JACQUELINE BAIRD - Raul's Revenge

‘I won’t be five minutes,’ she called to Ava in her rapidly improving Spanish before lightly running up the wide marble staircase. One positive thing to come out of her relationship with Raul, she thought smugly, was that, having studied Spanish as a second language at school, she had finally got a chance to use it, and had discovered that she had a remarkable aptitude for the melodious tongue.

Nipping into the shower, she had a quick wash, then dried herself and dressed equally quickly in a pair of brief white cotton shorts and a plain white shirt, which she didn’t bother fastening, simply tying the ends together under her breasts before slipping on a pair of soft leather mules and leaving the bedroom.

The sound of the doorbell ringing made her hesitate for a second on the top step of the wide staircase. In the many times she had stayed here, there had been few visitors. The ones that did call when Raul was around Penny rarely met. The thought made her pause, and she frowned, wondering who it could be.

Penny heard the voice before she saw the unexpected guest. And she knew enough Spanish to stiffen in outrage.

‘My God, I thought Raul would have got rid of you and that useless husband of yours by now, Ava. Tell your master I’m here and fetch me a drink. I’ll be in the salon.’

Penny ran down the stairs, taking in the scene before her at a glance. Ava was standing by the open front door, her face a picture of hurt surprise and disgust, her kindly old eyes fixed in horror on the girl marching past her.

The young woman was small, dark and looked as though she had just stepped out of Vogue. From her perfectly coiffured black hair piled on top of her head to the elegant high-heeled shoes that tapped out a staccato tune across the mosaic floor she looked like a woman who owned all she surveyed.

‘Excuse me; can I help you?’ Penny said frostily, stepping in front of the stranger. Close up, it was obvious that the woman was older than Penny had first thought—mid-thirties, maybe.

‘I very much doubt it. It is Raul I have come to visit. Now get out of my way and tell that stupid old woman to fetch me a white wine.’

Anger turned Penny’s cool face to bright scarlet in seconds. She had never in her life met such an ill-mannered, arrogant woman and she acted without thought of the consequences.

‘Raul is not here, nor is he likely to be for some time. In his absence I am in charge and I suggest you leave immediately. Ava is the housekeeper here and she is not employed to put up with insults from uninvited guests.’

‘How dare you talk to me like that? I am Dulciana Maria Costas; my father is a government minister.’

‘Well, he should have taught you some manners. Now, if you don’t mind, Ava will show you out.’

The perfectly made-up face twisted with rage. ‘Raul will hear of this, you little English whore. I have heard all about you-Raul’s latest bed-mate. If you have any sense you will pack up and leave now. Once Raul knows I am back he will have no further use for you. That I can promise.’

Penny went from red to white to red again, with a mixture of fury and not a little embarrassment. ‘Get out,’ she spluttered.

‘I will leave—but I will be back. And if you have any sense you will take my advice. Do yourself a favour and save yourself total humiliation.’ And, spinning on her heel, the arrogant Dulciana Maria Costas marched back out of the front door.

Penny sat down on the bottom step of the stairs, her trembling legs refusing to support her. ‘Who on earth was that witch of woman, Ava?’ she asked, glancing across at the older lady.

‘Dulciana Costas; her father is in the government, but he also happens to own the adjoining ranch.’

Penny got to her feet. ‘So I have just insulted our nearest neighbour.’ She grimaced and caught an unexpected flash of sympathy in Ava’s dark eyes.

‘I am honoured you came to my defence, Penny, but I wish you hadn’t for your sake. Dulcie Costas is a bad lady to cross.’

‘She can’t harm me.’ Penny shrugged with more nonchalance than she actually felt.

‘I’m not so sure,’ Ava responded, with a worried shake of her grey head. ‘Come.’ Gesturing with one hand for Penny to follow her, she walked through an open door at one side of the hall, through the splendid dining room and out into the central courtyard.

‘I have set lunch in the courtyard, and while you eat I will explain.’

‘Explain what?’ Penny asked, sinking down on the wrought-iron chair at the beautifully set small table. The selection of attractively displayed cold meats and salads suddenly made her realise how hungry she was. She loaded her plate with chicken, ham and a lot of crisp green salad. ‘Do sit down, Ava, instead of hovering; I’ve told you before I don’t need you to wait on me.’

Ava sighed and murmured, ‘Perhaps this once.’ And, pulling out the opposite chair, she sat down primly on the edge.

‘So who is this Dulcie? Why all the mystery and heavy sighs?’ Penny demanded, swallowing a mouthful of chicken.

‘First, I wish to apologise that when you first arrived with Master Raul I was disapproving. Never had Raul brought a lady to this house to sleep in his bed. I am old; the modern times have passed me by. But very soon I realised he is in love with you, and you with him. I think you will marry and the hacienda will once again echo to the sound of laughter and children’s voices.’

‘I sincerely hope so,’ Penny said, blushing scarlet but delighted that Ava was confirming her own heartfelt belief.

‘I have never seen Raul so happy. I have known him all his life—as a baby, a young boy and as a man. I know him better than he knows himself. If he has one fault it is that he is fearful of committing himself to a woman. I do not usually gossip but I think you are entitled to know what makes him the way he is.’

Penny stopped eating and, picking up the carafe of white wine from the centre of the table, filled her glass, and, lifting it to her mouth, took a sip, her eyes fixed in fascination on Ava.

‘Go on,’ she prompted eagerly.

‘Raul was eight years old when his mother ran off with an American serviceman stationed in Spain. His father was devastated—never really recovered. Poor Raul did not understand what had happened or why his mother never came to see him again. I tried my best to take his mother’s place, but by the time he was a teenager he was very bitter. His father didn’t help by repeatedly cursing young women, and his mother in particular.’

‘How awful.’ Penny sighed, her tender heart full of sympathy for Raul as a lonely young boy.

‘True, but worse was to follow. You have met Dulcie; you have seen what she is like. Well, with the families being neighbours it was inevitable that Dulcie became Raul’s “friend”, for want of a better word. Raul went off to university in America, but they corresponded and eventually became betrothed.

‘It suited both parents, and Raul was used to looking after the girl. But I had my doubts. Dulcie was totally spoilt by an over-indulgent father, and when Raul was studying Dulcie was off to Paris, Rome—anywhere there were men and money. The rumours were rife and true, but Raul never suspected.’

Penny’s mind reeled. Raul had been engaged to the woman she had thrown out of his home. She couldn’t believe it. He had once loved that witch of a woman and yet had never mentioned it to her. Did she know him at all? She listened with mounting disquiet as Ava went on.

‘The wedding date had already been fixed when Raul’s father died and everything changed. Dulcie discovered that Raul’s father had died in debt and that there was no money to support her extravagant lifestyle, and a month before the wedding she took off with a Colombian cattle baron—though some said his business was more chemical than cattle...