'You can't hold me to the marriage,' she managed to whisper, when she had got her second breath. 'You know very well that I thought I was standing in for Clair.' Her eyes widened as a thought suddenly struck her, and she recalled that he had not answered her question on whether he had heard from Clair when they were on the way to the register office. 'You knew all the time that the authority hadn't come through, didn't you ?' she accused him, in a voice of half-wonder as if she couldn't really believe it herself.

  His calm nod, and casual, 'Of course,' sent a shiver of apprehension along Corinne's spine, and she was momentarily bereft of speech.

  When she was able to answer, all she could say was, 'Why ? Why should you do a thing like that ? You don't know me. It's ridiculous !' She floundered here, still not able to accept what had happened. 'But you said that it would be a business arrangement,' she went on, desperately trying to make sense of it all.

  'And so it will be,' he replied quietly. do not intend to force my attentions on you, if that's what you're afraid of.' 'Then why must I stay at your home ?' demanded

  62 ISLAND FIESTA Corinne, feeling a little better now that they were back to the business side of things. 'Why can't I go back to my home ? There's Joy, and ' she took a deep breath, and shook her head bewilderedly. 'I just don't understand any of this,' she said crossly.

  'I'm simply offering you and your child a home,' he answered haughtily. 'It is normal for the husband to provide for his wife, isn't it ?' he added harshly.

  'In any other circumstances, yes,' bit back Corinne, determined to fight for her independence from this very forceful man. 'And Joy's my sister, not my child,' she tacked on indignantly, a light flush staining her alabaster cheeks. 'And you still haven't answered my question,' she flung at him. 'Why have you changed your mind ?'

  His steady appraising look went slowly over her, making her cheeks turn a deeper shade of pink. 'Because it suits me,' he replied casually. 'You're uncomplicated, pleasant to look at, and I'd say loyal to the point of stupidity.'

  'Thank you,' murmured Corinne, in a low voice. She had asked for the last observation. Coming to Las Palmas in Clair's place had been stupid, more stupid than she had ever visualised.

  'I am tired of the sophisticated woman,' he went on, as if discussing the weather. 'Gabriel was right I ought to marry. There are times when a woman in the background can stabilise one's affairs.'

  Corinne's eyes widened at this cool assertion. Easier and safer for him to play the field, she thought scathingly, and if he thought she was going to agree to become his shield for future skirmishes in the romantic line, he had better think again ! 'I'm afraid you've chosen the wrong woman,' she replied, with

  ISLAND FIESTA 63 a glint in her eye. 'I'm quite happy as I am. You were right when you said I was uncomplicated. I intend to stay that way but thanks for the compliment,' she added hastily on seeing the flash of fury in Juans' eyes.

  'You appear to be under the delusion that you have a choice,' Juan said harshly. 'You have no choice. If you refuse to comply with my wishes in this matter, Clair will inherit nothing. The cottage you seem so attached to will then have to be sold.'

  His cold ultimatum reverberated around the shocked Corinne and she stared at him. 'But you can't do that !' she exclaimed. 'If Clair doesn't inherit, neither do you! I'm not that stupid !' she added furiously.

  'I'm afraid you're wrong,' he said softly, reverting to the silky tone that Corinne so disliked. 'I fulfilled my obligations in the will by marrying you. All Gabriel was concerned with was keeping the business in the family, and I shall keep to my side of the bargain by seeing that this is done. It is up to you to see that Clair receives a share in the will.'

  'But that's blackmail !' Corinne got out shakily, feeling in the middle of a nightmare.

  'I would rather say rough justice !' he grated out. 'What did either of you care for an old man who longed to have his family around him ? All his granddaughter wanted was his money. And you ? You were motivated by the fact that you would lose your home. Were they good enough reasons, do you think, to hoodwink Gabriel on his deathbed ? Well, both of you should now be satisfied. His granddaughter gets the money, and you will get a home not, of course, the home you would prefer, but you will be

  64 ISLAND FIESTA adequately provided for. I'd say the pair of you came out remarkably well, wouldn't you ?' he demanded savagely.

