Like One of the Family (45 page)

‘What did I tell you,' she chuckled. ‘He wants you to meet his mother.'

‘
All
of us,' Claire stressed, but Sheena laughed and said that was only camouflage.

They sat chatting while the little girls played on the sand and swam, and then they all left the beach and went to their usual cafe for drinks.

Sheena gave their order to the waiter, who grinned and eagerly went to do her bidding. As always, she had lost no time in enslaving the male population. She had been disappointed but philosophical when Fernando had plainly showed his preference for Claire, and although she still practised her charm on him, it was merely a reflex action, ‘Will you make me a picture of Carmencita, please,' Adela asked her politely. Sheena good-naturedly took up her sketch pad and obliged.

She was engaged in shading in the costume and assuring Adela that the next would be in colour, when a shadow fell across the table and the girls looked up to see two Spaniards smiling down at them.

‘Hola
, Claire,' one of them said.

With a start, Claire recognised the young man she had met at the supermarket. She returned his greeting, conscious of Sheena's amazed stare. Whereupon Alejandro indicated the chairs about the table, and Claire had no choice but to invite him and his companion to sit down. Sheena regarded them both with bright interested eyes.

‘You are an artist?' Alejandro bent to look at her sketch.

Sheena grinned and nodded.

‘Are portraits very expensive?'

‘Special rate for good-looking men,' Sheena said cheekily.

Alejandro's was slightly older than Alejandro, perhaps in his early thirties. Tall and well-built, with black hair spiking across his forehead. He murmured something to Alejandro and when the younger man responded with a laugh, he fell silent again and stared so intently at the girls that Claire was embarrassed. To cover her confusion she turned to Alejandro.

‘It's a portrait of Carmencita,' she explained, holding up Adela's doll, ‘who, by the way, dances flamenco.'

‘
Ayee, I have always wanted to meet such an accomplished young lady.' Alejandro took hold of the doll's hand and solemnly shook it, much to the delight of the two little girls. ‘And speaking of flamenco,' he turned to Claire, ‘would you and your friend care to accompany us to a show?'

‘We'd love to.' Sheena accepted excitedly. ‘We've been longing to see flamenco, haven't we, Claire?'

Claire nodded, but with less enthusiasm. ‘Yes, we have.'

‘But you do not know anything about us,' Alejandro said astutely, ‘and you are not sure if it is correct to accompany two Spaniards to a show without being formally introduced?'

Claire smiled reluctant assent.

‘Comprendo
. So what is to be done?' Alejandro sighed and turned to his companion. ‘Should we ask Señora Carmencita to make the formal introductions? He glanced back at Claire with an understanding smile. ‘Would that meet your requirements?' Claire found her objections melting under his charm. Perhaps she was being silly.

‘Of course it would,' Sheena said, impatient of such scruples. ‘Don't pay any attention to Claire. She worries about nothing.'

Still Alejandro hesitated, his eyebrows quirked.

Claire smiled and nodded.

‘Estupendo,
' Alejandro said in relief and leaned towards the rag doll. To the amusement of the little girls he began, ‘Señora Carmencita I would consider it a great honour if you would introduce me to your charming friends.'

Sheena grinned and mimicked through the doll's head-dress. ‘I would be delighted, Señor,' pointing first at the little girls and then herself, and pronouncing their names.

‘And now,' Alejandro's companion drawled, ‘Won't you introduce me?'

Alejandro laughed and clapped his shoulder. ‘Miguel Delgado is a very good friend of mine,' he told them. ‘I am most happy to present him to you.'

‘Señoritas
.
' Miguel bowed, and resumed his lazy watch on the girls again.

Alejandro ordered wine and said, ‘Tonight we will go to La Hacienda, the best in town. But first we will take you to a friend of ours who owns a bar with the most delicious
gambas
.'

There was a relaxed feeling between them now although Claire was still not at ease with Miguel. He seemed to her coarse and full of suppressed energy, or violence. Maybe it was only in her imagination, but she felt distinctly uncomfortable in his company. Before long she stood up and said they must go. Sheena was reluctant to say goodbye and there were many farewells before she could drag herself away.

