When Summer Fades (30 page)

‘I don’t need Carlos to take me to the hospital! Uncle Monty is perfectly capable.’

Monty looked up, acutely embarrassed and motioned to the empty glass on the table. ‘I’m afraid I can’t, Sophie. I’ve been drinking and Portuguese drink-driving laws are very strict. Not only that, but the car’s at the bottom of the hill, remember?’

‘Then I’ll walk!’

‘You can’t possibly walk all that way! Besides, we need to talk!’ Carlos declared, watching her struggling to fasten the confused Nicholas into his buggy. ‘I know this isn’t the height of summer, but remember what happened the last time you got caught in the sun?’

Sophie could remember only too clearly, and at that precise moment, she had absolutely no desire to be reminded of it!

Weighing up the situation, Helena stepped forward. ‘Sophie – if you won’t let Carlos to take you to hospital, perhaps I can take you instead? I’ve only been drinking orange juice.’

There was a strained, uncomfortable silence before Sophie finally admitted defeat. Hobbling to Helena’s car, she was glad of the pushchair to lean on.

‘I don’t think it’s a good idea to take Nicholas to the hospital, dear,’ Edna advised. ‘I promise he’ll be perfectly safe with us here.’

‘Ha!’ Sophie muttered, facing Edna squarely in the eye. Her knee was beginning to hurt like hell, and she no longer cared what she did or said. ‘How do I know that, when you’ve all plotted and schemed to bring me here under false pretences?’

When Carlos made as if to speak, Helena shook her head, placing a finger against her lips. ‘You have my word, Sophie. I will swear on
my
son's life that
your
son will be perfectly safe here at Casa Sophia. Now, shall we go?’

*

Sitting in the busy casualty unit with Helena by her side, Sophie stared about her. If it was anything like Beckford General, she could be in for a very long wait.

Turning, she addressed Helena with a curt, ‘It was kind of you to bring me. There’s really no need to wait. I’ll get a taxi when I’m ready to leave.’

Sensing there was little point in arguing, Helena replied, ‘Very well. I’ll ask the nurse to arrange a taxi for when you’re ready to return to Casa Sophia. You must speak to Carlos about —’

‘
Must
?’ Sophie hissed, not wanting to draw the attention of her fellow patients. ‘How dare you! What gives you the right to tell me what to do?’

‘Oh, I have every right, Sophie! You see, I care for my son just as much as you do yours. Have you
any
idea how much Carlos has suffered? Not knowing why, when you claimed to love him so much, you disappeared from his life without trace. And if the pain of losing you wasn’t enough for him to bear, can you even begin to understand how he felt when he discovered you’d had his child? A son you’ve deliberately kept secret from him!’

‘But I....’

‘No! Let me finish,’ Helena said, her voice determined yet dignified. ‘Today, when Carlos arrived to see you in the almond grove and held Nicholas in his arms, I saw him smile for the first time in months. He has been so wretchedly miserable without you, Sophie.’

Trying hard not to show how moved she’d been by Helena’s carefully chosen words, Sophie enquired, coolly polite. ‘Why should Carlos be miserable without me? He already has Rosa and the baby!’

Helena sighed and eased herself from her chair. ‘You still don’t see, do you? In many ways you are as stubborn as Carlos, even though the evidence was right under your very nose. According to your friend, Callie, you even refused to open Rosa’s wedding invitation and barely glimpsed at the wedding photo.’

‘I was too upset.’

‘And the villa. Carlos’s villa. Didn’t you see the name
Casa
Sophia
? It’s even named after you! You are the only woman Carlos has ever truly loved.’

‘Then why did he marry Rosa?’

‘He didn’t,’ Helena replied softly, deliberately moving away, ‘It was Cristovao who married Rosa. To their surprise, they fell in love the summer you were here and, too frightened to say anything for fear of upsetting Maria-Clara, they pretended otherwise. By all accounts they were certainly
very
convincing, with Rosa telling her parents that she was staying with an old schoolfriend, when all the time she’d been with Cristovao.

Struggling to stand, Sophie sought to catch up with Helena. She frowned and gave a tiny gasp. ‘Old schoolfriend? You don’t mean Anna Oliviera?’

Helena nodded in reply. ‘So I believe. Then when José had his heart attack, Rosa, in a state of remorse, decided the best person to ring was probably Carlos. She hoped he’d be able to explain to their grandmother. Desperately trying to make contact with both Carlos and Cristovao, Rosa became even more distressed and confused. The rest, as they say, is history. Little Sophia – Rosa and Cristovao’s baby girl, also named after you.’

‘
What
?’ Longing to sit down again, because her knee was throbbing so painfully, Sophie could barely think straight.

‘But I saw Carlos on the wedding photo! He was —’

‘He was Cristovao’s
best
man
.’

Sophie sat down, her mouth gaping, watching Helena reach the automatic doors of the exit.

‘Helena!’ she called after her, her voice catching in her throat. ‘I had no idea. I’m
so
sorry. Please! Don’t go!’

‘I’m afraid I must. I have an important dinner engagement. Don’t worry Sophie. I’ll order you a taxi.’

Sitting in silence for what seemed like an eternity, her knee sutured and dressed, Sophie waited for her name to be announced.

‘
Taxi
por
Senhora
Fuller
?’ a voice called.

