Chapter Forty
I don’t understand.”
Tomas had insisted on coming with them, despite his mother’s pleas. He was angry but confused too. He looked from Freddie to Niki, as if they might be able to explain what was, to Niki’s mind, inexplicable.
The man who had taken the place of his grandfather, who he had trusted and relied upon all these years, had betrayed him in the worst possible way.
Niki found his voice. “Men do terrible things for good and for bad. No doubt, the chamberlain thinks he is doing them for good, but he is mistaken. The country would not thank him if he turned back the clock to a world that is long past. And his betrayal would eat away at him. I know it.”
At least, he hoped he did, that Francis had some humanity left in him. But when he remembered the new faces in his council, he guessed that Francis had been working toward his downfall for some time.
Freddie added his thoughts. “What the prince says is right. Evil men do not prosper. They may gain material riches, but inside, they are hollow husks.”
Niki wasn’t sure that was always the truth, but it sounded like something Tomas needed to hear.
“There are riders up ahead!” One of the bodyguards had doubled back and now pointed up one of the tracks through the tall trees. “Three men,” he added, looking from Niki to Freddie.
“Where does that lead?” Freddie asked.
Niki heard himself speak but was barely aware of what he said.
“To the lookout. There is only one way back from there.” Unless…
had they thrown her off the bluff? Francis might be capable of anything now he was thwarted, and he would want to punish Niki.
And what better way than to destroy the person he loved?
“There’s the High Wire.” Tomas broke the uncomfortable silence.
Niki frowned at him. “That ledge is so narrow, it is barely passable. Karl and I dared each other to ride over it when we were young and stupid. If my grandfather had known, he would have killed us himself.” His frown deepened. “How do you know about it?”
Tomas shrugged self-consciously. “My mother told me. When she and your father were young, they also dared each other to ride along it. She said she had never been so terrified as she was on the High Wire.”
Ahead, they heard the riders approaching, and Freddie reached for his pistol.
Out of the forest came the chamberlain, his robes flapping behind him.
He hadn’t expected to see Niki and the others, and he looked at first shocked and then chagrined.
Niki almost expected him to make up some plausible story, to try to wriggle out of the situation, but then he remembered this was Francis.
He drew his horse to a halt and stared at them coldly, making sure to make eye contact with every one of them.
Niki felt the chamberlain’s stare drilling into him, and he was sure some of the other Holtswiggers did too.
“I have always done what I thought right for my country,” Francis said, when he had everyone’s attention. “You are not the leader we need, Niki. I tried to steer you in the right direction, but you would not listen. I am truly sorry it has come to this.”
“What have you done with Roberta? If you are truly sorry, then you will answer me.”
Francis shrugged. “Nothing. She did it to herself. Perhaps she thinks she is a bird and can fly.”
Niki knew then. Roberta was on the High Wire. He would have taken the old man by the throat, but Freddie held him back. “Don’t soil your hands, sir. Let his peers judge him.”
But Niki was already riding, not taking any care, the branches striking against him.
He tasted blood from a cut on his cheek and yet he did not feel its sting.
He had not been to this particular spot for many years, but he remembered it well.
The place where the terrifyingly narrow High Wire finished at the edge of the forest. And the gap one had to jump if one wanted to be safe.
Ah, here it was! The track he was on ended abruptly before a dizzying drop.
To his right rose the bluff, on the top of which was the lookout he had shown Roberta, and winding its way against the cliff face was the ledge.
It had hardly changed since he was last here, fearing that at any moment he might fall.
Shrubs had spread out from where he now stood, somehow finding a hold in the rocky cliff and making a dense shield, but other than that…
He drew his horse up, leaping from its back, and stepped forward to peer ahead.
Nothing. The ledge was empty.
He felt sick. Had she fallen? His brave, beautiful Roberta.
And then, movement. The jingle of a harness, and the glint of metal in the moonlight. A horse and rider appeared from behind the screen of vegetation. For a moment, he couldn’t believe she was there, alive, but then she looked up, her face white beneath the heavy fall of her hair.
