by Mary Lyons
Idly wondering where he’d got to, she threw back the sheets and slipped out of bed, moving slowly around the room, picking up the clothes which she had so wildly abandoned an hour or two ago.
Pausing to stare out of one of the windows, she saw that Antonio was walking slowly up and down the wide lawn just outside the house.
Gazing down at him she could feel her heart give a sudden lurch. Oh, Lord! What was she going to do when he left here? As he was bound to do, very soon. Because he had a business, and a life to lead in Spain—just as she had her own responsibilities, both to her grandfather and her career in the wine trade, here in England. So, any half-baked idea she might have that these few days were anything more than a brief, happy interlude in their busy lives was downright stupid.
Unfortunately for her, Gina knew that she was already fathoms deep in love with Antonio. And, although it was going to break her heart, she also knew that their relationship was doomed to wither and die—sooner rather than later.
Oh, yes…they might manage to spend a weekend or two together, if and when he could spare the time from his business responsibilities. But that was obviously the most she could hope for. And, even then, such a long-distance relationship wasn’t likely to survive the logistical difficulties of living in two quite separate countries.
Feeling immeasurably sad and bereft at having forced herself to face the harsh, stark reality of her situation, Gina realised that she must quickly pull her-self together. Although Antonio clearly couldn’t remain here for very long, it would be foolish not to concentrate on enjoying what little time they had left together.
Deciding to take her own advice, concentrating on the present while letting the future take care of itself, really had been a good idea, Gina told herself later in the evening as she and Antonio sat talking, nineteen to the dozen, after enjoying another happy meal together.
And later, upstairs in her bedroom, there was no room for feelings of sadness and regret. Only increasing delight and overwhelming happiness as he made long, slow, delicious love to her, with such tender warmth and intensity that it far transcended anything she’d ever known before. As she sank beneath the tidal waves of overwhelming passion and desire it seemed to her that they had become one flesh and one soul, with the universe seeming to explode about them in brilliant, searing fragments of fiery light and power.
Not being at her best first thing in the morning, it took Gina some time to realise that Antonio—clearly someone who liked to be up with the lark—was, nevertheless, acting very much out of character.
‘Good heavens!’ she mumbled sleepily as she sat up against the pillows, brushing the tangled hair from her face as she stared in astonishment at the man standing beside the bed.
Gazing bemusedly at the large tray containing a hot pot of coffee, a boiled egg and several pieces of toast, she could only shake her head in wonder.
‘I didn’t know that you were capable of even boiling a kettle,’ she exclaimed. ‘Let alone providing me with breakfast in bed!’
‘I’ll have you know that I am a man of many talents,’ he told her loftily, placing the tray on a small table beside the bed and pouring them both a large cup of coffee.
‘Oh, indeed you are!’ She grinned, recalling their long night of passionate lovemaking. ‘Have you been up long?’
He nodded. ‘I rose about two hours ago, and went out for a long walk. This countryside is very beautiful. Especially early in the morning, when the fields are still covered in dew.’
As he’d been speaking she’d realised that he was wearing the formal clothes which he’d worn on his arrival. So, this was it, she told herself, a hard lump suddenly forming in her stomach. He was obviously about to bid her farewell before starting on his journey back to Spain.
‘It looks as though you’re about to drive back to London,’ she said as lightly as she could, determined not to spoil their last few moments together.
‘Yes, you’re quite right, I am,’ he agreed, taking a small packet out of his jacket pocket and placing it in her hands before rising to his feet and walking over to gaze out of the window.
‘What’s this? A leaving present?’ she asked, undoing the wrapping paper to disclose a large, square box.
‘It’s just a little thing I picked up for you yesterday,’ he murmured, turning his dark head towards her and watching as she opened the box to reveal a wide gold bracelet studded with diamonds and pearls.
‘Oh… Antonio! It’s lovely!’ she gasped, unable to prevent a small tear from trickling down her cheek. ‘I’m sorry,’ she muttered. ‘I meant to be so cool and sophisticated. But…but it’s no good. I really am going to miss you. So much!’ She sniffed, quickly raising a hand to brush the tears from her eyes.
