The Arrogant Duke (10 page)

'Do you not have a boy-friend,
senhorita
? Someone at home, in England, someone special?
^'

Juliet shook her head. 'I'm afraid not.
^'

'That is sad. You are - how old?
^'

'Twenty-one,
senhora.
^'

'Hmm. It is surprising. You are an attractive girl. Are your parents alive?
^'

'Only my father,
senhora.

'Your mother is dead?'

'She died when I was born.''

Juliet was getting a little tired of this catechism. There were plenty of questions she would have liked to ask, but she doubted whether she would get answers for them.

The Senhora seemed to realize this, for she said: 'I am sorry if I appear curious,
senhorita
, but as Teresa's - well - aunt-to-be, I feel a little responsible.'

'I see.'

'Please don't be offended.
^'
Estelle smiled, and Juliet allowed herself to smile also, although a little of her liking for Senhora Vinceiro was evaporating. Her possessive attitude was rather annoying, and the way she acted as though she was already in charge was bound to infuriate Teresa if it annoyed Juliet. For all her friendliness, Juliet felt that Estelle was merely using her and that her friendliness was just a way of getting what she wanted. Maybe she thought that in Juliet she had an ally in her effort to get the Duque to agree to a marriage in the near future. What she couldn't know was the emotional chaos Juliet herself had been plunged into since her arrival on Venterra.

She even felt a sneaking sympathy for Teresa, and her unrewarding infatuation for the man who had brought her here. There was so much to like and admire about the Duque that it would not be difficult to fall in love with him.

Fall in love with him!

Juliet brought herself up short. She was allowing her imagination to run away with her. Just because the Duque was something outside of her experience, outside of the normal run of men, that was no reason to mistake admiration for infatuation.

All of a sudden, she wanted to get away from Estelle Vinceiro and the disturbing thoughts she aroused. She had done enough thinking the previous day. She had no desire to think any more!

Standing up, she said: 'Will you excuse me,
senhora?
I - I have things I want to do. Letters to write. You understand?'

Estelle Vinceiro studied her for a moment longer, and then said: 'Of course,
senhorita
. But I would like to say that I hope we can be friends. In this - er — in the
quinta
, you will find plenty of antagonism. I would like to think that any troubles you encounter, you might bring to me.
^'

Juliet bit her lip. 'It's very kind of you to say so, but I don't think—
^'

'You can never tell!' interposed Estelle smoothly. '
Aden's
, for the moment.
^'

Juliet made her way to her room, on legs that were strangely weak. It must be the swimming, she thought, closing her bedroom door wearily. It must have tired me more than I imagined!

In the ten days that followed Juliet suffered a great deal of antagonism. To begin with, in her uncle's absence, Teresa refused to join her companion for breakfast, spending hours in her rooms with Nurse Madison. As each day passed, Juliet realized she had absolutely no control over the girl, and what was more she had no authority while the Duque was away.

It infuriated her, but there was little she could do, short of actually dragging Teresa out of her room, and as she didn
^'
t know where that room was, that prevented that. She could have questioned the servants, but it seemed such a menial way of going on, and she was not used to humiliating herself like this.

By the end of the first week that the Duque was away, Juliet was spending most of her time alone. She swam,' she sunbathed, she even played tennis with Miguel, but she was bored, for this was what she had left England for. She had questioned Consuelo as to where she might get in touch with the Duque, but after an abortive series of telephone calls to hotels in Barbados, she gave up. She could see nothing for it but to wait until the Duque returned.

Then, one morning, she had a visitor. He was a tall, lean young Spaniard, and introduced himself as Francisco Valmos.

Juliet smiled, glad of anyone new to speak to. 'You must be the Senor Valmos who dined here a week ago,' she exclaimed.

He smiled. He was very handsome, and obviously rather bemused by Juliet's cool, auburn-haired beauty after the dark and dusky-skinned women of his own race.

'That is correct,
senorita
,' he agreed enthusiastically. 'But now I am told Felipe is away.'

'Yes. In Barbados.'

'Ah, that is unfortunate, but yet pleasing, for now I can speak to you without fear of interruption. My - er - distant cousin, Estelle Vinceiro, told me a little about you.'

