Free Behind the Mask by Elizabeth D. Michaels Page A

accompany her back to the ballroom. He made an attempt at light conversation, following her example to behave as though nothing were wrong. She wanted to feel angry, but more than anything she was annoyed at her own naiveté. The joy of the evening had left her, and she longed for the safety of home.
    “Abbi,” Lance called when he caught sight of her. She wondered by his flushed expression if he was angry or just worried over her absence. “Where have you been?” he asked. “I was about to send the Guard searching.”
    “Now, Lance,” Nikolaus said with barely masked condescension, “there’s no need to let your position go to your head. I was merely taking Miss Albrecht on a tour of the castle.”
    “You might have said something,” Lance added, slightly more calm.
    Abbi was saved from any further attention to the situation when the duke’s sisters caught sight of her and came over to join them. Nikolaus unobtrusively moved away. Abbi wasn’t spared totally, however, as Lena said, “I intend to give Nik a good scolding for skirting you off when Magda and I were just getting acquainted with you.”
    “He was kind enough to give me a tour of the castle,” Abbi explained, proud of her composure. But she couldn’t help noticing the glance that passed between the sisters.
    “I’m sure we will have more opportunities in the future,” Magda insisted.
    Abbi found their company refreshing after the appalling behavior of their brother, but the strain of the evening was beginning to tell on her. Noticing that some of the guests were leaving, she asked Lance to take her home. Overhearing Abbi’s request, Lena called for someone to bring around the captain’s carriage.
    “Promise you’ll come and visit us soon,” Lena said warmly. “It gets so dull around here, and we have to make up for all the years we should have known you.”
    “And remember, Lance,” Magda added, “to tell Ramona hello for us.”
    “I will,” Lance promised and a few minutes later his carriage was announced. He helped Abbi inside and sat across from her, remaining completely silent until they were nearly to the house.
    “Abbi,” he said, sounding concerned, “I must apologize for Nikolaus’s behavior.”
    “Must you?” she countered, realizing this wasn’t the first time he’d said as much. “I don’t see that Nikolaus’s behavior is any reflection on you, whether it warrants apology or not.”
    Lance looked a little startled, then he smiled and said, “You are a very wise young woman, Abbi.”
    She made a scoffing noise. “Wise, no,” she said, but she couldn’t bring herself to admit that naive and foolish would be more accurate.
    Following more silence Lance added, “I hope you had an enjoyable evening—and I hope that Nikolaus didn’t say or do anything to upset you.”
    Abbi willed her expression to hide the truth, if only for the sake of avoiding her own humiliation. Her tone was even as she said, “I’m fine, thank you.” Excluding those few minutes with Nikolaus that had gone sour, it had been an enjoyable evening. She added firmly, “I did enjoy myself. Thank you for including me. You’re very kind.”
    He smiled as the carriage came to a halt. Still absorbed with her anger toward Nikolaus, Abbi felt irritated when Lance hesitated expectantly at the door of the house. She was almost expecting to have to ward off some kind of advance from him as well, but he only took her hand and kissed it.
    “I’ll be leaving the country for a few weeks,” he said. “Maneuvers with the Guard, you see.”
    “I’ll see you when you return,” Abbi said in a conscious effort to be polite.
    “I’ll look forward to it.”
    She went inside, engulfed with a wave of confusion. Rushing to the refuge of her room, Abbi willed herself not to slam the door and alert her aunts that she had returned. They would no doubt be anxious to hear about her evening, and the thought of having to talk about it tonight would be