Sweet Revenge Read Online Free PDF Page A

thoroughly spoilt.
    Thrusting aside these uncharitable thoughts, Toni smiled at her now, but there was no answering smile, and instead Francesca put her hands on her hips, and said insolently:
    'You were supposed to be here yesterday, primo Paul.'
    Her English was very good, and Toni glanced at Paul to see what his reaction to this might be.
    He merely shrugged and said: 'As my grandmother is the only person to whom I must excuse myself I don't think that remark was called for., Francesca. I see your manners don't improve.'
    Francesca wrinkled her nose rudely, and turned away. Toni felt uncomfortable, even though Francesca was only a precocious child, and Paul, sensing this, said: 'Francesca! Kindly tell Jose we are here, and that the bags need seeing to. Would you also tell Luisa, and before you start giving me some more lip I should warn you that any more of it will find you being reported to your father - understood?'
    Francesca shrugged her shoulders. 'My father is j away, so you would be disappointed,' she retorted.
    'He'll return,' returned Paul smoothly. 'Now, jump to it!'
    Francesca looked as though she might argue, but then she turned and went through the heavy door into the building.
    'Charming,' said Toni dryly. 'Is she a sample of what I'm to expect?'
    Paul chuckled. 'No, of course not. Francesca doesn't like it when I come here. She's a very possessive child, and when her father's away, as he often is, she monopolizes our grandmother's time. As we are the only grandchildren, naturally her nose is a little put out when I'm here.'
    'I see.' Toni shook her head. 'I suppose when her father is around you're not quite such a nuisance.'
    Paul nodded. 'Something like that,' he conceded. 'When Raoul's here no one else exists. She adores him. She's terribly jealous. I guess the fact that she never knew her mother is mainly responsible.'
    'She didn't know her mother? Why?'
    'She died when Francesca was only three years old. Naturally, she was too young to remember much about her. She had a nanny, you see, and only saw her mother at certain times of the day. Portuguese noble- women don't spend a great deal of time in the nursery, you know.'
    Toni raised her eyebrows. 'They miss a lot, then. If, or when, I have children, I intend to care for them myself, whatever my circumstances.'
    Paul laughed. 'Well, not all women are interested in • their children, you know.'
    'I know,' Toni sighed. 'But it seems wrong to delegate a woman's natural instincts to someone else. I guess I'm old-fashioned.'
    Paul smiled. 'Maybe you are. Maybe it's a good thing. I'm sure Grandmother will think so. She never got on with Elise.'
    'Elise? Oh, was that your uncle's wife?'
    'Yes. She was French. Anyway, we can talk about that at some other time. Let's go in.'
    They entered by the west door into a high arched hall, which Toni realized immediately was the main hall of the castle. The stone walls were hung with wall tapestries, while there was a huge coat of arms emblazoning the wall above the fireplace. A carved wooden staircase was at the end of the hall and this led on to a gallery which ran the length of the hall. The stone floor had been highly polished and strewn with heavy colourful rugs, some of skin, that blended in perfectly with their surroundings. The furniture was all carved wood, heavy and completely in keeping with the rest of the decorations. Toni thought it was very beautiful, but not exactly luxurious. The lighting was provided by electric candelabra, set in sconces about the walls, and it seemed altogether medieval. She thought it was likely that the Conde, Paul's uncle, kept it this way purposely, when others might have tried to modernize it.
    Paul was looking at her interestedly. 'Feudal, isn't it?' he remarked dryly. 'But don't be alarmed, it's not all like this.'
    Then two people appeared, followed rather more slowly by Francesca. Toni guessed they must be Jose and Luisa. Jose was quite old, but Luisa was a middle- aged