The Winding Stair (37 page)

But she must get Gair alone to tell him the news of last night's meeting. For once, this proved easy enough. He had agreed to stay and witness the weddings and since there was no chance of the lawyer arriving before dinner time she was able to suggest, as she had planned, that he ride down the Pleasant Valley with her.

‘The French army has marched,' she told him as soon as they were out of earshot of the castle. ‘Under Junot. The Sons of the Star had the news last night; Roberto brought it this morning. Apparently Dom John knows, but means to keep it a secret. God knows why.'

‘I can imagine plenty of reasons,' said Gair. ‘None of them to
his credit. But, Juana, it makes me more anxious than ever about you. And this handing over the castle to your cousins: do you think that was wise?'

‘Why not? It safeguards me better than anything, doesn't it?'

‘I don't know. There's something special about the Castle on the Rock – something I've never quite understood. More, I've thought, than its connection with the Sons of the Star. Your grandmother said something one day – if only she could speak. Is there any hope?'

‘None, I'm afraid. It's only a question of time now. But, Gair, about the castle. Maria told me something odd the other day. She and Iago are very thick these days – I'm sure he must have told her. You know how superstitious he is. Anyway, she told me, quite seriously, that this was the last place the lost King Sebastian visited before he sailed for Morocco. She and Iago think he'll come here first when he returns to save Portugal. You know the story?'

‘Of course. But why here?'

‘There was a lady, Maria says. He visited her last thing and will come to her when he returns. Maria thinks she is asleep somewhere in the caverns below the castle, waiting for him. He'll come sailing out of the mist, she says, and land in the cove down there. Really, when she was telling me, and staring out at the sea mist – you know what these October mornings are like – she almost had me convinced that we'd see a sixteenth-century galleon come sailing into the cove. Or would he have got himself a modern ship, do you think?'

‘God knows what they expect. But it's no laughing matter, Juana. It's not only Maria and Iago who believe this foolishness.'

‘I know. Maria told me. They all believe it down in the Valley.'

‘Yes, and elsewhere too. Up and down the country the peasants are waiting for Sebastian to come again and save them from the French. We've had reports from all around. It's not natural. Someone must have revived the old superstition for their own ends, but why? That's what we can't find out. But I had no idea there was a connection between Sebastian and the Castle on the Rock. That puts a new complexion on things. His mistress is supposed to be sleeping somewhere down in the caverns, you say?'

‘That's what Maria says. Do you think there can be a connection with the Sons of the Star?'

‘That's what I'm wondering. But what would it be? They've never mentioned Sebastian?'

‘No. There's nothing exactly superstitious about them. It's just a lot of ritual and mumbo-jumbo.'

‘Don't underestimate them, Juana. It's too dangerous. And, of course, they'd use Sebastianism if it suited their book. Which it well might, if only to keep the country quiet while the French take over. If the Portuguese are waiting for a supernatural saviour … And he's to come here to the castle first? I don't like that. Have you thought what might happen when the English squadron arrives as, please God, it will any day now. Suppose the peasants think it's Sebastian to the rescue? Anything might happen. Juana, if Dom John closes the ports, this week's Falmouth packet will be the last one. I think you must be on it. Lord Strangford will get you a passage.'

‘But, Gair, the next meeting? It may be vital.'

‘Your safety is more so. And, besides, I've thought of that. We're of a height, you and I. Remember Viola and Sebastian. And you say voices aren't recognisable in the cavern. What's to stop me dressing in your robes and acting, that once, as Handmaiden of the Star? You can show me the way down before you go, and teach me the words.'

‘Gair, you'd do that for me?'

‘Of course. After all, you've done it for me all this time.'

‘Not at all. I've done it for my grandmother. And that's the difficulty, Gair. I don't see how I can leave her now, sick as she is.'

‘Nonsense. Your step-sisters can look after her. After all, they're marrying into the family.'

‘Yes, that's true.' Was she making excuses again? ‘When does the packet sail?'

‘Tomorrow or the next day. You must decide quickly, Juana. I will have to make the arrangements at once. Believe me, it's the only thing to do.'

