creeping like an illness through her body.
‘I would suggest that you look more closely at yourself, Elena,’ he said softly, his voice all the more dangerous because of its quietness. ‘I thought my offer was very reasonable.’
Elena shook her head angrily. ‘You really think that agreeing to marry a man I do not even like is a practical solution?’ What planet did he live on?
‘It is if you want to help your parents.’ His hard eyes didn’t leave her face. ‘On the other hand why am I not surprised? You’ve done very little to help them so far.’
If the expanse of the table had not been between them Elena would have hit him. This was the third time he had insinuated that she didn’t care about them. Her eyes blazed like molten gold. ‘You know nothing, Vidal.’ And her whole body grew rigid with anger. ‘But I’ll tell you this—somehow I’ll find another way of getting them out of this mess, and it won’t be with your help. I can think of nothing worse than tying myself to a man like you.’
With that she spun on her heel and marched out of the room.
He did not try to stop her.
As she walked away, Elena heard the telephone ring and Vidal’s deep voice answering. The next second he called her name.
‘Elena!’ And then more urgently, ‘Elena! It is for you. It is your father.’
Elena felt her heart slam against her ribcage as she took the phone. There had to be something seriously amiss for him to be ringing her here. ‘Papá, what is wrong?’
‘It is your mother,’ he said. ‘She is not well. I did not want to disturb you at this crucial time, but—’
‘But what, Papá? What has happened to her?’
‘She is in hospital, mi querida. She collapsed shortly after you left. I am sorry to have to tell you this now, but I am very worried about her and I thought that you—’
‘You did right,’ she breathed, feeling her heart panic. ‘Are you with her?’
‘Sí.’
‘Then I will be there as soon as I can. Did they say what is the matter?’
‘Not yet. They are doing tests.’
Vidal had been listening to her conversation and as soon as she handed the phone back to him he insisted on taking her to the hospital himself.
‘I have my own car,’ she protested.
‘Maybe, but you are in no fit condition.’
Elena gave in reluctantly and sat quietly all the way to the hospital in the back of his chauffeur-driven limousine. Vidal held her hands tightly, trying to stem the trembling that would not stop. His hands were warm, but hers were icily cold. In fact, she felt cold all over.
‘My mother’s never ill,’ she said as they pulled to a halt and she jumped out.
‘I’m sure she’ll be all right.’ Vidal laced his arm protectively about her shoulders as she hurried along the hospital corridor and Elena did not even think about shrugging him away. She needed human contact; she needed every shred of comfort.
They met her father pacing one of the side rooms, unable to sit and wait for the news. There were tears in his eyes as he hugged Elena. ‘I’m sorry I fetched you out of your meeting.’
‘I’d have been cross if you hadn’t,’ she scolded with a faint smile. ‘Have you heard anything yet? What happened? She was all right earlier.’
Her father nodded. ‘I know, she was cooking dinner when she collapsed. I don’t know what’s wrong with her. How long are they going to be?’ He glanced at his watch for what Elena guessed was the hundredth time in the last half an hour. ‘No one tells you anything in this place.’
‘I’ll go and find out,’ said Vidal firmly.
Elena was glad he was taking charge. Her father, usually a strong, capable man, looked broken. And so sad that she wanted to hold him in her arms and comfort him. But she knew that if she did they would both break down in tears and it wasn’t what was wanted. They needed to be strong.
Before Vidal even made a move a doctor came to see them. ‘Your wife’s comfortable,’ he said quietly to her father, ‘but unfortunately we have discovered a heart murmur, which we believe has been made worse by stress. She told me that she has been under some considerable strain recently, but mentioned that she hopes it is about to be resolved. If so there will hopefully be no recurrence. But you do need to look after her, Señor Valero. No more worries, you understand?’
‘Thank you,’ he answered with a confirming nod. ‘I will take care of her.’
When the doctor left the room, Elena hugged her father, tears spilling from her eyes. ‘I had no idea Mamá had anything wrong with her. We must stop her from worrying so much.’
Her father looked from Elena to Vidal and back again. ‘You are the one with that power, my child. Is it good news?’
Chapter Three
VIDAL watched Elena’s face as she struggled to answer her father’s question. There had been times during their last two meetings when he had felt that he was in danger of bursting a blood vessel. Not only was she gorgeous to look at, but feisty too, and he loved that in a woman. Every hormone in his body jerked into life whenever they met and he wanted her with a desperation that was not good for his health.
Reina had been so different. Good-looking, yes, but he’d never felt for her what he was now feeling for Elena. He and Reina had not even slept together, although no one would ever have believed it. They had kept up the illusion of being very much in love.
‘Papá, of course it is good news. I was on the verge of telling Vidal that I would marry him when you telephoned.’ Elena turned, daring him to dispute it, fierce anger flaring in her eyes.
Vidal immediately smiled and pulled her to him, relieved that her father couldn’t see her expression. Golden daggers of light shot across the space between them, blinding him, telling him that although she had agreed to the union in principle she had no intention of sharing his bed.
How naïve she was. Did she really believe that he would settle for anything less? She didn’t know him very well if that was the case. It would be interesting persuading her to think differently. Even the thought of it sent a hot surge of desire through his loins. ‘You have done the right thing,’ he whispered in her ear. ‘I knew all along that you’d see sense.’
Her eyes flashed more arrows of fury, but when she turned back to her father they had gone.
‘Mi querida,’ he said, enfolding her in his arms, ‘you have made me so happy. Your mother, too, will be relieved. It will help her pull through this. She has been out of her mind with worry.’
‘No more,’ she told him quietly.
‘You are a good daughter.’
Elena nodded, though Vidal was well aware of
