The Sea Maiden (17 page)

Lord Harmon gave each one a glass of wine, except Mathias who was sleeping. Karina got the glass that was previously swirling. Nate watched, as they toasted and were about to drink, at once Nate came forward to stop Karina from taking a drink.

“Miss Karina, come quickly I’m afraid Lord Pembroke is not well!”

Karina bolted from her seat setting her drink down before running to her father, the others also set down their drinks on a small table and followed. They all rushed to Lord Pembroke’s bedside, but when they got there, he was gently snoring. Nate immediately put his hand to his chest.

“Oh thank goodness! Miss Karina please forgive me I thought he was not breathing a minute ago I’m so relived.

“You idiot! You scared us half out of our wits especially Karina!” Gunther accused.

“Begging your pardon sir it was not my intention to upset anyone.”

“He was just concerned for his master’s welfare Gunther no harm done.” Dorothea said in Nate’s defense.

“It’s alright Nate I thank you for keeping watch over him.” Karina, now greatly relieved, said in appreciation.

They were all about to walk out of the room when Nate tugged on Karina’s arm motioning her to stay.

“I shall be right out I just want to adjust father’s pillows.” Karina told Dorothea and Lord Harmon.

Once they were alone Nate warned Karina about the drink. Karina grew angry at the thought that Lord Harmon could be planning to sedate her as well, what a cad he was. Then Karina thought of something and smiled.

“Why are you smiling?”

“Well I think we need to give Lord Harmon a taste of his own medicine and tonight is the perfect night for that.” Karina said with a smile, Nate smiled back.

“I believe that’s on excellent idea Miss Karina.”

“Nate give me one of father’s sedative’s in case I cannot switch the glasses.” Nate happily obeyed and gave her a vial. “Thank you Nate, I think I will go toast to a new beginning after all.” Karina said, smiling.

She placed the vial in one of the many folds in her dress and walked out of the room. She approached Aunt Dottie and Gunther who had remained standing waiting for her to join them.

“Karina my dear, Aunt Dorothea and Uncle Mathias are leaving I wanted us all to share the toast we were about take before that idiot Nate interrupted us.” Gunther said, visibly upset that his plan was almost ruined.

“Why yes of course where is my glass? Oh there it is.” Karina said.

They had all left their drinks around a flower vase on a small table before them. Karina used her body and flowers as a shield to switch the drinks; she picked up Gunther’s glass of wine and replaced it with her own. Once Lord Harmon saw Karina pick what he believed to be the tainted drink, he then went to retrieve his own glass. Dorothea did the same.

“A toast to a new life together as husband and wife may we have many happy days ahead of us to share with our beloved family and friends.”

Lord Harmon raised his glass. They all tapped the glasses together and drank. Since Karina only took a small sip unlike himself who downed almost half the glass Lord Harmon proposed another toast. Dorothea raised her eyebrows,

“Goodness, I may be joining Mathias on the couch there if I keep this up. Very well just once more, than we really must go.” She nudged Mathias again but he just snored louder.

“Karina my dear, this time finish your drink so that what we are toasting for may come to pass.” Gunther lovingly advised. Karina smiled and nodded in agreement. Then they all newly raised their drinks and toasted once more,

“May my new venture and business in France be successful so that Karina can have in life what ever she desires and may my beloved Aunt and Uncle live long and continue to grace us with their company.”

They all tapped their glasses. Karina took a sip but not wanting to take any chances she poured the rest into another vase of flowers just behind her while Lord Harmon turned his glass to the ceiling.

“Well that was delicious it has been a most delightful evening Gunther and meeting you Karina has been a delight, but my dears I think Mathias and I must leave before it gets too late.”

She nudged Mathias a little harder this time.

“What? What’s wrong?” Mathias asked as he began to come to.

“Nothing dear, it’s late and we need to go, before the patrol unit leaves.” Dorothea announced.

“Yes, dear anything you say.” Mathias said.

