Behind the Mask (94 page)

Cameron uttered a silent prayer as he exchanged a harsh glance with Georg, then Lieutenant Joerger. He was grateful for the lieutenant’s suggestion to keep Gerhard separated from the group, under the protection of two officers. At least Wurtzur didn’t know they had the witness in their possession. Cameron dismounted and ordered his men to do the same. He hardly dared speak, not wanting to betray the intensity of his own fear. He glanced around at the officers who were with him, knowing that at least one of them had betrayed him. And if one had betrayed him, he had no way of knowing how many more had pledged false allegiance. There was no other explanation for having Wurtzur know where they were meeting. He felt like a cornered animal, wondering what kind of surprise Nikolaus had waiting for him here. But he was more concerned with the realization that he’d left Abbi in the room where a passageway led to the outside of the castle. And if Nik had killed Gwen, what would he do to Abbi if he found her? Would his deepest fears for her and the child come to pass now, after he’d fought so hard to keep her safe at all costs?

He was contemplating bolting out of there to go see that Abbi was safe when he heard horses approach, but he could see nothing. Then an angry voice shot out of the dark, and he knew it was his brother. “Cameron!”

Concerned glances were exchanged among the men in the torchlight. The tension in the air heightened. Georg eased closer to Cameron, giving unspoken support.

“I’ve got something for you, brother!” Nikolaus shouted, but still no one could see him.

Cameron remained silent. Captain Dukerk stepped into the light, and Cameron wondered what
he
had to do with this. He’d wondered which way the captain would go, but he had to admit his disappointment in knowing that he had chosen to stay with Nikolaus. Perhaps he hadn’t known Lance as well as he thought he did. Still, nothing happened.

“Come out and show your face, you filthy coward!” Cameron shouted.

“I was just waiting for an invitation,” Nikolaus said before he stepped into the light. And every aspect of Cameron’s life took proper perspective. Revolution and triumph, crown and country, honor and nobility. They all shattered on the ground as his brother appeared with the woman Cameron loved, the motive behind his every action, his reason for living.

“No!” Cameron whispered hoarsely to see his precious wife, wearing only a nightgown, her hands tied in front of her, a dagger pressed to her side. Nikolaus had a firm grip on Abbi’s hair, kinking her head back awkwardly. She’d been crying, good and hard, and she was crying still. Even in this light the bruising on one side of her face was undeniable. Cameron’s entire body tightened into one hard knot, while a tangible sickness smoldered in his stomach. How he longed to get his hands on that dagger and stab his brother through the heart! He was ready to step forward and have it out with him when he heard Georg whisper, “Don’t let your emotions get her killed.”

Every man present on Cameron’s behalf eased hands toward their weapons, indicating they were alert and ready for orders. “Stand down!” Nikolaus ordered. “Or I’ll kill her!”

“Do as he says,” Cameron said, forcing all of his anger out of his voice, and commanding his fear to back off and allow him to think clearly. “Hello, little brother,” he added with starched civility, knowing the reference to his being younger would gall him. “It’s been a long time.”

“Not long enough,” Nikolaus said, his voice sly and cruel. “I’ve come to make a deal with you, Cam. You give me back the duchy, and I’ll give you back your bride. Fair is fair.”

“Don’t do it!” Abbi screamed, but Nikolaus yanked back on her hair, making her cry out in pain.

“Let her go, Nik!” Cameron ordered. “This has
nothing
to do with her.”

“It does now!” he shouted. Then his voice lightened so dramatically that it was chilling. “She’s a beauty don’t you think, Cameron? Well, of course you do; you married her. And you’ve already got her pregnant. I didn’t think you had it in you.”

Cameron choked on his own bile as he watched Nikolaus let go of Abbi’s hair, and press a gloved hand down the side of her body, over her hip, and back up again. Abbi sobbed and hung her head, but not before he distinctly saw the shame in her eyes. Cameron’s horror descended to a whole new level.
What had he done to her?
While Georg’s warning rang through his mind, his every instinct wanted Nikolaus to die a slow and painful death.

