The Dragon's Cave Read Online Free PDF Page B

conversation away from herself.
    Carlos dismissed the idea with a gesture. ‘ It crossed her mind, but she sees that it is impracticable,’ he said firmly. ‘ How often would she see her family, with all of them living in Barcelona? She would die of loneliness! No, I have told her that she will be better off living in the family houses in Mallorca. There are enough English people there for her to feel at home,’ he added dryly, ‘and I have promised that she shall have an English companion.’
    ‘ But won’t her daughters be with her?’ Megan objected.
    ‘ They have to finish their education. They will stay with an aunt in Barcelona for the next year. I shall be able to keep an eye on them because I am there a good deal myself.’
    ‘But your mother—’
    ‘My stepmother is English.’ Carlos looked suddenly amused. ‘ Actually she is not at all English ! She depended completely on my father and now that he is gone she doesn’t know what to do with herself! She has very little of this independence that the English admire in their women.’
    Megan stole a look at him to see if he was joking, but he looked perfec tl y serious. ‘ What do you want me to do?’ she asked uneasily.
    ‘I want you to go to Mallorca with my stepmother, to look after her and keep her company, until Pilar and Isabel are free to live with her. She will not be so lonely if she has someone young around the house and, for you, it will be a pleasant place in which to grow into a woman—’
    ‘ I won’t do it!’
    His eyebrows rose. ‘ You have not considered—’
    ‘No ! You haven’t considered !’ Megan said passionately. ‘I’m a singer, not a—a maid of all work! I want to sing ! ’
    Carlos looked severe and his eyes were full of disapproval. ‘It is unlikely that any of the young men you meet will be any more interested in your voice than that Tony of yesterday was,’ he said dryly.
    ‘I might have known that you’d say something beastly!’ Megan stormed at him, her colour high.
    ‘It is the truth,’ he went on in the same, clipped tones. ‘ This singing can have no importance in your life, Megan. In time you will marry and have children . W hat use will your singing in places like the Witch’s Cauldron be to you then?’
    ‘It’s important to me !’ Megan declared. ‘ There are other places! They aren’t all like the Witch’s Cauldron !’
    His lips twitched. ‘With you cast as the Witch?’
    She was hurt. ‘I wasn’t ! ’
    ‘No, you looked very young. Too young to be trying to sing sophisticated songs to such people.’ He looked squarely into her eyes, forcing her to meet his eyes by sheer force of will. ‘ Did you like to know the thoughts that were going through their heads about you?’ he demanded ruthlessly.
    Megan swallowed, unable to reply.
    ‘Well?’ he pressed her.
    ‘ No,’ she admitted. ‘But why should you make a job for me? I’m nothing to you ! ’
    Carlos grinned. ‘ I am sure Pilar has told you already that you are the answer to our united prayers,’ he said with sudden humour. ‘ My stepmother is no sinecure, I can assure you of that. So you will go to Mallorca and be kind to her?’
    Megan stared at him, searching for the right words with which to refuse him in a way he couldn’t possibly misunderstand, because of course she wasn’t going to do anything of the sort!
    ‘If you want me to,’ she said.

 
    CHAPTER III
    Megan could have bitten out her tongue.
    ‘I—I mean—’
    ‘ Muy bien! It is all settled, then? Naturally, I shall pay your salary in whichever currency you prefer. You may prefer half in pesetas and half in sterling? You will not need much money in Mallorca. My stepmother is still in mourning—she is old-fashioned in these ways—and does not go out a great deal.’
    ‘I see,’ said Megan.
    ‘I hope you will not find it dull. Pilar and Isabel will be there for their holidays, but otherwise there will not be a great deal for you to do.’
    Megan