His voice caught.
‘The impact was enough to hurl Juliet into the seat in front with such force that both she and Carlos were crushed. I was okay, just the odd cracked rib and a nasty gash on my hip. The others would have survived if only she had worn her seatbelt … hadn’t been fussing about that wretched dress …’
Ruy had his hand over his eyes as though trying to shut out the picture that had haunted him for so long; and then he broke down, tears pouring from his eyes, his body shaking convulsively with every sob.
‘He was my best friend … more than a brother … We grew up together … did everything together … and his promising young life was snatched away in one violent second.’
Like an injured beast Ruy howled his anger and despair into the night, thumping the balustrade with his clenched fists, fighting demons that had been lying low for so many years and had suddenly raised their heads to taunt him viciously again.
It was more than Luna could bear. She’d never seen him like this, never seen anyone in such despair. She flew to him, her heart overflowing with love and compassion, and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, cradling him in her embrace with passionate gentleness, whispering soothing words against his wet cheeks. Her heart bled for him, and like a helpless child he wept in her arms, begging for her forgiveness.
‘Ruy, don’t blame yourself,’ she whispered, trying to keep her voice level and struggling to ignore the lump in her throat. ‘I know you weren’t to blame. Anyhow, Juliet and my mother were almost strangers to me. It all happened such a long time ago.’ She wiped away his tears with her fingers. ‘Come, let’s sit down inside. I’ll make you a herbal tea with some of that verbena you left in my kitchen.’ She gave him a comforting smile and he managed a pale one in response, shaking himself roughly to regain his composure.
Under the electric light Luna saw how gaunt his features were. Purple shadows under his eyes testified that here was a man who had been to hell and back. How could anyone seem to age so much in such a short time?
He threw himself down on the sofa while she went into the kitchen and prepared them both an infusion. When she came back, he was lying against the cushions, eyes shut as though it had been days since he’d had any rest. Luna gazed down at him. He looked so vulnerable, his defences lowered. Her heart ached for him and swelled with tenderness.
Ruy opened his eyes; she had never seen them so blue. He smiled apologetically.
‘I think I must have dozed off. Come, sit next to me.’
He stretched out his hand and pulled her down beside him. She tumbled, falling on to his lap, and he drew her against his chest, his face nuzzling at her warm neck, buried under her long, sweet-scented hair.
‘Luna, oh my beautiful, gentle, wonderful Luna … I thought I’d lost you,’ he whispered, nibbling at the lobe of her ear. His warm breath fanned her temple; he smelt of sea air and tobacco and she breathed in his potent fragrance.
She pulled away from him and started to speak, hesitantly. ‘Ruy, I need to tell you everything—’
Ruy placed a finger on her lips, looking deeply into her warm amber eyes. He sighed. ‘Your turn next, querida. But first, let me finish. There is something else you must know.’
Luna’s breath caught in her throat and a cloud shadowed her eyes. All at once she was afraid; suddenly she didn’t want to know. What other dark secret was he about to reveal? Maybe he had a child. Maybe … She shook her head.
‘Ruy, nothing you can tell me can change my love for you.’
She was still sitting on his knees and he took her hands in his
and kissed them. ‘I know, querida.’ He drew her closer, against his chest, and hugged her. ‘Nothing that serious, don’t worry … but I still feel you need to know.’
Luna sniffed, took a tissue from the box on the side of the sofa and blew her nose. She smiled. ‘I’m listening,’ she said obediently.
‘After the accident I was riddled with fear and guilt and I fell into a deep depression. I had to be hospitalized. There were long periods of sanity interspersed with times of deep despair where I could do nothing, refused to see people and hated myself. Doctors all but gave up on me, saying with time the wound would no doubt heal and, in the meantime, they upped the doses of antidepressants and tranquilizers. When my father came across La Pharaona, she assured him she could cure me without the need for pharmaceutical drugs. That’s when I was introduced to the wonders of hypnotism, as well as her herbal remedies.’
‘She hypnotized you?’
