Meeting in Madrid (18 page)

‘How do I know?’ he repeated, coming to stand beside her. ‘It’s something I can’t explain, but you can call it instinct if you like. Jaime is a very fair person. He would not accuse you until he was absolutely sure, so you have nothing to worry about. Nothing at all.’ He put a kindly hand on her shoulder. ‘Cheer up,
querida
! It will not be long before we know the truth.’

‘Have the police been called in?’ Catherine asked nervously.

‘Not yet.’ Ramon went out into the sunshine. ‘That will be a last resort, because Jaime has never been known to involve the family name in a scandal of any sort. He is very proud in that respect. Of course, if the ruby has been stolen he will go all the way in order to recover it.’

Catherine cut into an avocado pear. She had no appetite for her breakfast while the black cloud of Lucia’s passionate accusation still hung over her. Although Teresa and now Ramon had assured her of their trust in her, there was still Jaime and, of course, Lucia herself.

‘Is there anywhere else we could search?’ she asked without much hope.

‘Not around here,’ said Ramon, ‘but Jaime is trying to find Manuel. He has disappeared again, although Eugenie says he was here last night to sleep in his own quarters above the stables. Evidently he did not stay there very long, because he had gone when she went to call him this morning.’

Catherine could only think of Manuel with pity, for, if he had taken the ruby, Jaime would punish him.

‘Do you think he has gone for good?’ she asked.

Ramon shrugged.

‘We cannot be sure. He has never known anywhere else but Soria. He was born here; he has always worked for us and Jaime takes his loyalty for granted. Manuel was a happy person till Lucia came on the scene,’ he mused, ‘but when he fell in love with her he became her slave. No doubt one day he will see how foolish he is.’ He looked down at his mud-encrusted boots. ‘Ah, well, back to the search! Jaime phoned Alex Bonnington, by the way, just to make sure that Lucia hadn’t lost the ruby while she was there, but he got no reply. Perhaps you would try again, later on?’

Catherine nodded abstractedly, wondering what Alex would say when she heard of Lucia’s irreplaceable loss.

She hadn’t to wait very long for an answer. When she telephoned the bungalow there was still no reply and because Soria now seemed to be full of conflict she walked up through the garden to think more clearly.

Even here in the bright sunlight with the scent of frangipani heavy in the air and the flamboyant spears of a flame tree thrusting against the background green to make a brilliant splash of colour above her head, she could not think beyond Lucia’s ugly accusation of the day before. She had meant every word she had said.

Coming eventually to the heavy oak door in the outer wall, Catherine hesitated. It was no use searching for the ruby beyond the door, but suddenly it seemed the only way to comparative peace of mind. Pulling it open, she found herself looking through the windscreen of Alex Bonnington’s little white two-seater.

‘Oh, Alex, you’ve no idea how glad I am to see you!’ she exclaimed.

Alex took one look at her distressed face and the smile faded from her own.

‘What’s the matter?’ she asked. ‘Is it Lucia?’

‘In a kind of way.’

Alex opened the car door.

‘Get in!’ she commanded.

When Catherine was settled in the seat beside her she reversed the car on to the main road.

‘We’ll drive a little way,’ she suggested. ‘You can tell me all about it.’

Catherine drew a deep breath.

‘Why did you come?’ she asked.

‘I’d like to say it was because I am psychic and felt you needed me,’ Alex answered, ‘but it was really to return this.’ She stretched into the glove compartment to produce a hastily-wrapped bundle from which the ends of the
mantilla
protruded. ‘I knew you would be anxious about it.’

‘Alex, how kind of you to bring it!’ Catherine exclaimed. ‘I didn’t miss it until we got back and I phoned you, but you were out, and then there was so much else to think about.’

‘Such as?’

‘Lucia has lost her ruby.’

Alex pulled the car up at the side of the road.

‘Lost it? But that’s virtually impossible. She has a safety-pin on it strong enough to anchor a warship!’

A faint smile touched Catherine’s lips.

‘She believes it was stolen.’

‘And she’s accusing you?’ It was amazing how quickly Alex had stumbled on the truth. ‘But that’s preposterous! What would you do with a ruby that size? It would be red-hot. Almost everybody this side of La Laguna knows it belongs to the Madrozas, including the police. Has Jaime called them in?’

Catherine shook her head.

