Behind the Mask (89 page)

After the meal, champagne was served and Cameron stood to offer a formal toast. “To the duchess, my wife,” he smiled lovingly at her. “The woman whose patience and determination gave me the strength and motivation to bring all of this to pass.” Everyone drank and he continued, “To a long and peaceful reign.” The guests responded with jubilance, and Abbi realized that their wedding day symbolized a new beginning for all of Horstberg. She never would have dreamed!

After the meal was finished, Cameron escorted Abbi to the foot of the stairs where they would receive their guests. She felt a little more at ease when they were first approached by the Princesses du Woernig. Cameron looked playfully smug as he said to Abbi, “I believe you know my sisters.”

“I do indeed.” Abbi smiled as they took her hands.

They spoke for a few minutes of the astounding coincidences, and Abbi was given a brief version of how badly Cameron had scared them by returning from the dead. They promised to talk more later, and Abbi had to admit that knowing Magda and Lena would be living under the same roof made the changes in her life a little less intimidating.

Abbi felt relatively indifferent to most of the people she met, or people she knew that she introduced to Cameron; some they both already knew. But dread tightened her stomach when she saw her aunts approach. She feared Ramona’s reaction especially, since Abbi had certainly not done well by her stepson. She introduced them to Cameron and felt him tighten his arm around her, as if he understood her concern.

“I believe we have met before,” Cameron said as he took Ramona’s hand. “But it has been a long time.” He let out a tense chuckle. “Shall we only meet at weddings?”

“I hope no more of yours,” Ramona said, clearly in awe of him, “I do hope.” There was an awkward moment of silence before she added, “I never really believed that you killed her. I never did.”

“Thank you,” Cameron said.

While Abbi was trying to figure their possible connection, Salina eased the tension by giving Abbi an exuberant hug. “This is so exciting,” she chirped.

“Exciting,” Ramona joined in, as if the somber words exchanged between her and Cameron had not occurred. “Yes, exciting.”

“Then you’re not upset?” Abbi asked outright.

“I suppose,” Ramona said, “that your being the duchess can compensate for not having you married to Lance. I believe he will get over it. Yes, I believe he will.”

Salina turned to her sister in surprise. “Do you really think so?”

“Do you want me to repeat it?” Ramona quipped smugly.

Salina shrugged and turned to Abbi. “We are both very happy for you, my dear.” She winked and laughed softly. “My, but you are a clever thing. All the scheming you must have done.”

“I’m afraid the scheming was my fault,” Cameron said. He offered a few more pleasantries before gallantly thanking them for coming and for taking such good care of his wife.

“What was that all about?” Abbi whispered when they were gone. “Your conversation with Ramona?”

“Later,” Cameron said under his breath, and then he smiled diplomatically as more of his acquaintances approached them. It was astonishingly evident that he knew most, if not all, of the people who had come to see Lance get married.

The last guests to be received were Georg and Elsa. While Abbi and Elsa shared a firm embrace, Cameron and Georg did the same. Abbi’s heart quickened as Georg got a good look at Cameron’s face and asked, “What happened?”

Her alarm increased at the evidence of how the question bristled Cameron. He glanced around casually to make certain no one was within hearing range. He looked at her with a clear indication that he would prefer she not be privy to this conversation, but she glared at him with a silent declaration that told him she had a right to know. He sighed and looked in the other direction as he said, “I’ve got six officers and five committee members in the keep. Once the trial is over and Nikolaus is taken care of, we’ll let them go.”

“What happened?” Georg repeated, his voice deeper.

“I was only alone for a few minutes,” Cameron said. “It was a simple oversight.”

“That almost got you killed?” Georg countered in a hot whisper, and Abbi instinctively reached for Elsa’s hand, relieved to find that they shared the same alarm.

“They were taking me to the keep, presumably until Nik returned. But we both know what that would mean. Joerger saved me when he arrived with the brigade, not a moment too soon. But it got ugly.”

“How ugly?” Georg demanded.

Cameron blew out a harsh breath. “Seven wounded.”

“Including you?”

“No, not including me. I’m fine,” Cameron insisted. “Joerger says I’m not taking a step outside of my bedroom without multiple escorts until this is settled.”