‘Yes, we had many sessions. And her remedies were so effective too. She concocted them using oil extracts from all sorts of wild plants, and she pulled me out of the dark pit into which I had been sinking daily, and for so long. She succeeded where conventional doctors and accepted medicines had failed. I haven’t needed to take any medication since, I assure you.’
She gently brushed a stray wisp of hair from his forehead and met the deep blue pools of his eyes, which gazed back at her apprehensively. ‘How you could think that I would worry, or hold it against you,’ said Luna, wonderingly, ‘when you have been so helpful to me about my own childhood trauma. We both have wounds from our past.’
She paused, suddenly remembering. ‘You have a scar …’
He nodded. ‘I suppose I was lucky to get away with just that.’
‘But I think you suffered in ways that were more than physical.’
He smiled at her tenderly. ‘Funnily enough, though, after having to get through the pain and grief following the accident, I feel the stronger for it. I think it’s just that I know how to deal with the ups and downs of life now. If it hadn’t been the case, I would never have asked you to marry me.’
‘Marry you?’
‘Yes, have you forgotten?’
She smiled awkwardly, guilt chasing along her features. ‘No, but after what I did …’
‘But I told you, I’ve read your article, Luna.’
‘How did you get to see it?’
‘The sub-editor emailed the text, wanting it copy-checked before they went to print. They needed to be assured the details were accurate, so it was passed to me. It’s going to be the cover story,’ said Ruy with a grin.
‘Oh, Ruy,’ exclaimed Luna, excitement radiating from her face, ‘everyone will hear about your amazing work! Think about the Institute. All the boundless efforts of your staff and researchers.’
‘I couldn’t be happier,’ he said. ‘Thank you, querida. I should never have doubted you.’
‘You were right to be furious,’ said Luna. ‘I came to Cádiz with the intention of discovering just how scientific your clinic’s programme was, and I was convinced that much of it would be hocus-pocus. But very soon I realized that what you’re doing here is extraordinary, and I was so happy to be part of it,’ she added, her eyes glowing with earnest appeal.
‘I so wanted to tell you the truth, but I needed to finish what I’d started, and was determined to deliver a feature that helped you … helped the Institute. It seemed the least I could do.’ She paused, suddenly apprehensive. ‘Won’t your family object to our getting married? They hate the Herreras.’
‘They’ll love you, don’t worry,’ he said. ‘You’ve already made an impression on them. Anyway, we could elope. Let’s have a gypsy wedding. We’ll take off together, just like gitanos do.’ He grinned. ‘You know, the novio, once he has decided to marry his chosen one, carries her off from the tribe. A mock fight often takes place to bring the girl back to the camp, and the ceremony is performed the next day.’
Luna looked thoughtful. ‘I must admit that I do find gypsies a very romantic people. I suppose all that passion inevitably engenders very strong feelings and hasty behaviour.’
Ruy looked at her with laughter in his eyes. ‘Ah, my everanalyzing Luna!’
She grinned back at his teasing. ‘Well, I guess that’s one of the things that attracts me to you. You’re so different from the other men I’ve met. So uncompromising and intense … sp
ontaneous, too.’ She threw up her hands. ‘Why not? Let’s do it. Let’s have a gypsy wedding!’
He squeezed her to him. ‘That’s my girl! You’ll see, it’ll be fun, and that way we don’t need to wait to get married.’
‘And I’ll truly be your wife?’
‘You’ll be my wife gypsy-fashion to start off with, but we can have a church wedding later, a grand affair with family and friends. In Spain or in the States … wherever you like. You must have your day, querida. I want to show you off to the whole world.’
But Luna wasn’t listening. She didn’t care about big weddings and what other people thought, she was too busy listening to her body clamouring for him to seal their promise by making wild and passionate love to her.
Blinking back tears of happiness, she hugged him. ‘Oh, Ruy, I love you so much!’
The belt of the thin robe she was wearing loosened and a naked thigh peeped out from the folds.