‘Ah, my darling! There is no need for you to weep,’ he protested, striding quickly across the carpet and removing the tray before sitting down on the bed beside her. ‘I really have no choice but to fly back to Spain first thing tomorrow morning,’ he added, gently drying her eyes with his large pocket handkerchief before taking hold of her hands and clasping them firmly within his own.
‘Yes, I know,’ she muttered.
‘I have been troubled as how best to handle this situation between us,’ he told her. ‘However, after much thought this morning, I realised it was important to speak frankly to you now—rather than leave matters until I returned home to Spain. And, since I know my own heart, since I know that I wish to marry you, I realised I must say so, before I leave this country.’
‘M-marry me…?’ She raised her head to stare at him in astonishment.
‘But, yes—of course!’ He smiled down at her. ‘How can you doubt it? Surely you must have understood my feelings for you?’
‘But…but I really had no idea… I mean, it never occurred to me!’ she exclaimed helplessly, before struggling to pull herself together. ‘I’m sorry, but you’ve taken me completely by surprise,’ she told him, feeling distinctly light-headed. ‘Why? Why do you want to marry me?’
He gave a shrug of his broad shoulders. ‘How can one answer such a question? There are so many reasons. Some very natural, practical ones, of course. For instance, it is important to me that we shall have much in common. Especially since our families have worked and traded together for so many years. Also, I am now the head of my family, and responsible for their financial welfare. So, it is clearly time that I settled down. There are other, more personal reasons, of course.’
‘Such as…?’ she queried breathlessly, almost certain that she must be in the middle of a dream and going to wake up to hard, cold reality at any minute.
‘Well, now…’ He paused his dark eyes gleaming with laughter as he stared down at her dazed expression. ‘Maybe it is because I find you totally enchanting? Or possibly because we share the same sense of humour? Or…yes—I have it! Because you are the only woman I know who does not like to go shopping.’
‘Oh—Antonio!’ she groaned impatiently. ‘Do be serious for a moment—or I really will have hysterics. Those are obviously not good enough reasons why either of us should want to get married. What about love?’
‘Ah, querida…my lovely, dearest Gina,’ he breathed thickly, pulling her into his arms and burying his face in her long fragrant hair. ‘You must have seen…you must surely know that I am in love with you? Yes, of course…’ he added quickly as she stirred restlessly in his arms, ‘I know that it must seem strange to suddenly see someone—after such a long length of time—and to realise that you have always have been in love with them. But it is so. Right from the first moment I looked up into your lovely face, when I mistakenly thought I was rescuing you from a dangerously bolting horse. It was like…’ He paused for a moment, searching for the right words. ‘I can only say that it was like a sudden bolt of lightning! I just knew…knew with all my heart and soul…that you were the woman with whom I wished to spend the rest of my life.’
Almost fainting with happiness, Gina couldn’t say anything for a moment, and the
n she felt his hands tightening on her shoulders as he pressed her back against the pillows, gazing searchingly into her dazed blue eyes.
‘And you, my lovely Gina? You are in love with me, too? Sí?’
‘Well…yes…yes, I am,’ she muttered, feeling her heart turning over as he pressed tender, feather-light kisses on her upturned face.
‘But…but we have only spent a very few days together,’ she reminded him breathlessly. ‘And, while I really do love you very much, I really hadn’t thought of marriage. It’s such a big step. Not something to take lightly, or…’
‘Ah, my dearest,’ he murmured, his lips moving softly over her own. ‘Surely you want me in your bed every night?’
‘Oh, Antonio…of course I do…’ she whispered, winding her slim arms about his neck and fervently responding to the sweet seduction of his warm mouth as he firmly possessed her lips, trembling beneath the tender, caressing touch of his hands on her body.
‘So—you will accept my proposal of marriage?’ he demanded, raising his dark head to stare intently down at the girl lying dazed in his arms.