‘Not yet. I suppose he’s giving—the thief time to repent and return it without creating a public scandal.’

Alex’s lips closed in a tight line.

‘Jaime is too particular in that respect,’ she said. ‘He could have cleared up those ugly rumours about Eduardo’s death, but he wouldn’t try to vindicate himself to the world at large because they’d judged him out of hand. The rumours were nothing, really—a flash in the pan—but the truth would have involved Ramon and so he chose to keep silent. Ramon, you see, could never accept Eduardo’s authority after their father died. They quarrelled frequently and it was after one of those furious rows that Eduardo rode to his death. Jaime found him in one of the
barrancos
underneath his horse with a broken girth to account for the fall. He explained everything to the police quite satisfactorily, of course, but you know what rumours are.’

‘Why are you telling me this, Alex?’ Catherine asked, bewildered but hardly surprised by all she had just heard.

‘Because I think you ought to know in case you might be judging Jaime too harshly. He is not the ogre you imagine him to be.’

Catherine made a small movement of protest.

‘I always thought he would be fair,’ she said faintly, ‘but how can he believe in me when Lucia is so emphatic about my guilt?’

‘Why must you think he would take Lucia’s word against everyone else’s?’

‘Because he’s going to marry her.’

Alex sat for a moment without answering.

‘Lucia told you that, of course.’

‘Yes, she said they would shortly announce their engagement.’

‘And you believed her?’

‘Certainly. What else could I do?’

‘Distrust her completely,’ Alex advised without a moment’s hesitation. ‘I don’t think she has the faintest reason for believing that Jaime will marry her in the end. Up till a few weeks ago I would have said he was blissfully content with his bachelor existence, but now I’m not so sure. He’s changed a great deal since he came back from Madrid,’ she added. ‘Perhaps the Marquesa has been talking some sense into his head. She was never very fond of Isabel at the best of times.’

‘Isabel?’ Catherine asked.

‘Of course, you wouldn’t know about their unfortunate love affair,’ said Alex. ‘It was a family thing, in the old Spanish tradition. The Madrozas and the Chamorros were very old friends and near enough neighbours to ensure that their children were seldom apart. Jaime and Isabel grew up together, accepting the fact that they would marry one day, and they were both happy enough with the situation. Then, two weeks before their engagement was to be announced publicly, Isabel met Raimundo de Triana, a penniless artist who came out to the Colony to paint. It was love at first sight, as they say, but you can imagine how everyone talked, and the endless sympathy Jaime had to endure because there could be no doubt by that time that he was deeply in love with his childhood playmate. People called Isabel false and immature, but he would have none of it, and when she went off to South America with de Triana he wished her well. After that, there was nothing for him but Soria. He worked with Eduardo day and night to pay off their debts, and when Eduardo married Lucia he moved up to Las Rosas so that he wouldn’t be in their way.’

Alex’s explanation fell into a deep silence.

‘I see now why he didn’t want me at Soria,’ Catherine said presently. ‘Any young woman would be an unhappy reminder of his former love.’

‘I think it was more than that,’ said Alex. ‘He imagined that Teresa needed a firmer hand, the considered advice of an older woman, perhaps. Once or twice I’ve tried to fill the bill,’ she added ruefully, ‘but Teresa wouldn’t listen. She was determined to be a rebel, and that had been disastrous at Soria before. Jaime was either too hard with her or altogether too lenient. He tried to take her father’s place, but Teresa would have none of it. And then there was Lucia. She’s brought him nothing but trouble since Eduardo died. First of all, she demanded back all the money she had put into the estate when Eduardo married her, and then she offered it to Jaime with a condition attached.’

Catherine waited, not knowing what to say.

‘In return for the money she was to make her home at Soria for the remainder of her life. If Jaime married someone else it was to make no difference, but she expected to marry him, in the end. That would consolidate her position at the
hacienda
more than anything else, of course, but either way she felt it would make little difference. Jaime had given her his promise and she was family, anyway. He would honour his commitments.’

Catherine turned her head away.

‘He may not want to be rid of his responsibilities,’ she said. ‘This may be the sort of life he wants.’

‘Do you honestly think so, Cathy?’

‘I don’t know what to think! Alex, sometimes I wish I’d never come to Soria in the first place, and yet—’

‘It’s no use regretting what is already done,’ Alex declared practically. ‘You’re here, and you’ll have to see this affair through to a reasonable conclusion. What do you imagine Lucia would say if you ran away?’

