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  The carriage was hot and stuffy. If we had been able to open the windows on both sides, we might have gotten more of a breeze. But the sun shining directly in would have made us hotter. The stupid monkey that my mother insisted that I bring with me would not settle down and be still. I suppose he was as hot and uncomfortable as the rest of us. But when he screeched and scrambled around the carriage, he added considerably to my irritation. I longed to be able to remove my partlet, but I needed to be properly dressed when we stopped for the night. Poor Maria looked like she would have swatted the monkey through the window if the opportunity had presented itself. I was almost ready to throw him out the window myself in spite of the scolding my mother would give me. I gave the monkey another cup of water to keep him quiet when the carriage jolted suddenly. We were bounced and jostled as the driver pulled the horses to a halt.

  Maria and I exchanged a look of confusion. We had already stopped for a mid day meal and were not supposed to stop again until nightfall. The monkey climbed up on the frame of the open carriage window and peered about. The sound of men's voices came through the window. Someone shouted to our driver and footmen to get down from the carriage. The carriage door on the side with the closed windows jerked open and masked man in rough clothes gestured us forward. Maria climbed from the carriage first and was roughly shoved aside. Her shriek was more of shock than hurt, but it angered me nonetheless. Another masked man on the other side tried to grab the monkey and got his hand bitten for his trouble. The man in front of me was becoming insistent, "Hurry up now". I glowered at him and stepped down to the ground. To my right, I could see a third man was pushing Maria towards where the driver and footmen were standing. Some tree trunks had been laid across the road to block our passage. As the first man climbed into the empty carriage, another of the ruffians grabbed my arm and shoved me towards the back of the carriage. I saw him take a second look at my neck and realized that he had seen the gold chain and holy relic that I wore beneath my partlet. He began pawing at the buttons of at my neckline with his dirty hands. I slipped my hand into the pocket of my skirt and grasped my tiny dagger. When he began to tear the fabric of my partlet in his frustration, I twisted and sank the dagger into his arm pit.

The bandit jerked and stumbled away from me freeing the knife from his side. A rush of blood followed the blade's exit. He started back towards me before he sunk to his knees and looked up at me. He coughed and looked in bewilderment at the trickle of blood dripping from his mouth onto his shirt. He coughed once more and then fell on his face in the dirt. His companions stood for a moment in shock as the blood from the knife dripped down my side. Two of them rushed towards the fallen man while a third tried to grab me. The blade caught his sleeve but missed his arm and I lost my balance momentarily. The bandit took advantage of this to get inside my arm's reach and take hold of my wrist. He slapped my face just before the knife slipped from my nerveless fingers. I tried to hit back at him with my free hand, but the man who had been in the carriage grabbed that arm. This man, who appeared to be their leader, jerked me back roughly and out of the other's grip.

  "We need her unharmed" the bandit chief hissed. My forearm burned with pain at the intensity of his grip. The smaller man shook his fist and raged "But she killed Hector!" The leader turned and looked at me. My face burned as his eyes traveled from my neck down the torn and smudged front of my dress. "I would say Hector made his own death." He commented finally "He thought he had caught a kitten instead of a lioness." The small man looked at me with hate filled eyes. Still gripping my left arm, the bandit leader dragged me towards Maria. "You" he commanded roughly speaking to her "Get some of your Mistress's luggage." He turned and stalked over to the driver of our carriage. To the driver he handed a sealed envelope. I was too far away to see if the wax was imprinted with a seal. "Take this to your Master" he told them "Get in the carriage and finish your journey. No harm will come to your mistress as long as you do as I say." The driver took the envelope and the three of them scrambled onto the carriage as fast as they could. With a crack of the whip, they rattled off down the road from which the barricade had been removed.

A small cart came up to the road from the trees. The bandit leader pointed to two of his men and told them "Jose, you and Luis load Doña Elvira's luggage on the cart. The rest of us will catch up with you later." I was relieved to see that the small man who had attacked me was not one of those named. He tossed a money bag to the one he had named Jose. My heart sank when I realized it was my small purse that I thought was carefully hidden inside my seat cushion. My luggage was hurriedly thrown up on the cart. Maria and I were instructed very forcefully to sit behind Jose and the driver. While the man identified as Luis was ordered to ride in the back of the cart to keep an eye on us. From the way he glared at us, I surmised that he would have rather rode on the front seat with Jose.  His discomfort was not a bother to me at all. With a snap of the reins, the wagon started back the way that it had come. We had not gone very far when I burst out in laughter. Maria's reaction was shock and the men's reactions were of irritation. In spite of the uncomfortable seat and the hot sun beating down on me I could not help but laugh. I finally managed to tell Maria "We left the monkey in the carriage." She sighed and rolled her eyes at me, but a tiny smile teased the corner of her mouth.

  My mirth was short lived. There was no escape from the hot sun dust. To make matters worse, there was no water in the cart. Soon enough the blood on my hand and dress began to smell. Since the dress was already ruined, I wiped my hands on the skirt as best as I could. My hand itched from the bits of dried blood still left and my stomach was queasy from the smell. Maria was flagging in the heat with no water. Fervently I prayed that we would stop soon for a rest and some water. Luis looked as miserable as Maria in the back of the cart.

  Just before sundown we reached a walled farm. Inside the gates was a carriage with a harnessed team. As the wagon pulled up to the water trough, three men came out of the house and walked towards us. Taking advantage of the stop, I climbed down from the wagon and started to wash my hand and skirts in the water trough. The horses ignored me as they noisily drank from the trough. Four of the men transferred my luggage to the carriage. Only when this was finished did they turn their attention to Maria and me. One man who was missing the small finger from his right hand spoke to me "There is food inside the house. Do not try to speak to anyone while you eat. We will leave after you have eaten, or in one hour, whichever comes first." At a gesture Maria followed me into the house. A rough made table took up the center of an otherwise unfurnished room. A young girl who was obviously terrified placed some wooden plates and cups in front of us. An older woman brought out some paella and served us while the girl poured red wine into the cups. The wine was harsh and the food barely seasoned but we both ate with relish. It had been many long, hot hours since our last meal.

  When our plates were empty I stood up to go back outside. "Come along Maria" I said "there is no sense in delaying the inevitable." The three men rose from a bench as we came out of the door. Of the carter, Jose and Luis there was no sign. It seemed that these three men had been waiting to take Maria and me on the next step of our interrupted journey. "Senorita, if you will get in the carriage we will be on our way" said a man who appeared to be younger than the others. I started up the up the carriage steps and to my surprise, he was the one who climbed onto the driver's bench. After we were seated inside, the two other men closed the doors and clambered onto the roof. The carriage jolted into movement at the crack of the whip.

  "At least this is a more comfortable ride" Maria ventured "We have cushioned seats out of the sun." I gave her a half-smile and replied "Let us be grateful for small favors." I noticed then that my foot hit something under the seat when I shifted. I reached down and pulled a wooden box from under the seat. After I saw what was in the box I laughed and showed it to Maria. "A more comfortable ride indeed" she smiled in return. The box contained two bottles of very good red wine and a cork screw. Maria felt under her seat and came up with a box that held a set of four silver goblets. She held two of these out as I wrestled a bottle open and poured the wine. By the time we finished the second bottle; neither of us had trouble falling asleep in the moving carriage.

We were awakened with the carriage slowed suddenly and made a hard turn to the right. As we rolled to a stop I looked out of the window. One of the guards on the roof slammed the window closed before I got more than a glimpse of a post house with a waiting team of horses. From the voices that I could hear, it seemed that we had changed horses but not guards. The carriage rocked as the men unhitched one team and brought another up. Thumps and bumps rocked the carriage with Maria and I inside. While our guards were pre-occupied with the harness, I contemplated an escape. The door was open no more than an inch when it was slammed shut again. I called out "We need to be let out of the carriage soon or you will have a nasty job of cleaning". The window opened a crack and I got my response, "All right. But be quick about it." The door opened and we scrambled past the man who was missing a finger. We found the traveler's latrine easily enough.
Our guard awaited us as we emerged. If there were anyone else at the post house, I had not seen them. We were hurried into the carriage and once again hurtled towards an unknown destination.