“Niki,” she gasped. “Oh, Niki, I did not think I would ever see you again.”
He wanted to rush forward and make the leap over the gap himself, but he stopped himself.
He knew that might distract her, and then they both might fall.
“You need to jump,” he said, his voice low and serious.
“I know you can. It is not far. A foot or two. Ready yourself, Roberta. Please…” He bit his lip.
He had meant to give her confidence, and instead, he was begging her to succeed.
She was already taking in the empty space between the ledge and the safety he offered.
“It is further than that,” she said, and she did not seem to be afraid, but then when was she ever?
She looked behind her, easing her mount back a step, and then she dug her heels into the horse’s sides, and it sprang forward. And over.
Niki cried out, pulling her from the sweating animal, holding her in his arms. He buried his face in her hair, he kissed her face, and he could feel the wetness of his tears and hers.
“My love,” he said. “My dear love.”
Roberta was shaking, and then she was laughing. “I am alive,” she declared, as if surprised it was so. “I thought on that ledge I would surely die, but here I am. And you are here, Niki. I knew you would be. I wanted to stay alive because I couldn’t bear not to see you again.”
“Never again,” he groaned. “I will never be parted from you again.”
Roberta leaned back and looked at him. Something shifted in her face, a gentleness softening her features. “I love you, Niki. I know that sometimes I do not behave as I should, and that will probably always be a problem, but…”
He scolded her. “You are being ridiculous. You are perfect. And I love you too. I wish to God I had told you that months ago. The first evening when I saw you at that ball. I think I loved you even then.”
She gave a shaky smile. “Did you?” And then, remembering something, “When the plan was put to you by Freddie, the pretend engagement. Did you really ask for me?”
“Of course,” Niki said, as if surprised she should think otherwise. “Only you, my dearest love.”
Behind them, someone cleared their throat.
They both turned, as if they had forgotten where they were, and found Tomas on his horse, watching them and looking uncomfortable with so much emotion.
“Mr. Hart says you are to return to the castle now,” he said in a rush.
“He has taken the prisoners with him. He said he knows where Count Becker is being held too—the chamberlain had the decency to tell him, so he will send someone to release him. Mr. Hart was here a minute ago, but he could see you were both busy. He left me here to tell you.”
Niki took Roberta’s hand tightly in his. “Tomas, you have my undying gratitude.”
The boy looked surprised, and then proud. “Mr. Hart told me I was very brave,” he said, as if that was the final word on the matter.
Roberta gave him her widest smile. “Thank you, Tomas. I owe you my life.”
This outpouring of emotion was a little too much for the boy. He mumbled something and then turned his horse and rode off.
“Tomas has told me that he now approves of you, but that he will not allow us to continue our sinful affair. You must marry me.”
Matilda glanced up from beneath her lashes at the man in the bed beside her.
Freddie folded his muscular arms beneath his head and pretended to ponder the question. Matilda wondered if he knew how much she loved his muscles but restrained herself from touching him. Besides, she wanted to hear his answer.
“Marry you? It depends,” Freddie said.
“Depends on what?” Her voice was sharp but only because she thought he was about to touch on a subject she did not like to discuss. She forced herself to voice her concerns. “I know I am older than you, Freddie. That can’t be changed. So if it is something you find distasteful then—”
“I don’t find it distasteful.” He sounded surprised. “You are the most beautiful and wonderful woman I have ever met. I don’t give a toss whether our birthdays fall in the same year.”
“Oh.” She felt her breath catch. Was she going to cry? She blinked back the tears and leaned down to kiss that powerful arm. “What did you mean then?”
He gently wiped away the tear that had escaped and now dangled on her lashes. “I mean, would you be willing to marry a man without a title?”
Freddie looked very serious, and the expression in his eyes as he looked at her…As if she really was the most beautiful and wonderful woman he had ever met. Another tear joined the first.
“I would marry you whatever you were called,” she admitted. “I love you, Freddie.”
