Freen's POV: A Perilous Journey and Unveiled Secrets
As I watched the carriage disappear from my sight, I saw Nop's smirk, directed right at me. A hand landed on my shoulder.
"เจ้าควรกลับคฤหาสน์ตอนนี้ เราไม่มีราชการใดต้องทำที่นี่" (Jao khuan glap Krihangsan ton ni, rao mai mee ratchakan dai tong tam tee nee) – "We should head back to the mansion now; we have nothing to do here." Miss Nam commanded.
"ข้าเตรียมรถม้าไว้แล้ว เพื่อพาเจ้ากลับคฤหาสน์; ข้าจะขับรถไปเองพร้อมกับทหารใหม่ของเรา, ที" (Kha tuy rim rot ma wai lae, pha jao glap Krihangsan) – "I prepared you a ride to head back to the mansion; I will personally drive you there with our new guard, Tee," Mr. Lee said.
I nodded, still fixed on the fading carriage. Miss Nam's grip on my shoulder tightened.
"มาแล้ว, ฟรีน, ใดๆ ก็แล้ว" (Ma lae, Freen, dai dai gorn lae) – "Come, Freen, it's already done."
I took a deep breath, turning away from the empty road.
Mr. Lee led me to a waiting carriage, with Tee, the new guard, standing attentively beside it.
"ฟรีน, สิ่งที่เกิดขึ้นที่นั่น... เป็นดวงดี" (Freen, sing tee gek khun tee nan... pen duang dee) – "Freen, what happened back there... it was for the best." Miss Nam broke the silence, her voice soft.
I met her gaze, searching for conviction.
But her eyes betrayed a hint of doubt.
"อ๋อ, ขอถามค่ะ, คุณลี: ทำไมเราต้องมีพยาบาล, และทำไมคุณขับรถเอง?" (Aor khor tham kha, Khun Lee, tham mai rao tong mee pyabai, lae tham mai khun khab rot aow?) – "Ahm, I just have a question, Mr. Lee: why do we need a guard, and why are you driving?" I asked curiously, looking at the guard sitting neatly beside me while Mr. Lee offered a reassuring smile.
"ทีเป็นพยาบาลเพื่อความปลอดภัยของเรา, ฟรีน, และข้าขับรถเอง, เพราะข้ารู้ทางดีที่สุด" (Tee pen pyabai puea kwam ploot chai khong rao, Freen, lae kha khab rot aow, phrao kha ruu thang dee tee sut) – "The guard is for our safety, Freen, and I'm driving because I know the way best," Mr. Lee explained calmly as the carriage began to move forward.
"จริงหรือ?" (Jing rue?) – "Is that so?" Miss Nam asked.
"พระคุณน่าชื่นชมจริงๆ, คุณลี, แต่เราไม่ต้องการการคุ้มครอง; เราเพียงแต่กลับคฤหาสน์ตามคำสั่งของคุณอาร์มสตรอง, นำของเลดี้รีเบคก้ากลับมายังที่ดินของพวกเขา, แน่นอนว่าไม่ใช่กับคุณ, ฟรีน ฉันขอโทษ, ฟรีน, แต่นั่นคือคำสั่ง" (Phrakhun na chuean chom jing jing, Khun Lee, tae rao mai tong kan kan khum khrong; rao phiang tae glap Krihangsan tam kam sang khong Khun Armstrong, nam khong Lady Rebecca glap ma yang tee din khong phuak khao, nae non wa mai chai gap Khun, Freen. Chan khor thot, Freen, tae nan kue kam sang.) – "It's so sweet of you, Mr. Lee, but we don't need protection; we are only going to clear out the mansion as per Mr. Armstrong's order, to bring Lady Rebecca's things back to their estate—of course, not with you, Freen. I am sorry, Freen, but that's the order." Miss Nam said apologetically and looked at me.
I nodded. I already knew it. Who would want to keep a person who is a threat to your daughter's future?
"ดังนั้น, ฉันจึงไม่เข้าใจความจำเป็นในการนำพยาบาลมาด้วย" (Dang nan, chan jeung mai khao jai kwam jam pen nai kan nam pyabai mai duai) – "So I don't understand the point in bringing a guard with us." Miss Nam continued.