Before too much longer I saw the sky was just beginning to lighten in the east. As I watched the dawn arrive, the carriage lurched and turned onto a much rougher road. Through the windows I saw that the road led up towards the mountains through olive orchards. The trees were heavy with fruit that would be ripe in a few more months. The carriage rattled on and climbed through terraced vineyards. Every so often, Maria and I were nearly jarred from our seats by the rough ride. I looked through the window for any signs of life. The area through which we traveled was empty of people that early in the morning. As we wound up the mountainside, I began to catch glimpses of a large stone house on the slope above. As we drew closer I began to realize just how large the building was. The horses slowed on the steep incline as we reached the end of the road.  The carriage stopped at an imposing wooden gate that blocked our way. Some minutes later in response to the driver's shouts, the ponderous gate swung open. We were jolted in our seats as the carriage moved forward through the opening.

  After we passed inside the wall, I could see the main house flanked by several good sized outbuildings. From what I could see, the house appeared to be four stories tall. Everything, including stone courtyard looked like it had been well maintained. Several men came out of the main door as we clattered to a stop. The door to the carriage was opened. Responding to the unspoken command, I stepped down with Maria following. The gate had been shut and barred behind us. For better or for worse, we were now locked inside. A few of the men came towards us while the others unloaded the carriage. One man who was slightly better dressed than the other spoke to me "If you will come with me, we will get you settled inside." His appearance did not inspire confidence. The neatness of the courtyard was at odds with his unkempt condition. He was of middling height with mousy brown hair that hung raggedly around his face. When he spoke, his voice was slurred with drink. But having no other option, I nodded my assent. Maria and I followed him inside.

The dim entranceway left me blinking after the far brighter light of the courtyard. Our guide turned to the right and I hurried to keep up. As my eyes adjusted, I saw that we had passed several doors to on the left side. We came to a stairwell but turned left and went past it. After we had passed several more doors, he finally stopped and opened one. Inside was a large room with two couches. "I am steward of this house and my name is Alfonso" he announced "I will have a maid assigned to this room named Elena. My master commands that I ask you to speak to no one else among the servants." I turned my most scathing look on him and responded "And just who is this master of your who kidnaps innocent women and holds them prisoner?" His face did not change expression from a slight smirk as he answered "My lady, I am not at liberty to tell you that. I will have breakfast brought up to you soon. The baths are through the door on the right." He was interrupted at that point when three men came stomping into the room with my luggage. After they had brought everything in and left, he backed out of the door and closed it behind him.

  I stood in the center of the room frozen in despair. Maria started exploring our new quarters and opened the various doors. To the left, the room was a small chamber suitable for a servant with room for some storage. When she opened the door opposite the hallway, I followed her. This turned out to be a sumptuous bedchamber with a carved screen blocking the view of the windows. When the screen was moved, not only were there large windows looking out onto a private patio, but a door as well. I stepped outside and saw only two other doors leading to this patio. It seemed we were somewhere deep in the interior of the house. "Mistress" Maria called "I have found the bath. In just a few more minutes I will have some water ready for you." I turned back to her and forced a smile "Thank you Maria. I do not know how I would survive this without you." I sank down on a stone bench that was beside the door.

A loud rapping on the door awoke me from my reverie. Maria opened the door to admit two young boys carrying trays of food. The smell of hot fresh bread brought a welcoming rumble from my stomach. The small meal we had eaten last night in the farmhouse was a distant memory. Both boys were clean but very ragged. That any Lord able to afford to own and maintain this large of an estate would leave in servants in such a state was puzzlement to me. But I was happy enough for the meal at this stage. After we had finished eating I told Maria "Please lay out some clean clothes. It will do both of us good to bathe and change. I know that I am tired of wearing this dirty dress." Maria looked at the dried bloodstain and replied "I'll get rid of this dress later. I think it's too late to save it." As she unlaced me from my dress I commented "Even if it could be cleaned, I think I would be happy to never to see it again." The face of the man I had killed surfaced briefly in my mind. I fought the vision down as bile soured my throat.

  After the meal and bath, my fatigue turned to restless energy. First I tried the patio. The other doors leading back inside were all locked and screened. So I decided to walk down the hallway. I made it as far as the stairwell I had passed on my way in before my way was blocked by a guard. Mutely he stood up from his chair and glowered at me. His silent stare was an order that I should go back the direction from whence I had come. I returned to my suite and faced Maria's anxious eyes. "There is a guard at one end of the corridor." I told her "So our access to the front door is blocked." She went back to work on a chemise that she had been repairing. I sat down on the sofa opposite her and leaned back. A loud knock on the door made me jump. Only then did I realize that I must have fallen asleep for the same two boys brought a tray with what was clearly meant to be lunch. As they set out the food and collected the dishes from this morning I spoke to them "Tell Alfonso, your master, to send goblets and some decent wine this evening. The vinegar he sent this morning was barely drinkable." Their eyes grew round as saucers as they nodded and fled the room with the dirty dishes. Rather than drink from the wine carafe on the tray, I walked over to the pitcher of water that had been left behind. Maria discerned my intent and grabbed the pitcher ahead of me. As she insisted on pouring water into my cup, I sighed in exasperation. "You are going to wear yourself out if you insist on serving me while we are here. You cannot do the work of four servants at your age." She looked at me for a moment before she nodded. A little more gently I said "Both of us will need all of our strength to come through this ordeal before it ends." Some tension left her face when she heard that.

After we had eaten, I took out my book of hours to say my afternoon prayers. This occupied the better part of the afternoon. I had not always been diligent in saying my prayers, but I was not pressed for time just then. I grew restless again after that. There was nothing to occupy my time. The scant luggage that had come this far with me contained no books or embroidery. I only had my prayer book because it stayed in a pocket of my skirt. Thinking of what I had in my pockets reminded me of the sight of my dagger red with a man's blood. For a moment I felt nauseous. But the feeling passed quickly. To dispel my dark thoughts I decided to try my luck with the corridor again. This time I went in the opposite direction. At the end was a closed door like several I had passed, but tried the knob and found it unlocked. Beyond the door was a large alcove with two hallways leading out of it. But at that moment, my discovery in this room took all my attention.

This alcove contained four shelves that were almost full of books. Some of the books were in Greek which I could not read, but many more in Spanish, French and Latin. The Latin might give me a little trouble, but these books would help me keep my sanity. Scooping up an armload, I hurried back to my suite to show off my prizes to Maria.
Once inside, I stacked the books on top of the mantel. "Will our captors be angry that you took those books?" Maria asked as she looked them over. I picked up a volume of Ovid and held it out to her. "If the amount of dust on the top is anything to judge by, it has been some months since anyone cleaned that part of the house." I told her "It has probably been longer since anyone picked up one of the books to read."

  Dinner came that evening in the same manner as breakfast and lunch had arrived. The quality of the wine had failed to improve. We finished our meal by candle light and went to bed soon after. Since there were no lanterns on the patio, my room was utterly dark when the candles were blown out. I peeked through the windows, but there was not even starlight or moonlight to see by. It was difficult for me to fall asleep in the strange bed. The sheets smelled musty as if they had not been aired in a long time. I must have fallen asleep at last, because I was awakened by the sound of breakfast arriving. For lack of anything better to do, I bathed and dressed after I had eaten. This morning Papa would have received the news of my abduction. Mama, the fiery one, would have demanded a regiment of soldiers to search for me. Papa, being the more practical one, would have set some of his agents to make contact with any other bandits who might have knowledge of the attack and offer a reward for my return. The minute I had seen what sort of place I had been taken to, I had known this was not a simple kidnapping.

