Behind the Mask (61 page)

“Yes,” she agreed readily. “It’s already becoming difficult to hide my pregnancy, but I don’t want to declare my other marriage until . . .”

“I understand,” he said, preventing her from having to explain.

Lance easily consented to getting married a week from Saturday, and he offered to help pull the event together. He would see that the forthcoming marriage was announced publicly, and he felt certain that many people would attend. Since it was late, he promised to come back the following morning to discuss their plans with her aunts.

Abbi couldn’t help but admire and respect Lance. His gallantry and self-sacrifice were touching. But she couldn’t help feeling unsettled by his lack of passion. She sensed no jealousy in him at the realization that she was in love with another man and carrying his child. And his willingness to help seemed more like an act of heroism in rescuing a damsel in distress. It was as if he were only playing out another level of being the Captain of the Guard. Under the circumstances, she had to be grateful for his attitude. But she prayed she wouldn’t have to spend the rest of her life with him. Given her feelings for Cameron, and the evidence she’d seen of Cameron’s love for her, she wondered if Lance had any idea what real love was like. She had her doubts. But he was a good man, just as Cameron had said he was, and she hoped that one day he
would
find someone he could love the way she loved Cameron.

Abbi could hardly refuse Lance’s kiss. With it she marveled at what a gentleman he was. In all the time they’d spent together, he’d not once kissed her lips until now. She found it a stark contrast to the behavior of his
friend,
the Duke of Horstberg. Resigned to playing out this charade, she was grateful at least to feel comfortable with Lance, although she hated the betrayal she felt, thinking of Cameron. She reminded herself that he had asked her to do this. But that didn’t make it any easier.

Cameron hovered in the darkness of the stable doorway, the dogs resting at his feet while he discreetly observed Abbi and the captain, sitting together on the far side of the lawn. A light from the side porch barely illuminated their silhouettes. It was evident that they were talking, and the conversation went on and on. He hated Abbi being a pawn in all of this, especially when it meant that she would have to share a degree of her affection with another man. At least Lance Dukerk was someone he trusted and respected. He knew that if the worst happened, he would take good care of Abbi and his child. But the thought chilled him so deeply that he couldn’t think about it too hard.

Cameron felt a horrid mixture of emotions as he prayed that everything would go as planned. If Lance didn’t agree to go through with this sham, he wasn’t sure how to pull it off. On the other hand,
needing
Lance to agree to take care of Abbi was sickening. But it was a necessary precaution he hoped would not become necessary. Cameron sensed that their conversation was getting deeper and more emotional, just by the way Abbi’s shadow stiffened. He nearly expected one of them to stand up and storm away, which would force them to come up with another plan—if such a thing were possible. But his pulse quickened when he saw Lance put his arm around her, drawing her close. The relief he felt to know that it was going well was quickly squelched by pure, unbridled jealousy. The woman he loved was in the arms of another man, and he had to stand by and allow it. He cursed whoever had framed him to begin with. In spite of what people believed, he reminded himself that he wasn’t guilty of murder
or
treason, and he believed that was basis enough to believe God was on his side. And God willing, he would be able to prove his innocence on both counts. In the midst of his circling thoughts, every nerve in his body went tense. The Captain of the Guard was kissing his wife, and he couldn’t do a damn thing about it.

“It’s going well, I see,” Georg said from behind, startling him.

“Yeah,” Cameron said with sarcasm as he stood up and brushed off the back of his breeches. “It’s going just great.”

Following Lance’s tender kiss, he pressed his lips to Abbi’s brow and guided her head to his shoulder, holding her in silence. She sensed his thoughts settling over all they’d just discussed, while she contended with the relief and betrayal battling inside her. She was startled by the sudden approach of Cameron’s dogs, eagerly poking their noses at her in search of her familiar affection.

“Oh, hello,” she said and heard Lance chuckle.

“Since when do you have dogs?” he asked while she rubbed their heads and they licked her hands.

“Georg is watching them for a friend,” she said and laughed from their eager attention. A different side of Lance came out as he talked to the dogs in a silly voice, and they responded by curiously assessing a new acquaintance and immediately liking him. He was obviously comfortable with dogs, and they took to his interest readily.

“What are their names?” Lance asked at the same moment Abbi wondered
why
the dogs were running loose. She knew Georg kept them secure in the stable unless he was with them.

“Uh . . .” she chuckled at the very thought of answering that question, “truthfully . . . I’ve never heard Georg say.” At least
that
was honest.

“Back!” Abbi heard from behind her and turned to see Georg approaching. The dogs heeded the command, albeit reluctantly. “Come!” he added and they ran toward him. “Sorry,” Georg said and chuckled. “When I find out who let them loose, I’ll make sure they’re severely reprimanded.”

“It’s not a problem,” Abbi said, actually grateful for the intrusion. Little more was said between her and Lance as he walked her back to the house and left her with a quick kiss.

Alone in her bed that night, Abbi pondered the circumstances and found it impossible to sleep. She wondered what kind of mischief Cameron was up to that kept him from being with her, and she stewed over all that stood between now and a week from Saturday. She finally slept, but in her dreams she saw herself kneeling at the cathedral altar with Lance. She prayed it was only a subconscious release of her fears, and not a premonition. Then she slept again and dreamed of nothing.