Dorothea began to gather her things and wrote down something on a piece of paper.

“Thank you for a wonderful evening Gunther, and again it was a pleasure meeting you my dear Karina we look forward to seeing you again very soon. This is our address; please visit us anytime you like.”

Dorothea gave Karina a piece of paper with their address.

“And where is your pretty friend Lynnette?”

Karina quickly went to fetch her and returned with her a few minutes later.

“Where were you Lynnette?” Gunther asked.

“Oh just speaking with Clifton out back.” Lynnette lied.

“Well, well what a pleasant surprise” Lord Harmon said as he raised his eyebrows.

“My dears it was such a pleasure tonight, we look forward to seeing you again soon and thank you Gunther, for everything.”

Lynnette and Karina kissed and hugged Dorothea and Mathias.
  Gunther embraced them as well. They accompanied them out to the carriage it was now nearly 10:00 o’clock when they rolled away, they were the last ones to leave, and all waved good-bye.

Lord Harmon was pleased with himself thinking, all his guests were all gone and Karina would soon fall sound asleep. He remembered Dr. Carrington’s words regarding Charles, ‘He will likely sleep through a hurricane.’
 Gunther yawned. He had warned his guest of some highway men disturbing the area in the after hours but assured them not to worry because he had posted a patrol unit until 11:00 o’clock and all his guests heeded his warning and left early, now he was no longer worried. It was brilliant. The actual highway men he posted at the roadside were to assault and kill a male traveler and spare the female traveler that would be either coming or going after 11:00 o’clock. However, he was sure Karina would not make it out the door and it was best that she not be present this way the men could do their dirty work on the man alone, he yawned again. He was feeling a bit sleepy he might need to sit a back and relax a bit he did have a very active day.

“Thank you Gunther the party was a great success and your Aunt Dottie and Uncle Mathias are wonderful I look forward to seeing them again soon, but I am very tired and want to go straight to bed. I don’t know what has come over me I can hardly keep my eyes open.” Karina lied then placed a kiss on his cheek. “Much better by the way…” Referring to his shaven face, “…good night Gunther.”

“Good night my lovely.”

He kissed the back of her hand. Then she went upstairs to her room. Gunther went to his study to sit and relax until everyone was asleep and allow time for the sedative to take full effect on Karina. He handled the extra key to Karina’s room and smiled to himself. He poured himself another glass of wine and sat with the key in his hand and the documents deeming him sole ownership to Harmon Hall in front of him. Slowly his head dropped to one side and the key fell from his hand.

Karina waited till Lord Harmon disappeared into the study then she went to her father’s room to check on him and say goodbye. She sat by her father’s bedside a little shaky and began speaking to him.

“I promise, father, that I will be back and everything will be fine, I know you will be upset when you find out but please forgive me.” Karina whispered to her sleeping father and kissed his forehead, Nate closed the door quietly as he came in the room she turned toward him.

“Lord Harmon is sleeping like a baby.” Nate confirmed.

Karina smiled.

“Thank goodness, I’m leaving now, wish me luck Nate and please don’t forget to watch over Lynnette, especially now that we know what Lord Harmon is capable of. He will likely be upset in the morning, but you know nothing.” Karina urged sounding a little nervous.

“Alright Miss Karina be careful.” He paused. “What if your plan does not work?”

“It will I know it will. Thank you Nate your services proved to be invaluable, I’m sorry for all the times I didn’t appreciate you enough.”

They hugged and Karina was about to walk out when Nate called her back.

“Miss Karina, wait! I almost forgot.”

He went under the bed by the headboard and withdrew a long large object.

“Take this sword as protection.”

“Nate! Where did you get this?” Karina gasped.

“Just call it a parting gift from Lord Harmon.” He smiled. “Here is the holster for it.”

“What can I say Nate, tonight you have been my knight in shinning armor, once again thank you.”