My exploration the previous day only took me as far as the library alcove. That morning I resolved to explore further. Maria had convinced the servants who brought our breakfast to let her into the kitchens to do some laundry. I waited some time in case our guards objected and sent her back to the room. Once I was satisfied that no one would coming into the room unexpectedly, I set out. The door leading out of the library alcove led into a hallway with several rooms opening off of it. Crates and barrels filled most of the rooms. The dried peas and salt meat were emergency rations that had been stored here and possibly forgotten. The hallway was a dead end so I returned to the library alcove. I sat down on a stool against the wall that faced the end shelf. My secret hope had been to find some way around to an exit. When I leaned over to rest my head against the wall, I noticed an odd mark on the floor. It looked like something had made a very faint scrape on the floor in an arc that lead to the edge of the second shelf from the end. I bent down to touch the mark and it was so faint that it disappeared under my touch. Something had disturbed a layer of dust on the stone floor as it passed. There were books all along both sides of the wooden beam between the two book shelves. These I moved to other spaces on the shelves. Very slowly and carefully I ran my hand along both inner edges of this beam. Before long I was rewarded by a spot that pushed in under the pressure of my fingers. This was followed by an audible click and the second shelf moved slightly forward. I grasped the shelf and pulled it slightly forward. With the small amount of light from the room, I could only see that a narrow corridor went to the left behind the storerooms.

By now, I did not have much time now before the servants returned with Maria and our lunch. I hurriedly closed the hidden door and returned the books that had hidden the catch. Once back in my room, I washed my hands and sat down to read. Only moments later, Maria did return with the ragged servant boys that came in right behind her. The food our captors provided was plentiful if plain. Since we were not quartered in a dungeon, I felt that meant our captors had some concern for our well-being. More and more I was convinced that they hoped for a ransom. Some of the bread from our meal, I took and wrapped inside a cloth and hid it away. Maria looked at me oddly so I explained "I may have no reason to hope for an escape at this point, but I intend to be prepared." She nodded and replied "I will do what I can to help prepare. I can sew some of the small towels into pouches for carrying supplies." I looked around and huffed. "What we will need also" I told her "is something for carrying water. In this hot part of the year we will not get far without it." Maria's expression sharpened "I think I have seen a bottle or two in the kitchens that I can bring here for holding water." Then she looked wistfully at the door and continued speaking "None of the servants here seem to know their master's name. They are terrified of the guards and refuse to speak to me when they are around." She turned now towards the tray which held the remnant of our meal. "The other odd thing" she said "is that all of them seem to have been recently employed here. The cook told me when she came here; the only person in the house was that steward, Alfonso. All the other servants were brought here later." This gave me something to ponder. I replied to Maria "I am sure that this is significant somehow, but I do not yet understand. Why would the people who kidnapped us go to such lengths to make sure none of the servants would accidentally reveal his name? There is something complicated going on here."

The conversation that Maria and I had been having fell silent when a loud knock came on the door. Maria opened the door to admit Alfonso. It was obvious from his manner and appearance that he was slightly drunk. "I came to make sure that you are enjoying our hospitality" he announced. Still seated, I responded "Your hospitality would be all the more enjoyable if it was of shorter duration". His reaction was loud braying laughter. Then he continued "I am sure the Doña is pleased to make a joke. But I should remind her that it would be to her advantage to be pleasant to me." He leered at me in a disgusting manner. I realized then that I might have something to fear from this man. What would the courage of his bottle tempt him to do? He picked up a discarded shawl from the back of a chair and stroked it. His dirt blackened fingernails contrasted sharply against the white silk. To distract him from whatever thoughts ran through his head, I quickly replied "I am about to say my afternoon prayers. Would you care to pray with us?" He turned his head slowly as if what I had said did not immediately penetrate his reverie. Then the look of disgust that crossed his face was the only answer I really needed, but he said "I have other things to attend to. You can say your prayers without me." He staggered slightly as he slammed the door behind him. Since this unexpected visit made me wonder if my movements were being watched, I did stay in my room that afternoon. Maria and I both said a few extra prayers.

  The next morning I resolved to find out more about that hidden passageway. The steward's visit had opened my eyes to myriad dangers that lurked in this prison beyond the obvious. I took a candle with me and returned to the bookcase. Working quickly I moved the books and opened the secret door. After I made sure that the latch could be worked from the inside, I quietly closed the door behind me. Spider webs along the ceiling testified to the long disuse of this corridor. Perhaps the current occupants did not know of its existence. The passage seemed to continue in front of me forever as it started to turn slope downwards. After walking a distance I came to another door that was heavily barred on the inside by wooden planks held in iron hooks. As quietly as I could, I lifted the planks. No noise penetrated the door so I carefully eased it open. The room beyond was dark so slid through the door with my candle. Once fully inside, I realized that I was in a half empty wine cellar. My path had taken me further underground than I had realized. This door offered me no escape, so I closed the door and returned the beams to their hooks.

The pathway became steeper as I continued on. It was hard to judge direction with no windows or knowledge of this place, but it seemed as if the path was winding around to the side of the hill opposite the main gate. The spider webs actually were thinner as the tunnel dove deeper. This was a small thing to be grateful for. It seemed that their preferred prey did not venture this deep into the tunnel. The air was much cooler and the walls felt slightly damp in places. More than half of my candle remained to light my way. If I did not keep a close watch, I might use up too much of the candle. Once the flame reached the halfway mark, I would have to start back to my room. There didn't seem to be anything in the corridor, no discarded items that I could see. It would seem that no one had ever passed this way until I stumbled over some charred torch ends in the dim light. The straw of the torches was dry and brittle to the touch when I stooped to pick one up. Just a few feet beyond the discarded torches, the corridor came to an end. There was another barred door.

  Moisture that had leaked from the stone walls had dampened the wood and rusted the fittings on the door. Iron brackets had rusted around the heavy wooden bars which rested inside. The deterioration meant that the bars on this door were more difficult to move. Since it was unlikely anyone could hear me, I used a rock from the tunnel floor to pound the bars loose. This door took much longer to open than the previous door. At last I freed the bars and used all my strength to push the door open. When I stepped through I could see this was the end of a hillside cave. Daylight filtered through bushes blocking the cave's entrance. I pushed through just far enough to see that I had exited far below the walls of the house. The mouth of the cave was about a third of the way up the hill. It would be a difficult climb in the dark, but not impossible. There was a river just visible that I felt we could reach within a day. I scrambled back inside the passageway and shut the door. On the way past the wine cellar I stopped for a couple of bottles. We would need something to carry water with us as we traveled in this heat. My return trip from there on was much quicker. Hurriedly I let myself out the secret door and went back to my room.

"My Lady!" Maria exclaimed when she saw me "You are filthy. We need to get you cleaned up quickly before the servants come with the midday meal". I undressed as quickly as possible while I explained my plan to Maria. While I bathed, she emptied the wine bottles and refilled them with water. Just bare moments after I dressed, the knock on the door signaled the arrival of our food. The boys left the food and took the leftover breakfast dishes away in their usual silence. My heart flew up in my throat when I saw the marks of a whip on one of the boy's neck and shoulder. Was this how Alfonso relieved his drunken frustrations?   I set aside the bread and some cheese and wrapped these up in cloths. As Maria was picking through our luggage for the things we would need in our flight I told her "Even though most of my money was taken from me. There are still a few coins hidden inside my corset. We will not be entirely without resources." With a sigh she looked around "It breaks my heart to leave behind your fine silk gowns. But I know that carrying food and water is more important. I paused in my packing to reply "At least my good leather boots were in the trunks they brought for us. I shudder to imagine walking across country in cloth slippers." We ripped one of the sheets into long strips and used this to make bundles of the items we would be carrying with us. Once outside, candles would be a hindrance to our escape, so I only packed a couple of them for our journey down the passageway. When the time for dinner drew close, we hid the evidence of our preparations and waited.

