were.”
He slanted a veiled glance at her. “Thanks for that, anyway. You’ll have to get it back for me, Juliet. Since meeting his sister I’ve decided I don’t want to meet him.”
“He won’t give the stone to me—only you.”
“You must get it,” he said flatly, “as soon as you possibly can. Thank heaven you had the sense to withhold my name. Are you sure this is as near to the villa as you want to go?”
“I did it for Norma, not for you.” She hesitated. “Is it any use asking you to keep away from Senora de Vedro?”
“Let’s forget her for the present. Get back the cat’s eye, there’s a good girl. It’s important.”
“Well, I...”
“I mean it, Juliet,” he said. “Get it back.”
The difficulties of the situation were becoming too much for Juliet. “I didn’t drop the beastly thing on the floor,” she said crossly. “I feel I’ve done enough for you.”
His manner changed. “Now I’ve put your back up, and I certainly didn’t mean to. I’d never have got into the Castillo and made the acquaintance of Inez de Vedro without a perfect lady to effect the introduction. I think I’m half in love with the woman—have been ever since I first saw her. That’s one of the reasons I want the stone back. You wouldn’t understand, Juliet—too innocent, I guess. But to me it’s vital. You must try.”
“It would be hopeless. The Conde wouldn’t give it to me.”
“You’re a woman, Juliet—use a few tricks. I just want the stone, without his knowing my name. Tackle him when he returns from Cadiz and get it over.” He put out a hand as she moved. “Promise?”
“I promise to try, that’s all.”
Juliet left him and walked quickly to the villa, wishing rather vehemently that she could thoroughly detest the man. She went up the path and into the hall, heard the two treble voices and Luisa’s harsh, kindly tones. She took off her hat and placed it on the long carved table near the wall, and noticed that a couple of letters had appeared on the bronze tray; one from her aunt and the other from Norma.
She fingered them, slipped a finger under the flap of Norma’s thick envelope and ripped it open. She read, felt a hard ridge come into her throat, and read again.
Ruy Colmeiro had had a recurrence of trouble with his wrist and he had been advised to have an operation. It was not urgent, and he had thought of leaving it till he reached Spain, so that it might be attended to in Cadiz while Norma lived with the children at the villa.
“But I am naturally against that,” wrote Norma, “and have decided that the wrist shall be seen to in England. This means that we shall both have to remain here till after Easter, but I think it is wise. Anyway, darling, I have had such a glowing report about Rina’s improvement from Inez de Vedro, that I’m not a scrap worried about leaving you there in charge of the children. Father says he will be only too pleased to spare you from the shop while we need you, so everything seems to be under control. For my part, I’m relieved that I don’t have to be harassed with packing and travelling details just now; there’s a run of social engagements, most of them exciting and not to be missed! Have some fun, if you can, and kiss the bairns for me...”
Juliet pushed the letter into her bag, dropped the bag beside her hat. She made herself move, to escape the intensity of feeling; queer feeling which defied analysis.
Behind her, outdoors, the sun had left a pool of pale golden light. Juliet saw it in the high mirror on the wall, but she did not know that a shy radiance was reflected back into her eyes, so that the fear and uncertainty in her expression was illumined by a small glow of relief.
CHAPTER FIVE
A CAR pulled up on the path and its door slammed, gaily. Juliet took three more quick stitches and broke the cotton, folded the pair of shorts and looked up towards the door. But no one came in. Instead, she heard tones which played
He slanted a veiled glance at her. “Thanks for that, anyway. You’ll have to get it back for me, Juliet. Since meeting his sister I’ve decided I don’t want to meet him.”
“He won’t give the stone to me—only you.”
“You must get it,” he said flatly, “as soon as you possibly can. Thank heaven you had the sense to withhold my name. Are you sure this is as near to the villa as you want to go?”
“I did it for Norma, not for you.” She hesitated. “Is it any use asking you to keep away from Senora de Vedro?”
“Let’s forget her for the present. Get back the cat’s eye, there’s a good girl. It’s important.”
“Well, I...”
“I mean it, Juliet,” he said. “Get it back.”
The difficulties of the situation were becoming too much for Juliet. “I didn’t drop the beastly thing on the floor,” she said crossly. “I feel I’ve done enough for you.”
His manner changed. “Now I’ve put your back up, and I certainly didn’t mean to. I’d never have got into the Castillo and made the acquaintance of Inez de Vedro without a perfect lady to effect the introduction. I think I’m half in love with the woman—have been ever since I first saw her. That’s one of the reasons I want the stone back. You wouldn’t understand, Juliet—too innocent, I guess. But to me it’s vital. You must try.”
“It would be hopeless. The Conde wouldn’t give it to me.”
“You’re a woman, Juliet—use a few tricks. I just want the stone, without his knowing my name. Tackle him when he returns from Cadiz and get it over.” He put out a hand as she moved. “Promise?”
“I promise to try, that’s all.”
Juliet left him and walked quickly to the villa, wishing rather vehemently that she could thoroughly detest the man. She went up the path and into the hall, heard the two treble voices and Luisa’s harsh, kindly tones. She took off her hat and placed it on the long carved table near the wall, and noticed that a couple of letters had appeared on the bronze tray; one from her aunt and the other from Norma.
She fingered them, slipped a finger under the flap of Norma’s thick envelope and ripped it open. She read, felt a hard ridge come into her throat, and read again.
Ruy Colmeiro had had a recurrence of trouble with his wrist and he had been advised to have an operation. It was not urgent, and he had thought of leaving it till he reached Spain, so that it might be attended to in Cadiz while Norma lived with the children at the villa.
“But I am naturally against that,” wrote Norma, “and have decided that the wrist shall be seen to in England. This means that we shall both have to remain here till after Easter, but I think it is wise. Anyway, darling, I have had such a glowing report about Rina’s improvement from Inez de Vedro, that I’m not a scrap worried about leaving you there in charge of the children. Father says he will be only too pleased to spare you from the shop while we need you, so everything seems to be under control. For my part, I’m relieved that I don’t have to be harassed with packing and travelling details just now; there’s a run of social engagements, most of them exciting and not to be missed! Have some fun, if you can, and kiss the bairns for me...”
Juliet pushed the letter into her bag, dropped the bag beside her hat. She made herself move, to escape the intensity of feeling; queer feeling which defied analysis.
Behind her, outdoors, the sun had left a pool of pale golden light. Juliet saw it in the high mirror on the wall, but she did not know that a shy radiance was reflected back into her eyes, so that the fear and uncertainty in her expression was illumined by a small glow of relief.
CHAPTER FIVE
A CAR pulled up on the path and its door slammed, gaily. Juliet took three more quick stitches and broke the cotton, folded the pair of shorts and looked up towards the door. But no one came in. Instead, she heard tones which played
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