Question of Love

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Question of Love Page 14

by Oliver, Marina


  In Mercadal she followed the signs leading through the town and up to the church. At the last moment she stopped and bought some rolls and fruit, for although the thought of food nauseated her she must try to eat something.

  She drove slowly up the serpentine road, narrow and steep, and edged with walls to hold up the higher stretches and prevent them from sliding onto the lower reaches, but with little on the edges to save unwary drivers from hurtling down to the bottom of the hill.

  When she reached the top she was glad she had bought some food, for it was too early to visit the sanctuary. She wandered to the edge of the car park and sat on the wall overlooking the road she had just come up, and ate the rolls. Then she walked to the highest point outside the church and looked at the surrounding country, the pattern of stone walls clearly outlined to the south.

  Leaving the tall statue, arms outflung as if to embrace the whole island, behind her she eventually walked through the gateway, past the statue of the group around the cross, and the well, and in through the lovely archway and the tiled entrance where huge pots of green plants were beautifully placed.

  For a long time Pippa remained in the cool, soothing interior of the small chapel, and then when the first group of tourists appeared she went in their wake up the steps to the terrace high above the chapel, and stood looking towards the capes and bays to the north, oblivious of the clicking cameras and loud voices of the people around her.

  There was no more to see and it was still very early. How could she fill in the many hours before her flight left? Shopping? She had no present for Dolores, and she could buy small souvenirs for her parents. Postcards, too, to remind her of the days when she had once dreamed of happiness.

  The other tourists were filing through the gate at the top of the stairs and the plump little nun was looking across at her expectantly. Pippa began to cross towards her but the nun was looking after the last of the tourists who had just passed her, and then she stepped back to let someone through before moving away from the gate and leaving Pippa alone with the newcomer.

  *

  Chapter 11

  Pippa stared disbelievingly. She must be dreaming. How had Juan known she was here? At the furious look in his eyes she stepped back but there was no escape for her.

  'What do you want?' she managed to say in a hoarse voice.

  'Why are you leaving Gene?' he demanded, coming to a halt a foot in front of her as she pressed back against the parapet.

  'What business is it of yours?' she demanded, suddenly strengthened by her anger.

  'I want Gene to be happy.'

  'And you think forcing him to give up his book will make him happy?' she asked scornfully. 'You have gotten your way over that, so please stop interfering and leave me alone!'

  'I did not know he intended to destroy all the tapes,' Juan said mildly. 'I did not wish him to publish, true, and I am glad he has come to see it my way, but I happen to believe it is for his good. But that is beside the point. Why were you leaving in such a secretive manner?'

  'I have no job now!'

  'Gene has not dismissed you.'

  'There is no work to do.'

  'Yes, there is. You know Gene has only a few months to live. This attack could have made it less. I intend to see his last weeks are made as happy as possible. If that means you stay at the Casa Blanca, then you stay.'

  'Oh, you arrogant fool! Do you think you can coerce me into staying? You are off to America soon, you cannot imprison me against my will.'

  'I, to America? No, I will remain if necessary. But I do not think it will be.'

  'You can't keep Sally-Jayne hidden for months in the same house,' Pippa protested.

  'She will not be there. But I shall. Come, don't be foolish. I withdraw my opposition. I see Gene needs you. You are not to be permitted to run away from him.'

  'I was not running away!' she said with a groan, and knew it was untrue.

  'Then why take all your clothes? The cases are in the Seat, and I intend to drive you back. Don't think you can escape me. Luis has already cancelled your seat on the plane.'

  'Luis? Did he give me away? But he didn't know I was leaving!'

  'It was not difficult to deduce when we found your room empty. We phoned the airport and found you were not leaving until this afternoon, and then Luis mentioned you had said you wished to visit Monte Toro. We drove here. Not very difficult after all, I think you will agree.'

  'Please, go away!' Pippa said, turning away from him and staring unseeingly across the island.

