Page 43 of Her Spanish Scandal

“Do you love him?”

She sighed. “Would I be marrying him if I didn’t?”

“I guess not. You aren’t the kind of person to marry because it makes sense.”

Funny that Katie had summed up the lie she’d been telling herself since she’d agreed to be Gui’s fiancée. Why was it that her friends could see the obvious and she couldn’t?

She heard the front door open and Gui’s deep voice downstairs. “Gui’s home, Katie. I’ll call you back later.”

“Okay, Kara.”

She rang off with her friend and started out to the hallway, but heard another voice in the foyer. A feminine voice. Gui hadn’t come alone. And she had a sinking feeling that he’d brought Elvira with him.

Elvira had been crying since he’d come to her house. The media had camped out on her doorstep, and her servants were dealing with them, but Gui knew she needed privacy to grieve. He’d had a call from Montoyes informing him that his brother and sister-in-law were alive, and just a few minutes ago Alonzo had phoned.

He’d talked to his brother and felt deep relief that he was okay. But now he had Elvira in his home and had no idea what he was going to say to Kara. Vincent had a look in his eyes that Gui knew meant his secretary didn’t approve. But the other man had been with Gui long enough to know better than to say anything.

“Where is Kara?”

“Upstairs, Count. Should I send one of the maids to find her and let her know you are here and that we have a guest?”

“That’s not necessary, Vincent. Please see that Countess de Perez is settled in the Green Room.”

“Yes, Count.”

“Guillermo, querido, you can’t leave me,” Elvira cried.

“Just for a few moments, Elvira. You’ll be fine. Your maid will be here soon. In the meantime Vincent will assign someone to draw you a bath.”

“Yes, Count.”

“Gui…I need you.”

“I know you do, Elvira. And I’ll be back to check on you in a few moments. I need to call my parents and make sure they are fine.”

“Why should you worry about them? They haven’t lost anyone…I’ve lost my Juan. How will I live without him?”

Elvira had been asking the same questions over and over again. And Gui had no answers. He felt bad for her. Had felt her pain as she’d cried over losing her husband. He could only guess there was more love between her and Juan than he’d assumed.

But he needed to talk to his mother. He knew that his mom would be upset about Juan and the near miss for everyone else. He nodded to Vincent and went up the stairs two at a time. He entered his den and immediately knew that Kara was there.

Her flowery perfume was a scent on the air. “Kara?”

“Sorry. I came upstairs to take a call from Katie,” she said from deep inside the room. He couldn’t make out even her outline.

“You’re welcome in my den. Why are the lights off?” he asked as he entered the room.

“I wasn’t sure what the news would be. Did you hear that Alonzo and the Enfanta are both okay?”

“Yes, I did,” he said. He turned on one of the lamps on the side table. She was standing near the desk. Seeing her didn’t offer any clues as to what was going on in her head.

“I’m sorry to hear about Juan.”

“Thank you. I’m going to call my mother now.”

She nodded. “I’ll leave you to it…”

“Was there something else?” he asked when she hesitated in the hallway.