by Hilary Wilde
Another little habit of the Dominguez was that the Senhora would send for Rosa just as she was ready to go for her walk, and Kate must sit, waiting, in her room, knowing they were deliberately asserting their power by keeping the child. And then, the next moment, Kate would be ashamed of her unkind thought and tell herself that they loved Rosa, too, and were entitled to her company. But every time Rosa was with the Dominguez, she changed a little. Each visit made her retreat slightly from Kate, so that Kate wondered what they said to her.
One day, Mrs. McCormack asked Kate to take Rosa to tea. “I would like to meet her, dear child,” she explained.
Kate hesitated. Mrs. McCormack looked, for once, annoyed. “My dear child, this isn’t a slum. How can they object?”
“I wonder if I should ask them,” Kate said, always very conscious of the need not to offend the Dominguez.
Mrs. McCormack snorted, “If in doubt, don’t.” So Kate took Rosa to the Villa Paradis. This time she took Anna with them and Anna looked quite pleased to vanish with Mrs. McCormack’s housegirl. Kate felt this was more honest than taking Rosa on her own — at least, the Dominguez could not accuse her of doing it behind their backs!
Kate wondered a little how Rosa would react, but she might have known that Mrs. McCormack would make the child feel at home. Without hesitation she took Rosa on her knee and took her “to Banbury Cross to see a fine lady ride on a white horse.” Rosa had, obviously, never heard the nursery rhyme before and her eyes shone like stars, although she remembered her good manners and said politely:
“Mais — mais — again, pleeze.”
Mrs. McCormack made herself breathless by singing all the nursery rhymes she could remember, and then she produced an enormous tin. “I always give these to my child visitors,” she told Kate in an aside. “I’ve been collecting them for years. Most children find them fascinating.” So did Rosa, for the tin was full of buttons, of all sizes, shapes and colors. Rosa’s face was absorbed as she arranged them in patterns.
Kate and Mrs. McCormack realized that the child had quite forgotten them.
“All she needs,” Mrs. McCormack said firmly, “is love and laughter.
Fancy, she had never heard a nursery rhyme before. It is so sad.”
“I never thought of them,” Kate confessed. “They seem so young for her.”
“My dear child, you must realize that mentally Rosa is very young. She has had no babyhood at all. What a lot she has missed, poor wee thing.
Start right from the beginning, Kate. It will help her English, too, make it less stilted. ‘This little pig went to market’ is one all children adore ...” She laughed at Kate’s expression. “Treat her as if she is a baby. She’ll love it.” How right Mrs. McCormack proved. Kate found as the days passed that the silly little games of babyhood brought her even closer to Rosa — who in turn taught them to Anna so that, in the end, all of them were dissolved into giggles. Oddly enough, Kate found that a different relationship was springing up between herself and the hitherto hostile African girl. Now Anna smiled at her and greeted her — even waited on her, if she noticed Kate needed anything. It certainly made the whole atmosphere easier to bear.
And then, just as Kate was feeling she could relax a little — that she had managed to avoid offending the Dominguez, that she was closer to Rosa than she had hoped to be in such a short time — her good luck changed.
Anna had gone to hospital with food poisoning, and the Senhora, in a very disagreeable voice, told Kate that Rosa should “rest” instead of going out in the heat for these foolish expeditions. Kate, for once, stood up to the elderly woman. Anna might be away for some time and Kate felt that their daily walks must not be interfered with, because both she and Rosa needed them.
The Senhora’s face was harsh. “It is not done, in this country, for a young girl to make an expedition without a servant.”
“We won’t get lost,” Kate said stubbornly.
The Senhora glared at her, shrugged her shoulders. “I have warned you—”
Feeling rather sad about the little fracas, Kate set out. It was the first time she had stood up to the older woman, but somehow it had seemed to her important. It was also her first chance to take Rosa down town, and they set out on the bus, Rosa obviously enjoying the treat. Kate began to plan future outings. There was the cathedral to see — an aquarium, and Natala had said that Radio House welcomed visitors. If Rosa could meet more people and see interesting things that encouraged her to think, it would help her English, and also help her overcome the bouts of fear she occasionally suffered.
