Because It Is My Blood (Birthright #2)(39)

“Ugh, Sophia. I wouldn’t like anyone on that girl’s recommendation. Why is this Anya person here for Christmas, Mama? Doesn’t she have any people of her own?” Isabelle asked.

“She is staying with us through the next harvest,” Luz said. “She is a very nice girl. Your siblings are fond of her. Give her a chance, my darling.”

At night, we went to Midnight Mass. The service was in Spanish, but otherwise, it wasn’t that different from being in New York.

Finally, it was Christmas morning, and we exchanged our gifts. Luna loved the paint set, as I knew she would. The thing I didn’t know about the Marquezes and Secret Santa was that everyone cheated and ended up buying gifts for one another anyway. Though I had only bought for Luna, I received gifts from all the Marquezes (except Isabelle, of course): a blank recipe book from the abuelas, a sun hat from Luz, a red skirt from Luna, and my favorite, a machete from Theo. The machete was lightweight, but still solid, and had ANYA B. carved into the brown leather–covered handle. “I did the carving myself,” Theo apologized. “I couldn’t fit your last name. And I’ll need to sharpen it before you use it the first time.” I kissed him on the cheek and told him it was perfect.

In the evening, Isabelle left to go back to Mexico City. “Well, I will probably not be seeing you ever again in my life,” Isabelle said just before she kissed me on both my cheeks. Those kisses felt like nothing so much as an order to leave. I wondered if enough time had passed that I could try to contact Simon Green.

All in all, it had been a beautiful Christmas. It was only at night in my bed that I began to feel lonely. Maybe I even cried a little, but if I did, it was very softly and I doubt that anyone heard.

*   *   *

The next morning, I decided to sleep in. I wasn’t needed in the orchard or anywhere else. I was still sleeping when Luna knocked on my door. “Anya, there’s a man downstairs who says he knows you.”

My heart started to beat violently in my chest. Could it be Win?

But then again, what if it was Win’s father? Or emissaries of Win’s father, come to take me back to Liberty?

“A young man or an old man?” I tried to control the quaver in my voice.

“Young. Definitely young,” she replied. “And very handsome.”

I threw on the red skirt Luna had gotten me for Christmas as I hadn’t bothered to put it away yet. I put on a white blouse and then a leather belt. I slipped my new machete into my belt, just in case, and then I threw a sweater on over that. I left my bedroom and went downstairs, loosely gripping the handle of my machete.

Yuji Ono stood by the door. Instead of his usual suit, he was wearing tan pants and a lightweight black sweater.

“Surprise!” Luna said.

I looked from Yuji to Luna. “You know Yuji?”

“Of course I do,” Luna said. “He was engaged to Cousin Sophia before she married someone else. Yuji said that the three of you went to school together. Though Anya must have been a class or two behind you, right, Yuji?”

“Or three even,” Yuji said. “Anya.” He examined me from head to toe, then he offered me his hand to shake. “You are looking well.”

I was grateful to see a familiar face. I pulled him in to me and I kissed him, though that wasn’t something the two of us usually did. I could feel him react to the handle of my machete as it pushed into his thigh, and I pulled away. “How long are you staying?” I asked.

“Two days at most. I am considering switching my cacao supplier, and I thought I should come here to see the Marquezes’ farms and factories before I made a decision. Though it is the day after Christmas, Ms. Marquez and her son were kind enough to meet with me this morning. I am an old friend of the family, as Luna mentioned, and I imposed upon the relationship, I am afraid. Imagine my surprise to find that my old classmate Anya Barnum was staying with the Marquezes.

“Theo said you might be good enough to give me a tour of the cacao orchard. He says you know nearly as much about the subject as he.”

“He flatters me,” I demurred. “I’m barely a beginner.”

We left Luna back at the house, and I led Yuji into the cacao orchard.

“I told you I would come,” he whispered.

“School friends, eh?”

“It seemed the simplest explanation.”

“How is everyone?” I asked. “I haven’t heard anything!”

“More of that soon, Anya. I’ve brought you a Christmas present, one I think you will most like.”

I didn’t care about Christmas presents. I just wanted news.

“How is my sister?”

“Well, as far as I know.”

“And my brother?”

“He”—Yuji paused—“is good.”

“You hesitated. Why?”

“There’s a story, Anya. I will tell it to you in a moment. But Leo is not in danger, if that’s what you fear.”

“Is something the matter with Leo?” I could see no one in the orchard and so I felt safe to yell.

“Your brother, it seems, has fallen in love.”

Leo was supposed to be staying with monks. Who could he have fallen in love with there? “Who is she, Yuji?”

“She is no one. A fishing-village girl, I’m told. The family is not opposed to the match if the relationship should progress.”