The Soldier's Rebel Lover

‘As I recall, you were a major in the British army at the time.’ Isabella headed for the walkway flanked by two rows of cypress trees where they would not be observed. ‘Your life has taken a very different turn since then. It seems rather remarkable for a soldier to transform himself into a prosperous wine merchant.’

‘No more remarkable than for a partisan to transform herself into a lady.’

‘I am not transformed,’ Isabella said sharply. ‘I am merely returned.’

‘Returned.’ He eyed her speculatively. ‘I wonder, señorita, if anyone knows that you were ever away. I suspect not. It would certainly explain why my appearance last night terrified you out of your wits.’

He spoke softly, but his tone was all the more menacing for that. ‘I was taken aback, that is all,’ Isabella replied.

‘No. I was taken aback. You looked like an ensign confronted with a bayonet for the first time.’

‘If you are implying that I would run away from facing the enemy...’

He laughed. ‘Are you implying that I am the enemy?’

‘Are you? If so, I fail to see how my coming here quite alone could be construed as running away.’

The conversation was not progressing as she had planned, mostly because she had signally failed to play her part. It was his fault. This Scotsman, he made her speak without thinking. She had to regroup her thoughts, stick to what she had rehearsed. She had to remember there was no shame in it, that the means justified the end. ‘You are right,’ Isabella said with what she knew to be a forlorn little smile. ‘I was afraid.’

‘Because that brother of yours has no idea that you fought with the guerrillas?’

‘My brother is a very influential man, Mr Urquhart, and his estate is the largest in La Rioja. It would be most embarrassing to him if it was discovered that his sister was...that she acted in an—an unladylike manner.’ To say the least!

‘Unladylike. That is one way of putting it.’

‘You have another way?’ she asked sharply.

He smiled at her. ‘You were fighting for your country, just as he was. I’d say what you did was brave and honourable. If you were my sister, I’d be proud of you.’

His praise, so unexpected and so very rare, made her flush with pleasure. ‘Thank you.’

‘I meant it.’ He caught her hand, bringing them both to a halt. ‘Señorita, I have been remiss. Your father, I take it he passed away? Please accept my condolences. You gave me the impression that you were very fond of him.’

‘Yes. We were very close.’ A lump rose in her throat. Papa had always preferred his daughter to his son, yet it was to Xavier that all of the condolences had been given when Papa died, just as it had been Xavier who had received all the gratitude and admiration for fighting for his country. ‘It happened just after the end of the war. At least Papa lived to see peace return to his beloved Spain.’

‘And now you have had peace for two years. Is it what you imagined or hoped? Does the world turn in a different direction?’

‘I think it was you who expressed that hope, actually.’ Isabella shrugged, pulling her hands free before turning away. ‘As far as my brother is concerned, the world turns in exactly the same manner as it did before the war. He has a very modern approach to wine, but in every other respect Xavier, like our king, prefers the old ways.’

Despite herself, she had been unable to keep the edge of bitterness out of her voice and the Scotsman noticed. ‘I take it that you do not share your brother’s views?’

‘Mr Urquhart, I am a woman, and in the eyes of the law I am my brother’s property now that I am no longer my father’s, and will remain so until I am my husband’s.’

‘You have changed a great deal in two years, if what you’re telling me is that you don’t have any views at all.’

The temptation to contradict him almost overwhelmed her, but the dangers of doing so restrained her. Isabella forced a brittle smile. ‘We have both changed a great deal, I think. Neither of us are soldiers now. You are a businessman. I am a lady. I would therefore very much appreciate it if you kept what you know of my past to yourself. To expose me would cause my brother a great deal of embarrassment.’

‘I’d say embarrassment was putting it mildly.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘If it was discovered that your brother was nourishing a liberal viper in his midst...’

‘I am not a viper!’

His sea-blue eyes sparkled with amusement. ‘I note you do not deny being a liberal.’

Too late yet again, she realised she had betrayed herself. ‘Mr Urquhart, you are here to do business with my brother. Lucrative business for you, I believe, for there is substance to his boasts. You will not find a better Rioja than ours. Surely you cannot be thinking of putting such a deal in jeopardy? Please,’ she urged when he made no reply, swallowing the last remnants of her pride, ‘whatever you think of me, whatever you know of my past, you understand that it can only hurt Xavier.’