The Masked Baron

by Anneka Walker

  “Annie, look at me.”

  Andalin opened her eyes, and this time there was less spinning. She focused in on Ellis’s dark shape. “Blast!” Andalin grumbled, her mind clearing. She must’ve fallen off her horse and now would pay for it with pain and embarrassment. “I’ve been caught.”

  “Yes, I would say you are right about that.” Ellis helped Andalin slowly sit up on the hard ground. “Are you hurt?”

  “No. Was I unconscious long?”

  “Only a moment.”

  “Well?” Andalin asked as she rubbed the knot at the back of her head. “Aren’t you going to reprimand me?”

  “I think you’ve punished yourself enough tonight.” His voice was full of sympathy.

  Andalin swallowed an urge to cry. “Indeed, I have. I wasted a perfectly good night of rest. My nerves won’t be the same for weeks after venturing into these haunted woods, and I’m no closer to solving the Cadogen family mystery than when I started. I give up. You can keep your peculiar habits and your secretive ways. I’m done with trying to help. Good riddance to the whole lot of you!”

  Andalin wasn’t surprised when Ellis didn’t answer right away. She wanted him to argue with her, but he didn’t. He just looked at her.

  She heaved a sigh. The fight seeped out of her like water from a broken vase. It was obvious she was the one in the wrong. She was the one intruding. Again.

  “Oh, I always seem to be apologizing for my hasty words. I’m sorry I followed you. I knew it was wrong, and I did it anyway.”

  “Do you think you can stand?” Ellis reached for her.

  Andalin nodded her sore head. She was angry with herself and a little angry Ellis wasn’t saying anything. He didn’t release her hand either. He held it securely and then draped his other arm around her to support her back. He was treating her like a child again, but she was so tired and cold she didn’t mind. She melted into the crook of his arm and let him escort her back to Ginger. Fortunately, the horse had stayed by Ellis’s stallion instead of bolting off.

  Ellis helped Andalin mount but didn’t release her reins. “I’m not sure your riding home in this state is such a good idea.”

  “I promise not to cry until I’m alone in my room,” Andalin said with a scowl. “Does that suffice?”

  “It’s kind of you, but I was referring to how tired you are. A second whack on the head might not be as forgiving as the first.”

  Andalin had no desire to humiliate herself a second time. “I will ride ahead of you. You can holler at me if you see me dozing.”

  Ellis laughed. “I thought I would be able to warn you the first time, but you were asleep and off the horse before I could holler anything.”

  Andalin gasped. “The first time? You mean you knew I was following you all along and you never let on?”

  Ellis pulled a mirror out of his cloak pocket. He handed it to Andalin. “I learned long ago not to trust anything about the Black Forest. The mirror only really works when the moon is brightest and between the gaps in the trees. It’s one of the reasons I wait until the full moon to come out here. I didn’t know what your motives were in following me, so I decided to continue with my rounds and keep you in sight.”

  “What do you mean by your rounds?” she asked, handing the mirror back.

  Ellis pocketed it and raised his masked face to Andalin. “Every month, and occasionally more often, I ride some of the perimeter of the forest. I check for any irregularities, any signs of people. I have stumbled across more than one ‘Mr. Durante and Andalin’ in harm’s way than one might imagine. I have my personal reasons as well.”

  “Yes,” Andalin said. “Reasons connected to the alleged mystery that seems to follow you around more than I do.”

  “It follows me every waking moment,” Ellis replied. “I cannot free myself from it. You were a much more pleasant alternative, I assure you. Unfortunately, since the prior was here first, it is dangerous for you to involve yourself.”

  Impatience nagged at her tired mind. She slid back off her horse, where she could see Ellis better in the dark.

  “Everyone keeps reminding me of this danger. The minute I arrived at Braitwood Hall I became part of this. I want to know what it is I should be hiding from. If I am married off at the end of the Season, I might agree it was best you kept me in the dark. But can that be guaranteed? Until then my curiosity could lead to even more danger, preventable only by the information you could have revealed.”

  “I thought you said you were done with the Cadogen mystery.”

