Uncertain Joy

by Hilary Wilde

  `They screamed . . . and two women came in and took them away. Catalina stayed. She's a

  garden. Penny stepped outside into the sunshine, looking up at the gorgeously blue sky, cloudless, and at the higher mountains behind the plateau, their rocks pushing up into the sky as if in search of something. The garden was gay with colour—red poinsettias, purple bougainvillea, white lilies. The trees were in flower—the white camellias sending out a fascinating perfume while the birds sang or darted down to the ground in search of food.

  How beautiful it was, she thought. What a lovely place for a holiday. A holiday, yes, but not . . .

  And what do you think you are doing?' a deep vibrant voice asked.

  Penny swung round. She had instantly recognised the voice. Who could mistake it? As so often, it was vibrant with anger.

  `You're supposed to be with the children,' he began.

  `I know,' she said, taking a step towards him. 'That's why I'm here. I knocked on your study door, but there was no answer, and I didn't know what to do.'

  `You didn't know what to do?' he asked, his voice thick with sarcasm. 'What do you think I engaged you for? Not to stand basking in the sun, looking as if you were floating on a cloud, your face so radiant.'

  She felt her cheeks go hot. If only they wouldn't!

  good girl . .

  Señora Dominguez looked at Catalina and Penny saw the child's face change. It was as if she was retreating, closing herself in as she hung her head and said something in Spanish.

  The Señora spoke sharply and turned to Penny. 'I apologise for what my daughter said of you. It was very rude indeed.' Then she laughed. 'I forgot—you speak no Spanish. She is bad. I must punish her. I was afraid this would happen. You cannot force children to learn something they hate and know that I hate it, too.' She caught hold of Catalina's hand and left the room, closing the door sharply.

  Penny sat down. So now what? There was only one answer. Señor del Riego must be told!

  Outside the nursery the house had regained its eerie quietness and as she hurried along the corridors, tripping several times down the unexpected and difficult-to-see steps, Penny finally found the staircase with its beautifully designed wrought iron banisters.

  In the hall, she looked round worriedly. How could she find the Señor?

  At the end was a double door of baize. It probably led to the staff's quarters, Penny thought, so made her way through it. She was right —there were several rooms with doors open that she could see were pantries and larders and a swing door that she opened. She

  stood dead in the doorway, shocked into stillness as the six women and four men at the long table looked at her.

  Their dark swarthy faces were cold, their dark eyes full of hatred. There was a silence that could be felt. It seemed an endless time before Jose stood up. He said something in Spanish.

  Penny shook her head. ` Serior del Riego.. .' she said slowly.

  Jose seemed to understand, for he nodded and walked towards her, turning to speak to the others in a low but fierce voice. As he came closer—a tall, heavily built man glaring at her—she had the most absurd fears. Absurd, she called them afterwards, but at the time she was really frightened, for she had the stupidest feeling that Jose was going to strike her.

  But of course he didn't. He murmured something as he passed her and led the way back through the double baize doors and into the hall, going to a door on the right and saying: ` Serior del Riego,' before he left her.

  Penny knocked on the door. There was no answer, so she knocked again. Still no answer.

  What was she to do? She walked down the hall to an open door and stood on the terrace, under one of the elaborately decorated archways. Deep yellow flowers hung their heads gracefully while the green stems clung tightly to the pillar. Ahead of her was the

  `It is beautiful—' she retorted defiantly. `Maybe, but that doesn't explain why you are here and not in the nursery.'

  `I came to tell you . . .' she began, and told him that both Abilio and Techa had screamed and how the two women had come in and taken the children away. 'They were furious and shouted at me, but of course I couldn't understand. Catalina stayed with me and was good. We were singing the word table and touching the table when her mother came in . .

  `And I imagine Catalina stopped singing and withdrew into herself.'

  `You're right, she did. Her mother spoke to her in Spanish and Catalina said something and her mother apologised for the child's rudeness. She said she had said something unpleasant about me . . . then she took Catalina away, saying she would be punished.'

