The Spanish Uncle

by Jane Corrie

  Mary looked away from him, not feeling able to face

  him at that particular moment. He had, it seemed, a lot in common with Rafael Alvarados; both had resorted to a kind of moral blackmail to get what they wanted. 'I see,' she said in a low vibrant voice. 'You think that I should pack my things and Paul's, and off we go and hope that they take to Paul. Then I come back alone, to you. Is that what you have in mind?'

  Derek's eyes met hers squarely. 'As a matter of fact, it is,' he replied challengingly.

  Mary's composure left her. She wanted to hit out at him for his selfishness; he was only seeing things from his point of view. 'How can you even suggest such a thing!' she cried, her voice rising in her distress. 'I look upon Paul as my own, I always have. You're asking me to give away my child, do you realise that?'

  Her words infuriated Derek. 'He's not your child!' he shouted out at her. 'And I wish you would realise that. So you've brought him up, you've gone without— you've scraped for him, but it doesn't alter the fact that he's not your child!'

  At this point there was a polite tap on the door, and to Mary's horror the sleek dark head of Rafael Alvarados appeared round the door as if uncertain to venture further into the room. 'I do apologise,' he began, 'but I did ring the bell, and as there was no reply and the door was ajar, I took the liberty of seeking you out. It's stupid of me, I know, but I forgot to ask you for your telephone number so that I could contact you if need be. I didn't remember this until I was half way back to my office,' he added apologetically, and Mary had the feeling that he hoped to convey the fact that he had only just arrived on the scene—and what a scene!

  There was an awkward pause for a moment and Mary

  made a valiant attempt to cover this by swiftly introducing Derek to Rafael Alvarados, and then searching for her writing pad on which to jot her phone number down. When she had done this she handed it to him; noting that neither of the men seemed inclined to enter into desultory chat. it's the same prefix as for the London area,' she said breathlessly.

  Rafael Alvarados thanked her and once again apologised for his intrusion, then made his departure after favouring Derek with a curt nod, leaving Mary with a ghastly impression that he had heard Derek's final outburst before he had made his presence known. He must have done, for she couldn't see how he could have avoided it—the words had been shouted out, and remembering that the front door had been ajar, there was a great possibility that any passerby would also have heard them.

  She drew a ragged breath. She couldn't blame everything on Derek, at least not the door being ajar. It had a faulty catch and had to be slammed hard, and she ought to have shad it seen to ages ago. She swallowed hastily. There was nothing she could do about it now— at least not that part of it, but there was plenty she could do where Derek was concerned.

  As she entered the sitting room her weary glance met Derek's shamefaced one. 'I'm sorry, Mary,' he said sheepishly. 'I lost my temper.' He took a deep breath. 'You know we've got to face this sooner or later, and now is as good a time as any. It's not often I get a chance to talk to you without the boy demanding your attention. You know what I mean,' he added. 'As a matter of fact,' he went on casually, 'I've talked this over with Mother, and we both agree that it would be better if Paul went to boarding school.'

  Mary's eyes held a positive glint at this—it really was the last straw! 'Out of your way, you mean?' she asked slowly but dangerously.

  There was an answering glint in Derek's eyes. `If you put it like that, yes,' he answered coldly. 'It's not been easy for me, you know. He quite purposely flouts my orders. It's not as if I haven't tried,' he went on, hardening his jaw at the thought. 'The plain fact is, we don't get on.'

  'And you think it's all Paul's fault, do you?' she asked quietly.

  'Of course it is,' he replied irritably. `I've done my best.'

  `I don't think you have, Derek,' she replied coldly. `You do know half the trouble is jealousy, don't you? Paul's jealous of you, and you're jealous of him.'

  `Nonsense ' said Derek huffily. 'Whatever gave you that idea? No, he's just a spoilt brat. He's probably jealous of me, all right. Look at the way he positively haunts you when I'm around.'

