Counterfeit Bride(18)

When the meal was over, he excused himself abruptly and left the room,  and after a moment Dona Isabella rose too, followed by Pilar, leaving  Nicola sitting alone at the big rectangular table.

She bit her lip as the door closed behind them, but reminded herself  that she could have expected little else. She was unwelcome here, an  interloper, and if it was any consolation Teresita would probably have  fared little better,

Eventually Carlos had found her loitering rather uncertainly in the  hall, and had installed her with a certain amount of ceremony on the  shaded terrace which encircled the courtyard.

But I can't sit here for ever, she thought. There must be something I can do.

She looked across to the archway. The stables were through there  somewhere, and she supposed there would be no real objection to her  visiting them, exploring a little on her own account. She rose, and  moved slowly and languidly along the terrace to the archway. It was as  she had thought. She could see other buildings, rather less impressive  than the hacienda itself, and in the distance she could hear a vague hum  of voices, and an occasional shrill laugh. She thought she could also  hear the faint strum of a guitar, but perhaps that was her imagination.                       
       
           



       

She pushed open the gate and walked through, half expecting to be  intercepted and sent back where she belonged, but if anyone had observed  her arrival they gave no sign, and she wandered on without  interference.

The kitchens seemed to be a separate wing altogether, she thought, her  nose wrinkling appreciatively at the appetising aromas drifting towards  her. Everyone would be far too busy preparing the massive midday meal to  worry about her.

She crossed another courtyard and turned a corner, her eyes widening as  she came upon what seemed to be a small village street lined with  single-storey cabins. Washing dried in the sun, and a group of small  children played in the dust-some complicated and absorbing game with  flat stones she noted as she passed.

She smiled, and said, 'Buenos dias,' but they gaped at her in silence, clearly disconcerted by her appearance among them.

Nicola walked on slowly. Two separate communities, she thought,  occupying the same limited space, and totally interdependent. Don Luis  appeared to look after his workers well, she admitted grudgingly. The  cabins were well built and properly maintained and there was a feeling  of tranquillity pervading the entire street.

When she reached the end, she paused, uncertain which way to take next. A  dog, lying in the shadow of a wall, lifted its head and barked with the  air of an animal prepared to go through the motions, and no more.

Nicola grinned to herself. 'Love and peace, man,' she said half under  her breath. She paused and looked around her, shading her eyes with her  hand. Over to the right, she could see cultivated land, streaked with  irrigation channels, and men working there, so she turned left instead,  and found herself in yet another courtyard surrounded by stable  buildings. Ramon was there, talking to a small squat man in a  broad-brimmed hat. He broke off as he caught sight of her and came  across immediately.

'Señorita-Nicola. What are you doing here? Is Luis not with you?'

'I decided to take a look round,' she said, evading the question. 'Isn't it permitted.'

He smiled. 'Of course-this is your home. Perhaps if we can persuade you to like it, then Luis would spend more time here.'

She said drily, 'Please don't overestimate my influence with your cousin.'

Ramon laughed. 'How could I?' He paused, sobering a little. 'Perhaps I  should explain. Luis loves La Mariposa and always has done, but in  recent years he has spent less and less time here-and not altogether  because of his business commitments.' He hesitated. 'It is difficult for  me to say this, but Madrecita-my mother and Luis have not  always--agreed as I would wish. He is good to her, of course. For years  she has been the mistress here, but now that he is to marry all that  will change.' He grimaced slightly. 'If--if there was anything-lacking  in her welcome, perhaps you can understand. And also she had certain  plans of her own . ..'

'She wanted Luis to marry Pilar,' Nicola translated, and he looked embarrassed.

'She did. It was nonsense, of course. Luis had never given any  indication-and Pilar herself would never have thought-except . . .'

He paused again, and Nicola prompted, 'Except?'

Ramon sighed. 'Why should you not know? My sister is young and  impressionable. A year ago she formed- an attachment for a man, but it  was unsuitable, and she was told to think no more of him. At the same  time, my mother began to suggest . . .' He shrugged- 'I am sure I need  say no more.'

