Page 36 of The Secret of Drulea Cottage
He didn’t bother turning around, but he shouted back, “You never have believed in fairy tales!”
Briony ran her fingers through her dark hair. “Humph! What a loon… And here I thought I could get a sensible answer out o’ him. Perhaps I’m as mad as he is.”
She stood pondering the fisherman’s words, for something was pricking at the back of her consciousness, something important.
But then she spotted Lady Oliver coming up the road! Three female servants scuttled behind her, doing their best to keep up despite the heavy bundles they carried.
The horrid woman hadn’t noticed Briony yet, so the young midwife ducked into Dr. Sherwin’s house before that changed.
The doctor was his usual terse self when she entered, though he did seem a little surprised to see her so early. Still, he didn’t comment on it and merely sipped his tea without even greeting her.
“How much longer do you think ’twill be before Sa—Mr. Mendes can do any walking on his own?” Briony asked once she had written her note about his status.
Dr. Sherwin made eye contact with her over his teacup for a flash of a second before looking away. He grabbed her notes and checked over them.
Just when Briony was starting to think he wouldn’t answer her, he said, “From what you’ve written, he seems to be ready now. Only fer a few minutes at first, mind you, to see how he does. If there are any issues, let me know immediately. Otherwise, report back to me two days hence. Now, I have to be going; Mr. Levins thinks he must be dying because he’s had a cough fer three whole days. I better na keep him waiting.”
Briony chuckled. “If ’tis na that, he’s surely dying from the pain in his knee, you know. You may have to check that too.”
A ghost of a smile played at Dr. Sherwin’s mouth as he looked at the young midwife. As quickly as it appeared, though, it vanished without a trace, and the man’s stony visage reemerged. “You better get going, then, too so I can lock up. I won’ let myself fall behind because you got in the way.”
Briony was so shocked by the tiny hint of amity that she just nodded and shuffled out. She watched the doctor march off, not quite believing that the man had almost smiled at her.In all my life, he has never shown me anything but contempt.
Maybe his opinion has changed because I’ve been helping him.She shrugged at the thought and decided to go chat with Adaira a bit before she braved her walk with Santiago.
When she arrived at the inn, she spotted a raven atop the roof. While Mr. McLaren had been right that Briony wasn’t superstitious, his words today had rattled her. She couldn’t help but think back to the raven she had seen just before she lost her mother. This raven was much larger than that one, and noisier too, as it called out in its signature “kraa” several times.
As it turned its beady eyes on her, Briony’s stomach dropped. People said fairy women called banshees could take the forms of ravens and that their cries were harbingers of death. At that moment, the raven’s gaze made Briony start to wonder if there could be some truth behind the tale. She found herself entranced by its stare, too terrified to look away.
Movement at the inn’s entrance drew Briony’s attention, breaking the spell. Unfortunately, she was already so shaken up by seeing the raven that she didn’t notice the stick near her foot until she had slipped and fallen forward onto her face.
“Mistress Briony!” yelled a high voice. Soon Fergus appeared at her side. His tiny hands tugged at her arm in an attempt to help her up.
Briony smiled as she stood, conscious of loud flapping as the raven flew off. “Thank you, Fergus! I’m so glad to have someone as strong as you to help me. Yer going to make a fine husband someday.”
The praise was like magic on Fergus, and the boy started practically bursting with pride.
“Fergus? Where are you?”
“Here I am, Mum! Mistress Briony fell and needed someone s-strong like me to help her up!” he boasted. He still stumbled over his words sometimes, which only made him all the more endearing to Briony.
Penelope McGuff emerged from Everton Inn with her typical frown in place. She took a quick look at Briony and then set her eyes on her son.
“Well, she’s obviously up now, so you need to start heading back to the house this minute, or there’ll be no dessert after supper tonight,” she threatened.
Fergus gasped and sprinted up the hill with all his might.
Penelope shifted her attention back to the midwife. “I shall have you know, Briony, I’ve always wondered about you. Yer mother was very secretive about yer family. On many occasions, I tried to get her to tell me who yer father was, but she would never admit to anything. Now, I’m na going to say that you can’ be around my Fergus at all, but he’s a wee bit too familiar with you. He’s na old enough to realize whose company is best to keep. Until that happens, don’ be so friendly with him.”
The older woman didn’t even wait for a reply before walking back toward her house. She wouldn’t have gotten one anyway, since Briony was too caught off guard by the announcement to react at first.
Once she took it in, though, Briony kicked at the dirt in frustration.Why do I feel surprised? This is the way things have always been. ’Twas stupid o’ me to think Dr. Sherwin was warming up to me. Mrs. McGuff’s words were the wake-up call I needed; no matter how hard I try, I’m never going to be accepted. I’m na meant fer anything more than a lonely and disgraceful existence.
And that’s why I can never tell Santiago how I truly feel. Aye, we’re friends, but that’s as far as it can go. Anything beyond that will only lead to heartbreak.
Soon Briony arrived at Santiago’s room and lifted a trembling hand. She could hear a muffled conversation inside the room, but it halted as soon as she knocked. The door jerked open, Captain Costa on the other side.
“Ah, senhorita! What a pleasure to see you again.” His dark eyes were friendly, and a smile graced his face.