They went into the museum, and Kate loved it, especially as she explained things to Rosa and watched the small face light up intelligently.
When they left, Kate was surprised to see how long they had been inside and they had to hurry to the bus stop.
It was an extremely hot day. The backs of their thin dresses were sticking to them, the small beads of water trickling down their faces. Kate pushed back her hair that suddenly felt heavy and looked down at the child.
But Rosa, apart from naturally flushed cheeks, looked very well. Her small sticky hand clung to Kate’s as they crossed the busy street, and they were talking animatedly when two tall men stopped in front of them on the pavement and spoke to them.
Kate stared at them. She could not understand a word of what they said
— they spoke too fast, and her Portuguese was still very labored. Politely she tried to explain, imagining they were lost, and asking her the way.
“Falo urn pouco o Portuguese—” she said stumblingly, trying to explain how very little she knew.
To her dismay, one man caught hold of her bare arm, his fingers clinging, and the other tried to push him out of the way, his bold eyes flashing.
Kate realized, with horror, that they were trying to “pick her up.” Rosa tugged at Kate’s hand and there was fear on her face. Kate tried to free her arm and walk round the two men, but they were both talking excitedly, blocking the way. Kate’s cheeks were on fire by now and she stared round anxiously. She did not want a scene in public, but how did one cope with such a situation?
And then came rescue.
But why had it to be Antonio Vidal, of all people?
He spoke curtly to the two men, who answered angrily and burst into what sounded like very rude laughter, then sauntered off, gazing over their shoulders. Antonio took Kate’s arm. Kate removed it firmly and tried to smile.
“Thank you. Senhor Vidal,” she said very coldly. How unfortunate that he should have come along at that moment — and yet she should be grateful to him, for it had been an embarrassing situation, and she had really felt nervous.
She had seen Antonio Vidal several times when out for walks with Rosa, but had always managed to keep him at a distance, so far. Now she was under an obligation to him.
“Thank you,” she said, not quite so coldly, for he had accepted the way she removed her arm from his fingers and was looking, for him, quite humble. “I am grateful for your assistance,” she went on formally. “I’m afraid we must hurry, for we must catch the next bus.”
“I do not think you will be successful,” he told her with that arrogant amused smirk that always irritated her. “Look for yourself.” As he spoke, the bus they were waiting for went past, the exhaust pipe belching black smoke — not that it would have stopped had she hailed it, for it was crowded. In dismay Kate realized that this was the rush hour.
“We’ll take a taxi,” she said to Rosa, hoping there would be one somewhere near. Unfortunately, in Mozambique, taxis did not cruise about the streets as they did in England, looking for fares. You had to find a taxi rank or else telephone a garage.
“My car is at your convenience, senhorita,” Antonio told her.
Kate hesitated, looking down at Rosa. Rosa’s eyes were huge with fear
— she obviously sensed Kate’s uneasiness and shared it. She looked very tired. There seemed no choice, so, with as good a grace as she could muster, Kate
followed Antonio to the long black sports car parked by the pavement. Rosa sat on her lap, and Kate’s tiredness and fears vanished miraculously when Rosa, with the most natural gesture in the world, put her head against Kate’s shoulder and fell asleep.
Antonio did not speak. He drove fast but expertly, weaving in and out of the traffic, and soon they were outside the Pensao Fadora.
Randel Lister’s car was parked outside, and Kate’s heart lifted with joy. It was so long since she had seen him.
Antonio helped her out of the car and she carried Rosa to the front door.
“Thank you very much …” she began, and the door opened abruptly.
Randel Lister stood there, Mariana by his side. He almost snatched Rosa out of Kate’s arms his face furious. “Is she hurt?” She was startled, not only by the question but by the anger he showed.
“No, only tired. We found the buses were full, and …” Mariana came closer, looking slim and glamorous in a sheath frock of tangerine silk, her hair coiled loosely, her dark eyes bright. “My poor bebe
— the sun-madness. My mother has been anguished. Why are you so late?”
Then she saw Antonio. He had stood aside, a small enigmatic smile curving his mouth.
