Anne Mather - Forbidden Flame

‘I assure you, Doña Isabel—–’ she began, only to have the old lady interrupt her.

‘Be silent! I do not hold conversations with putas !’ she hissed arrogantly. ‘How dare you enter my sister’s sitting room? How dare you show your legs, like any common—–’

‘That will do, Tia Isabel.’ The cultivated masculine tones came as such a relief that Caroline turned to face her employer with real gratitude in her face. She was fast coming to the conclusion that no one could remain sane in this madhouse, and to see Don Esteban entering the room, apparently composed, and sober, in his elegant grey lounge suit, seemed almost a miracle.

‘ Puta! Puta! ’ cried Doña Isabel shrilly, her voice rising in her agitation. ‘How dare Esteban permit his women to use my sister’s—–’

‘Tia Isabel, my father is dead,’ declared Don Esteban flatly, spreading his hands apologetically in Caroline’s direction. ‘ Senorita , please forgive my aunt. She is sometimes—forgetful.’

Caroline shook her head in bewilderment as the old lady frowned, and tried to absorb what her nephew was saying. ‘Esteban is dead?’ she echoed, thin brows meeting above a long aquiline nose. ‘Then—then who is this girl? What is she doing at San Luis de Merced?’

‘Miss Leyton is Emilia’s new governess,’ explained her nephew calmly. ‘You remember? I told you. She has come from England to teach Emilia geography and history, no ?’

Doña Isabel viewed Caroline with suspicion. ‘But she was here, talking with Luis. I saw the way she looked at him!’

‘You are imagining things, mi tia ,’ Esteban retorted, evidently losing patience. ‘Go back to your embroidery, tia , I wish to discuss business matters with Miss Leyton.’

Doña Isabel hesitated, but clearly Esteban had the upper hand, and with a gesture that was curiously pathetic she disappeared out the door through which she had entered. Her departure was a definite relief, and Caroline linked her fingers together in an effort to hide their obvious trembling, wishing she had more experience in these matters.

‘Please sit down.’ Esteban was all sympathetic affability now. ‘I do not know how I can satisfactorily atone for my aunt’s behaviour, except to beg your indulgence for her temporary lapses of memory.’ He sighed. ‘She is—was—my mother’s sister, an unmarried lady of uncertain years, and prone, I regret to say, to periods of fantasy concerning my father’s behaviour.’

Caroline, who had subsided gratefully on to a satin-striped sofa, looked up at him. ‘You mean your father is the Esteban she talks about?’

‘That is correct. I was named for him.’

‘I see,’ Caroline nodded.

‘And of course, Isabel was a little jealous of her sister’s good fortune.’ He smiled, showing even white teeth, brilliant in his dark face. ‘Is it not always the way with unmarried ladies?’

Caroline made an awkward gesture, not quite knowing how to answer him, and taking advantage of her momentary confusion, he came down on to the sofa beside her, his bulk causing the cushions to slope a little in his direction.

‘ Señorita! ’ He looked diffident, and for a moment she thought he was going to apologise for his own behaviour the night before, but he didn’t. ‘ Señorita , I am so glad you have come here. Emilia—my daughter, you understand—is sorely in need of young companionship. I do not know how much Doña Elena—Señora Garcia, that is—told you, but since my wife’s death, Emilia has been brought up by an elderly countrywoman of yours, a Miss Thackerary.’

‘Yes.’ Caroline acknowledged this, without explaining how she was so informed, and he went on eagerly:

‘She was not a good influence on the child, señorita . Many times, she went against my judgment in matters concerning Emilia, and unfortunately my brother Luis took her part.’

‘I see.’ This was deeper water. ‘I’m sorry.’

‘So am I.’ Esteban was grave. ‘Luis and I are brothers, and it is always sad when blood turns against blood.’

‘Oh, I’m sure—–’ began Caroline awkwardly, only to break off abruptly when Esteban raised his hand.

‘You do not yet understand, Miss Leyton. Just as Tia Isabel was jealous of her sister, so Luis is jealous of me.’

‘No—–’

‘But yes. I regret so.’ And indeed, Esteban did look melancholy. ‘I am the elder brother, entiende ? I have inherited our father’s estate. Luis has nothing, except what I give him. His mother, you see, was the puta of whom Tia Isabel speaks.’

Caroline’s face felt frozen in an attitude of disbelief, and as if realising he had gone too far, Esteban hastened to retract.

‘Forgive me,’ he said, as she shrank back against the cushions. ‘I should not have told you so brutally. I do not mean to be—callous, but I cannot forget that it was Luis’s mother who caused my mother’s death. She killed herself, you know, mi madre . She flung herself from a second floor window down to the courtyard beneath.’ He massaged his temples with the middle finger and the thumb of one hand. ‘Believe me, that is not something one can easily forget.’

‘But—–’ Caroline swallowed convulsively, ‘your—your brother’s name is Montejo.’

‘Oh, yes.’ Esteban heaved a heavy sigh. ‘My father married Luis’s mother—afterwards. My brother is no bastard, señorita . At least,’ he paused, ‘he is not illegitimate.’

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