We finished our evening meal so that we would be setting out well fed. With frenzy we threw ourselves into the final preparation. Bottles of water would be heavy so we mostly take only food and water with us. The bread was wrapped up with the bread we had previously saved. It might be stale but it would sustain us for some time. I wished that I had a better idea of where we were and how long it would take us to find a safe place. When we had made all the preparations that we could think of, we knew the time had come. Maria checked the corridor and no one was in sight. Not a sound broke the stillness as we waited to make sure that we were alone. We hurried to the library alcove quietly and quickly. Maria waited patiently while I moved the books and opened the door. The books I had taken to read were returned here and shelved. It was only a remote possibility that any books left in the room would lead someone to this bookcase. But I wanted nothing left in the room we had vacated that would give any clues as to our route of escape. Behind the wall, we followed the hidden corridor to its end. With Maria and I both working, we were able to open the last door much more quickly. Once we had stepped out into the cave, I stopped a moment. "Help me Maria" I said "Let's move some of the rocks against this door. If we make it difficult to open they may not think we came this way, just in case someone knows about the corridor." She nodded and started a pile of stones. When it was too dark to see well inside the cave, we stopped moving stones. I made some effort to conceal the cave's opening from the outside, just enough so that it was not obviously disturbed. Then we carefully picked our way down the rocky slope.

Walking across the darkened landscape was tortuously slow. The moon was only a sliver that did not provide much light. Loose rocks on the slope made walking in the dark especially treacherous. The heels of my hands and my palms were soon scraped and bleeding from several falls. The water of the distant river gave off an occasional sparkle as it reflected the pale light. It was towards the river that I planned for us to go. Somewhere along the river I assured myself that we would find help. With every fall I prayed that we would not alert anyone to our escape. I also prayed that we would disturb no snakes, or other predators. The hours seemed achingly slow as we stumbled along. Maria fell heavily once as we maneuvered through a thick stand of brush. She stood back up with my help. "Do you need to rest?" I asked her. She looked in the direction of the river we were headed for and shook her head. Our arms and hands were scratched more from the thorny brush. Then I realized that the brush had grown up along an old fence line. After we clambered to the far side, I followed the fence as it went northwards. The fence line still led to the river, but not quite as directly as we had been walking. Maria made a valiant effort to continue but I knew we both would need rest soon. Since I could not bear the thought of leaving her behind, our progress remained slow. The fence made me hope that we would find some sort of shelter before long. It was also easier to walk along the slightly clearer ground next to the fence. My hopes and prayers were realized when we came to an old stone barn just before daybreak. Thankfully it had not been used in decades so there should not be any surprise visitors. The land on this side of the fence had once been used for cattle, judging by the barn. The more recent evidence indicated only goats and wild pigs roamed here. The roof of the barn had fallen in along two sides, but the remaining corner left enough room for us to enter. I picked up a long branch that had fallen off a nearby tree and rapped on the walls. "If there are any snakes inside, I think they will be looking for a new hiding place." I told Maria "At least that is what I hope." Maria stepped inside cautiously and sank gratefully onto the dirt floor. She and I shared some of the water as we viewed our surroundings. The meager shade of the partial roof would be welcome before the morning was very old. Maria leaned back against a wall and fell asleep almost immediately.

I was awakened when the sun had been up long enough to make our sanctuary hot and uncomfortable. Cautiously I peered outside. By the sun's position it was well after midday. It had not been my intention for both of us to sleep the morning away, but I had been more tired than I realized. After a few sips of water and a little bread, I told Maria "I think we are far enough away that we can risk walking in daylight." She swallowed and replied "I will keep up My Lady. I have no wish to go back to captivity." I grasped her hand gratefully. My throat tightened a little when I told her "We can go in easier stages. I am glad to have you with me." I know she was worried about slowing us down and giving the bandits time to find us. We gathered our meager belongings and started off again on our trek. The fence we had been following still angled towards the river, so I decided to continue to follow it. We stopped four times during the day to take advantage of what little shade we could find. The sun was brutally hot on our unprotected heads. Late in the afternoon we chanced across an old olive tree, probably an animal's accidental planting. Some of its partially ripe fruit supplemented our meager supplies. After each brief rest we moistened our lips with water and pressed on. The day cooled off as the sunset approached and was a welcome relief. It had been dark for almost an hour when we reached the river.

  The moon was not noticeably larger than it had been the previous night, but the road alongside the river seemed to reflect its light like a mirror. Our troubles were not over by any means, but it was something of a relief to have made it this far. Fortunately for Maria and me, a low border of shrubs and trees followed the edge of the road. We could walk alongside this brush and see anyone approaching long before they saw us. The thin grass at the edge of the trees was a poor carpet, but we sat down to eat some bread and cheese from our dwindling supply. If we could only find a church, we could seek shelter there and get a message to my family. The fairly level surface we walked on alongside the river road was much easier on our feet and legs. Both of us had scrapes on our hands from tripping over rocks and branches on the downhill slope. Being able to wash our hands in the river was a welcome change. We were even able to replenish our water supply from the swift moving river. I laughed and said to Maria "What a change in such a short time. A little more than a week ago, I would have disdained this sandy river water". Her soft chuckle in reply was barely audible. "Now we drink it like it was nectar from heaven" she said with a sad smile.

  When we were too tired to walk further, I found some shelter for us in a ruined hut surrounded by small trees. It was a small distance from the road. Between the trees and the two remaining walls I felt that we were safe from accidental discovery. I checked the ruin for snakes. Even along the river bandits were our biggest fear. Even though there had been no one on the road during the time we had walked, someone would come along eventually. The likelihood of it being anyone we could trust was not high. Our captors were probably had started to search the nearby roads for us even if they had not ascertained our means of escape. Maria thought that they had probably spent a day searching the house before they would have decided that we were gone. It would have pleased me more if they wasted more than a day, but it was not likely. So on that morning, a hidden resting place seemed to be prudent. We now had plenty of water. We drank some and we ate the last of our cheese before going to sleep.

  It was nearly dark when we awakened this time. Exhaustion and the lack of food were taking their toll on us. We had no choice in our decision to continue. If we had more food with us, I would have considered remaining where we were. A night's rest would do us good, but we also needed a decent meal. After washing our faces and hands in the river we started off again. A light began to be visible in the distance. As we drew closer, I realized that it was a Post Inn. Established for Royal Messengers, these inns also catered to any traveler with money. There were no horses visible in front of the inn. Maria and I were still walking along the tree line towards the Inn when I heard the approaching rumble of horses' hooves. We shrank back into the branches as a cavalcade of riders passed us and stopped in the inn's yard. They were a mixed group of men, nearly twenty in number. The innkeeper came out to greet them and they all dismounted to make their way inside. It seemed like an eternity before they were all inside. While we continued to watch, a boy came out of the inn and led two horses towards the barn. Evidently the men had stopped here for the night.

It was quite a long time before the boy reappeared and took away two more horses. It was then that I realized it would be some time before he got to the last ones on the end furthest from the barn. It occurred to me that Maria and I could travel much faster on horseback. My stomach tied itself in knots as I considered this course of action. As soon as the boy was inside the barn I scurried across the road. My heart pounded as I grabbed the reins of the two horses on the end furthest from the barn. Terrified of discovery, I led them away from the inn. At first they were reluctant to leave the water trough, but I insisted. If anyone had come back out of the inn's door I would have been discovered. Maria waited for me inside the tree line. There was a dagger on one of the saddle skirts. This came in handy to slice our skirts up the front. Riding astride would have been impossible otherwise. Maria mounted one horse with some assistance from me; I mounted the other as quickly as possible. We knew we needed to leave quietly, so we started off at a walk. I had other reasons for our slow departure, not the least of those reasons was the fact that I was shook so badly that I did not think I could stay in the saddle otherwise. It was amazing that it had been so easy to steal two horses. The pace we set was a slow one for the horses, but much better than we could manage on foot. "What will we do if the bandits notice the missing horses before we reach someplace safe?" Maria asked. I had no reply to give her.