  `You shouldn't have let them take the children. Why did you?' Juan del Riego asked impatiently.

  `How can I stop a mother from taking her child? And the other children —they screamed terribly. They seemed terrified of me.'

  `What had you done or said to them?'

  Penny shrugged. 'What could I say? I patted the rocking-horse, looked in the dolls' house and hugged a doll. I don't think they've ever played with those things.'

  `They haven't. Their mother won't allow

  them to do so, but you must. I want them to learn to play—to enjoy life. Surely you are not such a coward as to be unable to stand up for the children?'

  `I like that!' Something inside Penny snapped. He was being so unjust, not a bit sympathetic or helpful. 'What should I have done? Fought the nanny and the governess? Because they just grabbed the children and rushed off with them. And was I to knock down Catalina's mother and grab the child myself?' She stopped, so angry she couldn't speak, for Juan del Riego was smiling. 'It isn't funny, at all,' she snapped angrily, stamping her foot. Not in the least bit funny. Would your cousin have wanted the children to be in this . . . this mess-up? They can only be hurt . . .'

  His laughter died instantly and anger darkened his face.

  `I'll see that the children are not hurt,' he said angrily. 'Come with me.'

  He walked into the house, up the stairs and down the corridor so fast that Penny had almost to run to keep up with his long strides. He opened a door and stood back a little to let her enter. She was rather breathless as she stared at Techa and Abilio playing on the floor with a teddy bear that must be nearly a hundred years old, Penny thought, judging by the shabby state it was in, with only one arm and one leg. Catalina was standing by the

  window. The governess and nanny were at the table playing cards. Both jumped up nervously when they saw the couple in the doorway.

  Señor del Riego followed Penny inside and closed the door. He spoke to the children gently in Spanish, bending down to give Abilio a hug and pretending to pull Techa's long black hair. Then he looked at Catalina who was staring at him and Penny saw how the child's face changed—seemed to come unlocked and relaxed.

  Then the Señor straightened and looked at the nurse and governess. His voice was quiet but thick with anger and Penny saw the two women getting more and more alarmed. Finally he turned away, opened the door and picked up Abilio. He spoke in Spanish and led the way, smiling at Penny as Catalina and Techa followed him.

  Back in the day nursery, Serior del Riego played with the children, giving Techa and Abilio rides on the rocking-horse, bringing in an English word here and there and including Penny in the games.

  `They loved their father dearly,' he told her. `I have told them their father would love them more if they could speak English, that you are a friend and will not hurt them. I will stay with you for a few days so that they accept you . .

  Penny was amazed. 'But how good of you,' she said impulsively. 'That would be a real help —but can you spare the time?'

  `I am more concerned with the children's happiness and welfare than the state of the island. Actually I have two good men working for me whom I can trust. You must not worry when Techa screams. This is something she has done since she was a baby, and it is time she realised that screaming gets her nowhere. Abilio copies her, of course. I have told the nurse and the governess that they are not to interfere, t
hat even if the children scream, they are not to come in. If they do,' his voice turned to something like ice, 'they will go. So if when I am out of the room, they try to take the children, you have the right to stop them, to refuse to let the children go. I do not think they will bother you.'

  Penny could not get over it, that this callous, cruel man would devote time to help her with the children, but he did. He even ate lunch with them, making Techa and Catalina laugh at his jokes, even making little Abilio laugh with joy.

  Afterwards the children went to the night nursery for the siesta. 'It is the habit here of resting for several hours in the afternoon. You would wish to do it?' Señor del Riego asked Penny.

  She frowned. 'What? Waste two hours of this gorgeous sunshine?' she asked him. 'I'd rather wander round the garden and sit in the sun. I've some letters to write and . .

