The River Maid Read online

  “Thank you,” she said. She slipped out of the cloak that had been wrapped around her and slid into the water.

  Gaspard made no comment as Christian came back and untied his horse. He continued to watch his friend as they rode and the way he kept glancing at the river.

  “You and Adrianna seem to have grown close,” Gaspard said carefully.

  “She’s easy to talk to,” Christian replied.

  In the evening, Christian carried Adrianna up the bank and wrapped her back up in his cloak. Gaspard had seen Christian with other girls. He had always been courteous and polite, but the way he was with Adrianna suggested something more. He kept glancing over at her while she combed out her hair with her golden comb. He tried to tell himself that Christian’s concern for her was natural. He was concerned for Adrianna himself. But he hoped for both their sakes he was mistaken.

  Chapter Thirty

  The next morning, Adrianna woke first. The sun was only just starting to rise, streaking the sky pink and blue. Gaspard lay facing away from her, but Christian lay on his side facing toward her. She couldn’t help but watch him as he slept and the way his hair fell over his eyes and the steady rise and fall of his chest. She was still a girl underneath and he was a boy; it was understandable that she would be attracted to him. He was the first person to show her some kindness since she had become a mermaid. She wouldn’t become like Lorelei and lose herself over a boy. He stirred in his sleep and Adrianna quickly turned away.

  They ate breakfast then carried on, the others riding while Adrianna swam. Boats were out on the river and she was careful to stay out of sight. Christian and Gaspard rode side by side. Sometimes, when she came up she could hear the sound of Christian’s laughter at something Gaspard had said. He seemed to laugh more now than when she had first met him. Back, when she had been in St Goarshausen, she remembered thinking him cold and distant. When she came up to the surface again, she could only see Christian. She swam over to the bank.

  “Gaspard has gone to change the horses,” Christian said as she swam up. He was tying a snare. She pulled herself up onto the bank, scooting backwards with her hands. She watched as he deftly knotted the rope and then placed it beneath a tree a short distance away. He settled down to wait. She pulled herself across to him and he took off his jacket and laid it over her tail.

  “Did Gaspard show you how to do that?” she asked, speaking softly so as not to scare their dinner away.

  “No, a soldier called Kehler did.”

  She remembered him calling out that name in his sleep when they had been at Elise’s, but he hadn’t done it since.

  “How did you end up in the army?”

  “I joined after Lorelei…after she jumped. I was looking for something and I thought I would find it in the army. I didn’t tell them who I was. I joined as a common soldier and worked my way up through the ranks. It didn’t take me long. My education gave me an advantage over the other men.”

  “What happened to Kehler?”

  Christian was silent and she wished she hadn’t asked. “He died,” he eventually said. “He was shot. I couldn’t get to him in time. I saw the soldier aim his rifle. I shouted at Kehler to get down, but it was too late. There was nothing I could do. He died in my arms.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “I haven’t even spoken to Gaspard about it. It’s too easy to talk to you.”

  A rabbit appeared. They both froze and watched, breath held, as it scampered along, its ears up and alert. Christian pulled the snare tight, trapping the small creature.

  “A prince who can catch rabbits,” Adrianna said. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard of such a thing.”

  He reached over and tucked her hair behind her ear. “It’s no more remarkable than a girl who became a mermaid.”

  His hand lingered against her face, his thumb brushing her cheek. Hesitantly, she turned into his touch and his thumb grazed her lips.

  There was a shout from behind them and Gaspard rode into sight.

  “He always seems to do that,” Christian muttered as he got to his feet and went to get the rabbit. Adrianna smiled at Gaspard, hoping her cheeks weren’t as flushed as they felt.

  Christian tied the rabbit to his saddle. Adrianna slipped back down the bank into the water, and they carried on. They had been travelling together for nearly two weeks now. She came up to the surface to check on them. Christian and Gaspard were just ahead of her. She knew she was staying up too long and she should duck back down, but she was distracted, staring at Christian. She didn’t see the boat approaching behind her. There was a shout and voices called out in French. She dove down, but it was too late; they had seen her. She swam further up the river before she came up again. She waited for Christian and Gaspard to catch up to her.

