Behind the Mask (87 page)

“You may kiss her,” the bishop said, and they stood to face each other. Cameron lifted the veil and pressed his lips to hers with a reverence and adoration that penetrated her heart. His relief and happiness were evident in the little burst of laughter that erupted before he kissed her again. And the crowd cheered. The bishop raised his hands to indicate silence before saying, “Shall we continue?”

Abbi thought they should have been finished, but Cameron seemed to know what he meant. The bishop’s assistant brought forth an elaborately carved wooden box, which he opened in front of the bishop. He blessed its contents as he’d done with the ring, then the box was brought to Cameron. She held her breath as he lifted out a gold crown similar to his own, but smaller and more feminine in design.

Abbi’s heart raced as the implication settled in. A part of her wanted to back away and insist that she couldn’t do this. She felt utterly terrified, and the inner trembling she’d contended with earlier returned in full force. She silently questioned Cameron, wanting to tell him he was making a mistake to give her this kind of responsibility—and she had absolutely no idea what exactly that responsibility entailed. But he smiled with kind reassurance, as if he felt no doubt or concern. And what could she do? Just this morning she had reiterated her conviction that she had agreed to be a part of his life, whatever that might entail. Never would she have dreamed that such a commitment would have included becoming the Duchess of Horstberg. Even when she’d been flattered by Nikolaus’s attention and had believed he’d been interested in marriage, the title and obligation connected to it had never crossed her mind. Now, she could only pray that she might be able to live up to whatever would be expected of her.

“Please kneel,” Cameron said with authority. Abbi knelt before him and bowed her head, recalling the crown of flowers he’d made for her in the meadow. He had known! He had surely imagined this moment!

Cameron’s voice resounded through the cathedral as he spoke. “Let it be known upon the records of this land, that I, Cameron Erich Ferdinand Gustave du Woernig, being of sound mind, and by the power vested in me as the reigning Duke of Horstberg, do hereby pronounce thee, Abilee Amelia Albrecht du Woernig,” he paused and drew an emotional sigh, “Duchess of Horstberg; and with the sustenance of thy husband, the approval of thy people, and the blessings of God, I place this crown upon thy head that thou might reign with nobility as duchess of this land for all the days of thy life.”

Abbi felt the crown slide easily over her veil, and warmth permeated from it. She thought back to Cameron helping her choose the veil, and understood why he’d not wanted an elaborate headpiece. His hands appeared in front of her and she looked up to meet his gaze. “Now you are truly a princess,” he whispered. She slipped her trembling hands into his and stood next to him. Again he kissed her, and she doubted that was part of the usual ceremony. He put his arm around her and turned with her to face the audience.

“Let it be known,” he announced with solemnity, “that I have returned and will proceed from this day forward to rule Horstberg with fairness and compassion. I am prepared to prove my innocence of the crime for which I was wrongly accused. I greatly regret the years of suffering inflicted on my people in my absence. We will now as a unified nation begin anew with peace and prosperity as our guide.”

Cameron soaked the present into his spirit and felt hard pressed not to cry. He looked down at his sweet bride and willed the moment to be forever embedded into his heart and soul.
They had made it
. His vision had come to pass, and no man knew gratitude deeper than he felt with Abbi’s hand in his. He looked around the room and added with all the jubilance he felt, “God bless us all.”

The crowd stood in unison and cheered exuberantly. The roar was deafening, and Cameron felt it penetrate his very being. He hugged Abbi and laughed. He had hoped for polite tolerance from these people who had come to be part of a wedding that hadn’t taken place. Their enthusiasm had far exceeded his expectations, and made it increasingly difficult for him to keep his emotion in check. His joy was only amplified by the privilege of making his marriage public. To show his face and have Abbi by his side was a simple pleasure that had been completely beyond his wildest comprehension not so many months ago. The reality was astounding!

“By the way,” he added, holding up his hand for silence, “the wedding festivities have been moved to Castle Horstberg, following the usual celebration in the square.”