  `That is good. It always seems a waste of

  time to me. I'll show you round. At three o'clock, collect the children for more play and English. Tonight you will dine with us. We always dress up.' He gave an odd smile. 'I trust that you listened to my advice on clothes.' He looked at her, his eyes seeming to skim down her body, and he surveyed her rather demure white dress.

  Penny smiled. 'Yes, I have.'

  `Good.' He led the way down the corridor and the stairs, and several times Penny nearly missed the steps that were here and there and so hard to see in the gloomy corridors.

  Outside they stood on the terrace, then walked through the garden where roses bloomed, such beautiful rose-red and yellow flowers with their delightful scent, and the broad herbaceous borders. How her father would love to see this, Penny was thinking, for that was what he had missed most when they moved to the flat after her mother's death. He had always had a garden until then. Maybe he and Fiona would buy a house. Penny often wondered how long Fiona would be happy in that small flat. She was a teacher, generally of disabled children, but Penny's father was a freelance journalist, often at home, and he had said he liked his wife to be there to welcome him, so he didn't want her to work!

  Walking in the sunshine across the beautifully green grass, looking up at the mountains and down at the blue Mediterranean

  seemed to Penny to be like a fantastic dream. So much beauty . . .

  Juan del Riego took her to the edge of the plateau, holding her arm, in case—he said with a smile —the height made her dizzy.

  It was rather a frightening moment as she stood on the flat stone looking down through a narrow ravine at the sea. There was a promontory of land jutting out into the water and at the end was a small lighthouse. The waves splashed against the stones, tossing up white bubbles of surf.

  `It looks small, but it has saved many lives,' the Señor said thoughtfully. 'In the past, you know, this island was renowned for its clever pirates. They would bring back their spoils and be sunk on this corner. Often there is a heavy mist down there and with that bit of land jutting out like a hungry tooth, many of the ships were sunk.

  `The treasure was found?'

  `Most of it. All of it, I'd say, though some may still think there are a lot of gold and silver coins sunk deep in the sand under too many feet of water. No one should ever swim in that cove, there is a dangerous current that is hard to fight.'

  He turned back and they walked across the grass again towards a long white building. `This is where the offices are. In Pedro's time, it was a shambles. That's what we're trying to put straight.'

  He took her through the open door of one of the offices. A man of about Penny's age stood up at once.' He was a real Spaniard, Penny thought as she smiled at him when they were introduced.

  `Valentin Taza, our chief clerk,' Juan del Riego said. 'He is a good worker, a man I can trust.'

  Valentin had dark gentle eyes, a shy smile, thick black hair, and dark brows that met and a darkish skin. Now he looked shy, but his eyes told Penny that he found her attractive— perhaps even more than that. He spoke English, but slowly and with many apologies.

  Juan del Riego then took Penny to the next office. There Michael Trent jumped up to greet them, his hand warm and firm as he took Penny's hand in his.

  `How's it going?' he asked, and smiled at his employer. 'I told her it wouldn't be easy.'

  `I told her that, too. You know what the local people are like, Trent, so you can imagine the difficulties, but we'll make it,' said Juan del Riego, his voice firm.

  `We'll fight to the last ditch,' Mike said with a laugh.

  Juan del Riego nodded. 'Exactly.' He turned to Penny. 'I want to show you the swimming pool, and then I have some phoning to do.'

  How lovely the garden was, Penny thought, as she followed him down the paved path that led to the house. The pool was some way from

  the house with a hedge of flowering roses round it and several tall red and white sunshades stuck into the ground. The pool was in the shape of a heart.

  It had no shallow end, Penny was told.

  `The children must never be brought in this part of the garden. I am making a shallow safe pool to be near the sand pit.'

  `That will be lovely for them.'

  When they got back to the house, it was nearly three, so Penny hurried up to her bedroom. She had learned to notice certain pictures on the corridor's walls so that she could find her own room without difficulty. She brushed her hair and powdered her nose, thinking how Fiona would laugh if she could see her with so little make-up on. Was she being a coward? Penny wondered. Should she have given in to him about her clothes? Should she have worn what she liked? Yet he was her boss—and if the people of the island were narrow-minded, then . . .

