Behind the Mask (131 page)

Cameron tethered the horse and helped Abbi dismount. She was surprised to look into his eyes and see them brimming with moisture. He quickly blinked it back, but she wondered over its source.

“Is something wrong?” she asked quietly.

Cameron shook his head and smiled. “No,” he said, “I was just thinking . . . perhaps you already are.”

“What?” she asked as he touched her chin.

He kissed her quickly and explained, “A legend in your own time.”

The following morning, Cameron enjoyed the surprised expressions of his advisory council when they arrived at the meeting to find the duchess sitting in the room. They each greeted her appropriately but appeared baffled by her presence. She sat in a chair at the edge of the room, to the right and behind Cameron, while the men were all seated around the huge table. As they all took their places, he tossed a smile over his shoulder and noted that she was busily engaged in sketching something. But not too busy to notice his smile and return it.

As the meeting began, Cameron simply stated, “I have asked Her Grace to join us whenever she chooses. She often has insight that could be very helpful.” No one commented, but Cameron sensed their skepticism. And he really didn’t care. Just having her in the room made him feel like a better ruler.

About ninety minutes into the discussion, Abbi said, “May I, Your Grace?”

“Of course,” he said, and turned toward her.

She stood and looked at every man in the room as she spoke. “You talk about the issue as if only men are affected or to be considered. Do we not have women who are widowed or otherwise on their own, caring for children and attempting to keep food on the table? What of single women who might have elderly parents or others in their care? Don’t just assume that the problem encompasses a limited type of people, simply because you have no records to indicate otherwise. Perhaps there are women with needs who have not requested help from the government because they simply do not know it’s available, or do not know how to go about the process. That is all. Thank you.”

Cameron gave her an approving gaze as she was seated, and he caught the sparkle in her eyes. “Thank you, Your Grace,” he said. Then to the council, “It would seem we have a new perspective to consider.”

More than an hour later the meeting ended, but Abbi remained seated as the council left the room. Then Captain Dukerk came in to give a standard report of events that the duke should be made aware of.

“Good day, Your Grace,” he said to her before he was seated.

“And how are you, Captain?” she asked.

“Very well, thank you.”

Georg also stayed in the room, and Abbi listened as the captain gave his report of some criminal activity, as well as a couple of other incidents that Cameron needed to know about. He finished by reporting that a home in Horstberg had been destroyed by fire.

“Was anyone hurt?” Abbi asked.

“The father sustained some burns, trying to get his children out,” Lance reported. “But he’s being looked after and he’ll be fine. The mother and children are shaken, but fine.”

“Was it completely destroyed?” Abbi asked.

“Not entirely, but it’s likely beyond repair. We have officers and volunteers helping them now, and many in the community as well. Their needs are being met and . . .”

He stopped when Abbi stood and moved toward the door. She opened it and turned with her hand on the knob. “What are you waiting for?” she asked. The three men exchanged baffled glances. She looked at each of them sharply. “A family has lost their home, gentlemen. Certainly we will not be the worse for wear if we devote a little time and energy on their behalf.”

Cameron watched his wife leave the room. “Unbelievable,” he muttered and followed her, with Georg and Lance on his heels.

Abbi ordered the carriage to make a couple of stops before they were taken to the scene of the disaster, where a woman and four children were carefully sifting through the rubble in search of anything of value that might have survived the fire. They all looked understandably aghast when the ducal coach pulled up and Abbi du Woernig stepped out. Cameron watched in awe as she spoke to this woman and put her arms around her as she wept. Abbi told her they’d brought food and blankets that would be delivered to the home of friends where they would be staying until their own home could be rebuilt. Then the Duchess of Horstberg pushed up her sleeves and started sifting through the soot to help this woman find her wedding ring, which had been left on the bedside table that no longer existed. While he and Lance and Georg joined the men who were clearing out the burned rubble with shovels and buckets, Abbi chatted with the woman and continued searching. He knew they’d found the ring by the way he heard their triumphant laughter. Cameron turned to watch the two women embrace each other, covered in soot. He glanced at Georg, then Lance, before he shook his head and muttered, “She’s a legend in her own time, gentlemen.”

“Amen to that,” Lance said. Georg just chuckled and they got back to work.

Epilogue

“T
his could get to be a habit, Georg,” Cameron said as they rode toward the castle from the center of town at a slow, easy pace.

“Are you complaining?” Georg chuckled and put the reins into little Han’s hands.

“Not in the slightest. In fact, I was considering letting Abbi run the country. You and I could do this sort of thing more often.”

“Go, Papa, go,” Erich said, bouncing up and down in the saddle he shared with his father.

