The Sea Maiden (13 page)

“Wait!” She interrupted, “You want me to pretend to be a man? Wouldn’t it be easier if I went as a passenger on another ship? Or perhaps the captain would understand my plight and be willing to take me as a passenger?”

“Frankly, I don’t think he would knowingly want to get involved hiding his brother’s runaway bride especially since they don’t get along. As for another ship and captain I would not recommend it. I can vouch for Captain Drake the rest of the Captains are a risky lot. Some are said to dabble in piracy. If you board as a man even if the Captain finds out later who you really are, we will be out to sea. He’s not going to turn back the ship; he has deadlines to meet. More than likely you will endure a tongue lashing, we both will but he will be more inclined to accept the situation and swear us to secrecy. You will continue to pretend to be a man until you reach New England. The Captain
 is an understanding kind of man so I’m not too worried. This way nobody finds out there is a woman on board, and the word will never get to old Lord Gunther, nor will Captain Drake be compromised in aiding your escape. As for me I will still have my job… I think? Anyway you will be free of Lord Harmon and free to look for your brother in New England. You will have to endure life as a man a few months but I think that’s the best option you have at the moment.”

“I think he’s right Karina, Clifton, what do you think?” Lynnette asked.

“No comment.”

“Splendid! I will do it then! Peter if you help me I will double your wages. Do we have an agreement?”

Karina stood and extended her hand.

“Agreed!”

Peter stood and shook her hand.

“Tomorrow is the engagement party you will need to come by sometime before the party ends, this way you can spend time with Lynnette, I will meet you in the back after the party. Do you have a horse?”

“I have access to one.”

“You can use my carriage, I will be visiting my sister in town on Saturday so I will leave it at the peer with the watchman, when you’re done simply return it to the peer and again leave it with the night watchman I will pick it up on Sunday.”

“Thank you Clifton, I appreciate that, since I will have some of my belongings to carry. We will leave around midnight or earlier most of the guest will have left by then. I will pretend to retire to my room. Then I will meet you in the back so leave the carriage by the roadside this way we will not get spotted when we leave. I will leave my things in the bushes ahead of time so we could leave quickly. Peter, please be sure to bring me boots and male clothing to change into.” Karina paused then asked, “Peter do you really think I can fool Captain Drake to think I’m a man?”

“No, but I think I know how to get around that. There is this 16 or 17-year-old lad I know, his father is a shoemaker, I recently purchased some new boots from him. He’s about your height and coloring. I will have him interviewed by the Captain tomorrow and tell him what to say. I will tell the Captain he’s a good friend who lost his parents and needs work. That’s how I first got hired on a ship.”

“You lost your parents?”

“No, I never knew my parents, I was an orphan. I grew up on the streets running errands for the rich.”

Lynnette and Karina suddenly felt terrible for him.

“I’m so sorry to hear that Peter.” Karina said, her heart going out to him.

“No matter, at least I made an honest living; many of the lads I grew up with went from pick-pockets to burglary to piracy. I grew up working for the wealthy and saw how they lived and I wanted it for myself. Some of my clients I ran errands for would say to me, ‘Peter you’re a good boy someday you will be a good man or honest boys get more work and higher pay.’ I guess that kind of stuck with me over the years. Tips were good working as a currier. Well I didn’t mean to get side tracked with my violin story.” He chuckled. “Now regarding my plan that’s the way I will get you hired on the ship. By the time the Captain notices, if he notices, we will be half way to Yucatan.” Peter smiled proudly.

