Читать книгу The Holiday Escapes Collection - Сандра Мартон - Страница 77
ОглавлениеHE WOKE AND he waited for reason.
For relief to flood in because he had held back his words last night.
It never came.
He turned and watched her awaken. He should be bored by now. She should annoy him by now.
‘What am I thinking?’ he asked when she opened her eyes and smiled at him.
‘I wouldn’t presume to know.’
‘I did meet you that night,’ he said. ‘Despite the dress and the make-up, it was Estelle.’
He was getting too close for comfort. Raúl had never been anything other than himself. She, on the other hand, changed at every turn—he didn’t actually know her at all. Sex was their only true form of communication.
Estelle could hear noises from the kitchen and was relieved to have a reason to leave. ‘I’ll go and give Angela a hand.’ She went to climb out of bed, wondering if she should say anything about what Angela had told her last night. ‘I spoke to her yesterday…’
‘Later,’ Raúl said, and she nodded.
Today was already going to be painful enough.
* * *
‘Buenos días,’ Raúl greeted Angela.
‘Buenos días.’ Angela smiled. ‘I was just making your father his breakfast. What would you like?’
‘Don’t worry about us,’ Raúl said. ‘We’ll have some coffee and then Estelle and I might go for a walk.’
‘What time are you going back?’
‘I’m not sure,’ Raúl said. ‘Maybe we might stay a bit longer?’
‘That would be good,’ Angela said. ‘Why don’t you take your father’s tray in and tell him?’
He was in there for ages, and Angela and Estelle shared a look when at one point they heard laughter.
‘I am so glad that they have had this time,’ Angela said, and then Raúl came out, and he and Estelle headed off for a walk along the sweeping hillsides on his father’s property.
‘Have you been here before?’ Estelle asked. ‘To San Sebastian, I mean?’
‘A couple of times,’ Raúl said. ‘Would you like to explore?’
‘We’re here to spend time with your father,’ Estelle said, nervous about letting her façade down, admitting just how much she would like to.
‘I guess,’ Raúl said. ‘But, depending on how long we stay, I am sure the newlyweds would like some private time too.’
‘Wouldn’t you be bored?’
‘If I am I can wait in the gift shop.’ Raúl smiled, and so did she, and then he told her some of what he had been talking about with his father. ‘He has told my aunt and uncle about Angela and Luka.’
‘When?’
‘Yesterday. When he knew I was on my way,’ Raúl said. ‘He didn’t want to leave it to me to tell them.’
‘How did they take it?’
‘He asked if we heard any shouting while we were flying up.’ Raúl gave a small mirthless laugh. ‘They want him dead, of course. He told them they wouldn’t have long to wait.’
They walked for ages, hardly talking, and Raúl was comfortable with silence, because he was trying to think—trying to work out if she even wanted to hear what he was about to ask her.
‘You miss England?’
‘I do,’ Estelle said. ‘Well, I miss my family.’
‘Will you miss me?’ He stopped walking.
She turned to him and didn’t know how to respond. ‘I won’t miss the clubs and the restaurants…’
‘Will you miss us?’
‘I can’t give the right answer here.’
‘You can.’ He took her in his arms. ‘You were right. I miss out on so much…’
It was a fragile admission, she could feel that, and she was scared to grasp it in case somehow it dispersed. But she could not deny her feelings any longer. ‘You don’t have to.’
His mouth was on hers and they were kissing as if for the first time—a teenage kiss as they paused in the hills, a kiss that had nothing to do with business; a kiss that had nothing to do with sex. His fingers were moving into her hair, touching her face as if he were blind, and she was a whisper away from telling him, from confessing the truth. Just so they could tell his father—just so there might be one less regret.
‘Raúl…’
He looked into her eyes and she thought she could tell him anything when he looked at her like that. But for the moment she held back. Because a child was something far bigger than this relationship they were almost exploring. She remembered her vow to do this well away from their contract.
‘Let’s get back.’
They walked down the hill hand in hand, talking about nothing in particular—about France, so close, and the drive they could maybe take tomorrow, or the next day. They were just a couple walking, heading back home to their family—and then she felt his hand tighten on hers.
‘It’s the médico.’
They ran the remaining distance, though he paused for just a moment to collect himself before they pushed open the front door. Because even from there they could hear the sound of Angela sobbing.
‘Your father…’ Angela stumbled down the hall and Raúl held her as she wept into his arms. ‘He has passed away.’
