excerpt
CHAPTER ONE
As his red Ferrari glided down the wide four-lane Avenida Castellana, Juan Felipe Monsanto, Duque de la Caniza, reflected upon the upcoming autumn and what it held in store.The summer months spent between his yacht and his sumptuous villa in Marbella had gone well. But now it was time to settle a serious matter that could not be delayed any longer: his marriage to Dona Leticia de Sandoval.
As he drew up in front of a grandiose stone building Juan slowed the car and waved amiably to Pepe, the uniformed white-gloved doorman preparing to relieve him of the vehicle.
"Hola , Pepe,” he said, jumping out of the car and leaving the engine running.
“Hola, Excellencia . How was your summer?”
“Great, thank you. Is the Condessa at home?”
“Yes, sir, your aunt is awaiting you.”
“Good. I'll call down when I need the car. Have the bags taken up, please.”
“Very well, sire.” Pepe executed a small bow as Juan entered the grilled wrought-iron and glass door, crossed the marble lobby and headed for the lift.
It was back to real life now, he reflected. Not that he resented it, or the marriage of convenience that was to take place. This was his destiny. Had been ever since Gregorio, his elder brother, had died in a plane crash five years earlier, leaving Juan heir to the Dukedom. He knew where his duty lay and had no qualms assuming it. Which was why marriage to Leticia de Sandoval was, if not ideal, certainly an acceptable solution. He needed heirs to continue the family bloodline. A wife of suitable lineage was a must. And he respected that.
In fact, he realized, as the lift opened at the top floor and he stepped out onto the lushly carpeted landing and started walking towards his fifteen-room apartment, he considered himself lucky. Leticia de Sandoval was an old family friend, someone who understood the rules of their society as he did. She was an intelligent woman of thirty, and a good lawyer dedicated to many charitable and political causes. She had a life of her own, which suited him just fine.
All in all, he reflected, it was a satisfactory arrangement which would no doubt work out very well. As long as he remained discreet, of course. But that was understood.
Seconds later, as he let himself in through the apartment's front door, Fernando, the butler came to welcome him with a smile. “Welcome back, Your Grace. The Condessa is in the small salon waiting for you. May I say, sir, on behalf of the staff and myself, that we are delighted to have you back.”
“Thank you, Fernando.” Juan handed him his jacket and made his way through to the small salon which the Condessa de Murta favoured. She was the impoverished widow of one of his father's cousins, whom Juan had taken in to keep house. He called her Tia —aunt.
“Juan.” The elderly woman smiled, silver hair perfectly coiffed, and stretched out a fine hand. “How lovely to have you back. Have you had a wonderful summer?”
Juan dropped a kiss on her forehead. “Yes, Tia . Thank you. I had a great summer. But now it is time for a reality check. There is much business to attend to. Life returns to normal now that the heat has subsided. Are many people back in town?” he asked, sitting down opposite her on one of the plump sofas and casually throwing his arm over the back.
“Yes, quite a few,” the attractive sixty-five-year old Countess replied, crossing her elegant legs and settling down for a chat with her late husband's young cousin, of whom she couldn't speak well enough. After all, it was he who had offered her a dignified and satisfactory living arrangement when her husband had died leaving her virtually penniless.
“Leticia called. She said to remind you that you have a black tie event tomorrow night at the Zarzuela Palace . Something to do with honouring the benefactors of the orphans of Saint Ignatius. The King and Queen are attending.”
“Which means I must attend,” Juan said with a rueful smile. “You realize, of course, that Leticia and I will be getting engaged this autumn, Tia ?”
“That is excellent news, Juan. I can't tell you how delighted I am. She's such a sensible, intelligent woman, and will make you an excellent wife. She visited yesterday and had tea with me. Leticia is always so thoughtful. I did think she looked a little peaky, though. You should tell her no to work so hard.”
“Tell Letti not to work hard?” Juan laughed, his bronzed features breaking into a wicked smile and his dark eyes flashing. “That would be impossible. She thrives on work.”
