Fascination (4 page)

‘The marquês seems to favour freedom for his children.’

‘He does to a great extent believe in freedom, but he can be exceptionally stern if either Ramos or Luisa is really naughty.’

‘Why has he suddenly decided to have an English nanny?’ Hydee asked eventually.

‘That’s something I can’t explain,’ admitted Doreen. ‘I haven’t asked Carlos because, good friends though we are, he has never been really confiding. He’s an aloof man and often unfathomable. His pride seems to prevent him from lowering his reserve too much—but perhaps you yourself have noticed how unapproachable he is?’

‘I haven’t seen enough of him to have formed an opinion,’ returned Hydee in a guarded tone. ‘But I agree with you that he’s unfathomable.’ She was thinking of the ‘mystery’ of which she and Ellie had spoken, and hoped that tomorrow would see it solved to her satisfaction. The disappointment would be unbearable if something should prevent her from obtaining the post. Ramos had taken to her from the first, and even though Luisa was still shy and distant, Hydee had noticed a slight change in the little girl during the past few days. She would now join in the games which Hydee played with Ramos, and she listened with interest when Hydee read stories from a book she had bought one afternoon when she and Doreen took the children for a car ride and a picnic in the woods.

Doreen had told Hydee about the Palacio and the splendour of its furnishings; she had also mentioned the marques’s numerous interests: his vineyards, his cork-oak forests, his several estates—
quintas
—of which the Quinta de Manrique was by far the largest.

‘And now,’ Doreen was saying as she and Hydee dined together on Friday evening, ‘you know just about everything you need to know of your future employer.’

Hydee’s eyes lit up. ‘You really believe I’ll get the post, then?’

‘I’m sure of it. Carlos had a long conversation with me over the telephone, and it was plain that he was satisfied with you and what you had to offer—’

‘I have nothing in the way of experience,’ broke in Hydee, just because she had to. ‘I shall always marvel that I even got a hearing!’

‘He’s a strange man.’ Doreen nodded musingly. ‘If he were engaging a butler or a housekeeper, he’d not even look at one who had no qualifications, yet over this nanny business—and with you especially—he seems to attach far more inportance to personality. I was amazed when he said you’d no experience, but of course I made no comment. It wasn’t for me to voice an opinion—which he would have ignored anyway,’ she added with a grimace. Hydee said nothing, as she was concentrating on her food, and after a moment Doreen spoke again. ‘I’ve said you know just about everything you need to know about Carlos, but I feel that perhaps I ought to warn you of the young woman who has recently come to have designs on him. She’s Portuguese and her name’s Arminda Venancio. She and her mother have taken a rather pretty villa about three miles from the Palacio and Carlos has become friendly with her, from what I can gather. However, I have a friend living fairly close to the Venancio residence and she maintains that Arminda’s a really nasty type beneath the façade she puts on for people like the marquês.’

‘Surely the marquês would be able to see through her?’

‘I’d have thought so myself,’ agreed Doreen, but went on to add that even a man like the marquês was not always strongly enough armoured against women whose attractions and charm were as potent as that of the beautiful Portuguese girl. ‘She’s obviously interested in his title and his wealth,’ continued Doreen casually, ‘and this friend of mine declares that it’ll be a miracle if he remains single much longer.’

Hydee fell silent, a sort of chill settling on her. She could not have found a reason for it no matter how she tried, as it was far from logical to suppose that the existence of a girlfriend in her employer’s life would affect her in any way at all.

***

The following morning dawned bright and sunny, and Hydee was on the lawn with the children when, at half-past eleven, the big limousine turned into the gateway and drew up at the end of the drive. Hydee watched as the children, having abandoned the game as soon as they saw the car, raced across the grass and literally flung themselves at their father. He caught them, one hanging on either arm, and swung them off their feet. Laughing, they asked for more, but the marquês told them to run along and play, as he wished to talk with Miss Merrill. They obeyed at once, and as Doreen was out, having gone to do some shopping, the time was most opportune. Hydee and the marquês went into the living room and sat down. Without any hesitation Dom Carlos admitted that he had asked Doreen to stay in constant touch with him by telephone, keeping him informed as to the relationship developing between Hydee and his two children.

‘It’s obvious to me that you have an excellent rapport with Ramos already, and that Luisa is gradually coming round.’ The marquês spoke formally, but kindly for all that. Yet his thoughts seemed far away, as if what he really wanted to say had to be brought from some remote part of his mind. ‘I take it, senhorita, that you are willing to care for my children?’

