The scream was followed by the sound of something shattering, and a rich, spicy scent filled the room.
Constance's head, which had been bowed to watch with shameful fascination as Rob's cock nestled against her velvety folds in preparation for entry, came up with a jerk. Her eyes widened and a hot blush suffused her cheeks.
Nana Eva stood in the doorway. A pot was broken on the floor at her feet, its contents spilled. Even from here, Constance knew the smell of the chicken-and-spice stew, a favorite of hers.
Her former nurse and governess swayed in shock. Eva's hands had fluttered up beside her face, framing a mouth still gaping from her scream. She stared, and with a sudden burst of horror Constance saw how this must look through Eva's eyes.
What a sight it must be! Constance, naked and flushed, poised on her brother's lap above the ready lance of his lust. And Enrique there with his manhood likewise exposed.
"Aiii!" Eva cried. "Aii, Robby, no!"
She made the sign of the cross as if to ward off the evil before her, as if the good Lord would intervene and somehow set this terrible scene to rights.
Robert swiftly set Constance aside and leapt from the chair, adjusting his disarranged garments as he did so.
Constance's knees buckled. She crumpled amid the remains of the dinner dishes, overcome with guilt and misery. Her body shook with sobs.
"Robby, no, it is not true," Eva whispered. "You would not be doing this to your own sister, you must not."
"Now we're done for," Enrique snapped, straightening his clothes. "The old witch will tell everyone, and your father will see us skinned alive."
Eva rushed past them. She swept off her crocheted shawl and draped it over the shivering Constance.
"Oh, little one, it is all right. Nana Eva is here. They will not touch you." She shot a hate-filled glare over her shoulder at Rob and Enrique. "How dare you? That you would think to do that to your own sister!"
She gathered Constance into her arms, crooning. Constance tried to pull away, the sin of her deeds burning on her skin.
"Nana, I tried to tell them β¦ I tried to stop them β¦"
"Hush, now. Saints be praised I was here in time."
"In time?" Rob chortled and poked Enrique with his elbow. "If only she knew."
"What does he mean by that?" Eva asked of Constance. "Has he β¦ he has not β¦ tell me that you are untouched, little one."
Constance cringed and looked away, hot tears streaming down her face. It was answer enough for Eva, whose dusky skin went ashen. She let go of Constance and in that instant, Constance knew a greater heartsickness than she'd ever imagined. Not even Nana Eva could stand to be near her now, corrupted as she was. The ruination was so complete that the woman who had been as a mother to her after the death of Anna deGranville was revolted by her presence.
"What have you done to her?" Eva demanded, advancing on Rob and Enrique. "Have you β¦ damaged her?"
"If by that you mean her maidenhead," Rob said, smiling fiendishly, "I plucked that fine cherry blossom many nights ago. Did I not, Constance? Oh, and Eva, you should have heard how she whimpered and begged."
"Monster!" Her hand flashed out.
Rob caught her wrist. "Whimpered and begged β¦ for more. You think her such an angel, Eva, but she writhes and wriggles on my cock like the lewdest of whores."
"What do you mean to do, Rob?" Enrique asked. "The more you tell her, the worse our fate will be when your father hears of it."
"But my father will not hear of it. Will he, Eva? You shan't tell a soul."
"Horrible boy," she spat. "You have raped your own sister and you think I will keep it a secret?"
"As a matter of fact, I do," Rob said. "For the sake of Constance, and for the honor of this family, I rather think you will. You wouldn't want word of such disgrace to get out, would you? Poor Constance, poor defiled Constance β¦ what would it do to her?"
She ripped her arm free of his grasp but said nothing.
"You see, Enrique? She would want no harm to come to my pretty sister's reputation. She'll keep her silence."
"Can you be assured of that? You stake much on the promise of one old woman, my friend."
"True indeed, and we haven't yet had her promise, have we? What say you, Eva?"
"It would destroy your father to learn of this," she said. "Yet he must know what manner of devil he has under his own roof."
"Dear me," Rob said. "So we must find some other means of winning your cooperation. I cannot have my father know of this. It would spoil all my fun. Enrique, how do you suppose we can convince her?"
"Eva Marquez, isn't it?" Enrique mused. "Your son is Diego Marquez."
"Yes," Eva said guardedly.
Constance, clutching the shawl around her more for comfort than for modesty, wanted to cry a warning. That bantering tone was too familiar. She feared more for Eva than she did for herself just then.
"Diego has a family, I believe," Enrique said to Rob. "A wife, and a daughter, no?"
"I believe you are correct, Enrique. Marcella and Esperanza." Rob's smile was its most charming. "It would be a terrible shame if anything were to happen to them, wouldn't it? If little Esperanza were to replace Constance in our games, perhaps."
Eva swore at him in Spanish, her tone more of fearful desperation than of anger.
They laughed, but Rob's blue eyes were stormy, serious.
"Hear me, woman," he said when the laughter ended. "If you breathe a word of this to my father or to anyone else, your family will pay. We'll take your son's wife, both of us, and make him watch. When we've had our fill of her, Esperanza will be next. Unless you give me your most solemn oath. It's in your hands, Eva. What do you say?"
Constance saw Eva's shoulders slump in defeat as she searched Rob's face, his cold gaze. "I will say nothing."
"Is that good enough, Rob?" Enrique asked. "Can we trust her?"
"What else could we do? Slit her throat?"
"No!" Constance cried. Eva gasped.
"It would draw too much scrutiny if she were to disappear or be found dead," Rob went on as though Constance's outburst had not taken place. "Many people must have known she was coming here to bring us a pot of her delicious festival stew. For which, by the way, I do thank you, Eva. A shame it spilt. But as it happens, we'd already had a most β¦ enjoyable meal."