Free The Golden Madonna by Rebecca Stratton Page B

know all that there is to know about it, perhaps?'
    'No! No, of course I don't,' Sally denied. Her own voice was betrayingly unsteady, but she refused to back down now, although she kept her eyes downcast while she spoke and the fingers of her right hand played restlessly with the stem of her wine glass. 'I simply meant that—that I can't learn anything at all when all I get is—is unrelieved criticism.'
    'I see.' He took a sip from his wine glass and the black eyes studied her for a moment over its rim before he spoke again. 'It is strange that no one else seems deterred by my criticism. Can it be that you are perhaps ultra-sensitive, Miss Beckett? That you do not learn so well because you do not have enough attention? If that is so, there is a solution that I can offer.' The black head bowed mockingly. 'If you are agreeable, of course.'
    Sally's head was spinning wildly and she was held by that steady black gaze as if she was hypnotised. 'I^-I'm agreeable to anything that you think would help,' she told him cautiously, and he smiled.
    It was a smile that did little to reassure her, and again he reminded her of a big, dangerous cat as he had done when she first met him. 'Good,' he approved softly. 'Then I will arrange to give you private tuition in the evenings.'
    Sally stared at him in disbelief, and even Michael, she sensed, was at least startled, if not disapproving. She would have refused, but his gaze dared her to do so. 'But——' She swallowed hard, one hand to her throat in an oddly defensive gesture, her eyes wide and uncertain. 'I don't think that will be necessary, Don Miguel,' she said huskily. 'I can take lessons with the rest.'
    But he was not so easily denied, as she should have known. 'I am your tutor,' he reminded her quietly but firmly, 'and I think it will prove to be the answer to your lack of progress so far. It is evident that you do not learn well in a crowd, perhaps you are distracted by the presence of others around you.' He glanced briefly but meaningly at Michael. 'And consequently you are more than usually sensitive to being criticised. So' he spread his large, capable looking hands, 'private tuition is obviously the answer.'
    'No, please, I don't' An imperious hand waved her objections aside.
    'I am here to instruct you, senorita,' he informed her. 'I shall do so to the best of my ability.' He put a hand to his chin and thought for a moment. 'We will start tomorrow night, I think.'
    'Please!' Sally begged, but he ignored her.
    'You have missed several sessions lately,' he said. 'You have much to catch up.' She looked startled, but of course he would have missed her, if no one else did. 'You think I would not notice your absence?' he asked, catching her expression. 'You do yourself an injustice, senorita.'
    'I'm sorry.' It was an added humiliation, having to apologise to. him in front of everybody, but she had to try and change his mind about those private lessons. The thought of being alone with him for heaven knew how long at a time both panicked and excited her, and the latter must on no account be allowed to get the upper hand. 'I promise not to miss any more classes,' she told him. 'I promise, Don Miguel. It won't be necessary to give me extra tuition.'
    He was shaking his head, adamant as she should have expected, a firm, relentless look about his mouth. 'I am decided,' he told her. 'We will start tomorrow, as I said, and in the meantime, while I am instructing the others this afternoon, you may come along and follow as best you can.'
    Sally was beyond words, seething with anger and humiliation, and unable to express it without saying something she would regret later. She also felt inexplicably tearful and bit on her lip as a gentle hand reached over and covered her own. She turned wide, troubled eyes to look at Dona Alicia.
    'It is well meant, mi cara,' the older woman told her kindly. 'Please believe me.'
    Sally nodded, drawing comfort from the gentle plea, and prevented from acting