Spanish Nights (Harlequin Treasury 1990's)

by Jennifer Taylor

  He studied her in a silence that seemed to stretch for ever then smiled with a faint amusement. ‘You seem surprised to see me. Surely you haven’t forgotten what day it is?’

  ‘What day? I’m sorry, I don’t understand.’

  ‘It is the beginning of the feria. Today we shall ride into town and meet our friends and enjoy all the celebrations at the fair. And I have brought you a present, something fitting for you to wear on such an occasion.’ He gestured towards the bed and she gasped when she saw the dress lying on the white lace spread.

  It was deep scarlet, the long skirt ruffled with layer upon layer of frills, the low-cut bodice and tiny cap sleeves edged with the same frills. It was a dream of a dress, exotic yet sophisticated, and she loved it on sight.

  ‘It is just beautiful, Luis. Gorgeous! I don’t know what to say. I heard your mother talking to you about the fair the other night at dinner but I never realised that we would be going or that you would give me anything as lovely as this to wear.’

  ‘I am glad you like it, Laura.’ His tone was warmer than she’d heard it for months, his dark eyes skimming her excited face. ‘I decided to surprise you with it so I borrowed one of your dresses to have it made.’

  ‘You had it made just for me? I don’t know what to say!’ On sudden impulse she went on tiptoe and kissed his hard cheek. His hands fastened around her waist to steady her then lingered for a heartbeat before he gently set her away from him.

  ‘We shall need to leave in an hour or so. Can you be dressed and ready by then do you think?’

  ‘Of course.’ She went and picked up the dress and held it against her, trying not to feel just a tiny bit hurt by the way he had moved her away from him. He had gone to a lot of trouble to surprise her with this dress so surely that must mean that he cared something for her.

  The thought brought a flush of happiness to her face and she smiled at him. ‘Thank you, Luis,’ she said softly.

  ‘De nada, querida. Now I shall leave you to get ready.’ He left the room and slowly Laura laid the dress back on the bed, her hand stroking down the soft ruffles. Perhaps she was being foolish to hope that this dress meant something but whatever reason Luis had for giving it to her, she was going to enjoy wearing it. She was going to put it on today and make herself look as beautiful as possible so that he would feel proud that she was his wife.

  It fitted like a dream, the skirt clinging seductively to her slender hips before flaring gently over her thighs, the delicate ruffles swaying with every step she took. The bodice was far lower than she usually chose to wear but she had to admit that it looked good, making the most of her small firm breasts. Luis had even remembered to buy shoes to match it, slender-heeled red leather with thin straps which fastened across her ankle. Once she had slipped them on she stepped back to the mirror and studied her reflection, feeling a frisson of surprise when she saw herself.

  She had drawn her blonde hair back into a heavy chignon at the back of her neck, anchoring it there with two thick tortoiseshell combs then on a sudden impulse had plucked a deep red rose from the display standing on the writing desk in the room and slipped it into one side of the silky knot of hair where it made a glorious contrast against her fairness. Over the past days she’d acquired a light tan so she’d used her make-up sparingly, just tinting her lips with a touch of scarlet lustre then darkening her lashes so that her grey eyes looked even more enormous and luminous than ever. She looked good, she knew, but what would Luis think when he saw her?

  Butterflies were flitting around her stomach like crazy when she walked down the stairs. She took a deep breath then made her way to the salon, pausing uncertainly in the doorway but he must have heard her because he turned round. Just for a moment his face was unguarded, his black eyes glittering with a fierce possession as he skimmed her from head to toe, leaving her feeling shaken to the core by the emotion. Then he moved across the room, his tone bland as he took her hand and kissed her coolly on the cheek. ‘You look very beautiful, querida. Don’t you agree, Madre?’

  Laura had been so caught up in Luis’s reaction that she hadn’t even noticed the older woman was in the room. She glanced across at her, surprised to find just the faintest hint of softness on Doña Elena’s face as she studied her.

  ‘I do. Luis is right, Laura. You look very beautiful in that dress.’

