Free The Mountains of Spring by Rosemary Pollock Page B

discovered that Diego had bought the ranch and that your brother was working for him, and—of course you were angry. ’ She smiled rather ruefully. ‘ I thought it was very wrong of my grandson to let you go to Toluca without telling you what had happened. I liked you—as I still do like you—and I did not want you to be upset. But ...’ She looked a little helpless. ‘ He thought it was the best way for you to find out. I am sorry. You will forgive me, yes?
    ‘ But it ’ s not your fault, senora. Not at all. I didn ’ t mean— ’
    ‘ Well, if you will forgive me, I hope you will try to forgive Diego too? I tell you, ’ with an engaging Spanish persuasiveness, ‘ he is trying to be kind! ’
    To her confusion, Caroline felt herself blushing. ‘ I—I don ’ t want to be ungrateful ... ’
    ‘ Then that is excellent! And now, we will find you a nice dress for the evening. My niece, who comes to see me every summer, leaves half her wardrobe here, and she is just your size. We will find you something charming. To-night, I think, you must be beautiful! ’
    And she beamed at Caroline as if she had just been presented with a brand new toy.

 
    CHAPTER IV
    By the time Diego Rivel returned, punctually at half past seven, to collect Caroline, she was looking and feeling transformed. At the time of her arrival in Mexico City that afternoon she had been feeling hot, dishevelled and exhausted, and she had not been looking forward in the very least to the prospect of dining that evening in the company of her brother ’ s employer and his elegant Mexican lady friends. She couldn ’ t begin to understand, for one thing, why she or Peter should have to have dinner with them. Surely the autocratic Senor Rivel was not in the habit of inviting ranch-hands and their relatives to share entertainments planned for the benefit of his fiancée ?
    But, now that she had had time to think things over properly, she realized that Peter ’ s status could not be nearly as humble as his employer, for reasons best known to himself, had allowed her to believe it was. He had been trusted with the handling of a transaction which was, apparently, very important—the sale of a valuable race-horse—and it was beginning to look as if, on the whole, despite his position, Diego had no hesitation in treating him as a social equal.
    So as she stepped into the lighted courtyard to meet her escort she was feeling decidedly happier—and, although she didn ’ t realize it, she was also looking quite shatteringly attractive. The Senora ’ s niece, it seemed, possessed an extensive wardrobe, and her taste was excellent. Caroline had been very reluctant, at first, to accept the loan of one of her dresses, but the Senora had insisted that nothing would please Catarina more than to be of use on such an occasion, and the English girl had to admit that she could hardly go out to dinner in Mexico City dressed exactly as she was, in a travel-stained linen suit. She and the old lady went into the matter together, and after due deliberation their choice finally fell on a delectable short white evening dress, with a high waistline and a skirt composed of several layers of floating chiffon. With it she wore a pair of Catarina ’ s fragile silver sandals, and by the time she was finally ready she looked almost ridiculously young and slight and ethereal. The Senora ’ s eyes positively sparkled.
    ‘ My dear, you are hermosisima !’ she exclaimed. ‘ It is perfect. I thought at first it was a pity that Catarina had left no jewellery here, and that my own was too old and heavy for you, but now I see that it could not be better. No adornment at all ... One should not try to paint the lily, as you say in England. ’
    Caro li ne blushed. ‘ You don ’ t think the dress might be too formal? ’ she asked shyly. ‘ We might not be going to the right sort of place for it. ’
    ‘ You will be ... with Diego. ’ The old lady looked at her rather anxiously for a