Everyone agreed with the plan. After their meeting, Karina, Lynnette and Clifton returned to Harmon Hall. Karina was happy and excited that her plan was taking form. Lynnette was thoughtful; happy that Karina’s plan was working out and also for her new relationship with the tall and handsome Peter De Marco. He was caring, honest and had a good sense of humor. What saddened her was that both Peter and Karina would soon be gone. She would have to travel back to Pembroke Hall with Nate and the ailing Lord Pembroke who would probably press her for details regarding Karina running away. Perhaps she could go with Karina and Peter but how could she leave her mother and two brothers? Beside she had no money to travel with or jewelry to trade.
  Life at Pembroke would be very different. Then she remembered Storm and Thunder, she still had them, and she smiled to herself.  Still she wondered when she would see Peter and Karina again.  At least she looked forward to being with Peter on Saturday; he said he would be early so they could spend the afternoon together until it was time for Karina and him to leave.

It was late evening when Karina, Lynnette and Clifton arrived at Harmon Hall there was horse and closed carriage outside, Lord Harmon had company. Her father Lord Pembroke was feeling better and was having tea with Lord Harmon and a middle-aged couple.

“Ah Karina you’re just in time to have some tea. I trust all went well at Celia’s did you find a fabric and suitable style for your bridle gown?”

“Yes” Karina answered then she froze as she approached and recognized the female guest.

“I would like you to meet Henry and Deidra Woods they are my neighbors, they live a short distance down the road.”

Deidra was the woman from both the jewelers and Celia’s shop. Had he sent her to spy on her? Karina speculated.

“Henry, Deidra this is my beautiful bride-to-be, Karina Pembroke, you of course already met her father, Lord Charles Pembroke.”

Karina smiled uneasily, remembering she was standing behind her at the jewelers while she explained to him, her need to trade in the jewelry to urgently depart overseas.

“How do you do?” Karina asked feeling self conscious.

“Very well thank you. Actually I saw you earlier at the shops. I recognized Clifton but not the
 other young man, a friend of yours I assume?”

“Yes.”

Karina caught on that this woman was there to bring up suspicions in Lord Harmon.

“Well I must say you’re as lovely as Lord Harmon said you were.”

Deidra was just short of hissing at Karina.

“Yes very lovely, indeed.” Henry added.

“Thank you.” Karina answered.

“So you’re traveling over seas in a few days…hmm?” Deidra asked, with an incriminating tone.

Karina was at a loss for words but Lord Harmon was having trouble listening to them due to Deidra’s .husband Henry’s, incessant chattering.

“Oh, you must mean Lynnette’s suitor. Yes. He’s traveling soon and had a dispute with the jeweler on a previous visit so he requested my help in trying to trade some jewelry.” Karina lied.

“Lynnette has already found a beau? She just arrived.” Lord Harmon stated sarcastically.

“Lynnette has had a beau for sometime, he’s traveling on one of the ships.” Karina corrected.

“What ship?” Lord Harmon inquired

He noticed how nervous she was. She was perspiring.

“The Lark, he’s aboard the Lark!” Lynnette came to her rescue from the staircase.  “Pardon me, have a good evening.”

“I see.” Lord Harmon said turning back to Karina…disappointed over the clever answers.
 

“Well if you will excuse me as well, I seemed to have misplaced a cross pendant of great sentimental value and I’m hopeful it is with my other belongings upstairs, also I am very tired but it was so nice meeting you both. Have a good night.”

“Good night.” Deidra said dryly.

“Good night my dear I hope you find your missing pendant.” Henry offered.
 

“Yes thank you.”

Karina turned to Lord Harmon and her Father.

“Lord Harmon…I mean Gunther, everything we spoke of yesterday was addressed, thank you for all your bestowed kindnesses, I look forward to tomorrow evening, good night.”

“You’re welcome my darling, I look forward to tomorrow as well, pleasant dreams.”

Karina turned toward her father and kissed him on the cheek. “Good night Father.”

“Karina darling, I was hoping to speak to you.” Lord Pembroke said thinking Karina was acting rather strange.

“Tomorrow morning father when we walk in the garden….I am quite tired now.”

“Very well dear, good night.” Charles turned toward Gunther, “She gets so distressed when she misplaces her belongings.” Charles offered.

“Yes, I see that.” Lord Harmon said suspiciously.