The crowd resumed their cheer while Abbi wondered what exactly
the usual celebration
might entail. Cameron turned to the bishop and thanked him. When he finished, he met Abbi’s eyes while he held his hand suspended in front of him, as if it were resting on some imaginary table. Too dazed to grasp his meaning, she was relieved when he said, “Just rest your hand on mine.”

She did as he said, wondering over the gamut of royal etiquette she might be required to learn. But he smiled, and nothing mattered but having him freely by her side. As they descended the steps to where Blaze was waiting, Abbi recalled Elsa saying,
It’s like a fairy tale.
And maybe she was right. At least for the moment it felt that way, and Abbi was determined to enjoy the moment. He helped her mount Blaze and smiled at her when she straddled the horse as usual. But the elaborate dress covered her legs completely, and she had to hold the train over her arm to keep it from dragging. She watched Cameron over her shoulder as he mounted behind her, lifting the robe over the back of the horse before he took the reins into his left hand and pressed his right around Abbi’s waist. He eased Blaze into a gentle canter, traversing the length of the cathedral much more quickly than when he’d arrived. The small army of uniformed men fell into step, moving around and behind them while the crowd continued cheering. Cameron pulled Blaze to a halt at the huge cathedral doors and Abbi laughed as the animal reared back and then stood perfectly still.

“Very effective,” Cameron muttered behind her ear. “Did you dream this moment before you trained him to do that?”

“I
never
could have dreamed this moment,” she said, and he laughed softly before he turned his attention to the lieutenant standing closest to him, the same man who had been Abbi’s escort to and from the castle this morning. She was drawn back to a distinct uneasiness as she realized that he too had bruises on his face that hadn’t been there this morning, even more obvious than Cameron’s.

“Your Grace,” he said to Cameron, “a significant crowd has gathered. More than we anticipated, sir. It would seem that word of your arrival has spread quickly.” He smiled. “But spirits are high, sir, and all appears to be well. Reinforcements have arrived in order to accommodate.”

“Thank you, Lieutenant,” Cameron said and nodded toward the doors. His positive tone subdued Abbi’s concerns. “Let’s go then, shall we?”

“Yes, sir,” the lieutenant said and officers pushed open the huge doors to reveal a massive crowd being held at bay by a solid line of uniformed men on horseback. The moment the duke appeared, a cheer rose through the air that dwarfed the one they’d left inside.

“Good heavens,” Cameron muttered breathlessly and tightened his arm around Abbi, but she couldn’t be certain if he was nervous or thrilled. Perhaps both. He guided Blaze carefully down the cathedral steps, and the officers eased their horses gracefully into the crowd, gently pressing the people back and keeping Cameron and Abbi securely surrounded on every side. Officers on foot added a second perimeter as they remained in step with the cavalry. The evidence of protection and security left Abbi less concerned for her husband’s safety than she perhaps ever had been. Even knowing Nikolaus was still at large seemed irrelevant when so many skilled men were eagerly engaged in keeping Cameron safe. She knew from seeing Nikolaus publicly in the past that this was not standard procedure, but surely necessary under the circumstances. Still, there was not the slightest hint of any negativity from the crowds. In fact, it was quite the opposite. The people cheered and rallied around them with such enthusiasm that Abbi felt on the brink of tears to consider the enormity of what her husband meant to them.

As they moved slowly through the crowd toward the center of town, the extent of the gathering became more evident. People lined the street in hordes, apparently having concluded that the bride and groom would travel from the cathedral to the market square. Once adjusted somewhat to the experience, Abbi became more tuned to what people were saying. Right and left, men and women of all ages praised God and thanked heaven for his miraculous return. Abbi saw tears in people’s eyes and on their faces while she realized she had no comprehension of what Cameron’s reclamation of his country truly meant to these people. She thought of his orders this morning to have food and supplies delivered to the homeless. From the humble appearance of many of these people, she wondered if they were among those most grateful and most eager to spread the news of Cameron’s return. Tears moistened her own eyes the same moment she heard him murmur close to her ear, “Tell me I’m not dreaming, Abbi.”

“How can I,” she said, pressing her hand over his where he held her increasingly tighter, “when I’ve never dreamed anything so magnificent?”