‘It’s getting late,’ he whispered huskily, ‘and I want to make love to you.’ His hand slipped through the slit in the robe and met her satiny skin. ‘I’ve missed you. You can’t imagine how much.’ He pulled her to him and, this time, the garment fell open, revealing her beautiful nakedness.
His eyes turned such a pale blue she thought she could see right into the mysterious depths of his soul. She gave a tremulous sigh, his name fluttering from her lips as flames of need instantly scorched their way along her nerve endings.
‘Let’s go upstairs,’ he murmured. ‘It’ll be more comfortable for what I have in mind for us tonight.’
‘Oh, and what’s that?’ Luna raised an eyebrow coquettishly.
‘I think you can guess.’ Hunger gleamed in his gaze, shooting a current of pleasure straight to her core. ‘You are my beloved fiancée, the woman with whom I have chosen to spend the rest of my life, the woman who will be the mother of my children. The most desirable, generous and loving woman I have ever come across, and I want to eat you … drink you … fill you, querida.’ He cupped her face in his hand. His eyes, so blue and full of promise, met hers. ‘Then, in three or four weeks, I will make you mine. The generous, loving, intelligent, beautiful woman I’ve been waiting for all my life.’
She looked up at him, her heart shining in her eyes. ‘How can you arrange a wedding in three or four weeks?’
Ruy’s lips quirked. ‘Easy,’ he answered beaming. ‘Just watch me!’
‘But …’
‘No buts, mi novia hermosa,’ he cut in, eyes like twinkling sapphires. ‘Do you trust me?’
‘Yes, yes, of course I do … But what shall I wear? What do gypsies wear? What …?’
‘Leave it all to me, querida. I have it all in my mind.’ He chuckled. ‘And now, first things first,’ he added as he picked her up to take her to the bedroom, his eyes gleaming with mischief. ‘We have better things to do.’
She gave a tremulous laugh and wound her arms around his neck.
‘How I want you, my beautiful siren!’ he sighed and pressed her closer to his chest.
She felt his heart race, an answering statement to all her questions. Warmth spread through her and, as she snuggled against him, letting her head fall on his shoulder, she closed her eyes in the ecstasy of the moment.
Chapter 17
One week later a large parcel arrived for Luna bearing a Californian postmark. She was sitting on her terrace, having breakfast with Ruy, when the postman drove up in his yellow van; she signed for the box as Ruy used his penknife to slice open the tape.
‘It’s from Grandma Ward,’ said Luna, studying the address label. ‘I recognize her writing.’
She opened the lid of the enormous box, catching the scent of lavender as she did so. Lifting a fold of tissue paper, she glimpsed underneath it the sheen of pure white silk, gleaming with a pearly iridescence like the moon on a cloudless night. Feeling overwhelmed, and more than a little emotional, she replaced the tissue carefully and picked up the letter that was lying on top of it.
My darling Luna,
I was so happy to receive your wonderful news. Your father rang me sounding highly delighted. We are both absolutely over the moon that you’ll be having a second wedding in California. That your fiancé should suggest the plan spoke enormously in his favour, especially as his family and friends will have such a long way to travel. He is undoubtedly a very kind and thoughtful man. Bless you both!
I have sent you my wedding dress with all my love. I was always a little disappointed – having borne three sons – there was no one to wear it again. Now you will have something of your family’s – a special heirloom – for your gypsy wedding. We’ll be thinking of you on the big day. Aunt Bea sends her love too. May the sun shine on you both!
Your loving Grandma xx
‘Ruy, this is so perfect! You don’t think it will look out of place?’ asked Luna breathlessly. ‘I can’t wait to try it on! You can’t see it of course, so don’t so much as peek!’ Then her forehead creased. ‘What if it doesn’t fit?’
‘Don’t worry, querida,’ Ruy assured her, a warm, indulgent smile curving his lips. ‘Firstly, of course it won’t look out of place. There’s nothing our gypsy friends appreciate more than something that’s been passed down through the generations. If it’s old and has a story, then it is all the more romantic and meaningful to them – and to me. And you don’t need to worry about it not fitting, mi amor. Mela is very handy with a needle and thread. She’ll be able to adjust it for you, I’m sure.’
