A week later, Poul Nielsen's ship pulled into the bustling Port of New York. As he stepped off the gangplank, he was relieved to see his partner and best friend, Jonathan, waiting for him at the docks.
"Welcome back, my friend! How was your trip to London?" Jonathan asked, giving Poul a hearty pat on the back.
Poul let out a sigh, his eyes betraying a hint of nervousness. "To be honest, it was a bit harrowing. I nearly got caught by the Crown Prince, but I managed to pull through. He's a bit gullible, thankfully."
As they made their way towards the carriage, Poul couldn't help but feel a sense of relief wash over him. His risky mission to London had been a success, and now he could finally relax.
With a swift leap, the two men hopped into the carriage, settling in for the ride ahead. The horse neighed and began to trot forward, leaving the busy port behind them as they rode off towards the city.
As they settled into the carriage, Poul and Jonathan resumed their conversation, catching up on the latest developments since Poul's departure for London.
"So, what's new?" Poul asked, his curiosity piqued.
Jonathan grinned. "Well, Sara has been keeping busy. She's already changed her appearance, you'll barely recognize her."
Poul's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Really? I can't wait to see her! Speaking of which, where is she now?"
"She's at the construction site, actually," Jonathan replied, his tone growing more serious. "She's been really interested in the project I've been working on and wanted to get a closer look."
Poul nodded, impressed.
"Well, we are heading there anyway, so I'm looking forward to seeing what you two have been up to," Jonathan added with a smile.
As the carriage made its way through the city streets, Poul couldn't help but notice the changes that had taken place in the city during his absence. The roads were in disarray, with construction sites visible in every direction. Some streets were blocked off due to the excavation of the new metro station, which promised to revolutionize the way people moved around the city.
As they approached the construction site, Poul could hear the sounds of heavy machinery and workers shouting at each other over the noise. The sight that greeted him was a sprawling landscape of cranes, steam engines, and scaffolding, with hundreds of workers scurrying around like ants.
But amidst the chaos, there was a sense of order and purpose. Jonathan had always been a meticulous planner, and it showed in the organization of the construction site.
As they stepped out of the carriage and made their way toward the site, Poul couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration for his best friend's work. The project was ambitious, but Jonathan had a clear vision for what he wanted to achieve.
And then he saw her.
Sara emerged from the crowd of workers, looking almost unrecognizable. Her once long, strawberry-blonde hair was now dyed brown and straight, cascading down her back. She wore an elegant dress made of fine material that hugged her curves perfectly, and her jewelry sparkled in the sunlight.
Poul's heart skipped a beat as he took in Sara's stunning appearance. He had never seen her look so regal and refined before. The workers around her were clearly taken aback as well, stealing glances at her from time to time as they continued their work.
"Wow," Poul muttered under his breath, his eyes still fixed on Sara.
Jonathan chuckled beside him. "Told you she changed her appearance. I didn't expect her to go all out like this, though."
"Poul! You're back!" she exclaimed, rushing over to embrace him.
Poul hugged her back and got a whiff of her perfume. She smelled sweet and floral, a stark contrast to the industrial smells of the construction site.
"Uhm, I wouldn't suggest that you do a public display around here, Poul," Jonathan said, glancing at the construction workers who sighed as they saw the woman they were admiring was already in a relationship.
What's more, some of the workers were disgusted and jealous at the sight. An Albian having to be with a beautiful woman is an insult.
Well, who cares if they are jealous or spiteful of him? He gets to hug his beautiful girlfriend and they can only watch as they break their backs in the construction site that he and his partner designed.
"What are they gonna do? File a complaint?" Poul chuckled at Jonathan's comment.
"Well, Poul, you just took her out from London, and everyone is still not over with the passing of their popular princess. And there are some people in the British Empire that suspect you are connected to the incident. Not only that, there were rumors sparking at the time where Penelope and you were the reason why the Crown Prince was rejected. And even if she changed her appearance, there's no doubt that they'll look into her. And that is bad for you and for her," Jonathan explained.
Poul realized the gravity of the situation. He had been so caught up in his own world that he had forgotten about the rumors and suspicions that surrounded him and Penelope.
"You're right, Jonathan. I need to be more careful. I don't want Sara to get caught up in all of this. That's why we can't take her to Pittsburgh yet."
"I don't blame you, Poul. Sometimes you would do stupid things in front of someone you love," Jonathan chuckled and continued. "Even I would be lost in my world as well if Caroline was in front of me. Ahh…shit, I can't wait for our wedding."
"Time flies so fast huh?" Poul remarked and flickered his gaze to Sara. "Sara, Jonathan is right, we have to lay low for now. So no hugging or kissing okay? We'll just explain to the crowd who saw us that we were childhood friends who haven't seen each other for years. That would convince them that we are not lovers…though it pains my heart."
"It's okay, for the sake of our cover," Sara nodded with a smile, understanding the need to keep their relationship a secret for the time being. She knew that Poul had a lot on his plate, and the last thing he needed was more unwanted attention and suspicion.
"Oh, by the way, Poul," Jonathan called. "We are doing great on our end, I was thinking about your progress in the electric locomotive."
Poul glanced at the construction of the metro station and spoke.
"In a month, my team in the Avonside Engine Company is going to test the electric locomotive that they have built. I'll be there."
"Great," Jonathan nodded in satisfaction. "We'll come too."
