A Spanish Inheritance

Margarita’s eyes held her gaze in a bright, intense stare. ‘Just tell him that I feel as he does…that I love as he loves… Tell him to stop his brother racing yachts all over the goddamned world! Tell Ramon that Luis must stay home now, with his wife and babies!’

CHAPTER SIX

SHE was pleased to be going home, but terrified too, Annalisa thought as she sat beside Margarita in Ramon’s limousine. Margarita had made everything easy for her at the airport with just a flashing smile and a couple of flicks of her fine-boned wrist. But it would take a lot longer for Annalisa to recover her composure.

The thought of seeing Ramon again was tying her stomach up in knots. She had misjudged him so badly. But she would have to try put all personal thoughts to one side if the finca was to be saved…and, whatever Margarita said, after their last encounter he probably wouldn’t want anything else to do with her.

‘We’ll soon be there.’

Annalisa peered out of the limousine’s tinted window as Margarita distracted her. They were just coming up to the turn-off for the finca.

‘Close your eyes,’ Margarita insisted as the chauffeur slowed to negotiate the pot-holed lane.

‘Why?’

‘You’ll soon see. Just close them,’ she insisted. ‘There! Now you can look!’ she exclaimed.

They had pulled to a halt in the yard and, opening her eyes, Annalisa climbed out quickly. As she looked around she shook her head in bewilderment. ‘I don’t understand—’

‘Welcome to the famous orange groves of Finca Fuego Montoya, Señorita Annalisa,’ Margarita proclaimed with a mock bow.

Annalisa gasped. Small groups of men were busy painting and repairing the outbuildings, and in the orchard she could see a lot more people weeding and clearing and generally collecting up all the detritus of neglect. Half the village seemed to be busy with some task or other. She turned to show her delight to Margarita. ‘I can’t believe it. This is fantastic—’

‘Look at this!’ Margarita interrupted, grabbing her hand.

Turning, Annalisa saw two men carrying a beehive under the direction of Maria Teresa, who had Fudge trotting at her heels. The minute he saw Annalisa he pelted across to her, yelping in ecstasy.

Maria Teresa stopped in her tracks. ‘You came back!’

With a smile and a shrug, Annalisa cocked her head as she peered at the domed white structure. ‘What do we need that for?’

‘Bees,’ Maria Teresa said, turning to chide the two men for almost running it into her.

‘Bees?’ Annalisa repeated blankly.

‘They say bees are the cupids of the orchard,’ Maria Teresa insisted, ‘because without them the blossom is no use. And without the blossom…’ She shrugged.

‘I would never have thought of it,’ Annalisa admitted. ‘How can I thank you? All of you?’ she said, turning full circle to include everyone within earshot.

‘By employing us and our families when your orchards start producing,’ Maria Teresa declared pragmatically.

‘But I can’t pay you.’

‘You have eggs. You have chickens. You have a donkey we can borrow,’ Maria Teresa argued. ‘And soon you will have oranges. Plenty of oranges.’

Annalisa grimaced. ‘I don’t think so,’ she said with a rueful glance towards the orchard. ‘Enrique has been here.’

‘Exactly, señorita!’ Maria Teresa said, beaming at her. ‘Enrique has been here. There will be plenty of oranges. Just you wait and see.’

‘Is she right?’ Annalisa said, turning to Margarita.

‘Maria Teresa is always right. Ask anyone,’ Margarita replied with a smile.

Annalisa pulled a face as she sighed. ‘I did. I asked Ramon. I didn’t believe him when he said it would help. I didn’t believe him about Enrique…or about anything else.’

‘I know,’ Margarita said gently touching her arm. ‘But when he gets back you can explain.’

‘Back?’ Surprise and disappointment hit her at the same moment. ‘You mean he’s left the island?’

‘He left before I knew what the villagers meant to do. He came to pick me up from the airport because Luis asked him to. He said he had something important to do. Then he took the jet and left. As soon as I realised you were serious about leaving I had to come and find you.’

‘I’m so glad you did,’ Annalisa said, feeling all the resolve she had thought lost flood back into her veins. ‘Do you know where he went?’

‘Who knows, with Ramon?’ Margarita said with a shrug. ‘Business, perhaps. But he has business interests all over the world. Maybe it was just a short trip,’ she added hopefully. ‘Maybe he will be home tonight. Claudia has called a gathering this evening. She must surely have invited Ramon. Perhaps you should be there,’ she added mischievously. ‘I believe it is to discuss the purchase of finca Fuego Montoya.’