Up until now it had not occurred to him that she might be planning to run away. Karina could not wait to be away from them. Gunther watched her go upstairs to the bedroom then leave and return. Karina went looking for Clifton to ensure their stories coincided regarding trading in jewelry as a favor for Peter, and about him being aboard the Lark. Gunther watched Karina till she went back to her room. Unable to sleep, she later went to Lynnette’s room.

“Thank you for saving me down there by providing me with the name of that ship, the ‘Lark’,
 when Lord Harmon asked me whew! Is that a real ship?”

“Yes…when I went down to the harbor with Clifton it was the first ship I saw and thought it was
 the Sea Maiden, but Clifton corrected me and told me it was the Lark.

“Well thank goodness for that.”

The girls stayed up talking into the morning hours until Lynnette fell asleep. Karina remained wide-awake got up and went back to her own room. Busy with thoughts she sat on the edge of the bed in the dark then heard footsteps just outside her room, she remembered that she had not locked her door. Karina got up and hid behind the window curtains. She heard the door open. It was hard to see because it was dark and the curtains were drawn but she could make out Lord Harmon’s bulk. Frightened and anxious she tried to be still; he noticed the bed was empty he turned and went to the closet before walking over to the window. Karina squatted and quietly moved behind a tall arm chair where her cape was draped over the back and slid under it. He moved the curtains looking out the window, he had already posted, Marcus, his henchman on watch. Satisfied he left to check Lynnette’s room. Karina covered herself with the cape and opened the door slightly. Lord Gunther was standing outside Lynnette’s door. She looked for something to throw; she grabbed a decorative hair comb and threw it over the banister, the small comb only made enough noise to cause Lord Harmon to leave. He turned and went downstairs to investigate the noise. Still wearing the cape, Karina took the opportunity to sneak out of her room and go back to Lynnette’s room. Once inside she locked it and got in bed next to Lynnette. Karina could not wait to leave this house but now she was concerned for Lynnette’s safety. Then she remembered that Nate had a daughter that lived nearby. She would discuss it with Nate and Lynnette in the morning but would also try to talk her father into leaving early.

Saturday morning Peter knocked on Captain Drake’s door. He was in his tub in the process of bathing.

“Captain Drake, can I come in?”

“Yes come in…good morning Peter what can I do for you?”

“I have a favor to ask you Captain.”

“No you can’t bring Lynnette on this trip, if that’s what you’re here to ask, and I hope you’re not here to ask me to marry you, it’s too soon.”

Peter remembered that captains could perform marriage ceremonies.

He chuckled, “No actually it’s not about me or Lynnette…you recently dismissed a man and a young lad I befriended lost his parents recently and is hoping to join the crew and travel to America to be with family there. I’m here to ask if you would hire him in Wilkes place.”

“Ah how young is this lad?”

“16 or 17.”

“Has he ever worked on a ship?”

“Yes.”

“Very well have him come see me tomorrow.”

“Actually Captain he’s here now. We could really use another pair of hands today…there are still many supplies to load.”

“Very well, come back with him in 20 minutes.”

Peter had offered Aaron a knife and some other articles he brought back from America in exchange for his cooperation and some of his clothes, to take back to Karina.
  Aaron Brown had chin length blond hair, blue eyes, and boyish good looks that were almost feminine, Karina might pass for him. Peter coached him what to say to ensure the Captain would hire him.  Later Aaron confirmed he had signed up as one of the crew. Peter patted him on the back.

“Great job Aaron….you just made my day!”

Karina and Lynnette took turns bathing. Afterward Karina met with her father who was not doing well. Nate had summoned Dr. Carrington who was on his way. Nate met Karina in the hallway,

“Your father had a difficult night he was in a lot of pain. Lord Harmon did not fill the prescription and he’s not here so I have requested for Dr. Carrington to come and see him and give me a new prescription so that I can have it filled at once.”