Like One of the Family (28 page)

They set off, Sheena walking ahead with her mother, Claire and Ruthie just behind. Ruthie was bubbling over with delight at the shopping expedition.

‘I hate the thought of going back, don't you?' she confided, slipping her hand into Claire's. ‘I wish we could stay here for ever and I could go to school with Adela.'

Claire was surprised at her vehement tone.

‘It would be nice,' she agreed cautiously, ‘but wouldn't you miss your home?' She thought of the McArdle's lovely house which she had always admired. If she were Ruthie she would feel quite a wrench leaving it. Ruthie shook her head.

‘I wouldn't care a bit. Not if I could live here.' Jane glanced back.

‘Would you like it so much, darling?' she asked.

‘
En absoluto,
' Ruthie said, sounding so like Ignacio they all laughed. She pranced along, pleased with herself. Claire, remembering Ruthie's darker, more ominous moods, wished it could always be this way, so light-hearted and happy.

They reached the bottom of the hill and walked along a street thronged with people. There was an open-air market in progress and they lingered at the laden stalls, gazing at the pyramids of oranges and almonds until Jane urged them on.

‘Don't forget that swim,' she reminded them.

Claire glanced into the windows they passed, seeking inspiration. As Sheena had said, the leather belts were good value. She would almost certainly buy one for Chris. But what about baby David? When Claire had seen her half-brother before coming away, he was cutting his first tooth and saying Dada. The latter had really jolted her. In the window of a haberdashery she noticed a furry brown monkey, hanging by one paw.

‘Oh look! Isn't he lovely?' She pulled Sheena back with her.

‘Fab!' Sheena said enthusiastically. ‘Let's find out how much he is.' Without waiting for a reply she dashed into the shop.

The other two had gone ahead. With a quick glance at their disappearing backs, Claire followed her friend. They would soon catch up with them.

Jane and Ruthie walked on, unaware that the girls were no longer following. Ruthie had transferred her hand to her mother's and she skipped along, chatting energetically. Jane couldn't get over the difference in her.

She guided the still chattering Ruthie across the street to look in a property developer's window. If she were to go ahead with her plan, Jane decided, the apartment must be situated as near El Balcon de Europa as possible. Now to her delight she saw a notice prominently displayed, advertising a newly erected apartment block in exactly the right area. The siting was perfect, the amenities impressive. If only the price was right, Jane thought, pushing open the door.

A plump, dark-haired woman sat behind a desk working at a computer and when Jane explained what she wanted, she smiled and nodded.

‘Sí, Apartamentos Las Cicadas.
Please sit down.'

She waved them towards seats and leaned across her desk to press the intercom switch.

‘Fernando,' she spoke into it.

‘Un momento, por favor.'

Jane looked towards the door as a fair-haired young man emerged into the small vestibule. For a moment she thought she had met him somewhere, then the impression faded.

‘May I help you, Señora?'

Jane was relieved that he spoke English. She nodded and said that she was interested in purchasing property in Nerja, preferably near El Balcon de Europa, and thought they had just what she required.

‘In the window,' she prompted.

‘Ah, yes,' he nodded
. ‘
If you wish I can arrange for you to view it.'

Suddenly Jane wanted that very much..

‘That would be fine but I'm returning to Ireland the day after tomorrow, so I don't have a lot of time.' She smiled at him. ‘Would it be possible to see it today... right away?' If she liked what she saw, she wanted to leave herself enough time for a second look before making up her mind.

The Spaniard glanced at his watch. ‘I have another appointment around midday, Señora, but if we go at once I do not see why I cannot manage both.' He smiled disarmingly back at her, and Jane suddenly found herself liking him a lot.

‘Let's go then,' she said, almost gaily.

‘Excuse me while I get my car key.' He disappeared into the other room. Jane could hear him talking to someone, another man by the sound of it, through the half-open door.

‘Mummy, are we buying an apartment?' Ruthie was almost bursting with excitement.

‘Shush! Not a word.' Playfully, Jane stopped her mouth. ‘Our secret. Okay?' Over the masking hand, Ruthie's eyes were enormous.