  Dawn was just a sliver of brighter sky when I saw the bell tower of a church. "Look" Maria called out "There is a church and some other buildings. I think we have found a convent." My eyes closed briefly as relief flooded through me. Our adventure was not over, but we would be much safer. The gate of the churchyard was open and the courtyard quiet as we rode inside. Our poor mounts went directly to the water trough where a fat donkey slept on three legs. It showed its displeasure at being awakened by flicking an ear at us. The door of the rectory was answered by a very old woman. By her reaction, she could not see us too clearly in the early light. "My maid and I were attacked on the road by bandits" I explained "We need help and sanctuary". She looked around me at Maria before she answered "Yes of course" she finally said "Come with me to the convent. I will bring you to the Abbess and place you in her care." We followed the old woman through another gate into a separate courtyard. She went in through a door into a much larger building. "Wait here" she ordered as she left us in a tiled entry hall.

  After what seemed like an hour, the old woman returned with a nun who did not appear to be the Abbess. "I am Sister Catarina" she announced "I will take you to see our Mother Superior. Please follow me." As we walked down the hallway away from the door, I turned back to see the old woman slip back outside. A plain wooden door was the entrance to the Mother Superior's office. She was just rising from a kneeler when Sister Catarina showed us into the room. "Please be seated" she told us as she slipped into a chair herself. After a deep breath she said "Now tell me who you are and what this is all about". "My name is Elvira de Silva and this is my maid Maria Gomez. We were traveling to rejoin my family when we were attacked by bandits and abducted. Since we were not mistreated I believe they intended to ask for a ransom. But we managed to escape and made our way here. Though my purse was taken by the thieves, I have a little money to pay for a message to my family." One eyebrow raised she replied "I am sure that there is more of that story to be heard. But I will have Sister Catarina show you to some of our guest rooms. Clean clothes and some food will be found for you since I must assume you have had no breakfast. I am Mother Inez. As soon as you have composed a message for your family I will have it sent." She gestured and Sister Catarina opened the door. Since it seemed that our interview was at an end, we followed the sister out.

  The rooms that we received were clean but very sparsely furnished. It did not matter as I was so tired that just a bed seemed like luxury, and I was sure that Maria felt the same. As she went into her own room she said "My lady, I feel as if I could sleep for a week if my aches and pains would let me. Food and clean clothes arrived in a short time, brought by more nuns. The brown dress was plain and serviceable. However it was a considerable improvement over the torn dirty garment that I had worn for at least three days. The baths were made available to me after I had eaten. I was sure that the same was done for Maria. It was deliciously pleasurable to be able to comb out my hair and wash it. Since Maria was not there to help me, I twisted it into a simple knot and pinned it to the top of my head. I had not had a chance to write a letter or do anything else when one of the nuns knocked on the door. She had been sent to summon me back to the Mother Superior's office.

  "Thank you Sister Anna" the Abbess said as I stepped into the room. The nun who had brought me back to the office left and closed the door behind her. I realized that a man was standing in the far corner of the room. His clothes were of good quality but had seen some hard usage. He wore an empty scabbard at his side. The sword must have been left in the entry hall. His hair and beard were dark, but a streak of white ran across his chin on the left. When he looked towards me I realized the white hair followed the line of a scar that began just below his left eye. The scar gave him a dangerous look. If not for his menacing air, I might have considered him very handsome. "Doña Elvira, would you please sit down?"  Mother Inez directed at me. "I need to ask some questions" she continued. Her eyes flicked up at me and took in my improved condition. "This gentleman tells me that the two horses you arrived on were stolen" she stated questioningly. His penetrating stare unsettled me so that I was afraid my voice would betray my anxiety. "That is possible" I replied flatly "I took the horses from an inn. But I could not say who they were stolen from". Mother Inez's eyes widened at my matter of fact statement.

The man in the corner had an obvious reaction to my statement. His expression was enigmatic, and not exactly anger, so I found the courage to continue "I took the horses out of need. The clothes and manner of the riders led me to believe they were bandits. My maid is not young and I was afraid the hardship of walking in this heat was killing her." Both Mother Inez and the man continued to look at me steadily. I was not about to apologize for what I had done, even though I was a little afraid. If the man wanted recompense for his inconvenience, I could make sure he got that. As the silence dragged on I realized that Mother Inez probably thought that she encouraged me to talk by being quiet. I jumped when the man's deep voice broke the lengthening silence "Why were you walking in this heat in the first place?" In my chair I turned to look at him straight on and replied "Señor that is a long and involved story." He suddenly moved away from the corner and sat in the chair next to me. With great effort I keep myself from showing fear. He leaned slightly towards me with his lips parted in a halfway smile "Suppose you tell both of us that story here and now" I blinked at the sudden change in his manner, which had gone from menacing to curious within the space of a heart beat. My whole body cried out for sleep, but I was forced my eyes to stay open. Neither of them interrupted my tale until I described the house where I had been briefly imprisoned. When the man asked me to give him the description of the road up to the house for a second time I retorted "Señor I do not know your name or anything about you but it sounds as if you do not believe me. I have no knowledge of this place or the people who own it and I have no reason to lie." A bitter smile moved his lips as he answered "My name is Ramiro de Medina. I do not believe that you are lying to me Doña Elvira. I have my own reasons for being sure of the description."

    After their questioning had exhausted everything I knew about the house or its occupants, I slumped in my chair and waited. Don Ramiro stood up and began pacing the room. My eyes were bleared with fatigue and I only wished for this ordeal to be over. Mother Inez split her attention between and the man pacing her office like a caged tiger. Her voice sounded frustrated when she said at last "Don Ramiro, I must insist that we send this child back to her room for some rest. She is falling asleep in her chair". He whirled around turned his full attention on me. His steady regard made me feel warm and uncomfortable. Without ever taking his eyes from me he replied "Yes Reverend Mother, I must apologize for keeping her here so long." He held out his hand to help me up from my seat. A spark burnt my fingertips as his hand touched mine. His smile turned crooked at my involuntary flinch. "Doña Elvira" he said to me "Can I beg you to enjoy this convent's hospitality for a few days? Of course we can reveal your whereabouts to your family, but I believe I can also solve the mystery of your abduction." His hand was large and warm as it slowly engulfed mine. My thoughts refused to focus on anything but his hand. Finally I shook myself from the trance and looked up into his face. I really was almost asleep on my feet so I simply answered "I will remain here for awhile". He released my hand abruptly and stepped back. The nun who had waited outside the office took me back to my room. Sweet oblivion took me for the rest of that day.

It was slightly dark in my room in a way that could be dawn or dusk. I laid still and watched the slight shift of the curtains. A hesitant knock brought me up from the bed. Maria was in the doorway. "Mistress" she said "Did I awaken you?" I laughed and threw my arms around her. "I was being shamefully lazy and lying in bed. I do not know when I have ever been so tired in my life." She hugged me back and then I sat down on the edge of the bed. "We have survived quite an ordeal together and I have been soundly asleep since shortly after I changed clothes. I do not even know what time of day it is." I told her. Her smile widened as she informed me "It is just after dawn and just before breakfast. We both slept through most of the day and the night." I drank some water from a cup by the bed. "That explains why I am so thirsty" I commented "I will write a letter for my parents. Mother Inez has promised that a messenger will be sent." Maria waited while I hastily scribbled down the more important details. Then I tucked the paper into my skirt pocket and queried "Now, do we go find breakfast, or does it find us?" Maria smiled "The sisters had breakfast just before dawn, but I was told that you could have breakfast in the dining room whenever you were ready." To this I replied "Let us go have some breakfast then."