  Corinne closed her eyes. On the bare face of it, all that he had said was true. But there was more to it than that. She longed to scream out at him that she hadn't envisaged herself arriving in time to participate in a deathbed scene. Had there been time, she would have told Gabriel Mowbray the truth, she had hated that part of it. As for being afraid of losing her home, there had been Joy to consider. It was essential for her sister's health to remain in the country, but this hard man wouldn't understand any of this, she thought wearily.

  She knew that she was beaten, but she couldn't give up just like that. Surely Clair would have a say in the matter ? She voiced her thoughts. 'What makes you think that Clair will accept these conditions ?' she asked through stiff lips. 'She's bound to feel responsible for what's happened,' she added, hoping she had found a flaw in his reasoning.

  Juan gave a grim smile at this. 'You are backing a loser, you know, if you are relying on Clair's conscience. I very much doubt if she has one, particularly if it affects her expectations.'

  Corinne looked quickly away from his mocking eyes. He was right, of course; the only help she could expect from Clair would be in packing her case for her !

  'I would not advise you to suggest that she contests the will, either,' he added softly. 'It wouldn't make good publicity for either of you, would it? I suggest that you do precisely what I want you to do. Go back, and make the arrangements to join me at

  ISLAND FIESTA 65 the earliest opportunity. I will provide you with enough money to cover your return flight with your sister. I would also suggest that you say nothing to Clair about this conversation. As far as she is concerned, her authorisation did not arrive in time, and she must be thankful that I was so strongly attracted to her envoy's charms that I married her.'

  Corinne stared dully at the floor. As he had so coldly pointed out at the start, she had no choice but to do exactly as he wished. She closed her eyes. Why on earth had she to have the same name as her cousin ? None of this could have come about if the family hadn't had an illustrious forebear of the name. She thought of his rather snide remark about her charms. He could hardly have said the same to Clair, she thought, but he hadn't seen Clair a light suddenly appeared in the gloom around her. He wanted a wife no, that was not right he wanted someone in the background, and Clair would need no persuading to be that someone once she had met the handsome Juan ! Her thoughts raced ahead. It couldn't matter to him which Clair Suter took on the role he had outlined to Corinne.

  She looked up at Juan who was watching her every action, and, she surmised, enjoying her discomfiture, but she wasn't beaten yet. Took,' she said quietly, willing herself to sound calm and reasonable, 'you want a wife well, someone in the background,' she amended hastily on seeing his autocratic brows shoot up, 'and so you married Clair Suter,' she continued, refusing to be put off by a warning look in his eye. 'Why don't you ask my cousin to fulfil that obligation for you ? I know her well enough to be certain of a favourable reaction towards the idea.' She gave

  66 ISLAND FIESTA him a small smile, but her eyes pleaded with him to release her from the harsh contract he had made with her. 'Because I married you,' was his implacable answer. 'You married a Clair Suter ! ' Corinne retorted angrily. 'What does it matter which one fits the bill ?'

  'To me, a great deal,' he replied harshly, 'and in case you're in any doubt you'd better take a good look at this certificate.'

  He thrust it at Corinne, then sat back and folded his arms across his broad chest.

  Corinne could not quite see the point of such an exercise. She knew that a marriage had taken place, she had been present, hadn't she ? It was not until she saw the names that had been filled in on the certificate that she realised the significance of his words.

  That Juan Carrero Martel had married Clair Corinne Suter there was no doubt whatsoever. There was also no doubt whatsoever that Juan Martel had been fully aware of what he was doing. Her name leapt out at her, loudly proclaiming this bald fact, for it had not been necessary to add her second Christian name. Clair's was Mariana, after her mother, and Corinne could have supplied this had she been asked to do so.

  'You left nothing to chance, did you ?' she said bitterly. 'Supposing there was someone else ? I might be engaged to someone for all you know, but you wouldn't even have considered that, would you ?' she added in a low voice.

  'Are you ?' His grey eyes held hers in a mesmeric hold, and Corinne was forced to tell the truth.

  'No, as it happens I'm not, but I might have been,' she insisted stubbornly.