He leaned in and kissed her thoroughly, and that led to other pleasurable things.
“I’m glad to hear it,” he said at last, “because I love you too.”
“We should marry here in Holtswig,” she spoke sleepily. “I would like that.”
“We could be like Niki and Roberta and have another wedding when we get to England.”
Matilda smiled happily and allowed herself to become lost in that thought, already planning what she would wear and the food they would serve. Just as her eyes were closing, she felt Freddie’s breath against her ear.
“By the way,” he whispered, “I do have a title. Or I will. Niki is going to make me a sir.”
Matilda opened one eye. “Nonsense. You deserve to be a lord at least.”
Roberta was very tired. The terror she had felt when she realized the chamberlain’s intentions, the concentration she had needed to apply to traverse the ledge, and then the wild surge of emotion when she saw Niki waiting, had all combined to drain her of her last bit of energy.
Niki held her in his arms all the way down through the forest. When they reached the castle, the servants came out, their faces creased with worry before changing in an instant, when they saw she was safe, to stupendous joy.
Cheers and cries of happiness rang out. Roberta wanted to cry herself.
If anything could have convinced her that she was now at home in this country, that she belonged, then this was it.
Niki handed her off to Antonia, who insisted a bath be brought up to the room so that Roberta could wash away all traces of her travail. When she was clean and in bed, her sister leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.
“Don’t do that again,” she said. “Ernest has been telling me terrible tales about the High Wire.”
Roberta wanted to explain to her that she had had no choice, that if she had not taken her chance, she would certainly be dead. But just then, Niki opened the door and Antonia smiled and left her.
He had changed and washed too. He was wearing one of the swan robes, and his hair was damp and slicked down to his head, which brought the bones of his face into sharp focus. She loved every inch of that face. She wanted to kiss every inch of him, and suddenly, she wasn’t tired anymore.
“I thought I had lost you,” Niki said, wrapping his arms around her. “I was a fool to ever leave your side.”
“You can’t always be at my side,” she reminded him. “I will have my own duties to perform.” She paused and then said thoughtfully, “Do you know, I don’t mind being a princess after all. In fact, I think I will manage quite well.”
He lifted his head to look down at her, as if he was not sure whether to laugh or kiss her. “Will you? Are you intending to be one of those formidable wives?”
She kissed him back, enjoying every moment of the contact.
“When I thought I was going to die, I decided it was silly to be afraid to be myself. Who cares what other people think? I am me, and I should be proud of who I am. Roberta Ashton, illegitimate daughter of a duke, sister of a wonderful brother and five sisters, and now wife of the man I love.”
“When you put it like that…” Niki murmured, nuzzling against her throat before he restrained himself.
“You are the perfect lady for me, and for my country. The people already love you. I am sure they will ignore any faux pas. Indeed, they will probably love you all the more because you are capable of mistakes, just as we all are.”
“I’m not sure if that is a compliment or not,” Roberta mused, but her eyes were sparkling.
“Enough.” Niki took her in his arms again. “It is our wedding night.”
“Yes, it is.”
Their kisses grew deeper and more passionate, and Niki removed his robe and pressed his body to hers.
Roberta made her wish come true and kissed every inch of him.
Well, nearly. He couldn’t keep still for the last bit, or quiet, so she let him take command.
And when he pressed inside her, they both groaned, and she really did feel as if she was flying.
Afterward, Roberta lay in his arms, replete. She was almost asleep when she noticed something that made her suddenly sit up. “There are swans painted on the canopy above us!” she declared loudly. “And yes, yes, swans carved into the bedposts!”
Niki started—he had been half asleep himself. “What of it?”
“No, just no. There are too many swans, Niki. I know they are your national emblem but some of them will have to go.”
He tried to be serious, but she could see he found her hilarious.
His mouth twitched, and then he began to chuckle.
Roberta wanted to be insulted but it was difficult when he was shaking with laughter.
After all, that was all she had really wanted, wasn’t it?
To make the somber and serious Prince Nikolai of Holtswig happy.