Counterfeit Bride(30)

She made a little sound halfway between a sigh and a groan. Was she the  only one at the hacienda who saw what was going on, and drew conclusions  from it? Ramon, of course, was too busy, leaving the hacienda after an  early breakfast, and often not returning until late in the day. But  didn't Dona Isabella ever wonder where her daughter got to?

Each day since Luis' departure, Pilar had taken her horse and vanished  for several hours at a time. Nicola had tried to follow more than once,  but each time she had lost the trail, even though she suspected she now  knew where Pilar headed each time.

Nor had it been easy, getting rid of her own assiduous escort, but she  had managed it by saying mendaciously that she was going to meet Don  Ramon. There had been some raised eyebrows and subdued mutterings in the  stables, but she had been allowed to take Estrella and ride off  unhindered. What would happen if Juan Hernandez ever checked out her  story with Ramon, she chose not to think about.

She supposed she was a fool even to consider trying to help Pilar after  everything that had passed between them, but she was doing it for Luis'  sake, she thought, and that changed everything. He would be angry if he  ever thought she had stood idly by and watched his young cousin ruin her  life, as she seemed likely to do.

Nicola had little doubt that Pilar went every day to meet Miguel Jurado,  and that although the letter Luis had intercepted had mentioned Santo  Tomas as a rendezvous, they actually met at the ejido. That was the  direction Pilar had taken each day, even though she had always slightly  varied her route. Nicola knew this because she had taken the trouble to  check a map of the estate which was kept in Ramon's office, but she had  never dared ride that far herself.

She had wanted to several times, but on each occasion in the past  something had held her back, reminding her how many memories that she  might now find painful were attached to the place.

Nevertheless today she was quite determined. She was going to ride to  the ejido and confront Pilar, and Miguel Jurado, if necessary. She was  going to try and convince the girl that there was no future with a man  who was having to live virtually in hiding, but if she failed-if Pilar  refused to listen, as was more than likely, then she would just have to  tell Luis the whole messy story when he returned from Sonora. That was  something she could use to make Pilar see sense, she thought. The girl  might rail against his autocracy, but she seemed to have a real respect  for his anger.

She had not attempted to follow Pilar this time. She had ridden out  ahead of her, and was waiting in the shelter of some rocks until Pilar  could reasonably be expected to have arrived at the ejido.

She got up, dusting off her jeans, and whistled to Estrella, who came to  her side stepping daintily. Nicola caressed the soft nose. The  relationship between horse and rider could be such a simple one, she  thought, with trust and affection on both sides.

Her solitary rides had given her plenty of time to think about Luis and  herself, and she knew now she had been all kinds of a fool to allow  pride lo get in her way. All she had achieved was tc turn him back to  Carlota Garcia. He was not a man to accept kindly a period of enforced  celibacy when solace in his mistress's arms was only a comparatively  short distance away.                       
       
           



       

And I, Nicola thought savagely, gave him up to her without even a  struggle. I could have fought. I've novelty value for him, at least, and  I'm younger than she is. And I can give him the child he wants. All I  have to do is accept this marriage on his terms-go to him, tell him that  I want him.

She sighed. Perhaps if they were close physically, then the emotional and spiritual rapport she craved might fellow-one day.

Even though she had carefully checked out the route, it was further than  she thought to the ejido, and she realised that she was not going to  make it back to the hacienda for the midday meal. She moved her  shoulders wearily. Well, probably she would not be greatly missed.

She reined in Estrella and looked down the slope at the small building,  her eyes narrowing as she realised there was a wisp of smoke coming from  the chimney. Either the authorities were incredibly obtuse, or Pilar  and Miguel were suffering from an overdose of bravado, she thought.

She approached with caution, even though she couldn't see Pilar's horse  tethered anywhere, or any other form of transport nearby either. She  dismounted, and hung Estrella's reins over a convenient rail. Her boots  clattered sharply on the rickety wooden verandah, but she could hear no  sounds of movement or alarm inside the cabin itself, even when she  knocked sharply at the door. There was no reply, so she pushed it open  and went inside.

There were obvious signs that someone was in residence. The fire was  lit, and the cooking pot hung over the modest flame, emitting steam and a  savoury aroma which made Nicola's nose wrinkle appreciatively,  reminding her how long it was since she had eaten her sweet rolls and  coffee at breakfast.

The place was cleaner too, she thought incredulously. The floor had been  swept, and the table scrubbed. She noticed crockery-even a bottle of  wine-and the bed made up with pillows and blankets. Every modern  convenience, she thought bleakly. Two glasses for the wine. Two pillows  on the bed.

Oh, Pilar! What is your mother going to say about all this? she wondered silently.

The food, all the preparations seemed to suggest that Pilar and her  lover would be using the cabin in the very near future. Well, she would  stable Estrella in the ramshackle building at the rear and await their  arrival.

She took off her hat and pitched it on to the bed, then sat down on one  of the stools. The air in the cabin was warm and close, and she  unfastened a couple of buttons on her shirt, fanning herself languidly  with her gloves.

Just how long had this been going on? she asked herself, gazing  curiously around her. She couldn't imagine Pilar working to clean up the  cabin, but perhaps she had enjoyed playing house there. Nicola found it  sad.

She looked at her watch, noting resignedly that it was now well past the lunch hour, and hoping no hue and cry had been started.

She got up, gave the food on the fire a quick stir to ensure that it wasn't sticking, then poured herself a glass of the wine.

'Salud,' she thought. 'To absent friends.'

All the same, she hoped they wouldn't be absent for much longer. The  wine was pleasant, but it made the cabin seem warmer than ever, and  after a few minutes she put her folded arms on the table and rested her  head on them. She wouldn't go to sleep, she assured herself, although  she could not deny she was drowsy. But she could close her eyes for a  few moments. That would do no harm, because she would be sure to hear  them when they arrived.

Eventually she sat up with a start, feeling slightly dazed. She had no  idea what had roused her, but it certainly wasn't anyone's arrival. She  was still alone, and the fire was nearly out.

Nicola got up, stretching cramped limbs. She would find some more wood,  and see to poor Estrella, she thought guiltily. She opened the cabin  door and went out on to- the verandah, but there was no greeting whinny.  The mare had gone.

For a moment Nicola stood motionless, telling herself that she was  hallucinating, the result of her long ride in the sun. Then she whistled  long and frantically, but without the slightest effect. She stared at  the verandah rail where she had tied the mare, trying to collect her  thoughts. The rail was still intact, so Estrella hadn't dragged herself  free, which meant that someone had quite deliberately released her.

Pilar, she thought helplessly. Who else? She turned and went slowly back  into the cabin. Could it be that all the time she had thought she was  trailing Pilar, the other girl had been following her, just waiting for  an opportunity lo leave her stranded? After all, she had warned Nicola  she would make her sorry, and Nicola supposed that Pilar had known  perfectly well that she had been on her track for the last few days and  had decided to teach her a lesson.

She groaned, although she supposed she should be thankful she hadn't  fallen asleep earlier under her rock, otherwise Pilar might have taken  the mare then, and she would be out in the open without food or water in  the full heat of the d-y. As it was, if she had to be abandoned  somewhere, at least here there was a modicum of comfort, she thought  resignedly. It could have been so much worse.                       
       
           



       

But she was anxious about Estrella. Pilar could not take her back to her  stable without giving herself away, and she hoped desperately that she  wouldn't just turn the mare loose and leave her to fend for herself.