Page 74 of The Secret of Drulea Cottage

“You know what happened last night?”

“O’ course! I’m so glad you finally figured out the truth about yerself, lass. ’Twas na something fer me to just tell you, you know. You needed to discover it on yer own; otherwise, you never would have believed me.”

“Then I am a selkie?” Briony whispered. She searched his eyes, looking for any shred of doubt within them.

But there was none.

The fisherman put a hand on her shoulder. “Aye, lass. That you are. I just wish you’d kept a handle on yerself a wee bit better. Someone must have really upset you.”

“What? Mr. McLaren, I did na cause the storm last night.”

“What are you talking about? It must have been you. I’ve seen plenty o’ storms in my life, and I know an unnatural one when I see it.”

Briony shook her head. “Nay, ’twas na me. ’Twas another selkie. He’s the one who told me what I am.”

Mr. McLaren’s eyes widened, and his hand dropped to his side. “That can’ be.”

She didn’t say anything and just let him sort out her words. Raw fear spread across the man’s face, and Briony could tell he was trying desperately not to believe her.

“They left years ago… There’s na been any sign o’ them since—”

Something changed on Mr. McLaren’s face. A strong resolve pushed back his fear until all that was left of it was a tiny tremor in his hands. “You should have come to me sooner. Then we would have had more time.”

“Time? Niall did na say anything about time.”

“Sohe’sthe one who told you, then? I should have known. He did seem a wee bit off. Can’ do anything about that now though. Can only plan fer the future. And if a selkie has returned, then he’s out fer blood.”

“What? Why?”

It was then that Mr. McLaren’s expression turned regretful.

“Because I killed one o’ them.”

At that moment, it was as if time stood completely still. Everything else faded from Briony’s mind, faded from reality itself.

“Y-You…what?”

“‘Twas many years ago now. You may na even remember that day on the beach when the seal attacked Alastair—”

“Oh, I remember,” Briony growled.I definitely remember. And I will never forget again.

Vincent McLaren killed my father.

Briony stared at the fisherman with new eyes.Where is the mad but harmless man I’ve known all my life? The man who wove fantastic and unbelievable tales to me as a bairn? The man who never disdained me fer who I am? And fer what I am.

She couldn’t reconcile her image of Mr. McLaren with his words.How could he be the man who…murdered my father? Was Niall right to judge Everton so harshly?

She went back to that day in her mind, trying not to let the painful memories overwhelm her again. I want to believe Mr. McLaren is a good person and that he did na intend to kill the seal—

But all I can think o’ is that awful cry as his knife drove into my father’s skin. The father I never got the chance to know.

The other men were no better, fer they encouraged the slaughter. They wanted to make sure my father was dead.

How much did he suffer that day at Everton’s hands?

Briony narrowed her eyes. “How could you do it?”

Mr. McLaren’s face lost all its color. He took a step away from her and raised his hands defensively. “I was trying to save the boy. He attacked Alastair…”