a long deep breath and clung grimly to the remnants of her self-control. 'You misread the whole situation, Seiiora Montaiies,' she insisted in a voice that shivered with anger, but Rosa Montaiies would have none of it, and her eyes blazed at her furiously.
'I think not! I saw you throw yourself into his arms; I'm not a fool, senorita, and nor am I blind!'
'But you are mistaken!' Kirstie wished she was more certain whether or not she had actually leaned towards Miguel in those first few moments of relief, and therefore prompted him to put his arms around her. But one fact she could be very sure of, and she stressed it unhesitatingly and with no thought for the consequences.
'As for that kiss, Senora Montanes, that was Miguel's idea entirely and nothing to do with me!'
'You bitch!'
It was a second or two before Kirstie realised that by using Miguel's name without the formality of a title she had probably brought matters to a head. Rosa Mon-taiies was so furiously jealous that she was even prepared to overcome the normal pride of her kind and screech like a fishwife in her fury.
'You'd better be careful,' she warned. 'Don't try to be clever with me, you little bitch, or I'll make you sorry for it! You've got Luis running after you at the moment, so let that be enough for you, and stay away from Miguel or I'll make you wish you had! Do you understand me?'
Kirstie was trembling, but it wasn't with anger alone, she reahsed. Such violent emotions were a new experience in her young life and she was prepared to believe that Rosa Montaiies was not making empty threats. Deep down she felt fear and apprehension, although she would never have admitted it, and especially not to this woman.
'You have no right to speak to me like that,' she objected, but her objections were waved scornfully aside.
'I have every right to speak as I wish,' she was told, 'You're my father-in-law's secretary—an employee of the estate, nothing more, and I venture to suggest that he places more value on my opinion than on yours, senorita\ You'd be better advised to remember your place or I might suggest he gets rid of you!'
'Oh, but he wouldn't, not without good reason!'
Kirstie had been sure when she answered so impulsively, but something in the hard black eyes of Rosa Montafies suggested she knew differently. 'Don't be a fool!' she told her in a flat harsh voice. 'Don't you know how he dotes on his only grandchild? I don't think he'd think your services as secretary were worth losing touch with my daughter—his granddaughter. Remember that
the next time you feel like creepinginto Miguel's arms!'
*Oh, but you couldn't!' Kirstie was stunned for a moment, for there was an almost fanatical light in Rosa Montaiies' eyes. At any moment now, Kirstie thought wildly, she's going to lash out at me, and she again felt the chilling touch of fear. But still it was the enormity of the threat that troubled her most, and she stared up at the other woman in blank disbelief. 'You surely wouldn't blackmail him with taking away his granddaughter,' she protested huskily. 'It would be wicked— inhuman.'
Near-black eyes snapped with fury, and the reins were gripped tightly until her knuckles showed bone-white. 'It's time you were taught a lesson, Senorita Secretary! If the mare belongs to the estate then I don't see why I should have to borrow a horse when this one is available! I'll take it back with me and you can walk; let's hope, you'll learn some manners at the same time, and some humility! You no longer own Casa de Rodriguez, you and that old man, you're peasants living in a bar-raca, and it's time you learnt your place!'
'No, you can't do that!'
It was the work of a moment for Rosa Montafies to reach down and unhitch the mare and there was no time for Kirstie to do anything, even if she could have got past her. The mare was pulled roughly round and heels jabbed sharply into the gelding's flanks, urging him forward, and Kirstie was left fuming and helpless
'I think not! I saw you throw yourself into his arms; I'm not a fool, senorita, and nor am I blind!'
'But you are mistaken!' Kirstie wished she was more certain whether or not she had actually leaned towards Miguel in those first few moments of relief, and therefore prompted him to put his arms around her. But one fact she could be very sure of, and she stressed it unhesitatingly and with no thought for the consequences.
'As for that kiss, Senora Montanes, that was Miguel's idea entirely and nothing to do with me!'
'You bitch!'
It was a second or two before Kirstie realised that by using Miguel's name without the formality of a title she had probably brought matters to a head. Rosa Mon-taiies was so furiously jealous that she was even prepared to overcome the normal pride of her kind and screech like a fishwife in her fury.
'You'd better be careful,' she warned. 'Don't try to be clever with me, you little bitch, or I'll make you sorry for it! You've got Luis running after you at the moment, so let that be enough for you, and stay away from Miguel or I'll make you wish you had! Do you understand me?'
Kirstie was trembling, but it wasn't with anger alone, she reahsed. Such violent emotions were a new experience in her young life and she was prepared to believe that Rosa Montaiies was not making empty threats. Deep down she felt fear and apprehension, although she would never have admitted it, and especially not to this woman.
'You have no right to speak to me like that,' she objected, but her objections were waved scornfully aside.
'I have every right to speak as I wish,' she was told, 'You're my father-in-law's secretary—an employee of the estate, nothing more, and I venture to suggest that he places more value on my opinion than on yours, senorita\ You'd be better advised to remember your place or I might suggest he gets rid of you!'
'Oh, but he wouldn't, not without good reason!'
Kirstie had been sure when she answered so impulsively, but something in the hard black eyes of Rosa Montafies suggested she knew differently. 'Don't be a fool!' she told her in a flat harsh voice. 'Don't you know how he dotes on his only grandchild? I don't think he'd think your services as secretary were worth losing touch with my daughter—his granddaughter. Remember that
the next time you feel like creepinginto Miguel's arms!'
*Oh, but you couldn't!' Kirstie was stunned for a moment, for there was an almost fanatical light in Rosa Montaiies' eyes. At any moment now, Kirstie thought wildly, she's going to lash out at me, and she again felt the chilling touch of fear. But still it was the enormity of the threat that troubled her most, and she stared up at the other woman in blank disbelief. 'You surely wouldn't blackmail him with taking away his granddaughter,' she protested huskily. 'It would be wicked— inhuman.'
Near-black eyes snapped with fury, and the reins were gripped tightly until her knuckles showed bone-white. 'It's time you were taught a lesson, Senorita Secretary! If the mare belongs to the estate then I don't see why I should have to borrow a horse when this one is available! I'll take it back with me and you can walk; let's hope, you'll learn some manners at the same time, and some humility! You no longer own Casa de Rodriguez, you and that old man, you're peasants living in a bar-raca, and it's time you learnt your place!'
'No, you can't do that!'
It was the work of a moment for Rosa Montafies to reach down and unhitch the mare and there was no time for Kirstie to do anything, even if she could have got past her. The mare was pulled roughly round and heels jabbed sharply into the gelding's flanks, urging him forward, and Kirstie was left fuming and helpless
Similar Books