Between the attention of two good-looking young men and the wine Sheena was on a high as they walked back to the apartment, brimming with plans and ideas for further meetings with the two Spaniards.

‘Let's see how tonight goes first,' Claire suggested cautiously. She was more concerned with leaving Ruthie and Adela.

‘Are we right to go?' she wondered.

‘Oh, they'll be all right with Teresa,' Sheena said carelessly. ‘Anyway we won't be late. Alex says the show only lasts an hour.'

Claire allowed herself to be persuaded. So often lately hers seemed to be the only dissenting voice. She was tired being the conscience for everyone.

At the appointed hour the Spaniards were waiting for the girls in the courtyard and they walked to the bar where the
gambas
were every bit as good as Alejandro had promised. Miguel had been replaced by a young man called Luis, and no explanations were offered. Claire suspected that Sheena was disappointed but she was just as glad herself.

At La Hacienda they were shown to a table and ice-cold glasses of Coke, laced with white rum, were placed before them. Claire drank slowly but Sheena, like everything else she did in life, tackled hers vigorously, airily opining that
Cuba Libres
were not a whole lot different from Coke. Except for the kick, Claire thought.

Talking was difficult with all the tempestuous dancing going on so close at hand.. In time another round of drinks was brought, and then another. Alejandro seemed to be very wealthy, paying for everything.

When the flamenco finished the Spaniards invited the girls on to the dance floor. The song that was playing ‘You'll Never Stop Me Loving You' had been popular the previous summer when Terry and Claire danced together. She felt such a wave of longing that she tightened her grip on Luis's narrow shoulder and he glanced down at her in surprise. After a moment he thrust himself hard against her and Claire felt so moved by desire and all the rum she had drunk that she almost turned faint. She had not thought that she would ever feel sexual awareness again, nor had she wanted to.

When they arrived back at the apartment she said goodnight at once and ran up to join Ruthie and Adela. She found the little girls sitting with Teresa stretched out on the couch, who raised a red suffering face as Claire came in the door.

‘Poor Teresa isn't well,' Ruthie said, jumping up at once and running over to her. ‘Her head is aching and she says she feels dizzy.'

‘I'm afraid I overdid it,' Teresa admitted. ‘Too much blooming sun. I should have known better, lying on that balcony for hours.

‘Poor Teresa,' Claire commiserated with her and went to get her a cup of tea and two paracetemol. By the time Sheena had said at last to Alejandro and come dashing up the stairs, it was clear to Claire unless by some miracle Teresa recovered from her sunburn before morning she would never be well enough to accompany them to Fernando's house next day.

Fernando sat behind the wheel of the Mercedes looking cool and relaxed as he drove the short distance into Nerja to pick up the girls. He wore light, stone-coloured linen slacks and a short-sleeved shirt with a button down collar and a bronze silk tie. His arms were dark from the sun and contrasted strongly against the soft pearl. He went the length of the street and turned into the parking lot before
Las Cicadas
. He had told Claire to expect him at three o'clock and it was now ten minutes before the hour.

It was deeply satisfying to Fernando's punctilious soul that he was early despite the many preparations needed to ensure that everything was in order for this afternoon's tea-party.

His first priority had been to ensure that Elena should take her afternoon nap undisturbed in the cathedral-like quiet of her bedroom, so that she would be rested and at her best for the visit. Leaving Christina to wake her mistress at the appointed time, Fernando had gone downstairs and supervised the laying out of the china and silverware bearing the Gonzalez crest, nodding his approval of the trays of sweet confectionery that Pilar had been preparing all morning and taking it upon himself to check that the l
imonada
, as fresh and fruitily delicious as only Pilar knew how to make it, was keeping cool in big earthenware jugs on the marble shelves of the larder. All that remained was to shower and change into casual clothing, before driving into the town.

As Fernando parked the Mercedes he glanced in the mirror, his attention caught by the sight of his younger brother jauntily crossing the concrete forecourt. He stared in surprise, for he had believed Alejandro to be far away in his military barracks in Cadiz.