‘Yes. That’s me,’ she replied.

‘It eez waiting outside,’ the young nurse said, helping Sophie to the door.

Standing alone on the hospital steps, Sophie looked from side to side. It was almost dark and there was no sign of a taxi anywhere, but there was a pearlised Volvo C70 – and its engine was running!

‘Carlos?’

‘My mother thought this might be more preferable to a taxi,’ a quiet voice said, stepping from the shadows.

Gingerly taking the arm extended in her direction, Sophie limped towards the car.

‘Is … Is your mother very angry with me?’

Carlos opened the passenger door. ‘Angry with you? Why should she be angry with you?’

‘I'm afraid I was extremely rude to her. I think I owe her an apology.’

‘Then that makes two of us, because I was very rude to her, too. I told her in no uncertain terms that I didn't approve of her methods of trying to bring us back together. When I realized the misunderstandings on both sides, my immediate reaction was to catch the first plane to England and come knocking on your door.’

‘Why didn’t you?’

‘Because my mother said you’d probably slam it in my face.’

With a wry smile, Sophie leaned against the car. ‘She’s probably right there.’

‘Mmm,’ Carlos mused. ‘So I gather. And, as a consequence, I’ve been bossed about like a child and told by everyone concerned, including Monty, Edna and your
very
good friend Callie: “
Sophie's
extremely
stubborn
Carlos
,
you
must
be
patient
.” The only trouble being, I’m running out of patience. I can’t wait any longer Sophie ... I have to know.’

‘Know what?’

‘The reason for the letter saying you were going back to Gavin. Was it really because you thought I’d married Rosa, or had you simply decided you no longer loved me and wanted to forget all about me?’

‘
No
longer
loved
you
!’ Sophie cried, tears springing to her eyes. ‘How can you say that? I only have to look at Nicholas to see you. Why, there are days when I feel as if my heart is being torn into hundreds of little pieces because of my love for you.’

‘Oh, Sophie!’ Carlos groaned, his voice catching as he pulled her towards him. ‘When I think of the letters and phone calls you never acknowledged. You even went ex-directory to avoid speaking to me. And then, last autumn, when I rang the hospital and discovered you were on maternity leave...’

‘You rang the hospital? You’ve known about Nicholas since...’

‘Not exactly. Look, it’s a
very
long story, and one I’d prefer not to go into standing in a hospital car park. Suffice it to say I confided in my mother and, without telling me of her plans, she decided to search out Casa Edna. That took some doing, of course. Luckily, there was only one hotel by that name. I understand the girls at the Norfolk Tourist Board were extremely helpful.’

*

‘Where is everyone?’ Sophie whispered, when they eventually returned to Casa Sophia. ‘The place looks almost in darkness.’

‘Shh,’ a voice whispered, as Helena tiptoed into the dimly lit hallway.

‘Nicholas?’ Sophie queried, confused, when she saw Helena reach for her jacket.

‘He’s perfectly content. Upstairs and sound asleep in the nursery.’

‘The nursery? Oh, Helena ... I’m so very sorry.’

Helena leaned forward to kiss Sophie on both cheeks. ‘There’s really no need, my dear. I’ll see you tomorrow. In the meantime, have a wonderful evening – both of you.’

‘I'm sure we shall,’ Carlos replied, escorting his mother to the front door.’

‘Where is she going? Why isn’t she staying? And what about Monty and Edna?’

‘So many questions, Sophie,’ Carlos teased. ‘Nicholas, as she’s already told you, is upstairs in the nursery, and my mother is on her way to join Monty, Edna and my father for dinner. Don’t look so surprised – even the older generation makes mistakes, you know. You might be interested to learn that my parents have decided to get back together. Which now leaves only us. So, would you like to see where our son is sleeping, before I show you to our bedroom and run you a bath? You look absolutely exhausted, my darling.’

Through misted eyes, Sophie watched Carlos bend down to kiss his son goodnight. With tender fingers he brushed a wayward strand of hair from the baby’s forehead before turning and holding out his hand. ‘Now – about that bath I promised you.’

‘They said at the hospital I wasn’t to get my knee wet.’

‘Oh, I’m sure that can be arranged,’ Carlos grinned, eyes the colour of midnight, sparkling mischievously.

Sometime later, leading Sophie to a circular bathroom lit by myriad candles, Carlos supported her knee as instructed and helped her into sweetly scented water. Then, to her surprise, he slipped the soundtrack of The Jazz Singer into a portable CD player.

‘A present from Callie. Monty and Edna brought it with them,’ he explained. ‘She maintains the song
Summer
Love
fits us perfectly. Although, having played the disc so many times while waiting for you to arrive, I consider my favourite ...
Songs
Of
Life
, far more appropriate.’

‘Why is that?’

‘Because, just like it says in the song, I want to hold you forever,’ Carlos replied, pouring two glasses of chilled champagne. ‘Listen, and you’ll see. Only, please don’t expect me to sing it for you Sophie. I’ll have to think of other ways to entertain you instead.’

‘Mmm. That sounds interesting,’ she whispered, when Carlos knelt by the side of the bath and began cupping the warm, scented water over her back and shoulders.

‘I was hoping you’d say that,’ he murmured. ‘And this time, Sophie, if the telephone rings, please don’t answer it!’