Heart of Thunder (34 page)

“Would you care for some wine before dinner?” Sheldon offered in a dull, lifeless voice.

Samantha shook her head, wondering how any woman could fall in love with this cold, unemotional man. Oh, he was handsome enough. Very handsome, in fact, and rich—their grandparents had left the entire estate
to him. But he was just so…so damn boring. Lifeless. But, then, maybe Teresa was like Sheldon.

“Some tea then?”

“I’ll wait until your
novia
arrives.”

Samantha moved about the room, restless. The truth was, she felt uncomfortable alone with Sheldon. She wished it weren’t so. It shouldn’t
be
so, but it was. She tried to remember their childhood together at Blackstone, but the more she thought of it, the more she realized that they had hardly ever been together then, she under her grandmother’s thumb, and Sheldon virtually raised by a score of male tutors. They hadn’t had a typical childhood, and they couldn’t have a normal relationship as adults.

“
Novia
. Such a quaint word, that,” Sheldon remarked, surprising Samantha. “Teresa calls me her
novio
. She would like me to learn Spanish, but I don’t see the point in our both learning a new language.”

“She doesn’t speak English?”

“Not very well yet.”

Samantha grinned. “Then how did you two ever get so far as to discuss marriage?”

As soon as she asked, she realized she shouldn’t have. Sheldon’s look was clearly disapproving, although anyone who didn’t know him wouldn’t have guessed, the change was so subtle. But she had seen that look many times. It angered her. She couldn’t even ask a simple, spontaneous question without his getting all out of sorts.

“You needn’t answer, brother,” she said stiffly. “I suppose this, like everything else, is none of my business.”

His milk-white complexion took on a good deal of color very suddenly, and Samantha was delighted. What she really wanted was to see her staid, unemotional brother lose his temper once, just to prove he was human. She sighed. That was probably asking too much.

“Actually, my dear, we did need a translator when we met. Jean Merimée proved quite adequate. Remem
ber Jean? You met him at the races when you had only just arrived, before…”

Samantha burst into laughter as Sheldon’s face darkened even more. He couldn’t finish. “Before I chose not to join you anymore on your rounds of amusement? It still embarrasses you, doesn’t it?”

“Now, Samantha, it was your choice.”

“My choice! Oh, it doesn’t bother me. It’s perfectly natural for me to look the way I do. But I knew how uncomfortable I made you, so I declined your invitations. Look! You can’t even speak of it! I pity your new wife, Sheldon, I really do. You’ll probably lock her in her room when she gets—”

“Samantha! Really!”

She grinned up at him innocently. “Don’t you plan to have children?”

“Yes, of course,” he replied uneasily.

“Then I must warn Teresa about your attitude. She would do well to keep any tidings of that sort to herself as long as possible.”

“Good Lord, you wouldn’t say anything to Teresa!”

Green lights danced mischievously in Samantha’s eyes. “Teresa would thank me for it, don’t you think?”

“I certainly do not.”

“Why, Sheldon, have I upset you?” she asked solemnly. “You actually look quite angry.”

“I am not angry,” he sighed, shaking his head. “I just don’t understand you, Samantha.”

“You never tried to,” she replied, truly serious now. “If you had, if you knew anything about me, you would know that I was only teasing you.”

“But your bluntness—”

“—is part of me. I’ve had the freedom to speak my mind ever since I left England. You can’t imagine what a blessed freedom that is, Sheldon. But I won’t embarrass your
novia
with it. I do know how to be tactful. Just don’t expect me to curb my tongue with you. You’re my brother, and if I can’t be frank with you—” She
stopped, grinning as the front door knocker sounded. “Well, your
novia
has saved you from your brazen sister. I’ll go let her in.”

“Samantha, no.”

But she moved out of the drawing room into the hall, stopping the butler on his way to the door. “Wilkes, I’ll get that.”

“Samantha!” Sheldon followed her into the hall. “For God’s sake, it’s not proper for you to—”

“Nonsense.” She cut him off. “It’s much nicer to be informal this way.”

Sheldon couldn’t say any more without raising his voice, and he would never do that. Samantha glanced back to see him standing in the drawing room doorway, gazing at the ceiling as if to say,
What next, Lord?
She grinned, thoroughly satisfied with herself. She couldn’t remember when her spirits had been so high. Sheldon had almost lost his temper—almost. She would have to work just a little harder to see him angry, really angry, at least once before she left. She would prove to them both that Sheldon could be human.