‘I don’t care about Lucia! It’s what Jaime thinks that matters to me.’

Alex glanced at her with renewed interest.

‘You know,’ she said, ‘that’s exactly what I imagined.’ They had come back to the door in the wall and Catherine got out to open it.

‘You’ll come in, of course,’ she said, holding it wide. ‘You were on your way when we met.’

‘Only to deliver your shawl. Do you know it belonged to Jaime’s mother?’

‘Teresa told me. It was terribly careless of me to leave it behind,’ Catherine acknowledged.

‘The fact that you wore it at all would incense Lucia,’ Alex observed, driving through the gateway. ‘It would be like the proverbial red rag to a bull, if you’ll excuse my misuse of a gender or two!’

They drove the remaining distance to the house in silence, busy with their respective thoughts.

‘I won’t stay,’ Alex decided when she saw the empty
patio.
‘Unless you think I can help?’

‘Until we find the ruby I don’t think anyone can,’ Catherine said, ‘but please stay for some coffee, at least. Jaime would expect it.’

For the first time they became aware of a figure hovering in the shadows and Lucia came out to the
patio
to join them. She was dressed in black once more, but the elaborate suit with its fine silk shirt deeply open at the neck to reveal a considerable amount of cleavage could hardlyhave been called widow’s weeds.

‘We do not see each other for months, Alex,’ she observed, ‘and then we meet twice in two days. Can I offer you a glass of wine since Jaime is not yet home? Or perhaps you would stay and share
merienda
with us? Ramon will be in quite soon,’ she added pointedly.

Alex hesitated.

‘Why not?’ she agreed after a moment’s consideration. ‘I have no reason to rush back to Orotava except to feed the cat!’

Lucia had managed to ignore Catherine completely, even though she had allowed her hostile glance to rest for a moment on the
mantilla
in her hands. Catherine had unwrapped it to smooth out the creases before returning it to Teresa, but now she saw it as the final burning issue between them.

‘I left it behind at the bungalow,’ she explained, ‘and Alex was kind enough to return it.’

Lucia looked as if she had only just become aware of her.

‘Perhaps you will ask Teresa to come down,’ she suggested with a thin smile. ‘She has been searching my room. For the ruby,’ she turned to explain to their unexpected guest. ‘It has disappeared, so you can imagine how distressed I feel. You see, I am quite sure that it has been stolen.’

Catherine made her escape as quickly as she could, but she did not go immediately in search of Teresa. Instead, she turned along the colonnaded end of the
patio
and out into the garden where the shadows were gathering. A little wind had sprung up, stirring the fronds of the palms and scattering the petals from a nearby flame tree. They fell like confetti to the ground, lying in little scarlet pools on the cobbled path, and suddenly she shivered. Too many things were reminding her of the ruby. Even the poinsettias had the same rich colouring and the bougainvillea hanging down from the roof was the same vivid red. She had come to the garden to escape, but there was really no escape from Lucia’s hatred.

It seemed a strong word to use, but what else could she call it, knowing herself innocent? Almost from the first moment of their meeting Lucia had resented her, but why? Why?

She walked urgently between the stone columns and out along the path, drawing the
mantilla
over her shoulders in a nervous little gesture of self-protection. If I could only do something, she thought. If I could only prove to Lucia how wrong she was.

The scent of the stephanotis was almost unbearably sweet and she turned away from it instinctively, remembering how she had smelt its heady fragrance when she had come to the
hacienda
for the first time. It would always remind her of Soria wherever she might go in the future, for it seemed only a matter of time now before Lucia would have her sent away.

A horse whinnied somewhere beyond the terracing and she watched as the rider came towards to house. Don Jaime de Berceo Madroza was returning home.

It seemed such a natural thing for her to be waiting there at the end of the garden to meet him, but she would never stand there in her own right. Lucia would see to that, and suddenly she knew why Lucia hated her so much. The older girl saw her as a rival for Jaime’s affections, however ridiculous that might be.

He came on steadily down the path, a tall, straight figure on a pale horse, his head held proudly as he approached his home, and Catherine drew back into the shadows because her eyes were suddenly full of tears.

Jaime dismounted before the archway leading to the stables, turning as if he had sensed her presence under the colonnade.