  Andalin huffed. “You’re right. I need to be. Especially since I’m dealing with the most unbelievably tight-lipped people.”

  “You’re tired,” Ellis said, shaking his head. “You’re talking in circles. We have a two-hour ride back to the manor house. You’re riding with me on my horse so you can sleep.”

  Ellis missed Andalin’s look of alarm. He had regained her hand and was dragging her toward his stallion. He lifted Andalin effortlessly onto his large saddle and then returned for Ginger’s reins. Once he had the mare tied to his horse, he slid up behind Andalin. Her back warmed, and her heart raced. She had never been this close to a man before.

  Ellis halted his horse before they had taken more than a few steps. “You’re freezing.”

  Because of her sudden rise in pulse, Andalin didn’t notice the cold. Ellis unlatched his cloak and pulled it around the both of them. His left arm held it in place around her stomach.

  Andalin felt not only warmer but extremely conscious of Ellis. Her heart was beating hard in her chest, and she wondered if it was possible for him to hear it. It seemed deafening to her.

  Nevertheless, against her will, fatigue battled to consume her. Her eyelids felt as heavy as paperweights, and slowly she relaxed against Ellis. She let herself fall into a bouncy yet comfortable sleep.

  Chapter 12

  “Annie.” A hand shook her gently. “Annie, wake up.” The voice was quiet but urgent. She squirmed. She didn’t want to wake up. She was so tired. “Annie, I need your attention.”

  Squinting one eye open, she saw Ellis’s masked face very, very near to hers. Her eyes flew open. She was practically being cradled in Ellis’s arms. In shock she immediately pushed against him with her arms, but he only tightened his grip. One hand snaked over her mouth so she couldn’t call out.

  “Hush!” Ellis whispered fiercely. “I saw something in the trees, and I need to investigate. You need to stay awake and watchful until I return.”

  Andalin was completely awake now. She nodded. Ellis released her and slid down from behind. He reached over and pressed the mirror and a small dagger into her hands before wordlessly slipping into the shadows.

  She heard an owl behind her, and her back bristled. She tightened her right hand around the handle of the dagger and with her left hand raised the mirror to see behind her. There was nothing but blackness because the moon was blocked by tree cover. She scanned in front of her and turned from one side to the next. Her breathing became rapid, and she fought to control herself. Ginger whinnied, and Andalin jumped, causing the stallion to take a few steps forward. In panic Andalin grabbed at the reins, dropping her mirror in the process.

  No! She needed the mirror. She swung off the saddle and stumbled on the ground. Where was Ellis? Did she dare call him back? Each creak of the trees and rustle from the wind caused her head to whip around in every direction. But there was no one.

  A loud, croaking voice penetrated the night, causing Andalin’s hair to curl at the back of her neck.

  “Leave! Leave my forest! A curse be on you for every minute you remain near. Leave, and never return!”

  The voice, clearly female, seemed to circle around her, echoing off every tree. Andalin scanned the dark shapes of the forest but couldn’t identify anything, anyone. The darkness pressed into her, and she felt like she would drown in it
. She screamed before she knew she’d opened her mouth, and the horse reared behind her.

  “Annie!” Ellis called. “Annie, I’m here!”

  Andalin panted for air. Relief surged through her exhausted body at the sight of him. “The mirror. I dropped it.”

  Ellis saw it right off, lying innocently in the growth by his boot. He swiped it up and put it away. Then he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her close to him.

  “There, there. All is well.” Ellis tried to soothe her, but Andalin’s body convulsed in fear.

  “A voice . . . I heard a voice.”

  Ellis laid his head on hers. “Shh, I know. I heard it too. After all these years, I have finally found her. Don’t worry; she won’t harm you while I am here. But it’s not safe to stay out here. I will get you home as fast as I can.”

  If possible, Andalin had more questions than ever. She didn’t dare speak them out loud until they were out of the forest. In fact, she did not want to broach the topic until daylight, when she could see everything around her. She had never been so terrified in her life. Even wolves seemed like better company than the eerie voice and the consuming darkness.