  'I beg you will not force me to carry you down to the car. I am quite prepared to do so if you will not come willingly,' he warned, and Pippa knew full well he was perfectly capable of carrying out such a threat.

  'And this was once a sanctuary,' she said bleakly. 'But I doubt whether that would have stopped you!'

  'My dear girl, what the devil do you mean by objecting? I offer you what you have wanted from the beginning and you refuse it. You have only to keep Gene happy for a short while, and then you will be a rich widow and you can choose another husband as soon as you wish.'

  *

  She gaped at him. 'Widow? Just what is it that you are suggesting?'

  'I've had quite enough of this display of innocence,' Juan snapped. 'You set out with the idea of marrying Gene, senile though you may mistakenly have thought him. I began to believe I was wrong but you tried to tell me you cared for him, that you proposed to make him happy and would pay no heed to my objections.'

  Pippa was frowning at him, utterly bewildered, and he uttered an exclamation of disgust.

  'When I tried to buy you off you refused,' he said in bitingly slow accents. 'You said that if Gene wanted you then you would marry him!'

  Vaguely Pippa recalled saying something like that in her wild anger, and she blushed vividly. Juan turned away from her swiftly.

  'I offer you no more resistance. Gene does want you, and you must accept what he wishes.'

  'Has he told you that?' Pippa asked, aghast.

  'He does not need to tell me.' He turned back to her and advanced a threatening step. 'Let us argue no more. It is fruitless and wastes time. Luis has driven the Mercedes back and will make some excuse until I have you there. Come.'

  He seized her arm and though Pippa shivered to feel his hard fingers biting into her flesh she began to walk towards the door with him as if in a dream. He held her tightly all the way down the stairs and out through the courtyard. The other tourists had gone, their small bus was just negotiating the sharp first bend out of the car park, and there were only two other cars waiting there besides the Seat. Their occupants were inside the chapel or the small shop, obviously, and there was no help to be had from them.

  Juan opened the passenger door and thrust Pippa inside. Then he got into the driving seat and adjusted the mirror, not looking at Pippa.

  'Put the safety belt on,' he ordered sharply, and when she did not move stretched across her to unhook it from beside her. That brought his face close to hers and for a moment she felt him hesitate, and turned away from the look of hatred in his eyes. For the moment she was helpless but there must be some way out of this tangle.

  Did Gene really want to marry her? Had he said so? Much as she liked him and pitied him the very thought of marrying a man three times her age revolted her. Surely he could not demand it?

  The car began to move and Pippa looked dolefully out of the window. If Gene really wanted her to stay she could, she supposed, but not as his wife. And only if Juan were not there. That would be her condition if there was really no way of leaving Gene.

  They negotiated the first few bends, and Juan had to go dangerously near the edge to pass another car making its way up the steep twisting road. Pippa gasped and clutched the seat as she stared down at the sheer drop below. There was nothing to prevent a car from hurtling to the bottom.

  They went round another bend and Pippa almost cried out in alarm. She bit her lip to stop herself from pleading with Juan to go
more slowly. Was he deliberately trying to frighten her by taking the bends at this reckless speed? Now he seemed to be trying to overturn the car, for the inside wheels were running in the rut at the side of the paved road.

  The next bend approached at frightening speed and Pippa watched the stone wall which edged it leap up before her. She heard a scream and closed her eyes, then felt a sickening jerk as at the last minute Juan wrenched the wheel round and somehow negotiated the bend.

  'Juan!' she heard herself crying, and realised the scream she had heard had been her own.

  'Hold tight,' he said calmly, and disbelievingly Pippa opened her eyes and looked at him. Was he mad, she thought in panic.

  *

  He was sitting tensed over the steering wheel, his eyes narrowed, and as she watched in terror he steered the car to the very edge of the road, on the inside of the hill, and deliberately scraped it jarringly against the wall. She thought for a moment that the impact would overturn the small vehicle, but somehow he kept it upright, although the speed did not lessen.

  'Stop, Juan, please stop!' she pleaded. 'You'll kill us both!'

  He flashed a grin at her.

