Free White Witch by Elizabeth Ashton

luxurious armchair—the lounge was furnished with very comfortable ones—lit a cigarette, after offering her one, which she refused, and surveyed her through the rising smoke.
    ‘You are very lovely, Laurel. If your sister was like you, I never saw her. I was doing my military service while she was here, I am not surprised that Pedro lost his head over her.’
    ‘Beauty can pall if other things aren’t right,’
    Laurel said drily, ‘and I think you’re a flatterer, Esteban. What time will your brother be back?’ She had a suspicion that Luis would not be pleased to find her t ê te- à -t ê te with Esteban, though she could see no harm in it.
    ‘In the small hours. He will be dining with the Ordonez, who live in Sevilla. Pedro was to have married Cristina Ordonez, but since he jilted her, Luis is considering marrying her himself.’
    ‘I should think the lady would fight shy of another Aguilas,’ Laurel observed, aware of a sudden chill.
    ‘ Querida , women do not fight shy of Luis, as you put it, they fall over themselves to win his favours.’
    Laurel did not recognise the endearment, and was too perturbed by what Esteban had told her to resent it if she had. But why should she mind? Luis had told her he was expected to marry, and no doubt this girl was entirely suitable to be his wife, if she had been selected for Pedro. She took a sip of her cognac and found it steadying.
    ‘What’s she like, this Senorita Ordonez?’ she asked with assumed casualness.
    ‘Dark, handsome—Luis would never contemplate marrying a plain woman. Very rich, of course, and inclined to be jealous as most Spanish women are.’ He laughed merrily. ‘I bet Luis will keep quiet about taking you and the brat up to Ronda tomorrow.’
    ‘She has no cause to object to that,’ Laurel said with dignity. ‘I’m not a competitor.’
    ‘No? Do not forget a girl with your complexion robbed her of her first suitor.’
    ‘For that reason, Luis avoids me.’
    ‘I have seen no evidence of that,’ Esteban laughed again. ‘Didn’t he follow you up into the town yesterday?’
    ‘He had an errand there.’
    ‘Did you believe that? You are being naive, Laurel—you know you are damned attractive.’ The drink was loosening his tongue. ‘If I were Cristina I would insist you return to England on the next plane.’
    ‘I don’t suppose she knows I exist...’
    ‘You underestimate the local grapevine. Everyone on the Costa del Sol will know of your arrival by now, and that you are a siren.’
    Laurel half rose. ‘I find this conversation distasteful...’
    Esteban pushed her back into her seat. ‘Please, do not desert me,’ he besought her plaintively. ‘We can find a more congenial one.’
    ‘Congenial what?’
    Both started violently as looking round, they saw Luis had come up to their table. He stood looming over them, and Laurel was overcome though she had no reason to feel guilty. Esteban smiled up at his brother sunnily.
    ‘ Que tal , Luis, I thought you were still in Sevilla. I was trying to console Laurel for your absence, and... ’ a malicious sparkle came into his eyes, ‘explaining your involvement with Cristina, about which you had neglected to inform her.’
    ‘Why should I? And I have no involvement with Senorita Ordonez ... yet,’ Luis returned coolly. ‘You are an impudent puppy, Esteban.’ His sombre gaze was fixed upon Laurel, who was busying herself with her coffee cup, and looking anywhere but at him. ‘Now suppose you take yourself back to Mama, who, I am sure, does not know you are here.’
    ‘ Nombre de Dios !’ The young man sprang to his feet, pouring forth a flood of vehement Spanish, which caused the other occupants of the lounge to stare at them curiously. Luis cut him short with a few curt words, and after bowing to Laurel with a muttered, ‘ Buenas noches ,’ Esteban strode out of the lounge.
    Luis sank down in his vacated chair, and beckoned to a waiter. He ordered a brandy and soda, then