Behind the Mask (86 page)

Abbi was too overcome with emotion to speak. She could only touch his face and hope that he understood how she cared for him, and her gratitude for all he had done for her—and for Cameron. He smiled and kissed her hand before easing her away from the altar, keeping his arm around her as they turned to face the cause of intrusion.

Abbi leaned heavily against Lance, not prepared for the impact of the vision before her. It
was
him! She couldn’t believe it. He was alive and real.
He was the Duke of Horstberg
. He looked exactly as he had earlier today at the castle, excepting the public demeanor that perfectly radiated his composed authority and firm confidence. He looked at no one with eyes that were sharp and unquestioning of his own power. He sat at perfect attention, his bearing straight, his chin high, his shoulders back. One hand held the reins, the other was tucked behind his back beneath the robe that flowed over the horse.
Her
horse. Blaze—born to lead her to her destiny. Her breathlessness increased as she realized she had dreamed this moment as well, but it had been vague and shadowed, as if her not knowing his identity had been crucial. But perhaps God had known she would need the confirmation that this moment was as much a part of her destiny as the dreams that had led her to this man. She felt as if she’d never seen him before, but if she had seen him first in this moment, she would have fallen for him—head over heels, forever lovesick. She wondered how many women might be watching him now, feeling heady just to be in his presence, perhaps with fantasies about capturing the heart of such a man. She felt deeply privileged and thoroughly in awe to realize that she was the only woman who had ever known him heart and soul. She had seen him broken and crumbling, on the verge of self-destruction, bitter and lost. And now he was whole. His own words spoken just yesterday echoed in her memory.
I know who I am. I know my mission. I know what I’m capable of.

The magnificence of Cameron’s presence was amplified by the military force accompanying him. Officers of the Guard barred the doors and lined the aisle, standing firmly at the end of each pew with the clear intent to prevent anyone from moving or leaving. A significant number of men surrounded the object of their protection on every side, marching with slow deliberation and ceremonial unity. Their precision was as impressive as their presence was inspiring. Every face wore a determination that clearly stated they would defend Cameron du Woernig with their lives. Abbi recalled Lance’s impressive list of the training and requirements to serve on this military force, but he hadn’t mentioned the distinguished exactitude of their military display that undoubtedly took tireless hours of training and rehearsal.

Cameron forced his mind to the realization that he had envisioned this moment a thousand times. And now it was happening. He was here. They had done it. But his relief at being here was counterbalanced with the fact that he almost hadn’t been. He still felt stunned and utterly sick over the skirmish he’d just survived, and the damage that had been done. But it could have been so much worse, he reminded himself, and tried to remain focused on the results.
He was here!
He blessed his most trusted officers for having the insight not to let too many minutes pass without determining his whereabouts. They’d come to find him the very moment his captors had been leading him past the doors to the courtyard. Then all hell had broken loose. He’d used the moment of distraction to turn and hit the guy behind him in order to get the gun out of his hand. But the fight that ensued had been far worse than anything that had occurred during last night’s invasion. And he’d been right in the middle of it, his life passing before his eyes. In the end Nikolaus’s entourage had been taken to the keep, and a doctor had been summoned to attend the wounded from both sides. Two bullet wounds and several other injuries had left bloodstains on the floor, and a deep impression in Cameron’s mind. But no lives had been lost, and Cameron knew beyond any doubt that he’d now overcome the twisted thinking he’d confronted just yesterday. He was definitely more afraid to die; he most certainly wanted to live. And he thanked God for what seemed the thousandth time in the last half hour that he was still alive, and whole enough to reclaim his country with some dignity.

Concentrating on his sweet bride made it easier to be free of the horrid images in his mind. She looked even more beautiful than he’d imagined, and her visible relief, even from this distance, assuaged some level of his deepest fears. Lance’s presence as he held her close provoked mixed feelings. Cameron knew the kiss he’d given Abbi had been meant as some measure of boasting. But perhaps the captain had earned that right. Just as Abbi had said, a kiss seemed a small price to pay for the position he’d been forced to endure through all of this. Cameron wanted to both bust him in the jaw and kiss his feet. He felt it best to just give him the respect he deserved and pray that his loyalties stayed in Cameron’s favor until Nikolaus could be secured.

Abbi focused again on the man she loved as he moved closer. His studied pace on the horse was in perfect rhythm with the officers surrounding him. The slow and steady tempo seemed a declaration for every eye present to witness and declare with certainty that this man was indeed living and breathing. As disoriented as Abbi felt with his identity and all that surrounded it, she couldn’t deny a deep comfort in the evidence of all he had endured to reach this day. How could she not admire him for the risks he had taken and the sacrifices he’d made in order to claim his position and serve his people? Still, attempting to accept that this was the same man she had grown to love, whose child she carried, she felt bewildered and overwhelmed. Then she saw his eyes shift discreetly, making contact with hers, and everything fell neatly into perspective. The crowds, the grandeur, the crown, and the majesty all faded into the background with that split second of silent connection that left Abbi knowing without question she was most important to him. She thought of how he had kissed her this morning, how he had fallen to his knees and wept, and her heart overflowed with perfect love. She felt weak and fluttery, and she wondered if Lance sensed it as he tightened his arm around her with an embrace that seemed to express his sadness in knowing he would never have the opportunity to be so close to her again.

Abbi’s attention was drawn to the medals and regalia spread across the chest of Cameron’s uniform; more than she’d seen on Nikolaus and Lance’s combined. She wondered what each piece symbolized, and was struck anew with how little she knew about him and the world he’d come from.