“Nevertheless,” the Condessa said with a meaningful look, “she will have to slow down if she intends to have a family.”
“Oh, yes, of course. But we won't be married until next spring, so there's time enough to think of all that. Right,” he said, ending the discussion and rising, “I'd better go and take a shower and make a few calls. Are you home for dinner?”
“Yes. By the way, Georgiana Cavendish has arrived.”
“Georgiana Cavendish?” Juan repeated blankly.
“Really, Juan! Surely you remember? Your late mother's goddaughter, whom we said could stay while she studies Spanish at the university. We discussed it months ago.”
“ Dios mio . Lord and Lady Cavendish's child—of course.” He slapped a hand on his brow. “I'd completely forgotten about her.”
“Yes. Well, she began her couse last Monday. I put her in the Blue Room. I thought it would be appropriate, as it has quite a lot of space and the large desk is satisfactory for her studies.”
“That's fine, Tia . I'm glad we can help her out.”
* * *
The Honourable Georgiana Cavendish, only daughter of the late Lord Cavendish and his wife Selina, was thrilled to be in Madrid . At nineteen, with school and a computer course finally behind her, she felt very grown up. Being along in Madrid was the real thing. The only inconvenience was her mother's insistence that she live at her godmother's son's home rather than in a flat with other students her age, as she would have preferred.
But, considering her mother hadn't wanted her to com to Madrid in the first place, she reckoned she should be thankful for small mercies. Maybe next term she could change her parent's mind. Not that she cared that much. The Condessa was charming and full of fun, and not having to lift a finger was a plus, she realized, thanking Fernando as he placed her breakfast—a plate of soft scrambled eggs—before her.
Reaching for some toast, Georgiana sighed. It was a week since she'd landed in Madrid , and three days since she'd started her Spanish course at the university—which she was enjoying. But she'd better hurry if she was to catch the bus and be at class on time, she realized, glancing at her watch.
Pouring herself some coffee, Georgiana swept her long golden mane from her face and tucked into a hearty breakfast. But as she raised her fork an interruption made her swivel in her chair. A tall, handsome man in a light grey suit and yellow silk tie stood eyeing her appraisingly from the doorway.
“Good morning,” he said, coming into the room. “I suppose you're Georgiana.” He smiled briefly and stretched out his right hand.
“Yes, I am. And I suppose you're the Duke,” she answered, matching him look for look. He was much younger than she'd pictured him. Somehow a duke sounded dreadfully stuffy. She'd imagined a pasty-faced middle-aged man. Instead a devastatingly handsome specimen stood before her. When their hands met she experienced an odd tingle. She withdrew hers quickly, stuck by the unusual sensation.
“Not ‘the Duke'—Juan,” he corrected, taking his place at the top of the table. “I hope you are enjoying Madrid ,” he added politely, signaling Fernando to serve him.
“Very much, thank you.” Georgiana's hunger seemed to have disappeared. Why, she could not imagine. He was just her godmother's son, after all, no one special. And her host, she reminded herself, remembering her manners. “It's very kind of you to have me to stay. I hope that next term I won't have to inconvenience you any longer, though, I'll try and find an apartment.”
A slashing dark brow rose haughtily. “Really? Your mother would approve of such an arrangement?” Juan asked, taking his first sip of coffee.
“I don't see why not. All my friends share flats in London .”
“Madrid,” Juan said deliberately, “is not London .”
“I'm very well aware of that,” Georgiana responded coldly. Why was her interfering in her affairs? It was none of his damn business if she chose to find a flat.
“In that case, you'll do better to reside here during your stay,” he answered autocratically, accepting a morning paper from the butler.
He skimmed the headlines while Georgiana seethed inwardly. What a high-handed so-and-so! Just because he was a duke, and devastatingly rich and good-looking, it didn't give him the right to interfere in her life. The flashing dark eyes and near-black hair were nothing but a disguise. Underneath he was as stuffy and boring as she'd imagined he would be.
