Page 98 of Bride By Mistake
Bella forced herself to unclench her fists. She gave a curt little nod, accepting the apology. It was the first time Perlita had made any gesture toward her, and she wasn’t going to rebuff it.
Still, it outraged her that her father had discussed these things with his mistress in front of Perlita but never bothered to explain anything to her. No doubt because she was aplain little dab of a thing, too.
Perlita said, “All I know is that it galled Papa terribly that all he had was a daughter who would bring a fortune in marriage to some other man.”
Bella knew that. It was why Papa had planned to marry her to Felipe. Except Felipe had died, and the heir became Ramón. And that was a very different matter.
For the first time it occurred to her to wonder why Ramón was such an impossible match for her. Despite his crudeness and lack of polish, he was still the heir.
“Papa didn’t want me to marry Ramón,” she said. “When he knew Ramón would inherit, he sent a message to me to go to the convent in the mountains, to escape him. Now I’m wondering why.”
Perlita gave a cynical laugh. “Did you not know? They were on opposite sides, politically. Papa led his own band ofguerilleros; Ramón remained loyal to the Crown—”
“But the Crown was held by Napoleon’s brother!” Bella exclaimed, shocked. “He was a puppet!”
Perlita waved an indifferent hand. “Ramón does not care for politics. He did what he thought best for Valle Verde.”
And whatever Ramón did was obviously all right by Perlita, Bella thought. She was infatuated with the man. Why, she couldn’t imagine.
They strolled on, out past the pond that had once been filled with water lilies and was now choked with weeds, past the rosebushes that straggled, unpruned and neglected.Bella tried not to think about how much of the beauty of her former home was being let go in favor of what was practical.The orchards, fields, and kitchen garden were well tended and productive. She might not like the choices Ramón had made, but it was becoming clear he did care a great deal for Valle Verde. How much he cared for her sister was another matter.
“I didn’t come to Valle Verde for my pearls,” she told Perlita. “I came for you.”
Perlita stopped and swung around to face her. “You said that before, but still I do not believe you. Why would you come for me?”
Bella took a deep breath and made her confession for the second time. “Eight years ago, when I left Valle Verde to take refuge in the Convent of the Angels, it was on Papa’s orders.”
“So?”
“So I should have taken you and your mother with me. It was what he wanted. And I have always felt terrible that I disobeyed—”
“He told you to take my mother and me with you?” Perlita interrupted.
“Yes.”
“To a convent?”
“Yes, where you would be safe.”
“With nuns?”
“Of course, with nuns. My aunt was a nun there. She is now Mother Sup—”
Perlita burst out laughing. “Lord, I would have liked to see you try. Take Mama to a convent? She would rather have died.”
Bella blinked. It was the last reaction she’d expected.
“And me, I would have hated it, too.” Perlita spluttered with laughter. “The clothes for a start. And then there’s all that chanting and praying and kneeling.”
“And sewing,” Bella added balefully.
Perlita stopped laughing and eyed her shrewdly. “You hated it?”
“Every minute I was there,” Bella admitted. “And most of the praying I did was to be let out.” They both burst out laughing, and at the end they looked at each other with a new understanding.
“All this time, I’ve felt so guilty,” Bella confessed. “I was angry with Papa because he was more worried about you and your mother than me. I left you behind because I was so jealous of you. I have felt so guilty about it since.”
Perlita made a careless gesture. “We were children. I was jealous of you, too.”