“That’s why we keep him around,” Georg said.

Cameron turned to look at Abbi and touched her face, as if he could pull away her worry. “It’s over now,” he said. “Everything’s all right.”

Abbi forced a smile. Until Nikolaus was behind bars, she couldn’t accept that it was over.

Cameron’s voice lightened as he added, “I hope you don’t mind, Abbi my darling, but I’m going to take Georg away from his present employment.”

Abbi smiled, relieved by the change of topic. “Since it would be impossible for me to live without Elsa, I naturally assumed that Georg has to live here, too.”

“That’s right,” Cameron said. “Georg will be with me from now on. I need him.” Georg smiled and Cameron added, “I think it’s about time we got on with the festivities. Don’t you think, my love?”

“Yes of course,” Abbi replied with some trepidation, wondering what exactly that might entail.

Cameron gave her a smile that was warmly familiar and led her to the center of the floor, where they began to dance while Abbi again held the train of her gown over her arm. Just as in the market square, they were the only ones dancing as everyone else watched—except that this was an entirely different group of people than the commoners who had gathered in the streets. She estimated that better than fifty officers of the Guard lined the edges of the room, flanking the doors, even mingling among the guests with cautious eyes. Abbi blocked out her surroundings and looked into Cameron’s eyes, at the same time feeling his arm tighten around her. There was so much she wanted to say, so many questions she needed answered. Her frustration deepened when he whispered close to her face, “I want to be with you alone.”

“I too,” she replied, comforted to know that they were feeling the same way.

“Welcome to the diplomatic world.” He smiled as if he didn’t really mind, and Abbi realized he’d known it would be like this, even as he’d worked hard to reclaim his position. “We will be alone soon, I promise.” He smiled and added, “The duke can do just about anything he wants.”

“And the duchess?”

“The duchess rules the duke, of course . . . by keeping me a prisoner of your heart.” He grinned, and Abbi enjoyed seeing the Cameron she was accustomed to, but she suddenly felt a little lightheaded.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, easing their dance to a graceful halt.

“Just . . . tired all of a sudden. I didn’t get much sleep last night. I need to rest, I think.”

Cameron lifted a hand and the music stopped. He turned to their guests and said, “The duchess is not feeling well. You must excuse us; her condition, you understand.” He smiled freely and got laughter in response.

Abbi felt such relief in being able to admit publicly that she was pregnant, no longer needing to hide it or feel shame in wondering what people would think if her marriage hadn’t been made public. She appreciated Cameron’s insight in announcing the private wedding and the pregnancy. There would be no reason for people to speculate on why the duke’s first child was born so soon. Gossip could not start from common knowledge of the situation.

“Continue with the festivities if you like,” Cameron said and ushered Abbi toward the stairs. “Stay all night. I don’t care,” he added and laughed easily, turning to escort his wife toward their rooms. Eight uniformed men followed. Abbi understood the reasons now for such a precaution. Cameron had said he’d only been alone for a few minutes, right here in the castle. He’d almost gone to prison. Men had been wounded. The full meaning of his military protection settled into her. Cameron du Woernig was invaluable to the people of Horstberg. The evidence of such devotion was as comforting as it was disconcerting. But Abbi was grateful to know that men who days ago would have been obligated to hunt down this man and arrest him were now willing to defend him with their lives.

Cameron opened the bedroom door for her, then said quietly, “I need to take care of something quickly. I won’t be long.” He walked away before Abbi could think of any protest.

Elsa was there waiting to help her, and the room looked much better. Her first impulse was to seek out the comfort of her close companion and dear friend. She hugged Elsa tightly and felt reluctant to let go, grateful beyond words to know that she would remain near Abbi’s side. Elsa represented something constant and firm in her life, when everything else had become so foreign.

Abbi sat on the bed to remove her shoes, wondering if her feet had ever ached so much. Elsa seemed to sense the need for normalcy and chattered as she bustled around the room, seemingly untired despite her own pregnancy. She admitted to being in awe of the changes in both their lives. But all the things that felt frightening and uncertain to Abbi were apparently a thrill to Elsa. She reverently lifted the crown from Abbi’s head and set it on the bureau. The veil she hung over the back of a chair.