‘Yes…’ She gave a breathless laugh. ‘If you keep on kissing me like that—how could I possibly refuse?’
‘Bueno!’ He grinned. ‘So, we will be married—and as soon as possible!’
CHAPTER FIVE
AND so I married him!’ Gina wrote, pausing to gaze out over the deep blue sea, and wondering just how much more she could squeeze on to the postcard which she was sending to an old girlfriend.
Everything had happened so swiftly that she was now having to write to many of her friends and acquaintances telling them she was now a married woman. A very happily married woman, she told herself with a grin, leaning back on her chair on the large balcony outside their bedroom in this glamorous hotel in the Canary Islands.
The choice of their honeymoon destination had been Antonio’s. He, as she might have guessed, had wanted to combine their private time together with visits to some notable bodegas in Las Palmas and Tenerife. And, while she was utterly and blissfully content in her new married life, she still regarded her wedding as being one of the happiest days of her life.
Antonio, frantically working against time to bring some order and method to the old-fashioned Bodega Ramirez in Jerez before the grapes were due to be harvested, had left all the arrangements to her. Although even before returning to London from Suffolk, on the Sunday before his flight back to Spain, they had already decided on a very quiet, family wedding.
‘We must think of your grandfather,’ Antonio had pointed out. ‘He is definitely not well. And I do not want to be responsible for causing him to become more tired or exhausted than he is already.’
‘He’s going to get a terrific shock when he hears about you and me!’ she’d laughed.
But Antonio hadn’t appeared to find the situation quite as amusing as she had. In fact, it had almost been as if he was nervous. Clearly he hadn’t been looking forward to the meeting with Sir Robert Brandon.
‘Don’t worry. I’m sure Grandpa will be pleased about us,’ she’d told him reassuringly. ‘And I’ll be there, too, of course.’
‘No. These things are best handled man to man. And it is the right way of doing things,’ he’d told her firmly. ‘After all, my darling, your grandfather is of the old school, no? And he will, therefore, expect me to formally ask for your hand in marriage.’
She had no way of knowing exactly what had been said at the meeting between the two men. But, after waiting for some time in the large sitting room of the old house in Pall Mall, she’d been relieved when Antonio had led her into her grandfather’s study to find the elderly man almost over the moon with joy.
‘I have no doubts about this marriage,’ he’d told her with a beaming smile. ‘I’m quite certain that he is absolutely the right husband for you. In fact,’ he’d added, turning to give Antonio a wink, ‘I definitely couldn’t have chosen a better man myself!’
But, clearly fearing they might tire the old gentleman, Antonio had announced that he was taking his new fiancée out to dinner. Where they’d quickly and happily decided on the sort of low-key wedding they both preferred, setting a date three weeks ahead.
‘I must buy you a proper engagement ring,’ Antonio had told her. ‘I would obviously like to have done so in Ipswich. But it seemed premature—since I hadn’t yet asked you to marry me. I also felt that you would like to be involved in choosing your own ring,’ he’d added, taking her hand in his before lifting it to his lips.
‘Which is why,’ he’d continued, pressing light kisses on her quivering fingers, ‘I only felt able to give you that bracelet. I wanted you to have something from me—even if you turned down my proposal.’
Oh, Antonio!’ she’d murmured, gazing starry-eyed at the diamond-and pearl-studded bracelet on her wrist. ‘It’s beautiful! And really, you know, there’s no need to have an engagement ring. We are going to be married in three weeks’ time, after all.’
‘Nevertheless, I will be giving you a ring,’ he’d told her firmly. ‘But can you make all the arrangements in such a short space of time?’ he’d queried with a slight frown. ‘I’m sorry to leave everything to you, but I have no choice but to get back to Jerez as soon as possible.’
‘No problema!’ She’d grinned, making a mental note to organise a special marriage licence first thing on Monday morning.
