Whispering (18 page)

‘No. He wanted information. Asked me a lot of questions. I have been trying to find the answers to them.'

‘Such as –'

‘The cargo of our ship; Lord Wellington's plans; the news from upriver. He said it was for his friends, the Friends of Democracy. So they would be ready when their chance came.'

‘And so it could have been, I'd almost believe it, were it not for Madame Feuillide. And for what I now feel about my grandson. Don't trust him, Caterina, I do beg that you will not trust him. And for God's sake, don't yield to him. I feel that you haven't?'

‘You are right.' It was an odd relief to have that clear between them.

‘And now I hope you understand why I feel that we have a duty, you and I, to find out what he is really doing. Whether these “Friends of Democracy” really exist. And you are the one who can do it. When are you next seeing him?'

‘Tomorrow, I hope. But, ma'am, you can't be asking me to spy on Luiz?'

‘Why not, if he is a spy himself? And if he is not, we will see to it that you do him no harm. But I am afraid I should be very much surprised. For me, the connection with Madame Feuillide
is damning. And, I have to say this. She is an attractive woman still, they tell me.'

‘In a sort of a way –' For a moment she did not understand. Then, ‘You can't mean … after his father … impossible!'

‘I wish I was sure of that. I wish now that I had told him she was the cause of his father's illness, but at the time it seemed impossible … Oh, Caterina, so many mistakes I have made …'

‘You mean, he knows of the association –'

‘But not the infection. And, I'm afraid, being Luiz, he might have felt it a challenge. I do beg you, Caterina, harden your heart against him.'

‘And spy on him?' asked Caterina bleakly.

‘At least, don't let him make you a spy. Which you will be, Caterina, if you take him answers to his questions.'

‘If you are right. But, ma'am, suppose this really is his chance to prove himself with these Friends of Democracy. To rehabilitate himself. And I spoil it for him. I'd never forgive myself.'

‘No,' said the old lady. ‘But on the other hand, Caterina, would you forgive yourself if your information led to the defeat of Wellington and the fall of Porto?'

‘Never. But how can we be sure?'

‘I am sure, Caterina, and he is my grandson, the only hope of my house. I am so sure that if only I had proof I would hand him over to the British tomorrow.'

‘The British?'

‘He'd be safer with them than with the Portuguese. He may be a traitor, Caterina, but he is the sole heir to two great houses. I want him to live, and repent, and get a son.'

‘But he has a son.' It was out, irrevocably.

‘What?' The cherishing hand was suddenly still.

‘My son.' Caterina's voice was steady. ‘When I got to England. I didn't understand what was happening to me, but the nuns did. They recognized it quite soon after I got to the convent. I owe them a great debt. It has taken me a while to realise just how great. They told no one, those good nuns. Just sent me to a woman with a house outside Bath who made a
living out of such cases. She was good to me in her way, and there were companions in misfortune. Harriet, my friend Miss Brown, was one of them, but her baby died, poor thing. That made me realise, for the first time, how lucky I was. He's everything I have in the world, ma'am, my Lewis.'

‘But how? Where is he? He must be almost three years old.'

‘Yes, walking and talking, a fine boy, beautiful … I thought my heart would break when they took him away and made me go back to the convent. He was given to Harriet to suckle. It's a great bond between us. I think she loves him almost as much as I do. The nuns put it about that I had been visiting my grandmother in Wales. And they were kind, they let me see him sometimes, and they let me teach the little ones so I could pay for his keep. And then I did an idiotic thing. I can take a likeness, ma'am, I enjoy doing it. But they are not always flattering. Mother Superior found one I had done of her. I can't blame her for being furious, after all she had done for me. She said I must go at once; I was a bad influence. I was to go to my grandmother in Wales, but my cousin Jeremy Craddock arrived just then with my father's summons. I thought there was more hope in coming here, that perhaps I would be able to tell my father, that he would help. Or that Luiz …'

‘Have you told Luiz?'

‘No. Somehow, I didn't, I'm not quite sure why; I meant to tomorrow.' She found herself yet again slipping into the past tense.