Cameron chuckled. “Barely two and a half, and he’s already giving me orders.”

“Get used to it,” Georg said.

“With pleasure.” Cameron smirked and eased the horse into a gallop, making Erich giggle until they finally halted in the courtyard.

While Cameron had Erich in his care, Abbi thoroughly enjoyed her lengthy ride through the foothills. The summer air was invigorating, and she returned to the castle feeling replenished. A livery servant appeared to take Blaze. “Did you enjoy your ride, Your Grace?” he asked.

“Very much, thank you, Bernard. And how is the new baby?”

“Growing quickly.”

“As they do. Give your sweet wife my regards.”

“I will, Your Grace. Thank you.”

Abbi took a few minutes to loiter in the stables, unbridling Blaze herself and spending a few minutes with him. She chatted comfortably with Bernard while he removed the saddle, then she spent some time with Blizzard as well, enjoying the report that she was responding well to her training and promised to be a great horse, not unlike her father.

Abbi crossed the courtyard and breathed in the summer air before she entered the great hall, where Berta appeared and curtsied. “Has His Grace returned?” Abbi asked.

“He’s in the nursery, I believe,” Berta answered, and Abbi hurried up the stairs. She heard laughter before she opened the nursery door. Erich was on the hobbyhorse he’d inherited from his father, while Cameron lay back on the floor, pushing the rocker with his booted foot.

“Go, Papa, go!” Erich said just as Cameron looked up to see Abbi there.

“Hello, Your Grace,” he said. “Did you enjoy yourself?”

“I did, thank you. But did you? Erich’s first day out all alone with his father is quite an event.”

“We had a marvelous time,” Cameron said. “But I fear he’s getting bored with that wooden horse. He prefers the real thing.” He winked at Abbi. “Got a little of his mother in him, I believe.”

Abbi smiled and bent over Erich to give him a kiss. “Ooh,” she said, “sticky face. Papa took you to see Gertrude, didn’t he? How many cinnamon buns did you eat?”

The question was lost on Erich, but Cameron said to him, “Show Mama where the cake went.”

Erich lifted up his shirt and proudly showed Abbi his belly. Abbi laughed. “The things you teach him. He’s plenty silly without your encouraging him.”

“He’s not as silly as Han,” Cameron said, standing to give his wife a proper greeting.

“That’s not saying much,” Abbi said, and they laughed together.

Cameron kissed her with a warmth that was familiar, and Abbi looked for a moment into his eyes. It was common for her to pause and take account of all that was good in her life. But there were moments, such as this, when her blessings seemed too rich and close to count. And now they were expecting a second child.

Since Erich’s birth, Cameron had remained true to his word. He had ushered Horstberg into a state of prosperity unlike anything even the oldest citizens could ever recall. He kept his country safe and strong by keeping his family first. He was a very busy man, but Abbi never felt neglected or unsure of his love for her. It was rare when he didn’t share a meal with her, and even more rare for him not to be there to tuck Erich into bed and tell him a story.

Abbi glanced toward her son, rocking on his little horse as if he could take on the world. Then she looked back into Cameron’s eyes and knew beyond any doubt that dreams really do come true.

THE END

We hope you have enjoyed
Behind the Mask
by Elizabeth D. Michaels. If you did, we would appreciate a
kind review
, which will allow the author more time to focus on writing rather than on promotion. For your enjoyment, we have included two bonuses on the next few pages! First, a sneak peek into the second volume of the Horstberg Saga,
A Matter of Honor
. Then a preview of T
ell Me No Lies
, a contemporary romance novel by Rachel Branton that we think you will also enjoy. You can learn more about Elizabeth D. Michaels and her books on the
About the Author
page.

Sneak Peek

A Matter of Honor

Book 2 in the Ho
r
stberg Saga

by

Elizabeth D. Michaels

Prologue

Bavaria––1820

A
bbi du Woernig came awake abruptly, gasping for breath. In the darkness she felt her husband’s arms come around her and she clung to him, grateful to have Cameron near while she attempted to calm down and think rationally.

“A dream?” he asked close to her ear. He was well aware of her gift of dreams. Throughout her life she’d occasionally experienced dreams that had, without question, been premonitory, as their content had come to pass at some subsequent time. In fact, a dream had led her to Cameron and had put her in a position to help guide him to the determination he needed to take back the country he ruled from hands that were destroying it. To the people of Horstberg, these happenings were practically legend, even if they knew nothing about the dreams that had prompted such miraculous events. For Abbi, they were tender and personal memories, and one of many reasons she had learned to respect the messages of her dreams.