Golden Paradise (Vincente 1) (38 page)

His lips curled in contempt. "Ours was a marriage built on lies. It is no marriage at all. Get out of my sight, Valentina!"

Spinning around, Valentina wrenched open the door and fled down the hall. Deep sobs were building up inside her, and she clamped her hand over her mouth so they would not spill out. Running into her room, she closed the door and threw herself on the bed. She had never thought to see such malice directed toward her. Dear God, how Marquis must hate her!

Crying into her pillow, Valentina felt her whole body tremble with emotion. Marquis had wounded her beyond reason. What had he thought he had overheard in the garden to make him turn on her this way? He had called Tyree her lover—surely he knew that was not true.

Valentina sensed Salamar standing over her. Looking up at her with tears streaming down her face, she cried out, "Marquis doesn't want me anymore. He despises the sight of me. He thinks Tyree and I were lovers."

Salamar dropped down on the bed and shook her head. "Did you tell him about the baby?"

"He wouldn't let me. He's been drinking and said he doesn't want me near him. What shall I do?"

"If he was drinking, he was not thinking clearly. I believe you should get a good night's sleep and talk to Marquis again in the morning."

Valentina rose up on her elbow with a flicker of hope shining in her eyes. "Perhaps that would be best. I could tell him everything tomorrow. Would you go with me?"

"You do not need me to help you save your marriage, Valentina."

"I . . . Marquis said he was with Isabel today."

Salamar's eyes snapped. "He what?"

"He implied he had been . . . intimate with her. If he has, I will not stay with him, Salamar. I hope it was just the liquor making him say things he didn't mean."

"Try to get some sleep now. It is not good for the baby if you get upset."

"Everything will be all right in the morning, won't it, Salamar?" Valentina asked in an almost childlike whisper.

"Let us hope so. Now let me help you into bed. You need rest for tomorrow."

Long after Valentina had fallen asleep, Salamar sat beside her, staring into the night. She was fiercely protective of Valentina. No man, not even Marquis, was going to treat Valentina badly. Growing up in a harem, Salamar had seen too many women ill-used. She would never allow that to happen to Valentina. If Marquis was seeing Isabel Estrada, Valentina would not stay here and be humiliated.

Marquis was not as drunk as he had led Valentina to believe. He now took a bottle from the side table and raised it to his mouth. He wished he could get drunk enough to forget the sight of Valentina in Tyree's arms. The image of them together had haunted him all day.

He was also haunted by Jordanna. How could he be so attracted to two women? They were so different, yet both pulled the same emotions from him. God help him, he wanted them both. He also wanted the child Jordanna was carrying.

The need to uphold family tradition ripped into his soul, tormenting him. What about his baby? What if it turned out to be a son?

Valentina awoke to bright sunlight streaming into her room. Rushing to dress, she hurried down the corridor to Marquis's room, rapped lightly on the door, and entered on his command.

He was already dressed and had his booted feet propped on a stool so that he could buckle on his silver spurs. His eyes met hers with cold indifference. "I trust you slept well, senora?" There was no warmth in his inquiry.

Seeing he was having trouble fastening the spur because of his injury, Valentina dropped down in front of him to help. His icy glare made her pull back. "If I want your help, I will ask for it. In the future, you would do well to remember that. I told you last night to leave me alone."

She stood up slowly, knowing he was cold sober today; therefore, he meant whatever he said. "I had hoped that it had been only the liquor talking last night, Marquis." She had to know what had changed him from lover to cold stranger. "Could we talk about whatever is bothering you?" she asked nervously.

By now his spurs were in place and he stood up. "Yes, let us talk about what is bothering me. I might as well say it straight out so I will not have to repeat myself, I no longer require you to be my wife. You have been a bone of contention between me and my mother and, since your coming, have upset this house."

Valentina could not believe his cruel words. Marquis had never loved her, but he had never before been deliberately cruel. He knew that his mother had been unreasonable since their marriage. It was not all Valentina's fault. "Are you asking me to leave, Marquise?”

"You know what I want, Valentina. Do not make me say it.

"I can't know unless you do say it. What have I done to turn you against me?"

He shrugged his shoulders and turned toward the window. "You and I are not suited to each other. I thought I could live with the fact that you are carrying another man's child, but I find I cannot."

"I believe it's time I told you the truth about the baby—"

He spun around and faced her, his eyes blazing like fire. "Spare me the details, Valentina. Just get out of my sight."

Valentina stared at him for a long moment. Then she raised her head, letting her pride carry her through this heartbreak. "If it is your wish, I will leave your house."

She saw his eyes widen in surprise. "I did not say you had to leave Paraiso del Norte. I have merely decided to move to the other wing, giving you free reign here."

"I see." Was her heartbreak showing? she wondered. Did she sound calmer than she felt? "What you mean is you can hide me away in a corner of your life and forget I exist."

"I doubt I will ever forget you exist, Valentina." His tone implied he was handing her no compliment.

It was too late to tell Marquis that he was her child's father. He would never believe her now—he would think she was making it up to stay in his good graces. "Do you wish to put an end to the marriage?"

He avoided her eyes. "I am a Catholic."

"I'm not."

He raised his brow. "I never knew that."

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me, Marquis. You never bothered to ask."

He shrugged his shoulders. "Be that as it may, I will not be finding out now, will I?"

"Should I look forward to years of being held prisoner in this wing of the house?"

He pulled on his leather gloves and brushed past her. "You will be free to come and go as you will. Today Carlos will transfer my belongings to the other wing of the house."