  Andalin buried her face against Ellis’s arm as they rode home, hoping to hide her tears. She didn’t want to ever see the inside of the Black Forest again.

  ***

  When Andalin awoke, she was in her own bed. Beams of sunlight burst through her window, making her aware she had slept until nearly noon. Andalin sat up and rubbed her eyes. She was still in her riding habit. Memories of the night before flooded into her mind and caused her to take an unsteady breath. Sneaking into the forest had been a foolish idea indeed. She would pay for her behavior by the haunting reminder of the voice she had heard. She had not been thrown into the Cadogen mystery; she had forced herself into it. Her curiosity was going to be the death of her.

  Andalin padded over to her wash table. She splashed cold water onto her face, but her thoughts wouldn’t wash away so easily. Ellis had been doing more than playing the honorable hero in the Black Forest every month. He had been searching for a woman, the same one who had spoken to them last night.

  Sephira. There was no doubt the witch of Baltar was connected to the loss of Ellis’s family. He had given her a clue when he had lent her his book.

  Andalin dressed herself in a simple day gown with far fewer buttons than one Hannah would have chosen. Then she brushed her hair and braided it down her back. A few wild curls escaped by her ears as proof of how unrefined she truly was. She smoothed at the hair, but it was futile. Forgetting her hair, she hurried down to the kitchen. Food was more important than secrets at the moment.

  Hannah and Matilda were whispering to each other in the kitchen when Andalin entered. Hannah’s eyebrows lifted and, without even commenting on the unflattering state of Andalin’s hair and dress, promptly excused herself.

  “Hungry?” Matilda asked.

  “Starved.”

  Matilda pushed a plate of pancakes sprinkled with sugar and squeezed lemon toward her.

  Andalin slipped onto a stool and almost swallowed an entire pancake whole.

  “Ye just missed his lordship. He was as hungry as ye look.”

  Andalin lifted her eyes from her plate to meet Matilda’s. Did she know about last night?

  Matilda studied her back. “Strange you slept so late. But his lordship insisted ye were not to be awoken this morning.”

  So she didn’t know. Or maybe Ellis had told her about the witch without including her in the story.

  “I did sleep rather late.”

  “Yes, that much is clear,” Matilda said. “Ye went to bed early, if I recall. Mr. Lewis also said Ginger was acting funny this morning. Said to make sure ye didn’t come out for a ride today. Ginger isn’t as young as she used to be. Can’t be ridden all night and not need a good resting up.” Matilda’s words hung in the air, and she looked at Andalin for an explanation.

  Andalin swallowed guiltily. “Come now. You can’t put ideas into my head and then criticize my methods for carrying them out.”

  Matilda shook her head, but a chuckle escaped. “I warned ye it was foolish. I bet ye had the master as riled as can be.”

  Andalin dropped her fork and glowered. “Your intention was for me to make him angry? I don’t have to chase him into the Black Forest in the middle of the night to accomplish that!”

  “Nay, but it’s been too long since I’ve seen a good lover’s quarrel.”

  Andalin had just put a bite into her mouth, and she nearly choked. She swallowed it down and coughed. “You’ve been cooped up in the kitchen for too many years. Lord Cadogen is the man who is keeping me from my father; he is not my beau.” Even as Andalin said it she knew Ellis had not been her enemy for some time. He was a friend. Someone she wanted to help. “Last night was about trying to discover a story deliberately hidden from me and everyone else who hasn’t lived here for the last ten years.”

  Matilda nodded in a placating way. “And? Did ye learn what ye set out for?”

  Andalin paused. She didn’t want to admit to Matilda what she had learned after being teased so. Matilda would surely misinterpret the details to confirm her own theory about Andalin and Ellis.

  “I learned the secret lies in the Black Forest. And I hope it stays there.”

  Matilda’s mirthful expression slowly melted from her face. “He told ye?”

  “No, he didn’t have to. I have come to the conclusion it’s as everyone said; I am better off not knowing.”