For the rest of the morning I spent my time exploring the convent grounds. The gardens, from which the convent received much of its food, were extensive. Olive and fruit trees grew along the stone walls that enclosed everything. Young novices pulled weeds from the garden and gathered some of the produce. Chickens ran everywhere inside the walls except for a covered and gated courtyard. The main dining hall looked out into this same courtyard. Flowering vines climbed a trellis along one side of the courtyard. Their heavy perfume added to the pleasant and tranquil atmosphere of the day. The quiet and solitude seemed to seep into my soul. Wooden benches underneath the trellis provided rest and relief from the heat. It was on one of these benches that I was resting when Maria found me. "Mistress" she called out to me "Your mid day meal is ready. I can show you where you will be served." I stood up and replied "Thank you Maria and please lead on." Somehow I was not surprised when we passed by the main dining hall. The sisters took their food with them and had lunch wherever they were working. But I was surprised when Maria led me towards the main gate and we left the convent walls. My time of peace and quiet was not meant to last. We walked to a covered veranda that extended from there to the back of the rectory. I expected to see Mother Inez, but it was Don Ramiro who was seated at one of the three tables there. Two men who looked as much like soldiers as they looked like servants stood behind him in attendance.

  "Please come join me Doña Elvira" he greeted me. Don Ramiro stood until I was seated. "I have just returned from a year in Italy." He informed me. One of his attendants poured wine into the two goblets that stood on the table. He waited for me to take a sip and continued "It seems much longer since I have been able to sit at a meal and have a pleasant conversation." His attendants moved away from our table just far enough that they could not overhear our conversation. This made me slightly apprehensive about what he planned to say. Don Ramiro seemed perfectly relaxed as he commented "I could only wish that we had met under better circumstances." I managed a reply "Of course".
He took a sip of his own wine and laughed "Of course the novelty of our meeting is undeniable. It is not usual to have my horses stolen by such a lovely lady." His laughter was genuine where I had expected sarcasm. My face grew warm under his steady gaze. For the first time I looked directly into his eyes and I discovered that they were pale blue inside a darker ring. "You certainly do not seem disposed to hold a grudge over it, for which I am glad" I finally managed to reply. The food arrived at that point so I took the opportunity to change the subject. "Would you be so kind as to tell me about Italy? I have heard it is a beautiful place." I asked. One of his eyebrows lifted as he gave me a slight grin. He saw through my clumsy attempt to forestall discussion of myself. "Parts of it are indeed beautiful" he told me "But the hills are full of bandits and many of the towns are falling to ruin." Suddenly I realized I had been gazing intently at into his eyes. I dropped my gaze to my plate as I listened. He spoke again after a pause "Italy has been contested over for many years now. Soldiers and mercenaries take resources that might been better spent" I flicked my eyes up briefly and saw that he looked intently at me for no apparent reason. Most men I had met at dinners and dances had never given me such an intense inspection as Don Ramiro did that day. This was unexplored territory for me as I had no experience in dealing with such a man. Desperate to deflect his attention I pleaded, "But is there nothing good you can say?" He relented and looked away from me. After another sip of wine, he spoke "I can tell you about beautiful flowering gardens and the moon on the Tiber River, which, incidentally, looks much better by moonlight than by day". He laughed his light infectious chuckle again and continued to describe the Italian countryside while we ate. After the food was gone, one of Don Ramiro's attendants brought wine and we continued to talk until the ninth hour of the day. While we spoke of far away places and people I began to relax in Don Ramiro's presence. That he had a mastery of with polite conversation that I did not was more than evident. I mostly restricted myself to questions.  Shortly after the bell had rung for afternoon prayers a man came onto the veranda and handed Don Ramiro a scrap of parchment.

Don Ramiro quickly scanned the document and a scowl flashed across his face. He stood up and told me "I am afraid that I must go. Perhaps we can dine again tomorrow since I will not be back tonight." My face flushed a little as I answered "That would be most welcome". That I could have answered otherwise did not occur to me at that moment. Don Ramiro and the other three men all disappeared quickly around the front of the rectory and I was alone again with Maria. My heart was cold with mixed feelings about this man. He was a total stranger to me, so I felt his reasons for paying me so much attention were suspect. Don Ramiro was an attractive man with much experience of the world. So what did he learn form our conversation that I did not suspect? Why did he make light of the theft of his horses? Of course I also wondered what unhappy news drew him away so suddenly. There were undercurrents here of which I had no knowledge. Maria was looking at me from her seat at the far end of the veranda. All this time she had been patiently working on some sewing after she had finished her own meal. From the closed look on her face, it seemed she had doubts about Don Ramiro also. When I saw her work, I remembered the current state of my wardrobe. Since it would be some days before my family would receive my message and come for me, I decided I had better occupy myself with some sewing also. "Maria" I called to her "let us go and see what fabric we can get from the convent. We both could benefit from a change of clothes. I think we can start with a few chemises" She folded up her work and followed me to find Sister Catarina. Since she appeared to be in charge of the convent's guests, I reasoned that she would know how to get what I needed.

We started our work early the next day by sorting out what clothes we had. The dresses supplied by the convent were adequate for the short term. Undergarments were our first priority. It also helped that the light linen acquired from the convent was easy to work with. Maria and I were engrossed in sewing when the summons for lunch arrived. Dom Ramiro waited for me at the same table as yesterday. There was also a chess board set up on the table. "Do you play chess senorita?" he asked after I was seated. I viewed the board with trepidation as I answered "I know how to play, just not very well". He gestured for one of his attendants to pour us some wine. He took a sip before he commented "I hope you do not object to playing a game or two with me. I promise to play as ruthlessly as a rose petal". This comment caught me off guard and I laughed out loud. "Very well, Senor," I replied "I will play chess with you. But try not to be disappointed if you win too easily." He only chuckled in reply. Our food was served and we played as we ate. That I did not do too badly, I credited to Don Ramiro. Several times it was obvious that he was more interested in prolonging the game than winning outright. Several times he suggested that I retract one of my moves and try again. That did not fit with any rules of chess that I had ever heard. After losing twice I begged a halt. He teasingly asked for one more game but gave in to my refusal with exaggerated reluctance. He stood up to leave but then paused. "Doña Elvira, I have arranged for a carriage for tomorrow. Mother Inez has graciously agreed to let one of the sisters accompany us if I could convince you to go for a ride with me." My heart pounded with sudden fear. The lump that rose in my throat kept me from answering for a moment. "Let me consider my answer first" I finally managed "May I give you an answer in the morning?" He made a slight bow and answered "Of course. I have no wish to pressure you into a decision, until tomorrow then." And with that he and his men were gone again.

The thought of leaving the convent in the company of a man I hardly knew was daunting to say the least. It was difficult not to refuse the offer outright. The fact was that with Maria and one of the nuns along, I would be well chaperoned. When I found a chance to speak with Mother Inez, I asked her opinion of whether I should go or not. She said she knew his family and seemed to think that the idea of a carriage ride was perfectly harmless and would probably be good for me. She said that he could hardly make off with me and one of her nuns without consequence. Regardless or her encouragement, when I left the dining room after breakfast the next morning I was resolved not to leave the convent with Don Ramiro. Maria found me as I was returning to my rooms. She told me that he was waiting for my answer in the entrance hall of the convent. For a moment I considered sending Maria with my refusal. But to be polite, I knew I had to tell him myself. So I went changed direction and went to see Don Ramiro and brought Maria along with me. Don Ramiro was concentrating on reading some documents when I came through the door. By his expression, I judged that what he read was unpleasant. The ferocity of his gaze when he looked up made my heart quaver.