Karina kissed him on the cheek then checked that the hallway was clear and hid the sword and holster under her dress and went upstairs. She went in her room and scolded herself for not leaving the engagement ring with Nate so he could leave it in study on Lord Harmon’s desk. She removed and placed the ring in her cloth purse temporarily while she went downstairs. Then as she removed her satin blue dress, which she planned to leave behind, something fell on the floor, it was the extra sedative. She would leave that with Nate too, her father seemed to get much more rest with it. She put the vile in the sack along with the ring and jewelry. Then she took the male clothes and boots Peter brought for her and changed into them and hid her hair by securing it tightly with a scarf. Karina looked at herself in the mirror she was a strange site to behold dressed as man. She put on a floppy hat to complete her disguise and put the money from her trade in the small cloth purse as well then tied it around her waist under her clothes. After tweaking the details of her disguise she went to leave the room but some of the servants were still picking up down stairs. Karina remembered that Lynnette’s room had a balcony with a vine that ran up along the outside. Quietly she opened her door and locked it then entered Lynnette’s room, walked over to the balcony, and climbed over the rail then climbed down the vine easily and quickly in her male clothes. Once on the ground she called for Lynnette. Both she and Peter emerged from behind the stone bench were they had been sitting. Lynnette gasped and Peter scratched his head at Karina’s transformation from beautiful temptress to cabin boy. She even smudged a bit of dirt around the chin and lips to make her appear as if she had stubble and to help conceal her female form she wore a loose fitting hip length vest, it was a brilliant disguise she thought.

Now it was time for both Peter and Karina to say goodbye to Lynnette, although the ship wouldn’t leave till Wednesday, Lynnette would leave on Monday with Nate and Lord Pembroke. Peter would have Karina to watch over on Sunday and would not be able to come back to see her. Karina and Lynnette hugged and cried together and Karina warned Lynnette about Lord Harmon’s dirty deed, insisting that she lock her door at night and only drink things she poured herself and lastly to take care of Thunder for her. Then Peter and Lynnette hugged and kissed good-bye.

Karina gave them some privacy and went to a bush for her bag; Peter informed her he had already placed it on the carriage, which was hidden just beyond the trees. Clifton told him he would be in town visiting his sister and told Peter to leave the carriage by the peer with the night watchman. Peter was about to assist Karina on the carriage, when she said,

“No Peter if I’m pretending to be a man I will have to stop depending on you or any man to help me with anything.”

Karina climbed on to the carriage unassisted.

“Karina’s life as a man chapter one.” Peter joked.

“Alright Peter let’s leave now.”

Peter took the reins and turned to look at Lynnette one more time, Karina waved good-bye to her friend. Lynnette continued to wave until the carriage was out of site. Peter turned to Karina.

“I’m coming back to marry her you know.”

Karina turned at once toward Peter in surprise and exclaimed,

“Oh Peter that’s wonderful news!” She could not contain her joy and hugged Peter as a gesture of congratulations. “I’m so happy for the both of you. I hope someday I can enjoy such a moment.”

“I’m sure you shall.”

The moonlight helped them see the road. The time was now past 11:00 O’clock. The road was lined with trees; they turned toward the main road up ahead. Karina was telling Peter about Lord Harmon’s attempt to sedate her tonight and pay a late night visit to her room but she and Nate had turned the tables on him and switched the tainted drink on him; Karina refrained from mentioning the kiss between her and Captain Drake.

“That bastard hope he never wakes up!”

They laughed in regards to Lord Harmon passed out in the study when suddenly the carriage hit a bump that almost knocked them over at the exact moment they heard the popping sound of a pistol. Peter heard and felt the zooming sound of a lead ball go past his ear, just missing him thanks to the bump in the road.

The two men waiting in the shadows to ambush them had decided to kill both of the male travelers since there was no woman and since they didn’t know what man they should be looking for they had waited past 11:00 o’clock like Lord Harmon told them.