'And she didn't tell you that Fel— the Duque was away?'

He looked a little shamefaced. 'Actually, yes, I knew. But I wanted to meet you for myself.'

Juliet laughed. 'Oh, really!' She folded her arms, looking at him mockingly. Francisco Valmos was a little like the young men she was used to. With him she would have no difficulties.

'Yes. So
senorita
, will you offer me some chocolate, and we can talk, here on the patio?'

'All right. Why not?' Juliet summoned Consuelo. 'Two chocolates, please, Consuelo.'When they were seated on the patio, with their drinks, and cigarettes were lighted, Francisco said:

'Estelle did not exaggerate. You are quite beautiful, do you know that?
^'

Juliet wrinkled her nose. 'That is not necessary,
senor.'

'Oh, please, call me Francisco. What may I call you?'

Juliet hesitated. 'Well, Rosemary is my name, but you can call me Juliet.'

'Juliet? Why?'

'I prefer it,' she replied, and then: 'Actually, I'm glad of someone to talk to. I haven't seen Teresa alone for more than two days.'

He frowned. 'Why? Is she being difficult?'

Juliet sighed. 'Is she ever anything else?'

He chuckled. 'Oh, yes. She can be charming. Teresa is a fair example of her race; she likes men. Do you want me to speak to her?'

'Would it do any good?'

'I don't know, I should think so. What exactly had you planned to do with Teresa?'

Juliet sighed. 'Many things. Just now, I think, if she would talk to me, I'd feel I'd achieved something!'

'It's that bad?'

'Yes,' Juliet nodded. 'Not much use, am I? I suppose when the Duque comes back I'll be dismissed too.'

Francisco sighed. 'Maybe - maybe not. At any rate, I'll speak to Teresa. How about all of us going on a picnic? Would you like that?'

'To the beach?'

'Yes. I have a bathing tent, if anybody is shy,' he grinned.

'It sounds ideal,' agreed Juliet, sighing. 'Oh, yes, Francisco. Will you try?'

Juliet never found out what Francisco said to Teresa, but within an hour they were all in Francisco's car, together with a picnic hamper which Consuelo had supplied, on their way to Francisco's parents' home to collect his own equipment.

For all Juliet's apprehensions, she had to concede that Francisco was marvellous with Teresa. She obviously liked him, and certainly she, received plenty of attention. It was only when he suggested she put on the swim suit which Juliet had brought for her that she shied away, like a frightened horse.

Juliet left them arguing on the beach, and when she returned from her swim, they were still there. Francisco was attempting to persuade Teresa in their own language, or Teresa's language, at least, and Juliet lay on the sand, praying he would succeed. If she was to be dismissed, which thought absolutely terrified her, she would like to think she had achieved something towards Teresa's recovery, even if it was only an idea, and someone else did all the work.

At last even Francisco grew impatient, and left them both to have a swim himself. While he was in the water, Teresa said:

'Don't you imagine your presence here retrieves any of your lost progress! My uncle shall hear of the way you have played around since his departure. Nurse Madison and I will both be able to prove that!'

Juliet sighed. 'I really think there is something wrong with you, Teresa,' she exclaimed wearily. 'All you can think about is getting rid of me. Why? Do you think by doing so you will rid yourself of companions for all time? I can assure you, if I go, Estelle will get somebody else.'

Teresa looked surprised. 'What do you know about Estelle's ideas?'

'Just about everything,' replied Juliet, running her tongue over her lips. 'She intends to marry your uncle in the very near future, whether you're here or not. By remaining inanimate, which is what you are doing, you are giving all the advantages to her. Can't you see that?'

'Are you encouraging me to believe that my uncle might see me more clearly if I were walking?'

Juliet stiffened. 'No, I did not say that! My God, surely you can see that this - this infatuation you have for Felipe is ridiculous!'

Teresa's eyes darkened. '
Felipe,
' she echoed. 'Since when have you called my uncle Felipe?'

Juliet's cheeks burned. 'The - the Duque is not my concern,' she said, attempting to evade the question.

'Since when have you called the Duque Felipe?' hissed Teresa menacingly.

'Since no time. Never!' Juliet sat up, drawing up her knees and resting her chin on the top of them.