Valentina could not believe it was all ending like this. What had brought it on? "Marquis, why are you doing this? I thought—"

His eyes narrowed. "You thought that I was a fool, Valentina. You thought you would use me to give your baby a name."

Her anger was stirred now. "As I recall, it was you who asked me to marry you, Marquis. I never pursued you."

"Well . . . anyone can make a mistake."

Her silver eyes were dancing with dangerous lights. "If this is your way of saying you cannot live without Isabel, why don't you just come out and say it. You said you were with her last night—if she is what you want, you are free of any obligations to me."

Marquis's voice caught in his throat as he watched her eyes come alive with fury. He wanted to rush across the room and beg her to stay with him at any price. He loved her, and he wanted her more than ever. Hating this weakness he had for her, he hardened his heart. "Let us leave Isabel out of this. When a man has had too much to drink, he often says things he does not mean."

Marquis held the door open, silently indicating that Valentina should leave. She moved across the room like one in a dream—a nightmare. There was no reality in what was happening. Marquis wanted her out of his sight and out of his life, and her pride would help her do what had to be done. She would never stay where she was not wanted.

"Good-bye, Marquis," she said, stopping in the doorway and glancing up at him.

His dark gaze moved across her face. "Not good-bye, Valentina. Even though this is a big house, we still live under the same roof. I suppose we will cross each other's path from time to time."

Without another word, she turned and walked away. She ignored the impulse to run to the safety of her room so she could cry. Proud and strong, Valentina was mentally assessing hers and Marquis's relationship. There was nothing to salvage. Her father would have told her to cut her losses and throw in her hand.

She had to think this through. It did not pay to be hasty. A marriage was supposed to be forever. Even though Marquis had struck at her pride today, she had to give him every chance.

Isabel had been in a rage since the day before. Servants tiptoed past her bedroom, and her family tried to avoid her at all cost. She had been spurned a second time by Marquis Vincente. Now her fury knew no bounds. She had thrown herself at him yesterday. After he had kissed her and made her want him all the more, he had shoved her away. How dare he say she could not fan the flame that had been lit by his wife!

Isabel's eyes were shooting sparks now as she raced down the stairs, calling for a servant to bring her horse around to the front.

Valentina moved down the stairs to the garden, searching for Rosalia. Seeing her by the birdcage, Valentina called out to her. When she neared her sister-in-law, she could see that she had been crying.

"What is wrong, Rosalia? Has something happened to make you sad?" Valentina asked.

Large brown eyes looked at her beseechingly. "Is it true that Marquis is moving out of the . . . leaving you?"

Valentina did not bother to deny the truth. "Yes, that IS so.

"I do not understand. I thought the two of you were so happy."

Valentina did not know how to answer the young girl. "Sometimes things go wrong in a marriage, Rosalia. I am not without hope that your brother and I will be able to work out our differences in time."

"Why does growing up have to hurt so badly, Valentina? When I was a child, life was so simple. I thought my family was so wonderful. Now I find they have faults like everyone else."

"Yes, Rosalia. We are all human. We all have feet of clay. If you have learned this, you are halfway to being grown up."

Rosalia's eyes were troubled as she raised them to Valentina. "I have made a decision that will make me an outcast in my family, Valentina. I had to ... I cannot marry Sergio."

"What have you decided to do?"

"Felipe and I are going to run away and be married. We cannot live without each other."

"I do not know if that is the right solution to your problem, Rosalia. Shouldn't you first try to reason with your family?"

"I talked to my mother, and she insists that I marry Sergio in three months. That is why Felipe and I have to run away."

"Oh, Rosalia, my heart is breaking for you. I wish I could tell you what to do, but I do not even have the answers for myself. Are you sure you have thought this through carefully? A great deal can happen in three months."

"Felipe and I do not care if we are disowned by both our families. We must be together."

"I will not try to stop you, but I hope you understand what you are doing. I have found that the Vincente family are not very tolerant or forgiving of others' mistakes."

Rosalia clasped Valentina's hand.

'You have been

hurt by us, Valentina. I wonder if my brother fully understands what a treasure he has in you. I fear it will be too late when he discovers your worth."

Valentina's eyes stung. "When would you and Felipe leave, Rosalia."

"I do not know—soon, I think. We still have plans to make."

Valentina hugged Rosalia to her, wishing her all the happiness in the world. "I give you my blessing, for what it is worth."

"My, my, here's a touching little scene," Isabel said, walking up behind them. "How fortunate someone in this family approves of you, English woman," Isabel said sarcastically, using the name by which Marquis's mother always referred to Valentina.

Rosalia turned to the visitor, trying to remember her manners. "If you have come to see my mother, she is in the living room."

"So I discovered. I have already had a nice visit with Dona Anna. I have come to talk to Marquis's wife. Do you mind?"

Valentina could hardly bear to look at the woman Marquis loved. She was beautiful and cold. Something about her made the hair on the back of Valentina's neck stand on end.

"I am sorry," Rosalia said, telling a lie for the first time in her life. "Had we known you were coming, we would not have made plans. Valentina and I are just leaving. Please come another time."

Valentina smiled to herself, knowing that the lie had come hard to Rosalia. To help her friend, she added, "Yes, do come again. We would be happy to receive you at a later date."

Isabel's fury ignited. "I will not take up much of your time, Valentina. I just wanted to speak to you alone for a moment."

"You can talk in front of Rosalia, Isabel. We have no secrets from each other."