‘Don't,' said the old lady. ‘Don't trust him with that. At least, not yet. But, Caterina, this changes everything. I have an heir.' The hand had resumed its gentle stroking as she almost chanted the words.

‘But, ma'am, you're forgetting. Poor little Lewis, he's not … He's got no name.'

‘He shall have mine. Not Sanchez but Fonsa. You'll be surprised, child, what money can buy.'

‘Money? I don't understand.'

‘You don't, do you, and I love you for it. It's my money keeps this place going. We were cousins, my husband and I, both
Fonsas. But I had the money. My family's lawyers did not trust my husband – they were right, by the way – they tied it up so tight he never got his hands on the capital. Money is power, Caterina. If you don't know that already you will soon learn. Oh, there is so much to be thought of, so splendidly much! We must put our heads together and think how we are going to manage things. I'll talk to my lawyers. They will work out a story for me. He must come out here, of course, be baptised in the cathedral, brought up as the
fidalgo
he will be. Oh, what a happy day.'

Caterina opened her mouth to say, ‘But he is
my
son,' and closed it again. Overriding instinct warned her to go very carefully here. The old lady might not be mad, but was she entirely sane? Instead of the instinctive protest, she framed a practical question. ‘How shall I get in touch with you, ma'am, to tell you about Luiz?'

‘Best not come here again.' The old lady thought about it. ‘The lawyers are bound to take their time. We don't want any rumours until it is all settled. Your father might so easily do something crazy.' And so might you, thought Caterina. ‘I have it,' the old lady went on. ‘You'll write to me. Carlotta's grandson is courting your poor Maria's daughter. They go to and fro across the gorge all the time. I pretend not to know, but it will be useful now. Give your letter to Tonio; it will reach me in a day and I'll answer by the same route until everything is clear for us. But, oh, what a happy day.' She folded Caterina in her arms for a long, stifling, almost frightening kiss.

Harriet was beginning to think that Caterina had been gone a very long time when Sancho appeared with Frank Ware following close on his heels. ‘I know it is shockingly early, but I had to be the first to tell you the news.' If he noticed Caterina's absence it was only to be glad of it. ‘It's the deepest of secrets, of course.' With a glance for the man.

‘That will be all, Sancho.' She managed a good imitation of Caterina's tone, and decided as she did so that she would simply say nothing about her friend's absence. Why should she? She sat down again and picked up her needlework. ‘What is this splendid secret news? Or should you be telling me?'

‘Of course I should. In fact, my mother asked me to, she said it was only right that you two young ladies should know. It's about our party next week; we have hopes of a very distinguished guest indeed. Mother hopes Miss Gomez will not mind if she finds herself not exactly the guest of honour after all. I know you won't.'

‘Well I never was,' said Harriet cheerfully. ‘I am just grateful to your mother for asking me at all. I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to it. It will be my first dress party and I only hope I won't do anything silly because of not knowing how to go on.'

‘I shall look after you,' he promised. ‘And I know you will behave just like the lady you are. And because you are, you won't mind if some of my mother's friends seem a little stiff; it's a curious ingrown society we British have here in Oporto. I didn't mind it when I was young but sometimes now I do find myself wondering if this is where I want to spend the rest of my life.'

‘But have you much choice?' asked Harriet.

‘I am beginning to hope that perhaps I may have. My friend Major Dickson has offered me worthwhile work to do, here in Oporto, and seems to think that it might even lead on to something back in England, if I make a job of it. Which reminds me that I had hoped for some help and advice from Miss Gomez.' For the first time he looked around as if wondering where she was.

Harriet was still casting around for an explanation, when to her relief Caterina came sauntering up from the lower terrace, with a bunch of grapes in her hand. ‘Good morning Mr Ware. See what I found! My favourite vine run mad all over the summerhouse. Have some, they are delicious.' She handed the bunch to Harriet, smiled at Frank. ‘You are an early caller. I hope it means you are the bearer of good, not bad news.'

‘It's good.' Harriet was aware of coiled tension in her friend. ‘Tell her, Mr Ware.'

‘My mother sent me, Miss Gomez.' He came to a halt. What had been easy to say to Harriet seemed surprisingly difficult now.

