Sweet Revenge (11 page)

'Estevan thinks you're marvellous,' she said, rather mockingly.

Toni did not reply, and the girl gave her a baleful look.

'When are you and Paul leaving here?'

Toni gave a helpless shrug. 'I - I wish I could tell you,' she murmured regretfully.

'Why? Don't pretend you want to leave!'

'Oh, but I do,' exclaimed Toni. 'However, I can't say for certain, not now - with this.' She indicated her head. 'But I promise we'll be leaving just as soon as we can.'

'Good.' Francesca folded her arms and studied the girl in the bed. 'I shall be glad when the
castelo
is quiet again.' ..

Toni ran her tongue over her dry lips. 'Then maybe you will get a governess,' she suggested casually.

Francesca scowled. 'I do not need a governess,
senhorita.'

'That is not what our grandmother says,
querida,'
remarked Paul's mocking voice behind her.

Francesca swung round. 'You know nothing about it,' she said angrily. 'Why do you persist in staying here, interfering in our affairs? You know my father does not like you!'

'No, I agree, your father does not,' returned Paul. 'However, your father is not the kind of man to prevent a grandson from visiting his grandmother. Whatever his personal reasons for wanting me to stay away may be.'

'And what are those personal reasons?' asked Toni tiredly.

'Wouldn't you like to know!' said Francesca mockingly. 'Hasn't Paul told you about them?'

'Francesca!' muttered Paul warningly. Toni watched this interplay curiously.

'Oh, don't worry, I shan't tell her,' said Francesca contemptuously. 'Let her find out for herself what kind of man she is marrying!'

'Francesca!'
Paul was white with anger, and Toni wondered what on earth all this was about. However, Francesca apparently decided she had done enough, for she turned and flounced out of the room, leaving them alone. Immediately, Paul relaxed, but Toni stretched out a warning hand towards him, saying:

'Your uncle knows my name is not Janet West!'

Paul gave an involuntary gasp. 'What!'

'You heard me,' said Toni wearily. 'Your uncle knows my real name.'

'But how?' Paul shook his head in amazement. 'Did you—?'

'Of course not!' Toni looked annoyed. 'Why should I want to tell
him
the truth?'

Paul hunched his shoulders. 'I don't intend having another argument about that!' he muttered, and Toni widened her eyes indignantly.

'Well, anyway,' she said, 'as he knows who I am, we'd better get away from here as soon as I'm capable of making the journey!'

Paul grunted moodily. 'I bet he's been snooping around trying to find out all about you - even as Janet West, he wouldn't be content until he discovered something he could tell my grandmother.'

Toni looked impatient. 'Do you really imagine your uncle has nothing better to do than worry about some stupid girl you brought here?'

'No, but - oh, anyway, he has his reasons for not wanting me here!'

'So it would appear.' Toni moved restlessly. 'Oh, go away, Paul, you infuriate me at times. I wish I'd never agreed to this crazy masquerade!'

Paul walked to the door, and then looked back at her. 'Just remember, Toni, when you're making these assessments of my character, that you agreed to come here. I didn't tie you up and kidnap you!'

'I know it. Unfortunately.' Toni turned on to her side, wincing as the stitches pained her. 'Go away, Paul, just go away!'

Paul left as Nurse Gonzales came back. She fussed over Toni, smiling at her benevolently, obviously under the mistaken impression that Toni was a person of some importance. How wrong can you be? thought Toni cynically, as a procession of tortuous thoughts paraded through her tired mind. What would Paul tell his grandmother? And would the Conde think it necessary to punish them in some way for trying to cheat him? It was an awful situation, and she was glad when her tiredness overwhelmed her and she slept again.

Two days later Toni was up and about her room. Her strength was returning rapidly. After all, she was a young healthy animal, and although she had lost quite a lot of blood, the bed-rest had almost cured her. In addition the sea air worked wonders, and she sat by her window, gazing out at the sun-kissed scene of beach and shoreline and sky, and could almost feel content.

During the two days, the Condessa had been a regular visitor, spending some time with her during the late afternoon and early evening. She obviously as yet knew nothing of her son's revelations, and she treated Toni so kindly that the girl felt painfully ashamed of the deception she was practising.

