Page 16 of The Secret of Drulea Cottage
“Thanks fer nothing, then!” she shouted to his back even though she knew he couldn’t hear her.
Some things never change.
Briony shakily stood after a few more seconds, noting a dull ache in her back as she did. She hobbled the rest of the way to the inn, immediately going to one of the empty chairs in the sitting room.
“Ah, Senhorita Fairborn! How lovely to see you,” said a high voice.
Briony almost leaped from her seat; she’d been so eager to sit down that she hadn’t noticed Mistress Mendes in the chair across the room. “Oh, I did na realize you were there.”
The younger woman pressed her lips together in a way that suggested it was highly unusual for her to be overlooked. Briony could believe that, considering how beautiful she was. Her hair was like honey, gleaming in the morning light with an almost magical shine. She had smooth ivory skin and pretty brown eyes.They don’ compare to her brother’s striking green ones though—
Briony internally winced.It does na matter what his eyes look like.
“Dr. Sherwin has tasked me with assisting yer brother in his recovery,” she said with a trace of bitterness, though she hoped Mistress Mendes wouldn’t notice.
“Thank you! You’re a gem. You’ve already been so helpful.” The blond smiled with such sincerity that Briony felt guilty for initially refusing to help.
“’T-’Tis fine. Don’ worry about it.”
“Are you sure it won’t be too much for you?”
Briony hesitated, thinking of how she didn’t want to see Mr. Mendes again.Perhaps I could—Nay, I better do this. What if Dr. Sherwin’s threat about my job was real?
“’Tis nothing. Yer visitors here in Everton, and everyone in the village just wants yer stay to be a pleasant one,” Briony lied.
“Well, I doubt we could have been luckier in the place our ship ended up, then.”
Briony’s brow furrowed. “Speaking o’ that, why is yer ship here?”
Mistress Mendes’s eyes, which had been glancing out the window, zoomed back to Briony’s like an arrow. “We were on our way to Norway from our home in Portugal when the storm hit us. It was a business trip for my brother but a pleasure trip for me since I’ve never been there before. I must say it was the strangest storm I’ve ever seen. It appeared out of nowhere; there hadn’t been a cloud in sight. Then suddenly everyone was fighting to keep the ship from flipping over, and I was trying not to be swept away. I’ve never been more terrified in my life.”
“And was that how yer brother broke his leg?”
“Aye, one of the masts broke, and he was right underneath it. After all that happened, I’m honestly surprised he wasn’t hurt worse.”
“So you were on yer way to Norway? I’ve never been there either. What has yer brother told you about it?”
The woman paused for a moment, and Briony thought her face seemed a little paler than before. “He—”
But then someone appeared beside them, and whatever the woman had been about to say was lost.
“Good morneen, ladies. I don’ think we’ve been properly introduced. Mistress Fairborn, would you do the honors?” John Burgess stood by their chairs with a polite grin, looking to Briony expectantly.
Briony sprang to her feet. “O’ course, Mr. Burgess. Mistress Mendes, may I present Mr. John Burgess. And Mr. Burgess, this is Mistress—”
“Lucia, please. The pleasure is all mine,” she twittered.
“Charmed. I hope yer stay here is very restful and relaxing, fer both you and yer brother. My apologies fer his accident,” he said, his voice full of warmth.
Briony’s lips turned up at the corners. That was one of the things she liked about Mr. Burgess: he was incredibly kind. She was sure he knew of her illegitimacy, but for reasons she couldn’t fathom, he didn’t treat her differently for it.’Tis too bad he’ll have to go back home to Hollandstoun eventually. Everton needs more people like him.
“Thank you, sir.” Mistress Mendes’s smile was so large it looked painful.
“I’ll let you get back to yer discussion now. Excuse me.” Mr. Burgess nodded at both of them and went on his way.
Mistress Mendes stared at him as he walked away, releasing a small sigh once he disappeared down the corridor.
She turned back around with a giggle. “We should have come here sooner! I had no idea there were such handsome men in Scotland! Tell me, is he married?”
