Page 13 of The Spanish Daughter (The Lost Daughters #5)

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ARGENTINE OPEN POLO CHAMPIONSHIP, BUENOS AIRES, 1938

‘How are you feeling about the game this weekend?’ Valentina asked her father as they strolled past the stables.

He reached for her hand, holding it in his for a moment as he smiled across at her. She wasn’t a little girl anymore, but she still loved to hold her father’s hand, to bask in his attention like this when it was just the two of them.

‘I’m feeling good. Polo is what I live for.’ He laughed. ‘Other than you and your mother, of course.’

Only the day before, she’d visited the olive grove with him, and today he’d asked her to meet him after her lessons, which made her think there was something he wanted to tell her. It turned out that she wasn’t wrong.

‘Valentina, you asked me some time ago about Spain,’ he said. ‘It was one of the hardest decisions of my life to move here, to leave behind my country and start somewhere afresh, but I did it to prove myself. I wanted to move away from my family and show that I was a self-made man, and Argentina was a country I’d always loved. I’d played polo here before and I had a feeling it was the right place for me to make my mark.’

She nodded, listening carefully to him.

‘My heart is divided these days, though. I am Spanish but I’m also an Argentine now, just as you are. But no matter how much I fall in love with Argentina, we must remember our Spanish heritage, always.’

It was Valentina reaching for his hand then, and he clasped it back, drawing her in close so she could lean her head into him. She was tall now, taller than her mother, but she doubted she would ever reach her father’s height.

‘Promise me that you’ll always take care of this property, Valentina. Your mother doesn’t have the connection to the land that you and I do, which is why it’s up to you to ensure it’s never sold,’ her father said. ‘One day, you will raise your own children here, and you must never let anyone take your birthright from you. This is to be Santiago land forever.’

Valentina squeezed his hand. ‘I won’t ever leave here, Papa. I promise.’

He lifted her hand and placed a kiss to it. ‘My beautiful girl, what would I ever do without you?’

It wasn’t often her father became emotional, but Valentina saw tears shining in his eyes then, and as they kept walking, she had the strangest feeling that something was wrong, that he was keeping something from her.

‘Papa, is anything troubling you? Is there a reason you wanted to walk with me today?’

‘Does a father need a reason to spend time with his daughter?’

‘No, Papa, of course not.’

Valentina dropped her head so that it fell against his shoulder. She only wished they could spend more time together like this, just the two of them. They were the moments she loved the most, more than anything, and she cherished every single one of them.

Valentina had always loved attending the polo and watching her father play, but today she had more reason than usual to be excited. Her father was playing, but so was Felipe’s father, which meant that Felipe was there as his groom, preparing all the ponies and even riding them to warm them up before the game. She was currently watching him cantering back and forth on one horse at the same time as leading another, and despite his young age, he made it all look effortless. Valentina’s father had said he was a natural horseman, and she could see that he hadn’t been exaggerating. It wouldn’t be long before he was the one playing.

In the beginning, she hadn’t been able to understand why her father had brought a stable manager all the way from Spain instead of finding someone already in Argentina, but she could see now that they were friends more than anything. It was impossible to miss the easy manner they had with each other, and clearly Felipe’s father was well respected by the other players. Only last week, she’d heard that it was he who’d helped them win a tournament, which had of course made her father all the more fond of him.

When it was almost time for the match to begin, Valentina watched as Felipe swung around, going to tend to the horses waiting on the sidelines for their turn. She found it fascinating how often the players switched horses throughout a game, and how excited the horses seemed when it was their turn. She was still very much looking forward to her father taking her to watch a women’s game one day—she could barely believe it was true that women’s games even existed—to see young ladies swinging mallets and showing off their skills, and if it was as exciting and fast-paced as watching the men.

Felipe caught her eye then, giving her a wave, and she quickly looked around to make sure her mother wasn’t watching before waving back. Even from where she was standing, she could see the way his eyes lit up when he saw her, and she knew that if someone was looking at her, they’d have seen the same look on her face. She was always pleased to see him.

Valentina would have done anything to go and stand with him, but she knew her mother would never forgive her. She was in a pretty dress that her mama had chosen for her, white with light blue dots, and although she didn’t mind it, she would have much preferred to be in breeches and boots, helping to prepare the horses for when they were next needed.

‘Valentina, come and meet some of the ladies,’ her mother called out, beckoning her over.

She exchanged a quick glance with her brother, who looked thankful that the attention had been diverted away from him. Valentina fixed a smile and stood close to her mother, knowing what was expected of her.

‘My Valentina is seventeen now. Before I know it, she’ll be all grown up and married.’