‘
Hola
! Alex!' Fernando called through the window and his brother checked and looked behind him.

‘Fernan. What are you doing here?'

‘I might ask you the same question,' Fernando said with a smile, noting that Alejandro was out of uniform and carried no kit. ‘When did you arrive?'

‘Not long ago.' His brother's reciprocal smile was wide but his gaze was almost furtive, Fernando thought, frowning at the vagueness of his reply.

‘Does Father know you are here?'

Alejandro shrugged. ‘There wasn't time to tell him. I got the chance of a lift home and felt like coming.'

‘So we'll see you later?'

‘I'm not sure. It all depends...'

‘I thought you said you felt like coming home.'

‘Yes I did... but you know how it is, Fernan,' Alejandro smiled disarmingly. ‘Naturally I want to see my mother, but I am meeting friends and may decide after all to stay with them rather than inconvenience anyone at home. Anyway it is merely a flying visit... there may not even be time to go home.'

Fernando regarded his younger brother gravely.

‘Are you in trouble, Alex?'

‘Of course not! What a suspicious mind you have. It's just that if I go home it will only upset mother. You know how fussed she gets. She'll want me beside her every minute and when I go she'll miss me like the devil so perhaps...'

Alejandro looked uncomfortable.

‘Very well.' Fernando took pity on him. 'I will say nothing but only for her sake. She will be even more upset if she thinks you are here and she doesn't see you.'

Alejandro looked relieved. ‘Thanks, Fernan. I'll be home for a week in September and then I will be a model son, I promise.'

Fernando suddenly recalled his purpose in visiting
Las Cicadas
and clapped his brother absently on the back. Alejandro was a selfish little beggar, he thought, but there was no real harm in him. He got along better with him than he did with Federico, who took himself far too seriously for his taste.

‘Make sure you do!' With a last rejoinder Fernando turned away and ran lightly up the steps to Claire's apartment. He forgot all about his brother the moment she opened the door.

Señora Gonzalez, sitting on the patio, shaded from the sun by a huge parasol, stretched out her hand in welcome. She greeted each girl in turn in a low, sweetly accented voice and expressed polite regret that their chaperone had not been well enough to accompany them.

‘I was sorry to hear she is suffering from sunburn,' Elena said. ‘It is so easy to underestimate the strength of the sun. I hope she will soon be recovered.' Then turning to Fernando, she said, ‘Fernan, my dear, pour drinks for the girls. They must be thirsty.'

‘Certainly, Mother,' Fernando replied, as he bent to kiss her, ‘but not until I have rung for your iced tea. I notice you have not had it yet.'

As Fernando made himself useful, pouring glasses of chilled
limonada
and cheerfully handing them about, Claire took hers and went to sit near Elena. She was drawn to the frail figure and observing Fernando's tender care for his mother, was struck by the deep affection between them.

Sheena, glass in hand, wandered off across the smooth lawn to admire the flowerbeds massed with salvias, carnations and begonias. In one place they had been planted out in a striking arrangement to represent the Spanish flag. Fernando walked beside her, content to leave Claire with his mother.

‘Gosh!' Sheena said in awe. ‘I bet that took someone hours of back-breaking toil.'

‘A fair amount,' Fernando agreed, amused. It had taken their two full-time gardeners, along with some outside help, ten hours to produce the effect.

‘This place is enormous,' Sheena said admiringly. ‘Just how big is it?'

‘About four acres.' Fernando smiled .

‘Wow!' Sheena was suitably impressed.

Fernando looked back and saw that Claire was holding a book and leaning close to his mother's chair. Elena was a great reader. He knew Claire was taking an Arts degree at college, which increased his interest in her. He was full of admiration for learning and, in addition to his architectural degree, would liked to have taken a degree in languages. He hoped some day to put this right. As it was, he was fairly fluent in German and French. He looked around at the sound of excited laughter and saw Ruthie and Adela frisking with his black Labrador.

‘What a friendly, beautiful dog,' Ruthie gasped. ‘She licked my face.'

Fernando laughed. ‘Stella is very fond of chocolate,' he told her, eyeing the marks about the little girl's mouth.