  Matilda shook her head in a determined way. “I don’t know about that anymore. Just a few days ago I would have agreed with ye. Now I am not so sure.”

  “What if I’m too afraid to know?” Andalin pushed her last bite around with her fork. She was so very afraid.

  “Fear is natural. But ye shouldn’t dwell on it. It can be consuming. It’s better to look for solutions, for peace, for answers. Ye seem like someone who would want answers.”

  Andalin raised her gaze to meet Matilda’s. “I have been seeking answers. But it isn’t just an old story I can unbury; it’s a living force that can still affect and change. It takes more than curiosity. It takes courage.”

  Matilda ran her washrag against the counter and then rinsed it off in a bucket of water. Then she leaned heavily on the counter, letting her already stooped neck lower to meet Andalin’s gaze straight on.

  “Aye, there is truth to what ye say. Ye have more pluck than ye give yerself credit for. Give it some time before ye close yer mind to the idea. The master could use a distraction. If I’m right, it might just lead him to what he’s searching for.”

  Biting her lip, Andalin surprised herself by nodding. Last night she had not only distracted Ellis but inadvertently led him to the witch. No doubt tonight he would search for her again, but this time Andalin would be safely in her bed. She would not be the next Braitwood Hall victim.

  Thanking Matilda for her breakfast, she dismissed herself and hurried to the library. She hadn’t any riding lessons to rush off to and wasn’t eager to ask Mr. Lewis to escort her on a walk. A lighthearted book was just the distraction she needed.

  After an hour of reading, Mrs. Lewis interrupted her. “I thought now would be a good time to start preparing for our guests next week.”

  Andalin set her book aside. “Where would you like me to start? I could help turn out a few of the spare bedrooms or help launder sheets.”

  Mrs. Lewis smiled sympathetically. “Not exactly what I had in mind.”

  Andalin gave her a coy smile. “I thought it was at least worth a try. Very well. What would you like me to do?”

  “As the lady of the house, I would like your opinion on the menu. I know you’re not experienced at what to serve at dinner parties, but this is the perfect time to learn. Then we could go over possible topics of conversation, daytime activities, and pe
rhaps—”

  Andalin held up her hand for Mrs. Lewis to stop. “Please, let’s just begin with the menu and work down the list.”

  “Certainly,” Mrs. Lewis said, pulling out a small sheet of parchment. “I have it right here.”

  Together they discussed Mrs. Lewis’s suggestions. Andalin didn’t change a single thing, except for a dessert or two, and only because they were more to her preference. After they hashed out every meal for the next week, Mrs. Lewis moved to possible dinner conversations.

  “I don’t think it would be wise to mention anything involving the past here at Braitwood Hall,” Mrs. Lewis said. “I know you are very fond of the topic, but it would not be appropriate for this sort of company.”

  Andalin squirmed. “Oh yes. I will refrain, of course.”

  Mrs. Lewis smiled in return. “Wonderful. Now, current events are appropriate for the men but not always well received amongst the ladies.”

  Andalin didn’t understand how she could talk about current events when she wasn’t even privy to the events of the manor house.

  “Gentler topics for the gentler sex,” Mrs. Lewis finished.

  Andalin pretended to understand. “So, what should I talk about?”

  Mrs. Lewis’s eye twinkled. “You’re such a lively one. I’m sure you won’t lack for conversation. But, just in case, you can always discuss fashion. Types of fabric, place of purchase, that sort of thing.”

  Andalin sat back in her seat and groaned. “Well, that ought to go well. I could tell them how to dye cotton or how to make a feed sack into a dress, shirt, or rag.”

  Mrs. Lewis folded her hands patiently across her lap. “You do not have to be an expert to discuss fashion. Merely ask questions, compliment, and nod your head. It’s very simple.”

  “Fair enough.” Andalin sighed. “What else?”

  Mrs. Lewis went on to list subjects such as the latest balls, who was traveling in what circles, and a few other subjects Andalin had absolutely no experience with. She was beginning to dread the idea of talking to Lady Kerrigan and her daughter at all. She would have to pretend she was either shy or mute.