Deveraux, Jude - The Lost Woman Read online

  SUMMARY --

  "Left by its tutor, despised by his fiance', the fragile Regan found consolation in the arms of a stranger. Travis, good looking and wild, attracted by the innocence of that young person, did it hers... without imagining that it had an iron will that waited to him dangerous and apasionado love destiny."

  1

  The Weston house was, quiet night love song and, in average of almost one hectare of gardens. She was one marries peque­ña, without greater pretensions, that it seemed exactly what was: the house of a horseman English in 1797. Only an observer very perspicaz could notice that two of the canals for rain were a little sunk, or which to one of chimneys it needed a corner, or even of which in some edges the painting it began to deteriorate itself.

  Inside, the only room totally illuminated was the dining room, but also signs of aban­dono were noticed there. In shades, the upholstery of the Georgian chairs was frayed and faded. The plaster adornments of the highest ceiling had begun to be cracked, and in one wall was a clearer space where sometimes there was a picture.

  But the kid who was seated to a side of she pulls did not pay attention to all the imperfections of the room, then she had the fixed eyes in the man who in front of was her.

  Farrel Batsford curved its wrist so that the fist with steering wheels of silk of their shirt were not stained with

  juice of the roasted meat. A brush only used (and it smiled to the girl in little convincing form.

  -- Deja papar flies and eats your supper -- Jonathan ordered Northland to its niece, and immediately separated Vista from her ---. Well, Farrell, what you said on the hunting in your property?

  Regan Weston tried to watch its food, even of to prove some mouthfuls, but did not obtain it. It did not understand how they could hope that one calmed and it ate thus in a mo­mento, when it was so near the man who ama­ba. Another look threw to Farrell through its long pes­tañas dark. It had aristocratic aspect: fine nose and blue eyes, almendrados. His velvet jacket and its vest of golden brocade seated perfectly to its thin and elegant physicist. It had the blond hair arre­glado good, and him corbatín hardly waved on the edge of his blanquisimo.

  When Regan sent a deep sigh, its uncle vol­vió to direct a reprobación glance to him. Farrell wiped with gentleness comisuras of its fine lips.

  -- Perhaps my fiance'e wishes to give a stroll to the light of the moon -- Farrell suggested, pronouncing each word with clarity.

  ¡Promised!, Regan thought. In one week they would be casa­rían and then serious Farrell only for her, to love it and to take care of it with devotion, in order to embrace it; it would belong to him only to her. Crushed by the emotion, it could not to speak; it only agreed in answer. When throwing the napkin on the table, noticed once again the glance reprobatoria of its uncle. One was not behaving like one lady. Of there in ahead, one remembered by thousandth time, it would not have to olvi­dar who was she... and who would have to be: the wife of Farrell Batsford.

  When Farrell offered the arm to him, Regan dealed with no to grasp it with too much force. It wanted to dance of joy, to laugh of happiness, to embrace the man whom it loved. However, it followed it with calmness towards the fresh air garden.

  Perhaps -- you must have brought a chal -- it observed Farrell once they left the house.

  --Oh, not -- Regan, almost out of breath talked back, acer­cando itself more to him --. It did not want to lose a single minute to be with you.

  Farrell was arranged to say something but, apparently, it changed to seem and it separated the Vista.

  -- Sopla wind of the sea, and is fresher than last night.

  --Oh, Farrell -- Regan --. sighed In only six days we will be married. I am the happiest woman of the world.

  -- Good, it is probable -- Farrell responded quickly, while one got rid of arm of her --. Siéntate here, Regan.

  It ordered it in a tone very similar to which always uti­lizaba with her its uncle, a tone that reflected impatience and exasperación.

  -- Preferiri'a to walk with you.

  -- Vas to begin to even disobey to me before marrying to us? --la reprimanded, watching it to the eyes.

  Those eyes, great and trusted, exposed everything what the girl thought and felt. She was pretty with its ves­tido of muselina of high neck, although gave aspec­to him infantile, but him it attracted so much as a cachorrito that suplica affection.

