Perchance to Marry Read Online Free PDF Page B

could wish for. She sighed.
    Just behind her a thick feminine voice said, “You will pardon me, senorita. Senor Durant has asked me to introduce myself. I am Katarina, the companion of Dona Inez.”
    Sally turned, and met a pair of enigmatic dark eyes. The woman was pale yellow and sharp-featured, with a mole that sprouted three belligerent hairs near the left corner of her brown-lipped mouth. Her hair, black with streaks of grey, was drawn back smoothly into a knot, and she wore the usual black frock, though it was a little more dressy than the servants’ thick cotton; an oldish matt silk with a high neck, blouse-effect top and straight skirt. Sally was irresistibly reminded of Victorian illustrations, but before she could smile Katarina’s heavy eyelids flicked down over her eyes, and the effect was disturbing.
    “I’m glad to know you, Katarina,” Sally said politely. “How is Dona Inez?”
    “She sleeps much of the time. I do not think she will awaken before evening, but it will be a joyful awakening, no? There is no one in the world she loves so well as Don Marcus.”
    The prefix to his name made him a foreigner, and caused Sally an inward shiver. “I do hope my mother and I won’t cause too much extra work in the house,” she murmured, for something to say.
    “But where else would you stay? This will be your home, and also that of Senora Sheppard. This is a great day for Las Vinas.”
    She didn’t sound thrilled, but why should she? thought Sally despairingly. How much did she know? And how much had already been said between this woman and Marcus? If only he’d come out, so that she could tell him she had no intention of staying in this place under false pretences!
    “You’re very kind,” she said automatically. “I’m a nurse, you know. If there’s anything I can do to help you, please let me know.”
    The woman drew back and clasped her hands in front of her. In stilted tones she answered, “I am very capable of taking care of Dona Inez. A young nurse would be quite out of place in the bedroom of the senora. You will excuse me, please?”
    Oh, heavens. A clanger, if ever there was one; and she’d probably go on making them because she was not only angry but nervous. Sally conjured a smile as Katarina went into the house, and turned back to sigh once more at the garden. But in a moment her mother came out, looking small and radiant in delphinium blue. She came beside Sally, threw out both hands at the view.
    “Isn’t it splendid? I’m sure it’s the healthiest spot on earth!”
    “They have a large nursing home,” Sally reminded her drily.
    “Bound to be a few accidents, and babies,” came the airy rejoinder. “I can’t imagine any place lovelier than this. And isn’t the house beautiful? All that carved oak and lovely porcelain, and the light restful bedrooms. Have you seen Marcus since we arrived?”
    “No.”
    “Don’t snap, darling. The trouble with young people is that they haven’t yet learned how to accept things gracefully. We’re not here just accidentally, you know. Even before we reached Barcelona Marcus said we must visit him here some time. He even made me promise to write and tell him how we were getting on.”
    “Yes, I know.”
    “Then please, Sally, try to look as though you are enjoying yourself. Here we are, with servants simply falling over themselves to do things for us, in a dream of a house on a dazzling green island, and it does seem that you should be grateful enough to smile about it. I do need it, you know, dear.”
    “Yes. I’m sorry. I suppose I still feel we should have stayed at the hotel.” She changed the topic. “Have you ever seen rock plants like those down there? The miniature cacti are amusing, aren’t they?”
    Talk of the garden occupied them till the lunch trolley and Marcus appeared simultaneously. He seated the two women at the table, smiled and apologized for having looked through his mail before lunch.
    “I do have a man who comes