'How is that?'
'Haven't you wondered why the brakes failed?' he asked, and as she recalled the nightmare descent from the Monte Toro Pippa shuddered. Juan held her tightly and she took a deep breath.
'Brakes do fail,' she said slowly, 'but they were all right on the way here.'
'I telephoned for Luis to come here as soon as the doctor had seen you. He examined the Seat and found the brake cable had been partially cut. Gradually the strain would break the rest. Did Sally-Jayne hear you asking Luis to use the car?'
Pippa suddenly recalled following the other girl into the house after she had spoken to Luis.
'She could have done, she was outside. But surely she would not have deliberately tried to kill me?' Pippa exclaimed in horror.
'Sally-Jayne has no compunction. You saw how she has behaved towards Gene. She feared you because she knew how I felt about you. And Luis saw her outside again later, near the garages. The story she heard about the accusations against Gene must have given her the idea. Either that or an incident in a film she was in a year or so back, when she had to do it to prevent the villains from escaping. She would have known how to do it from that.'
'There's no proof,' Pippa shivered. 'Will you ask her?'
'She's left, on her way to Paris. I took her to Mahon early this morning and then I came to find you and your room was empty. Luckily Luis thought of here when we had discovered your flight was not until the afternoon. It was fortunate you had not started to come down.'
'I've not thanked you for saving me,' Pippa whispered. 'No one else could have driven like that!'
'I'm not going to lose you now,' he retorted. 'I thought at the time that you had flown because you were afraid of me. I was determined that if Gene wanted you he should have you.'
'Gene never did. Why, he spoke about you - ' she broke off.
He was smiling. 'So Gene saw it too? Did everyone know how we felt except the two of us?'
Slowly, lingeringly, he kissed her lips, and then his lips grew harder, more demanding, and Pippa surrendered to the bliss of knowing her own desire was returned. At last, sighing, Juan released her.
'Here or California?' he asked.
'For what?' she asked hazily.
'Now or next week? Darling, I'm not sure I can wait at all if you look at me like that. No, don't turn away to hide your blushes, they are very charming. I suppose you have doting parents who have always wanted a big wedding for their daughter? They wouldn't consider flying here straight away?'
'Wedding?' Pippa said faintly, still hardly able to assimilate the wonderful fact that Juan loved her, and not yet having spared a thought for whether he would want to marry her or not.
'Yes, my love. Or are you going to find some excuse? I warn you, I won't accept it, whatever it is.'
'My head is whirling, I can't think!' she exclaimed.
'Then I'll make the decisions. Gene would not be able to fly to the States for some time, and would not wish us to delay on his account. Besides, the sooner it is done the sooner we can come back here frequently to see him. And I suppose we really must allow your family a part. But they need not have all the bother of arrangements. I'll cable one of my managers to go straight to California and take all the details in hand. Meanwhile we'll have a quiet wedding here in the Casa Blanca, for Gene's sake, fly to Rome for a couple of days to get you a wedding gown, and then they will have had time to have made all the arrangements in California. Where would you like to spend your honeymoon, my sweet?'
Pippa was blinking at the crisp decisiveness he displayed. It was yet another facet of the man she was, so incredibly, to marry. Would she ever know him? Well, there was a lifetime ahead to find out.
'Are you like this when you manage your estates and factories?' she asked with a slight smile.
He grinned appreciatively. 'Always, when I know what I want and am determined to get it. Now, my beloved, I know what you want too, and it will be my one desire to give it to you.'
She sighed contentedly, leaning her head against his shoulder.
'I love you so much, Juan. I want this moment to go on for ever.'
'Unfortunately we cannot deprive the good woman who lent us her bedroom of it for ever, and Luis is waiting to drive us home. And I think, my darling, that you will find some other moments in the future that are even more delightful. I shall do my best to ensure that, I promise,' he vowed, looking deep into her eyes.
THE END
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Marina Oliver has written over 60 novels, and is converting many of them to Ebooks. Others have been or are being published as Ebooks by other publishers. Details of these on her web site are being added to all the time.
For the latest information please see Marina's web site:
http://www.marina-oliver.net
You might like my novel set in the other Balearic island:
ISLAND QUEST
BY MARINA OLIVER
Ros Farleigh needs to find her half-brother. Tim Preston, nineteen and on his own for the first time as he works his way round the Mediterranean, playing the drums in hotel bands, vanished three months earlier leaving his precious drums behind. Always a regular correspondent, his last letter was full of mysterious hints of danger, surprises, and secrets. His last few postcards from Majorca had been marked, indicating isolated coves and unidentified buildings.
Ros is staying at the Castilla hotel from which Tim vanished, where she encounters Lorenzo y Carreira, dark, arrogantly Spanish, talented guitarist, and too handsome for his own good. Sparks fly. Tim had mentioned going sailing with Lorenzo, and he might be able to help.
Ros begins to learn some puzzling facts. At around the same time Tim vanished Lorenzo was involved in a sailing accident, and spent a couple of days in hospital. But no one wants to talk about it, and the event wasn't reported in the local press.
*
Question of Love Page 15