  Farrell separated passages before speaking.

  -- He is all ready one for the wedding?

  --El Jonathan uncle planned everything.

  -- Clear... as always -- Farrell --. murmured Then I will return the next week for the ceremony.

  —¡The next week! -- Regan exclaimed, to tiem­po that it raised of I jump --. Not before? But, Farrell... we... I...

  Farrell did not pay attention to him and returned to offer to him arm.

  -- Creo that now we would have to return to the house. If everything what I do dislikes to you, perhaps had to reconside­rar this marriage.

  A single entrance of Farrell was enough to stop the pro­testas of the young person. It returned to say that it did not have to forget its modales and yes to keep silence, that never had to give his loved reasons to criticize it.

  Of return in the dining room, its uncle and Farrell soon they sent to its room. Regan did not dare to protest; it feared that Farrell it returned to suggest cancelled the wedding.

  Once in its room, it could be relieved.

  -- is not wonderful, Matta? -- it exclaimed, alboro­zada, a his: servant --. Sometimes it dresses a brocade like that one? Only a perfect one horseman would choose that sort. ¡And what modales! It does everything correctly, everything to the per­fección. How it wanted to be like him, always so safe of same me, knowledge that until the minimum movement is correct!

  Matta frunció the frown.

  --A me seems to me that a man must have more good modales -- it talked back, with its accent of the west --. Now it quédese quiets and that dress quítese. It is already hour of which it is in the bed.

  Regan obeyed; it always obeyed. Someday, pen­só, it would get to be an important person: It had the money that had left his him father, and was on the verge of marrying with the man whom he loved. Together, they would have a ele­gante house in London, where they would offer the best celebrations, and another one in the field where it could be solo with her perfect husband.

  -- Deje already dream ordered Matta to him -- and acuéste­se. Someday, Regan Weston, is going to wake up and will see that the world is not done of candies and brocades of silk.

  --Oh, Matta -- Regan --. laughed I am not as idiot as you create. I could catch to Farrell, is not thus? What another girl could do that?

  -- Perhaps whatever it had the money of his father -- masculló Matta while he wrapped the thin body of his master --. Now it duérmase and it keeps the dreams for the night.

  Regan, obedient, closed the eyes until Matta left of the room. ¡The money of its father! The words se­guían resonating in his mind. Clear that Matta equivo­caba, reasoned. Farrell loved it by she herself, because...

  When seeing that a single reason did not remember that him hubie­ra Farrell dice to marry with her, was gotten up in

  bed. The night in which marriage had proposed him, Farrell had kissed it on the forehead and it had spoken to him of his home, that it belonged to his family several generations ago.

  Regan threw to a side the blankets, went to espe­jo and it observed his image silverplated by the moon. Its great eyes blue -- greenish they seemed those of a creature and not those of a woman who was eighteen years old for all one week. Its figure esbelta always was hidden low those clothes that nothing revealed: clothes chosen by

  its uncle.
>
  The nightgown that finished putting itself even had

  long sleeves and high neck.

  What saw Farrell in her?, it was asked. How it could knowledge that was able to be sophisticated and elegant if siem­pre went dressed like a girl? It tried to smile with seductive air and left a shoulder in the open. Ah, yes; if Farrell saw it thus, perhaps it would do something more than to kiss it with attitude paternal. A very immature giggle when imagi­nar escaped to him the reaction of Farrell before coquetería of that calm and gentile fiancèe.

  Quickly, it watched towards where slept Matta, in the small one contiguous vestidor, and thought that it would be worth the trouble to confront any punishment of his uncle with so seeing how his loved when seeing it in nightgown reacted. It was put slippers without heel and, with much sigilo, opened the door and lowered the stairs of finishing nails.

  The door of the room was open, and inside it had ignited candles. In the middle of I pull ahead gilded was sen­tado Farrell, and Regan it could not more than to marvel itself to ver­lo. They spent several minutes until it began to lend aten­ción to which they said.

  —¡It watches east place! -- Jonathan with vehemence --. exclaimed A plaster piece fell to me yesterday on the head. I was there, reading the newspaper, when a mal­dita flower fell on me.

