The Spaniard's Woman - Contemporary Romance (14 page)

‘Gabriel!’ Liani’s voice made them both look around.

The breath hissed out of Gabriel. ‘It seems I am doomed never to have a minutes peace with you.’ he observed grimly, releasing her. ‘We will discuss our living arrangements later tonight.’

Which probably meant that he would tell her what their living arrangements were and expect her to accept them. But it wasn’t going to be that easy. Not this time. They began walking again.

Liani was waiting by the gate that they had come through, Dylan beside her. The girl bent her head to say something to him and Rhianna heard his high squeal of laughter. She smiled wryly. At least her son was having a good time. Perhaps, if she tried very hard over the next few days, she could have a something approaching a good time as well, if she set her mind to it. It was time to put Dylan first and if that meant that she must ignore Isobel Ortega’s silent disapproval or the avid curiosity of strangers for a brief period of time, then so be it.

They reached the waiting pair, Rhianna bending down to hug Dylan’s small, excited body to her. ‘There were horses, Mommy! They smell good an’ I gave them sugar.’

Rhianna looked suitably impressed. ‘Big horses and you fed them yourself? That’s amazing! Were you scared?’

Dylan looked scornful. ‘Not of
horses
.’

Liani chuckled. ‘He likes my horses, that one. He thinks that he should learn to ride them soon and I have promised that, if it is well with his
papa
, that he shall sit upon Nina. She is very placid,’ the girl explained, seeing Rhianna’s doubtful expression, ‘I have had her for many years and Tierra’s little ones have ridden her many times.’

‘Tierra?’ Rhianna repeated, bewildered.

‘My other sister,’ Gabriel explained. He had hoisted Dylan up onto his shoulders, much to his son’s delight.

Liani looked curious. ‘Did not Gabriel tell you that he has two sisters? Tierra is older than me and she has two little girls. They love to come and ride Nina.’

Although Rhianna nodded, she couldn’t help think that Gabriel had told her very little about his family, or his life, for that matter. Why had she never asked questions when they had been together? Rhianna had known that he had sisters but she had no idea how many, or how old they were or, indeed, if they had families themselves. And yet this was the man she had had a child with. A stranger who had been her lover for nearly a year but who had shared very little of himself in that time, it seemed.

‘Come,
mi hijo
.’ Gabriel bounced his son lightly on his shoulders. ‘Show me these great beasts that you tamed today.’

‘If you don’t mind, I think I’ll go in and get a glass of water.’ Rhianna said. She desperately wanted some time alone, a chance to collect her thoughts. Every moment she spent in Gabriel’s company seemed to lead to more uncertainty.
When he lets me think at all
, Rhianna thought, remembering how the Corvas had almost interrupted them.
Most of the time my brain simply shuts down as soon as he touches me and all I can do is react to him.

Gabriel’s eyes lingered on her. ‘Be swift,’ he recommended softly.

The interior of the villa was cool and dim, compared to the heat of the day outside. Rhianna paused gratefully in the hall for a moment, letting the chill air seep through her, before beginning her search for the kitchen. She found it without too much difficulty, an enormous room containing two scrubbed pine tables and a vast amount of bench space. Ofelia was at one of the tables, peeling apples. She paused when Rhianna came in, small dark eyes regarding this intruder into her kingdom with the same apparent indifference as she had shown earlier.

‘Excuseme
,’ Rhianna smiled, ‘I’m just after some water.’ Moving across to the large double sink, she picked up a glass that was draining on the rack and went to fill it with water from the tap. Ofelia spoke, a quick rush of Spanish that Rhianna, who hadn’t spoken or listened to the language in years, untangled enough to understand that there was cold water in the refrigerator. She thanked her and hurried to fetch it, anxious that Ofelia didn’t waited on. Pouring water from the large glass jug that she found there, she drank gratefully.

Rinsing the glass, she was about to go out and find Dylan, Gabriel and Liani once again when Isobel Ortega walked into the kitchen. She seemed a little surprised to find Rhianna there and paused, blue eyes narrowing a little.