  But he couldn't be jealous of Paul, Mary thought wearily, he wasn't going to admit to that. Everything was going to be Paul's fault no matter what happened. It was hardly a basis for a happy marriage, was it? she thought. She slowly took the ring off the third finger of her left hand and handed it to . Derek. 'I ought to have done this a long time ago,' she said quietly.

  He stared at the ring and then back at her. His face was white and set. 'Do you realise what you're doing?' he asked almost incredulously.

  Mary nodded. 'I know what I'm doing, Derek. I think it's best for both of us.'

  'If that's the way you want it,' he said, in a vicious voice that she had not heard before, `so be it ! However,'

  he added pompously, 'when you come down to earth, and realise that it's your life you're living and not that brat's, perhaps we might take things up again. It's entirely up to you.'

  Mary had nothing more to add and she stared down at the carpet. A moment later she heard the front door slam.

  CHAPTER THREE

  NINE days later Mary found herself and Paul installed in the Alvarados household. The journey over had been uneventful, if a little uncomfortable on Mary's part, for Rafael Alvarados's manner had been studiously polite, yet somehow forbidding.

  That he had overheard Derek's furious outburst the evening he had called at her home was now a foregone conclusion. She knew exactly what he thought of her, and in all honesty she had to admit that if she had been in his place she, too, would have had grave doubts as . to the integrity of the person involved in such machinations. She had quite blatantly lied to him about her relationship to Paul, and the fact that her motive had been an altruistic one would not make the slightest difference to him, even if he was presented with the explanation for her duplicity.

  She was made to feel an interloper—a hangeron, whose company he would have to put up with as a necessary evil, and she was as relieved as he must have been when they finally arrived at their destination.

  However, Mary was able to salvage one crumb of comfort from this unhappy state of affairs, and that was that she would not have the distasteful task of lying to Enrique's father. She could now tell the truth and be done with falsehood. If the need ever arose for her to defend her earlier, action in lying to Rafael Alvarados, she would apologise and explain why she had acted as she had, and hope that Rafael had been right .

  when he had said that Enrique and his father were much alike in temperament, for if it were so, then she would be forgiven, she was sure of it.

  The villa lay on the outskirts of Seville, in its own grounds, and was ample proof of the wealth of the Alvarados family. After taking a cold shower and changing into a cool cotton dress, Mary then made sure that Paul looked presentable for his introduction to his grandfather, and waited for the summons to be given. to be ushered into his presence.

  Her stomach churned over at the thought as she recalled Rafael Alvarados's words before placing them in the hands of an extremely dour looking woman servant dressed entirely in black. 'My father is a late riser, but I have no doubt that he will receive you as soon as possible

  Mary had felt a spurt of annoyance at the time. Anyone would think they were being entertained by Royalty, and she had a feeling that was just the impression he was trying to create, underlining his earlier haughty attitude towards her, and in a sense warning her to watch her step where his father was concerned. He might just as well have said, 'I shall be watching you. I don't trust you.'

  Mary gave a small moue at the thought. It wasn't exactly a good basis on which to start a friendship, more like the beginning of an allout war! It was a pity that Paul's presence had prevented a confrontation between them, for she would have liked to have been given the chance to explain why she had misled him. She gave a small sigh. Sometime in the future
perhaps an opportunity would present itself; in the meantime she would have to put up with his unspoken censure.

  She watched Paul wandering restlessly around her

  room, and was pleased that they had had the forethought to give them connecting rooms so that he would not feel lost in this large rambling residence. He had now stopped before the shuttered window and was attempting to open the shutters. 'No, Paul,' she said quickly, 'it's too hot, dear. You'll have a chance to explore the grounds after you've seen your grandfather—come and sit down for a moment.'

  'I'm not too hot,' he complained lightly, and then as a thought struck him he turned to her with wide eyes. 'Think they've a swimming pool, Mum?' he asked.

  Mary gave a wry smile; from what she had seen so far of the grounds surrounding the villa, she thought it a likely possibility. 'I don't know, dear,' she replied, 'but no doubt you'll soon find out.'