  “They saw me,” she said as they rode up. “I’m sorry.”

  “It was going to happen eventually,” Christian said, pulling his horse to a stop.

  Gaspard nodded. Worry creased his brow. “There’s nothing we can do. We must keep going and hope word doesn’t get back to the French.”

  ~~~~~

  Fournier pinched the bridge of his nose as he listened to yet another report. Two weeks had passed and his men had still yet to find the creature. He had soldiers out searching every inch of the city, but if she was still hiding in the river, there might be no way to find her. He just had to wait until she revealed herself.

  There was a tap on the door and his lieutenant, Bellard, entered. “Captain, we’ve had reports of a sighting of the mermaid in the river Seine.”

  Fournier looked up. “How did she get out of the city?”

  Bellard shrugged. “Perhaps she managed to escape before the nets were put down.”

  He had gambled everything on her still being in the city. There was no way she could have left. He had every exit in the river blocked and every carriage leaving the city was being searched.

  He had to find the creature before the Emperor returned. The tenuous peace after the Treaty of Pressbury hadn’t lasted for long. Napoleon was now off fighting the Prussians and Fournier didn’t want to be the one to face him when he returned.

  “Take a group of men and get ready to leave.”

  Bellard nodded and left. Fournier had to find her quickly. The newspapers were claiming it had all been a hoax and that she had never existed. They were full of cartoons mocking the Emperor. The people of Paris were laughing at the rich for being fooled. They had been willing to believe when they had been able to see the mermaid for themselves, but now they were questioning what they saw, and if she was even real. Most believed she wasn’t.

  Wine sloshed over the desk as he poured himself a drink. He scratched at his beard. He hadn’t shaved in weeks, but there was little need now. The invitations had stopped arriving and he had been turned away from the last ball he had tried to attend.

  There was a loud rap on the door.

  “What is it now?” he shouted in annoyance.

  Ducasse marched in flanked by two soldiers. The General was dressed in full uniform with a navy greatcoat around his shoulders and bicorn hat.

  “Ducasse?” Fournier jumped to his feet, trying to conceal his surprise at seeing his old friend. “What are you doing here?”

  Ducasse’s face was grim. “The Emperor has relieved you of command. He has put me in charge of your men and tasked me with locating this supposed mermaid of yours.”

  Fournier sank down into his chair, too stunned to think. Ducasse had never even seen the mermaid. He could tell by the contempt in his voice that Ducasse didn’t believe she was real. He licked his dry lips as he considered his next course of action. He had to be the one to find the creature. He couldn’t let Ducasse take the credit for it.

  “I know the identity of the man who took her,” Fournier said carefully. “He’s a German prince. In fact, I believe you know him.” Ducasse waited, his face unreadable. “His name is Prince Christian of Hesse.”

  Ducasse gave a short laugh. “Yo
u must be mistaken.”

  “I found the creature near a town called St Goarshausen. I believe the prince lived there with his mother. You can’t tell me that’s just a coincidence.”

  He had the satisfaction of seeing the colour drain from Ducasse’s face. “He wouldn’t be so foolish.”

  “Which of us will tell the Emperor that the man who took the mermaid is a personal friend of yours?”

  Ducasse didn’t reply. He had gone pale. At least that was one consolation. If he was going to lose everything at least he could bring Ducasse down with him.

  Chapter Thirty One

  Adrianna lay on the bank, Christian’s cloak covering her tail, laughing at something he had said. Christian lay on his back next to her, his shirt sleeves rolled up and one tanned arm behind his head. The sun was warm, the sky clear and blue with not a single cloud in sight. It was a perfect day.

  “You really did that?” she asked.

  “You should have seen his face,” Christian replied.

  “And he didn’t tell your mother?”

  He rolled onto his side, his head propped up with his hand. “Gaspard said nothing. He never mentioned the frog.”

