The beaches of Marinduque were breathtaking, no matter where you found yourself on the island. We picked a spot in Buenavista, not too far from town, and it was every bit as beautiful as Pedro's seaside residence.
I could imagine building a summer house there—maybe a hundred meters from the shore, where the ground wasn't yet soft sand. A modest cottage closer to the water, a hammock strung between two trees. It wouldn't be hard to acquire the land. Property here was cheap… especially considering the kind of wealth I now commanded.
But the view was ruined by the stench of blood and the noise of a gathered crowd.