  She hurried along to the night nursery. A little nervously, she knocked and then opened the door. The room was empty. Puzzled, she went to the play nursery. That, too, was empty. Not sure what to do, wondering if she should go down and tell him and start the trouble over again, Penny walked slowly up and down the corridor. A door opened and Señora Magdalena Dominguez came out of the room. She was wearing a long cream dress,

  embroidered with purple flowers. On her head was a tall silver comb from which her cream lace mantilla hung.

  `You seek the children, Miss Trecannon?' she asked with a smile. 'They are waiting in the carriage for me. Today I take them to their great-aunt for a visit. We may be home late, so you shall have your dinner in your room—I have told Jose. Now you can rest, or lie in the sunshine, a luxury you do not often have in England.'

  Not sure what to say—for how had she the right to stop the children's mother from taking them on a visit, yet the Señor ... ? Penny went back to her room and sat outside on the balcony that ran right round the house. There was also a staircase that led down to the terrace. She would write to her father and to Fiona, too, telling them all about the Island, the gorgeous garden, the beautiful flowers, the lovely sunshine. All the good things, and there were many. She would say nothing about the hatred she felt—nor of the dark dreariness of the house—or of the difficulties she could see that lay ahead.

  How, she asked herself, was she ever going to teach these children to speak English? Even though the Señor was being surprisingly helpful—at least where the children were concerned. What hope had she of succeeding?

  CHAPTER FIVE

  Penny had just started to eat her dinner in her bedroom when there was a resounding banging on the door which immediately opened as if the person banging on it was impatient.

  Startled, Penny half rose as Serior del Riego stood in the doorway, his face dark with fury.

  `I told you that you were to dine with us!' he declared, slamming the door to behind him and walking towards her. 'I give the orders and you obey them!'

  She stood up. 'The Señora told me she was taking the children to see their great-aunt and they would not be back for dinner and . . . and I was to eat in my bedroom.'

  `A likely story!'

  `It's true!' Penny's anger began to grow. `I'm not a slave—do you think you can order everyone around and . .

  `I empl
oy you . .

  `You never let me forget it!'

  `I said you were to dine with us and I mean it.' He moved his hand quickly and the tray shot off the small table, flew through the air, and landed in a splash on the floor as the plates broke into little pieces and the prawn salad was scattered round the room.

  `Look at the mess!' Penny found it hard to

  speak for a moment. 'Just look!'

  He strode to the long purple cord hanging near the window and pulled it sharply. 'It will be cleared up, and you will change into something more suitable for dinner. You have exactly twenty minutes, and I shall expect you in the drawing room where we are having drinks.' He paused, some of the anger having left his face as if the violent movement had released some of his fury. 'I tell you,' he went on, lifting his hand and shaking a finger at her, `that if you do not come down, I shall come and fetch you and carry you downstairs, no matter how much or how little clothing you are wearing . . .' His mouth twitched as if he was trying not to smile.

  `It isn't funny,' Penny told him, holding the back of her chair so tightly she could see the whiteness of her knuckles caused by her tension. 'Why must I come down?'

  Tor the simple reason that I want to help you.' He stood, his arms folded, towering above her. 'I will not allow you to be treated like a leper or a servant. You are not a governess but a companion, a friend of the family. Do you understand?'

  She stared at him and saw the sincerity in his eyes. He was right—if she was to be isolated, treated as the Señora did treat her, the servants would despise her, not only with hatred but with contempt. That would make everything even harder than it was already.

  There was a gentle knock on the door and he turned, saying something in Spanish. Maria, the tall sullen maid, came in. Her eyebrows lifted in surprise as she saw the mess on the floor. Juan del Riego spoke rapidly in Spanish and surprisingly her dark sullen face relaxed and broke into a smile. Marie nodded, gave Penny a quick look and hurried away.