CATHERINE GEORGE - Under the Brazilian Sun

‘ E verdade? ’ he said, surprised. ‘Why?’

‘Otherwise, my clothes don’t fit. So, as a basic matter of economy, I try not to eat chocolate, and puddings, and so on.’

Roberto leaned to refill her glass. ‘The wine will do no harm, I promise. Not,’ he added, ‘that I think the doces would harm you either, Katherine.’ He shot a look at her. ‘You allow me use of your name?’

‘Of course,’ she said quickly, annoyed because she felt flustered. ‘I was a bit overweight as a teenager, right up until my father died, when I found that grief was far more effective than any diet.’

His eyes softened. ‘You were close to him.’

‘Yes. I even followed his career choice. He lectured in art history. He met James Massey when they were at university.’

‘And now you work for your father’s friend.’

She stiffened. ‘Which is absolutely nothing to do with nepotism—’

‘I am sure it is not,’ Roberto assured her hastily. ‘But it would please your father to know that his daughter works in safe keeping with his old friend, I think.’

‘True. But I earn my salary, Senhor Sousa.’

He sighed. ‘Now I have offended you. Perdao ! It was not my intention. Agora , please eat more or Lidia will also be offended.’

Katherine went on with her meal for a moment or two, then decided to take the plunge. ‘May I ask about your accident?’

Roberto tensed as though about to refuse, then shrugged, his eyes bitter. ‘I was in a car crash, and fortunate to survive. But for a while it was hard to convince myself of that.’

‘Because you were in such pain?’

His smile was sardonic as he refilled their glasses. ‘Also because of vanity.’

‘Vanity?’

Roberto nodded. ‘My broken leg was in full length cast, I had bad concussion, black eyes, broken nose and teeth, and half my face held together with stitches. Frankenstein’s monster was prettier.’

‘Sounds as though you were lucky to be alive,’ said Katherine with a shiver. ‘Did you have any passengers?’

‘ I was the passenger, Katherine. When the car swerved off the road on a bend the driver leapt clear. The car did not burst into flames as in the movies, gracas a Deus , but it suffered much damage as it crashed down a hillside into trees.’

‘What happened to the chauffeur?’

His eyes hardened to obsidian. ‘The driver was a woman, Katherine. I learned later that she had only a sprained wrist, also contusoes —bruises because bushes broke her fall. She ran from the scene in panic. It was left to a passing motorist to ring for help. I knew nothing of this. I woke up in hospital, with my parents by my bed.’

‘What a horrible shock for them to see you so badly injured.’ Katherine’s eyes were warm with sympathy, which hardened to something else entirely at the thought of the woman who’d left Roberto to his fate. ‘And the lady driving the car?’

‘She rang me eventually at the hospital, begging me to say I was driving,’ he said without expression. ‘But the answer was negative because the police already knew I was not driving. It took much time to free me from the passenger seat of my car.’

‘Why would she ask you to do that?’

‘We had a disagreement over dinner, and because of it we had taken more wine than was wise, so I insisted on ringing for a taxi. But she was in a great hurry to get away and snatched my keys.’ He looked suddenly grim. ‘We were still arguing in the car because she would not fasten her seat belt.’

‘So she was able to jump clear and leave you to your fate.’ Katherine shook her head in disbelief. ‘After that, she actually expected you to say you were driving?’

‘Yes. But even if I had been fool enough to agree, I could not lie because the police knew the facts, also that Elena had spent the evening with me from the publicity shots taken on our way to dinner. When the truth came out she was fired from a television soap she was appearing in. She had a minor role as an innocent young girl desired by a married man.’ He smiled sardonically. ‘When it was known that Elena Cabral had not only been drinking but jumped from the car to leave me to my fate, the press crucified her.’

‘Where did this happen?’

‘Near Porto. There were horrific pictures of me in the press.’ His mouth twisted. ‘My parents wanted to fly me straight home, but living at the Estancia would have meant much travelling for treatment, so I preferred to remain here to recover in the Minho. My father could stay only a short time with me, but my mother left only recently.’ He smiled. ‘My parents do not like to be separated for long, so finally I insisted I was well enough for her to leave me.’

Katherine gazed at him in silence. With an Estancia as the family home, the Quinta for holidays, and soap-actress girlfriends in the mix, Roberto de Sousa lived a very different life from hers—or from anyone she knew. ‘Thank you for telling me,’ she said at last. ‘I hope it wasn’t painful to talk about it.’

‘Not to such a sympathetic listener.’ He smiled suddenly, the effect like a light going on in a darkened room. He looked up as Jorge appeared to clear away. ‘Tell Lidia the meal was gostoso , as usual.’

Katherine nodded in fervent agreement and the man smiled, pleased.

‘You would like dessert, Doutora ?’

‘No, thank you,’ she said with regret. ‘Could I have some tea, please?’

‘ Pois e! I will also bring café for the Patrao .’

Roberto smiled wryly as the man left. ‘I must take the back seat with Jorge now you are here, Katherine.’

She laughed. ‘I don’t think so. Both Jorge and Lidia obviously think the world of you.’

‘My mother told them to take good care of me—and they do.’ He sighed. ‘Lidia feeds me well, and Jorge is a slave driver when I exercise, also he will drive me to Viana do Castelo tomorrow for a check-up with a doctor and session with the physio. I prefer to drive myself but for hospital visits Jorge insists he does,’ he added loudly as the man came back with a tray.

Jorge smiled. ‘Dona Teresa mandou ,’ he said simply.

‘He said my mother ordered him to do it, so nothing I say will make any difference,’ said Roberto, resigned.

‘Thank you.’ Katherine smiled warmly at Jorge as he set the tray in front of her.

‘De nada, Doutora. Boa noite.’

‘So, Katherine,’ said Roberto when they were alone, ‘will you solve our mystery tomorrow?’

‘I certainly hope so, or you’ll have spent a lot of money for nothing in getting me here!’

‘And will pay more for you to stay longer!’ He rolled his eyes. ‘That does not sound good, I think. You must make allowances for my English.’

She shook her head. ‘You speak it very well. So do Lidia and Jorge to a lesser extent, though with much stronger accents than yours.’

‘We sound different because I am Brazilian and I was taught at school. Also I have travelled much. They are Portuguese and have not, but they have learned some basic English to deal with visitors to the Quinta das Montanhas. It is rented out for holidays for part of the year—the reason why I built the pool and the tennis court,’ Roberto added.

Katherine stared at him in astonishment. ‘You can actually bear to let the general public use your home?’

‘When I am not here, yes.’ He shrugged. ‘I am a practical man, Katherine. People pay very well to stay here, and it provides work for my empregados and money for the maintenance of the house. But not so many visitors are booked this season because I stay at the Quinta myself.’

‘Does Lidia cook for the guests?’

‘I do not allow this. Breakfast only is provided. There are good restaurants in the area.’ His jaw clenched. ‘For obvious reasons, I do not patronise them.’

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