  ISLAND FIESTA 67

  'It was a logical conclusion that you weren't,' he replied dryly. 'You were worried about not having a roof over your head, weren't you ? This would hardly have been the case had there been a man to watch over you. Now enough of this prevarication. How long will you need to settle things your end ?'

  Corinne licked her dry lips and tried to think coherently, finally giving it up with a sigh of exasperation. 'How do I know ?' she replied dazedly. 'You calmly throw all this at me and expect me to answer a question like that. I need time to think,' she went on steadily, making herself remain calm. 'You do realise what this means to me, don't you ?' she demanded. 'It means leaving my home, and uprooting not only me but Joy as well.' She gave him a pleading look. 'I'm not sure that I can go through with it.' She pressed her trembling lips together and willed herself not to break down. 'I know what I what we did, was wrong, and if I'd had a chance I would have told Clair's grandfather the truth and why Clair couldn't come.'

  She faltered here on seeing his firm lips twist in a cynical sneer. He did not believe her, she could see that he didn't, but she made herself go on. She was fighting for her freedom. 'Surely just the knowledge that you're married will be sufficient for your needs,' she went on doggedly. 'If you require my presence at any time, I could put in an appearance, couldn't I ?' she suggested hopefully.

  'Out of the question,' Juan snapped back at her, hardly allowing her to finish the sentence. 'As you so rightly pointed out earlier, I leave nothing to chance. I did not plan to have a wife living the other side of the world from me. When I said that I needed

  68 ISLAND FIESTA someone in the background, I meant the immediate background, living in my home. A wife's place is with her husband.' He gave Corinne a mocking smile. 'You'll get used to the idea,' he told her grandly. 'Remember that I am allowing you to bring your sister back with you. I could have insisted that you came alone.'

  Corinne gasped. Of all the hateful, autocratic creatures ! 'There is no question of my leaving her,' she replied stiffly. 'She's still at school.'

  Juan's dark winged brows lifted at this, and he gave Corinne a hard searching look as if trying to determine whether she was telling the truth. 'And there are only the two of you ?' he queried.

  Corinne gave an abrupt nod. 'We lost our parents years ago,' she replied in a low voice. 'Our grandparents brought us up, now there's only Joy and I.'

  He stared down at his well shaped hand lying along the arm of his chair, and Corinne felt a surge of hope flow through her. Would he now release her from the impossible position that he had manoeuvred her into ?

  `And Joy is how old ?' he asked, after a moment's silence.

  'Fifteen,' said Corinne, her eyes searching his enigmatic grey ones for some sign of hope. 'She's another six months' schooling to do, and several examinations to sit,' she added meaningly.

  'We have some exceptionally good schools here,' he replied quietly, instantly quelling the hope that Corinne had began to nurse. `If they are not suitable, then I shall get her a private tutor,' he added haughtily. 'You will have no cause to worry over your sister.'

  ISLAND FIESTA 69

  No cause to worry, thought Corinne, now on the verge of hysteria and praying that it was all a bad dream, and that she would soon wake up to normality. One thing was certain, she told herself grimly, if it was a dream, wild horses wouldn't drag her to the register office the following day !

  Her apprehensive glance went towards Juan Martel and she saw that he was glancing at the expensive-looking gold watch on his wrist. 'I have booked you a seat on the one-thirty flight,' he said casually. 'I shall give you ten days in which to settle your affairs and provide you with the return tickets so that there will be no hold-up your end.'

  Stunned, Corinne looked at her watch. It was just after midday.

  'You have ample time in which to pack and catch that flight,' Juan told her bluntly. 'I shall now take you back to the hotel, and then out to the airport.'

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CORINNE did not remember much more about the rest of that morning. She knew that Juan had taken her back to the hotel, and had paid her bill while she had packed her cases.

  At no time had she been in charge of anything, and his forceful attendance stopped short only at the airport barrier, and even then Corinne saw that he did not leave the airport until the plane taxied down the runway prior to take-off, and away out into the blue horizon towards the shores of England.