It had been a frantic three weeks, of course. After consulting her grandfather, Gina had immediately promoted the head salesman at the branch office in Suffolk to take over her job as manager. She had then seemed to spend the rest of the time before her wedding driving up and down the motorway, trying to help and support her successor in Ipswich as well as making arrangements for the wedding in London.
All of which had meant that there’d been no time to plan exactly where she and Antonio were going to live after they were married. But, as she’d pointed out in one of their many phone calls, his family owned a great deal of property in and around Jerez. So it would probably be best to leave that decision until after the wedding.
And so, on a warm Saturday afternoon—wearing a simply three-quarter length dress of pale ivory chiffon, with a headband of white rosebuds and deep green leaves, over her long blonde hair—she had been married to the man whom she loved with all her heart.
It had been a quiet, simple ceremony, with few guests. Unfortunately neither of Antonio’s sisters had been present—Isabella because she was expecting another baby, and had been unable to fly over for the wedding, and Roxana had already been committed to attending an important première that evening in Barcelona. But Antonio’s brother-in-law, Jaime, had been there, as best man. And besides her grandfather, together with many of his staff from the shop, Gina had also been warmed by the presence of her beloved godmother, Joyce Frazer, who’d insisted on making all arrangements for the simple reception in the large rooms of the family house in Pall Mall.
But they’d really had no need of anyone else as they’d looked deeply into each other’s eyes while taking their vows.
And now, after a wonderful week alone together, they were flying to Cadiz early tomorrow morning, for a grand family reunion, organised by Antonio’s grandmother, to welcome his new bride. After which she and her new husband would be flying to California, where Antonio had arranged some important meetings with several prominent wine-makers in the Napa Valley.
Quite honestly, Gina told herself now, leaning over the balcony and smiling down at her new husband, sipping coffee as he read the morning newspaper, she had to be—without a shadow of doubt—the luckiest woman in the world!
‘The landscape doesn’t seem to have changed at all since I was last here,’ she said the next day, gazing out of the window of the car as Antonio drove them along the road leading to Jerez de la Fontera. There were still the same huge acres of vines, marching row upon row across the white, chalky soil on either side of the road. And the mountain range in the distance appeared wreathed in the same mist
y grey and pale lilac colours that she remembered so well.
The family hadn’t really changed, either. Antonio’s old grandmother, Doña Ramirez, was perhaps just a little more stooped. But she was still able to enfold her grandson’s bride firmly in her arms.
‘Hermosa! So pretty!’ she murmured, giving Gina a smacking kiss on both cheeks before patting the girl’s slim stomach and telling her there was no time to be lost in producing a great-grandson to carry on the family name.
‘For heaven’s sake, Abuela! Give the poor girl a chance to get used to married life,’ a well-known voice called out from the crowd, and Roxana laughingly ran forward to give her old friend a large hug.
‘Hola, Gina! You haven’t changed a bit.’ The Spanish girl grinned up at her. ‘Except to grow taller, of course.’
‘Well…you’ve definitely changed,’ Gina said astounded to find herself looking down at a girl she hardly recognised.
Instead of the plump, rather plain eighteen year old whom she remembered, Roxana was now a very slim, highly glamorous and clearly ultra-sophisticated woman, dressed in the height of fashion. Only the same infectious cheeky grin and the large sparkling dark eyes hadn’t changed over the past eight years.
‘Heavens! You look so smart,’ Gina exclaimed. ‘Just like a film star.’
‘Well—that’s what I am. Or very nearly,’ Roxana laughed. ‘Didn’t my brother tell you? I’ve just signed my first contract to appear in a film. It’s only a small, low-budget movie, of course, but…’
‘Oh, my goodness—how exciting!’ Gina beamed at her. ‘You must tell me all about it, and…’
‘She can do that later.’ Antonio grinned, firmly taking her arm and introducing his new bride to the other members of the family, whom she hadn’t met before. And also some that she had.
‘You may remember Carlotta Perez?’ he murmured, leading her up to an outstandingly beautiful, svelte woman whom she had no problem in recalling from her visit eight years ago.