The Arrogant Duke (6 page)

'Don't you dare!' Teresa's face was flushed now. 'If you're thinking of bringing some of the other boys and girls on the island here to meet me, forget it! I won't see them!'

'Why not?' Juliet was curious in spite of herself.

'Because they bore me stiff!'

Juliet frowned. 'How do you know? If you've never met them?''I don't want to meet anybody.'

'Oh, I see.' Juliet looked thoughtful.

Teresa seemed to get more annoyed at this. 'Now don't go imagining it's because I'm in a wheelchair!' she exclaimed. 'My condition hasn't altered anything. I never did like -
boys!'

Juliet compressed her lips. Teresa seemed completely self-sufficient. Why was it that she sensed that she was not?

Changing the subject, she said: 'Well, as we are here, and I am staying, what shall we do this morning?'

Teresa finished her fruit juice, and wiped her mouth on her napkin. 'I don't know what you're doing - I'm going
to
sit here and read, and listen to my radio.'

Juliet sighed. 'Oh, is that so? What if I insist that you accompany me?'

Teresa frowned. 'You couldn't!'

'Oh, couldn't I?' Juliet ran her tongue over her lips.
^C
I think I could. Your uncle has made me your companion - and I mean to be just that!'

Teresa gripped the arms of her chair. 'You can't force me to do anything,' she exclaimed hotly.

'No, not force exactly!' Juliet finished the peach, drained, her coffee cup, and then lit a cigarette, savouring it lazily. 'Tell me, Teresa, do you swim?'

'No!'

'Why not?' Juliet blew a smoke-ring into the air. 'Can't you?'

'I could - I did, until I had my accident.' Teresa bent her head.

'You ought not to be reminding her of that, Miss Summers,' remarked a woman's voice in an accent that could only be American.

Juliet glanced round interestedly. So this was Miss Madison, Teresa's nurse. As the Duque had said, she was a much older woman, slim and gaunt-looking, her greying hair drawn back into a tight knot. Not a very inspiring companion for a rebellious sixteen-year- old.

'You must be Miss Madison,' said Juliet now. 'I'm pleased to meet you. However, I don't think there's any point in hedging about something which must have become quite inescapable to a girl as imaginative as Teresa.'

The older woman came to stand before her. 'Are you qualified to give psychiatric opinions, Miss Summers?' she asked coldly.

Lord, thought Juliet, another one!

Aloud, she said: 'No. Not at all. Merely imaginative myself!'

'What do you mean?
^'

'Simply that keeping Teresa a prisoner of her own thoughts never helped anyone!' Juliet controlled the ready flow of words she felt like uttering. Instead, she said: 'I've just been suggesting that Teresa ought to swim. It might give her confidence in the use of her limbs.'

Miss Madison stiffened. 'Teresa has never wanted to do any of these things, and it is not good for her to be upset.'

Teresa was watching this interchange with some enjoyment, and Juliet knew it.

'I don't think Teresa gets upset as easily as all that,' she replied, praying she was right. 'Anyway, as I shall be here to keep her company, we may yet persuade her — between us.'

'I am employed as Teresa's nurse,' replied Miss Madison coldly. 'The Duque gives me my orders. When he suggests that Teresa ought to go swimming then I will endeavour to accomplish it.'

Fiddlesticks, thought Juliet impatiently, but she merely smiled, and refrained from replying.

The nurse seated herself beside Teresa, and began to speak to her in fluent Portuguese. Juliet wrinkled her nose, and said:

'Do you mind? I don't speak Portuguese. What are you telling Teresa now?'

Miss Madison gave her a haughty glance. 'I suggest you attempt to learn the language, Miss Summers, if you intend to stay here. The Duque probably thinks you speak fluent Portuguese, as I do. Of course, as Senhora Vinceiro hired you I don't suppose she bothered to find out. So long as Teresa is out of her way, she will be happy.'

Juliet felt a sneaking sympathy for Estelle Vinceiro. She also felt disturbed at what Nurse Madison said. Her words had proved where her sympathies lay, and Juliet doubted whether it was good for Teresa to have a woman so obviously willing to console her as her constant companion. Still, this was only her second day on the island, and it was far too soon to begin wreaking havoc with the Duque's employees.