  They broke into fresh laughter. Earlier that morning, Christian’s horse had thrown a shoe and so Gaspard had taken the horses and left them to go in search of a blacksmith. She had intended to keep her distance from the prince, but her efforts hadn’t lasted for long. She liked spending time with him. She treasured every minute in his company, because she knew once they reached St Goarshausen, she would be alone again. She felt wrong for wanting to be with him, but it was always so easy speaking to Christian. She felt like she could tell him anything.

  “Why didn’t you marry?” Christian asked suddenly. “Surely you must have had a dozen boys asking for your hand?”

  “There was only Peter, but I didn’t love him.”

  “Do you wish you had married him? None of this would have happened. Lorelei would never have stolen your legs.”

  She thought about all that had happened to her. Being in the river and then going to Paris and seeing the Emperor. She had wanted to see more of the world and she had. She would never have met Christian.

  “Do you regret joining the army?” she asked.

  He looked out at the river for a moment before he answered. “No, I don’t regret it. There was a time when I did, but everything that has happened has brought me to where I am now. Here with you.”

  Shyly, she looked away. It happened sometimes that things became serious between them. One of them needed to say something to lighten the tone, but she couldn’t think of anything to say. Hesitantly, she looked up and met his eyes.

  They heard horses heading toward them. Frowning, Christian got to his feet. “Gaspard shouldn’t be back already.”

  Half a dozen French soldiers rode out of the trees and formed a semi-circle around them. Christian moved to stand in front of her.

  “Go, Adrianna,” Christian said, his voice urgent.

  “I’m not leaving you,” Adrianna replied.

  She slipped into the water as they dismounted. She recognised the soldiers. They were Fournier’s men.

  “If you swim away we will shoot your friend.” Their leader spoke to Adrianna in German. She remembered him. He was one of Fournier’s lieutenants. A burly man with brown eyes and close cropped hair and meaty jowls, he had been responsible for many of the bruises she had received during her stay in Fournier’s cellar. He hadn’t liked having to touch her and he would punish her if she struggled. She remembered him forcing her down on the bench, slamming her head down if she resisted, his hand on her throat.

  The soldiers raised their muskets at Christian. “Step away from the creature,” the lieutenant ordered.

  “She’s not a creature,” Christian said. “She’s just a girl.”

  She was powerless to help him. She knew they would shoot him. Fournier would go to any lengths to get her back. “Christian, do you trust me?” she asked softly.

  He kept his eyes trained on the soldiers as he answered. “Yes.”

  “Then jump.”

  He glanced back and met her eyes and then he turned and dived into the river. The soldiers opened fire. Underwater, Adrianna took his hand and pulled him down. Musket balls zipped by, but she pulled him away before they could hit him. He struggled, trying to get to the surface, needing to breathe, but Adrianna held onto him, dragging him further and further down. Just as he ran out of breath, she cupped his face and pressed her lips to his and breathed into his mouth. Pulling away, she met his gaze. He pulled her back to him and pressed his lips to hers and she breathed into his mouth again, giving him her breath. When he finally pulled away, he stared at her for a long moment. They couldn’t speak, but she preferred it that way. Together, hand in hand, they swam further up the river, only stopping when he ran out of air and then she would give him her breath before they continued on. He was a strong swimmer and easily stayed by her side, matching her pace.

  When they had travelled far enough, she tugged on his hand and he followed her up to the surface. She put her head above the water first, ready to duck down again, but there was no sign of the soldiers. Christian’s head broke the surface and he gulped in air.

  “I should go and look for Gaspard,” he said, when he had caught his breath.

  She nodded, unable to meet his eyes. He swam to the bank and hauled himself out. She watched as he disappeared into the trees. He was soaking wet and she worried he would catch a chill. She swam slowly over to the bank to wait for him to come back. Tentatively, she touched her fingers to her lips, remembering how he had pulled her back to him. Her cheeks heated as she remembered his hands on her waist and back, holding her firmly against him. Confusion swirled inside her. She didn’t know what she was feeling. She had never felt like this before.

