A Courageous Heart by GRANT LANGLEY

Author:GRANT LANGLEY
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: 17th century, spain, madrid, historical fiction, exploration & discovery
Publisher: Grant Langley
Published: 2019-03-08T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

‘Sit down, Jabuti, you’re not making any sense,’ Don Diego said.

Jabuti had arrived at Andrea’s house in a state of high anxiety and agitation just moments earlier.

‘I... I don’t know what happened,’ Jabuti said just staring at the stone floor of the kitchen.

‘Get him a brandy will you, Esteban,’ Don Diego said. ‘Take a seat, Jabuti.’

Esteban quickly returned with the spirit, whereupon Jabuti snatched it from Esteban’s hand and swallowed it in one huge gulp.

Coming to his senses, he looked up and said, ‘He knew all about it.’

‘All about what?’ Don Diego said. ‘What on earth has happened?’

‘How I escaped from the sultan...’ Jabuti paused. ‘And he said that he knew Rodrigo was involved.’

‘Who? Slow down.’

‘Zineb.’

‘The Moor?’

Jabuti nodded.

‘But, how would he know that?’ Esteban said joining in. ‘I heard that Zineb has not set foot in Meknes in years.’

‘I thought I was safe here, but it seems like I can never escape from the sultan.’

‘You are safe, he is just one man.’

‘How did he find out?’ Don Diego said.

‘Walls have ears,’ Esteban said. Seeing a puzzled expression on Jabuti’s face, he explained, ‘It’s an expression. It means that there are always people listening.’

‘I see,’ Jabuti said. ‘Yes, that’s right. Zineb said that the soldiers from the palace began talking with his, and that’s how...’ Jabuti trailed off.

‘Don’t worry, we will think of something,’ Don Diego said.

‘He said that he would send news to the sultan of Rodrigo’s part in my escape,’ Jabuti said. ‘I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. After all...’ he started sobbing, and Esteban laid a comforting hand upon his shoulder. Through tear-filled eyes, Jabuti continued. ‘After all that we have been through, and what Rodrigo has done for me. He has given me so much comfort and strength through this difficult time. I was not going to let it happen.’

‘No, of course not,’ Don Diego said.

‘That’s why I had to kill him.’

‘What?’

A moment of shocked silence then ensued until Esteban asked, ‘Where is the body?’

‘It’s at the bottom of the cliff,’ Jabuti said gloomily.

‘Come with me, I might just have an idea.’

Jabuti followed Esteban out of the house, not sure of what they were about to do.

‘Why are you bringing that?’ Jabuti asked as Esteban held the brandy bottle which Jabuti had earlier drank of.

‘You will see.’

With dusk descending, Esteban knew that they would be safe from prying eyes. It would be highly unlikely that they would meet anyone on the outskirts of the city, away from any paths or roads. Eventually, they came to the spot, and Jabuti pointed to the bottom of the cliff to where Zineb’s body lay. Peering through the gloom, Esteban lifted the brandy bottle high above his head, taking careful aim. With one swift action, he sent the almost full bottle crashing to the ground just inches from Zineb’s lifeless body. Jabuti looked curiously at Esteban.

‘We both know that they do not drink alcohol in the land of the Moors, is that not so?’

Jabuti nodded but looked even more confused.

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