him here. ’
‘ Yes, I did, ’ he admitted smoothly. ‘ And I owe you an apology. Your brother left early this morning to accompany one of my horses to the race-track near Mexico City. Unfortunately, the message I sent him in connection with yourself did not reach him before he left. But won ’ t you sit down again? You a r e a little pale, and— ’
‘ Thank you, I ’ m perfectly all right. ’ Her eyes sparkled angrily. ‘ You couldn ’ t have sent him a message—I don ’ t believe you even tried to get one to him! At least, I ’ m sure you did your best to see to it that he didn ’ t hear about me until after he had left this morning. You wanted him to take your horse to the races—you didn ’ t want anything to interfere with his work. You ’ re—you ’ re a monster! ’ She really did feel quite herself again, for the sheer concentrated fury which he aroused in her had had an astonishingly restorative effect, and she no longer felt even slightly dizzy. With fingers that hardly trembled at all she gathered up her handbag and her spotless white gloves, which had been placed on a chair, and moved towards the door.
‘ I ’ m very sorry to have put you to so much trouble, senor, but I shan ’ t put you to any more! I shall get in touch with my brother, and make my own arrangements with him. We can meet during his spare time—if he has any! And once he and I have had a really good talk I don ’ t think he ’ ll be with you very much longer! ’
She stretched out a hand to open the door, but the Mexican was there before her, and he placed his long fingers over the handle, preventing her from escaping .
‘ Where are you going, Miss Ashley? ’
She put back her head and looked up at him, and her eyes had the cold, brilliant blueness of northern seas on a clear winter ’ s day.
‘ I ’ m going back to my hotel, senor. So please let me out ... or do you intend to keep me here as a prisoner? I ’ ve heard that strange things happen in Mexico !’
Firmly retaining his grip on the door-handle, he frowned. ‘ Forgive me, senorita, but I think you are a little light-headed. The sun has indeed been too much for you! I shall not allow you to go back to your hotel in such a condition. ’
She stared at him in real alarm, and even backed away a little. ‘ Please ...’ Her expression indicated that she was beginning to think him dangerous. ‘ Let me go! ’
‘ Certainly—when you are recovered. I will drive you to your hotel myself. In the meantime, however, you will if you please come with me to another hotel, a little further away than the Vista de Oro, where we shall have lunch, and you will compose yourself. ’
‘ Thank you very much, ’ she said stiffly. ‘ But I would prefer to go back to the Vista de Oro. ’
‘ I know you would. ’ For the second time that morning, he smiled at her. ‘ And of course I cannot really prevent you. If you are prepared to walk. ’ He paused for a moment to allow this to sink in. ‘ But I shall not place a car at your disposal, and I ’ m afraid I shall not allow you to telephone for a taxi, either. ’
Caroline swallowed. ‘ Then I shall walk. ’
‘ The equivalent of five good English miles, senorita ? And in the heat of the day? ’ He shook his head at her. ‘ We have just seen how you react to the heat! ’
She felt as if the violence of her resentment were choking her.
‘ I could get a lift— ’ she began.
‘ In rural Mexico? ’ His eyes gleamed. ‘ You are a very pretty young woman, Miss Ashley. I would not advise it. ’
Despite all her efforts to prevent it, her lower lip began to tremble slightly. ‘ This is barbarous ... ’ She bit into the offending lip ferociously. ‘ I could complain to the police. ’
‘ But you will not do so. ’ Once again, he smiled irritatingly. ‘ After all, what I am doing is for your own good. ’ He opened the door at last, and stood back to let her leave the room ahead of him. ‘
‘ Yes, I did, ’ he admitted smoothly. ‘ And I owe you an apology. Your brother left early this morning to accompany one of my horses to the race-track near Mexico City. Unfortunately, the message I sent him in connection with yourself did not reach him before he left. But won ’ t you sit down again? You a r e a little pale, and— ’
‘ Thank you, I ’ m perfectly all right. ’ Her eyes sparkled angrily. ‘ You couldn ’ t have sent him a message—I don ’ t believe you even tried to get one to him! At least, I ’ m sure you did your best to see to it that he didn ’ t hear about me until after he had left this morning. You wanted him to take your horse to the races—you didn ’ t want anything to interfere with his work. You ’ re—you ’ re a monster! ’ She really did feel quite herself again, for the sheer concentrated fury which he aroused in her had had an astonishingly restorative effect, and she no longer felt even slightly dizzy. With fingers that hardly trembled at all she gathered up her handbag and her spotless white gloves, which had been placed on a chair, and moved towards the door.
‘ I ’ m very sorry to have put you to so much trouble, senor, but I shan ’ t put you to any more! I shall get in touch with my brother, and make my own arrangements with him. We can meet during his spare time—if he has any! And once he and I have had a really good talk I don ’ t think he ’ ll be with you very much longer! ’
She stretched out a hand to open the door, but the Mexican was there before her, and he placed his long fingers over the handle, preventing her from escaping .
‘ Where are you going, Miss Ashley? ’
She put back her head and looked up at him, and her eyes had the cold, brilliant blueness of northern seas on a clear winter ’ s day.
‘ I ’ m going back to my hotel, senor. So please let me out ... or do you intend to keep me here as a prisoner? I ’ ve heard that strange things happen in Mexico !’
Firmly retaining his grip on the door-handle, he frowned. ‘ Forgive me, senorita, but I think you are a little light-headed. The sun has indeed been too much for you! I shall not allow you to go back to your hotel in such a condition. ’
She stared at him in real alarm, and even backed away a little. ‘ Please ...’ Her expression indicated that she was beginning to think him dangerous. ‘ Let me go! ’
‘ Certainly—when you are recovered. I will drive you to your hotel myself. In the meantime, however, you will if you please come with me to another hotel, a little further away than the Vista de Oro, where we shall have lunch, and you will compose yourself. ’
‘ Thank you very much, ’ she said stiffly. ‘ But I would prefer to go back to the Vista de Oro. ’
‘ I know you would. ’ For the second time that morning, he smiled at her. ‘ And of course I cannot really prevent you. If you are prepared to walk. ’ He paused for a moment to allow this to sink in. ‘ But I shall not place a car at your disposal, and I ’ m afraid I shall not allow you to telephone for a taxi, either. ’
Caroline swallowed. ‘ Then I shall walk. ’
‘ The equivalent of five good English miles, senorita ? And in the heat of the day? ’ He shook his head at her. ‘ We have just seen how you react to the heat! ’
She felt as if the violence of her resentment were choking her.
‘ I could get a lift— ’ she began.
‘ In rural Mexico? ’ His eyes gleamed. ‘ You are a very pretty young woman, Miss Ashley. I would not advise it. ’
Despite all her efforts to prevent it, her lower lip began to tremble slightly. ‘ This is barbarous ... ’ She bit into the offending lip ferociously. ‘ I could complain to the police. ’
‘ But you will not do so. ’ Once again, he smiled irritatingly. ‘ After all, what I am doing is for your own good. ’ He opened the door at last, and stood back to let her leave the room ahead of him. ‘
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