Witch's Harvest (25 page)

'My disillusionment with Della had begun long before that night,' Vasco admitted. 'She was beautiful, and she made me want her

very badly, without giving anything in return. I told myself that—possessing her would make up for a great deal in other ways,

but I was not convinced. It was her own selfish and mercenary attitude that made me wonder whether her accusations about

you could be true. I knew what she was capable of, after all, and you were related to her by blood. All the time we were engaged I
was waiting, I suppose, for some—taint to show itself. But it never did.'

He was silent for a moment. 'I suppose too that all that time I was falling in love—truly in love, for the first time, although I was
too much of a fool to recognise it. I was obsessed with this absurd deadline we had set for ourselves, and how I could get round

it. It seemed incredible that I'd gambled my life's happiness on the possibility of some biological fusion having occurred,

especially when I did not even believe, myself, that it had happened. When Jorge told me you were pregnant, that day at the

settlement, I could have kissed him. In fact, I am not sure I did not.'

'But you were so awful about it,' she protested.

'I was so jealous,' he said softly. 'That first time I saw you with Link, he was touching your hand— something I had hardly

permitted myself to do— and I wanted to kill him. I had never felt any such blood-lust towards the man Della left me for. As it was,
I stood there,
querida
, watching you with him, and seeing with total clarity at last everything I felt for you. It was—quite a
revelation. And afterwards, you never seemed to be out of his company. I wanted to make love to you so badly, to wipe the

thought of every other man from your mind. But when I believed I had succeeded, it was only to have you tell me you felt

degraded. It seemed then that my love would never be enough for you, and I was too hurt to do anything but hit back.'

'Which you did,' she said, with a little sigh. 'I wanted to die.'

'If it is any consolation, I wanted that too. We had been so close, it was Paradise, then suddenly we were further apart than ever
before. The news about the baby gave me fresh hope.' He paused. 'In fact, I had all kinds of hopes. I had been to Manaus that

first time principally to try and raise a loan to buy Laracoca, because I knew Gerulito wanted to pull out.' Gently he tucked a

strand of hair back behind her ear. 'I thought perhaps you would like to live at Laracoca. The house has all kinds of refinements

which this one lacks. I hoped it might reconcile you to staying with me, even if there was no baby.'

Abby's voice shook. 'But when I lost the baby, you said it was "a blessing in disguise".'

His brows drew together. 'But I thought Jorge had spoken to you—told you it was possible there had been something wrong

with the baby from the beginning. That sometimes a miscarriage was nature's way of remedying—a mistake.'

'Yes, he did,' she remembered slowly. 'But I didn't understand. I thought you were pleased, because it meant there was nothing

to keep us together any more.'

A shudder convulsed his strong body. 'You— thought that?' He shook his head. 'That was the worst day of my life,
querida

—
one disaster following upon another. While I was waiting for Jorge to come, all I could think of was Beatriz—and that I might
lose you before I had even told you that I loved you.'

'But I told you.' It was as if a veil had been suddenly lifted. 'In the plantation, just before I passed out. It seemed important not to
pretend any more, so I said, "I love you".'

'You seemed to be struggling to say something, but you made no sound.' Vasco closed his eyes for a moment. '
Deus
, Abby, it
seems we have been fated to misunderstand each other. But at least we can part without recriminations.'

If he'd slapped her, she could not have been more shocked. 'Part?' she echoed stupidly. 'What do you mean?'

'What I say. You are right to go, and I cannot ask you to stay. Because you were quite correct. My life is here, no matter what the
hardships. I offered you Rio, as they say a drowning man clutches at a straw, but even as I said it, I knew it would be a disaster
for both of us.'

'But I thought you were offering it to Della.' Her words almost fell over themselves. 'I've never wanted Rio—never. I don't care

about hardships— I want to stay here with you.' She began to press little kisses to his face. 'You say you love me, and you want

to send me away!' she added on a little wail.

His hand tangled in her hair, tipping her face back so he could look at her. He said harshly, 'But leaving was your own idea,

Abby, when Luisa told you how much money I had lost through the attack of
largatão
. I cannot blame you,
querida
. I cannot
afford now to buy Laracoca, and it will be a struggle to survive.'

'And you think I care about that?' she asked fiercely. 'I'm your wife, Vasco, and I love you. You're not sending me away. I didn't
know about the money, I thought you were still in love with Della, and that you wanted to bring her here in my place. I couldn't

bear it,' she added, with a little sob. 'Oh, you have to believe me!'

Vasco was silent for a moment, then he said softly, 'So—we fight together to put Riocho Negro back on its feet again. Is that

what you truly want?'

'Yes, truly.' Abby was consumed by a happiness, a mounting excitement she had never dreamed could be hers. And a sudden

knowledge of her own power too, she realised. She looked at him under her lashes, then lifted her hands to the buttons of his

shirt, beginning to slide them from their fastenings. 'Although that isn't all I want,' she murmured huskily.

'Indeed,
senhora
?' His brows lifted, as if he was puzzled. 'I regret I fail to catch your meaning. Perhaps you should be a little
more—explicit.'

'It will be my pleasure,' she assured him, her voice smiling. Then she paused abruptly. 'Vasco, what about Pedro Lazaro—he'll

still be waiting for me…'

'No, he will have left by now,' Vasco assured her, capturing her hands and returning them to their self-appointed task of ridding

him of his clothes. 'I told him that if you had not joined him within twenty minutes, you would be staying.'

'Such arrogance!' she scolded, pausing to run the tip of her tongue along his lower lip. 'You must have been very sure of me.'

Vasco rolled over, pinning her beneath him. 'I was not sure at all,' he said. 'As you know.' He kissed her eyes and the corner of

her mouth. 'And I am still waiting,
carinha
, to be convinced.'

Abby said hoarsely, 'Then don't wait any longer—darling, please. Oh God, yes—yes…!'

The urgency which possessed them both was out of control, demanding an instant appeasement. Locked with him, Abby

responded out of her own aching need to each forceful thrust of his body, attuned to him, one with him as never before. Their

mutual climax was sharp, explosive, almost violent. And afterwards they wept a little, then laughed and kissed the tears away

from each other's faces.

'Mine at last!' Vasco exulted, as he cradled her in his arms. 'Mine for ever.'

He fell asleep, and she lay watching him, bewildered by her own joy, revelling in the anticipation of, soon, kissing him awake,

enticing him to make love to her again.

She thought about the little
figa
and smiled. It had brought good fortune after all. And in some strange, paradoxical way, even
the witch's broom had made its contribution to the harvest of happiness before them.

Life would not be easy, but then it never was, Abby thought drowsily. And at least they would be facing its difficulties together.

Fulfilled and secure, she drifted to sleep in her husband's arms.