Fernando came out and beckoned them to follow him outside to where a white Seat was parked at the kerbside. He assisted Ruthie into the back, then politely motioned for Jane to get in. Very courteous and gallant! Jane smiled to herself as she tucked her skirt about her. Everything but click his heels! Within seconds they were pulling out into the traffic.

Fernando brought them on a quick tour of the show apartment and then retired to the courtyard to allow them time to view on their own. Jane wandered back through the tastefully furnished rooms and out on to the tiny flower-bedecked balcony. The pungent smell of geranium filled her nostrils and below, in the distance, the waves endlessly tumbled and broke on pale sand.

‘Mummy, it's so beautiful,' Ruthie came to stand beside her, and together they absorbed the scene.

A tiny tortoiseshell kitten clambered over the apartment wall and toppled into a flower pot, where it clung mewing pitifully. With a little cry, Ruthie extricated it from the tangle of leaves and cuddled it to her chest.

‘You little dote,' she breathed, and looked up at her mother with shining eyes, ‘Oh Mummy, this makes it just about perfect.'

In that moment Jane made up her mind.

Jane was by no means rich, but Eddie had left her comfortably off. In addition to his pension, there was her salary from the clinic and her own thriving medical practice. She owned her house and had the money she had got from the sale of the holiday cottage, as well as a few other sound investments her husband had made in the years before he died. She had never been extravagant herself. Her biggest expenditure was on her home and her children's education. If she wanted to buy an apartment now in Spain there was nothing standing in her way.

She glanced down at Ruthie's entranced face. ‘You really like it?' she softly enquired.

‘Oh Mummy!' Ruthie sighed, her eyes like twin stars.

‘Come on then,' Jane said, feeling suddenly as hopeful and excited as a young girl. With a last fond pat, Ruthie returned the kitten over the wall and followed her mother out of the apartment. They pulled the door after them and ran breathlessly down the stone steps leading to the courtyard.

The Spaniard turned to look at them as hand-in-hand they came hurrying towards him, their faces radiant.

‘You like it,' he stated, his naturally grave countenance suddenly swept by a smile.

Jane nodded happily. ‘Very much. Can we go back to your office? I think we can do business.'

‘Very good, Señora.' Fernando moved with alacrity to open the car door.

‘Mummy,' Ruthie whispered, tugging urgently at Jane's arm.

Jane looked down at her. ‘What is it, Ruthie?'

‘Claire and Sheena,' Ruthie prompted. ‘They'll think we've been kidnapped.'

‘Oh my goodness!' Jane was horrified. She realised that she hadn't given them a thought in the past hour. Whatever would they be thinking! She bundled Ruthie ahead of her into the car.

‘My girls,' she explained to Fernando's mystified face, ‘I'd forgotten all about them. Perhaps we can telephone the hotel when we get to your office.'

‘But of course.' He turned his eyes back to the road and rapidly weaved his way through the traffic.

By five o'clock that afternoon Jane had signed the conveyancing document on the Spanish apartment. The one she had picked was on the same side of the building as the show apartment, and had a prime view of the beach.

Earlier, she and Fernando had gone to a solicitor together and arranged the financial details. Jane had already telephoned her own bank in Dublin and asked the manager to send the solicitor her deposit of one million pesetas - the balance would be paid on completion of the apartment, in approximately three months' time - and all that remained was to sign the
escritura
which was sent off at once to the Registro de Propriedad.

Now they stood outside the property developer's office and shook hands.

‘May I drive you to your hotel?' Fernando enquired. ‘It would give me much pleasure to do so.'

Jane shook her head. ‘Thank you but I think a walk is what I need.' She gave him a tired smile. Her head was aching from the events of the past few hours and she wanted time to be alone and think over what she had done. She had telephoned the hotel and asked the girls to come and collect Ruthie. They had arrived, agog with curiosity, but she had despatched them with a promise to fill them in later on. Doubtless by now Ruthie would have told them. Just now she badly needed a stroll in the air.

‘Sí. Comprendo,
Dr McArdle.' Fernando gave her professional title with quiet courtesy. ‘I look forward to our meeting tomorrow.'

