vast sofas flanking an even vaster fireplace came lithely to his feet on her entry, dropping the sheaf of papers he had been studying on to a side-table.
Rafael was an inch or two taller than either of his brothers at around six feet, shoulders broad and powerful, hips lean. He was clad in plain black shirt and trousers, the former open at the throat to reveal a glint of gold from the small medallion nestled there. Facially, he possessed the same devastating bone-structure, the same sensuous line of mouth, yet the jaunty quality shared by both Francisco and Gabriel was missing, replaced by what Lauren could only describe to herself as arrogance. She felt an instant and purely instinctive antipathy.
‘I trust you had a comfortable journey?’ he said.
‘Very, thank you,’ she replied formally. ‘It was good of you to make all the arrangements.’
One dark eyebrow lifted. ‘I’d scarcely have left you to make your own.’
‘Oh, I’m quite capable,’ she declared. ‘English women are used to doing things for themselves.’
‘Doubtless.’ His tone was dry. ‘This, however, is not England.’ Eyes as black as coal appraised her, moving with deliberation from her face to take in every detail of her slim though shapely figure in the beige trouser suit. ‘Francisco showed remarkably good taste,’ he observed. ‘You’re not at all what I anticipated.’
‘And what was that?’ Lauren asked.
He shrugged dismissively. ‘It’s of no importance now. I take it that you left the children with Gabriel?’
‘They were thirsty,’ she said. ‘It’s been a long journey for them.’
The dark head inclined. ‘Of course. In the meantime, we have a great deal to discuss.’ He indicated the sofa from which he had risen. ‘Please make yourself comfortable. You would like something to drink yourself, perhaps?’
Lauren shook her head, moving forward to perch self-consciously on the very edge of the sofa and as far away as possible from the man still standing. ‘Not at the moment, thanks.’
‘To eat, then?’
‘I’m not hungry.’
‘We eat our main meal of the day very late by your standards,’ Rafael advised. ‘I’ll have something light brought to you between times. The children, of course, will take their meal at a time suited to their retirement.’ He paused, making no attempt to take a seat himself. ‘You said in your letter that Francisco left provision enough for the three of you. That was less than the truth, I believe?’
Lauren bit her lip. ‘You’ve been making enquiries about us?’
‘There was a need,’ he agreed imperturbably. ‘How else was I to know that your claim was genuine?’
‘I’m not here to make any claim!’ she denied. ‘We have a home of our own, and an income adequate to our needs.’
‘A home mortgaged up to the limit and an income scarcely adequate to cover the repayments, much less anything else,’ came the unmoved response. ‘Francisco left Spain with capital sufficient to provide security for the rest of his life if wisely invested, but there is, I gather, little of it left. From where, may I ask, will come money for education, to name but one future requirement?’
‘Education,’ Lauren answered tautly, ‘is free in England.’
‘Not the kind I’m speaking of. Unless, of course, you wish less than the best for your sons?’
‘Of course I don’t. No mother would!’
‘In which case, you have little choice but to accept assistance from the only family you have.’
Lauren was silent for a long moment. ‘You really have been doing some research, haven’t you?’ she said at length.
‘I know that you were brought up in a children’s home from the age of twelve after your parents were killed,’ he agreed. ‘I also know how hard you worked to make something of your life after leaving the home at eighteen. But for meeting my brother, you might well have succeeded. Judging from the date of your marriage, and that of the birth, conception took place some two months prior to the event. You were fortunate not to be left holding the baby, as it were.’
‘Oh, very.’ Lauren made no attempt to iron the bitterness from her voice. ‘Is there anything you don’t know?’
‘I’m aware that there were other women during the course of your marriage,’ he said. ‘I would have anticipated no less from my brother. No doubt he never told you the true reason why he left Spain?’
Green eyes met black, holding the penetrating gaze with an effort. ‘All I know is that there was some kind of disagreement between the two of you.’
The strong mouth twisted. ‘That is one way of putting it.’ The pause was weighted. ‘Did you love him?’
Lauren looked down at the hands locked in her lap. ‘I thought I did.’
‘But not ultimately?’
She swallowed on the hard lump in her throat. ‘I don’t suppose so.’
‘He killed whatever it was that you did feel for him, yes?’
‘Yes.’ The word was dragged from her. She rallied her emotions to add, ‘I don’t really see where this is getting us. The failure was as much my fault as his.’
‘I doubt that. Francisco was incapable of staying faithful to any one woman. You were not the first to be impregnated by him. Six years ago he took the seventeen-year-old daughter of one of our oldest family friends.’
Lauren felt numb. ‘What happened to her?’
‘She underwent a back-street abortion arranged by Francisco, and bled to death.’
The lack of emotionalism in the deep-timbred voice in no way lessened the horror of the telling. Lauren gazed at him with darkened eyes, unable to think of a single thing to say.
‘I had no idea,’ she managed at last.
‘Hardly a story he was going to impart to you himself. He suggested no such course to you?’
‘No.’
‘Then his feelings for you must have gone somewhat deeper than was usual with him. Initially, at least.’ Rafael studied her with an unreadable expression. ‘I’m sorry to be the one to tell you all this, but it was necessary for you to know the truth.’
‘It gives you even less reason to consider yourself in any way responsible for my and the twins’ welfare,’ Lauren murmured thickly.
‘The sins of the fathers cannot be visited upon the sons—nor those of the husband upon the wife. Who else is there to be responsible for your welfare?’ He held up a staying hand as she opened her mouth to speak. ‘There is nothing more to be said on the subject.’
Lauren spread her hands in a helpless little gesture, her resentment at his summary dismissal tempered by the knowledge that he was right about future security.
