Free Scandal at the Dower House by Sally James Page A

visited her aunt. What shall I do?’
     
Chapter 5
     
    Joanna, having suddenly grown large and ungainly, so that even wearing a loose cloak did not hide her condition, refused to go out of the house apart from taking some gentle exercise in the small garden attached to it. Catarina, thankful to be away from her constant complaints, spent as long as she could over the daily marketing. She explored Lisbon on foot, admiring the many new buildings. Since convention demanded she take a maid with her she was thankful that Luisa had lived in Lisbon all her life, and was proud of her city so that she knew all the best places to see. At the same time Catarina was improving her grasp of the language, which she had rarely spoken since her mother died.
    Sixty years earlier, on All Saints’ Day, just as people were going to church, the city had been destroyed by a large earthquake, followed by a huge wave which had capsized many boats, and a fire that raged for three days and destroyed most of what was left. Lisbon had then been one of the largest and most prosperous cities in Europe. Catarina had been old enough to remember her mother telling her how one of her uncles had been in Lisbon, one of the few survivors, and he had described how the house he was in had shaken, there had been a tremendous underground rumbling noise, and three terrific shocks, followed by the terrifying wall of water. Being on the outskirts, her uncle had been able to ride away.
    ‘There was great destruction all over Portugal, Spain and Morocco too, and the high waves reached the coast of England,’ Mama had said.
    One day early in November she had escaped for a couple of hours, and was standing outside the Basilica de Estrela, admiring the white dome, when she heard her name.
    ‘Surely it’s Catarina Brooke? Catarina, how astounding to see you here! Are you visiting your mother’s family?’
    Catarina turned, slowly. ‘Delphine. What are you doing here?’
    Of all the people she might have met, her old school friend Delphine was the worst. She had been a noted gossip in the seminary, seemed to spend all her time writing letters, and had never been able to keep any secret. She was fashionably dressed in an olive-green walking dress and slightly darker green pelisse, and a chip straw hat was perched on her bright golden curls. An elderly woman, presumably her maid, stood slightly behind her, carrying a couple of parcels.
    ‘Oh, my husband, Captain Pearce, is here, doing something about the roads. He is in the army, and there is so little organization here since the French occupation we are helping. But you must come to dine with us. We have a sweet little apartment near the castle. Are you staying with relatives? And don’t you have a sister? Is she with you?’
    Catarina thought rapidly. She dared not admit Joanna’s presence, or Delphine would insist on calling to see her, and that would be fatal.
    ‘I am staying with — with an elderly great aunt,’ she said slowly, praying that Luisa, who was standing just behind her, could not understand. ‘She has been very ill, and I am keeping her company. Jo — Joanna is with friends in London.’
    ‘Then I expect your aunt is not receiving — ‘
    ‘No, not at all, and she was rather reclusive before she became ill.’
    Really, Joanna would be proud of her powers of invention, she thought wryly. She must be sure not to give Delphine their direction, for despite the mythical invalid, she suspected Delphine would contrive to visit.
    ‘Can you come to dine tomorrow? We keep country hours here, unlike the Portuguese, so I will expect you at four. I heard about your husband’s death, and I wrote my condolences, but I want to hear all about what you have been doing since. You are not a very good correspondent, Catarina!’
    ‘Tomorrow?’
    ‘It must be tomorrow, we are going back to England two days later. Oh, how wonderful to have run into you!’
    What appalling timing, Catarina thought. Only three