The Golden Madonna by Rebecca Stratton Page A

those narrow stairs to the studio. The words, the steady black gaze and even the way he stood there, so overpoweringly tall and aggressive, it was all aimed at making her feel small and foolish, and Sally had to admit that it succeeded to a large extent.
    She felt suddenly very ungrateful and rather childish. 'I'm sorry,' she said meekly, and kept her eyes downcast, adding to her look of apology. 'I—I do appreciate what you're doing for me, Don Miguel. I am grateful.'
    'But still suspicious, si?'
    'I suppose so.'
    She admitted it reluctantly and there was silence for a moment. A taut, meaningful silence that she began to find unbearable, then a hand reached out and cupped her chin in its strong fingers, lifting her face to him and sending those uncontrollable impulses surging through her again.
    He studied her for a moment in silence, the shadow of her lashes still hiding her expression from him, then he sighed and slid his hand down from her chin to lay with a warm palm on her neck, the thumb moving caressingly on her cheek.
    'Asi hermosa,' he said softly.
    'Don Miguel' She hesitated, not sure what she wanted to say exactly, only that she wanted to do something to break that sensual feeling of lethargy that threatened to possess her again. 'I—we really can't do much tonight, can we? It's too dark, I mean the light's going, and we'
    'Again you try to tell me my business,' he said with a brief tight smile. Then he turned and looked at the dying sun through one of the smaller windows along the side of the big room. 'It is a beautiful evening, Sarita, do you not think so?'
    'It is,' Sally agreed, her senses responding all too rapidly to the effect of that light hypnotic caress on her cheek. 'Why—why do you call me Sarita?'
    He smiled. 'It is your name,' he told her. 'I use the Spanish, do you mind?'
    'No.' She raised her eyes briefly. 'It's rather pretty.'
    'It is very pretty,' he agreed softly.
    The sunlight was becoming a deeper gold every minute, as the day slid away, and Sally looked at the west windows and laughed, a little wildly, trying to keep common sense uppermost when it was rapidly losing ground. There soon won't be any daylight left,' she said.
    'And you are such a little philistine that you think only of bright sunlight to paint your pictures by, hmm?' He pulled her round so that her back was to the evening sky, holding her there, his hands sliding down her arms to clasp her waist and pull her against his body. Every nerve in her responded to the pressure of his hands, and she tried not to want so much that he should hold her in his arms and kiss her as he had done once before.
    'I'm not a philistine,' she denied, her head back so that she could look up into his face, the blue of her eyes deep and dark and as provocative as the soft mouth that pouted in mock reproach.
    He studied her for a long breathtaking moment in silence, his hands holding her close so that she could feel the warmth of his skin through the light shirt he wore, and the strength of the muscles that strained her to him. 'You would look like a golden Madonna, if I painted you as you are now,' he said, in a voice that shivered through her. 'With your face half in shadow and your beautiful golden hair catching the last of the sun. I will paint you so, Sarita.'
    'You—you will?'
    The black eyes glistened down at her in the golden light and heavy lashes hid her gaze when he bent his head still lower and brushed his lips against her brow. 'I must,' he said, his voice strangely harsh as if he fought with his own weakness. 'You will be famous, nina. Cordova's Golden Madonna!'
    'Miguel!'
    He must have felt how she was trembling, for every nerve of her body was aware of the warmth and strength of the arms that held her close, and the steady but more rapid beat of his heart under her hands. A hand moved up and grasped a handful of her hair, pulling her head back. 'For me you will be even more beautiful,' he told her and, even as she closed her eyes to