Page 120 of The Secret of Drulea Cottage

Briony shut her eyes, though she wished she could shut her ears from this nonsense.How can Adaira believe I’m capable o’ such a thing?

“‘Twas na I who killed him! ’Twas Niall.”

“What?! Niall? Briony, I-I’m sorry. I suppose I should have known ’twas na you…”

“Do you know what helped me get through all the abuse over the years? What kept me from losing my mind? ’Twas having you as my friend!” Briony opened her eyes and sent Adaira a withering glare.

The other woman’s mouth opened and closed like a fish’s for a few seconds, regret all over her face. “I—”

“Leave, Adaira. I… I need to be alone.”

Adaira rose, her eyes full of tears. She drew in a breath to say more but then thought better of it and fled the room. Briony hated to let her go like that, but this was too much to take in. She needed a little time to work out her feelings; otherwise, she was sure she would say something she would regret.

About an hour later, she heard the door creak open. “Adaira, I told you I needed to be alone.”

“Ah, how unfortunate, then, since I need to speak to you,” said a heavily accented voice.

Briony’s skin prickled in recognition, and her tiny room instantly felt twice as small. She mentally kicked herself for sending Adaira away; facing this man by herself was the last thing she wanted to do right then.

“What could you possibly have to say to me, Comodoro?” Briony said with bluster to hide how vulnerable she felt.

But the commodore seemed all too aware of Briony’s fear. He slinked into the room, shutting the door behind himself. He stepped closer and closer until he was right next to her. A smile broke over his weathered face, though its presence brought her no comfort. “Where is he?”

“Where is who?”

“Now, don’t pretend. You know exactly who I’m talking about!” He stroked Briony’s hair, his fingers lingering and rough. “None of the other villagers will tell me anything, but I think you know where he was headed.”

“I have no ide—”

Suddenly, the door opened and Adaira stepped inside. Her face was red from crying. “Briony, I know you don’ want to see me, but you need to—”

She gasped when she saw the commodore at Briony’s side. “What are you doing?!”

In a flash, Cardoso had a knife at Briony’s throat. “Ah, a friend. How lucky! Perhaps you can tell me something since Senhorita Fairborn is rather forgetful.Where is Santiago Mendes?”

Adaira’s eyes flickered from the commodore to Briony. Briony shook her head, but then Cardoso gripped the back of her neck and held it still.

“He said he was going to Norway! Please don’ hurt her,” Adaira squealed.

“There’s no guarantee he’s still going there! That was his plan before you showed up. He could be going anywhere now!” Briony blurted.

But Cardoso wasn’t fooled; he raised an eyebrow at her and squeezed her neck to make her stop talking. “Norway, hmm?” He chuckled. “Well, we better get going, then.”

Adaira cringed. “We?”

The commodore waved the knife at her dismissively. “Not you!You’renot important. And you’re not going to help me make sure Senhor Mendes doesn’t run away again.”

He looked down at Briony with a devious grin. “Considering the fact it wasmyship’s doctor who saved your life, I’d say you owe me this much. Wouldn’t you?”

He’s taking me…to Santiago?Part of Briony was elated at this turn of events, but she couldn’t have asked for a less ideal way to be reunited with her green-eyed merchant.

“But she’s recovering from a gunshot! She needs rest and…,” Adaira tried to argue, but the commodore gave her a hard look.

“Not to worry about your friend! She’ll have my doctor to attend to her; so as long as shebehaves, she’ll recover just fine. Do you think you can do that, senhorita?” Cardoso removed his hand from Briony’s neck, but he still held the knife as a reminder that it would be in her best interest to agree to his terms.

Briony held back a growl, hating to feel so powerless. But then a new thought came to her.I’m na powerless, am I?

Without warning, a bolt of lightning crackled outside, making everyone but Briony jump and turn to the window. Adaira turned back and frowned at Briony, but Briony just shrugged her shoulders. The commodore, on the other hand, seemed almost petrified at what could be the start of another storm.