spend it in a wheelchair. It would be no easy task. Teresa did not like her, and would fight her every inch of the way, using her own particular influence with the Duque to place her in the wrong if she could. And there was Nurse Madison, who would not help her at all, and who would, if she could, cause even more antipathy between her patient and her patient's new and ] annoying companion.
Emerging from the bathroom, Juliet dressed in a slim-fitting tunic of lemon cotton, smoothed her hair, and applied a coral lipstick to her lips.
Had she merely exchanged one disturbing situation for another? She frowned at her reflection in the mirror of her dressing table. Why was it then that whereas one ] situation had left her unhappy and dejected, the other aroused a sense of challenge, of purpose, inside her, so that she could not quell the rising feeling of excitement it engendered?
Calm down, she told herself, with emphasis. Work at it, but don't get involved! That would be fatal!
CHAPTER FOUR
I T seemed apparent that as Teresa's companion Juliet was expected to eat with the family. There were four for lunch, the Duque, Estelle Vinceiro, Teresa and herself. Estelle domineered the conversation, discussing friends they both had on the island, the price of sugar when the current crop was harvested, and the finds of a skin-diving expedition the Duque had joined.
The skin-diving expedition interested Juliet most. On holiday with her father she had made tentative dives with an instructor, but the stereotyped diving areas used by the instructors were not Juliet's idea of exciting. She was interested when the Duque mentioned the possibilities of there being a submerged wreck lying off the reef on the other side of the island. After all, the Caribbean thrived on tales of Spanish galleons, doubloons, and pieces of eight. When the Duque encountered her enquiring gaze, he said:
'You find treasure hunting exciting, senhorita?'
Juliet could not restrain her enthusiasm. 'Oh, yes, senhor. Doesn't everybody?' She replaced her wine glass on the gleaming damask of the tablecloth. 'Do you do much skin-diving?'
Estelle intervened, giving Juliet a rather thoughtful glance. 'The Duque does not have much time for trivial pursuits,' she remarked.
The Duque shrugged his broad shoulders, pouring more wine into his own glass. 'What Senhora Vinceiro means is that she does not consider the search for the actual proof of history interesting,' he remarked surprisingly, and Juliet saw the annoyance in Estelle Vinceiro's eyes.
'You know perfectly well that skin-diving is a dangerous pastime,' she exclaimed. 'Your position here should invoke some sense of responsibility inside you!'
'I am absolutely aware of my responsibilities, Estelle,' returned the Duque smoothly, 'and skin-diving is only dangerous to the amateur!'
Juliet deemed it best to say no more, not wanting at all to cause any resentment from Estelle Vinceiro. She was her only ally to date. However, the Duque himself changed the subject and she was relieved.
When lunch was over, Teresa was taken away by Nurse Madison for her rest, and Juliet, feeling de trop, excused herself. But she could not help wondering what the Duque and Senhora Vinceiro intended to do, and couldn't understand the vague feeling of unrest she felt.
As it happened, Juliet saw no more of Teresa that day. At dinner, which she ate alone, the Duque dining out again, she was told that the young Senhorita had developed a headache and was dining in her room. Juliet doubted the authenticity of this information, but there was nothing she could do about it short of calling Teresa a liar.
After dinner, despite the desire to go down to the beach, she returned to her room and tried to concentrate on the paperback novel she had brought with her. But its characters were cardboard people without warmth, or depth, and the life she was leading here, and the characters of the people she had encountered, were so much more interesting
Emerging from the bathroom, Juliet dressed in a slim-fitting tunic of lemon cotton, smoothed her hair, and applied a coral lipstick to her lips.
Had she merely exchanged one disturbing situation for another? She frowned at her reflection in the mirror of her dressing table. Why was it then that whereas one ] situation had left her unhappy and dejected, the other aroused a sense of challenge, of purpose, inside her, so that she could not quell the rising feeling of excitement it engendered?
Calm down, she told herself, with emphasis. Work at it, but don't get involved! That would be fatal!
CHAPTER FOUR
I T seemed apparent that as Teresa's companion Juliet was expected to eat with the family. There were four for lunch, the Duque, Estelle Vinceiro, Teresa and herself. Estelle domineered the conversation, discussing friends they both had on the island, the price of sugar when the current crop was harvested, and the finds of a skin-diving expedition the Duque had joined.
The skin-diving expedition interested Juliet most. On holiday with her father she had made tentative dives with an instructor, but the stereotyped diving areas used by the instructors were not Juliet's idea of exciting. She was interested when the Duque mentioned the possibilities of there being a submerged wreck lying off the reef on the other side of the island. After all, the Caribbean thrived on tales of Spanish galleons, doubloons, and pieces of eight. When the Duque encountered her enquiring gaze, he said:
'You find treasure hunting exciting, senhorita?'
Juliet could not restrain her enthusiasm. 'Oh, yes, senhor. Doesn't everybody?' She replaced her wine glass on the gleaming damask of the tablecloth. 'Do you do much skin-diving?'
Estelle intervened, giving Juliet a rather thoughtful glance. 'The Duque does not have much time for trivial pursuits,' she remarked.
The Duque shrugged his broad shoulders, pouring more wine into his own glass. 'What Senhora Vinceiro means is that she does not consider the search for the actual proof of history interesting,' he remarked surprisingly, and Juliet saw the annoyance in Estelle Vinceiro's eyes.
'You know perfectly well that skin-diving is a dangerous pastime,' she exclaimed. 'Your position here should invoke some sense of responsibility inside you!'
'I am absolutely aware of my responsibilities, Estelle,' returned the Duque smoothly, 'and skin-diving is only dangerous to the amateur!'
Juliet deemed it best to say no more, not wanting at all to cause any resentment from Estelle Vinceiro. She was her only ally to date. However, the Duque himself changed the subject and she was relieved.
When lunch was over, Teresa was taken away by Nurse Madison for her rest, and Juliet, feeling de trop, excused herself. But she could not help wondering what the Duque and Senhora Vinceiro intended to do, and couldn't understand the vague feeling of unrest she felt.
As it happened, Juliet saw no more of Teresa that day. At dinner, which she ate alone, the Duque dining out again, she was told that the young Senhorita had developed a headache and was dining in her room. Juliet doubted the authenticity of this information, but there was nothing she could do about it short of calling Teresa a liar.
After dinner, despite the desire to go down to the beach, she returned to her room and tried to concentrate on the paperback novel she had brought with her. But its characters were cardboard people without warmth, or depth, and the life she was leading here, and the characters of the people she had encountered, were so much more interesting
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