“Ah, I see you've met Juan,” the Condessa said, entering the breakfast room attired in a pink brocade dressing gown, her pearls and diamonds already firmly in place.
“Good morning, Condessa. Yes, we've met.” Georgiana smiled politely at the older woman, then cast Juan a dark look from under her well-shaped brows. “In fact I was just thanking the Duke for his kind hospitality,” she said grandly, “and assuring him that soon I shan't be bothering him any longer.”
He needn't think that just because she was staying here he could ruin her life. She'd better make that absolutely clear from the word go, she vowed, satisfied, as she finished her eggs, that she'd made her point.
While tacitly avoiding his aunt's comical look of dismay, and pretending to flip through the newspaper, Juan took a good look at his house guest. She was exquisitely beautiful. Long blonde silky hair fell in a straight rush halfway down her back. Her features were classically set, and the little he could see of her figure was superb. She had, he conceded, a beauty that would be hard to match. And that, by his standards, was saying a lot—considering the number of women he'd known over the years.
Despite being shielded by the newspaper, he did not miss the dark look Georgiana cast him from under those superbly etched brows. She also spelled trouble, he reflected with an inner sigh. Any girl as beautiful as this let loose on the streets of Madrid , clad in the clothes she was wearing—low-cut jeans and a T-shirt that barely covered her midriff—would cause traffic jams!
At the moment the phone rang. It was answered by the butler. “For you, Don Juan,” Fernando said, handing Juan the mobile phone. “It is Dona Leticia.”
“Thank you. Good morning, Letti. How are you? Yes, fine. Just sat down to breakfast. My aunt told me we have that dinner tonight,” Juan said, getting up and moving away from the table. “Also we need to have some private time together to settle the details of our engagement.”
There was a slight hesitation.
“Letti?”
“Yes, I'm here,” she responded. “Perhaps the day after tomorrow? Wait, let me check my diary. No, that won't do, I'm afraid—I have a sit-in at the university to deal with. The law faculty's going though some problems just now, and I promised Pablito Sanchez I'd help him out. Would you mind if we leave it until Sunday?”
“Not at all. That's as good a day as any. In fact, if your parents are around, I might as well pop over to Puerta de Hierro and make an informal pedido to your father. I believe it is still customary to ask for a daughter's hand in marriage, even if she is a high-flying professional,” he added with a low laugh.
“Yes, I—yes.” Leticia answered. “That's fine. We'd better get on with it, I suppose.”
“The sooner the better. We've waited long enough as it is. We can discuss when to make the formal engagement announcement with your parents on Sunday.”
“Perfect. Be there around twelve for drinks.”
“See you then.”
Georgiana, whose Spanish was far better than anyone realized, had listened to the call but managed to hide her surprise. Imagine getting engaged to someone in this off-hand manner? As though it were a business arrangement. She shuddered inwardly. She had already met Leticia the other day, when she'd visited the Condessa. She'd seemed a nice woman. Not dreadfully exciting or pretty, Georgiana had decided, but charming and very nice.
Oh, well, she figured, folding her napkin and rising from the table, it was Juan's life and none of her business.
“I need to run if I'm going to catch the bus,” she exclaimed. “I'm already running late. See you later. Oh, and thanks for the books, Condessa, they're great.”
“De nada , child. Enjoy your day.”
“Thanks.” She hesitated a moment as Juan lowered the paper, which he'd resumed reading, and his eyes roamed over her, leaving her blushing.
“If you're late, Jacobo can drive you to the university,” he said laconically. Then, before she could protest, he beckoned Fernando. “Please see that the senorita is driven to the university every morning, Fernando. It is not suitable for her to be taking the public transport.”
“Excuse me?” Georgiana spluttered, seeing the Condessa's approving smile and remembering the old lady's disparaging comments regarding public transport.
“Yes?” Juan's brow rose once more.