Teresa's fingers plucked her dress restlessly.

'I don't believe you. That day - that day you were with him in the boathouse - what happened?'

Juliet stared at her incredulously. 'What happened? What happened?' Something inside her burst into incensed rage. 'I'll tell you what happened, Teresa. Your uncle made savage and passionate love to me! Now are you satisfied? Would you like the details? Would you like to know how many times he kissed me - how he caressed me? Did you notice that his shirt was unbuttoned? I did that!'

Teresa stared at her with eyes wide and disbelieving. 'Stop it! Stop it!' she cried wildly, putting her hands over her ears. 'I won't - I don't believe you!'

Juliet lifted her shoulders in a helpless gesture. 'Why not? It's what you wanted to hear, isn't it?'

'No. No.
No!'
Teresa's hands were balled into fists. 'Oh, I hate you, I hate you,
I hate you!'

'I don't blame you,' said Juliet quietly, getting to her feet. 'That was a horrible thing to say, and I'm sorry.'

'You mean—' Teresa looked up at her. 'You mean - it's not true?'

'True? True? Of course it's not true! Do you think I would tell you, if it were?'

Teresa shook her head bewilderedly. 'But I don't understand. Why did you say it?'

Juliet shook her head. 'I don't know. Pique, I guess. Oh, Teresa, I've been here almost a fortnight, and I've made no progress with you whatsoever. You won't spend time with me, you won't let me help you, mostly you won't even speak to me. Even healthy hatred is better than indifference.'

Teresa was looking at her strangely. 'I really believe you care,' she exclaimed incredulously.

'Of course I care,' said Juliet, sighing. 'I didn't come here to play around on the beach. I came to help you to walk again, to become a real person again.'

Teresa compressed her lips, relaxing her fingers. 'Laura Weston only came because she wanted my uncle,' she said slowly. 'You see, Estelle told her all about him. That he was a Duque and wealthy and so on. I think she would have wanted him if he had been old and bald and ugly. As it was, she fell for him straight away.'

'Well, I can assure you, I didn't even know your uncle was a Duque until I arrived here. Unlike this Laura Weston, I should probably not have come if I'd known he was.'

Teresa seemed to be trying to understand. 'If - and I mean
if -
I let you help me, will you promise not to be in league with Estelle against me?'

'In league with Estelle!' echoed Juliet. 'Of course I'm not in league with Estelle. She isn't exactly my cup of tea.'

'What does that mean? You don't like her?'

'I wouldn't go so far as to say that!' amended Juliet hastily. 'It's just - well, she is a lot older than you and me, isn't she?'

And for the first time Juliet saw Teresa smile, properly, not the sneering grins she had been used to seeing. It brought a strange lump to her throat, and she sank down on the sand beside her, taking her hand.

'So - Teresa,' she murmured softly. 'Are we going to be friends?'

Teresa gave her a tremulous look. 'Oh, I - I suppose so. Just don't try to stop me loving Felipe, that's all!'

Juliet did not answer this. This was a problem which would have to be solved at some future date.

In the days that followed Juliet grew
to
know the real Teresa, not the spoilt, unhappy individual the had been when confined solely with Nurse Madison for company.

Nurse Madison did not like her patient's sudden change of allegiance, but as Teresa had not confided its origin to her, she could do nothing. Instead, she spent her time following them around, except when they went out in the car, and she was not invited.

Juliet discovered that Teresa had quite a bright intelligence, and Teresa discovered that Juliet's sense of humour made their days bright and companionable. Francisco accompanied them often, stating quite clearly that he considered it was his influence which had broken the ice.

Sixteen days after his departure, the Duque returned.

Juliet did not know he was back until he joined them for breakfast, the morning after his arrival.

'Well,
pequena
?' he said to Teresa. 'How are you today?'

'Tio Felipe!' Teresa's face was alight with pleasure. 'When did you get back?'

'Late yesterday evening,
pequena
. And you,
senhorita.
Are you well?'

Juliet's colour deepened as usual. 'Thank you,
senhor
, I am fine.'

Teresa caught his hand, drawing him close to her side. 'Senhorita Summers and I are good friends now, Felipe. We have - how do you say it - ironed out our differences.'