‘They are expecting an immensely important guest at their party.' Harriet came to his help. ‘So we are to put on our very best dresses and smiles, Cat, and not mind too much if we don't seem to be quite the guests of honour we thought to be.'

‘Goodness,' said Caterina. ‘Who can it be that is to take the wind so out of our sails?'

‘It's a deadly secret,' Harriet told her. ‘Mr Ware has not named the important guest, but I can make a guess, cannot you? I do hope I am right.'

‘I expect you are,' said Frank Ware. ‘There is really only one man, here in Portugal just now, is there not? But Miss Gomez, I am also come to ask your help.'

‘Mine?' Surprised.

‘Yes. Once again, this is entirely between ourselves, but my friend Major Dickson has asked me to do a job of work for him. He needs wheelwrights and carpenters, urgently, and has asked me to use my local knowledge to find them for him. I thought it would be easy, with times so hard here in Oporto, but the trouble is, the work is upriver, at Pinhel and even further, and it is turning out more difficult than I expected. I was wondering if you, with your local knowledge, could perhaps help me in this?'

‘I am sure I can. Old Antonio was telling me the other day about a cousin of his, a carpenter, who is desperate for work. And he will very likely have friends … But Mr Ware, it is all very well to say it is a secret affair, but one will have to give the men some idea of what they are to be doing.'

‘Repairing gun carriages,' he told her. ‘That's the wheelwrights, of course. And the carpenters are to alter the ones that came out on the
Anthea
with you, Miss Gomez. They are the wrong size, would you believe it, for the guns Lord Wellington has got up on the border.'

‘So that's what we brought,' said Caterina.

‘Oh yes, everyone knows that now. Even the French. That is why Masséna made that last effort to get supplies into Ciudad Rodrigo. His spies had told him that Wellington's next move would be up there on the border. And Wellington is busy re-arming the fortress at Almeida as a base for such a move. That is what I am allowed to tell the men I hire, but I have to say it surprised me to find the Beau thinking in such defensive terms.'

‘The Beau?' asked Harriet.

‘That's what his officers call Wellington, because he is always so neat in his appearance. Well, you'll see –' And then, ‘Forget I said that.'

‘We didn't hear it,' said Caterina, smiling at him.

‘How can I help you if you will not relax?' Rachel Emerson's room was cool and shady as usual, her gentle hands were at the back of Jeremy's neck, her voice was soft, soothing. ‘Forget your troubles, forget your illness, remember happiness and a quiet place … You are quiet, you are calm, you are almost asleep …' There was a rhythm to her words now, a kind of lullaby effect and he felt his eyes begin to close …

Fight it. He must fight it. He had known, from the moment he arrived, that something was different today. There had been tension in the air. He thought he must have interrupted a quarrel between the Emersons. And Ralph Emerson had been in a hurry to be off. He had an engagement, he said, to sample some new wine over in Villa Nova de Gaia. He had accepted the little package of gold coins Jeremy had brought and left almost at once, warning Rachel that he would not be home till late. ‘Don't wait up for me.'

Here was a chance, or a trap, or both. How to use it? The soothing incantation continued, the hands were gentle on his neck … How easy to let go, to float with the tide … ‘Rachel!' He stood up suddenly, turned to face her, took both her hands in his. ‘We can't go on like this, fencing with each other, pretending … I love you! You must know I love you, helplessly, passionately, beyond myself. I'm in your thrall. I don't know who you are spying for. The French? The Americans? I don't care. It's not your fault, I know that, it's that brother of yours, compelling you. Let me take you away from it all. I'm not a rich man. I only wish I were, so that I could pour my gold at your feet, make your life easy for you at last. But I will work for you. I have friends, I have influence in England. When they know what an inducement I have to work, they will find me a livelihood. We will be married at once, here in Oporto, if you wish it. Then I shall have the right to look after you, to take you away from that bullying brother of yours. He makes a mockery of your gift, makes you use it for his own ends. With me, you shall use it as it should be used, for the good of mankind. Rachel, why don't you speak? Answer me.'