was
impatient? I shall leave you to give hint his hearing.'
'Senor!'
He paused as she cried out, brows blandly lifted.
'I cannot stay here alone with your nephew, my aunt would
not countenance it.' And never, Juana thought half-hysterically, had she
expected to have to invoke Tia's name for protection!
De Castaneda's smile broadened. 'You will not be alone,
senorita.' He snapped his fingers. 'Felipe!'
In one of the furthest bays a shadow moved, and Felipe
Tristán came forward with his long, light stride. He still wore the same black
livery that he had had on the previous day, the golden griffin dazzling on one
broad shoulder; otherwise, only the grey silk of the stiffened golilla collar
relieved the soberness that seemed to enhance rather than subdue the vivid red
hair. Juana caught her breath sharply; in the flood of sunlight the strange,
slanting eyes were a clear, brilliant emerald. She dragged her gaze away to
find that de Castaneda was grinning at her.
'I forgot, you have not met my nephew's man. Know him, he
will serve you well. Felipe Tristán. Felipe —' he scented to be enjoying the
undisguised repugnance on Juana's face — 'here is the Senorita Juana, my
nephew's bride.'
Tristán bowed but made no other move, and when he spoke his
voice was without expression. 'I have met the lady before, senor, when I saw
her accompanying Dona Luisa to Mass. I guessed then who she was. I am honoured,
madam.'
Juana did not respond. The flawless civility of his manner
was a pretence, she thought, and she wondered with a tinge of panic why de
Castaneda did not seem to see it; Tristán was allowing himself to be commanded,
as a lion might obey an ape, for the greater pleasure its master's shock in the
instant of rebellion. Perhaps de Castaneda was too accustomed to his obedience
that he gave the man no thought, but to her it was frighteningly clear.
De Castaneda tapped Tristán's arm. 'Favours, eh, Felipe?'
His tone was jovial, and it was only then that Juana
noticed the blue gloves fastened amongst the bunch of black ribbons on the
mercenary's sleeve.
The green eyes met hers fleeingly, and the scarred mouth
curved in a faintly sardonic smile. 'A gift from a lady, senor.'
De Castaneda laughed. 'Before God, I could almost petition
heaven for a face like yours! A new conquest or an old one? You do not commonly
wear what they give you, mmn?'
'I make no doubt she wishes that they would blister my
hands, senor. She threw them at my feet in a fit of temper, more like a gage of
battle than a pledge of devotion.'
Juana tried to speak, her expression pure hatred, but her
voice died as she met Tristán's level gaze; she wanted to denounce him, to
strike him, but she could not.
De Castaneda's gleeful voice seemed to come from' far away.
'What, did she spurn you? Well, she may have been feigning, but even if she was
not, you will not have far to look for consolation.'
Tristán shook his head, his gaze never leaving Juana's. 'I
doubt that she feigned. senor. My face finds no favour with the lady's
impatient? I shall leave you to give hint his hearing.'
'Senor!'
He paused as she cried out, brows blandly lifted.
'I cannot stay here alone with your nephew, my aunt would
not countenance it.' And never, Juana thought half-hysterically, had she
expected to have to invoke Tia's name for protection!
De Castaneda's smile broadened. 'You will not be alone,
senorita.' He snapped his fingers. 'Felipe!'
In one of the furthest bays a shadow moved, and Felipe
Tristán came forward with his long, light stride. He still wore the same black
livery that he had had on the previous day, the golden griffin dazzling on one
broad shoulder; otherwise, only the grey silk of the stiffened golilla collar
relieved the soberness that seemed to enhance rather than subdue the vivid red
hair. Juana caught her breath sharply; in the flood of sunlight the strange,
slanting eyes were a clear, brilliant emerald. She dragged her gaze away to
find that de Castaneda was grinning at her.
'I forgot, you have not met my nephew's man. Know him, he
will serve you well. Felipe Tristán. Felipe —' he scented to be enjoying the
undisguised repugnance on Juana's face — 'here is the Senorita Juana, my
nephew's bride.'
Tristán bowed but made no other move, and when he spoke his
voice was without expression. 'I have met the lady before, senor, when I saw
her accompanying Dona Luisa to Mass. I guessed then who she was. I am honoured,
madam.'
Juana did not respond. The flawless civility of his manner
was a pretence, she thought, and she wondered with a tinge of panic why de
Castaneda did not seem to see it; Tristán was allowing himself to be commanded,
as a lion might obey an ape, for the greater pleasure its master's shock in the
instant of rebellion. Perhaps de Castaneda was too accustomed to his obedience
that he gave the man no thought, but to her it was frighteningly clear.
De Castaneda tapped Tristán's arm. 'Favours, eh, Felipe?'
His tone was jovial, and it was only then that Juana
noticed the blue gloves fastened amongst the bunch of black ribbons on the
mercenary's sleeve.
The green eyes met hers fleeingly, and the scarred mouth
curved in a faintly sardonic smile. 'A gift from a lady, senor.'
De Castaneda laughed. 'Before God, I could almost petition
heaven for a face like yours! A new conquest or an old one? You do not commonly
wear what they give you, mmn?'
'I make no doubt she wishes that they would blister my
hands, senor. She threw them at my feet in a fit of temper, more like a gage of
battle than a pledge of devotion.'
Juana tried to speak, her expression pure hatred, but her
voice died as she met Tristán's level gaze; she wanted to denounce him, to
strike him, but she could not.
De Castaneda's gleeful voice seemed to come from' far away.
'What, did she spurn you? Well, she may have been feigning, but even if she was
not, you will not have far to look for consolation.'
Tristán shook his head, his gaze never leaving Juana's. 'I
doubt that she feigned. senor. My face finds no favour with the lady's
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