‘Ah... Rhianna,’ she murmured and Rhianna felt a touch of alarm to see the sudden speculation on Isobel’s face. ‘Where are the others?’

‘Dylan is showing Gabriel Liani’s horses. He was very taken with them.’

Isobel gave a slight smile. ‘Then perhaps you will have some coffee with me, yes? I would like to speak to you.’

Rhianna felt anxiety flutter in the pit of her stomach. Isobel had shown no overtures of friendship over lunch. Perhaps she’d realized that it was better to establish some kind of relationship with her grandson’s mother? Despite the fact that Rhianna would have preferred to return outside, refusing to sit down with Isobel would be down right rude. Gabriel’s mother might make her feel very uncomfortable, but this could be an opportunity for them to get to know each other. ‘That would be lovely.’

‘Excelente
.’

Ofelia served coffee on the terrace that led off one of the drawing rooms. It was the perfect place to sit and relax, the table set beneath an arbor of climbing roses. Rhianna exclaimed over the tiny yellow flowers that covered the twisting vines like a shower of sunshine. ‘Oh, how lovely.’

‘A little hobby of mine. Gardening is so relaxing. It takes a great deal of time and effort to run a place like this, but I find it very rewarding.’ Isobel murmured, pouring coffee from the silver pot. ‘Do you take sugar? Milk or black?’

‘Some milk, thank-you.’

Isobel passed the cup across then leaned back in her chair. ‘I have to say, I am surprised that my son brought you here.’ she said, voice abrupt.

Rhianna drew in a deep breath, not sure what was coming next. ‘I’m sure it was a shock to you, discovering you had a grandson.’

‘A very great shock. But not an unpleasant one, how could it be? It has long been my wish to have grandchildren at the
castilla
.’ Isobel took a sip of her coffee, placing the cup back on the saucer, her movements precise. ‘However, Gabriel has always been headstrong. He is obviously delighted to discover he has a son.’ Isobel smoothed the fine linen of her dress with long fingers tipped with scarlet nail polish. ‘And he is an Ortega. Dylan has the look of his father at that age.’

Well at least she’s doesn’t think I’m trying to foist a cuckoo into the Ortega nest
, Rhianna thought wryly. There didn’t seem to be anything she could say, so she remained silent. Isobel glanced at Rhianna. ‘You say that you are alone in the world? It must have been difficult, raising a child by yourself.’

Rhianna shrugged. ‘I have several very good friends. And Dylan is a very placid little boy.’

‘I’m sure. But still... so much of a young mother’s time is taken by the needs of a small child. It leaves her with very little for herself, yes? I am sure that you had to make sacrifices.’ Isobel looked at her with the same calculating gleam in her very blue eyes that Rhianna had seen earlier. ‘Such selflessness deserves a reward.’

Rhianna looked at Isobel Ortega in bewilderment. There seemed to be a wealth of suggestion in those words but she had no idea of where the conversation was heading. ‘I never regretted a moment of it,’ she said quietly. ‘Dylan is my son and I love him dearly. As I’m sure you understand, being a mother yourself.’

Isobel let out a slow breath. ‘Indeed,’ she agreed fervently, ‘I would do anything for my son. You realize, do you not, that Gabriel must marry again?’

Rhianna hesitated. This was hardly a subject she wished to discuss. ‘I suppose so.’

‘It is so. His wife died nearly two years ago. Two years is long enough to mourn a beloved spouse.’ Beloved spouse? If Gabriel had felt any deep seated love for Ana, there had been no indication of it in his voice, just a great deal of bitterness. If he had been mourning his wife, then why had he spoken about her so savagely? Or was it that he had loved her so deeply that her death had embittered him against all women in some way? Rhianna pushed the thought away and made herself focus on what Senora Ortega was saying. ‘Soon he must chose from a range of suitable women I have selected for him. And while any of these women would welcome his son, unfortunately I have to tell you that they would have serious reservations about you, my dear.’ Isobel smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes. ‘I’m afraid your presence here is far from... timely.’