“Nor I,” he said, his voice quavering.

Abbi felt so in awe of the experience that she could hardly breathe. But her amazement mingled with trepidation as she was once again struck with the unreal sensation that these people now regarded her as their queen. She clung to Cameron’s arm that supported her, not knowing whether to be elated or scared to death. She reminded herself that it was Cameron she loved. It was his arm around her, his ring on her finger. They were married. Cameron’s bondage was over. They were together freely and publicly, with no shame or pretenses. She threaded her fingers between his and felt his grip tighten as they rode Blaze at an unhurried pace through the press toward the center of town.

They arrived at the market square to find it empty, with officers situated around the perimeter, standing at attention and holding the crowd at bay. The military escort surrounding them made an impressive display of coming to a halt, and then they gracefully dispersed into the crowds while the protective barrier around the square remained intact.

“What are we doing here?” Abbi asked.

“Abbi, my dear,” Cameron whispered behind her ear, “I’ve told you before, I’ve never attended a wedding that didn’t have dancing. And for royal weddings, there is
always
folk-dancing.”

Abbi swallowed, again feeling torn between perfect ecstasy and horrible nerves. Cameron dismounted and looked up at her, saying softly, “Dreams really do come true, Abbi girl. I have imagined this moment since Christmas.” Seeing the adoration glowing in his eyes, Abbi just wanted to hold him in her arms and absorb all she had learned this day, but the square was surrounded by crowds, and every eye was on them.

“My lady,” he said, helping her down. The moment her feet touched the ground, an officer led Blaze away, and Abbi noticed some musicians slipping past the officers and assembling in one corner. She draped the train of the gown over her arm and set her other hand over Cameron’s suspended arm as they walked to the center of the square—alone.

“Cameron,” she said, “don’t tell me that we are the only ones who—”

“Only for the first set,” he said. “It’s tradition, Mrs. du Woernig.” He smiled in response to her alarm as he turned her to face him, apparently oblivious to the hundreds of eyes watching his every move. “Look at me, Abbi. I know this must be overwhelming, but there is no reason on earth for you to feel afraid or self-conscious. Just watch
me,
and I’ll watch
you.
And it will be just like doing it in the lodge.” He kissed her as if they were alone, and looked into her eyes again. “It’s just you and me,” he said. He stepped back to a starting position, and the music began. Cameron stepped forward and bowed, then he stepped back. Abbi became mesmerized by him as she stepped forward and curtsied before moving back.
He was incredible
. The uniform. The robe. The crown.
The man
. He’d been raised to be a king.
He was her husband
.

She felt less conspicuous when the dance brought them together, and his arm slipped around her waist. She thought of sharing this dance with him at the fair, and the mask he’d been wearing at the time. She felt chilled to look into his face and see all masks—both literal and figurative—now gone. She was looking at the real Cameron—
Cameron du Woernig
. As they turned to go the opposite direction, she managed to switch the train of the dress to her other arm and not miss a step.

“Very good,” he said and smiled. How familiar his smile was, in spite of the absence of his beard.

“Everyone is watching you,” she whispered as he moved behind her.

“No, my love, everyone is watching
you
. They’re wondering where this incredible goddess has come from. They’re speculating in whispers, wondering what kind of magical powers she might have used to bring an exiled king back from the dead.”

“I only loved him,” she said, and a sudden rush of emotion caught her off guard. But she kept dancing in spite of the tears rolling down her cheeks. When Cameron turned to face her to do the final series of steps, he noticed her tears and came to a sudden stop. The final bars of the song were played while they stood staring into each other’s eyes, like some kind of stone monument erected in the center of the square. The music became replaced by an eerie silence. Abbi waited for Cameron to do something. She wanted to wipe her tears but he held her hands tightly, and she realized they were both trembling. Then he went down on one knee, pressing his lips to her hands in the same moment she felt them moistened by his tears. Abbi’s tears increased, but they were muffled by the cheer that rose up from the crowd as Cameron came to his feet and kissed her again.

“Now,” he said, wiping her tears while she wiped his, “you need to choose a partner. After we dance two more sets, we’ll leave.”