Getting to her feet, she left them, walking across the courtyard to the fountain and trailing her fingers in the cool water. It was a beautiful morning, much too nice to spend cooped up in the
quinta.

With decision, she turned and said to Teresa: 'Does your uncle have a car which you can use if ever you want to go down to the village?'

Teresa frowned. 'There is an estate car which is seldom used. Why?'

'You and I are going out. You can take me on a guided tour of the island.'

Nurse Madison got to her feet. 'Teresa usually spends some time with me during the mornings,
senhorita.
There are exercises—'

'I think we can leave them just for one morning, don't you?' remarked Juliet sweetly. 'And please, call me Rosemary - or
Miss
Summers. Although I am sure your Portuguese is impeccable, calling me
senhorita
is really carrying things too far, don't you think?'

Then she was sorry for her impetuosity. After all, Nurse Madison was not a young woman, and it was difficult adapting to change so quickly at her age. However, Nurse Madison merely turned and marched towards the entrance of the building, giving one parting shot as she went.

'The Duque is out this morning,
Miss
Summers, but I shall certainly see him on his return about your responsibilities here. I do not care to be given orders by a chit of a girl!''Oh, heavens!' exclaimed Juliet, but Nurse Madison was gone.

'You've done it now, haven't you,' remarked Teresa, with some satisfaction. 'Felipe may be persuaded that I need a companion for my own good, but making an enemy of Nurse Madison is much different.'

Juliet felt like stamping her foot with annoyance, but instead she retained the smile on her face with difficulty, and said, firmly: 'Nevertheless, Senhorita de Castro, we do have this morning at our disposal, and I intend that we should use it as I think fit. It's not good for you, remaining here, living the life of seclusion. As I suggested, you are going to show me the island.'

'Make me!' Teresa scowled angrily, and Juliet sighed and then took charge of the wheelchair.

'It may seem cruel, Teresa,' she said, as Teresa protested volubly in her own language at the liberties Juliet was taking, 'but sometimes we have to be cruel to be kind!'

Miguel was only too willing to supply them with a car. He also lifted the kicking Teresa into it, putting her in front beside Juliet, who had taken charge of the wheel.

'Tell me,' said Juliet, when they were both in the car, and Miguel still leaned against the bonnet, 'which is the best way to go? Just in case my companion chooses to remain a silent one!'

Miguel grinned cheerfully, his eyes appraising the young girl unashamedly, and then returning to Juliet's fair beauty. 'Maybe I should come with you,
senhorita?'
he suggested.

Juliet shook her head. 'I think not,' she said a little dryly. 'I have quite enough problems as it is.'

Miguel advised her to take the coast route which circled the island. 'It is the most attractive,' he said, putting a hand up to shade his eyes. 'If you continue towards Miscaela, a village further along from here, you will see a sign for Venterra Montanah. It is a place in the hills where there is a small inn. They make the most delicious coffee!' He kissed his fingers extravagantly.

'Well, thank you, Miguel,' said Juliet, and smiled at Teresa who refused to meet her eyes but sat staring mutinously at her own fingers.

Yet, in spite of Teresa's silence, and the obvious atmosphere she created, Juliet enjoyed the drive. Miscaela was just a fishing village as Miguel had said, but Venterra Montanah was something special. The inn was situated on the edge of a cliff, almost hanging over the valley below. To get there Juliet had to negotiate some of the worst bends she had ever encountered, and even Teresa held on to her seat, her face flushed with apprehension at times. But it was all worth it, and although Teresa could not get out of the car, Juliet parked it overlooking the valley so that they could see the view while they had coffee, and continental pastries.

Teresa ate the pastries, drank her coffee, but said nothing, in spite of Juliet's several attempts to get her to do so. She hoped she had not done any harm, bringing the girl up here. If she were emotionally disturbed still from the accident, Juliet was surprised. To her, all Teresa's emotions were generated from a genuine affection towards the man who had brought her to Venterra. And after all, that really was her job: to help destroy that particular illusion of Teresa's, not pander to it.

The journey down was almost as hair-raising, although by then Juliet had foreknowledge of the curves. They arrived back at the
quinta
soon after twelve-thirty, and as Consuelo had told her that lunch was ho until one-thirty, Juliet thought she had timed everything perfectly.