Valentina was grateful when a waiter came past holding a tray of drinks, and she happily took a glass of lemonade as the other women all began talking about their children and tittering about finding them husbands or wives. The last thing she wanted to think about was getting married or leaving home; she had no intention of doing either any time soon, and her father had already made it clear how fortunate she was—she would never have to marry for money or security. He wanted her by his side, learning the business so that one day she would be able to take over his position, and if she chose to marry, it was only to be for a love match. She’d been embarrassed when he’d first brought it up, but she understood that he was trying to tell her that she didn’t have to follow her mother’s well-meaning plan—marriage wasn’t the only way for a young woman with means.

Thankfully the first chukka started then, and all the ladies turned to watch the horses galloping down the field, momentarily suspending their conversations. Valentina sipped her lemonade as she watched her father expertly handle the mallet, connecting hard with the ball and sending it flying down the field at speed. Her heart swelled with pride, but as much as she tried to watch the game, her eyes kept dancing over to where Felipe stood.

‘Valentina?’

She quickly looked away, her eyes immediately fixed on her father again the moment her mother said her name, as if she might be able to detect whom she was staring at. And when she glanced at her, Valentina knew that she’d been caught. Her mother’s eyes were narrowed, and she could tell by the pinched look around her mouth that she wasn’t happy.

‘Valentina, come and stand closer to me,’ her mother said. ‘And don’t forget, mi hija , that there is a reason we stand on this side of the field and that the others stand over there. Make no mistake about whom you are, or where you’re supposed to be.’

Valentina’s cheeks burnt hot as she kept her head turned towards the game, for she knew precisely what her mother was trying to say. A boy like Felipe would never be good enough for her; not now, not ever, and there would be no changing her mother’s mind.

‘How are your riding lessons going, Valentina?’

She kept her eyes on the horses in front of her on the field, not wanting to look at her father for fear that he’d somehow be able to read her mind, which was full of thoughts of her morning rides and all the stolen kisses she and Felipe had shared by the stables. She’d managed to escape her mother’s clutches once the first game was over, and had been enjoying a few moments alone, away from the crowd, until her father found her.

‘They’re going very well,’ she said. ‘Felipe thinks I take after you, actually.’

‘Ahh, now why doesn’t that surprise me?’ Her father laughed, his arm against hers as he leaned forward on the rails beside her. ‘I should have let you start riding years ago, Valentina. I’m sorry.’

Valentina didn’t know how to tell him that she was grateful he hadn’t—if he had, she would never have been able to learn from Felipe, to spend so many mornings in his company, basking in his undivided attention. Learning to ride at precisely the moment she had was one of the best things that had ever happened to her.

‘Tell me, are you still enjoying riding Pablo after all this time, or would you like me to buy you a horse of your own?’

‘Pablo is perfect for me,’ she replied. ‘I’m told he was your favourite horse when he was younger?’

‘You’ve heard wrong,’ her father said, grinning at her as he turned. ‘He is still my favourite horse. I’ve never scored more goals on one pony than I did on him—he was something very special. But if you love him, then he is yours. I’d love to think that my daughter was the one taking care of him and riding him in his retirement from polo.’

Valentina stood on tiptoe and pressed a kiss to his cheek. ‘Thank you. I don’t know a lot about horses yet, but I think he’s enjoying being made a fuss of again. And I promise to retire him properly when he’s ready.’

She looked up at her father now, waiting for him to say something else as his eyes twinkled back at her. But as he opened his mouth, he paused and suddenly touched his hand to his chest, looking uncomfortable. She saw that a line on his forehead bulged, as if he were under great stress or fighting a feeling of pain as he stared back at her.

‘Papa, are you okay?’

He was silent for a moment, before shaking his head, appearing uneasy, but clearly not wanting her to know how bad it was.

‘I’m fine, my love. Just a chest pain. It’s nothing to worry about.’

‘Should I call for a doctor? Just to be sure?’

He shook his head again, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to her forehead. ‘I’m fine. This is what happens when an old man like me tries to play sport with men half his age. A glass of wine and something to eat, and I’ll be as good as new.’

Valentina was about to insist he see the doctor when her mother came marching over, looking very annoyed at having to walk in her beautiful cream heels across the grass. She remembered a time when she was a very young child when her mother had been more relaxed, fun almost, but as the years had passed, she’d changed, obsessed with elevating her place in society and wanting her family’s status to rise at the same time. Valentina knew it embarrassed her father, but he seemed to go along with it to keep his wife happy, ever the peacemaker.

‘Basilio, what are you doing over here? We have people to talk to and?—’

‘Mama,’ Valentina interrupted, receiving a sharp stare in reply. ‘Papa wasn’t feeling well. I think?—’

‘Basilio?’