  Farrell was concentrated in its brandy glass.

  -- Everything will finish soon... at least for you. You will have your money and you will be able to fix the house or to buy a new one.

  if you wish it. But to me it waits for an unfortunate life to me. Jonathan snorted and more brandy used.

  -- Hablas as if you went to prison. In fact, debe­rías be been thankful reason why I have made by you.

  —¡Been thankful! mofó Farrell --. You have car­gado to me with one chiquilla clumsy, bad educated and foolish.

  -- Vamos, many men would accept it with gus­to. It is pretty, and to many they would like their naivete.

  --Yo I am not as the others noticed Farrell to him.

  Unlike many people, Jonathan was not left to intimidate by Farrell Batsford.

  --Es truth -- it responded with calm --. Not many men they would make a treatment like which you have done.

  Jonathan finished his third brandy and it became towards Farrell.

  -- But we do not discuss more. We would have to be cele­brando our good luck, not attacking to us. -- Levanto' its full glass to offer.-- By my dear sister, with gratitude to have married with its rich young person.

  -- and by to have died and left everything to your reach? No is that the rest of the toast? -- Farrell drank a great one I suck and it was put serious.-- You are safe with respect to the tes­tamento of your brother-in-law? I do not want to marry with your niece and later to find out to me that everything was a great error:

  —¡I know it memory! -- Jonathan, gotten upset --. exclaimed I spent last the six years consulting aboga­dos. The girl cannot touch that money until it is twenty-three years old, unless one marries before, thing that no it could do until turning eighteen years.

  Perhaps of not to have been thus, you would have looked for to him husband to the twelve years?

  Jonathan laughed between teeth and left its glass in small table.

  -- Perhaps. Who knows? Reason why I see, has not cam­biado much from the twelve years.

  --Si you had not maintained prisoner to it in this house, perhaps he would not be so immature and little interesting. ¡God mine! ¡It thinks at night of weddings! Without a doubt, it will cry like a baby.

  —¡It leaves already of quejarte! -- gruñó Jonathan --. Ten­drás enough money to repair that monstrous house that you have, and only that I by all these years will have to take care of it is a meager sum.

  —¡To take care of it! When you left your club the time sufficient at least to know how she was she? -- Farrell sus­piró and soon it continued.-- I will leave It in my house and soon I will go to London. At least now I will have money to amuse to me. Clear that he will not be pleasant not to be able to invite to my ami­gos to house. Perhaps it contracts which is in charge of the tasks of a wife. I as large as do not imagine to your niece mane­jando a house mine.

  When raising the Vista, saw that Jonathan had palide­cido; their knuckles had become white by the force whereupon it grasped the glass.

  Farrell became quickly and saw Regan of foot in the entrance. As if nothing had happened, it left its glass

  in the small table.

  -- Regan -- it said, with smoothness --. You would not have to be

  raised to these hours.

  The great eyes of the girl seemed magnifi­cados by the tears.

  --No I touch myself -- it murmured, with the cerra­dos fists and rigid back. It seemed very small, with espe­so loose dark hair on the back and dressed in an infantile nightgown.

  -- Regan, you must obey to me.

  —¡You do not speak to me thus! How you dare to give ór­denes me after the things that you have said? -- Miro' at its uncle.- you will never have my money. You understand to me? ¡Neither it will have single céntimo of my money!

  Jonathan began to recover.

  -- and how delays to have it you? -- It smiled.-- If you do not marry to you with Farrell, you will not be able to touch that money in five years. Until now you have been living on my income, but I notice to you that if you refuse to marry with him you I will throw to the street, since as anything you would serve to me.

  Regan took the hands to the forehead and tried to pen­sar with clarity.

  -- I know sensible, Regan -- Farrell requested, supporting a hand in the shoulder of the young person.

  It separated.

  --No I am since you have said -- she murmured --. I am not idiot. I know to make things. I do not have why to accept the charity of anybody.