He glanced at his watch. ‘In fact, why don’t we go over to her cottage and you can ask her yourself? It’s high time you met her and it’s only ten minutes on foot from here. She’ll probably be back from walking her dog by now.’
The tiny casita was one of three on a stretch of beach Luna knew well from her walks. Covered with red bougainvillea, it was white with a terracotta-tiled roof and encircled by a picket fence. It looked much like the sort of house a young child might draw, with one window either side of the front door. A table and chairs, decorated with shells, sat on the tiny patio to the left of the door, and there was a small bird table near it, on which a couple of finches were squabbling. Then the front door opened and Luna could take in nothing else, so amazed was she by the woman she saw at the threshold.
‘Señora Sanchez!’
‘Señorita!’ The Spanish woman’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Ruy looked from one to the other in mute enquiry. A second later, the two women were hugging each other, laughing delightedly.
‘I take it you already know Carmela Sanchez, then,’ Ruy remarked, watching the two women with amusement.
‘She’s my friend. You know, the dog-walking lady I told you about,’ Luna explained to Ruy, once she had pulled away from Carmela’s embrace and caught her breath.
‘Santa Madre!’ exclaimed the señora. ‘What is the world coming to next? So, niño, this is the nameless lady you didn’t want any gossip about.’ A multitude of thoughts and emotions flashed across the Spanish woman’s face as she gazed at Luna, realization dawning. Her frown then melted into a wide smile before she tutted and flung up her hands.
‘Ay! I should knock your two heads together for all the time I’ve spent worrying about the pair of you. One day talking to a tearful Luna, then Ruy banging his head against the wall. And all the time I needn’t have bothered. Ah, perfecto! Made for each other; like sugar and flour in my churros!’
They sat outside at the little shell-encrusted table while Carmela brought them coffee and some freshly baked almendrados, crispy almond cookies, and soon the three of them were talking animatedly.
At first, Carmela was not impressed by the idea of a gypsy wedding and she was quite candid about it. To her mind it was not befitting for the grandson of a count and the daughter of a tycoon to be married in such an inappropriate way. She had her own ideas about gypsies and their traditions, many of which, in deference to Ruy, she kept to herself. But when he explained that there would be another wedding – a boda cor
recta – a proper church wedding in the United States, and Luna assured Carmela that hers would be the first name on the invitation list, she embraced the idea wholeheartedly.
‘I will come over this afternoon to La Gaviota and we’ll sort out this dress of yours,’ she said, looking Luna up and down critically. ‘I think you’ve lost weight worrying about el joven here, so I may have to take it in. Anyway, enough of that.’ She laughed and reached out to squeeze Ruy’s arm, her voice softening almost to a whisper as she did so. ‘I’m so happy for you, querido niño. After all you’ve been through, you deserve this joy. If only my Pedro were here to see it.’
* * *
Brightness filled the air on Luna’s wedding day. The view that morning was a sight to dream of. Summer had set in, and the great flood of sunshine was almost blinding. A few beautiful sailboats were racing each other in the breeze, like colourful paintings on the scintillating sea.
Luna sat in the shade on her terrace, savouring a plate of freshly baked churros as she sipped a cup of chocolate. Never, she reflected, could there have been anyone as happy as she was. That morning, as she opened her eyes, she had been greeted by the delicious aroma of baking, mingled with an almost overwhelming fragrance of flowers. Slipping out of bed, she’d padded down to the kitchen to find the house bursting with white blooms of all kinds of flower imaginable. Every bouquet, posy and basket had a small note pinned to it with loving words and poetry, each one of them different: ‘If I could give you the stars, I’d gather them in my heart, and wrap them with my love, to brighten your day’; and ‘I used to think that dreams did not come true. That changed the day I laid eyes on you’; and again, ‘Do you know that men and women are angels created with one wing? They need to embrace each other to be able to fly away. You are my angel and together we will fly through the world’.
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