He shook his head and stepped forward to drop another kiss into Valentina’s hair. ‘Enjoy your afternoon, mi querida nina ,’ he whispered. ‘I’ll keep your mother busy so you can have fun without her watching you.’

‘But Papa,’ she whispered back, looking up into his dark eyes. Any other time she would have revelled in being given some time to have fun without her mother hovering, but something about the way he’d touched his chest before, the almost frightened look in his eyes, had scared her.

‘I’m fine, Valentina, I promise. If I was worried, I would call for the doctor myself. I take my health very seriously.’

She nodded and watched them walk away, but she couldn’t quell the little knot of fear in her stomach even as Felipe waved to her from the other side of the fence and beckoned for her to come and join him and his friends. Valentina glanced back at her father one last time before slipping under the fence rail, waving back to Felipe once she was out of her mother’s line of sight and gathering her skirt into her hand so she could run across the grass towards him.

Later that day, when they were all home and her father had fallen asleep, Valentina went to find her mother. She’d felt a void growing between them recently, almost as if she’d done something wrong without knowing what it was, and she hoped that by seeking her mother out, she might soften towards her again. The more she thought about it, the more she felt it might have something to do with her age. She was a young woman now, and she wondered if it was simply because her mother no longer viewed her as a child.

‘Mama?’ Valentina called out, as she softly knocked on her door. ‘May I come in?’

She looked around the half-open door and found her mother sitting in front of her mirror, her face bare of make-up as she brushed out her long dark hair. Valentina shared little of her mother’s personality or interests, but she did share her looks, and it was almost as if she were staring into the mirror and seeing how she might look in thirty years’ time as she studied her mother’s reflection. Their hair was the same—an almost-black mane with a gentle curl at the tips—and they had the same light golden skin with the darkest brown eyes flecked with a hint of gold. And as she stared at her mother’s reflection, she was reminded of how beautiful she was, and of all the stories her father had shared of falling in love with her at first sight when he’d seen her across a room.

‘Mama, I’ve been worried about Papa all evening,’ she said, taking a seat in the armchair in the corner of the room. ‘He wasn’t feeling well this afternoon. Something was wrong.’

‘Your father is fine,’ she said, brusquely, as if Valentina had moaned to her about the weather rather than her father’s health.

‘But he was holding his chest, as if he was in pain. I’m worried about him.’

Her mother set her brush down and looked back at Valentina in the mirror, before slowly turning to face her. ‘Do you know what would help your father?’

Valentina shook her head.

‘It would help if he wasn’t having to worry about his only daughter gallivanting around with the hired help,’ she said, her voice low. ‘If your intention is to bring our good family name into disrepute, then you’re doing a fine job of it.’

Valentina swallowed, her face hot as she folded her hands together, palm to palm, opening her mouth but not knowing what to say. If her mother had wanted to hurt her, then she’d done precisely what she’d set out to do. ‘Mama, I?—’

‘You think I didn’t know that you’ve become friends with the stableboy?’ she asked. ‘That you’ve been learning to ride, because your father wants to indulge your every whim, even though I expressly forbade you from doing so? You thought you could hide those things from me?’

This time, Valentina didn’t even try to reply, keeping her head bowed so she didn’t have to meet her mother’s angry gaze, her eyes fixed on the floor.

‘You will not see that boy anymore, Valentina. It’s not appropriate for you to be fraternising with the staff, especially at your age.’

Valentina looked up then, her heart racing in response to her mother’s words. ‘Mama, you cannot mean that. He’s a friend, and he’s only teaching me to ride, and?—’

‘Enough! You speak to me as if I’m going to change my mind, but I’m not your father, Valentina. You don’t have me wrapped around your little finger, and I know full well that it’s more than learning to ride. I saw the way you looked at each other today. I’m no fool!’

Valentina stood then, but it took every inch of her strength not to burst into tears and run from the room. But if she didn’t stand her ground now, she knew that her mother would never respect her.

‘I have my father’s permission to take riding lessons from Felipe. He’s even gifted me his old horse, and I’m thoroughly enjoying my daily rides.’ She paused, her breath coming in fast pants. ‘I do not intend to stop, just as I do not intend to stop worrying about my father, so please stop treating me like a child and start speaking to me as the young woman I am.’

And even though she felt like a coward for doing so, Valentina quickly turned on her heel and walked away from her mother before she could say anything else. She didn’t know what she’d done to earn her mother’s wrath, but she did know that she only had one ally in this house, and that was her father.

Her mother acted as if she was nothing more than an inconvenience, and if that’s the way she was going to treat her, then Valentina had no intention of being an obedient, placid daughter any longer.