Bend, not break

Part 10 - This woman is hungry

They had spent the hours-long journey towards Zaragoza mostly in silence. There was a strange atmosphere between them, one that made Marta nervous. She fervently hoped that their new quarters would provide an opportunity to clear the air between them. They had hardly had any time together and they were both feeling the impact. It would be good to get some rest for at least a day or two.

-

'Hola, Marta!' Doña Valeria welcomed Marta almost effusively and with a long hug. The woman who opened the door for them was a very good-looking, dark-haired woman with a broad smile on her face that spoke of more than just a formality.

'It's been ages, Valeria. When was the last time we saw each other?'

'I guess at your wedding or mine.'

Marta nodded.

'This is Fina Valero,' she introduced.

'Ah, your cousin you were talking about.' The emphasis on the word cousin alone would have been enough to know that Doña Valeria didn't believe for a moment that Fina was the cousin. But she emphasised the word with a broad grin and a brief wink.

'Come in, come in. We're in the middle of preparing for a party tonight.'

'A party?' Marta saw the peace and quiet she wanted for Fina and herself receding into the distant future.

'Why yes!' Valeria winked conspiratorially again. 'My husband is going to be away until the day after tomorrow. It's the perfect opportunity to invite some friends to join us. Don't worry, you'll love them.'

Neither Fina nor Marta had any idea what that meant.

Valeria offered them a seat in the living room, which was more like half a dance hall. A few women were standing on ladders and taking care of the decorations, visibly ready for the evening. The estate was huge, that much was certain, and Valeria had told them as they entered that they would be able to sleep undisturbed in one of the guest houses. There had been that strange wink again when she said the word undisturbed and Fina had felt increasingly irritated. Marta, on the other hand, seemed her old self: reserved, polite and attentive. At most, a slight nervousness could be recognised in her hands.

'I didn't think I'd ever meet you again under these circumstances, Marta. At least not after your apparently very happy wedding. Although I always assumed that Captain Nemo was fishing somewhere else than with you anyway.' She laughed and winked at the same time.

Fina cleared her throat and then asked: 'How do you know each other?'

'We went to school together, didn't we Marta?'

School was a very shortened description for the girls' boarding school they had both endured for many years, Marta thought, but nodded in agreement.

'That's right. We were friends for a long time, I'd say. Until our respective weddings?'

'We had common interests, I guess you could say. Which we then didn't pursue any further, unfortunately.' She sipped a glass of sherry. 'And you? Where did you meet?'

'In the shop,' Marta said briefly.

'Oooh. Did she talk you into a special perfume and you couldn't resist?' Valeria asked Fina this time.

'I used to work there. My father has also worked for the de la Reina family for a long time.'

'Ooooh, Marta. Comrades from your own back yard. Keeping it dangerous.' She laughed again. 'I wouldn't have thought you capable of that.'

Marta's eyes flashed briefly and she was about to reply when she felt Fina's hand on her arm. She bit her lips and finally said: 'We're a bit tired. Would it be unforgivable if we took a little rest before the big party?'