Chapter 20
By the time Astrid and Hedda had finished their duties, they had heard all about the release and unusual arrangements made for Nathalie. They rushed back to their rooms to find Nathalie and Roald waiting for them.
"I am here!" Nathalie cried, rushing into their arms. "Is it not wonderful?"
The three embraced excitedly and there was much giggling and girlish delight. Roald sat quietly in the comer waiting for them to wear down and make sense.
"Do you still want to escape?" he asked finally.
Nathalie whirled around to stare at him incredulously.
"Why, of course!" she said emphatically. "What would change my mind about that?"
"Since the master seemed to lean so heavily in your favor.. . " He let the sentence trail off.
Nathalie's temper flared. "Because he patted me on the back and looked deep into my eyes? You think that erases the vile things he did to me?"
Roald shrugged but said nothing.
"Well!" Nathalie gasped, jumping to her feet, "I believe I have been insulted enough for one day. Good day to you, Roald Erlander!"
Before anyone could stop her, she had flounced out of the door and was stamping furiously down the hall.
"Roald!" Astrid cried. "Shame on you."
"Bring her back!" Hedda snapped. "And you apologize!"
Clamping his jaw tightly shut, he got to his feet and stepped to the door. He hesitated, started to speak, but changed his mind. Sprinting easily down the narrow corridors, he overtook her in seconds.
"Come back," he ordered. "You are acting like a child."
"Leave me alone," she snapped and turned her back to him.
He caught the reflection on her shining cheeks as she turned. She was trying to hide her tears.
"You said he was in love with you," Roald accused, "and his actions were plain enough."
"As were mine!" she cried. "Had I wanted the man, could I not have had him rather easily?"
She tried to break free of his grip upon her shoulders, but he held her firmly. Slowly, he turned her around and looked down into the tear-streaked face. She would not look up and kept straining to be shed of him.
"Yes, of course you could," he answered finally. "I have seen so many come and I have seen so many accept their lot and forgive that bastard-I apologize. I should not talk so."
She looked up then. After a moment, she sniffed, wiped away her tears and smiled.
"I can understand that," she said. "When I stepped out into the courtyard this morning, I was so happy to be alive. I felt so free after-after-all of it. Then I stopped and I said, You ninny! This is what happened to the rest of them. I vowed then that it would not happen to me!"
"Good girl!" he said. "Come. Let us go back and I will tell you my plan."
If Arne Bjornson could guide the girl along with one hand upon her shoulder, Roald Erlander decided that he could do the same. Nathalie did not object. It was really quite pleasant.
"Fire," Roald told them. "I intend to see that the entire complex bums. In the panic, we escape and we also put an end to the depravities."
"Where?" Astrid asked.
"Many places," Roald answered. "I will set them in advance. Then, during the next festival, you and Hedda and I will slip away and set them ablaze. I have another, more important job for Nathalie."
"Name it," she said eagerly.
"Between now and fiesta time, you must locate the place in the library where he keeps his seal and stationery. While we are lighting the fires, you must steal the seal and as much stationery as you can get your hands on. Then you will set the library on fire."
"Why the seal?" she asked.
"Arne Bjornson owns a large fleet based at Uppsala. We will go there and command one of the boats into a secret mission. Then we will go to America."
"How exciting!" Hedda said with a shiver. "They will never catch us there."
"They will not catch us anyway. With the seal to prove authenticity, I shall write a letter myself, ordering the crew to make me their captain. Once we reach America, the crew will be more than willing to stay. Of that, I am certain. I know the crew and the ship that I will pick. I was one of Arne Bjomson's fishermen before he brought me here."
"Why did they bring you here, Roald?" Nathalie asked.
"Arne took a imagine to my sister and decided I would make a good stud for his-ah, purposes."
Hedda giggled and Astrid frowned to shut her up. Nathalie ignored them. The plan was beautiful but there were so many questions on her mind.
"Do we simply walk out of the gate?" she asked.
"No," he answered. "I have a long rope and nets I have been working on for many months. We will let ourselves down out of your window, since you have been allowed to remain in that room. We will be safer climbing down the cliff. They will not expect us to take that route."
"They will see the rope and they will know, will they not?" Hedda asked.
Roald grinned impishly. "I have spent several months making that rope," he said. "I devised a release so that I may unfasten the rope and allow it to drop after we have made our descent. The last one out will close the window and they will never know."
"Beautiful," Nathalie whispered.
"I am proud of you, pet," Astrid said fondly and reached over to peck her brother on the forehead.
"We have a week," Roald reminded them. "While Nathalie searches for the seal and stationery, the three of us will pick the best places to start the fires. Agreed?"
"Agreed!" the three chorused.