So! Mariana went on, her voice rising in anger. This is what you do.
Do you not know that you are employed to look after the bebe and not to make the rendezvous with Senhor Vidal?”
Kate gasped and just found her voice, but Antonio spoke first.
“I am desolated—” he said, spreading out his hands expressively, “but it was not a rendezvous. Alas, it was most unromantic. The Senhora was waiting for a bus—” he pronounced it boos — “and I was happy to offer them a lift home.”
Randel was holding his daughter in his arms, gazing down worriedly at the little face. Now he looked at Kate, his eyes cold. She caught her breath. He did not believe it.
“It’s true,” she said. Turning her head, she saw the amusement in Antonio’s eyes and caught her breath again with more dismay. She had unconsciously linked herself with him in a lie. Grateful as she was because Antonio had not mentioned the embarrassing encounter, for she was sure Mr. Lister would have disapproved, now she felt under an obligation to Antonio.
Randel was thanking Antonio stiffly. Turning to Kate, he said, “I will carry Rose upstairs, and she must go to bed. In future, kindly see that she is home at the right time. I also think the Senhora deserves an apology for the anxiety your thoughtlessness has caused her.” Outwardly meek, Kate, followed him up to the flat, seething with the injustice of it, yet admitting honestly to herself that it had looked bad, coming home with such a man as Antonio. No doubt the Dominguez had done all they could to make matters worse. How delighted the Senhora would be when Kate apologized! That would be a bitter pill to swallow, but somehow it had to be done.
She quickly put the sleepy Rosa to bed, but when she went out of the bedroom the flat was quiet. Mariana, her mother and Randel must have gone out. Kate went to her own room and had a bath, hoping the unfortunate afternoon would not have disastrous after-effects.
C H A P T E R S E V E N
THAT night was a nightmare to Kate. As she told Mrs. McCormack the following day, sitting on a pouffe, her hands clasped round her knees, her young face desolate and tired, she had awakened some time in the night to hear the sound of frightened sobbing.
“Naturally I went to see if it was Rosa,” Kate said unhappily, looking up at her friend. It was – it was too awful for words.” Her voice began to shake and she had to bite into her lower lip for a moment before she could continue. “Rosa saw me and began to scream ...” She shuddered, burying her face in her hands for a moment.
“And then?” Mrs. McCormack said softly.
Kate looked up. “Everything got worse and worse. Mariana was there
— then the Senhora, and there was a terrible scene, with Rosa screaming and screaming and no one able to stop her. I tried to, but Mariana pushed me aside. She said it was all my fault, that I had overtired the child. That I was incompetenta — and the Senhora told me to go to my room and ...” Kate paused. “In the end the Senhora gave Rosa some pills and she fell asleep.”
Mrs. McCormack was looking puzzled. “I don’t see why Rosa should have had a nightmare like that, Kate. It was not so very alarming, was it, your little encounter with those two men?”
Kate sighed. “I don’t know how a child reacts. I’m afraid I did panic a little. I didn’t know how to get rid of them and I was so afraid there might be a scene in the street. She may have sensed my fear. Then — then I don’t like Antonio Vidal and ... and I think Rosa knows that, too. But
... she did go to sleep in my arms in the car—”
“Exactly,” Mrs. McCormack said triumphantly, as if she had driven some point home. “That’s what I’m getting at, Kate. If she had been so afraid then, she would not have relaxed in the car. Did she wake up when you put her to bed?”
“Only a little ... She was very sleepy, but she said it had been the good fun.” Kate’s voice faltered as she repeated Rosa’s favorite English expression.
Mrs. McCormack nodded. “Then something else worried her. Did ... did the Dominguez go near her after she was in bed?”
Kate tried to remember. “They were all out. I think — think Mr. Lister took them out—”
Her young face was suddenly desolate, showing the hurt disappointment at his behavior. “But ... but I was reading in bed when they returned. At least, when Mariana and her mother returned. I heard them talking, and a door open, but I put out my light at once, and I was so tired, I fell asleep. I don’t know if they went in to Rosa.” She realized suddenly that Mrs.