Rhianna felt herself go hot, then cold, angry mortification washing through her. The inference couldn’t have been any clearer if Isobel Ortega had come right and said it. Soon there would be a new bride for Gabriel at the
castilla
. Rhianna, his ex-lover was in the way and if she had an ounce of good taste she would take herself off elsewhere. Her
son
was acceptable but she was not. ‘Perhaps,’ she said with as much civility as she could muster. ‘That’s up to Gabriel to decide.’

‘But it is not his head that is ruling him right now,’ Isobel shook her head pityingly. ‘Men are so foolish when it comes to mundane things like sex, are they not? I am sure you understand that all too well with your... wealth of experience. But only consider for a moment; how you will feel when Gabriel finally remembers that he has responsibilities that must be fulfilled? I imagine that you will be far more comfortable in an establishment of your own before that happens.’

Well, she certainly had that right! Rhianna was furious at this unexpected attack but she was also deeply humiliated. It was painfully obvious that Isobel Ortega considered her nothing more than an opportunistic fortune hunter who was trying to win herself the coveted position of lady of the manor and the injustice of it made her burn. ‘Believe me, now that I know how you feel about me being here we’ll find somewhere else to stay immediately. Thank you for clarifying the situation.’ she said, voice shaking. She stood up but Isobel raised a hand.

‘Don’t be so rash.’ she begged, ‘Dylan has come here to meet his family. It would be a pity to take him away so soon. Why don’t you leave him for a week or two? It will give you a chance to find somewhere suitable for you both to live and you could have a little holiday. In fact, I think you deserve one. I can arrange to have some funds transferred so that you can stay somewhere nice -’

‘I have no intention of leaving my son here.’ Rhianna said, her tone icy. ‘Where I go, Dylan goes. As for paying me off... Unfortunately you seem to have formed the wrong impression of me Senora. I am not for sale and neither is my son!’

Senora Ortega stared at her, blue eyes glittering. All pretense of civility had gone, replaced by a cold, steely determination. ‘Not even for one hundred and fifty thousand dollars?’ she demanded quietly. ‘Because believe me, I am willing to be generous in the interests of preserving my family.’

‘Not even if you gave me this damn villa on a plate!’ Rhianna spat back and, turning on her heel. She paused in the doorway, a sudden thought occurring. Swinging back around to face Isobel Ortega, she took a deep breath. ‘A little over three years ago I wrote several letters, telling Gabriel about Dylan,’ she said quietly. ‘Did you ever see those letters senora?’

Something flickered in those dark eyes. She shrugged. ‘My son receives many letters.’

‘It is a pity he didn’t get these ones,’ Rhianna said curtly. ‘He would have known he had a son – and you would have know you had a grandson – so much the sooner.’ And turning away, she strode swiftly inside. She had never felt so angry in her life. It raged inside her, so intense that she could hardly breath with it.
I am willing to be generous in the interests of preserving my family
... Rhianna paused in the entrance hall for a moment and closed her eyes, breathing deeply, willing herself to be calm. Senora Ortega obviously regarded her as a threat, one that must be disposed of at any cost. Rhianna’s hands clenched, nails digging into the palm of her hands as she fought the urge to turn around and confront the woman again. But what would be the point? No matter how she might regret the fact, Isobel was her son’s grandmother and trading insults with her could only make the situation worse.

Climbing the stairs, Rhianna walked into the bedroom and shut the door behind her, leaning back against it.

It’s happening again
, she thought angrily,
Gabriel is going to marry somebody else only this time I’m going to know all the damn details!
Because how could she not? Even when she and Dylan were living elsewhere, Dylan would still be visiting his father and he would come home and tell her stories about his ‘other’ family and she would have to listen and smile and nod...

She looked around the room, hands clenched while a thousand possibilities raced through her head. While the offer to buy Rhianna’s cooperation might sting, the knowledge that Gabriel would soon be marrying another ‘suitable’ Spanish bride cut like a knife. The thought of it made Rhianna feel physically ill but rather than give into the pain, she chose action and she swiftly walked across to the cupboard and dragged her suitcases out.