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I laughed and followed her downstairs into the courtyard where men and boys were setting out benches and hauling in barrels, and women and girls were cooking. Aunty Djeneba ran not only a lodging house but an eating and drinking establishment as well, the sort of place people, mostly men, came to relax after a day’s hot work. The low-hanging sun peeking out from a tumult of clouds gave the light a muted glow.
In the outdoor kitchen, Aunty Djeneba greeted me by looking me over. “Yee stay quiet this evening. Tomorrow we shall talk. Here come Vai.”
He had wood shavings caught in his hair, and a residue of sawdust streaked his bare arms. He gave me a long, searching look, which I endured by drawing out my locket and playing with it. “You look like you feel better.”
“I slept all day.” I wanted to say more, but my tongue had turned to stone.
“You know, Aunty,” he said, “I need to go out to the Moonday gathering, if I can.”
“I shall see she come to no harm.”
“What gathering?” I asked.
“I’ll take you another time. If you’ll excuse me. I’ll just stow this in my room.” He had a canvas apron slung over his back with tools tucked into sewn compartments. He hurried upstairs, and when he came down, his friends, including Kofi, had appeared at the gate. They stared curiously at me but did not approach, and they left with Vai.
“I reckon yee shall be most comfortable by Aunty Brigid,” said Aunty.
I crept to the sling chair in the shelter behind the kitchen, next to the toothless old woman who smiled and spoke no word. There were always at least two children hovering, anxious to fetch me juice. I was not hungry, but I could have drunk the sea and then some.
Kayleigh came in as night fell, wearing a pretty pagne, her locks brightened with ribbons. She looked exactly as she had last year: tall, robust, and if not as stunning as her brother, still she was a good-looking young woman, one who had not fully left girlhood behind. As she came closer the lines of weariness on her face became evident.
After a hesitation, she came over. “Cat Barahal. You must be feeling better.” She mopped her brow with a scrap of cloth. “Vai went out. He’d not have if he thought you were sick.”
Lucretia appeared with a cup of the cloudy ginger beer everyone here drank. “I hear a rumor the general came back today.”
Kayleigh accepted the cup with a grateful smile. “He is still in Taino country.”
“Me father said the cacica would kick him out when he came a-courting.”
“Your father is Roman, Luce. He sees the general as the enemy. Word at Warden Hall is that the cacica and the general are negotiating. That has made the Council very nervous.”
“Do you mean Camjiata?” I asked. “This cacica, would that be Prince Caonabo’s mother?”
Both girls looked at me as if I had sprouted wings and a third eye.
Kayleigh drained the cup and handed it to Lucretia. “I’ll go wash up.” She strode off.
“Have I done something to offend her?”
“Never mind she,” said Lucretia. “She do work very hard at Warden Hall.”
“What is Warden Hall?”
“Ja, maku! Yee know nothing! The wardens keep order in Expedition and enforce the law.”
I could not help but think that working as a servant at Warden Hall would be a cursed good way to eavesdrop on delicate conversations.
“So I’s just saying,” Lucretia went on, “that she is nice. Truly. Not so charming as she brother, but…I mean, all they women come around all the time. Yet he never look twice at any! Being he sister, she always that one who count with him. And now here yee come.”
“Washed up on shore like a three-days-dead fish.”
She giggled. “Yee’s so funny.”
I went back up to the room with a candle. Kayleigh had fallen asleep on the other cot, which meant I had slept on Vai’s cot last night. Tomorrow we would obviously have to discuss other sleeping arrangements. I slept soundly. When I woke the next morning, Kayleigh was gone. I didn’t know where Vai had slept.
The courtyard had a calm beauty in the soft light.
“Where are all the children?” I asked Aunty Djeneba, who was grating the white root called cassava. “Where is Lucretia?”
