The Stand-In Bride

Granada, seeking out the places you knew with him.’

Suddenly she was aware of danger. It had been there all the time, but he’d managed to make her ignore it until almost too late. She stepped back from him. ‘You are wasting your time, Don Sebastian. I don’t discuss my husband with Catalina, and I won’t discuss him with you.’

‘And yet you came to Andalucia to find him-or to be finally rid of him. I wonder which.’

‘You can go on wondering. It is none of your business.’

‘That was what you meant by ghosts, wasn’t it?’

‘Please drop this subject.’

‘How angry you become when he is mentioned!’

‘Neither is my anger any of your business!’

‘Then let me give you a word of advice. If you wish to keep your secrets, hide your anger. It reveals too much about you.’

The last of the spell vanished. How dare he think he could bemuse her with his pretty nonsense about gardens and truth!

‘You know nothing about me,’ she said firmly, ‘except that I can be useful to you. That’s all you need to know, and all you will ever know. My “secrets” don’t concern you, my private life doesn’t concern you, and if you ever mention this again I will walk out.’

She was dismayed to find herself trembling. To hide it from him she began to turn away, but he detained her with a hand on her arm.

‘I’m sorry. I hadn’t realised it was as painful as that.’

She took a deep breath. ‘Goodnight, Don Sebastian.’

‘Don’t go yet.’

‘I said goodnight.’

His fingers tightened on her arm. But he found himself holding nothing. Maggie had slipped away, leaving him holding the empty jacket.

The time before the wedding was short, and Catalina’s first priority was a visit to Senora Diego, a dressmaker in Granada, where she would find a selection of bridal gowns to choose from. The car was ready to take them early next day, and on the journey Maggie noted wryly that the girl’s mood had changed again. The gloom of the previous evening had vanished, replaced by excitement at the thought of an expensive shopping trip.

Catalina tried on dress after dress, until at last the three of them agreed on a garment of lace that enhanced her delicate attractions. It was a little too large, but the alterations could be made at once. Catalina flopped down, worn out by her exertions, and prepared to gorge herself on sticky cakes until she was needed for a fitting.

‘Would you mind if I left you for a moment?’ Maggie asked. ‘I’ll be back in an hour.’

Catalina, her mouth full, waved her off, and Maggie slipped away. She’d been taken aback to find that the gown shop was only a few streets from the place where Roderigo’s business had been located. Now it seemed an excellent chance to lay a ghost. Just two more streets, then one…

At the last moment she almost changed her mind, but something drove her on to turn the corner, and there it was, the building she had once viewed with such dread, wondering what lies it was sheltering, what bills it was generating for her to pay.

It was different now, neater, more prosperous looking. Whoever had taken it over had made a success. The name over the door was Jose Ruiz, which struck a chord.

Suddenly the door opened and an extremely handsome young man stepped out. As his eyes fell on her an expression of pure delight spread over his face.

‘Maggie!’ he cried, advancing on her with outstretched hands. He stopped before her. ‘Don’t you remember me?’

Then she recognised him as the young cousin who had been constantly in and out of her home with Roderigo. ‘Jose!’ she said, pleased. ‘For a moment I didn’t recognise you.’

‘I was a boy then, now I am a man,’ he said proudly.

The years from nineteen to twenty-three had been kind to Jose. He had filled out. His shoulders were broader, the set of his head more mature, but there was still laughter in his eyes.

‘I’m so glad to see you again,’ he told her. ‘I’ve always remembered how kind you were to me.’

Somebody jostled them on the pavement and he took her arm. ‘There’s a little place in the next street where we can have coffee.’

When they were seated he said, ‘I thought you would never come back here.’

‘I never meant to. It’s only chance that brought me.’

She explained about her employment and Jose’s eyes widened. ‘I have heard of Don Sebastian, of course. Who in these parts has not? He is a great man.’

‘Hm! That’s as may be. I could find other words. I don’t think you’d like him any more than I do.’

‘Like?’ Jose seemed mildly shocked. ‘But Maggie, he is a man of authority, of respect, of power. His land-holdings are vast, he has orange and lemon groves, vineyards. One does not dare to like or dislike such a man. One merely prays not to come under his disapproval.’

‘I’ve no patience with that kind of talk. He’s a man like any other. As a matter of fact I have come under his disapproval, but that’s fine, because he’s come under mine.’

Jose eyed her in fascination. ‘Have you told him so?’

‘Certainly.’

‘How brave you must be!’

‘Tell me about yourself. What are you doing in that place?’

‘I took over the remainder of Roderigo’s lease, and started my own little business. I export fruit from this region, and I import small luxury goods from all over the world.’

‘So did Roderigo, I recall, when he bothered to do anything.’

Jose looked uncomfortable. ‘We do not speak of him,’ he said. ‘Luckily my last name is Ruiz, not Alva, so I renamed the business, and I don’t run it the way he did.’

‘You’re wise. I too no longer bear his name.’ She looked at her watch. ‘I must be getting back. Catalina will be wondering where I am.’

‘She is Don Sebastian’s betrothed?’

‘Yes. I left her trying on wedding dresses.’

The light of commerce came into Jose’s eyes. ‘Let me escort you, Maggie.’

She smiled. ‘These luxury goods you import-they wouldn’t be suitable for weddings, would they?’

‘Many, yes. But I was thinking more of getting an introduction to Don Sebastian. He has influence in the government-not the Spanish government, but the Andalucian.’

Maggie nodded. She knew Andalucia was a self-governing region where contacts and influence were important. Roderigo had been constantly seeking to ‘meet a man who knows someone’.

‘If you could introduce me to the great man,’ Jose pleaded. ‘There are contracts I could tender for-he will know people-please, Maggie.’ He took her hand between his and implored, ‘In the name of our old friendship.’

‘All right,’ she said, unable not to smile, ‘I’ll do my best for you. But remember, to these people I am Senora Cortez. That happened by mistake, but it would take too long to put right.’

‘I won’t mention Roderigo,’ Jose swore. ‘I can’t thank you enough.’

‘One more thing,’ Maggie said firmly, getting to her feet. ‘If you ever again refer to Sebastian as “a great man”, you and I are no longer friends.’

‘Ai, ai, ai!’ he said, impressed.

He walked back to the bridal shop with her and they arrived just as Catalina was dancing about in a flurry of white lace.

‘Isn’t it perfect, Maggie?’ Catalina cried. ‘Aren’t I beautiful?’

‘Beautiful,’ she said indulgently. ‘Catalina, this is Jose, an old friend.’

The girl gave a theatrical curtsey, becoming a flower of white lace. Jose responded with a correct little bow.

‘Jose will be coming to see me after supper this evening,’ Maggie added.

‘Oh, no, you must come much earlier,’ Catalina pouted. ‘It’s going to be such a boring supper, full of elderly