He gave her a look that couldn't conceal the laughter in his eyes. 'I thought I already had! But no, Ricardo is a harmless fool. If I incarcerate him, it will be for his own protection.' Before she could recover from this unexpected about-face, Roman quickly kissed her, then left.
Kara stood stock-still for several moments as people began to move around her, Guiseppe to bar the downstairs, Maria the upstairs, and the Señora to the hearth to boil water for making tea, where she discovered that the fire, unnoticed and untended, had gone out. Catching the expression on Kara's face, she cleared her throat to get the girl's attention, to no avail.
'He kissed me . . .'
'Fiancés do that,' the Señora said matter-of-factly. 'Would you be kind enough to fetch us some kindling?'
'Was I supposed to let him? I mean . . . isn't that taking advantage-?'
'Do you suppose he forgot to take Ricardo, and left with your brain instead?' the Señora said dryly.
'What?'
'Kindling?' the Señora said, holding up the empty copper kindling box.
'But it's . . . oh!' Turning crimson, Kara hastily took the empty box from the Señora and left. Señora Castellan, meanwhile, sat in an armchair before the darkened hearth, and despite the night's events, shook her head and found herself unable not to smile.
Some hours later, fighting to stay awake and keep vigil with the others, Kara asked Guiseppe, 'Will they take the road to Port Haven, do you think?'
'There is no alternative but to take one road or another to Port Haven,' Guiseppe told her with a smile. 'The question is, Which one? for there are many to choose from. Don't you worry; Roman is Master of this island. It will take more than a few hoodlums to catch him. And as for the assassins . . . they are in far greater danger of their lives from Roman than you or they could possibly know.'
Kara felt herself nod once or twice before she felt a hand placed on her shoulder. Wordlessly, she allowed herself to be led to a nearby sofa, where she fell fast asleep the instant she was prone.