The Sea Maiden (25 page)

“My father has never mentioned a crucifix to me.”

“He also never mentioned you had a brother till recently am I right?”

Karina looked away, and then recalled a portrait of Melissa wearing the crucifix.

“And if my father no longer has this crucifix?”

“Then you will be inheriting your father’s estate much quicker.”

Karina raised her hand to her lips.

“What if my father determines that something’s wrong?”

“Then Marcus will deal with him.”

He was mad with greed, Karina thought.

“What if I’m able to get this crucifix? Will you let us go?”

“No, but you will save Lynnette from her fate as a concubine in a Baghdad Harem.”

“You’re a despicable cad!”

“Oh I nearly forgot, if your hero comes looking for you I have plans for him too. Sadly the arrangements to kill him during the attack failed but I have fate that he will come looking for you again, he is very tenacious. More than likely he will anchor off shore somewhere but I have my men now posted around the plantation waiting for him.”

The Sea Maiden attempted to pursue the enemy ship but her heavy cargo slowed her down. They had the general direction; likely headed to New Providence. Later in the distance another ship was seen approaching, a military ship. James Caleb the first mate previously served as an officer for the Royal Navy, and recognized the ship. He was familiar with Captain Spencer Andrews. As the other ship came parallel to the Sea Maiden, Captain Andrews at once recognized James Caleb, they had served together close to 12 years, and he gave him and Captain Drake permission to board. They brought along a third man, Roy Skinner, the Sea Maiden’s, quartermaster who had his own story to tell.

Roy had been a crew member aboard the merchant ship
 the Raven. He recalled that once out to sea, he was forced to participate in the raid of another merchant vessel, the Wanderer.  He escaped when they pulled into a port in Panama where he hid in the jungle until he secured his passage aboard another ship back to England.

Captain Andrews had been searching for the merchant vessel engaging in acts of piracy against other merchant vessels, they had never caught the ship that raided
 the Wanderer; the possibility of having an eyewitness was of immediate interest. Captain Harold Tate had been suspected of piracy but due to lack of evidence had never been convicted. If the Raven were responsible then they would likely have booty on board due to a recent attack reported upon another merchant vessel. Captain Andrews, Captain Drake, James Caleb and several other Navy officers sat down to make their plans which included waiting for another military ship due in the area, as back up.

In the meantime Karina and Lynnette were allowed to spend the night in the same room. Lord Harmon had thought to take Karina to his bedroom later but changed his mind thinking she would be more cooperative the next day if left alone. There was the ceremony and several documents to sign. He warned Karina that any sign of un-cooperation enough to tip off the magistrate would condemn Lynnette’s fate aboard a ship to the Baghdad.

The next morning, Marcus, the unfriendly henchman guarding the girls, took Lynnette away. Karina had to wear a heavy veil over her face to conceal any sign of disapproval. The magistrate arrived; several members of the staff were dressed to appear as invited guest. The magistrate requested to know the reason for the hasty ceremony. Lord Harmon informed him that Karina was with child. The magistrate simply raised his eyebrows and proceeded.

It was difficult enough for Karina to voice a loving, “I do,”
 without the veil, she would have fooled no one, but to endure Lord Harmon’s lingering kiss, was only possible by keeping in mind that she was saving Lynnette from being sent off to a harem. In an effort to put on a good show for the magistrate, several of the attendants, all staff, came up to the newlyweds to wish them well. Karina even received flower and small gifts. She was now legally married to Lord Harmon. Next they went to Lord Harmon’s office so Karina could sign documents to empower her new husband total control over her dowry and inheritance upon her father’s death.

After signing off on the documents, a celebratory dinner meal was served to continue the farce of a happy union. Karina barely ate. It was early evening when the magistrate left, after he left the house emptied out except for a few servants. Karina demanded to see Lynnette. Lord Harmon assured her Lynnette was safe in the back of the property. He approached Karina to force her to accept his attentions but she pushed him away then he thought of something, why fight her when he could simply sedate her, he still had the medications he had filled for Lord Pembroke back in England. Smoothly he said to her:

“I see you’re not in the mood yet at least join me for a glass of wine?”