  He swished his arms about imitating a swimming stroke. 'I'm better than Mike,' he announced proudly. 'He sinks.'

  To Mary's relief there was a tap on the door, and the woman who had shown them to their rooms entered and told Mary in stilted English that their presence was requested in' the drawing room, and would they please follow her.

  As Mary, with Paul's hand tucked tightly into hers, followed the tall gaunt woman down various twisting corridors, the floors of which appeared to be of some marble like substance that was cool under their sandaled feet, she felt the same apprehension for the future flown over her. If they made an all out effort to wrench Paul from her what chance did she stand of preventing it against the weight of such wealth? What could she offer him apart from love? The thought made her turn pale. and gave her lovely grey eyes a haunted look.

  The same haunted look was in her eyes as they entered the room indicated by the servant, and the first person Mary saw was Rafael Alvarados who stood by the wide French windows at the end of the large room and turned at their entry, favouring her with a cold haughty look, and a swift smile, at Paul. She would receive no kindness from that quarter, she thought with a swift pang of panic, and wanted to about turn and leave, not only this room, but the villa, and the Alvarados's, and catch the next flight home.

  A swift indrawn breath drew her attention from the hard face of Rafael Alvarados to a man standing on her left, staring at Paul with what she could only describe as a sense of wonder. 'Enrique?' he whispered in an unsteady voice, and looked back at Rafael Alvarados. 'It's unbelievable,' he said, in the same shaky voice.

  embraced Rafael Alvarados gave his father a look that

  both tenderness and concern, and Mary wondered if she had really witnessed such a phenomenon, or whether 'she had imagined it, for the next moment his features were as cold and unbending as before. She watched him come forward and gently push his father down into 'the chair behind him from which he 'had obviously risen at their entry. You must forgive my father for not standing, Miss Allis, he ought to be in his bed, but he has insisted on receiving you here.'

  Emilio Alvarados gave a weak sounding snort and waved a thin deeply veined hand in the air as if to dispute this.

  'Father, may I present Miss Allis,' said Rafael, giving her a swift glance almost as if to remind her to keep her place, and giving her permission to offer her hand to his father.

  As Mary complied, only lightly resting her hand in

  the pale slim one offered, she was struck by an inexplicable urge to confirm Rafael Alvarados's worst suspicions by gushing out some servile platitude on the lines of, she was so pleased to meet him, and wasn't this a lovely house? However, she managed to contra herself and gave the normal greeting of, 'How do you do?' then gave the now shy Paul a little push forward towards the man still staring at him as if unable to take his eyes off him.

  `Say hello to your grandfather, Paul,' she ordered gently.

  Paul's hand clung tighter to hers; he was obviously overawed by the occasion and Mary couldn't blame him. Their surroundings alone were enough to leave him tongue tied. It was like stepping into a showroom of opulence. Deep velvet covered chairs, a carpet into which one's feet sank. Pictures in gold frames on the walls around them, various undoubtedly valuable ornaments on gleaming antique furniture. At the window where Rafael Alvarados had stood on their entry hung 'velvet curtaining of a deeper green than the upholstery, and altogether it was a little too much to take, as Mary would have described it, at one sitting. She was bemused herself, so was able to sympathise with Paul's feelings.

  'Come now, Enrique,' ordered, the deep voice of Rafael. 'You are not shy, are you?' It was said as a challenge and had the desired effect, for Paul, after shooting his uncle a surprised indignant look, immediately offered his small hand to his grandfather, who gave a chuckle of pure satisfaction on noting the way he had answered the subtle challenge and solemnly accepted the proffered hand.

  The next quarter of an hour was spent in questions

  and answers, on Paul's earlier childhood what school he was attending, and memories of his father's childhood were revived.

