Page 41 of The Secret of Drulea Cottage
“Capitão[18]Costa. Come!” He held out a hand.
She took it, noting how gentle he was as he led her up the now empty gangplank. Everyone else had scattered during their conversation, intent on pretending they’d neither heard nor seen anything amiss in the last few minutes.
Briony and the young sailor made their way to the room she’d been to before, which she now assumed to be the captain’s quarters. The man rapped on the door shortly before a sharp voice told them to enter.
The two of them went inside and found Costa sitting at his desk. Briony stepped forward purposefully, while the other man stayed behind her.
The captain’s features brightened once he realized who his guest was. “Senhorita Fairborn, what a surprise! Welcome!”
He rose from his seat and shook hands with her but pulled back when she winced in pain. “Are you injured, senhorita?”
“’Tis only a slight bruise,” she answered.
“And how did you come by it?” he queried.
Briony opened her mouth to respond, but the young sailor quickly shouted something in Portuguese.
Costa’s expression darkened. “Senhorita, did one of my men hurt your wrist?”
Briony nodded, which made the captain’s face turn even grimmer. He growled in Portuguese to the other sailor, who replied with something else before exiting the room. Briony wasn’t sure what it all meant, but she could tell the captain was furious. He said nothing for a couple of minutes and ran his hands over his face.
Just when she was starting to feel like she should leave and return later, he looked over to Briony and said, “I’m deeply sorry for what happened to you today. Adriano Rodriguez is seeing to it that the ones behind your mistreatment will be here shortly to receive discipline. I know that’s only a small consolation, and I cannot help but feel responsible for what happened. Senhorita, please accept my sincerest apologies.”
“Thank you. It did take me by surprise. I hope that none o’ the other women in town have had a similar experience,” she said, unable to keep a bit of resentment from her voice.
“I assure you I’ll make it very clear to the crew that this sort of behavior is unacceptable. This shall never happen again as long as I’m captain,” he promised. He appeared very firm in his resolve, so firm that it would have been easy to believe him.
Then why do I still feel so suspicious?
Bah, I’m being ridiculous. Just because he’s the captain does na mean I should blame him fer everything the crew does, right? A man’s character is na as easy to read as the pages o’ a book.
“Senhorita Fairborn?” Costa asked, drawing her attention back. “Is there anything else I can do to put your mind at ease? Perhaps it would be better to distract you from what happened; what was it that you originally came aboard for?”
She gazed at him blankly for a moment before she remembered. After checking to make sure they were alone, she said, “I’ll be fine, sir. I appreciate yer concern fer my well-being. I actually came here to continue our conversation this morneen…”
“Ah, you came to learn what ‘morta’ means. Even though Senhor Mendes does not want you to.”
Briony’s stomach tensed with guilt, but she wasn’t going to let that stop her from finding the truth. “Aye, you saidyouwould tell me.”
“That I did. But I must wonder where you heard such a word. It isn’t something people say in typical conversation.” He leaned back in his chair, and he almost seemed relaxed if not for the doubt twinkling in his hard eyes.
“I don’ see why ’tis any concern o’ yers. I simply wish to know its meaning,” she snapped.
“Now, now, senhorita. You came to me. The least you can do is be honest if you want honesty in return.” The man’s sardonic smile made Briony’s jaw clench.
She furrowed her brow as though considering where she might have heard it.There’s no way I’m going to tell him the truth.
“I fear I can’ recall. I must have overheard one o’ the sailors say it.”
Captain Costa’s smile widened, making Briony suppress a shiver. “Well, that truly is too bad. I would have wanted to speak with the person you heard it from sincemortameans ‘dead.’”
Briony’s blood ran cold.I’d thought ’twas something unpleasant, but I did na realize ’twould be this…
I can’ jump to conclusions. Maybe they were just talking about Santiago’s parents or the fact they almost died during the storm.
But why did Santiago react like that when I asked him what the word meant?
And Santiago and the captain don’ seem to be on good terms…