Abbi watched her husband closely as he brought Blaze to an effortless stop, at the same time lifting his right hand in a casual gesture. Immediately the entire force came to a unified halt, and several dozen booted feet hit the floor in perfect unison with a resounding echo. He dismounted and the robe flew gracefully around him as if it had been trained to enhance his eminence. An officer stepped forward and stood at attention while holding the horse’s bridle. Cameron moved up the steps and the bishop stepped down to greet him halfway. Cameron went down on one knee and pressed his brow to the bishop’s hands, just as he’d done when they’d met here less than two weeks ago.

“Your Grace,” Cameron said with reverence.

“My son,” the bishop said as Cameron stood. “It is good to see you alive and well.”

“It is good to
be
alive and well,” Cameron replied. The bishop nodded as if to give him a cue. Cameron turned partly toward the audience, speaking in a loud voice that he clearly intended for the acoustics of the cathedral to carry to the very back. “I apologize for this discourteous interruption, Bishop, but I cannot allow this marriage to take place.”

The room became eerily still while Cameron turned to take in his audience with eyes that seemed to dare anyone to question his authority.

“May I ask why, Your Grace?” the bishop inquired, speaking Cameron’s title with ease.

“The woman is already married and with child,” Cameron stated. The crowd responded with gasps and sounds of astonishment, and then became still again before Cameron added, “I am the man Abbi was stranded with last winter. We were married privately in January, and our marriage was made official at a later date. I am here to make the marriage public.” He turned again to glance out over the audience, then back to the bishop. “The child is mine.”

A low murmur resonated through the cathedral. Abbi sighed with her entire body, knowing the worst was over. He was here, and he’d admitted the situation publicly. Surely she could face anything now. Again there was silence, as if Cameron were expected to speak. And he did. “The good captain agreed to marry her, believing that I was dead. Clearly I am not.” He nodded with respect toward Lance. “But I do thank him for honoring my wife in every possible way.”

Cameron stepped toward Abbi and held out a hand toward her, keeping his eyes carefully tuned to Lance. “Thank you, Captain,” he said in little more than a whisper.

Lance’s voice held only a trace of malice as he countered softly, “I trust you will take better care of this wife than you did the last one.” He lowered his voice further. “If you ever hurt her, I will hunt you down and kill you with my bare hands.”

Abbi watched them as their eyes met, and she felt the intensity between them. She longed to know the history they shared, certain that with time she would. She was surprised when Cameron said firmly, “I would hope so.”

Lance turned to Abbi, taking her shoulders into his hands. “I know you love him, Abbi,” he said quietly, and pressed a kiss to her brow. “And for your sake, I am grateful he’s alive.” The sadness in his eyes tempted her to cry. He turned and bowed slightly toward Cameron, backing away before he straightened his back. Then he left through the hallway that led to the bishop’s offices.

Abbi glanced quickly to the front row, where the only people she really knew or cared about were sitting. Ramona looked as if she might faint. Salina was beaming. Elsa and Marta were both crying. Georg was still standing close by and he tossed her a faint smile. His relief and pleasure mirrored her own. She turned to Cameron and focused on his face enough to realize something was different from when she’d seen him this morning. She felt a little queasy wondering the reasons for his being late when she noted the cut on his bottom lip, and a hint of bruising below his left eye.

“What happened?” she whispered. The tension in his eyes made it evident he knew what she meant.

“Later,” he said, and offered his hand. She forced her mind to focus only on the moment as she slipped her fingers into his, and the warmth of his love rushed into her. Showing a hint of a smile, he whispered, “Didn’t I tell you I was full of surprises?”

Abbi caught her breath and put a hand over her quivering stomach. She’d almost begun to accept that she was married to the Duke of Horstberg.

Chapter Twenty-Four

CAMERON’S MASK

“Y
ou’ll be all right?” Cameron asked gently.

Abbi nodded and he pulled a white handkerchief from his pocket, putting it into her hand. “It brought me luck,” he said. “Now I give it back to you.”

His sisters,
Abbi realized as she clutched the fine lace in her fist. She recalled Cameron once saying,
With all that’s happened between us, no coincidence in our lives could ever surprise me.
And he had known so much more of their connections than she had ever imagined.

Cameron turned again to the bishop, speaking loudly, “I would like to proceed with the ceremony. I have the necessary documents.”

Cameron motioned with his hand and a young officer stepped forward, giving the bishop’s assistant some papers rolled together. Unrolling them carefully, the assistant eyed the document, then lifted it to look at another. He nodded toward the bishop as if to give his approval that everything was in order. Abbi wondered if this was simply a visible display, since their marriage was already legal.

“Now, where were we?” the bishop said, and a soft chuckle went through the crowd as he returned to his place at the head of the altar. Abbi wondered if even those who had come to see Lance married were pleased to be present for such an event. If not, she felt certain they would keep their opinions quiet, given the military presence.

Abbi turned to Georg, who smiled remarkably and whispered, “I told you he’d come.” He kissed her and pulled the veil back over her face. Then he took her hand and pressed it into Cameron’s as a gaze of heartfelt emotion passed between the two men.

Cameron squeezed Abbi’s hand as he guided her to the altar. They knelt together and he whispered, “We’re getting good at this; so much practice, and all.”

Abbi smiled and focused on the reverence of the ceremony, even if it was only for the sake of making their marriage public. Their vows were exchanged effortlessly—this time with the use of full names. A ring was presented by Georg, blessed by the bishop, and then given to Cameron. The band of gold slid easily onto Abbi’s finger, while a glisten of moisture rose in Cameron’s eyes. She locked her gaze with his and held both his hands tightly while the bishop declared with certitude, “I now pronounce you, Cameron Erich Ferdinand Gustave du Woernig, and Abilee Amelia Albrecht, husband and wife for as long as you both shall live.