Hydee’s heart jerked, then began to beat almost suffocatingly. The post was hers! She had been fairly certain, but only now was she
sure
.

‘Yes, indeed, senhor,’ she managed, although not in her usual calm and steady tone of voice. ‘It will make me very happy to take up the position of nanny to Ramos and Luisa.’

A silence fell, deep and profound. The marquês stared at her speculatively before he said, slowly and deliberately, ‘I am not looking for a nanny, Miss Merrill.’

‘Not…?’ She blinked at him, uncertain whether she had heard correctly. ‘What did you say, Dom Carlos?’

‘I am not looking for a nanny.’

‘But…’ Hydee shook her head in bewilderment. What was wrong with him? He just asked if she were willing to care for his children, and now he was calmly informing her that he didn’t want a nanny! ‘I’m afraid I don’t understand you, senhor.’

The trace of a smile touched the fine outline of his mouth. ‘My children have had five nannies in two years,’ he said. ‘Nannies are obviously unsatisfactory, not the answer in this particular case. Miss Merrill, Ramos and Luisa need a mother.’ His dark eyes, holding hers, seemed to have lost much of their hardness, and a little of their arrogance as well. ‘I am looking for a wife, senhorita, and I feel sure that you, in your present situation, would be better for having a husband—’ He stopped as Hydee gave a smothered exclamation, and then went on. ‘You’d no longer be alone in the world; you’d have the care and company of the children, which is what you want. I believe you will like my home, and be happy in it. Security will be yours—’

‘Senhor!’ broke in Hydee with a feeble lift of her hand. ‘Please don’t go on. This suggestion’s preposterous! We scarcely know one another.’ She was on the point of tears, so great was the disappointment flooding over her. ‘Oh, please, sir,’ she cried in tones of desperate pleading, ‘let me be their nanny! I promise I’ll do everything for them, be like a mother if that is what you want. Please, senhor….’

He shook his head, and she saw the firm, implacable line of his jaw. ‘Think about it, senhorita,’ he advised. ‘The proposition naturally comes as a shock to you, and your reaction is understandable. However, you will think more rationally when you’ve allowed yourself time to take in what I’ve said. I shall be here, with you and the children, for the weekend. I arranged it this way so that we can all be together as a family—’

‘No!’ Hydee broke in again, anger rising as a result of her bitter disappointment. ‘I can’t marry you!’

‘Can you give me one good reason for making so vehement a declaration?’ inquired the marquês in his quiet foreign voice.

Hydee shook her head, unable to think clearly, conscious of the weight of misery pressing down upon-her.

‘It… it w-wasn’t f-fair of you to… to let me be w-with them like I have….’ Hydee stopped, the words blocked by the sob in her throat. ‘We’ve g-got to like each other—especially Ramos—he’s g-going to m-miss me….’ Again she stopped, aware that her stammered words might be incoherent but caring nothing for that. And she went on before Dom Carlos could insert any comments of his own, ‘Ramos guessed that I was to… to be his new n‐nanny, and he was happy about it. Luisa w‐was c‐coming round, as you s‐said, and now it’s all over….’

Hydee’s voice failed completely; she turned from the marquês, put her face in her hands and wept bitterly into them. For a long moment she was allowed the slight relief of her tears, and then, before she was aware of what was happening, she felt a strong arm about her shoulders, knew the comfort of a gentle hand on her hot forehead, heard the marquês’s soft and understanding voice declaring that it was
not
all over, that she must calm herself and, having done so, she must sit quietly on her own and consider the advantages of accepting his proposal of marriage.

For a space she looked up at him through her tears, and then, much to her amazement, she heard herself say, ‘Very well, Dom Carlos, I’ll do as you advise.’

***

Ellie, her face pale with concern, looked at her friend and said, for what seemed the fiftieth time, ‘You can’t do it! The man’s a stranger to you! In addition he’s a foreigner, with a totally different temperament from yours. His way of life would soon become irksome, what with its restrictions, its narrow confines, which preclude the freedom you’ve been used to! And what of his position? You’d be like a fish out of water in this Palacio you’ve mentioned! I’m not being critical, Hydee, just honest; I want to make you see reason.’ She stopped at last and Hydee gave a small sigh of relief. She and Ellie had been through this many times during the last two days, but Hydee had retained her patience, fully appreciative of the fact that her friend’s attempts to dissuade her from marrying the marquês were made with the very best of intentions. Ellie truly believed that Hydee was making a mistake, that in no time at all she would be regretting what, in Ellie’s words, was ‘an impulsive, idiotic action inspired by your obsession to be with children.’