  70 ISLAND FIESTA

  During the flight, Corinne had four hours in which to come to terms with the devastating fact that she had married a man she did not know a marriage that she had undertaken in the mistaken belief that she was participating in the ceremony on Clair's behalf. Only the hard cold feel of the gold ring that lay in her jacket pocket where she had slipped it after the service told her that what had happened was no dream, but cold reality.

  According to custom, she knew that she ought now to wear the ring, but she baulked at the very idea, as if by leaving it where it was, out of sight, she could somehow avert the inevitable.

  During these pulsating thoughts, it did occur to her that Juan Martel and Gabriel Mowbray had more in common with one another than just a business partnership. Gabriel Mowbray had sought to dominate his family to the point of suffocation, hence the reason for Clair's mother's flight from home all those years ago, and her refusal to place herself and her daughter back into the same trap that she had managed to escape from. Juan Martel had the same ruthless, dominating outlook, and as Corinne was now his wife, she was going to find out with a vengeance what it was like being married to such a man.

  As the miles slipped by, she found it harder, not easier, to come to terms with her predicament. Every mile passed brought her nearer to home and the inevitable barrage of questions that she would have to face from Clair, not to mention the outspoken Joy, who knew her a little too well to be fobbed off with less than the truth.

  There were, she reasoned silently with herself, two ways in which she could handle the bizarre situ

  ISLAND FIESTA 71 ation. One would be to flash the ring in front of Clair and say something on the lines of : 'Oh, by the way, Juan knew you wouldn't be able to get the authorisation over in time, but we married anyway, seeing that I had the same name, and it was a case of love at first sight !'

  Corinne closed her eyes. She would never get away with that, she thought miserably, and that left the second and more probable explanation the truth ! She could tell Clair how she had come to find herself married to a stranger, and she had better put on her thinking cap, or contact that legal wizard of hers and do something about it !

  Corinne looked out at the great expanse of sky around the plane winging its way across the fluffy white clouds that looked like puffs of cotton wool against a canopy of brilliant blue. For a - brief span in time she was lost in the beauty of the heavens. The threat of the future, as outlined by Juan Martel, should she fail to comply with his orders, had no place in this world of timelessness.

  The feeling of certainty that in the end all would come well did not unfortunately last long, and soon Corinne was back to her worries.

  It was all very well asking Clair to extricate her from the mess that she had inadvertently landed herself in, but how willing would Clair be to help her when she was faced with Juan Martel's ultimatum ? If Corinne refused to go back to Las Palmas, Clair would not inherit a penny, and knowing Clair, Corinne knew that she would contest the will. She also knew what the result of such a move would be. Men like Juan Martel did not bluff. He had meant what he had said about exposing their money-grub

  72 ISLAND FIESTA bing efforts to gain access to Gabriel Mowbray's money. Corinne gave a shudder; it didn't bear thinking about.

  To take her mind off these disturbing thoughts, her glance strayed to the middle-aged woman seated next to her, who was having a cosy chat with a friend who sat across the narrow passageway alongside her. Both women were well tanned, Corinne noticed, and had had an enjoyable holiday. Every now and again something that they had said would be endorsed by one of the two equally tanned elderly men who sat in the seats directly behind Corinne, and who were obviously the women's husbands. 'I wonder how long Ted will go this time before getting that cough of his back,' commented the woman seated next to Corinne. 'Do you know, Ivy, I don't remember him having to ease up once during the holiday. Those coughing fits of his take a lot out of him, you know.'

  'Too busy enjoying himself ! ' came the jocular answer from one of the two men at the back. 'That's right, isn't it, Ted ?'

  Laughter followed this observation, but the woman next to Corinne was not going to be put off. 'No, honestly, Ted. You said yourself that the climate suited you, didn't you ?' she appealed earnestly to her husband.

  Corinne did not listen to the said Ted's reply, she was too busy with her own thoughts. Would the Canarian climate help Joy's trouble ? she wondered. If it would, then it would be worth all the change and uprooting that was in store for them. Even worth leaving the cottage, she thought sadly, and her eyes were wistful as she thought of the home that she and Joy had been so happy in for the past two years.