  Night had fallen by the time Christian returned with Gaspard and the horses. She was afraid they had been captured. She had seen the French soldiers searching for them along the river and had hid to avoid them. Her cheeks flushed as soon as she saw Christian, but she smiled at Gaspard as if nothing was wrong.

  “We were worried they had found you,” Christian said as he dismounted.

  She was glad of the darkness to conceal her blush. “I thought the same of you.” She couldn’t look at Christian.

  “You were lucky you weren’t killed,” Gaspard said to Christian. “We will have to be more careful until we get back to St Goarshausen.”

  They didn’t dare make a fire that night and they couldn’t speak for fear of being heard, but Adrianna was glad. She couldn’t meet Christian’s gaze. Every time he looked over at her, she flushed and quickly looked away. Her feelings for him were too much for her to deal with.

  After that, Adrianna was careful to stay out of sight. She stayed underwater, hiding as much from Christian and what she was feeling as she was from the French. Was loving Christian part of being a mermaid, she wondered? Had Lorelei changed more than just her legs?

  Tired from swimming the next day, she rested her arms on the bank.

  “You could ride with me if you need to rest,” Christian said, stopping his horse.

  She pushed away from the bank. “I’d rather swim.”

  She thought she saw disappointment flash across his face before she ducked back under. She was so confused. She wanted to hide away in the river where she wouldn’t have to deal with how she felt. He was a prince while she was nothing. She was just a girl. A girl with a fishtail instead of legs. They had no future together with him on land and her in the river. For brief moments perhaps, but it would only be temporary. She wouldn’t become like Lorelei, she vowed.

  That evening, they camped by the river. Drizzle came in steady streams and the men were cold and wet. Gaspard came to sit by her, his knees creaking as he eased himself down. Travelling had been hard on him; he wasn’t as young as Christian.

  “We’ve travelled as far as we can along the Seine,” Gaspard said. “We need t
o travel over land now to get to the Rhine. You will have to ride with Christian.”

  “Can’t I ride with you?” she asked.

  “I don’t think my horse will take both our weight. I’m not as light as Christian is.” He patted his stomach before his face sobered. “Is there something wrong between you and Christian?”

  “No. I just thought that Christian might grow tired of riding with me.”

  “I’m sure he doesn’t mind.”

  Christian returned from seeing to the horses and she made her excuses and ducked down into the river. But she couldn’t hide from him forever. The next day, Gaspard lifted her up and handed her to Christian, who took her and set her before him on his horse. She felt helpless out of the water. Now that she had her freedom back, she wanted to keep it. Christian’s arms were tight around her, holding her firm against his chest.

  “You’ve been quiet lately,” Christian said as he guided the horse forward.

  “I’m just worried about going home.”

  He tried to draw her into a conversation, but she answered his questions with brief answers and eventually, he gave up and they rode in silence. She was relieved when they finally reached the Rhine. It felt familiar, although she had never been this far down. She heard fishermen calling out to one another in German. It was busy with traffic and she had to be more careful, staying underwater to avoid the boats and barges.

  She had to stay with Gaspard and Christian until they reached St Goarshausen; they had risked so much to help her. But once they reached the town she would go back to her cave and far away from Christian. No one could reach her there. She would not become like Lorelei.

  Chapter Thirty Two

  Christian rode silently next to Gaspard, his attention fixed on the river as he waited for Adrianna to come up. He saw her head break the surface and then immediately duck back down. He had seen what is was like swimming with her. He wanted to do it again. He had kissed her; if it counted as a kiss. She had been uncomfortable with him since that day, avoiding him and staying underwater. He was trying everything to be near her and all she wanted was to get away from him.