"เพราะว่าผมไม่ได้นำท่านไปที่คฤหาสน์" (Phrawa phom mai dai nam thaan pai thi Krihangsan) – "It is because I am not bringing you to the mansion." Mr. Lee said, which made us both confused.
Miss Nam: "อะไรนะ?" (A-rai na?) – "What?" Me: "อะไรนะ?" (A-rai na?) – "What?"
Miss Nam and I looked at the guard who had just spoken with us in unison, shocked at hearing the voice.
Miss Nam: "ทหารนี่เป็นหญิงหรือ?" (Thahan nii pen ying rue?) – "Is the guard a woman?" Guard (Tee): (removes helmet) "อ๋อ, ฉันหญิงจริงๆ!" (Oh, Chan ying jing jing) – "Yup, I'm a girl!"
Miss Nam and I exchanged a knowing look, realizing that appearances can be deceiving when she took off her helmet.
Tee: "เฮลเม็ตนี่ร้อนและหนักมากเลยนะ!" (Helmet nii ron lae nak mak ley na) – "This helmet is so hot and heavy!"
We looked at Mr. Lee again.
Mr. Lee: "จะอธิบายทีหลัง" (Ja athibai thi lang) – "I'll explain later." Miss Nam: "เรารอคำอธิบาย" (Rao kham athibai) – "We await your explanation." Mr. Lee: "ไปคฤหาสน์กันก่อนเถอะ" (Pai Krihangsan gan gorn ter) – "Let's head to the mansion first." Miss Nam: "แต่คุณลี, ทำไมคุณไม่บอกเราว่าทหารเป็นหญิง?" (Tae Khun Lee, tham mai khun mai bok rao wa thahan pen ying?) – "But Mr. Lee, why didn't you tell us the guard was a woman?"
"I love seeing shocked faces," she said, acting like she already knew us.
"เรารู้สึกประหลาดใจมาก" (Rao ruu seuk pralard jai mak) – "We're indeed surprised," I said with a poker face.
She's weird.
"แต่เรายินดีที่ได้รู้จักคุณ" (Tae rao yin dee thi dai ruu jak khun) – "But we're glad to meet you," Miss Nam said, trying to level the energy of this fake guard. How do I know? Well, it's obvious.
Tee: "เหมือนกัน, ฉันยินดีที่ได้รู้จักคุณ!" (Muean kan, chan yin dee thi dai ruu jak khun) – "Same here; nice to meet you guys!"
And she held out her hand to shake ours. Miss Nam and I looked at each other and shared a knowing smile. It was clear that we were both thinking the same thing about this strange encounter.
When we arrived at the mansion, Miss Nam whispered, "เราต้องระวังเธอ" (Rao dtawg ra wang thoe) – "We need to be cautious around her."
I nodded, "ใช่, เราต้องระวัง" (Chai, rao dtawg ra wang) – "Yes, let's be careful."
"ฮ่าฮ่า, คุณไม่ต้องระวังฉันหรอก" (Ha ha, khun mai dtawng ra wang chan rok) – "Haha, you don't need to worry about me." I think Tee overheard us.
Tee was excited and ran around like a kid. "ว้าว, คฤหาสน์นี้สวยมากเลย!" (Waow, Krihangsan nii suai mak ley) – "Wow, this mansion is gorgeous!"
Miss Nam raised an eyebrow. "คุณชอบคฤหาสน์นี้หรือ?" (Khun chob Krihangsan nii rue?) – "You like this mansion?"
Tee: "ใช่, ฉันชอบทุกอย่างที่มีเอกลักษณ์" (Chai, chan chob thuk yang thi mi akson) – "Yes, I love unique things."
I whispered to Miss Nam, "เธอไม่ปกติเลย" (Thoe mai pakati ley) – "She's really unusual."
Miss Nam nodded, "เราต้องดูเธออย่างใกล้ชิด" (Rao dtawg du thoe yang glai chit) – "We need to keep a close eye on her."
"เรามาที่นี่ทำไม, คุณลี? ฉันคิดว่าคุณบอกว่าเราจะไม่มาที่นี่" (Reā mā thī̀ nī̀ thảmị khuṇ lī c̄hạn khid ẁā khuṇ bxk ẁā reā ca mị̀ mā thī̀ nī̀) – "Why are we here, Mr. Lee? I thought you said we were not coming here." Miss Nam now asked Mr. Lee.