Paul did not return, nor did Francesca. She was not surprised that Francesca stayed away - after all, the girl had made it plain that she disliked Toni intensely, and did not trust her either. But Paul was different, and Toni pondered his absence with some misgivings. Possibly Paul was taking every opportunity of depriving his grandmother of some of her wealth, and time spent with his co-called fiancee was merely wasted.

Yet Toni felt afraid that Paul might be attempting to ignore what she had told him, and carry on with the deception in the face of his uncle's contempt. Maybe he thought his uncle would not tell his grandmother in case such news upset her; maybe he was banking on that. Toni was nauseated by the whole affair. She just wanted to get away, and every time her door opened she expected the Conde to appear and wreak some frightful wrath upon her.

Four days after her accident, when she was sitting by her window in the late afternoon dressed only in a dark blue quilted housecoat, her silvery hair loose about her shoulders, the Conde arrived.

Toni knew who it was almost before the door opened. She heard the firm footsteps, and felt the familiar feeling of nervousness that descended upon her now at his appearance. This time he knocked at her door before entering, but she had barely time to bid him enter before he did so.

She glanced round. Today, dressed in a biscuit- coloured lounge suit, his thick hair combed smoothly, he looked every inch the Portuguese aristocrat that he was, and Toni trembled a little as he came to stand in front of her.

'Well,
senhorita,'
he said, surveying her with those intensely dark eyes, 'you look much better.'

Toni swallowed. 'Oh - yes,
senhor,
I am - much better!'

'Good - good, I am glad.'

Toni looked up at him squarely. 'Are you?'

He smiled faintly and mockingly. 'Oh, yes,
senhorita.
Be assured of it.'

Toni bent her head, unwillingly aware that his nearness caused the strangest sensations inside her. Whether her illness had weakened her or not she was not sure, yet she felt hot all over, and could not meet his penetrating gaze.

He moved to the window, and leaned back against it, arms folded, studying her. She looked up uncomfortably, and then said with some defiance:

'Don't look at me like that!'

'You don't like me to look at you,
senhorita?'

'No. Not like that!'

'Like what?'

Toni's cheeks burned. 'You know what I mean,
senhor.
Please, say what you have to say, and go.'

'But I am enjoying looking at you,
senhorita.
After all, your discomfort is merely a confirmation to me of your own guilt. Poor Senhorita Morley, you did not think to be found out - and so soon in our relationship!'

Toni clenched her fists. 'You are insolent,
senhor!'
She shivered. 'You wouldn't speak to me like this if your mother were here - if Paul were here!'

'No,' he inclined his head in agreement. 'But they are not here, and I am free to say what I like to a woman -such as you!'

Toni got shakily to her feet. 'What do you mean? A woman such as me?'

'My opinion of your sex has. not been a favourable one for many years now,
senhorita
, and your charade with my nephew has not endeared them to me. No,
senhorita,
there are few women who are worthy of a man's trust.' His scar stood out starkly, and Toni wondered again how it had appeared there.

She swayed now.
'Senhor,
your opinion of me is not important!'

'You are wrong,
senhorita.
It is very important - in some ways. The morals of a woman are always important !'

'My God!' Toni shook her head. 'What am I supposed to have done? Pretended to be Paul's fiancee, that's all. Is that a crime? I haven't seduced him or anything.'

He caught her angrily by the shoulders, shaking her violently. 'I will tell you,
senhorita,
what you have done. You attempted to seduce the husband of a good friend of mine - Miguel de Calle!'

He let her go, and she fell, supporting herself weakly against the chair. 'You - you're crazy,' she gasped. 'I didn't do that!' She moved her head helplessly. 'Your friend believes what it suits her to believe! That is the truth!'

The Conde looked derisive. 'You are telling me that Miguel forced his attentions on you? That he ignored Estelle, his wife, to attempt to make love to his children's governess?'

'Yes. That's exactly what he did do!' Toni was pale.

The Conde gave a shake of his head. 'Oh,
senhorita,
do you think I am fool? Do I look so gullible? Am I perhaps still wet behind the ears? No! No,
senhorita,
I am not a fool. Miguel is a rich man. A woman like you would not object to a rich man's attentions, should he find you attractive!'