  Flustered by the unexpected praise, Laura stammered out her thanks then jumped nervously when Luis took her arm. ‘It is time that we were leaving. You are quite sure that you won’t change your mind and come with us, Madre?’

  ‘Thank you, but no. I don’t feel up to all the excitement today. I prefer to stay at home.’

  Luis nodded then led Laura from the room but instead of taking her towards the front door he steered her first of all into his study. ‘I have something else for you, Laura.’ He opened the drawer in his desk and took out a slim velvet case, unsnapping the lock to lift out a fragile strand of glittering gold which supported a delicate ruby pendant in the shape of a teardrop. It spun on the end of the chain, catching the light from the window so that it seemed to burn with a bright fire. ‘I thought that this would be the perfect accessory to that gown.’

  ‘It is beautiful, Luis, but I never expected such a present.’

  ‘I cannot see why not. You are my wife, Laura. It is your right to have such things.’

  ‘Is it?’ She gave a shaky little laugh. ‘I don’t somehow think that I deserve a gift like this, Luis, not when our marriage is such a fragile thing.’

  ‘We made a commitment to each other that cannot be broken. That is no fragile bond.’ There was a hard, unbending note in his deep voice and she bit her lips as she averted her face, and heard him sigh roughly. He came around the desk, turning her so that he could fasten the chain around her neck, his hands steady as they dealt with the tiny clasp. When he had finished he turned her back, his fingers brushing her skin as he settled the ruby drop at the base of her throat.

  ‘It is difficult for both of us, but let us agree to put aside our differences for this one day?’

  She forced a smile, feeling the ache spreading. ‘All right. I...I shall try, Luis.’

  ‘Good.’ He bent and brushed her cheek with a kiss that was too chaste and impersonal to be anything but a reward for her agreement, yet she felt her senses stir at once. When he offered her his arm, she slid her hand into the crook of his elbow, walking silently from the room and out of the front door. José was waiting on the drive for them, holding the reins of a showy grey horse. He smiled respectfully at them then said something to Luis as he handed him a flat crowned black hat. Luis put the hat on then turned to Laura, looking so elegantly right in the very Spanish outfit that her heart gave an unsteady little lurch then started to beat rapidly.

  ‘You are not afraid of horses, I hope?’

  ‘Well...no. Not really. Do you want me to ride into town?’ She cast an uncertain glance at the huge grey, then glanced down at the ruffled scarlet dress.

  Luis laughed, running a soothing hand down the animal’s gleaming neck. ‘Yes, but not quite the way you imagine.’

  Laura frowned but before she could start to question what he meant, he mounted the horse then reached down and lifted her off the ground, settling her behind the saddle. She gasped, clutching at Luis’s hard waist to steady herself as the horse shifted sideways before he calmed it with a few quiet words. He glanced over his shoulder at her, smiling broadly at her shocked expression.

  ‘Do not worry, querida. El Duque is a gentleman. He will carry us both into town without missing a step, and this is the traditional way to arrive for the feria.’

  Laura forced the nervousness down, smoothing the flowing skirt of her dress so that it lay against the animal’s side in ripples of gleaming scarlet. When Luis urged the horse into a slow walk, she stiffened at once, her whole body tense until she found the rhythm.

  ‘Slide your arm around my waist and that will make you feel safer.’ Luis reached back and drew her r
ight arm around him, holding her hand as they turned out of the gates and started towards the town. The action drew her closer to him so that her shoulder brushed against the hard muscles of his back under the sleek-fitting grey jacket, and a feeling which owed little to fear ran through her.

  It took some time to complete the journey into Jerez at the slow pace Luis kept the horse to but Laura didn’t object. There was something magical about the swaying rhythm, the nearness of Luis’s body to her own. She found herself leaning even closer to him and, when he gently laid her hand palm down on his muscular thigh and held it there, she felt as though her heart was going to beat itself right out of her chest.