  -- Of course that not -- Farrell in tone agreed paternal.

  —¡Déjala peacefully! -- Jonathan --. exclaimed As anything it serves to try to reason with her. It lives in a dream world, just as its mother. --La took from the arm and was tightened it with force.-- Sabes which has been for me these last sixteen years, from the death of your parents? I have seen you eat my food and to use the clothes that I paid, and all that time you were seated on millo­nes,million! that I never could touch. Even though lle­garas a the age in which you could inherit, what reasons had I to think that you would give me something?

  --Te it would have given it. ¡You are my uncle!

  —¡Ja, ja! --La pushed towards the wall.-- you would have yourself pledged with some petimetre disguised and he it everything in five would have gas­tado years. Simply I decided darte what you wanted and at the same time to assure to me to obtain what I wished.

  —¡Delay a little while! -- Farrell --. exclaimed Aca­so me you are calling...? In that case...

  Jonathan ignored it and continued.

  -- What you decide? Or you marry to you with him, or you march aho­ra to you same.

  --No you can... -- Farrell took part.

  -- Of course that I can, and I am going to do it. You are crazy if you think that I am going to maintain it other five years only in vain.

  Stunned, Regan soon watched at one and the other. Farrell, it shouted his heart. How had been able to be mistaken tan­to with him? It did not love it; it only wanted its money. There was habla­do of the horrible thing that would be to marry with she.

  -- As it is your answer? -- Jonathan insisted.

  -- Hare' the suitcases -- Regan murmured.

  --No you will wear the clothes that I paid mofó

  Jonathan.

  In spite of which they seemed to believe those two men, Regan Weston had much pride. Her mother was hui­do of her house and she was had married with a poor employee; however, it worked with him, it believed in him, and together they made a fortune. When Regan was born, her mother was cuaren­ta years old; two years later, his husband in a navigation accident died along with. Regan had been car­go of its only relative: the brother of its mother. With , the girl had
the years not had reasons to demonstrate the spirit who was inherited of its mother.

  ---Me I march -- it responded in low voice. -- Regan, I know reasonable -- FarreH --. insisted Adon­de you will go? You do not know anybody.

  -- Perhaps would have to have left I and to marry to me with you? It will not be a shame for you to have a so ignorante wife? —¡Déjala to go! It will already return -- Jonathan --. said That it sees a little how is the world; you will see how it returns.

  Regan began to be discouraged quickly when seeing hatred in the eyes of its uncle and the scorn in those of Farrell. Before changing to seem, before falling of knees before Farrell, it gave average return and it left the house.

  Outside he was dark, and the wind of the sea moved the branches of the trees. Regan stopped in the threshold and levan­tó the forehead. It would obtain it. No matter how much it cost to him, it would demonstrate to them that it was not a useless person, as they seemed to believe. The stones were you cold under their feet when ale­jar itself of the house. One refused to think about the fact that esta­ba in public, by dark that it was, dressed only in its nightgown. Someday, it thought, it would return to that house with a flat dress of and pens in the hair, and Farrell arrodi­llaría before her and it would say him that she was the most beautiful woman of mun­do. Clear that, it stops then, it already would have reputation by her shining celebrations and would be favorite of the king and the queen; their talent and its intelligence would cele­brarían, in addition to his beauty. The cold so intense era that it began to win to his dreams. One stopped next to one near iron and one rubbed the arms. Where it was? It remembered that Farrell had

  said that había state prisoner, and it was truth. From both years of age, rare time had left the Weston house. Its only one company had been a series of servants and scared institu­trices, and their only one recreation place had been the garden. In spite of being single, rare time it felt. It began to feel single when it knew Farrell.

  One leaned against the cold iron of close and sank face in the hands. To whom it tried to deceive? What could make, single in night, and in nightgown?

  It raised to the head when hearing steps that approached. One shining smile illuminated the face to him: ¡Farrell came to bus­car it! When separating of close, the sleeve of its nightgown enlisted in the iron and it lost one's appetite to him in the shoulder. Regan did not make case and threw to run in the direction from which the steps came.