Karina was about to tell him to go to hell when she remembered that she still carried the sedative she forgot to leave with Nate the night of the dinner party. Unfortunately it was in her cloth purse tied around her waist under her dress. She needed a little privacy to raise her dress.

“Very well but I must first attend to a nature call.”

“Perfect…I mean yes of course.”

Lord Harmon happily agreed knowing this gave him the opportunity to place the sedative in her drink while she was away. Karina went to the outhouse just outside the kitchen and pulled up the dress and took out the small vile from inside the cloth bag. While Karina stepped out of the dining room, Lord Harmon went to his office and retrieved a sedative from inside his desk and poured it into Karina’s drink.

After a few minutes Karina returned to the dining room with the vile, like before, hidden in the fold of her dress near her waist. She saw her glass of wine waiting for her on the dining table and decided it would be easier for her to put the sedative in her own drink, create a distraction and switch glasses. She sat and picked up the glass of wine and held it to her nose and smiled. She used the table to hide it from view and took out the vile opened it and poured the contents in the drink while she held the drink in her lap. Now she just needed a distraction. Lord Harmon lifted his glass and stood to make a toast. Karina also stood with her glass in hand.

“To Karina my beautiful new bride and wife.”

They tapped their drinks; Gunther took a drink, Karina only pretended to sip the drink.

“Mm…this is very good.”

“Yes it’s imported from France.” He said proudly

Karina turned toward the window to admire the sunset and place her drink near the edge of the table with her back toward him but keeping an eye on the drink. Lord Harmon approached her from behind and placed his drink next to hers. Karina froze as she felt his nearness behind her and moved her hair aside to kiss her neck. She cringed at having to endure his caresses and allow him to turn her around to kiss her.  She was repulsed as the kiss deepened, but she reached for his glass and switched them, then she gently broke away.

“There that wasn’t so bad was it?”

“I think I need another drink, perhaps it will relax me.”

“Indeed.”

She took the glass and pretended to sip, but tensed when he didn’t pick up the tainted drink she left him. He wanted to kiss her again.

“Lord Harmon…”

“Call me Gunther I am now your legitimate husband.”

“Alright…Gunther, I just want to ask you not to force yourself on me and I will cooperate if you treat me gently. Agreed?”

She lifted her glass and motioned they drink

“Fair enough.”

Lord Harmon picked up the tainted drink and raised it in agreement. Karina smiled and pretended to take a sip. Aroused by the notion that she would be a willing bride, he took a large gulp, set the drink down, and pulled Karina toward him and kissed her more ardently. Karina detested having to endure his mouth over hers, but she needed him to finish the rest of the drink. Gently she pushed him away once more.

“Let’s finish this toast, and promise me you will not force me.”

“Yes, yes agreed!”

Both picked up their glasses once more. In his aroused state, Gunther only drank three fourths of the glass; Karina nervously took another sip of hers. Then Gunther put his drink down and swept his arm under her knees, lifting her off the ground and proceeded to carry her upstairs to the bedroom. Karina panicked as she looked at the glass; ‘HE HAD NOT FINISHED THE DRINK!’
 Alarmed the drug would not take effect properly, she tensed, he put her down on the bed then straightened up to remove his clothes, she instantly rolled over to the opposite side of the bed and jumped off.

“Wait let us have another toast!” Karina insisted trying to buy time.

“We toasted enough!” Gunther growled.

