Page 74 of The Truth About Myths
Midway to the lawn, she stumbled upon a male chest.
"What's wrong?" Alfonso asked, holding her shoulders.
"He took her," Isabel babbled, tears streaming down her cheeks.
Alfonso rubbed her back and guided her to the kitchen. Among a crowd of ruffled servants, he brought her tea. Only when she regained her balance, he bade her speak. Sniffing, she told him about Dolly, who had a difficult childhood and finally found her confidence when a drunk libertine robbed her of a future.
"Do you think thissinverguënzais after Lady Dolores's fortune?" Alfonso offered her his kerchief.
"Why, no… His father is wealthy and does not deny him anything." If the port trader had been less indulgent with Charles, he would have learned to respect propriety.
Alfonso frowned. "Is Lady Dolores’ family unwilling to give permission?"
So many questions. Isabel pressed her fist against her forehead and shook her head. "Not that I know of…"
"Then why would he elope with her?"
"Why? Why! To ruin her, of course. To take advantage of her innocence and then leave her to fend for herself."
Alfonso nodded, and if her outburst surprised him, he disguised it well.
"If you are sure about this, I will lead the search party myself."
Chapter 28
"To me, he seems equal to gods, the man who sits facing you and hears you near as you speak softly and laugh."Sappho
Anatmosphereofanticipationpervaded Canastra's palace tonight. The dining hall had been arranged with Byzantine splendor. Butterfly orchids adorned the vases and table centers. The chandeliers shimmered in blazing glory, spilling golden light over the marble statues. The Spanish aristocracy had donned their finery, the gentlemen's uniforms bedecked with medals and orders, and the ladies sported more jewels than they had space in their limbs to carry.
Henrique stood with Dio near the Grecian colonnades. Isabel had yet to appear. After blaming him for Dolly's disappearance, she avoided his presence. Henrique's gaze went to the top of the stairs again, hoping to glimpse the hoydenish princess. He preferred her outrage over this dratted distance.
Dio inspected the crowd with narrowed eyes. "Do you think they are eying us strangely tonight? At least more than their usual despise of foreigners?"
Henrique ignored Dio’s fretting. "What maggot consumed Charles's brain? He'd planned to speak to Dolly's father. He had proposed to her. His intentions were honorable. Why did he change his mind?"
Dio crossed his arms and let out a sigh. "He could be as far as Liverpool. They were probably beyond reach before the ridiculous cavalcade this afternoon."
"Stop grumbling. After Alfonso decided to search for Dolly, it would have been strange if we had demurred, if not outwardly suspicious."
"And so we went. Instead of spending the siesta with my saucy maid, I had to comb the countryside until our asses were numb." Dio lifted his glass to his mouth. "Rafaela is flaying you alive. Someone's been naughty."
"Rafaela is her husband's problem." Henrique gulped a liberal amount of brandy. Between Isa's outburst in the garden and Rafaela's midnight escapade to his room, he had enough. He understood Rafaela's desperation with her passionless marriage, but he would not accept Isa's desire for a quick tumble on the grass. He wanted more from her. Christ. After seeing her flying, her joy... It was the first time he felt something different from a body's craving for sensual release. He felt a bonding of souls.
After dinner, he would take her to their secret spot under Eros and show her how deep his feelings were.
Dio groaned. "Don't look now. The dragon is prowling near."
Henrique hid his chuckle behind a cough. Lady Montijo had developed a less than platonic admiration for his friend. It was amusing to see Dio fending off her advances.
Trumpet in her right hand and her turban slightly askew, she latched herself to Dio's arm. "There you are." She leaned closer and whispered so loudly people around them stopped their conversation. "I have a problem that requires your youth, my dear."
Dio stiffened, his shoulders coming up to touch his blond curls. "And what would it be, my lady?"
Lady Montijo gave him a sly look and tapped his arm with her fan. "What a naughty, curious boy. I can't tell you now. Come to me after dinner."
Dio rounded his eyes. "But it will be way past my bedtime."
She licked her lips. "Poor baby. Auntie will put you to sleep."
