this.' She indicated her head. 'But I promise we'll be leaving just as soon as we can.'
'Good.' Francesca folded her arms and studied the girl in the bed. 'I shall be glad when the castelo is quiet again.' ..
Toni ran her tongue over her dry lips. 'Then maybe you will get a governess,' she suggested casually.
Francesca scowled. 'I do not need a governess, senhorita.'
'That is not what our grandmother says, querida,' remarked Paul's mocking voice behind her.
Francesca swung round. 'You know nothing about it,' she said angrily. 'Why do you persist in staying here, interfering in our affairs? You know my father does not like you!'
'No, I agree, your father does not,' returned Paul. 'However, your father is not the kind of man to prevent a grandson from visiting his grandmother. Whatever his personal reasons for wanting me to stay away may be.'
'And what are those personal reasons?' asked Toni tiredly.
'Wouldn't you like to know!' said Francesca mockingly. 'Hasn't Paul told you about them?'
'Francesca!' muttered Paul warningly. Toni watched this interplay curiously.
'Oh, don't worry, I shan't tell her,' said Francesca contemptuously. 'Let her find out for herself what kind of man she is marrying!'
'Francesca!' Paul was white with anger, and Toni wondered what on earth all this was about. However, Francesca apparently decided she had done enough, for she turned and flounced out of the room, leaving them alone. Immediately, Paul relaxed, but Toni stretched out a warning hand towards him, saying:
'Your uncle knows my name is not Janet West!'
Paul gave an involuntary gasp. 'What!'
'You heard me,' said Toni wearily. 'Your uncle knows my real name.'
'But how?' Paul shook his head in amazement. 'Did you—?'
'Of course not!' Toni looked annoyed. 'Why should I want to tell him the truth?'
Paul hunched his shoulders. 'I don't intend having another argument about that!' he muttered, and Toni widened her eyes indignantly.
'Well, anyway,' she said, 'as he knows who I am, we'd better get away from here as soon as I'm capable of making the journey!'
Paul grunted moodily. 'I bet he's been snooping around trying to find out all about you - even as Janet West, he wouldn't be content until he discovered something he could tell my grandmother.'
Toni looked impatient. 'Do you really imagine your uncle has nothing better to do than worry about some stupid girl you brought here?'
'No, but - oh, anyway, he has his reasons for not wanting me here!'
'So it would appear.' Toni moved restlessly. 'Oh, go away, Paul, you infuriate me at times. I wish I'd never agreed to this crazy masquerade!'
Paul walked to the door, and then looked back at her. 'Just remember, Toni, when you're making these assessments of my character, that you agreed to come here. I didn't tie you up and kidnap you!'
'I know it. Unfortunately.' Toni turned on to her side, wincing as the stitches pained her. 'Go away, Paul, just go away!'
Paul left as Nurse Gonzales came back. She fussed over Toni, smiling at her benevolently, obviously under the mistaken impression that Toni was a person of some importance. How wrong can you be? thought Toni cynically, as a procession of tortuous thoughts paraded through her tired mind. What would Paul tell his grandmother? And would the Conde think it necessary to punish them in some way for trying to cheat him? It was an awful situation, and she was glad when her tiredness overwhelmed her and she slept again.
Two days later Toni was up and about her room. Her strength was returning rapidly. After all, she was a young healthy animal, and although she had lost quite a lot of blood, the bed-rest had almost cured her. In addition the sea air worked wonders, and she sat by her window, gazing out at the sun-kissed scene of beach and shoreline and sky, and could almost feel content.
During the two days, the Condessa had been a regular visitor, spending some time with her during the late afternoon and early evening. She obviously
'Good.' Francesca folded her arms and studied the girl in the bed. 'I shall be glad when the castelo is quiet again.' ..
Toni ran her tongue over her dry lips. 'Then maybe you will get a governess,' she suggested casually.
Francesca scowled. 'I do not need a governess, senhorita.'
'That is not what our grandmother says, querida,' remarked Paul's mocking voice behind her.
Francesca swung round. 'You know nothing about it,' she said angrily. 'Why do you persist in staying here, interfering in our affairs? You know my father does not like you!'
'No, I agree, your father does not,' returned Paul. 'However, your father is not the kind of man to prevent a grandson from visiting his grandmother. Whatever his personal reasons for wanting me to stay away may be.'
'And what are those personal reasons?' asked Toni tiredly.
'Wouldn't you like to know!' said Francesca mockingly. 'Hasn't Paul told you about them?'
'Francesca!' muttered Paul warningly. Toni watched this interplay curiously.
'Oh, don't worry, I shan't tell her,' said Francesca contemptuously. 'Let her find out for herself what kind of man she is marrying!'
'Francesca!' Paul was white with anger, and Toni wondered what on earth all this was about. However, Francesca apparently decided she had done enough, for she turned and flounced out of the room, leaving them alone. Immediately, Paul relaxed, but Toni stretched out a warning hand towards him, saying:
'Your uncle knows my name is not Janet West!'
Paul gave an involuntary gasp. 'What!'
'You heard me,' said Toni wearily. 'Your uncle knows my real name.'
'But how?' Paul shook his head in amazement. 'Did you—?'
'Of course not!' Toni looked annoyed. 'Why should I want to tell him the truth?'
Paul hunched his shoulders. 'I don't intend having another argument about that!' he muttered, and Toni widened her eyes indignantly.
'Well, anyway,' she said, 'as he knows who I am, we'd better get away from here as soon as I'm capable of making the journey!'
Paul grunted moodily. 'I bet he's been snooping around trying to find out all about you - even as Janet West, he wouldn't be content until he discovered something he could tell my grandmother.'
Toni looked impatient. 'Do you really imagine your uncle has nothing better to do than worry about some stupid girl you brought here?'
'No, but - oh, anyway, he has his reasons for not wanting me here!'
'So it would appear.' Toni moved restlessly. 'Oh, go away, Paul, you infuriate me at times. I wish I'd never agreed to this crazy masquerade!'
Paul walked to the door, and then looked back at her. 'Just remember, Toni, when you're making these assessments of my character, that you agreed to come here. I didn't tie you up and kidnap you!'
'I know it. Unfortunately.' Toni turned on to her side, wincing as the stitches pained her. 'Go away, Paul, just go away!'
Paul left as Nurse Gonzales came back. She fussed over Toni, smiling at her benevolently, obviously under the mistaken impression that Toni was a person of some importance. How wrong can you be? thought Toni cynically, as a procession of tortuous thoughts paraded through her tired mind. What would Paul tell his grandmother? And would the Conde think it necessary to punish them in some way for trying to cheat him? It was an awful situation, and she was glad when her tiredness overwhelmed her and she slept again.
Two days later Toni was up and about her room. Her strength was returning rapidly. After all, she was a young healthy animal, and although she had lost quite a lot of blood, the bed-rest had almost cured her. In addition the sea air worked wonders, and she sat by her window, gazing out at the sun-kissed scene of beach and shoreline and sky, and could almost feel content.
During the two days, the Condessa had been a regular visitor, spending some time with her during the late afternoon and early evening. She obviously
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