there you are,” she said when she saw Abbi. “There are two men waiting inside who want to ask you some questions. It seems urgent. They’re from the Duke’s Guard.”

Abbi couldn’t even see Cameron, and Georg’s back was to her. But she felt their tension nevertheless.

“Thank you,” Abbi said. “Tell them I’ll be right in.”

“It’s clear,” Georg said after the maid had hurried away.

Cameron sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the loft. “What do you suppose
they
want?”

“It doesn’t matter what they want,” Georg said. “Abbi doesn’t have anything to tell them. We’ve been careful and there’s no way they could suspect she has anything to do with you.”

“I certainly hope not,” Cameron said. “Abbi?” She looked up at him. “You remember what I told you . . . before you left the mountain? You know what to say?”

“Yes, I know.” She noticed a worried crease around his eyes.

“Go in with her Georg,” he ordered.

“I can handle it,” Abbi said.

“I didn’t say you couldn’t handle it, Abbi. I want Georg to know what’s going on, but . . .”

“But?” Georg pressed.

“Is it possible for you to stay in the hall and hear without going in?”

“Of course,” Georg insisted.

“Good. That’s better. At all costs, Georg, I don’t want you implicated in this.”

“I’m not worried about that.” Georg motioned Abbi toward the door. “Come along, we don’t want them becoming impatient before you even get there.”

“Be careful,” Cameron warned.

As Abbi entered the drawing room, she was glad she’d dressed up today for her trip into town. Feeling dignified in her apparel contributed to her confidence.

“Miss Albrecht?” one of the officers questioned as they both came to their feet.

“Yes?”

“Would you please be seated? We have orders to ask you a few simple questions. It shouldn’t take long.”

Abbi did her best to appear innocently surprised as she sat down. “I can’t imagine what on earth you’d want to know from me.”

“There’s no need to be alarmed, Miss. We’ve simply had some concerns arise that make it necessary to explore any unusual happenings. We understand you were away for the winter, an accident that left you stranded on the mountain, I believe.”

“Yes, that’s true.”

“May we ask exactly where you were?”

“Well,” she said thoughtfully, “I was lost when I ended up there to begin with, and when I returned the man who found me ushered me into the foothills. I’m not really sure I could give you a location exactly. It was a little bit east of . . . or was it south . . .?”

“That’s fine, Miss Albrecht,” the officer said. “Could you tell us who you were with?”

“Why, it was the funniest peasant family. Children all over the place and—”

Abbi’s answer was interrupted by the front door slamming in the distance, and then Lance strode into the drawing room.

“What is going on?” he asked his men in a commanding voice that bordered on angry. Abbi was taken aback to realize that for all the time she’d spent with him, she had only now encountered the Captain of the Guard.

The officer who’d done all of the talking remained calm as he replied. “Just routine questions. There’s no need to be upset, Captain.”

“Who sent you?”

“It was Wurtzur, sir,” the officer replied, looking more confused than distressed.

Lance looked disgusted. “This is my fiancée. There is nothing about her situation that’s of any interest to you.”

“It’s not a problem,” Abbi said as she stood and moved to Lance’s side. “They’ve been very polite. But I’m afraid I haven’t been much help.”

“That will be all,” Lance said to his men. “And you can tell that imbecile who’s got you all stirred up that he’s a paranoid man. From now on you do nothing without verifying it with me first.”

“Thank you for your time and cooperation, Miss Albrecht,” the officer said. With a bow, he and his partner left the house.

“Are you all right?” Lance asked Abbi, touching her face. His manner with her was completely different from what she’d just seen, and she couldn’t help feeling impressed to realize that he had a gentle nature, yet he clearly filled his role well when he needed to.

“I’m fine. It really wasn’t a problem. But . . . you seem upset.”

Lance sighed and walked toward the window, placing his hands behind his back. He was silent for a full minute, but Abbi sensed that he wanted to say something. “You can imagine my surprise,” he finally said, “when one of my lieutenants came to me with a theory that
you
had become involved with a fugitive, mostly based on the unique nature of your absence last winter.” He turned to look at her with a penetrating gaze. “A man we believe to be dead, though a body was never found.”

Abbi said nothing, but she feared that her eyes deceived her before she had a chance to check her reaction. “And what did you tell him?” she asked finally.

“I told him you were my fiancée, and I had no question concerning your loyalty to me. I told him it was the most ridiculous thing I’d ever heard, to stop chasing ghosts and stick to the business at hand.” He folded his arms over his chest and leaned against the window sill. “Did you honestly think I would tell him what I
really
know? That you’re going to have the baby of some man who is . . . how did you put it? His life is not in order? A man you spent the winter with? I can assure you, my dear, that if I had told him what I know, you would have been arrested by now and enduring harsh interrogation.”

Abbi swallowed hard. “Then you lied . . . for my sake.”

“Yes, and I’d do it again. At the risk of ending up the fool, I would do almost anything to see that you are safe and happy.”

“Why?” she asked in a squeaking voice, wondering if Georg were still close enough to hear.

“Why?” He laughed with no trace of humor. “I don’t know why, Abbi. Maybe it’s because you’re giving purpose to my otherwise meaningless existence. Maybe it’s because there’s something about you that just . . . makes a man want to throw himself down in the mud to keep you from getting your feet dirty. I’ve asked myself if I really love you enough to be a husband to you, or if I love you the way any man would if they had the chance to know you. The only thing I know for certain is that helping you now is the best course my life could possibly take at this time. However it turns out, my deepest prayer is that you will emerge safe and happy. I’m not certain if I’m the right man to keep you happy for a lifetime, but if this man you’re married to—this man who fathered your child—if he is who I think he is, I’m not sure he’s the right man, either. I have my doubts. But if you love him, and he loves you . . .” His voice trailed into silence.

“I don’t know what to say.”

“I don’t want you to say anything, Abbi. I don’t want any information that I might be forced to use against you. I don’t want to know what he’s guilty of. I don’t want to know the last time you saw him. I want to believe that you’ve been honest with me, and for the most part I think you have. But I realized just today that a person will do almost anything to protect someone they love. So, don’t tell me any more. If he
is
alive, I pray that
you
don’t end up the fool.”

Abbi didn’t realize she was crying until she felt Lance’s fingers on her cheeks, wiping the tears away. He touched her chin and kissed her lips, looking into her eyes with an adoration that she felt so unworthy of. When her tears had subsided, he left the house without another word.

The moment Abbi heard the front door close, she began to shake. Had she done Cameron harm in being so honest with Lance? What if he hadn’t been so noble? Or what if he was lying to her about his commitment? What if he ended up betraying her secret for the sake of his duty? What if Lance ended up in trouble when all was said and done, only because he’d been willing to help her? And then there was the reality that no matter what ended up happening in that cathedral Saturday,
somebody
would end up the fool.

She let out a gaspy sob as she became aware of someone else in the room. “Georg!” she cried and her shaking increased. “Did you—”

“I heard everything,” he said, his arms coming around her.