“It's very kind of you to offer me a car, but actually I'd prefer to take the bus. You see—“
“See what?”
“Well, it's more—more fun. I can get more of the flavour of the city, see the way people live and—and all that,” she ended lamely, hoping she didn't sound ungrateful but determined not to be dominated.
“I'm sure that the past few days have given you an ample perspective of life among the populous, Georgiana. From now on you will go in the car. I have better things to do than worry about your well-being,” Juan replied peremptorily.
“Worry about my well-being?” she blurted out. “Might I point out that I'm nineteen years old, not a child, for goodness'sake. This is ridiculous.” She turned to the Condessa for support.
“Child, I must say that I have to agree with dear Juan. You never know the dangers that lurk on the streets. Particularly on buses.” The Condessa shuddered expressively, and raised a linen napkin to her lips.
“But that's absurd!” Georgiana cried. “There are no dangers,” she insisted, feeling the carpet being pulled from under her feet. “Surely it's not dangerous to take a bus in broad daylight? Everyone else does.”
“You,” Juan responded firmly, “are not everyone else. And in those clothes I dread to think what might happen to you.”
“What's wrong with my clothes?” Georgiana demanded, a dangerous glint in her eyes as she drew herself up, a hot, angry flush covering her cheeks.
“They are not proper attire for a young woman attending university.”
“Well, of all the—Look—“ Georgiana stepped forward, eyes flashing”—everything's been just fine up until now. Why are you determined to interfere?” She faced him head-on.
“I am not interfering,” Juan replied calmly. “But while you reside under my roof you will do as I say. We are in Spain , senorita , not London . We have certain unwritten rules that we adhere to in our society.”
“I've never heard of anything so ridiculous or archaic,” Georgiana burst out, despite her efforts to remain polite. “I shall go on the bus if I wish to. Goodbye.”
She spun around, picked up the books that were lying on a chair next to the door, and headed towards the hall.
In two quick strides Juan was out of the chair. Before she could take another step into the hall he had maneuvered so that she was pinned to the wall by his hands on either side of her.
“I would advise you not to do that, senorita ,” he said in a quiet, dangerous voice that left her in no doubt as to his meaning. “I'm a tolerant man, but I don't like spoiled behavior.”
Their eyes met in a duel of wills, hers translucent green, his a dark, piercing chestnut that sent stranger shivers coursing through her. His face was only inches away, and for a moment the thought of his lips on hers flashed through her mind. Then reality hit and her chest heaved with righteous anger.
“How dare you?” she muttered, aware that the Condessa and Fernando were interested spectators of the scene. “How dare you treat me as though I were a child?” Her chin jutted rebelliously.
“If I treated you as a child, my dear, you would already be cooling off in your room,” he remarked, eyes gleaming. “I repeat, while you are under my roof you will follow my rules.” He moved back and removed his hands, leaving her free to go.
“Oh, how dare you?” Georgiana spluttered, swallowing and trying to compose herself, and not show how shaken she was by his proximity. But his forceful presence, the masterful manner in which he'd ordered her to obey, left her seething.
Without another word, she flounced out of the hall and onto the vast landing. Then, not waiting for the lift, she ran down the stairs.
In the main hall she hesitated. She could see a Rolls Royce drawing up, and Pepe preparing to open the door. What should she do? Flout him? Take the bus and risk his anger? Or concede with as much dignity as possible?
For a moment she hesitated, then raising her small determined chin, she plastered on a smile and resolved to make the best of it. She would deal with Juan and his ridiculous autocratic notions when she got home. For now it was better to beat a safe retreat and not make a public spectacle of herself.
Juan watched from the window as she stepped, stiff-backed into the vehicle. A smile hovered about his lips. She was going to be a handful, this one. Oh, well, it was only for a few months, and he probably wouldn't see that much of her. But he'd meant what he said. His rules were his rules. And he would not allow them to be altered.
By her or anyone.
©2005 Fiona Hood-Stewart