He came around to the other side of the bed where Karina jumped off but she instinctively climbed back over the bed to the other side and jumped off again and tried to make a dash for the door. Gunther angrily tried to reach for her from across the bed but she slipped out of his reach. He rolled across the bed, and startled her as she started to pull open the door, she screamed as he caught up to her and slammed the door shut before she could fully open it. She screamed again as he encircled his arms around her waist forcing her to sit on his lap as he sat on the bed. Franticly, she struggled to get free.
 Had he NOT picked up the tainted glass she feared? What was taking so long for the drug to work? Then she felt him start to relax his hold on her, and he sat back on the edge of the bed still clinging to her. She gently removed his hand from her waist and moved away from him as quick as possible. She stood against the door and watched in silence. Even in his drowsy state, Gunther realized she had switched the glasses on him.

“You little vixen, you switched the glasses on me didn’t you?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about?”

Karina tensed as Gunther tried to stand but instead fell back on the bed. The exertion must have helped speed up the effect of the drug. She nudged him, but he didn’t move. Karina immediately opened the door and ran downstairs. She remembered Marcus standing guard outside the house. She stood thinking how she would get to Lynnette and free her. She looked around for the servants but only saw the kitchen maid.
  She needed a heavy item to hit Marcus with so she started opening drawers and closets frantically looking for something. She went to Lord Harmon’s office and after looking through his desk drawers found his pistol, it was loaded. She turned toward the wall and saw two crossed swords, displayed as a decoration piece. She took one of the swords and the pistol then went to the front of the house and Marcus still stood guard outside. She decided to get Lynnette first, by going out the back by the kitchen but she needed a holster, so she went back upstairs to the room and removed Lord Harmon’s belt. It was too large for her so she cut it and adjusted it to fit her and slid the sword through on one side and the pistol through the other. Feeling armed she proceeded back downstairs down the hallway by the kitchen where the maid was. While the older woman kept busy washing pots and pans facing away from the hallway, Karina went past the kitchen and out the back. She called out for Lynnette in a low voice.

“Lynnette where are you?”

“Karina! I’m over here…in here!”

“Where?”

Karina heard Lynnette calling her from a small hut-like room behind a tree. The door had a lock on it and bars on the window. She didn’t want to use the pistol and alert Marcus so she scanned the area for something to hit the lock with. Then she heard Lynnette say,

“KARINA! WATCH OUT!” She turned and Marcus struck her on the head with the back of his pistol. Karina fell unconscious. Lynnette screamed in panic over her friend’s assault. “YOU BRUTE! YOU KILLED HER! KARINA! KARINA! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD!” Lynnette cried desperately.

Marcus ignored Lynnette’s screams and simply lifted Karina and took her back in the house and threw her on the couch. Marcus heard noises outside and left Karina lying unconscious, a few minutes later the pistol around her waist slipped from her waist and fell on the floor below the couch.

With the military backing them
 the Sea Maiden headed toward New Providence and anchored off shore after dark. They lowered two boats and Captain Drake, Peter, and Roy Skinner, who could identify Captain Tate and several other men rowed into shore then headed toward the establishments, looking for the notorious Captain Tate. Members of the militia and several men from the Sea Maiden including Peter scattered in the jungle. Their main goal was to capture Captain Tate, bring him back to England and have him tried for acts of piracy including the raid and looting of the, merchant ship, the Wanderer.

Captain Drake and Roy came upon a local tavern Roy asked a young boy if he knew Captain Tate. The boy nodded,

“Where is he? I’m looking to sign up as crew.”

The boy told him the Captain was upstairs with a prostitute. The tavern was crowded with drunken pirates so Captain Drake and Roy went upstairs, unnoticed. They went from room to room until Roy identified Captain Tate sleeping next to a woman. Roy covered the woman’s mouth while Captain Drake poised his pistol at Captain Tate’s head and gave him a shove. Captain Tate opened his eyes and tried to sit up when he saw the barrel of a pistol pointed at him.

“Captain Tate I presume? Pardon the intrusion but it seems you and your men attacked my ship, the Sea Maiden, yesterday and took with you a young blond woman that I’m here to recover, do you recall Captain?”