Man of Destiny (12 page)

As she had feared, they were alone together in the dining-room. Both his secretary and his agent had jobs to perform, and wherever it was that they took their midday meal it was not in the magnificent
din
ing
-sala,
with its great table loaded with all the crested silver Senhora Lopes had managed to get brilliantly clean in time, as well as flowers, fruit, and glowing decanters of wine.

The Marques insisted that Caroline sit at his right hand, and
all the rest of the table was like a brilliant oasis. He also insisted that she drink a little wine, and that was when he commenced her education on the subject of wines. After that, with the fish course and the main course, and all the numerous courses that seemed to come in between and follow after, he instructed her on various matters, and as he had a delightful voice, and spoke her language with the ease of consistent practice, she found it quite a pleasure to listen to him, and gradually grew so relaxed that she was no longer in awe of him, and he was able to crack a joke with her occasionally without seeing a forced smile on her face.

When the smile came it was a natural smile. The Marques was pleased.

It was only when coffee was brought to the dining
room, instead of the
sala,
and he settled down to continue the talking, that she realised it was all leading up to something after all. By devious ways it led up to herself, and the Marques asked quite bluntly whether she was happy in her job.

She replied that she was very fond of Richard.

“But you’re not so sure that you wish to continue being
hi
s governess?” the Portuguese nobleman enquired shrewdly.

Caroline realised that here,
at last,
was her opportunity. But once again the words stuck in her throat. The Marques helped her out.

“Perhaps if Senhora de Fonteira had not come here to be with her son you would be happier to remain with him?” he stated rather than asked.

Caroline felt uncomfortable. The only harm Ilse had ever done her was to make a dead set at Dom Vasco, and the fact that she had done so had really nothing whatever to do with her, Caroline Worth. And yet it had resulted in Caroline knowing
that
she couldn’t stay. She couldn’t remain and watch the friendship ripen, the warmth grow, the inevitable end come about. Marriage ... a wedding! For Ilse was woman of the world enough to expect nothing less, and Dom Vasco was an honourable man, a close connection of a noble house. He wouldn’t single out a woman for attention unless he was serious, and the determined way he had included Richard in the expedition today was an indication of intense seriousness.

The only fly in this ointment was Carmelita—Carmelita, whom he had known for so long. But it was possible there was no secret understanding between him and Carmelita, which didn’t make Caroline feel any happier.

In any case, he had been almost brutal to her that morning,
and
the night before.

She swallowed. The Marques watched the muscles of her slender throat contract.

“It isn’t that I wouldn’t like to stay,” she admitted, “but Richard will be being sent away to school before very long. He won’t really need me.”

“No?” The Marques smiled a little.

“And he does need his mother
... until he goes away to school, I mean.”

“But his mother was prepared to marry in England and leave him to grow up out here?”

“Yes.” She met his eyes and then looked away quickly.

“Mothers who are excessively devoted to their children do not normally make arrangements of that kind,” the Marques remarked, as he helped himself to a deep purple fig and considered it thoughtfully. “Would you agree with me about that,
senhorita
?
”

“I—well, I—” Caroline stammered.

He held up a slender white hand.

“Oh, don’t misunderstand me! Senhora de Fonteira is a very beautiful woman, recently widowed,
and
naturally she wishes to marry again. But a husband who could help her to keep an eye on the child would be more of an asset than one who would force her to live in England, do you not agree
?
” Caroline could not understand the complacency on his face, or what he was trying to arrive at by these roundabout mentions.

“You mean,” she said, awkwardly, “a fellow-countryman of her late husband’s
?
A—a Portuguese—?”

“Naturally”

Suddenly she thought she saw daylight. He was trying to warn her, because Dom Vasco was a very personable man. And she had known
him
for several weeks. She had had several weeks’ start of Ilse de Fonteira, but it couldn’t possibly get her anywhere because—she wasn’t Ilse de Fonteira!

“Senhor Marques,” she heard herself say stiffly, when she found the courage, “are you trying to tell me that you believe Senhora de Fonteira and Dom
Vasco de Capuchos... that they might... that you think they will...
?
”

But he shook his silvery-grey head,
smiling
in a mildly quizzical fashion.

“No, no,
senhorita,
I do not
hope.
That was what you were going to say next, wasn’t it? I am not even certain that the
senhora
has already formed such plans, but I would not be approving if she did. A husband will one day be found for the
senhora,
but I would prefer that it is not Dom Vasco. Therefore, I would like you to remain here and have charge of the boy. So don’t run away unless you fe
el
you must!”

She felt herself colouring revealingly as she met his eyes. She had no doubts at all now that he had read her mind—and her heart.
She wanted to run away!
And he didn’t want her to run away!
Because of Carmelita? Was that the secret? If Carmelita married Vasco she could hardly be expected to burden herself at the outset of her marriage with somebody else’s child. Therefore
somebody
had to be retained for Richard. And what better a
somebody
than lit
tl
e Miss Caroline Worth, who was so good for him?

The Marques leaned forward suddenly and patted her hand.

“Don’t worry,
senhorita
,” he advised. “Just stay here and let things work themselves out. Remember that the boy does need you, and all that effusive mother-love that was intended to impress us last night is not really what he needs
!”

Which meant that the
Marques
, at least, was not deceived about Ilse.