Toni was aghast. 'How dare you!'

'You will find,
senhorita,
that I dare a lot of things!' He linked his hard fingers about her slim wrist, drawing her relentlessly towards him. Toni struggled desperately, trying to free herself, but she was close against the muscular length of his body and the movements did peculiar things to her metabolism. Her breath was swift and breathing was difficult; she could feel the smooth, expensive material of his suit, and smell the faint odour of shaving lotion and the heat of his body; his hand hurt her as it twisted her arm a little cruelly behind her, but his mouth disturbed her most of all. It was only inches above her own, smiling mockingly, his eyes darkened with contempt. 'So,
senhorita,'
he murmured, 'what do you say now?'

Toni felt her head throbbing, but as swiftly was aware of the change in his attitude. One moment he was holding her mockingly, derisively, jeering at her futile attempts to free herself, and the next his eyes had strange lights dancing in their depths, and his hold brought her closer against the firm hardness of his body. He stared at her for a heart-stopping moment, shaking his head slowly, and then with a muffled exclamation he bent his head and she felt the searing pressure of his mouth parting her own.

It was the kind of lovemaking Toni had never experienced. She had thought she knew almost everything about kissing, but she at once realized how mistaken she had been. There was an expertise in his touch that aroused her to the full awareness of her own body and its needs, and she felt her resistance slipping away from her. Instead of struggling, she wanted to wind her arms about his neck and let him have his way with her. Gone was the arrogant, self-controlled Conde della Maria Estrada, and in his place was a man, with a man's desires and appetites that hungered for satisfaction. When Toni had almost forgotten everything, her surroundings, her antagonism towards this man, and most important of all his contempt for her, he thrust her savagely away from him, a cruel smile twisting his mouth.

Toni swayed on her feet, grasping the chair to support herself, while he continued to stare at her with mocking eyes. 'So,
senhorita,'
he said, harshly, 'it is as I thought. You do not find my lovemaking so unpleasant !'

Toni buried her face in her hands. 'Go away,' she muttered unsteadily. 'Go away!'

The Conde straightened, and smoothed his hair with j a lazy hand. 'I will go when I am ready,
senhorita.
And now you cannot deny that I have proved my point.'

Toni looked up wearily. 'What point?'

'That you are weak and promiscuous!' He drew out his cigarette case, extracted one, and lit it with deliberate ease. Then he looked at her through a haze of blue smoke. 'Nevertheless, I cannot deny that you are a - how shall I put it? - beautiful woman,' he spoke dispassionately, surveying her appraisingly, 'and maybe Miguel would not require too much encouragement—'

'I did not encourage him!' Toni clenched her fists. 'For heaven's sake,
senhor,
leave me alone! I didn't want to come here in the first place, and I will leave as soon as I'm able!' She stiffened her back. 'And don't think because I'm incumbent upon your generosity that you are entitled to treat me as you will! Whatever your misconceived beliefs may be, I do not subscribe to them!'

He gave an amused laugh. '
Senhorita,
you are unique! You expect me to believe your story when I have it from Miguel de Calle himself that you deliberately tried to entice him into your bedroom—'

'What!'
Toni was horrified.

'Sim!
Do not bother to deny it again. Did I not myself witness the predicament you had got yourself into that day in Lisbon? Another case of mistaken encouragement, no doubt! What a record you have,
senhorita!
Not content with this, you then come here posing as my nephew's fiancee. Unfortunately, for you, Senhora Passamentes is a close friend of Estelle de Calle. She remembered vaguely seeing you there, and after I had checked her story with the de Calles, your masquerade was over.'

Toni sank down on to the chair. That was why Laura Passamentes had seemed familiar that night! Naturally, as the children's governess she had had no direct contact with guests in the house, but she would be seen about her duties.

She looked up. 'All right, all right,' she said, shaking her head. 'I don't want to hear any more. I've said I'll leave as soon as I can. But as Paul hasn't been to see me for days we haven't been able to finalize the arrangements.'

The Conde walked lazily towards the door. 'Paul has returned - to England, I imagine,' he remarked coolly. 'He left three days ago.
You
are staying!'