McCormack must have a reason for her questions. “Why?” Mrs. McCormack smiled. “I just wondered. You see, Kate, I think that when Rosa has these bouts of fear, they are because of seeds of distrust dropped deliberately in her mind.”
“Oh no,” Kate said quickly. “Surely no one could be so cruel!” Mrs. McCormack smiled enigmatically. “My dear, you have no idea how cruel people can be and cloak it by calling it something else. What happened this morning?”
Kate told her about the humiliation of apologizing to the Senhora, of her obvious triumph, her unpleasant remarks about young women who thought they knew better than their elders. “And they kept Rosa in bed all this morning. This afternoon, Mariana has taken her out somewhere. I haven’t seen her all day.” Kate sighed again. She looked at her watch. “I think I should go back now. I may have the chance to put her to bed.” Mrs. McCormack went with her to the door. “Bring her to tea again, as soon as you can, Kate dear. Oh yes—” she looked happy as she remembered something — “James wants to know when you are coming to dinner. He wants to see you again.”
“I’d love to, some time, but just at the moment ...” Mrs. McCormack’s smile was sympathetic. ‘I know, dear child, you have to walkee very carefullee—”
Kate left her, feeling better for the talk, and wondering if Mrs.
McCormack could be right and if the Dominguez were still deliberately planting seeds of fear in Rosa’s mind. If so, how could they be fought?
Natala was at the desk in the hall and greeted Kate with a warm smile.
“Oh, Natala,” Kate said from the depths of her unhappiness. “I feel I’m fighting something too strong for me. I don’t know what to do.” Natala asked what was wrong, and into her sympathetic ears Kate poured the whole story again. Natala seemed to understand.
“But of course, Mariana is jealous because Antonio likes you. He is very handsome — that one.”
“Antonio — likes me?” Kate said, amazed. “I don’t think so. I’m just another girl to be slain by his charm,” she added bitterly. “He’s too bold.” Natala looked horrified. “But you must understand that it is — natural for him to look at you — how you say it? — boldly. You are an Englese girl — that is what makes it right. The girls of good family here are sheltered, and it is usual for their marriages to
be arranged. They do not meet young men on the streets or walk about ...” She stopped, and paged quickly through a dictionary she always kept on the shelf underneath the desk. “Unchaperoned.” She said the long word with some difficulty and much pride.
“I see — we are fair game,” Kate said bitterly. “They can insult us as much as they like.”
“Oh, no!” Natala was nearly in tears. She caught Kate’s hand. “It is not that way — not at all — Kett. I do not make myself the clear way.
I have given you the offence.”
Kate patted her hand. “Of course you haven’t, Natala. I must be dumb
— I misunderstood you. Go on.”
Natala smiled gratefully. “I do not think that Antonio means to be bold
— it is just that, with you, he can feel at ease. Perhaps he offends because he does not know how much at ease he may be with an Englese girl.” Kate had to smile. “Yes, I see what you mean. It must be difficult for him.” Kate allowed. “After all, he did rescue me from an embarrassing situation, and he might have made trouble with Mr. Lister and he didn’t.
Perhaps I have misjudged him.”
Natala said quickly, “Antonio can be very kind.” Kate looked at her and saw that the girl’s mouth was trembling. “Ah,” Natala said. “You have guessed my secret.”
“Oh, Natala — and he likes you?” Kate’s voice was sympathetic.
To her dismay, the other girl’s eyes filled with tears. “Ah, no — to him, I am an embarrassment. It is Mariana he loves — though he finds you extremely — extremely—” She was searching for a word, and then found it — “enchanting.”
Kate felt her cheeks burn. “And Mariana?” Natala shrugged. “Antonio is a man. To Mariana, all men are prey.” Her voice was bitter. “Their eyes must not stray. That is why she hates you. First Mr. Leester, he engage you to care for his bebe — then Antonio, he like you too much. So she will hurt you if she can.”
Kate was feeling embarrassed at the way the conversation was going, so she changed the subject by asking questions about the Pensio. She could not understand why the Dominguez lived there and not in a house.