Free Sweet Revenge by Anne Mather Page B

speculation of the rest of the group, and decided she was not going to get anywhere with this kind of conversation. She glanced at the Conde almost compulsively, seeing the half-mocking lift to his mouth, and felt furiously angry. Obviously, he had taken pains to inform Laura Passa- mentes of his own feelings towards his nephew's fiancee. As other members of the party began to speak again, Paul joined her.
    'Heavy going, isn't it?' he remarked laughingly. 'I shouldn't attempt to catechize the Senhora. She and the Conde are like that.' He twisted his two forefingers together. 'I guess she doesn't like me either.'
    Toni shrugged her slim shoulders and gave him a cold glance. 'You yourself don't exactly pull your punches, do you? How dare you make such blatant comments about our marriage!'
    'Ssh!' Paul glanced round apprehensively. 'You know perfectly well that I have to behave like that.'
    Toni looked sceptical. 'I'm beginning to think you really intend getting me into a situation where there is no retreat.'
    'Aw, come on, Ton - Janet!' He flushed annoyedly. 'Look, let's keep these kind of arguments for when we're alone!'
    Toni finished her drink and accepted another. She felt a kind of awful fatalism overtake her, and determinedly swallowed the martini in one gulp, ridding herself temporarily of her feelings of guilt and unease.
    'Steady on,' exclaimed Paul, in a low angry tone, as his uncle paused beside them. The Conde studied Toni deliberately for a moment.
    'So, senhorita,' he murmured lazily, 'you do not drink.'
    Toni stared at him, then said: 'Give me a cigarette, Paul.'
    Paul brought out his cigarettes with angry, jerky movements, but Toni didn't particularly care if she was annoying him. Then to her relief a manservant appeared to inform them that dinner was now ready.
    The long table was fully occupied this evening, and Toni found herself between Paul and Estevan Passamentes. The boy seemed more friendly than his mother, and Toni found herself talking to him quite naturally. His English was very good, and she ignored Francesca, who was glowering at her from Estevan's other side. Paul seemed sullen and withdrawn, and she could only assume she had succeeded in arousing his real anger this time.
    When the meal was over, they adjourned to the lounge again, and Laura Passamentes was prevailed upon to entertain them. Toni, sitting on a low couch beside Isabel Primeiro, wondered how Laura was going to do this. Estevan was despatched from the room, and returned a moment later carrying a guitar case from which Laura took a beautifully polished instrument. It seemed obvious that her assumed reluctance to agree to the Conde's suggestion had merely been a kind of pretence.
    However, when she started to sing, Toni's objections died away, as Laura's pure clear voice sang some of the folk music of her country. The music was gay and colourful, and her audience responded warmly when she finished her song. Isabel looked at Toni rather thoughtfully:
    'What do you think of our culture, Senhorita West? Do you like this kind of emotional expression?'
    Toni smiled. 'Oh, yes, very much. I think the folk music of a country epitomizes all this is basic and fundamental in its people.'
    'Yes, I would agree,' said Georges Primeiro. 'Our t people are like this, basically gay and colourful, but with an underlying note of sadness in their lives. There is so much here that needs improving upon.'
    'Ah, you're a radical!' exclaimed Toni, laughing. 'I had thought it would be impossible to find that kind of attitude amongst the - how shall I put it - aristocracy of this country.'
    'Oh, but why?' exclaimed Isabel. 'We are not blind to the misery we can find in our streets. But such reforms are enormously difficult to achieve.'
    'Yes,' Toni nodded. 'Nevertheless, here there are such tremendous extremes - the very rich, and the very poor.'
    'And who can say who is the happier?' remarked the Conde, joining them, standing lazily beside Toni's seat, a drink