‘Gair, it's too soon. I can't.'

‘Why not? You admit that your step-sisters can look after the old lady. You've given up your inheritance here, and I respect you for it. You've often said you were homesick for England. Now's your chance to go home. You must see, Juana, that when
the Sons of the Star find themselves betrayed they are going to look everywhere for the traitor. I tell you, it's not safe for you to stay.'

‘But if they are destroyed?'

‘You're not thinking. What chance have we of destroying them all? With luck, and a detachment of Royal Marines, we may be able to deal with their headquarters here before the French arrive, but that still leaves the branches in the rest of the country. And, remember, the French will protect them.'

‘Yes. They think the French are going to hand over the government to them.'

‘They won't, of course.' It was time to turn back up the Pleasant Valley. ‘But either way you are in danger. If it's a question of what to do when you get back to England, Vanessa will be really glad to have you. I had another letter from her by the packet. Forland's obviously very far from well … and there's the child on the way … She wants you to name your own terms—'

‘I shan't be entirely penniless, you know, if I decide to go. I'm not touched in the head. I shall take an income from the estate here. That's one of the things the lawyer will have to arrange.'

‘You'll hardly get that when the French take over.'

‘You keep talking as if they are bound to.'

‘I'm afraid they are. It's not like you to refuse to face facts, Juana. The best we can hope for now is that the royal family get safe away to Brazil to act as a rallying point for the future.'

‘And that, it seems, the Sons of the Star intend to allow. It's even what they want.'

‘Yes. Don't you see, it's possible that our best plan would be to let the Sons of the Star continue … to let them find out just how hollow Napoleon's promises are. Who knows? In a year's time, they themselves may provide the backbone of the revolt.'

‘You mean, there may not be a detachment of Marines at their next meeting?'

‘Nothing's decided yet. We don't even know when the British squadron will get here. That's why you must leave on the packet, Juana.'

They were back where they had started from. ‘But I can't. There's someone I have to see first.'

He pounced on it. ‘Now we are coming to it. Who do you have to see that is more important than liberty, than life perhaps?

‘She was in for it now. ‘It's my cousin Vasco. He has asked me
to marry him and is waiting for my answer. I wanted to talk to you about it, Gair, because of the Sons of the Star. You see, I would have to tell him …'

‘Vasco de Mascarenhas?' This white calm masked seething rage. ‘Now I know you are out of your mind. You can't possibly be thinking of marrying him. A bastard who has spent a fortune on forged documents to prove his legitimacy? And a fortune, mind you, of most suspicious origin. I wanted to spare you this, Juana, since he's a member of your family, even if on the wrong side of the blanket. It never in my wildest dreams occurred to me that you could be such a fool as to let him pull the wool over your eyes. Naturally, I had him investigated as soon as I saw how he was dangling after you – and a very unconvincing job he made of it, I may say. You don't for a minute deceive yourself, do you, that it is for your
beaux yeux
he has been courting you? If only there were time, I would be glad for you to have one more meeting with him, so you could see how he changes his tune once he knows you are giving away the castle. Frankly, Juana, it's the first time I have ever thought you stupid, but I suppose there are none so blind as those who will not see.'

‘Thank you! I suppose you think I should be an expert, by now, in pseudo-courtships.' She dug her heels into Sheba's side. ‘Tell your sister she can keep her charity,' she threw back at him over her shoulder. ‘I shall stay in Portugal with my family.'

‘Juana—' He thundered up beside her as she rode through the cluster of peasant houses. ‘Listen to me. I'm sorry: I've been a fool; I lost my temper; I've done it all wrong. Juana, please—'

She was crying, and would not let him see it. She forced Sheba to the edge of the road so that, sitting side-saddle, she could keep her back to him. If Vasco had been there just then, she would have accepted him.

In fact, he rode into the castle courtyard a little later, with the friar from Sintra, and sent Jaime to Juana with the request that she see him at once, alone.