Nicola said ruefully, 'I see.' Poor Pilar, she thought. A double loser. No wonder she had sensed that white-hot resentment!

'Do you think she was-in love with Luis?' she asked.

'I doubt it,' he said. 'He never gave her the least encouragement. I  think she was-prepared to be in love with love, for the sake of being  mistress of-all this.' He spread his arms wide. 'Not that this is all of  it, by any means, as you must know.'

'I know very little,' Nicola confessed. 'Only what Teresita told me.'

'Ah yes. From what Luis told me, I understand you shared an apartment with her.' He smiled reminiscently. 'A sweet child.'

'She spoke well of you too.'

'She did?' He seemed pleased. 'And yet she can have little reason to  remember this place or any of us with much pleasure. Her visit was a  disaster. She was frightened of horses, and Luis, thinking to please  her, took her up on his saddle. Ay de mi!' He gave a groan. 'First she  cried and screamed, then she was sick.'

'How clever of her/ Nicola said acidly. 'I wish I'd tried the same thing myself.'

Ramon gave her a puzzled look. 'You too are afraid of horses? That is sad-Luis is an expert horseman.'

'I've ridden since childhood.'

He beamed at her. 'Then that will please him greatly.'

Nicola bit her lip. 'Pleasing your cousin is not the sole object of my life.'

His smile vanished altogether. 'But as his wife . . .'                       
       
           



       

'We're not married yet,' Nicola said tautly.

'But you will be. Luis is a man of his word.'

'And that's all that matters? Don't my wishes come into this?'

'I had assumed that in this your wishes would coincide with his.' Ramon  looked embarrassed. 'You must consider, Nicola, the circumstances of  your meeting-all that has happened since.' He paused. 'When Luis  telephoned me to say that you had taken Teresita's place, it was clear  he had-certain intentions towards you.'

She felt slow colour rising in her face. She strove to make her voice casual. 'But not marriage?'

'No-not then. But something clearly has happened to change his mind and ...'

'Nothing has happened,' she interrupted. 'For heaven's sake, it isn't a  question of honour-his, mine or anyone else's. You must believe me.'

'It is not my affair,' he said flatly. 'I should not have spoken at all.  Forgive me. You came to see the horses. Will you permit me to show them  to you? There is, alas, only one suitable for a woman to ride and that  belongs to my sister Pilar.' He added without any real conviction, 'I am  sure she would be happy to lend her to you if you wished.'

Nicola took pity on him. 'If I want to go riding, then I'll ask her.  What I'd really like is to have a look around the hacienda. It's so old  that I'm sure it must have a fascinating history.'

'Oh, it has.' Ramon cheered up perceptibly. 'I would be happy to escort you-perhaps later, after luncheon?'

She smiled and nodded before turning away. For a moment it had occurred  to her that it might be possible to enlist Ramon's support in getting  away from here, but she had already thought better of that idea. Ramon  was his cousin's man to the last degree. It had been apparent in every  word, every inflection in his voice. There was no help for her there- or  anywhere else, for that matter.

Ramon obviously thought she was a very fortunate lady, she told herself  wryly as she made her way slowly back to the house. He thought Luis had  seduced her either on the way here or the previous night, and was making  honourable amends. She remembered Dona Isabella's gimlet stare and  grimaced.

Maria was hovering on the terrace when she returned. 'The Señor Don Luis  has instructed me to make alterations in some of your dresses,  señorita. If you would come upstairs and show me those you wish me to  begin on.'

The girl sounded a little subdued, and Nicola wondered with a pang  whether she had been told off for not taking better care of her new  mistress. She could hardly explain that she just wasn't used to having a  maid. But it was a fact that she could use Maria's services. She was no  hand with a needle, and never had been, and it was no fun walking round  in clothes which patently didn't fit her even as a gesture of defiance.