Carmelita dropped in in the afternoon, and as
Caroline and the Marqu
e
s were sitting together in the garden she sat with them for a while.

“Vasco is not here?” she said when she first arrived. And when the Marques explained gravely that he had taken
Carlos’s
widow for a drive into the country she arched her eyebrows and looked nothing more than mildly amused.

“I would have thought the journey here yesterday would have tired her,” she remarked. “But perhaps she is not easily tired.”

“I’m afraid last evening’s entertainment was a little too much for her,” the Marques remarked, and over Caroline’s head their two pairs of eyes met. Carmelita’s red lips smiled a little ruefully.

“It must have been my piano-playing,” she remarked. “I went on for too long.”

But the Marques was too polite to allow this. He insisted that it had been a great treat, and Caroline echoed him.

“It was wonderful, Senhorita de Capuchos. I enjoyed it so much that I hope I shall hear you play again before I go home to England.”

Senhorita de Capuchos regarded her thoughtfully, and a little strangely.

“But that will not be for some time yet, will it,
senhorita
?” she stated rather than asked. Then she leaned forward and touched Caroline’s hand lightly. “I wonder if I might have a look at the nursery wing while I am here, Miss Worth
?
Dom Vasco explained to me that it is very deficient in suitable
furnishings,
and he has entrusted me with the task of putting it to rights for you. If I could have a look at the rooms I could decide about curtains, and so on. I shall be staying in Lisbon for the next few days, and I can go shopping while I am there.”

“Of course,” Caroline answered, and took her upstairs to the nursery, where Carmelita frowned in disapproval at the ugly furniture and the dismal paintwork, and declared that they would have to set to work with a will to transform the place. When she realised how cut off it was from this rest of the house her frowns began afresh.

“It is a pity Senhora Lopes has not insisted on something being done here long before this,” she observed, before they left the suite. “But then, of course,” smiling, “we do not often have children at the
quinta
.”

When
Dom Vasco and
Ilse
returned she had already departed, but she left a note for Dom Vasco, which was entrusted to one of the servants to hand over to him.

Despite the fa
c
t that she insisted that she had had an utterly delightful drive, and had thoroughly enjoyed her lunch, Ilse did not look as if she had really enjoyed herself. She went straight up to her rooms and announced, a little petulantly, that she was going to rest. Dom Vasco received the note from the servant and his extremely thoughtful expression grew even more thoughtful.

He told Caroline that he would like to have a word with her in the library.

As soon as they were alone he paced up and down over the thick carpet, and without looking at her he said:

“Senhorita de Capuchos is a little concerned about the nursery. She is most concerned about the fact that it is not really a part of the main house, and in the event of fire there might be considerable danger.” His eyes met hers fully for the first time, and there was definite concern in the dark depths. “I’ll admit
that this had not occurred to me, although I would have preferred it if Senhora Lopes could have fitted you into some other part of the house during the Marqu
es
’s stay here. There is a room that the child could use, but it would still mean that you would have to occupy the wing in the daytime, and at night you yourself would be forced to sleep there. Unless you would prefer to accept Carmelita’s offer and go and stay with her for a time
?
”

The offer took Caroline so much aback that she was unable to conceal her surprise.

“How kind of Senhorita de Capuchos!” she exclaimed.

The expression on his face was non-committal; she could not tell whether he agreed with her or not.

“Then you would like to take advantage of her offer?”

“Oh, no, no!” she exclaimed more hurriedly. “There is absolutely no need, because if a room can be found for Richard in the main house I can very well go on sleeping in the wing. I’m not afraid of fire, or anything like that; although—” and she smiled because she couldn’t help it—“the plumbing arrangements in the bathroom are a bit antiquated. Only this morning the shower went out of action, and the pipes make horrible noises at times, as if they’re about to blow up—”

“What!” he exclaimed, as if he was genuinely shocked. “You can’t possibly go on living under conditions like that! I assure you I had no idea
... Caroline, you must please understand that I wouldn’t—”

But she shook her head, laughingly.

“
Senhor,
it is nothing, hones
tl
y! Nothing terrible, that is. The plumber, I believe, has already been t
o
have a look at the pipes, and not merely is the shower working again but he assures us that we’re not in any danger. Nothing will blow up! The noises may continue, but they won’t bother me.”

Dom Vasco sighed.

“Well, that is a relief, if you really mean what you say.”

“I do! ... Of course I do!”

Their eyes met and held, and her chest seemed to grow tight as the breath caught in her throat and she felt as if it was suspended while his eyes altered their expression and grew warm as she had seen them the night before. And he had called her Carolin
e
again ..
.
almost as if it had slipped out!

“I would offer my own house, or a part of it, but local opinion would not approve of that, since I am a bachelor,” with a dryness that, in itself, was something of a surprise. “And Carmelita’s house is several miles from here, and that would be most inconvenient for you.”

But it would enable you to see more of Carmelita, if you made visiting the child an excuse, she thought.

“And from the point of view of Senhorita de Capuchos I’m sure it would be better if you remained here. So, if you don’t mind putting up with the noisy pipes for a time—” and this time they both exchanged smiles, which made her feel as if she had suddenly inherited the entire world, “and will allow Richard to be separated from you at night, we might continue a little longer as we are. And as I would prefer you to do, until better plans can be made for you!”