Saving Miss Everly by Britton Sally

Saving Miss Everly by Britton Sally

Author:Britton, Sally
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Blue Water Books
Published: 2019-11-02T16:00:00+00:00


* * *

Though he was not as intimately acquainted with Miss Everly as he wished, Alejandro read the expression she wore with ease. Her lips were pale, as he imagined the rest of her would be was she not sunburnt, and her eyes were round. Something had frightened her, and given the lack of a similar emotion on the face of her companion, Alejandro drew his conclusion.

When the woman sought out the married couple instead of her young friend, that further drove the idea into his head. What was the nature of the relationship between Miss Everly and Carlbury? The man acted as though he had a right to stand near her, to speak for her. The strong-willed woman continually made her own decisions, yet she never directly rebuffed him.

No one else seemed concerned with the two of them spending time together. It wasn’t Alejandro’s business to worry over Miss Everly’s relationships with the others. Not at all. And he’d been forced into the life of a recluse for over a year. He knew nothing about the connections of the people around him, and almost nothing of people in general. At least it felt that way.

The professor tottered over, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows and wearing no shoes or stockings, though he had retained both in the wreck. The older man lowered himself with a grunt onto the grass next to Alejandro. “What are you making, sir?”

“A basket.” One would think that was evident enough. Alejandro held it toward the man for his inspection. “More mouths to feed means more food to gather and store. This will help.”

“Sound thinking, to be certain.” The professor huffed and scratched at his temple. “I am having a blasted time here, Córdoba. Have you seen any plants that might make a fair stand-in for tobacco?”

Alejandro studied the sallow look of the man’s face, the deep circles under his eyes, and then watched the man’s trembling fingers go back to his leg. “No. Not as such. Though I imagine if you take one of the doctor’s herbal creations, it will help. You smoked a great deal before, sí?”

“Sí.” The professor plucked at a bit of a grass and put the end of it in his mouth. “I’ve never been so long without a pipe. I even enjoyed a cigarro, once. Have you had them?”

The manner Spaniards had of rolling tobacco in leaves or paper to smoke had fascinated him as a boy. “My father said they would make me cough. They were not considered appropriate for a man of my standing.” Alejandro shrugged. “But I tried one. Once. My father was right.”

The professor laughed and then started coughing himself. Alejandro reached for the new cup he’d made and dipped it into the water pail, then offered it to the older man.

“Thank you,” he wheezed, then threw back the entirety of the cup’s contents. “Ah. Water. I cannot say I have ever liked the stuff. Give me coffee before water, rum before coffee, and bourbon above all.



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