Page 81 of The Secret of Drulea Cottage

“Santiago, please. Who are those people?”

Finally, Santiago seemed to hear her. He looked her deeply in the eyes and said, “Do you trust me?”

“O-O’ course I do. But, Santiago, yer frightening me.”

The man’s mouth tightened, and he grabbed hold of her hand. “We have to leave.Now.”

And then they were tearing out of the house, racing down the hill as quickly as Santiago’s leg could handle. Briony didn’t know where they were going, but a small part of her was glad she’d been interrupted from what she’d been about to say.I don’ know who those people are, but perhaps ’tis better na to tell Santiago the truth right now.

But Santiago’s gaze kept sliding back to the ship until Briony’s anxiety became almost unbearable. All the things he wasn’t saying with his words were loud and clear through his body language: the way he held her hand so tightly as though she would slip away, the way his brow held a deep line of worry, the way his feet pounded against the ground as they moved.

I don’ know how ’twould be possible, but I almost feel like what we’re trying to avoid might be worse than Santiago’s rejection.

The two of them skidded to a stop in front of Everton Inn, and Santiago turned to her. “Briony, stay here while I get my sister.”

“But, Santiago, I don’ know what’s going on! What are we doing? Why do you have to get Lucia?”

Santiago huffed. “You said you trust me. Just wait here, and I’ll explain afterward. There’s no time.”

“I—All right.” Briony nodded.

Santiago nodded back and rushed inside, not bothering to shut the door in his haste.

Briony watched the entrance and tapped her foot for a few minutes until she heard shoes hitting the ground. Lots of shoes.

She turned to the noise and gaped at the sight of ten uniformed men marching up the path. Their eyes possessed no warmth, and they carried guns against their shoulders.

Briony’s first instinct was to flee, but when she stepped backward, one of the men shouted, “Stop!”

Briony halted at the intimidating voice. The men all stopped at attention about thirty feet from her, save for the one who had spoken. This man looked to be in his early fifties with graying hair and a stocky frame. The commanding air about him told her instantly that he was the one in charge.

“Senhorita, we seek Senhor Mendes on behalf of the Portuguese government. Do you know where he is?”

Briony tried to speak, but she found her tongue paralyzed. These men looked like they would shoot her without any restraint. There was a hardness about them that was almost inhuman.As if I know what it means to be human.

“Senhorita, this is a matter of grave urgency. Do you know Senhor Mendes?” The man’s voice was colder than the dead of winter. His brown eyes sized her up, spending an uncomfortable amount of time on her womanly features.

Briony looked away, shocked at the man’s shameless indecency. Soon, though, that shock gave way to indignation, and she replied, “Sir, I don’ know you, and you’ve given me no good reason to help you.”

“What was that? Are you saying you know but you’re not going to tell me? Do you have any idea what I could have done to you for withholding information? I’ll ask you one last time, and I hope you’re smart enough to answer.Where is Santiago Mendes?” Briony looked back at the man just as the veins on both sides of his neck grew more pronounced.

Briony gulped, but she held her ground and focused on her own anger instead. This man’s arrogance demanded rebellion, and she would gladly give it.

When it became clear she wasn’t going to say more, Cardoso turned to one of the other men. “Alves!”

The man in question stepped up to Briony and gripped her wrist. Hard.

Cardoso smirked when Briony winced in pain. “Now, senhorita, let’s try again. Where is Senhor Mendes?”

“Right here.And why does that matter?” Santiago shouted, appearing behind Briony at the inn’s entrance. Lucia stepped out from behind him, as skittish as a rabbit caught in a trapper’s snare.

“Ah, just the man I was looking for.”

“What is this all about?”

Santiago sounds as if he does na have any idea why these men are here, yet he did na seem that way a few minutes ago when he went to get his sister.

Other people inside Everton Inn trickled out to see what all the commotion was about. Briony could see Adaira, Mr. Burgess and his son, and some of the other sailors from Santiago’s ship.