“Nikolaus . . . please,” Abbi whimpered as he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close, watching Cameron’s eyes closely for a reaction that he struggled not to give him.

“I told you in the bedroom, my sweet,” Nikolaus said and pressed a kiss to her throat. Abbi winced and groaned. Cameron unwillingly clenched his fists. “There’s no need to beg.” As if he’d completed the demonstration of his power over Cameron, he shouted harshly, “Give me back my country, and you can have what’s left of your wife.”

“Don’t you do it, Cameron!” Abbi shouted with a remarkable courage that seemed to have sprung from nowhere, instantly banishing every hint of fear or shame. She met his eyes firmly. “The people of this country need you! Don’t sacrifice them for my—”

“Shut up!” Nikolaus yelled and tightened his hold on her.

“Don’t you do it!” she shouted again. “I could never live with it!”

“I said shut up!” Nikolaus snarled and hit her hard enough to knock her to the ground. She screamed and made no effort to get up.

Chapter Twenty-Six

THE VERDICT

N
ikolaus bent over to drag Abbi to her feet, and Cameron lunged for him, knocking the dagger out of his hand, and throwing a hard fist into his face. He stepped over Abbi to slam Nikolaus against a tree. He heard swords being drawn and wondered what kind of skirmish would ensue, but he focused on his brother. “You filthy bastard,” Cameron growled and lifted a knee into his brother’s stomach, at the same time throwing another punch that broke his nose. He’d wanted to do that since he was twelve. Nikolaus screamed like a child and made no effort to retaliate. He
was
a filthy coward. Then Cameron heard a gun cock, and Wurtzur’s voice stated firmly, “Back off, or I’ll put a hole through her head.”

Cameron took a sharp breath and lifted his hands as he stepped back. He knew Wurtzur must have been on Abbi the very second Cameron had gained control. Otherwise the other men present never would have allowed him to get his hands on her. But now he had a gun pressed to her head. Nikolaus glared at Cameron and made a futile attempt to wipe the blood off his face before he grabbed Abbi’s hair and yanked her away from Wurtzur, taking the pistol from him with the hand covered in blood. He pressed the gun to Abbi’s temple, and she met Cameron’s eyes as if to express some silent farewell.

Cameron took another step back and spread his hands. “All right. You win, Nik. It’s all yours.”

“No!” Abbi said, and Nikolaus tightened the gun against her head.

“Hush,” Cameron said gently. “This is not up to you, Abbi. I could never live with losing you this way.” To Nikolaus he added, “Let her go. It’s over. You win.”

Nikolaus let out an evil laugh. Cameron had always hated that laugh. His eyes shifted and Cameron felt new fear. Nikolaus had
never
let him have the last word.
Never.
He took a step back, saying with triumph, “I’ll let you know where to find her once I have it in writing. And then you can—”

“It’s no good, Nikolaus.” Gerhard stepped into the light and stood next to Cameron.

Nikolaus was clearly taken off guard, and Cameron felt certain he’d believed Gerhard’s protection was secure.

“You keep your mouth shut, Albrecht!” Nikolaus threatened, but Gerhard remained calm. “Or I’ll kill her.”

“It won’t do you any good,” Gerhard said. “If you stand there and kill her in front of all these people, you will go before a firing squad for murder regardless of anything else. But I know you killed your brother’s wife, and you know I can prove it. And that should explain a great deal to these people who have been wondering over your motives all these years.”

Nikolaus looked cornered, but that frightened Cameron most of all. Then his concern heightened. Captain Dukerk was missing. He wished he had any idea of where the man’s loyalties truly lay. Cameron saw the evil intensify in Nikolaus’s eyes. “I guess that settles it,” he said, glaring at Cameron. “If I can’t have the country,” he said, “I’ll at least have the woman.” He laughed and backed toward the darkness, pulling Abbi with him. “You’ll never find us, Cam,” he added with a cruel smirk.