  The town was bustling with activity when they rode down the narrow streets. Everywhere there were couples riding just as she and Luis were, the women resplendent in their brilliantly coloured dresses, the men handsome in their elegant suits. There were whole families arriving in carriages pulled by horses decked out in garlands of flowers, the children bursting with excitement, their parents obviously proud of their offspring. Wherever she looked people were enjoying themselves, taking advantage of the glorious day. Laura had never seen anything like it, and said as much to Luis when he finally stopped outside the bodega.

  ‘I thought you would enjoy it. Now it is time we joined up with some of our friends.’ Looping an arm around her, he bent and let her slide to the ground then dismounted with a fluid ease. He caught her hands, holding her in front of him as he studied her face. ‘You look like a child, querida, who has been given a treat.’

  ‘Do I?’ She couldn’t help the sudden huskiness that softened her voice to little more than a whisper. Riding into town like that, so close to Luis, had heightened her senses to an almost unbearable degree so that just the touch of his hands on hers was making her feel feverish.

  ‘Sí. A very beautiful and desirable child.’ His voice had roughened, his hands tightening fractionally around hers. All around them there was talking, laughter, the sounds of people, yet suddenly it was as though they were the only two people left in the world. When she licked her parched lips his eyes darkened, his own mouth opening slightly as though to taste the feel of her tongue on his flesh. Laura could feel the heat of his body through the thin scarlet material of her dress, could feel it burning deeper and deeper inside her to warm a part of her that had been cold for far too long.

  ‘But I am not a child, Luis,’ she said softly, watching his face.

  Colour swept in a fierce tide along his high cheekbones and he bent towards her. ‘No, Laura, you are not a child but a woman...my wife.’

  His mouth was gentle, yet the kiss burned. It melted the last of the ice, leaving her so achingly vulnerable that for a moment she felt afraid. Then suddenly she knew that it no longer mattered that she should try to fight him. She loved him and although he might never care, she wanted him to know.

  She kissed him back with all the love she felt for him and felt his whole body jerk in reaction to the hot tide of emotion. Slowly he raised his head and stared down into her eyes then without a word led her inside the courtyard to where long tables had been laid with white cloths and heaped with food and wine. Several people stopped them but Laura scarcely heard a word they said, her whole attention focused on Luis and what had happened. There had been something different in his eyes just now. What it meant she had no idea. All she could do was hope that it promised well for their future, something to start to rebuild all those broken dreams upon.

  * * *

  It was a day which Laura knew she would always remember. It held a very special kind of magic that would claim part of her heart for ever. Now sitting under a tree as evening fell softly, she let her mind drift back over all the new sights she’d seen but the most special thing of all had been the way Luis had treated her. He had been warm and attentive all day long, letting her and everyone around them know in the clearest way possible that he was enjoying her company. Under such attention Laura had blossomed, even finding the courage to try out some of her shaky Spanish. The approval in Luis’s dark eyes had been reward enough for that, and she smiled now as she remembered it.

  ‘You are looking happy, amada. What are you thinking about?’

  The deep voice stirred her senses to immediate life and she smiled up at him, uncaring that her heart must be in her eyes at that moment. ‘You.’

  ‘Is that so?’ He dropped down beside her on the grass, taking off his hat to toss it aside and run his hand through his black hair. He glanced round at the throng of people then looked back at her with a faint lift of one dark brow. ‘You have enjoyed today then, Laura?’

  She felt a momentary disappointment that he hadn’t pursued her answer more thoroughly but shrugged it aside at once. ‘Of course. It has been a glorious day. And this has been a lovely ending to it.’

  She looked round, smiling as she saw the way people were still chatting so animatedly after such a long day. The Spanish really knew how to enjoy themselves; most of the guests had spent the day at the feria, as she and Luis had done, then come straight on to Miguel Moreno’s house for the barbecue.

  ‘Miguel and his wife have worked hard to make the evening such a success. And it has been a success too for us, I think.’

  It seemed an odd thing for him to say but before she could say anything another couple came up to speak to them. Laura joined in the conversation for a few minutes then got up and excused herself to go inside to the bathroom. There were several women already upstairs so she made her way to the bedroom which had been set aside for the female guests to repair their make-up.