After a brief moment, it was obvious when he recognized me because his smile broke over his face like the sun breaks through storm clouds. Don Ramiro rushed up to take my hand and said "I'm so glad you decided to come with me this morning. The carriage is here and your maid is helping the sister get into it. There is a nice bottle of red wine for us to enjoy while we travel. Nothing is lacking now that you are here." He had taken my arrival as agreement to his proposal. I could hardly break through his torrent of words as I was hustled out the door and into the waiting carriage. Maria and Sister Catarina were already seated on side of the carriage so I slid into the seat facing the front. Don Ramiro sat down next to me and handed me a goblet of red wine. It was a good thing I waited before I tried to drink because the carriage rocked wildly for a moment. He must have read the question on my face because Don Ramiro explained "Some of my men will be riding on the roof. I thought it best to discourage any temptation." Maria and I exchanged a look as the carriage lurched forward.

Don Ramiro knew the surrounding countryside fairly well. This was made evident when he pointed out various landmarks. He explained to me that the river road had actually been built by the old Romans. At that point it was the main thoroughfare to the sea. The ride was pleasant enough. Don Ramiro had ordered some wine packed in the carriage for our trip. He opened a bottle and poured some wine for all us. Except that Sister Catarina declined the wine that was offered to her. We were traveling at a fairly slow pace; I supposed it was to avoid jostling the occupants and their wine. Once when he refilled my glass, Don Ramiro's hand closed over mine. My heart raced at the intimate contact. Some combination of fear and other emotions made me anxious in this man's presence. It was late in the afternoon when the carriage made a sharp turn and interrupted the conversation. Curious as to the change in direction, I looked at my window. To my horror, I realized that we had turned onto the same road that led to the house of my imprisonment.

My terror must have shown in my face when I turned away from the window. Don Ramiro said "Please Elvira, do not be afraid. This is not what you think". Still I tried frantically to climb over him to get out of the moving carriage. His arms came around me and pulled me down onto his lap. Sister Catarina and Maria both screamed when it seemed that Don Ramiro had attacked me. The carriage jolted to a sudden stop and Don Ramiro released me. Maria and I both flailed at him as he cried "Please stop and I'll explain". Poor Sister Catarina cringed back in her seat. It finally dawned on me that it was useless to resist his strength. He held me crushed against his chest when I went limp from exhaustion. He saw that I had no more fight left he opened the carriage door and got out. "Come down and I will explain" he called to me. I climbed down and tried to rearrange my tousled clothes. Don Ramiro began to pace beside the carriage as he held his hand up to his forehead. He turned to regard me and spoke "I must apologize. I did not divulge my intended destination for several reasons. The first is that I wanted to get your true reaction. The second is that you might have refused to come." I looked up to see what Maria's reaction to this was as she watched from the carriage door. Her face told me that she had not known our destination either. Nor had she known of Don Ramiro's plans. Shaken with fear and exhaustion I could only stand still and listen. He moved so that he stood directly in front of me when he continued "I need your presence to prove to myself and other witnesses that I am correct in the identity of your kidnapper." A significant look passed between Sister Catarina and Maria. The nun had not only been brought as a chaperone, but an impeachable witness. His right hand grasped my elbow and his voice turned hoarse when he spoke next "I swear that no harm will come to you. Please believe me".

With my eyes closed I tried to calm myself. His grip on my elbow loosened and his hand slid up the back of my arm onto my shoulder. When I felt his touch on the bare skin of my neck I jerked away in shock. Maria's worried face was the first thing I saw when I turned away from Don Ramiro. The other men were watching solemnly from the top of the carriage. "If I help you" I said as I tried to steady my voice "Do you promise to see that these bandits receive justice?" His voice was low and rough as he simply said "Yes". I forced my fear down as I faced him again. "Then we had better get this done" I answered. I gritted my teeth and climbed back in the carriage. After I had sat down, I poured myself a generous glass of wine. A confrontation with the man who probably had planned my abduction seemed certain. Don Ramiro stood in the door of the carriage, his and all the other's eyes were on me as I downed the wine all at once. The tension in the air was thick as Don Ramiro got back in the carriage. He rested his arm on the back of the seat behind me, but I did not acknowledge it as I sat frozen in my seat. Sister Catarina looked as if she could not decide if she was more afraid of me or Don Ramiro. Many thoughts raced through my mind as I sat there. Did Don Ramiro think me a gullible child that he could take advantage of? My life had not given me much experience with men outside of my immediate family and our servants. Don Ramiro frightened me with his attempts at charm as much as he attracted me. Nothing in my life up until this point had prepared me for being kidnapped, escaping from bandits and dealing with this enigmatic man. My preference would have been to return to the convent, but the carriage rattled up the road regardless of my silent wishes. For what I must do, I knew I needed to be resolute. Some time passed before the horses slowed and stopped at the wooden gates that I remembered.

The gates did not open immediately as they had upon my first arrival. Our driver shouted up to the men on the wall to request an entrance. His answer could not be heard inside the carriage but since the gates did not open, it appeared be negative. Once more our driver called for admittance, this lead to a lot of shouting back and forth. After being refused admittance again, the driver's voice was drowned out by the sound of many hooves. As the cavalcade of many mounted men surrounded the carriage, the sight made me stiffen in my seat. Sister Catarina's eyes grew as round as saucers. Through the window I could see most of the men who had ridden up and surrounded the carriage. A good portion of them were armed with crossbows. Don Ramiro's hand gripped my shoulder and startled me. He leaned closer and whispered "They are mine. Do not be afraid." There were more shouts. At last the gates swung open and the men on horseback preceded us through. When we stopped in front of the house, I looked back through the window I caught glimpses of the men who had been brought down from the wall. Don Ramiro's soldiers gathered them up and headed them towards the house. The front door opened a crack and someone peered through the opening at us. When he came out and started towards the carriage, I recognized Alfonso. Torn by obvious terror, he moved as if one half of body was walking forward while the other half tried to remain still. No one followed him out of the door. One of Don Ramiro's men moved his horse between Alfonso and the carriage before he got very close. This effectively kept Alfonso from seeing inside the carriage. Don Ramiro opened the door and ordered us "Stay here until I ask you to come out". Then he stepped out of the carriage.

  The carriage was turned so that only the windows on one side offered a view of the front door. The soldier who sat his horse next to Don Ramiro blocked half of the windows so that we could see nothing but Don Ramiro's back. However we were close enough that we could hear clearly. "Who are you?" Don Ramiro barked. Alfonso sounded remarkably sober as he answered "Your Excellency, I am Alfonso the new steward." I heard Don Ramiro's snort of disgust. Then he continued "I see that you know who I am. Is my nephew still here?" After I had heard this exchange, the pieces of the puzzle started to fall into place in my mind. Nephew was not a word that I had expected to hear. A distinct note of fear had crept into Alfonso's voice when he replied "Yes Your Excellency. Would you like to go in to see him?" Don Ramiro's voice had grown cold enough to freeze my blood when he replied "No. Bring him out here to me." I could just see Alfonso turn back towards the door when a cavalier nearby shouted "Run dog. Your Master is impatient." To the sound of male laughter, Alfonso took off on a shambling run and disappeared inside.