  'I'd like to stop, my dear,' he drawled, as he negotiated at speed another hairpin bend, bumping the car against another wall and then ricocheting across the narrow road and running with one side in a rough narrow cart track. 'Unfortunately,' he went on calmly, 'the brakes have failed.'

  Pippa stared at him in horror, and then she realised he had changed to the lowest gear and the handbrake was full on. The car continued its headlong progress and by a miraculous display of skill Juan kept it on the road. Unable now to close her eyes, Pippa realised how Juan slowed the car as much as possible by scraping it along what walls or ruts offered. She prayed they would meet no other cars coming up, but she had an odd feeling, now that she knew the problem, Juan would succeed.

  At one point they almost teetered over the edge but Juan hung on grimly and they regained the road. Several more bends were negotiated and Pippa realised that the speed, although far too great for such a road, was not increasing. Juan was to some extent controlling their precipitate descent.

  The last bend came into view and the road became less steep. Juan swung the by now thoroughly battered car round it and on to a level stretch of road. Then he gradually eased over towards the offside ditch and the car was dragged to a halt as he steered it over the rough grass and low bushes, finally twisting round to face the way they had come, one back wheel resting in the ditch.

  Pippa, for the first time in her life, quietly fainted.

  *

  She came to some while later in a small, completely strange bedroom. For a moment she could recall nothing and then the nightmare drive came back to her and she cried out in horror and tried to rise from the bed where she was lying.

  'Keep still,' Juan's calm voice ordered, and he pushed her gently back against the pillows. 'The doctor is downstairs now and you must stay where you are until he has seen you.'

  She lay back weakly and a tall thin man came into the room followed by a fat, volubly talking woman. He waved to her to be silent and crossed to stand beside the bed, looking down at Pippa.

  'You are a very fortunate lady,' he said in English. 'Are you hurt? Bones broken? Move your arms, please.'

  Pippa meekly permitted him to check her limbs, take her pulse, and feel for bruises.

  'Shock. No damage. Drink this, and when you have slept you may go home.'

  He dropped a powder into a small glass of water and lifted Pippa's head so that she could drink the potion. Within minutes she was asleep, and when she woke again she felt quite restored. She pushed away the light blanket covering her and sat up. Juan rose from his seat near the window and crossed to look down at her.

  'I am sorry to have given you such a fright,' he said formally.

  'It was not your fault,' Pippa replied in a low voice. 'It was your skill that saved both our lives. I must thank you.'

  He smiled, but bleakly.

  'What would Gene have said if I had contrived to kill you?' he asked lightly, turning away from her.

  Pippa gritted her teeth.

  'I have never wanted to marry Gene, and I am sure he has no such thoughts about me,' she suddenly blazed at Juan. 'It is all your suspicious imagination! Not everyone is so devious as you are! I hate you, detest you!' she stormed at him and suddenly, to her horror, found tears streaming down her face. She turned sharply away from him, but he had seen.

  'Pippa,' he began, taking a step towards her. 'Darling, don't cry!'

  The unexpected endearment made her sob still more, and suddenly she felt his arms tight about her, and a very comforting shoulder in just the right place to lean her head. Gradually her sobs lessened and she found a large handkerchief placed in her hand.

  She struggled upright, wiping her face.

  'I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that.'

  He ignored her apology and took her chin in his hand, turning her face towards him and looking into her eyes.

  'Have I been mistaken all this time?' he asked. 'Pippa, did you not wish to marry Gene?'

  'The idea would never have crossed my mind if you hadn't been so determined on it,' she said wearily.

  'But, when I first saw you with Frank you said you were going to marry a senile old man.'

  'A figure of speech. I didn't mean it, but I was angry he kept following me. I lost my temper. When that happens I say things I don't mean,' she confessed.

  'I began to believe that,' he said slowly. 'As I got to know you I couldn't believe you to be mercenary or heartless. I thought you were beginning to care for me.'

  She tried to turn away but he held her tightly.