Juana had never felt so completely at a loss. Jaime had delivered the message to her in the Ladies' Parlour where the entire party had assembled before moving into the dining room. ‘I've put him in your study, senhora.' Jaime evidently expected her to see Vasco.

‘But it's dinner time.' She was making excuses again.

‘Dinner can wait,' said Miguel. ‘You owe it to Senhor de Mascarenhas at least to see him, Juana.'

She knew it was true, but still hedged. ‘Surely, after dinner …'

‘Don't see him at all,' said Gair Varlow. ‘Remember what I said to you, Juana.'

‘I certainly do.' She had not spoken to him since they had returned to the castle. ‘Tell my cousin I will see him at once, Jaime. And ask the cook to hold back dinner.' She managed to get out of the room on her wave of anger, without meeting Gair's eyes.

Since the room she now used as her study was merely down two steps and along a short passage from the Ladies' Parlour, she had little time to compose her thoughts for the meeting with Vasco. ‘Cousin, I'm glad to see you.' She heard Jaime close the heavy door behind her and noticed with a little stab, surely, of fear, how completely it cut off the sound of voices from the room beyond.

‘Juana!' For once, Vasco was formally dressed in dark coat and foaming lace cravat. ‘He's dressed for his wedding,' she thought, as he made a long business of kissing her hand. As always, his touch sent a thrill of fire through her. A bastard, Gair had said. That was not important, but something else was. A bastard who had spent a fortune on forged papers. Why should Gair have made that up?

‘Juana,' Vasco said again. ‘Have you nothing to say to me?' He still held her hand and led her to the seat behind her desk. Seating her, he stood over her, his hand on her shoulder.

It was disconcerting to have lost the advantage of height. She looked up at him. ‘Cousin, I'm sorry I've taken so long—'

‘You're driving me mad,' he interrupted her. ‘But no matter, so long as the answer is right at last. That friar told me he is to marry
your sisters this afternoon. What could be more suitable than that you and I should join them? Juana!'

She was still hearing Gair's voice: ‘A fortune, mind you, of most suspicious origin.' What had Gair to gain by lying to her? ‘I don't know—' She looked up at Vasco pleadingly. ‘I don't really know you, cousin.'

‘Not know me!' For a moment she had been afraid that he would explode, as he had done once before, into rage, but his tone was quiet. ‘It's true, of course.' he surprised her by saying. ‘I know that in England you go a different way about marriage. But this is Portugal, and time is short. Your cousins are marrying your sisters, this afternoon, to give them the protection of a Portuguese name. Let me do the same for you, my love, and I promise you, that's all I will ask. I, too, will ride away, when evening comes, as they must, and wait for the day when you will send for me and make me the happiest of men, Juana! Say yes, or, better still, say nothing, let me take your answer from your lips.'

Somehow, despite herself, she managed to turn her head away. ‘But the castle—' she said.

The castle?'

‘I have to tell you, before we decide anything. I'm giving it to my cousins.'

‘Oh, that,' he shrugged. ‘There'll be time enough to think of that when you are safe from the French. Marry me today, Juana, and leave the burden of all this decision to me. I tell you, my darling, I know much better than you what is right for you.'

‘Do you?' She longed to be convinced.

‘Of course I do.' Now, at last, he swept her into his embrace. She was drowning, suffocating, helpless in his arms.

Then, suddenly, without decision, without thought even, she had pulled away, was across the room from him, breathing hard, staring at him. ‘You're just hurting me,' she said. ‘It's not true. Not a word of it.' And left him.

‘You refused him, thank God.' Vasco had left at once, the strange weddings were over and Gair and Juana were alone on the seaward terrace.

‘Yes. But not because of your tale-bearing.' A lie? She supposed so. If Gair had not alerted her, would she have recognised the brute force Vasco had tried to disguise as passion? But then, turn it the other way out: had Gair's warning perhaps made her unnecessarily suspicious? Had she misunderstood Vasco as hopelessly as, once before, she had Gair himself? Who was she to think she could tell real from pretended passion? Had she sent away the only man who really loved her? At the time, her reaction had been automatic. She had been stifling, frightened … But had she been right?