Page 95 of The Secret of Drulea Cottage
“Wh-Where am I? Are the bairns safe?”
Briony turned to Mrs. McGuff, glad to see the woman had woken. “Mistress McGuff, ’tis Briony Fairborn. We’re safe, but I did na see Fergus or Hannah in the house.”
“I got them out the window and told them to run as fast as they could toward the tavern. Donal was meeting up with some friends there. I tried to follow them, but I—Briony Fairborn?” The woman’s eyes widened as she realized whom she was talking to. “Did you…save me?”
The woman’s disbelief was almost humorous, though it hurt Briony’s heart at the same time. She set her mouth in a firm line and said to the older woman, “I know ’tis hard to believe someone like me would do that, but aye, I did. And I would do it again fer anyone in this town, even if only a few would do it fer me.”
Briony rose to her feet, confident that Mrs. McGuff and her home would both be all right now. She turned to leave when she felt a hand on her arm.
She looked back into Penelope’s big brown eyes, shocked at the softness within them. “Briony, I-I’m sorry.”
Briony didn’t need to be told what the woman was referring to; Mrs. McGuff’s tone and countenance made it clear she was apologizing for much more than just this moment.
Many spiteful words threatened to spew from Briony’s mouth, but she held her tongue. She knew Mrs. McGuff was hoping for forgiveness, but silence was all Briony could give.
Now is na the time fer words anyway. Na when the rest o’ the town still needs me.
Briony proceeded down the hill, hoping against hope that Fergus and Hannah were safe with their father. She wanted to go to the tavern, but the inn was nearer and she had to check on Adaira.If anything has happened to her, I’m going to kill Niall myself, sealskin or no sealskin.
When Briony got to Everton Inn, she was glad to find Adaira and William huddled at the entrance, shaken up but unharmed. Adaira shouted when she spotted her friend, “Briony! Come inside, quickly! ’Tis too dangerous out there!”
She grasped Briony’s hands and pulled her under cover, nearly wrenching Briony’s arm from the socket. Adaira drew her into an embrace and sobbed upon her shoulder. At first, Briony thought the woman was just relieved to see her, but the way Adaira clung to her made Briony wonder—
“Adaira, where’s Mr. Burgess?”
But the innkeeper’s daughter was too hysterical to say anything; she just continued to blubber and lean on Briony as if she lacked the strength to stand on her own. The midwife looked instead to William to see how he was faring and was glad the boy didn’t appear nearly as upset.
“He’s down at the tailor shop, trying to put out the fire,” William explained.
“Then why…” Briony grabbed Adaira’s shoulders and leaned her back far enough to look her in the eye. “Adaira,what happened?”
Adaira tried to pull herself together, but it was only between sniffles that she was able to say, “M-My…father. He’s gone. He’s just gone.”
“What? How?”
Adaira shook her head, too distressed to say more. She fell back into Briony’s arms and began to moan.
A sudden tap on her arm drew Briony’s focus back to young William. “I saw what happened, Mistress Briony! ’Twas the scariest thing I’ve ever seen! Mr. Stubbins was coming up to the inn, and this giant bolt o’ lightning just fell right on him! Da’ and I got him to his bed, but he was already dead by the time we put him down. I did na realize how powerful someo—somethingcould be!”
Adaira wailed louder at the child’s words, making William clam up as he realized how insensitive he sounded. At least Briony hoped he realized it after she glared at him with a look sour enough to curdle milk.
Briony slowly pushed Adaira back into a normal standing position and stepped out of her friend’s embrace. “I’m so glad yer both all right. I’m really sorry about yer father, Adaira, and I know you’ll hate me fer this, but I can’ stay.”
Adaira looked at Briony as if the words weren’t registering in her brain. “What?”
Briony sighed before turning to William and patting the boy’s shoulder. “Look after her until yer father gets back, aye?”
William puffed out his chest and frowned indignantly. “That’s what I was doing! Da’ told me na to let her out o’ my sight. Right before he kissed her… Blech!”
William’s disgust amid such dire circumstances made Briony chuckle. “Yer doing a splendid job, William. Just keep at it, then.”
William grinned at her and nodded. He clasped Adaira’s hand with all the love of a boy looking after his mother, and Briony saw Adaira’s face brighten a little.If we get out o’ this alive, ’twill na be long before they’re truly family.
Briony was just about to run back out into the rain when Adaira came to her senses and grabbed Briony with her free hand. “Briony Fairborn, you better na be thinking o’ going back out there in this. There’s something unnatural about this storm. If you leave now, I may never see you again!”
Briony stared at her sweet longtime friend, fully aware of how accurate those words were. “Yer absolutely right. This storm is as far from natural as it could get, but if I don’ go, more people are going to get hurt.”
Adaira opened her mouth, and Briony could already see the question in the woman’s eyes, but Briony spoke again. “I’ll explain more later, but I have to gonow.”