A knock sounded once again just as she reached the door, and she composed her features. She would have to show their guest how gracious and proper she could be.

“
Bienvenido, señori…
” The welcome died as the lamplight revealed the man on the doorstep. “Lorenzo?” Samantha gasped.

“Sam,” he said simply.

“Oh, Lord.” She laughed. “What in heaven’s name are you doing here?”

“When I was offered the chance to see Europe, I could not refuse,” Lorenzo replied smoothly as he doffed his hat. The top hat seemed so odd on Lorenzo. He grinned, his gaze drawn to her belly. “You have put on a little weight, I see. It becomes you.”

But Samantha didn’t hear. She had finally noticed the carriage, and the man on the curb paying the driver.
She panicked and slammed the door shut, the sound drawing Sheldon and Wilkes back into the hall.

“Samantha, are you mad?” Sheldon demanded, coming toward the door.

“It’s…not Teresa.”

Before he could speak again, the door knocker rapped loudly.

“Samantha—”

“No! Don’t open it, Sheldon! They’ll go away.”

“This is absurd. Wilkes, kindly see who it is.”

“Damn you, Sheldon!” Samantha cried, and she moved as quickly as she could toward the stairs. “At least let me leave the room first,” she called over her shoulder. “I don’t want to see him.”

“Who?”

“My husband!”

“Good Lord,” Sheldon exclaimed. “She slammed the door on him, Wilkes. Can you imagine what the poor man must think of us?”

“No, sir,” Wilkes replied drily.

“Well, let him in, man. We’re keeping him standing out there in the cold.”

Chapter 40

“Y
OU cannot hide up here forever, Sam.”

“Yes, I can. And I shall.”

Froilana shook her head sternly. “Your brother has invited him to stay. You must face him sometime.”

“No.”

“But the
novia
has come, and they are holding dinner for you.”

“Tell them not to.”

“
Madre de Dios
,” Froilana said in exasperation, her hands on her hips. “You wish your husband to think you a coward? You shame yourself and your brother, as well. How will the
señor
explain to his
novia?
”

“He’ll think of something.” Even as Samantha said it, she sighed angrily. “Oh, all right! Damn! I’d rather face him than listen to you all night. But you’ll wish you hadn’t forced me to go down there, Lana,” she warned. “My absence won’t shame my brother as much as my presence will. I can’t be in a room with Hank without losing my temper.”

Her maid chose that time to become silent.

Samantha entered the drawing room ready for a fight, aching for one. But with one look at Hank, all the words she had rehearsed took flight. She wasn’t even aware of all the eyes turned her way, or of her brother’s relief. She missed the surprise on Teresa’s face. Sheldon hadn’t warned Teresa of his sister’s condition. Jean Merimée was there, but she saw only Hank.

He looked strikingly handsome, his hair combed back
on each side and curling down to his neckline, his face clean-shaven, his dimples deep as he grinned, his eyes sparkling in that special way. He was dressed in formal elegance, the black dinner jacket setting off a burgundy vest and white silk shirt with diamond-studded buttons. Fine clothes suited Hank.

Samantha became fully aware of her own appearance the moment Hank’s eyes left her face and moved down to her large belly. She blurted out the first thing she could think of.

“So, Sheldon, where is your
novia?
”

“Here.”

Samantha turned toward the sound of his voice, tearing her eyes from Hank’s. “Yes, of course.” She crossed to Sheldon and greeted the young Spanish woman by his side.

Samantha was struck by her beauty, the dark, liquid eyes, the almost blue-black hair coiled and tucked behind a short
mantilla
. She had a strikingly sensual face, with full, rounded lips, feline brows, and high, narrow cheekbones.

“Teresa.” Samantha blushed. “You must forgive me. I have not seen my husband for a very long time.”

“That was
—evidente
,” Teresa replied with some difficulty, before she turned to Jean and switched to Spanish. “Dearest, explain to this one that I am not familiar with her language yet. I doubt I will ever grasp their vulgar English.”

“You wish me to tell her
that?
” Jean asked, obviously aghast.

