Redemption of a Fallen Woman(32)

He laughed. ‘Am I so transparent?’

‘Where food is concerned men are not so hard to read.’

‘Indeed.’

‘I have never yet seen a man who was not mellowed by a good meal and a bottle of wine.’

‘Do I need mellowing, then?’ he asked.

‘It would benefit us all, I think.’

‘A tactful answer.’

‘A truthful one,’ she replied.

‘You have always been truthful, have you not?’

‘I try to be.’

‘I shall strive to follow your example.’

‘That would seem to imply that you have not been truthful. I find that hard to believe.’

‘I’m flattered. However, it is possible...if not to lie, then to evade the truth.’

Her heart beat a little faster. ‘Sometimes evasion is a form of defence. It is easier to hide behind it than to speak of what is painful.’

‘No one wants to revisit such things.’

‘Perhaps not, but if they remain hidden they can fester and cause deeper harm.’

He returned a non-committal grunt and then lapsed into silence. Elena did not care to push the subject any further for fear of alienating him. However, the seed was sown now and she could only hope it might take root.

They reached the town about an hour later, and found the main street and plaza decorated with bunting and lanterns.

‘A party, perhaps?’ said Jack.

‘A local fiesta,’ replied Concha.

Elena smiled. ‘It must be. It has been so long since I had anything to do with one that I had almost forgotten they existed.’

‘And I.’

‘Perhaps we could join in. It might be fun.’ As soon as the words were spoken she felt a twinge of guilt and looked anxiously at Harry. ‘Of course, you may have other plans, my lord.’

He looked at the hopeful faces around him and smiled faintly. ‘Perhaps we might join in, after we’ve seen to the horses.’

Enquiry led them to the farrier without much difficulty, but a check of the horses’ feet revealed half a dozen shoes that needed replacing. By the time the work was complete Harry calculated it would be late afternoon.

‘There’s not much point in setting out again at dusk. We might just as well remain here tonight. Let’s find an inn.’

Elena felt her heart skip a beat. Part of that was due to the thought of attending the fiesta but mostly because an inn meant that she would share his bed again tonight.





Chapter Ten





The fiesta would not start until the middle of the evening so there was plenty of time to enjoy a meal beforehand. Hot, home-cooked food was something they all relished. A hearty soup and a loaf of bread were followed by a plate full of chuletas de cordero with a side dish of alcachofas con judías verdes. Dessert was arroz con leche and a selection of fruits. They washed it all down with a jug of rich red Tempranillo.

For the first time since embarking on this adventure, Elena wished that it had been possible to change out of breeches and boots. Unfortunately all her gowns had been left behind in Madrid. The best she had been able to manage was to wash her face and hands and comb her hair. Harry had made no comment or revealed by so much as a raised eyebrow that he found her appearance lacking, and she was grateful for it. All the same the thought persisted that she would have liked to wear a more feminine costume this evening. She didn’t examine the reasons beyond the fact that they were about to attend a party.

As dusk closed in and the first stars appeared, the local people came out in force. It seemed to Elena that all the generations were represented. Excited children ran about chattering and laughing while the adults talked and strolled beneath the trees in the plaza. Lanterns suspended from the branches lent the whole scene a fairy-tale atmosphere. There was music and wine, and the air was redolent of roasting meat and wood smoke. Later there would be dancing and fireworks.

Elena threw a sideways glance at the man beside her, wondering if he liked to dance. More and more she wished she were wearing something more suited to the occasion. Intercepting that look Harry smiled faintly.

‘You have something on your mind?’

‘Is it so obvious?’

‘Your face often speaks before you do.’

‘In that case I should make a wretched politician and a worse card player.’

‘I fear you would.’ He paused. ‘However, you still haven’t answered the question.’

Under that searching gaze she felt suddenly self-conscious. ‘I was just thinking how long it has been since I last attended a celebration like this. I didn’t realise that I had missed it.’

‘The fiesta is an integral part of Spanish culture,’ he replied. ‘A very vibrant part too. How could you not miss it?’