  'Wasn't that what you intended?' she asked in a tight voice. 'To show Gene how unsuitable, how worthless I was?'

  'It crossed my mind, but I soon forgot that. I wanted you to care for me, Pippa, and I believe you were beginning to.'

  'Wasn't it all to take me away from Gene? Not only from him, but from his book?'

  'Only in the very beginning. I still wanted him to stop doing it, but I was so uncertain about you.'

  'How do you mean?' She dared not look at him.

  'I was contemptuous about your motives at first because of what I heard. I also came across a page of a letter, beginning My dear Frank, in the garden.'

  'It blew off the balcony I had screwed it up and decided not to write to him,' Pippa recalled.

  'Not before you had said how excited you were, and your plans were working out. It made me still more suspicious,' Juan explained. 'It seemed odd that after your quarrel you were still in touch with him, and discussing plans.'

  'That was when you began being nice to me,' Pippa said slowly. 'To show Gene I was unworthy?'

  'I confess it, at first, and I beg your pardon, Pippa. But very soon I found myself attracted to you, against my will. I was confused, uncertain. No woman had ever had that effect on me before, little one,' he said softly, his arm tightening about her as they sat together on the bed.

  Pippa looked up at him, scarcely able to believe her ears, but he was staring out of the window, a slight frown on his face.

  'I went away, partly to think, partly to get away from your influence and try to decide what my feelings really were. I found that I needed you, I couldn't stay away. That was when I came back to take you to the barbecue. I thought it was too late.'

  'Too late? I don't understand,' Pippa exclaimed, trying to disentangle the welter of emotions in her head.

  'I walked into the study, and Gene was standing with his hand on your shoulder, and you were looking up at him with a fond expression. It was clear he was very attached to you, but I could not decide whether you were acting.'

  'I am fond of Gene, he has been very kind,' Pippa said slowly, 'but nothing more.'

  'I was so uncertain of myself, and that is a new experience for me,' Juan said with a wry grin.

  Pippa laughed. 'Yes, I can imagine so,' she agreed demurely
, and he kissed her lightly on the cheek.

  'I knew I loved you then, but when I asked you to give up your job you were so angry I did not know what to think about your feelings for me. I was afraid that you were set on marrying Gene, and using me simply for a good time. I was determined then to make you love me.'

  'If only you had said!' Pippa exclaimed. 'I didn't know what you wanted, and I didn't dare imagine that you loved me. You are so handsome, so rich, there are so many girls!'

  'Thank you for the handsome bit,' he said with a laugh. 'But there have been too many girls, and all seemed to be after my money. At least you could not be accused of that while I still thought you wanted Gene. I have more than he does, you see, and will also have his, so I was a much better catch. That is another reason why I thought you might have real feelings for him, and if that were so I could not come between you. He has had too little real love for me to spoil his last opportunity. But then I knew you didn't love him when I saw you with David Nightingale that time. I was mad with jealousy!'

  Pippa turned away to hide her blush, but he gently forced her face back to look down into her eyes.

  'I am sorry, my sweet, I behaved abominably. I was jealous and thought that if you were cheating Gene you should be made to realise how unsatisfactory it would have been. You had responded to me before and I was vain enough to think I could turn your anger into desire. Then I could not go through with it, I did not want lust without love between us. Darling Pippa, can you ever forgive me?'

  'Juan, I wanted you so much,' she whispered, and he clasped her to him and kissed her eyes, and then, softly, her lips.

  'I was jealous, I sent a message to David not to come.'

  *

  'So that's why - but what about Sally-Jayne? You came back with her?'

  'We met at a friend's house in Majorca and she told me what had happened to Gene.'

  'Did she tell you she had said you were going to be married?' Pippa asked indignantly. 'I think it was that rather than the threats she made which caused him to collapse.'

  'Yes, she tried to trap me by telling our friends too. I knew she had to return to Paris to begin filming, and stupidly I thought she would be safer under my eye here than spreading rumours about us, that is why I kept her with me. It almost killed us both,' he said soberly.

 

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