"คุณต้องไปเอาเสื้อผ้าและของใช้จำเป็นก่อนที่เราจะเดินทางต่อ" (Khuṇ t̂xng pị xeā s̄eụ̄̂xp̄ĥā læa k̄hxngchı̂ cảpĕn k̀xn reā ca dein thāng t̀x) – "You need to get clothes and your necessities before we continue our journey." Mr. Lee's words confused us more.
Miss Nam insisted, "ไม่, คุณลีต้องบอกเราสิ่งที่แท้จริง" (Mai, Khun Lee dtawng bok rao sing thi thai jing) – "No, Mr. Lee, tell us the truth."
Mr. Lee hesitated, "น็อปได้สั่งการฆ่าคุณทั้งสอง" (Nop dai sang kan kha khun thong song) – "Nop has ordered to have you both killed."
"อะไรนะ?!" (A-rai na?!) – "What?!" We said it in unison.
Tee panicked, "เฮ็ยก! ทำไมคุณไม่บอกฉันล่วงหน้า?!" (Heyk! Tham mai khun mai bok chan luang na?!) – "What the?! Why didn't you tell me earlier?!"
Tee, frustrated, "ไม่, ไม่, ไม่! คุณต้องบอกฉันตอนนี้!" (Mai, mai, mai! Khun dtawng bok chan tohn nii!) – "No, no, no! Tell me now!"
Mr. Lee: "ไม่ใช่เวลานี้" (Mai sai wela nii) – "Not now."
"คุณลี! ฉันจะไม่ไปไหนเลย, ถ้าคุณไม่บอกฉัน!" (Khun Lee! Chan ja mai pai nai ley, tae khun mai bok chan!) – "Mr. Lee! I'm not going anywhere until you tell me!" Tee insisted, surprising Miss Nam and me with how casual this weird short-haired woman spoke to Mr. Lee.
"It's really not good to talk, but at this minute the guards of Mr. Nop may already be here, so hurry up and get your needs; I will just get the book." Mr. Lee said it in a serious tone.
"What book?" I asked.
He looked at me with so much determination in his eyes and replied, "The book that will change everything."
He sometimes gave the impression that he knew something we didn't.
He walked away from us, and we started getting to the chambers. I gathered my things, and Miss Nam went to her room, and my heart stopped when we heard horses approaching outside. "We need to hurry," Miss Nam whispered urgently as we quickly gathered our belongings and headed towards the chambers. The sense of urgency in the air was palpable as we braced ourselves for whatever was to come next.
Miss Nam and I hurriedly went out of the room, but I stopped when I remembered something.
"ฟรีน! ไปไหนะะะ?!" (Freen! Pai nai-aaa!) – "Where are you going?!" Miss Nam asked in a panic; they were all now inside the carriage, ready to go.
"ข้าจะไปเร็วๆ นี้!" (Kha ja pai reo reo nee!) – "I will be just quick," I said as I ran back into the mansion and quickly found my way back to the maid's chamber.
When I was there, my eyes lit up when I saw what I was looking for.
"บันทึกข้า" (Ban thueng kha) – "My diary." It was under my closet.
I immediately pulled the closet a little away from the wall in order for me to get my diary easily, as it was hidden in the corner, but I stopped a little when I noticed a door behind it.
"Freen, what are you doing there? The director's been looking for you." I heard someone call me from the door, so I checked, but no one was there. I quickly grabbed my diary and closed the closet, feeling a sense of urgency to leave the maid's chamber before anyone caught me snooping around. But I heard a person stumble, and there I saw a woman, and I stood there shocked, looking back at the person who exactly looked like me. But the voice of the person who spoke to me was different, deeper. I slowly backed away, feeling a sense of unease and confusion creeping over me.
She also looked surprised.
"ฟรีเอน, รีบไปกันเถอะ, ทหารกำลังมาแล้ว" (Freen, reep pai gan ter, thahan gamlang ma lae) – "Freen, let's go; we need to hurry! The guards are coming!" Miss Nam grabbed my shoulder and turned me back to my reality. Did I just hallucinate it? Because I was now facing an empty wall, the door was gone.
I held my diary tight, trembling, and tried to ignore what I saw.
And went with Miss Nam. I had been standing there for more than minutes, but it seemed like time had stopped because if I had stood there that long, we would have been dead by now.