  During all this time Mary saw that Rafael Alvarados kept a strict eye on his father, making certain that he did not overtire himself, and called a halt to proceedings when his father leant back in his chair for a few moments. 'If you insist on dining. with us this evening,' he reminded him, 'then you must rest this afternoon.' On his father's unwillingness to comply with this suggestion, he remonstrated gently, 'Come now, you know that I am right, Father. I am sure Miss Allis would welcome a rest, too. As for Enrique,' he looked at Paul, 'I shall take him on a tour of the grounds.'

  Paul's delighted grin proved that this suggestion was a welcome one. He had looked longingly out of the window several times during their discourse with his grandfather, and Mary half expected him to ask his uncle whether they had a swimming pool, for she could see he had some question he wanted answering, but whatever it was, he evidently decided to bide his time for a while.

  When Emilio Alvarados had taken his leave of them, apologising to Mary for the necessity of having to take a rest before dinner, Rafael Alvarados turned to Paul with an abrupt, 'Ready Enrique?' and walked towards the French windows that were slightly ajar and pushing

  them open walked out into the garden beyond, not once glancing back to see if Paul was following him. To Mary's surprise he did follow him; he was too intent on exploring his surroundings to give one thought to Mary, who watched them go with an odd sensation of being abandoned. If this was a taste of what was to

  come, then she wasn't going to enjoy the visit one little bit.

  She made her way back to her room, only once losing her way, and being redirected by a young looking maid she met in a corridor. The girl had spoken English, as had all the occupants of the villa, and Mary felt a spurt of pride in the knowledge that she had persevered with Spanish, and could hold a reasonably intelligent conversation in that language. Not that she had had any opportunity as yet to do so, but there might come a time when she would be grateful for the knowledge.

  On entering her room she felt suddenly weary and lay down on her bed. The siesta was a must in this draining heat, and she wondered why Emilio Alvarados had not moved out to the cooler mountain areas for the summer season, as she had once read that the wealthier ,families did. She closed her eyes. Of course this was his home and in all probability he did not feel the heat as she did, but in spite of the efficient air cooling system and the cool tiled floors, she felt as if she were in an oven that someone had forgotten to switch off.

  As tired as she was, she did not sleep, but lay thinking about the Alvarados family, and how different their background was from hers and Paul's. Rafael. Alvarados had spoken the truth when he had told her of his father's attachment to his younger son. His eyes had scarcely left Paul's face the whole time he was with them, and as ill as he obviously was she had sensed his happy animation and his inward annoyance at his weakness that forced him to retire back to his bed.

  While he had been studying Paul, Mary had had ample chance to study
him. It could not be said that either of his sons had taken after him in looks and certainly not in height, for Emilio Alvarados was only a

  inch or so taller than Mary's five feet six.

  She tried to recall Enrique's height, and that he had appeared tall, but when she thought of Sheila's diminutive five feet four, she realised that in all probability he had not been a great deal taller than his father. It appeared she had confused Enrique's height with his brother Rafael, who at six foot plus towered over them all—in more ways than one, she thought darkly, as she remembered the way he had swept Paul off without seeking either her permission or her company.

  Without doubt she had an enemy there, but as she thought of Emilio Alvarados she had a feeling. that in him at least she would find a friend. Instinctively, she felt that he was a kindly man who would not condemn her, as his son had done. His gentle expression and the deep lines across his high forehead and around his mouth told a story of suffering, physical as well as mental, and Mary wanted to ease that suffering, and in this she was in complete concord with Rafael Alvarados, if in nothing else.

  Paul arrived back, but only to tell her that Uncle Rafael was taking him out to the vineyards, and that they would not be back until six. He was not asking for her permission, Mary noticed, but telling her what Rafael had told him to tell her, and she felt a spurt of annoyance at Rafael's highhanded action and very nearly said that she would go too, but held her tongue and told him to behave himself, and not ask too many questions and make a nuisance of himself, at which he replied indignantly, 'Uncle Rafael told me to ask questions!' and Mary felt that she had been well and truly put in her place!

  An hour later she received another summons from Emilio Alvarados, and this time she was taken to his

  rooms and found him propped up in bed.