‘I want to marry him,’ murmured Hydee at last, speaking over her shoulder, for she had moved to the window and was looking out to the garden, where a group of small children played on the grass. They were from the adjoining flats, and the mother of one of them was watching to make sure they came to no harm. ‘I’ve been given the opportunity of becoming a wife and a mother, and I’d be a fool to turn it down—No, please don’t interrupt,’ she said quickly on hearing Ellie’s impatient exclamation. ‘I want to make you understand. Carlos is a good man who’ll keep to his promise. It will be a marriage of convenience, no matter what you’ve said to the contrary. You seem convinced that he’ll… he’ll…’ Hydee broke off, colouring with embarrassment.

Her friend said, uncaring for her feelings on the matter, ‘He’ll take you when the urge gets him, and don’t you kid yourself that he won’t! Man of honour or not he’s got the same primitive instincts as any other healthy male, and he isn’t going to have qualms about asserting his rights—’

‘Don’t, Ellie, please! I hate this kind of talk!’

‘Inhibitions, because of your determination not to be a proper wife—because of what you still feel for Noel, Hydee, for heaven’s sake put the silly notion of marrying this foreign marquês out of your head!’

‘I can’t. I’ve made a promise and I’m going to keep it. As I’ve told you, Ramos likes me and his sister won’t be long in accepting me. In fact, she’s not nearly so shy and reserved now as she was at first.’

‘By “now” I take it that you mean last weekend. You haven’t seen these children for two days, and I’d not be in the least surprised if they’ve forgotten you already.’

‘Well, they’ll soon get used to me again. After Saturday I shall be with them all the time.’

‘Saturday…’ A heavy frown settled on Ellie’s forehead. ‘He didn’t give you much time, did he?’

‘He gave me what I asked for. I’d rather get it over and done with, and settle into my new way of life.’

‘“Get it over and done with,”’ seethed Ellie, still trying to convince her friend of the error she was making. ‘What a way to talk about one’s wedding day!’

Hydee coloured, cursing herself for that slip of the tongue. She ought to have known Ellie would seize on it and deliver some disparaging remark.

‘The wedding’s a mere formality,’ she reminded her. ‘I shall be in the position of nanny, really.’

‘Wife in name only, with the position of nanny! You must be out of your mind!’ Ellie looked at her squarely and went on in tones of dark foreboding, ‘You’ll regret this madness before you’re a month older!’

Hydee had to smile. It was surprising, she had to admit, how optimistic she was about the step she had decided to take.

‘I expect we’ll survive for longer than that,’ she stated. The children are Carlos’s first concern, and therefore he isn’t going to do anything that will upset me. Surely you can see that?’

‘The only thing I can see is disaster!’

‘And I can see only a very pleasant, happy and contented existence.’

‘You’ll be contented with no love in your life?’

‘The children will love me. I shall do everything in my power to make them love me.’

‘So confident! A normally sensible girl going like a lamb to the slaughter!’

‘Ellie,’ said Hydee persuasively after a pause, ‘don’t go on any more, please. I know I’m making the right decision.’

‘If only you could forget Noel….’ Ellie allowed her voice to trail away to silence, the expression on her face one of anger mingled with resignation. ‘I give in,’ she almost snapped. ‘Yes, Hydee, I give in.’

And once having come to accept that Hydee’s mind was firmly made up, Ellie successfully hid her misgivings and helped Hydee all she could to settle her affairs. There were things to sell, some of which Ellie bought for the home she and Ray were setting up. Other, more personal possessions were carefully packed in the crate which Carlos had had sent to the flat by a firm of movers who would themselves have done the packing, but Hydee preferred to do it herself in her own time. The crate was then collected by the shippers, who would see that it arrived safely at the Palacio. Hydee had explained to her employer that she was getting married the following Saturday and going to live abroad. If he experienced any astonishment, he hid it, and as he’d had a young lady in mind for a job for some time, he obligingly allowed Hydee to leave on Wednesday afternoon, as this other young lady was ready to start work on Thursday morning.