“No, dearest, just—”

“That will not be necessary,” Samantha cut in in Spanish. “You will not need a translator with me as you do with my brother.”

Teresa’s mouth formed a small
O
, and her olive complexion brightened, but she recovered quickly. “I am sorry, Samantia. I meant no disrespect.”

Samantha smiled, but there was no warmth in her eyes as she looked at Jean, whom her brother’s intended had addressed so intimately. Teresa was lovely, but Samantha was less prepared to like her. She had to wonder if Sheldon was so fortunate after all.

“You must not give it another thought, Teresa,” Samantha said congenially, managing to keep her smile fixed. “My brother mentioned that you are learning English. You really should study harder. It pays to know what others are saying—especially when they are talking about you.”

Jean Merimée moved uncomfortably, and Teresa stepped closer to Sheldon, as if making a point. “I quite agree.”

“Would it be too much to ask for a little English?” Sheldon ventured.

“Of course,” Samantha replied sweetly. “I was just telling your
novia
that she and I must get better acquainted. After all, you’ve told me so little about her, Sheldon.”

At that moment Wilkes announced dinner, and Sheldon almost sighed with relief. “Shall we? Jean, if you would be so kind.” He turned Teresa over to the short Frenchman who escorted her from the room.

Samantha stared after them, thinking that Jean Merimée was what was called a ladies’ man. Dashing, debonair, he was not quite handsome, yet there was an appeal about him, probably because of his remarkable blue eyes. Samantha had disliked him the first time she met him, and she still did. He had made a pass at her, and after she rebuffed him, she had watched him move smoothly to another woman and make the same overture. To hear him and Teresa talking as if
they
were the engaged couple…

“What is he doing here?” Samantha asked Sheldon, nodding toward Jean.

“He was good enough to escort Teresa here.”

“You trust him alone with her?”

“Of course,” Sheldon gasped indignantly. “He is one of my counselors. And he is a very close friend, as well, Samantha.”

“Close to whom?” she muttered.

“Samantha,” Sheldon implored, not really hearing, “I must ask you to behave for the rest of the evening. Gad, you haven’t even spoken to your husband yet.”

“Nor do I intend to,” she said so casually that he didn’t know what to reply.

Quickly, he approached Hank and Lorenzo, who were across the room. “Mr. Chavez, Mr. Vallarta, if you will join us?”

Samantha watched Hank’s leg as he walked forward, but there was nothing wrong with it, not even a limp. With that concern out of the way, she gave him a chilling look before taking Lorenzo’s arm and walking with him.

“So,
amigo
.” She smiled, determined to put Hank out of her mind. “Have I finally learned your last name?”

“
Sí
, I am now proud to bear it.”

“May I take that to mean you have given up your lawless ways?” she teased, in a strange, reckless mood.

Lorenzo grinned and nodded. “I am completely respectable now. Your husband pays me well, now that he is rich.”

“I’ll thank you not to mention him if you wish to continue this conversation,” she replied sharply.

“Ah, Sam.” He chuckled. “You have not changed. Most women in your condition are serene. But you are still the little spitfire, eh? Shall I tell you what he did when I explained why you slammed the door on us?”

“How could you explain?” she retorted. “You couldn’t possibly know why.”

“Ah, but I do. You did not want him to see you in your present condition.”

“Nonsense,” she said calmly enough. “
I
just didn’t
want to see
him
, that’s all.” She waited for him to continue, and when he didn’t, she demanded, “Well, what did he do when you told him I was as big as a cow?”

“I did not put it that way.”

“Lorenzo!”

“He laughed,” said Lorenzo.

Samantha stiffened. “He would! Yes, he would.”

“You misunderstand, Sam,” Lorenzo hastily assured her. “He is delighted.”

“Of course!” she hissed. “He was so damn sure this would happen. Now he can gloat.”

“I tell you he is happy that he will be a father,” Lorenzo insisted. “I know him well, Sam, perhaps better than you do. I am not mistaken in this.”

“I don’t care what you think, Lorenzo. I know differently. Didn’t he say I should watch for him in six or seven months? You gave me that message yourself. Well, it’s been seven months. Why do you think I came here? So he wouldn’t find me. So he wouldn’t know. But he came anyway—and didn’t I warn you not to speak of him to me?”