Rafael's Convenient Proposal

“Either Nina or Brianca.”

Rafael rubbed his jaw and felt the rasp. “Isn’t Brianca a little young?”

“She’s eighteen, but she’s very responsible and she likes Apolonia. It would be good for your daughter to have someone who will play with her.”

Ines was right about that.

“Will you talk to Brianca then?”

“First thing in the morning.”

“Good. Tell her I’ll make it worth her while financially until Lianor is prepared to take over.”

“She has agreed?” his housekeeper cried out with joy, putting her palms together beneath her chin.

“Not in so many words yet, but she will,” he vowed with such ferocity, Ines blinked. “Don’t say anything about Maria or Lianor yet. I don’t want her to know what’s happening until I’m forced to tell her Maria won’t be coming home again.”

“Claro,” the older woman said before turning away, sniffing.

He checked his watch. Lianor ought to be arriving with her guest anytime now. “I need to make some phone calls, then I’ll go find Apolonia. Thanks for all your help, Ines. Boa noite.”

“Boa noite, Rafael.”

The Palacio D’Afonso proved to be a masterpiece of baroque and Moorish architecture mixed together. Mallory heard Lianor call to her, but she was too busy drinking in everything to talk.

Checkered marble paved the floor and ornate staircase of the enormous entrance hall. She lifted her head to take in the beauty of its lofty dome exquisitely painted with flowers and birds. Between the rich decorative art and paintings on the walls, she stood there spellbound.

“Wander around to your heart’s content,” Lianor said. “Your suitcase has been taken upstairs. Give me a minute to make certain your room is ready. I’ll be right back.”

“This palace is so magnificent, I’m speechless,” Mallory murmured. “You don’t have to hurry on my account,” she added with a smile. “I might just stay here indefinitely.”

“Wait till you see where you’re going to sleep tonight.” Lianor left her with that provocative thought before she started up the staircase where several elegantly dressed hotel guests were just descending.

The couple disappeared through one of four sets of tall double doors to the left of them. Mallory caught a glimpse of a sumptuous-looking dining room and sucked in her breath.

What a fantastic place to be raised! And paradise to have the Atlantic at your feet too?

Still mesmerized by such splendor, she didn’t realize anyone else had entered the massive foyer until she heard a girl’s voice cry, “Tia Lianor!”

Mallory turned around to discover two dark-haired girls around ten or eleven who’d come through double doors on the opposite side of the great hall. Behind them she saw a room with a counter and several people working. For a front desk, it had been cleverly hidden.

The girl who was staring at Mallory with brown eyes identical to Lianor’s made a funny sound and put a hand to her mouth. The other girl holding something in her hand started to giggle.

“Are you Apolonia?”

The girl hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

“Do you speak English?” Mallory asked, drawing closer to them.

“Yes.”

“I’ve heard lovely things about you from your Tia Lianor.”

That brought a smile to the girl’s face.

“She’ll be down in a minute. My name is Mallory Ellis.” She extended her hand.

“How do you do,” Apolonia said in very proper English and shook it. Some flicker of recognition caused her features to become even more expressive. “You are her friend from California in America.”

Friend. That was nice to hear.

“Yes. I’ve come to visit her for a couple of days. When you saw me from the back, you thought I was your aunt, didn’t you?” Both Mallory and Lianor happened to be wearing black pantsuits.

She nodded.

“Other people have said the same thing. Who’s your friend?”

“Oh—” she cried, as if suddenly remembering her manners. “This is my best friend, Violente Camoes. We’re waiting for her father.”

Mallory grasped the other girl’s hand that wasn’t full of postcards. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Violente. I love your name.”

“She does not like it,” Apolonia confided. “Her brother says she was named after Queen Maria the First of Portugal. The servants called her Violente because she was insano.”

“Insane?”

“Yes.”

Trying to smother her laughter, Mallory said, “What’s your brother’s name, Violente?”

“Tomas.”

“Ah—that explains it!”

“What do you mean?” Apolonia asked while both girls stared at her wide-eyed.

“Her brother is just jealous because he wasn’t named after a king.”

Apolonia turned to her friend and translated in Portuguese. Her friend’s mouth broke into a wide smile. She whispered something back in Portuguese to Apolonia.

Mallory couldn’t help but marvel at her grasp of English. Not only had she benefited from the English-speaking tourists who stayed here, according to Lianor her niece went to the same private school she’d once attended. It was run by the nuns. No wonder their family was so well educated.

“Violente thinks you’re very nice. I do too.”

“Well thank you. I feel the same way about both of you.”

“My father said you are notarus.”

Mallory blinked. “Do you mean notorious?”