Miguel was there to restore Teresa to her wheelchair, which he did very capably, and despite Teresa's attitude, Juliet took charge of it again, wheeling her through the arched entrance into the courtyard, and across to the patio where the Duque was standing, leaning against a balcony pillar, talking to the small dark woman Juliet had seen only briefly the day before, Estelle Vinceiro.

He straightened at their approach, and gave Juliet the benefit of his inscrutable gaze. 'You have been out,
senhorita?'

Teresa did not allow Juliet to answer before she burst into speech, a stream of incoherent Portuguese that seemed anything but polite. But this time the Duque jaised his hand, and said:

'Speak English, Teresa. As Senhorita Summers stays here at my instigation we will not ignore her presence.
^'

Teresa cast a malevolent glance at Estelle Vinceiro, and then, putting her hands on the manipulating wheels of her chair, she moved across to the Duque.

'Senhorita Summers made me accompany her on a sightseeing tour of the island!' she exclaimed tremulously.

'Is this so,
senhorita
?' The Duque frowned.

Juliet heaved a sigh. 'Yes, of course. Why not? Teresa needs to get away from the
quinta
sometimes. It is not good for her to be cloistered here.'

The Duque's lips thinned. 'Did it occur to you,
senhorita,
that Teresa may not yet find travelling in a car acceptable?'

'Acceptable?' Juliet bit her lip. 'Do you mean because of her accident?'

'Of course.'

'Then I would have thought the sooner she got used to travelling in a car again, the better,' said Juliet quickly. 'If Teresa is still disturbed, which I personally doubt, by car riding, then she should endeavour to overcome the feeling, not pander to it!'

'I agree.' Estelle Vinceiro crossed her slim legs smoothly. 'Felipe, don't imagine your niece is made of sugar, she will not melt away.'

The Duque drew out his case of cheroots and put one between his lips. 'And you, Teresa? What have you to say to that?'

Teresa looked mutinous. 'I did not want to go out, Tio Felipe. I like being here - you know I do. You already know my opinion concerning Senhorita Summers.'

Estelle sighed now. 'Oh, Teresa, must we go into all that again? You are a spoiled
doninha!'

'Estelle !' The Duque's voice was angry now.

'Desculpe-me
, Felipe, but your niece is not the easiest person to be friendly with!' She rose to her feet, sliding an arm through his. 'Please, Felipe, forgive me!'

Teresa's face was incensed, Juliet could see. Her jealousy was eating her up, and Juliet couldn't see any immediate improvement occurring here. It would take time to make Teresa realize the futility of her hopes. What she didn't understand was her own feelings when she saw Estelle Vinceiro attempting to charm the Duque. That awful twisted feeling had returned, and deciding action was the only course, she said:

'If you'll excuse me,
senhor, senhora
, I will wash before lunch.
^'

The Duque released himself from Estelle's clinging fingers, and said: 'One more moment,
senhorita.
Nurse Madison tells me you have been interfering in her arrangements with Teresa.'

Juliet stiffened, halted, and turned to face him. 'Yes, I have.'

'Might I ask why?
^'

'You can ask,
senhor
, but whether my answer will appeal to you I cannot say!'

'Senhorita!'
His voice was warning, now.

'Very well. Nurse Madison is a middle-aged woman, quite out of touch I would think with modern nursing methods.'

'It is not the easiest thing to do - to find a nurse, fully qualified, who is willing to leave all the advantages of civilization and come and live on an island miles from anywhere,' retorted the Duque coolly. 'Nurse Madison was qualified, and reliable.'

'What you mean is, you requested an older person,
^'
inserted Estelle, with a piquant smile at the Duque. She turned to Juliet. 'Senhorita Summers, my - er - cousin is sometimes troubled by predatory young women. After all, he is attractive as well as wealthy—'

'Estelle!' The Duque sounded furious. 'Leave it!'

Estelle shrugged, and gave Juliet a glance which said:
I told you so,
and Juliet bent her head.

'So,
senhorita
,' continued the Duque. 'Do go on.'

Juliet looked up. 'Well, I suggested that Teresa should be encouraged to go out - to swim - to attempt to do things for herself. I do not consider exercises, practised daily, adequate compensation for perhaps
a
swimming lesson - or more active pursuits.'

'Don't let her interfere, Tio Felipe,' exclaimed Teresa hotly. 'I don't want to do what she says. Can't I just live my life as I want to do?'