  Sitting down in front of the mirror, she smoothed a few stray wisps of hair back into the knot and refastened the combs to anchor it securely in place, then looked up with a smile when the door opened and another woman came in.

  ‘Ahh, Laura, here you are? Not hiding, are you?’ Mercedes walked into the room, the ruffled skirt of her elegant black dress swaying seductively as she moved. She walked over to the mirror and took a lipstick from her tiny black satin purse, touching it to her already perfectly made-up lips.

  Laura took a deep breath, refusing to be drawn into the snappy reply that had been hovering on her lips. ‘Of course not. I have no reason to hide.’

  ‘In your position I doubt if I could be so sure. But I imagine that Luis is right to play things the way he has today.’

  Mercedes slipped the lipstick back into her bag then ran a slender hand over her gleaming black hair, her eyes meeting Laura’s in the mirror in a look of pure spite. Laura held herself rigid, fighting the demon in her head that was telling her to ask the woman what she meant by that statement but it was impossible to fight against it for long.

  ‘What are you talking about?’

  Mercedes shrugged, a faint smile curving her lips although her face was cold. ‘Haven’t you figured that out for yourself yet? Poor Laura, you really are blind. Why do you think Luis went to all this trouble today to bring you here and introduce you to all his friends? I imagine he even arranged for you to wear that dress.’ She laughed at the betraying expression on Laura’s face. ‘Of course.’

  ‘There is no “of course” about it...any of it! You don’t know anything because Luis’s reasons were quite simple and straightforward. He wanted to bring me because he enjoys my company the same as I enjoy his.’ She shot the hot rebuttal back at Mercedes as she tried to push past her to leave the room. She didn’t want to hear any more, didn’t want the woman to spoil this day with her jealous, spiteful lies.

  However, Mercedes’ hand fastened around her arm, the long red nails like talons. ‘I know because Luis confides in me. He tells me such a lot of things, Laura. You would be surprised to hear exactly what, I am sure. And he told me that he was intending to bring you today to quell all those unpleasant rumours about your marriage. It is amazing how easy it is to convince people that things are fine with just the right amount of acting, and he has done you both proud, all those tender little looks, the flattering attention. Yes, I am s
ure that most people will be convinced your marriage is as it should be, but I am not most people, Laura. I know the truth. I know that Luis regrets the day he ever met you!’

  She let Laura’s arm go and swept out of the room. Laura stared at the closed door, her heart around her feet. It was a lie, a cruel, vicious lie! Luis wouldn’t have done such a thing. But even as she thought it another memory surfaced, the memory of his face that day when he had come to Rachel’s house to get her, and suddenly she knew that she had to find out what the truth was.

  The party had thinned out by the time she found Luis talking to a couple of men in the garden. She stood a little way away from them, her whole body trembling with the restraint she’d imposed on her emotions. She wouldn’t break down now, she would hold on to her control while she found out the truth.

  He must have seen her standing there because suddenly he was beside her. ‘Is there anything wrong?’

  ‘I don’t know, Luis. Perhaps you can tell me the answer to that.’ Her voice was stiff and she saw his face settle into taut lines. He drew her away from the group, his hand impersonal now at the small of her back.

  ‘I suggest that you tell me what this is all about, Laura.’

  How she hated that stiff note of authority in his voice! ‘Yes, I think I should! Why did you bring me to the fair today? Was it just because you wanted to enjoy my company for a few hours or did you have another, far more sinister reason for doing so?’

  ‘Such as?’ He leant against a tree-trunk, relaxed and totally at ease. How she envied him that composure right then, because she felt as though any minute she was going to break into tiny pieces. Mercedes had been lying. She had!

  ‘Come, Laura. You are obviously upset about something so let me hear it.’ There was a thread of steel in his voice which cut her and she forced herself to carry on.

  ‘Did you bring me here today so that it would look good and convince people that our marriage isn’t in any kind of trouble?’