phantom knights 04 - deceit in delaware (43 page)

“Hold on to me, my lady, and I will see you to safety.”

She nodded against my shoulder as her hands pressed against the back of my head.

Climbing down the bookcase was not as simple as it had been to climb up.

When my boots touched the path, I gently lowered Eleanora to her feet. She slowly unwrapped her arms from around my neck. As she straightened her dress she would not look at me.

“What were you doing all the way up there, Eleanora? I must admit, I have never attempted such a climb.” When I had spoken her name, her gaze rose to meet mine, but I quickly looked away, toward where she had been hanging.

After a moment, she spoke. “I was reaching for a book when I saw a different one behind that statue there.” She pointed to the statue that was beyond the one that she had been hanging from.

Angling my head, I saw what had captured her interest.

“Were you attempting to leap that distance?”

She shrugged and that was her response. The woman was too intelligent to be daft, but reckless was a term that could be placed at her feet.

“If you are to correct me, you may save your breath,” she told me, defiantly.

“I would never presume to correct one so far above me, my lady superior.”

“Why do you call me that?”

“Is it not evident? You believe yourself to be above me, so far that you do not feel the need to thank me for rescuing you.”

That rankled, for she scowled at me, but then the scowl faded and her shoulders dropped the slightest touch.

“You have my thanks, Captain Nielsen.”

“Eleanora,” I said, causing her to stiffen, “you may call me Willem. I do believe that we are well enough acquainted.” I traced the tips of my fingers across her soft cheek.

She slapped my hand away. “You go too far,
sir
.”

I walked away from her, needing the space so that I would not do something foolish, such as kiss her.

When I reached the spiral staircase and halted, she bumped into my back. Smiling, I began to descend the staircase.

My restraint to keep from touching her lasted until I reached the bottom step. Turning swiftly, I caught her unaware. Her eyes grew round an instant before I leaned down and captured her lips with my own. They were petal soft as I knew that they would be. Such lovely lips did not deserve to be devoured, but cherished, and so I lessened the pressure of my embrace, caressing instead of forcing.

She pushed against my chest with her fists, making protesting noises against my mouth. Sighing against her wonderful lips, I began to pull away.

Her fists unclenched, and the next instant were pulling me against her by the front of my coat. Her lips pressed against mine with more force than I had been showering upon her. Completely surrendering to her embrace, I smiled against her lips as one of her hands released me and pressed against my neck. When she dug her fingers into my hair, I swooped her into my arm, lifting her feet off the stairs. She gasped against my mouth with one breath, and then pulled back with the next.

“I am not a kitchen maid!” Her screech had me dropping her to her feet and then tugging on my ear as it was ringing.

She stood before me, chest heaving, and never before had she appeared more like an angel. An avenging angel called down to bring me to my senses.

Smiling at her, I spoke words that would have been better kept to myself. “You need not convince me, my lady, for never has a kitchen maid displayed as much passion as you.”

“Ooohhh!”

With my head filled with desire, I did not perceive what she was about, until her palm cracked against my cheek.

“You are a detestable cad, Captain Nielsen, and I will not be one of the maids to be captured in your net!”

Brushing past me, she stomped toward the door and then out of the library.

Rubbing my cheek, I watched her go, with only one thought echoing inside my thoughts.

Perfection.

CHAPTER 5

March 1794

The wedding uniting Eric and the Lady Elisabeth was to take place in two short weeks, five months after her arrival. In those five months I had dealings with each of the ladies in waiting, except Eleanora. Every time I was called to Lady Elisabeth’s chambers, Eleanora was noticeably absent. After our dealings following our time in the library, that suited me well.

Once my head had cleared, I had gone back for the book that she had found behind the statue. When I delivered it to her, believing that it would soften her toward me, I quickly learned the error of my ways. She was cold and harsh, snatching the book from my hands and then demanding that I leave her sight. When I was about to take my departure, she issued scathing words that had remained with me like a thorn buried within my skin.

“When I wish for the presence of a peasant, I shall go into the village.”

She would be leaving Lutania for good after the wedding and so I decided to act as if she had already departed.

The palace was all hands to the stone as it was made ready for the wedding. As Lady Elisabeth would be moving into the chamber beside Eric’s after the wedding, I was given a new office in the family wing. It was a month before the wedding when Eric came to me with some news. Instead of sending all of her ladies in waiting back to Sweden and choosing maidens from within Lutania, as was the custom, Lady Elisabeth would be keeping two with her and choosing only two from Lutania. Eric had said that it was to be his gift to her because he knew how much Eleanora meant to her. He assured me that they had been companions for as long as he and I had been. Then he startled and humbled me by asking me if I would stand with him at the wedding.

It should have been his brother Luther, but, from the last missive that Eric had received, Luther would not be attending the wedding. He claimed that his studies could not be neglected.

In the days leading up to the wedding, Lady Elisabeth’s possessions were moved into her new bedchamber, guests arrived from other countries, and I was fitted for a new suit of clothing. Eric said that as much as he admired my uniform, he wanted me to appear as regal as he would himself.

“That is not possible, my friend,” I had assured him.

It was the evening before the wedding celebration was to take place and I was seated in Eric’s salon with him when the door opened and a young man entered.

He carried an ebony walking stick in one hand and had a black cape flung over his arm. His dark hair was brushed in a style depicting chaos, and his narrow face transformed into a regal smile when he called out. “Eric! Your brother has returned.”

Luther, the younger son of King Frederick, had never been a favorite with me, or I with him. When he saw me, after embracing Eric, he flicked his finger toward the door.

“You may go, guard, for we have no need of your protection.”

Slowly rising, I towered over Luther, but he was not the least intimidated. He had turned his attention to a piece of fluff upon his sleeve.

