Sweet Revenge Read Free

It's good to see you again, Toni.'
    Toni was reluctant. 'Oh, I don't know, Paul—' Her association with Paul Craig had been short-lived, and she had no desire to revive it.
    'Oh, come on, Toni. Ships that pass in the night, and all that sort of jazz. Strangers in a foreign city. Come on — no strings, honestly.'
    Toni shrugged. 'Okay, Paul. Just one, then. How have you been?'
    'Fine. How about you?'
    'Oh, fine.' Toni glanced his way thoughtfully as they walked out of the park and across the road to a bar. Paul didn't change much. He had always seemed rather boyish, and Toni had soon tired of being treated like one of his rugger chums. He liked sport, and nights out with the 'boys' and Toni had never taken him seriously, much to his disgust.
    They sat at a long dimly lit bar, on high stools, drinking martini cocktails. Paul offered her a cigarette, and after they were lit, he said:
    'Did you know I was engaged?'
    'No!' Toni half-smiled. 'Who's the lucky girl?'
    Paul grimaced. 'Janet West, as was. We broke it off today.' 'What!'
    'Yes. We were here together. We were going to see my grandmother. But - well - Janet's damn extravagant, she's always wanting money for something or other, and then yesterday she went and spent over two thousand escudos on an evening dress!'
    'I see. And you objected.'
    'You're damn right I objected!' He drew on his cigarette angrily. 'Then she just blew it all in. This morning I got back the ring.'
    'That's a shame, Paul.' Toni sipped her drink. 'Are you completely broken-hearted?'
    Paul snorted. 'Not likely! I've had enough of her for some considerable time!'
    'Oh, come on! You're only mad now. You'll come round.' Toni smiled.
    Paul shook his head. 'I doubt it. Anyway, what gives with you? What are you doing wandering alone about a foreign city at night?'
    'It's hardly night yet.' Toni shrugged. 'Oh, it's rather complicated, Paul. You wouldn't be interested.'
    'I might be.'
    'Well—' Toni ran the tips of her fingers round the rim of her glass. 'Well - I came out to act as governess to two young children, Pedro and Julia de Calle.'
    'Did you say de Calle?'
    'Yes. Why? Do you know them?'
    'My grandmother does. But go on. I'm sorry I interrupted you.'
    Toni sipped her cocktail. 'Perhaps as you know the de Calles it would be better if I stopped right here.'
    'They're my grandmother's friends, not mine. Do go on, Toni.'
    'All right. Well, everything was going swimmingly, until Miguel de Calle came back from his business trip. Then I guess he took a fancy to me. Don't ask me why, I didn't encourage him.'
    'Honey, with your looks, men don't need encouragement,' remarked Paul fervently.
    Toni gave him an old-fashioned look, and then continued: 'Naturally, I wasn't aware of it until he cornered me one night in the corridor outside my bedroom. Lord, I really thought I was to suffer a fate worse than death, and I was practically tearing his hair out when Senhora de Calle came upon us. Of course she thought the opposite to the truth: that I had been trying to seduce Miguel. I denied it all, of course, but to no avail, and this morning I found myself out on my ear, bluntly speaking. That pig, Miguel, I could murder him! He stood by and let Estelle rant and rave at me, looking like the wounded soldier!' Her angry young voice was filled with hurt and resentment, and Paul slid an arm across her shoulders. 'Poor you! So what are you going to do now?'
    'Do? Well, return to London, I guess. There's nothing else I can do. The de Calles haven't even paid me, let alone given me a reference!'
    'I see.' Paul nodded, studying his drink. 'I'm not sure what I'm doing either.'
    'But I thought you were going to visit your grandmother.'
    'I said Janet and I were going to visit her,' amended Paul.
    'So?'
    'So I can't go alone.' Toni looked exasperated. 'Why?' 'Well, because so far I've been classed as the black sheep of the family, the only one unmarried and so forth. When she heard of my engagement to Janet she was overjoyed,