‘Hasta luego
.' Jane smiled and turned away. There were one or two alterations she would like carried out in the kitchen and main bedroom, which Fernando assured her could easily be done. Now was the time to do it before the apartment was completed. Second thoughts were always the most expensive, Jane knew. She sighed, feeling as if she had run a marathon, and set out wearily for the hotel.

Fernando watched Jane walk away, a smile in his dark eyes. He had been infected by her excitement and got almost as much fun out of her buying the apartment that afternoon, as she had herself. He had been greatly struck by the Irish woman.
Una mujer hermosa
, he thought approvingly, as she vanished around the corner. Alhough, perhaps, on reflection, he mused, not in the strictly physical sense. It was her mind and spirit that was truly beautiful, like that of his own mother. Interestingly enough, Fernando further mused, the doctor's hair was very similar in colouring to what his mother's rich auburn hair had once been, though sadly now streaked with grey. He smiled again and went on into the building.

There was no one in the outer office. He went straight through to the inside room.

‘Congratulations, Father,' he told the man seated behind the desk. ‘You were not here when I returned earlier, but I am happy to tell you we have sold yet another of our apartments.'

Antonio Gonzalez looked at his son affectionately. ‘So Consuelo told me. But you are the one to be congratulated.'

Fernando shrugged and laughed. ‘Perhaps,' he conceded. ‘However, I think the lady herself deserves much of the credit. She came to us knowing exactly what she wanted and by good fortune we were able to supply it.' He shook his head and whistled softly between his teeth. ‘Ayee, she took one look and decided it was for her.
Olé.

‘If all our customers knew their minds so well we would not be able to build apartments fast enough,' Antonio said wryly. ‘Still, we are not doing so badly. We shall soon have more than half of
Las Cicadas
accounted for.' He swept some papers into a drawer and locked it. ‘You know,' he said thoughtfully, ‘It might be worthwhile keeping that advertisement in the newspapers until the end of the tourist season.'

Fernando frowned. ‘That is a good idea,' he agreed politely. ‘But I must point out, Father, that it was not our advertisement in the newspapers, but in our front window, that drew Dr McArdle's attention.'

Antonio pondered this a moment. ‘All the same,' he decided, ‘keep the other advertisement running another few weeks.'

‘Very well.' Fernando took a silver pen from his pocket and made a memo. ‘By the way,' he went on more enthusiastically, ‘the lady is coming again tomorrow to discuss the interior of her apartment. There are one or two small changes she wishes us to make. I thought we might throw in a few of the additional features as a mark of goodwill.' He looked questioningly at his father. ‘Such as the vanity unit in the main bedroom and perhaps the glass shower door in the bathroom.'

His father looked surprised. ‘If you think so, Fernan. I leave it entirely to your judgement.'

Fernando smiled. ‘You are thinking that the lady in question is young and beautiful and that I'm hoping to impress her with my generosity?'

Antonio laughed. He came around the desk and clapped his son on the shoulder. ‘Why not? You are young and have been enamoured before.'

‘Undeniably. But Dr Jane McArdle is not a young
irlandesa guapa
, Father,' Fernando said reprovingly. ‘She is a medical doctor and almost of an age to be my mother.'

Antonio said nothing.

‘She is not young and beautiful,' Fernando went on, ‘But -
qué alma! Qué espíritu!
I feel sure when you meet her you'll agree.'

Antonio had gone to the window and was looking out on the small patio at the rear of the building, seemingly entranced by a lizard darting in and out of the flowerbeds. If it wasn't for the pulse throbbing in his forehead - always a sure sign that he was agitated - Fernando might have thought he had not heard. What his father might be upset about he could not for the life of him understand.

Sheena went into raptures when she heard her mother had bought an apartment in Spain.

‘But you never let on,' she kept saying. ‘How ever did you keep it so quiet?'

‘It all happened rather suddenly,' Jane admitted. ‘I still can't get over it myself.'

‘Our own apartment in Spain,' Sheena gloated. ‘Doesn't it sound grand, Claire?'

Claire nodded, feeling a little left out of it. A little inner voice kept reminding her that it was nothing at all to do with her. It was wonderful, yes, but only for the McArdles.