Eric walked with me to the door, whispering, “Perhaps it is for the best. Allow me to discover why he has returned.”

Agreeing, I went out, but did not go far. Seating myself upon the window seat at the end of the hall, I watched the door for hours, waiting for Luther to leave. When he did, it was past two in the morning.

Knowing that Eric would be expecting me, I let myself into his salon, where I found him with his head buried against his arms.

Eric did not have to say the words, for I knew by the tense way he held himself. I would not be standing up with him at the wedding.

That did not bother me so much as the way Luther could make Eric feel. Eric always seemed to age ten years when Luther was near. He did not trust his brother any more than I trusted Luther. Years of having to defend myself against Luther’s attacks had taught me to keep a watchful eye upon him and my surroundings. He had tried to have me whipped, thrown into the prison cells, hanged, and pressed into a foreign military.

“Do not allow him to worry you, Eric. Look to happier times. You will join yourself in matrimony with your lady in a few short hours.”

Eric raised his head and then the rest of him, yawning. “So I will. As to Luther’s return, well, that is something for Fader to worry over. Luther, praise be to the heavens, is not my responsibility.”

“Right you are!” Placing my hand on the back of a chair I inspected my nails. “I could keep a watch upon him if it would bring you peace of mind.” It was spoken casually, but Eric saw through my words, as he always did.

“I could not ask that of you.”

“You did not. I offered. Consider it my wedding gift to you since I am depriving you of my hovering presence upon your wedding trip.”

King Frederick had requested that I remain at the palace while Eric and Elisabeth traveled to Sweden for their wedding trip. Elisabeth wanted to show Eric some of her country, but she would only be taking two of her ladies in waiting with her. She wanted me to remain behind with the two that would be left at the palace. Since Eleanora was to accompany Elisabeth, I agreed to the request. Not that I would ever refuse my king anything.

“You will do as you wish, but do remember that Luther is a prince and if he provokes you to strike him, you will be at fault.”

I assured Eric that I would not strike Luther, and then Eric went off to bed and I made my way back to my own chamber.

The following day, when I had arrived at Eric’s chamber dressed in my uniform, he had sent me back to my chamber with orders to change into the suit that had been made for me. He said that even though I could not stand up with him, I would attend the wedding as a guest. He assured me that his father approved, and so I had no excuses to make.

My suit was of gray striped silk, with a waistcoat of an elegant baroque print. After tying my cravat and pulling on my boots, I surveyed myself in the small looking glass that I kept upon my table. It was the most elegant attire that I had ever owned, ever worn. In this suit, I felt different. I felt of worth.

When I met Eric, he smiled with approval and the two of us made our way down to the carriage that would take him to the cathedral.

Luther was waiting for Eric inside the carriage, but when I stepped back, Eric captured my arm.

“You will ride with me.”

“I cannot,” I whispered so that Luther could not hear.

“You are as much my brother as Luther, and so you will ride with me.” When Eric was adamant, I could not refuse.

Climbing into the carriage after Eric, Luther was frowning at me. “Do you expect an assassination? Why else is your henchman with us.”

“Willem is here as my friend, and I expect no ill will against him,” Eric told his brother.

Luther raised his chin in the air and looked out over the gardens as the carriage drove down the lane that separated the palace and the long cathedral. There was a chapel in the palace, but for weddings, coronations, and every event of worth, the cathedral was used.

Well-wishers had turned out in mass, lining the lane and holding sticks with streamers of gold and blue. When they saw Eric, a great cheer was released.

“The humble peasants have turned out for you, Eric. How quaint,” Luther said.

Eric and I smiled at each other, for we knew that the people’s support was as important as any of the state visitors who would attend the wedding.

After Eric descended the carriage, followed by Luther, I climbed down and smiled at those of the people that I knew.

Luther was speaking with a guard that I did not recognize when I followed Eric toward the cathedral. Before I could enter, I was waylaid by Luther touching my shoulder. Stepping away from his hand, I eyed him cautiously.

“Willem, Lord Adamsen has requested to have speech with you. He is overseeing the guards at the rear of the cathedral. I will tell Eric that you will be along shortly.” Luther went into the cathedral, and, seeing no reason to deny him, I walked around the side of the cathedral. Guards were standing along each side of the cathedral for the protection of the royal family.

At the rear of the cathedral I did not see Lord Adamsen. Feeling the fool that Luther no doubt intended me to be, I turned around to go back toward the front when something hard struck my head, and then the sky went dark.

****

Waking some time later, I groaned as my head throbbed. There were bells ringing in my head … or so I had thought until I sat up and the bells did not halt.

Slowly it came back to me. Luther. The wedding. Being struck. The bells were marking the marriage of Eric and Elisabeth, and I had missed it all. Shoving myself to my feet, I blinked around at my prison. Shed would be a better description of where I had been placed. There was a window allowing in enough light to see my surroundings.

Trying the door, I found it locked from the outside.

The window, I knew, was too small for me to climb through. Unless I wanted to throw my shoulder against the door, and risk hurting myself, I was trapped for the time being.

I did not know how long I sat in that shed before I heard voices. It was long enough for the sun to lessen in the sky.

As the voices came closer, I pushed myself up and began pounding upon the door and shouting for assistance.

“Ay?” called a voice, coming closer to the shed.

“Would you be so kind as to open the door for me? I seem to be trapped.”

“Ay. One moment.” The man shouted to another, and then there was the sound of something metal striking the door. When the door was pulled open, one of the gardeners stood between me and freedom.

“Captain Nielsen?”

“I thank you, friend,” I said as I moved past him and hurried toward the palace.

When I entered, the ball was in full form. The musicians were playing and dancers swung about the floor.

My gaze sought out Luther, but halted when a lithe form swung past me. She was dressed in ivory and gold with streamers threaded through her hair, and a happy smile upon her lips.