“Georg and I went back to the house and packed most of your things,” she said, motioning to some trunks sitting open in a corner. She began digging in one of them. “Perhaps I should find what you’ll need, and then I can finish unpacking tomorrow.”

Again Abbi felt unsettled. She had assumed that Cameron would move into Albrecht House following the wedding. Leaving her home was something she’d never considered. But she had told Cameron she’d leave the country with him if it became necessary. She didn’t question her commitment; she just had to get used to what it entailed.

While Elsa rummaged through one of the trunks, Abbi opened the other to see her neatly folded nightclothes. And there on top of them were the three sealed envelopes she’d kept hidden in her drawer. The two from her father, and the one Cameron had given her in case he hadn’t made it to the wedding.

Abbi picked it up as if it might burn her. Knowing what she knew now, just holding it made her tremble. But she had to read what he’d written. She broke the seal just as Elsa pushed all of Abbi’s hair over her shoulder and began unbuttoning the back of her gown. Abbi eased one arm out, then the other, taking the letter out of the envelope in between. She shivered involuntarily as she wondered how this moment might have felt if Cameron had not survived. The elaborate dress rustled to the floor and she stepped out of it to stand in her chemise and petticoats while she read what he had written.

Let it be known that I, Cameron du Woernig, do hereby bequeath all that is mine to my unborn child of Abilee Albrecht du Woernig. Said child shall be entitled to all that I claim as the rightful heir of the Duchy of Horstberg
.

His signature was clear, as well as those of two witnesses. It was dated the same day as their private wedding with the Bishop, after he’d come down from the mountain. He’d written this long before he’d given it to her. Tears filled Abbi’s eyes as she realized her child was a royal heir. But there was still so much she didn’t understand.

Elsa untied her huge petticoats from behind, saying, “Are you all right?”

“Just a little . . .”

The door opened and the letter slipped from her hand, floating to the floor. Cameron entered the room smiling, but his expression turned to worry when he met Abbi’s face.

“What’s the matter?” he asked, moving toward her.

“Thank you, Elsa,” Abbi said. “I can manage now.”

“Ring if you need me,” Elsa said, and slipped out of the room.

Abbi watched Cameron as he bent to pick up the letter, looking at it with regret. “It doesn’t matter anymore,” he said.

“I know . . . but, why?”

“What do you mean?”

“Why should I not have shown it to anyone?”

“Sit down, Abbi. There’s something I need to tell you.”

Abbi loosened the petticoats and stepped out of them. She grabbed a wrapper that Elsa had left nearby and tied it over her underclothing. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she watched Cameron pace slowly in front of her.

“Abbi, I want you to know that a long time ago I realized you were an answer to my prayers in the respect that . . . if I didn’t survive this, I . . .”

When he fumbled she asked, “Is it so difficult?”

“Yes. I don’t know how to say this without sounding . . . callous or unfeeling.”

“Just say it. You can apologize for being callous later.”

Cameron sighed. “When you had the dream, Abbi . . . of a son with red hair, I felt as if it were a message to me. If I were dead, Abbi, I would still have a legitimate heir. When everything was made legal, I knew that no matter what happened to me, there would be someone to carry on my name and . . . my obligations.”

“I . . . don’t understand.”

“Abbi, even if I were dead, my son could be the means for good people to take the country back from Nikolaus, to save Horstberg from his tyranny. I wanted my son to inherit all that should have been mine. But if Nikolaus had ever discovered that this was my child . . .” He stopped and she squeezed her eyes shut, pressing both hands over her belly. “None of that matters now,” he added gently.

“I know,” she whispered.

“I’m sorry I was so long,” he said, throwing the letter carelessly to the bed. “Now that I’m here, there is so much to take care of.”

“I understand,” she said, watching as Cameron removed his crown. He held it, pondering the curves with his fingers.

A memory caught Abbi off guard, but she felt compelled to share it. “I held Nikolaus’s crown once.”

Cameron looked at her aghast. He couldn’t begin to fathom how such a thing would ever happen. The protocol related to the crown showed great respect to its symbolism. It was not to be handled by anyone except those who wore them, and their closest servants who would care for them.