Hammering noises outside awoke Abbi midmorning. Tying a wrapper around her nightgown, she went to the balcony to investigate. She saw her aunts approaching across the lawn with baskets of flowers they’d just cut, and Georg was just below the balcony, hard at work nailing strips of lumber together in a diagonal pattern.

“What are you doing, Georg?” Salina asked.

“Yes, Georg, what
are
you doing?” Abbi called from above and he looked up with a grin.

“You did say you wanted some roses planted below your window, didn’t you?” he asked. Only Abbi could see his mischievous expression.

“Why, yes I did,” Abbi replied. No such thing had ever been voiced between them, but it was obvious he wanted her to go along.

Georg smiled. “I’ve transplanted some red climbers here,” he paused to enunciate carefully, “by special request.”

Abbi assumed he meant Cameron. Had it been his request to plant the roses? It was certainly a unique way to give a woman flowers. If she was going to live here long enough to enjoy them, she had to assume that Cameron would be moving in with her after the wedding.

“That’s very sweet of you, Georg,” she replied. “But that doesn’t explain what you’re building.”

Ramona and Salina stood nearby, watching him with interest, oblivious to the undertones of the conversation.

“I did tell you these were climbing roses, didn’t I?” Georg said.

“Yes, you did.”

“Well then, you’ve got to have a trellis for them to climb on.”

“Isn’t that clever?” Salina said, clearly impressed.

“Yes, quite clever,” Ramona added.

“I just thought,” Georg continued, “that I’d build this trellis up to your balcony so they could climb right up there and keep you company.”

Abbi let out a subdued laugh. Cameron had said she needed a rose trellis, and he’d evidently mentioned it to Georg. Despite missing Cameron all night, this reminder of his presence in her life left her more at ease.

“You’re wonderful, Georg,” Abbi said, “and I’ve no doubt your efforts will be greatly appreciated.”

He grinned up at her and returned to his work as Abbi went back into her room. She could hear her aunts still chatting with Georg, but her thoughts were drawn to Cameron. Already she was counting the hours until he would climb that trellis tonight.

Elsa came into the room a few minutes later to see if she was awake. While she put up Abbi’s hair, Abbi told her the briefest possible version of her plans. Elsa was astonished but agreed to help all that she could.

“I’m going into town this afternoon,” Abbi said on her way out of the room. “I’d like you to come along. I could use your opinion, I think.”

Abbi had barely finished eating a late breakfast when Lance arrived. Ramona was beside herself with joy at the announcement of their marriage. But Abbi found it difficult to even look her aunt in the eye. Lance held her hand and seemed compassionate to her emotions. She was grateful for the honesty they’d shared as far as it was possible. In spite of the threat he posed to Cameron due to his military position, he had become an ally to her.

Salina said little, but Abbi suspected she was not entirely pleased with the announcement. Abbi wondered if Salina sensed that Abbi didn’t love Lance. But gradually Salina relaxed and became caught up in their plans. They discussed arrangements for the wedding at the cathedral, and the festivities to be held at the estate afterward. Ramona was more pleased than distressed at the prospect of having the wedding take place so quickly. Abbi invited Marta and Elsa to join them so that the work could be delegated throughout the household. Elsa took notes and made suggestions. Marta was priceless in her sound wisdom and organizational skills. Abbi found some measure of excitement in thinking that, as Cameron had said, this would really be
their
wedding. If she kept that image in her mind, the arrangements might not be so difficult.

Their plans continued over lunch, and then Lance insisted that he had to get back to work. “Surely you don’t need a man’s opinion for most of this,” he said lightly.

Abbi walked him to the door, fully expecting to have to kiss him. But he only kissed her brow, saying gently, “Are you all right?”

“Yes, I’m fine,” she insisted.

“This must be difficult for you, all things considered.”

“Yes, but . . . your kindness and support make a world of difference.”

“I’m glad,” he said. “Are you feeling all right?” She looked baffled and he clarified, “It occurred to me after I’d left here last night that . . . well, it’s obvious now why you’ve felt ill off and on since—”

“I’m doing better now,” she said, “as long as I take care of myself.”

“Then you must take
very good
care of yourself.”

Abbi looked into his eyes and had to say, “Thank you, Lance, for everything.” She went on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. He smiled before he walked out the door.

Lance had not been gone ten minutes when Ramona and Salina ushered her and Elsa into the carriage for a trip to town. Mrs. Schilling, the proprietress in the dress shop, seemed to find it odd that Abbi didn’t want to try on any gowns, or even remove her cloak to be measured. But Abbi insisted that she was not up to a fitting, and this particular shop already had her size on record, since they’d made several dresses for her in the past. Requesting certain specifications, she was content to choose by simply looking.

Mrs. Schilling’s doubtful expression faded when Abbi was quickly pleased. She ordered a gown with a fashionable high waist, and a skirt so full of gathers in all directions that her laden figure could never be detected. And she wanted a tremendously long train. Even as a child, she had dreamed of marrying in the cathedral, and she had always imagined a huge train trailing behind her, and how it would become dwarfed by the massive surroundings.

Mrs. Schilling wasn’t at all concerned about completing such an elaborate dress so quickly, especially when Abbi offered her a generous bonus for the extra time she would have to put in. She assured Abbi that she had many seamstresses available to assist her, and the gown would be completed in plenty of time.