that at last she put it aside, and merely sat on her balcony in the dusk, watching the dipping lights of the yacht out in the bay.
The next morning, Teresa appeared at breakfast time, much to Juliet's relief. She had no desire to have to approach the Duque with a view to his speaking to his niece because she was incapable of handling her. Nurse Madison was with her, and Juliet thought Teresa had brought the nurse along for reinforcement.
Wishing them both good morning, she ordered rolls and coffee from the maid, and then smiled in what she hoped was a friendly way.
Teresa merely looked away, and Juliet realized she was as yet no further forward.
'I think we'll go on the beach this morning, Teresa,' she said brightly, waiting for the explosion.
Teresa sniffed. 'I think my uncle has other plans for me,' she returned smugly.
Juliet frowned. 'Oh! In what way?'
Teresa shrugged. 'He's taking me out with him, senhorita. So you will have to entertain yourself.'
She lay back in her wheelchair defiantly. Dressed in a cream dress with red embroidery, she looked young and attractive, and extremely satisfied with herself. Juliet wondered what the Duque was planning now.
By taking Teresa out with him, alone, he was encouraging her already active imagination to create situations and circumstances that were simply ridiculous. She felt impatient, and ate her breakfast in silence, conscious of Nurse Madison's mocking amusement all the while.
When a shadow fell across the little group, Juliet did not immediately look up, but continued to eat her meal despite the fact that she was conscious of the presence of the Duque with every fibre of her being.
'So, senhoritaV he remarked. 'I trust you slept well.'
Juliet was forced to look up now, registering everything about the man in that first moment. In a mustard silk shirt, dark brown riding breeches thrust into highly polished boots, the colour of his hair turning blue-black in the sunlight, he looked powerful and assured and very disturbing. He had rolled back the sleeves of his shirt, revealing muscular forearms dark with hairs, while the band of a gold watch encircled his wrist. With his shirt unbuttoned at the neckline, Juliet felt angrily assured that he was perfectly aware of his attraction, and the anger she had felt earlier was intensified by her own sensual weakness.
'I slept very well, thank you, senhor ,' she replied, as evenly as she could, and returned her attention to her meal.
The Duque spoke to Nurse Madison, questioning her about Teresa's progress, and then speaking to Teresa herself. Juliet heard the caressing tone in Teresa's voice as she answered, and felt impotent to do anything about it with the Duque thwarting her every move.
But now the Duque had returned his attention to herself, and said: 'Has Teresa told you we are going out this morning, Senhorita Summers?'
Juliet lifted her eyes. 'Yes, senhor. I had intended taking Teresa on the beach today, but now, of course, that has had to be cancelled.'
She was aware of Teresa's angry eyes upon her, aware of the almost biting tone of her own voice which was not altogether to do with her young charge, but could do nothing about it.
The Duque ran a hand over the thickness of his hair. Combed across his head from a low side parting, it persisted in lying across his forehead, and he brushed it back only to have it spring forward again immediately. His dark eyes were enigmatic as he said:
'Surely Teresa explained that your presence is also required.'
Juliet's eyes darted to Teresa, registering the girl's anger, and Nurse Madison's astonishment. Obviously Teresa had omitted to tell Nurse Madison this also.
'Your niece only said that she was accompanying you,' said Juliet now, unable in the circumstances to evade the question.
'I see.' The Duque looked at Teresa. 'Why was that, Teresa?'
Teresa wrinkled her nose. 'Senhorita Summers jumps to conclusions, Tio Felipe. I didn't say she was not coming.'
Juliet could have
The next morning, Teresa appeared at breakfast time, much to Juliet's relief. She had no desire to have to approach the Duque with a view to his speaking to his niece because she was incapable of handling her. Nurse Madison was with her, and Juliet thought Teresa had brought the nurse along for reinforcement.
Wishing them both good morning, she ordered rolls and coffee from the maid, and then smiled in what she hoped was a friendly way.
Teresa merely looked away, and Juliet realized she was as yet no further forward.
'I think we'll go on the beach this morning, Teresa,' she said brightly, waiting for the explosion.
Teresa sniffed. 'I think my uncle has other plans for me,' she returned smugly.
Juliet frowned. 'Oh! In what way?'
Teresa shrugged. 'He's taking me out with him, senhorita. So you will have to entertain yourself.'
She lay back in her wheelchair defiantly. Dressed in a cream dress with red embroidery, she looked young and attractive, and extremely satisfied with herself. Juliet wondered what the Duque was planning now.
By taking Teresa out with him, alone, he was encouraging her already active imagination to create situations and circumstances that were simply ridiculous. She felt impatient, and ate her breakfast in silence, conscious of Nurse Madison's mocking amusement all the while.
When a shadow fell across the little group, Juliet did not immediately look up, but continued to eat her meal despite the fact that she was conscious of the presence of the Duque with every fibre of her being.
'So, senhoritaV he remarked. 'I trust you slept well.'
Juliet was forced to look up now, registering everything about the man in that first moment. In a mustard silk shirt, dark brown riding breeches thrust into highly polished boots, the colour of his hair turning blue-black in the sunlight, he looked powerful and assured and very disturbing. He had rolled back the sleeves of his shirt, revealing muscular forearms dark with hairs, while the band of a gold watch encircled his wrist. With his shirt unbuttoned at the neckline, Juliet felt angrily assured that he was perfectly aware of his attraction, and the anger she had felt earlier was intensified by her own sensual weakness.
'I slept very well, thank you, senhor ,' she replied, as evenly as she could, and returned her attention to her meal.
The Duque spoke to Nurse Madison, questioning her about Teresa's progress, and then speaking to Teresa herself. Juliet heard the caressing tone in Teresa's voice as she answered, and felt impotent to do anything about it with the Duque thwarting her every move.
But now the Duque had returned his attention to herself, and said: 'Has Teresa told you we are going out this morning, Senhorita Summers?'
Juliet lifted her eyes. 'Yes, senhor. I had intended taking Teresa on the beach today, but now, of course, that has had to be cancelled.'
She was aware of Teresa's angry eyes upon her, aware of the almost biting tone of her own voice which was not altogether to do with her young charge, but could do nothing about it.
The Duque ran a hand over the thickness of his hair. Combed across his head from a low side parting, it persisted in lying across his forehead, and he brushed it back only to have it spring forward again immediately. His dark eyes were enigmatic as he said:
'Surely Teresa explained that your presence is also required.'
Juliet's eyes darted to Teresa, registering the girl's anger, and Nurse Madison's astonishment. Obviously Teresa had omitted to tell Nurse Madison this also.
'Your niece only said that she was accompanying you,' said Juliet now, unable in the circumstances to evade the question.
'I see.' The Duque looked at Teresa. 'Why was that, Teresa?'
Teresa wrinkled her nose. 'Senhorita Summers jumps to conclusions, Tio Felipe. I didn't say she was not coming.'
Juliet could have
Similar Books