Cameron took a step forward, determined to do whatever it took to get that gun out of his hand. Then he heard a guttural moan. The gun fell to the ground as Nikolaus dropped to his knees and Abbi fell from his grasp. She groaned and scrambled to her feet, running into Cameron’s arms. He’d never been so glad to have her there. His relief made it difficult to breathe as she pressed her face to his chest and sobbed. He looked up to see Lance come out of the darkness, a bloodied dagger in his hand; the same one Cameron had knocked on the ground.

Lance took hold of Nikolaus’s collar with the other hand, just in time to keep him from falling forward. He was still very much alive, his expression stunned and horrified. Cameron held his breath as Lance looked directly into Nikolaus’s face, saying with venom, “You killed my sister, you
bastard
. And then you had the nerve to stand by me all these years and call yourself my friend.” The helplessness and shock on Nikolaus’s face were downright pathetic. Abbi turned to see what was happening. “The witness has spoken,” Lance added. “The jury is present. The verdict is guilty.” He drew back his arm and lunged the knife into Nikolaus’s chest. Abbi screamed and turned her face again to hide it against Cameron. “The execution is complete,” Lance concluded and went to his knees, supporting Nikolaus’s weight as he fell. He tossed the bloodied knife and eased the body onto the ground before he came unsteadily to his feet.

Time stopped. Silence ruled. No one spoke. Cameron could only hear his own breathing.
Nikolaus was dead.
Shock and horror filled the air. The atrocity of the act was starkly contrasted by the reality of how necessary it had been.

The movement of officers startled Cameron from staring at his brother’s body. Now that the threat was over, his attention turned to Abbi. “Are you all right? The baby?” he asked, frantically touching her face. She nodded but he knew the answer was relative. He took hold of her shoulders and looked into her eyes, speaking too softly for anyone else to hear. “Did he
hurt
you?” he asked and realized that was too vague. He just had to say it. “Did he rape you, Abbi?” She shook her head, but was too upset to say anything. Her eyes filled with shame. She hung her head and sobbed. Everything inside of him roiled with fury. He wanted to kill Nikolaus again! “Abbi,” he attempted a gentle voice, “listen to me. It will never change the way I feel about you, or what we share, but . . . I have to know.”

Abbi forced back her own emotion over the trauma and composed herself. She clung to Cameron tightly as she looked up at him, so grateful to be able to say, “No. I’m fine.” She felt her chin quiver. He slumped with relief. “But . . . he threatened to.”

Cameron held her close, whispering firmly, “Oh, Abbi. I’m so sorry. So relieved, so grateful.”

“So am I,” she said, and he tenderly stroked the back of her head where Nikolaus’s grip must have left a painful reminder of his cruelty. He felt her shiver and removed his cloak, throwing it around her shoulders. Then he glanced around to gauge the situation. Wurtzur and those who had come with him were now being held at gunpoint. The commotion had put them at a disadvantage. The officers that had been bound no longer were. Everyone stood in stunned silence, either adjusting to the shock of what they’d just witnessed or waiting for orders. Likely both. Lance stared down at Nikolaus’s body, visibly unsettled. Cameron left Abbi’s side and put a hand on his shoulder.

“Are you all right, Captain?” he asked gently.

Lance turned to look at him, startled and upset. He shook his head. “No, I don’t think I am.” Then he took a deep breath and went down on one knee in a gesture of loyalty to Cameron, pressing a fist over his chest—the hand that was covered with Nikolaus’s blood. “Forgive my doubts, Your Grace.”

Abbi observed the exchange between Lance and Cameron, taking a stilted breath to see the captain kneel before her husband. She couldn’t believe it, never would have imagined!

Cameron sighed. “That’s really not necessary, Captain.” Then his voice softened. “Lance,” he said, putting a hand on his shoulder. Before he could say anything more, Abbi was at his side.

Lance looked up at her, saying with regret, “You must forgive me, Abbi. I purposely went to find Nikolaus. I made him believe I had remained loyal to him, wanting to have some control over what he did. I told him there were still many men fighting for him, that your father was still well protected. I didn’t know he would go after you that way.” She actually saw tears in his eyes. “I never dreamed it would get so ugly. You must believe me when I tell you that—”