Free Sweet Revenge by Anne Mather Page A

supplement amongst the regular copies of The Times, and her face suffused with colour.
    As though sensing her embarrassment, the old Condessa came over to her smiling warmly.
    'Ah, Janet, my dear child! We were beginning to wonder where you were.'
    Toni lifted her shoulders, her silvery hair swinging silkily. 'I apologise, Condessa. I'm afraid I took longer than I expected. I hope I haven't kept you waiting.'
    'Only a moment,' replied the Condessa smoothly. 'Come, let me introduce you.'
    Toni glanced Paul's way, and he nodded approvingly. Her eyes flickered over the immaculately clad figure of the Conde, pausing only momentarily to register that he was not alone. A small, delicately made woman stood beside him, her fingers lingering caressingly on the expensive material of his dinner jacket. She was looking up at him, completely oblivious of the other members of the company, and he was inclining his head towards her to listen to what she was saying. His eyes met Toni's, and she immediately looked away. He would not see that she was at all affected by his antagonism.
    The Condessa was introducing her to a Senhor Vicarra. He was an elderly man, more fitted to be a friend of the Condessa's than her son, but there was a younger couple who were introduced as Senhor and Senhora Primeiro. Senhora Primeiro seemed very friendly and after a servant had provided Toni with a drink Isobel Primeiro said:
    'And how are you enjoying your stay in Portugal, senhorita?'
    Toni gathered her thoughts and smiled. 'Oh, very much, thank you, senhora. It's a very beautiful country. Do you live near here, too?'
    'Yes, at Cossima. a few miles north of here. You must get Paul to bring you on a visit to our estate some time. We grow flowers, and it can be most interesting.'
    'Thank you,' said Toni politely, sipping her martini. 'But I don't think Paul and I will be staying much longer.'
    'What!' Paul joined them. 'Honey, of course we're staying for a while. We can't just hurry away almost as soon as we arrive.'
    Toni compressed her lips, quelling the retort she wanted to make. 'You're forgetting my job, darling,' she said warningly, her voice cold.
    The old Condessa smiled roguishly. 'But your job is only important so long as you and Paul are unmarried,' she said. 'And I'm sure Paul is thinking of changing that status in the not so very distant future, eh, Paul?'
    Paul smiled too in a smug way that infuriated Toni. 'Naturally, Grandmother, I can hardly wait to make Janet my wife.' He caught her arm possessively. 'She's a beautiful girl, as I'm sure you've noticed.'
    Toni longed to wrench her arm out of his grasp. She had never felt so angry or so impotent. He must know he was embarrassing her, and there was an underlying note of truth in his voice that did not go unnoticed.
    Another man joined the group accompanied by a small dark woman dressed elegantly in a black silk sheath that moulded her small beautifully proportioned body. Toni was never so glad to see the Conde, although she was well aware of his motives for intervening.
    The old Condessa looked dismayed. 'My dear Laura,' she exclaimed, 'how rude you must think me! Of course, you have not yet met our other young guest, Janet. Janet, my dear, this is Senhora Passamentes, a great friend of ours.'
    Toni was relieved to release herself from Paul's grasp and go forward to take the other woman's languidly proffered hand. As she did so she looked fully at Laura Passamentes for the first time and felt a faint twinge of recognition. She frowned, as she became aware that Laura was looking at Jier strangely too, and then the moment was over and she forgot about it.
    'How do you do?' said Laura politely.
    Toni determined to make an effort to be friendly. 'I'm fine, thank you. The boy with Francesca - is he your son, senhora?'
    Laura's eyes flickered. 'Yes, that is Estevan, senhorita .' Then she looked up at Raoul della Maria Estrada, as though bored by the encounter.
    Toni became aware of the interested