The manner in which Alfonso had addressed Ramiro made me realize how little I actually knew about him. I watched him flick his gloves against his leg as we presumably waited for his nephew. It grew warmer inside the carriage as time passed, with no breeze to give relief. Maria and Sister Catarina shifted uncomfortably in their seat. The door opened and an elegantly dressed young man walked towards Don Ramiro. Alfonso was just visible inside the doorway as he watched this meeting. "Dear Uncle" the young man spoke "If I had known you were coming I would have prepared a better welcome". "No doubt" sneered Don Ramiro "Is that why your men on the wall tried to refuse me entrance?" The other man replied "I can hardly chastise them for erring on the side of caution. The last news I had of you was from Italy. Again, if I had known of your coming, or why you came......". The sentence he left hanging implied a question. Don Ramiro's voice had not thawed when he answered "I am here because there are several questions that you need to answer." The man gestured from Don Ramiro towards the door and asked "Would it not be better if we went in out of the heat? We can discuss whatever you wish more comfortably inside". Don Ramiro did not respond immediately. It seemed that the minutes stretched out and I could see how this would have unnerved Don Ramiro's nephew. "No, I think not" Don Ramiro finally replied "I am sure you did not think he would, Hector, but my head steward wrote me in Naples. He wanted to express his concern over your dismissal of the servants on this estate. He was under the impression that I had ordered this through you." At last I knew the name of this nephew who appeared to be the architect of my abduction. Hector replied "It is true that I may have given him the impression that I had passed along your instructions. But since I found servants who were willing to work for much less, I thought you would appreciate the money I saved you." Don Ramiro shook his head and replied a tired voice "Hector, Hector you never think anything through and consider all the consequences. Did you consider that the olive and grape harvests are not far away? Did you even consider that it takes skilled labor to harvest these? Did you think of how I would react to their loss?" He began pacing in a manner which had become somewhat familiar. "Just the loss of my vintner is enough to seriously hurt the revenues of this estate" He continued. He had not shouted but even I flinched to hear his stern tones. Hector, the target of this torrent ceased any attempt at a reply. Then Ramiro told Hector "When I came here to find out what was going on, I found the whole countryside in an uproar over the dismissal of all my servants and armed men searching people's houses. It only took a few questions to determine that the armed men on the roads were employed by you." From the little I could see of Hector's face, he looked distinctly uneasy. His voice was uncertain as he replied "I had heard reports of bandits. I reasoned that it would rebound to your credit if I managed to get rid of a few of them." One of Don Ramiro's eyebrows had risen as he commented cynically "Did you really?" Hector did not have time to respond before Don Ramiro continued "Then after all that, I received notices from several of your creditors about your gambling debts. I told you that when I paid off your debts after the Feast of Three Kings that it was the last time. You may be my sister's only son, but there are limits to what I will accept."

Hector's voice quavered as he replied "I had worked out an arrangement to pay off my own debts. I was not going to ask you for money". Don Ramiro turned back to the carriage door and opened it. Then he said to Hector "I also know why your plans for money have not worked out." He held out a hand to me and I let him help me down from the carriage. Maria and the sister followed me out of the carriage and stood behind me. Hector looked bewildered at first then panic stricken as realization set in. Alfonso ran out of the house and tried to make it to the stables but one of Don Ramiro's men knocked him to the ground. This time Don Ramiro's voice sounded more sad than angry when he spoke "Hector, this time you have gone too far and I am forced to turn you over to the king's justice. I overlooked the petty thefts over the years and I paid most of your debts. With this act, you have made me realize that you will never learn to restrain your selfish impulses." Hector threw himself at Don Ramiro's knees and pleaded "You cannot send your own flesh to the royal courts and imprisonment. I promise that I will change. I will never do anything like this again" Don Ramiro merely turned his face towards the gate and said "It is too late for that". All eyes followed his gaze towards a small company of soldiers that had ridden through the gate bringing with them the royal banner.

The leader of the group rode up to us and announced "I am Captain Ruiz. I am looking for Senor de Medina." Don Ramiro stepped forward and replied "I am he. There are nine men here that you have been sent to arrest."  The rest of their conversation was out of my hearing as they had walked away from the carriage. My attention was drawn by the noise of a wagon coming through the gate. It was hardly more than a wooden cage on wheels. This was the conveyance meant to take away Hector and his fellow conspirators. The crossbows of Don Ramiro's men prevented any escape attempts by the bandits that Hector had employed. Don Ramiro stood like a statue in the courtyard and watched as the men were shackled and loaded into the wagon. Hector had regained his composure and spat towards his uncle before he climbed into the wagon. Alfonso wept openly when his turn came to be shackled. The sound of his weeping seemed inhumanly loud against the relative silence of the courtyard where the only other sounds were the shuffle of men's feet and the faint creak of saddle leather. When all of the men had been loaded into the wagon, the cage door was slammed shut loudly enough to make me jump. The Captain saluted Don Ramiro and started off with his charges. I watched them slowly make their way through the gate and vanish down the steep road. As the courtyard full of people watched, the last two cavalrymen were jostled aside at the gate by a rider on a lathered horse. He threw himself off his horse in front of me.

His hat fell back off his head onto the ground as he wrapped me up in his arms. It was my older brother Esteban. I shrieked for joy as I hugged him tight. "Papa and Mama are on the road behind me" he explained "I stopped at the convent and they gave me directions to get here." I looked around him at the gate and asked "How long before they get here?" He laughed and tousled my hair as if I wear a child. "Two more days at least, even Mama can't make a carriage go as fast as a single rider." It was only then that he turned to the silent Don Ramiro. "Are you the man that we have to thank for the safety of my sister?" he stated. Ramiro replied "I have done nothing more than my duty as a gentleman" and stalked away. Esteban started to follow him but I grasped his arm. "It was his nephew" I explained "That can only be a shame for him". Esteban shrugged and asked "Can we get him to loan us this carriage to carry you back to the convent?" I patted his arm and replied "Be patient Brother. I do not know we might be able to do right now. Please wait here a moment". Don Ramiro was leaning on a railing outside the stable when I approached him. After some hesitation I gently touched him on the back. He whirled around and turned his stony gaze on me. "I wished to apologize for my brother" I began "he could not have known how hard his words would be for you." Don Ramiro's face visibly softened. He started to speak but paused for a moment before he finally said "I should apologize for being so rude." He walked back over to Esteban and said to him "Your sister would undoubtedly like to retrieve any of her possessions that she abandoned here earlier. I spoke most harshly to you and I ask your forgiveness. I would like to extend my hospitality to you until your parents arrive, especially in light of the debt that my family owes to yours".

  Esteban did not answer right away and looked around at his tired horse. When he finally said "We will accept your hospitality", I greeted his answer with mixed feelings of apprehension and relief. Don Ramiro gave orders to his men to dismount and see to their horses. The dim entrance was the same as I remembered it. But this time Ramiro led us to a large shaded courtyard just inside the hallway. When we were seated Don Ramiro told us "If the rest of the servants have not fled, I will get someone to serve us refreshments. He went back inside and left the rest of us. Maria and Sister Catarina hurried to follow towards the kitchens. The minute that we were alone, Esteban started to ask about my ordeal. "No" I told him as I held up a hand to ward him off "I will tell everything when Papa arrives so that I only have to tell it once". His grimace told me that he would be impossible to live with until his curiosity was satisfied. "You know that everyone will think that you were ravished" he sniped at me. I slapped his face and tuned to go back inside. Don Ramiro came through the door just in time to see me slap Esteban. The tears that welled up in my eyes must have been obvious for his expression hardened as he turned his face from me towards Esteban.

  The two ragged boys that I had grown accustomed to seeing during my stay came out into the middle of this scene. They bore a tray with food, with glasses and wine. Ramiro said nothing to Esteban while we were served. .The food was dust in my mouth after my brother's cruel words. The silence stretched out uncomfortably until an older woman came in and addressed Ramiro "Master, the rooms for your guests are ready. The Senorita's maid is waiting for her there." Ramiro nodded his acknowledgement and she went back inside the house. Ramiro stood up and gestured towards the door. "I am sure that Don Esteban would like to rid himself of the dust from his travels." He said "I would be pleased if you both would join me for breakfast in the morning". Esteban replied "Certainly, until morning then". Then Esteban and I followed the woman inside the house. I was not surprised to be quartered in the same suite of rooms as before. But this time there were no guards in the hallways. Esteban was shown the room a few more doors down. When I closed my door, I fell on a sofa and sobbed. I was safe and would soon be home but nothing had gone as I imagined. I was afraid that my brother had spoken the truth and my reputation was ruined. Maria retreated to the other room and did not disturb my sorrow.

  I had finally cried myself to sleep. When I woke, it was fully dark inside the room. I made my way through the bedroom and stepped outside. The same stone bench sat outside the door. But I was too restless with conflicting emotions to sit. The courtyard was not as dark as it had been inside my room, so a little of the moonlight must have reached it. After a few circuits of the small space, I sat down and started to comb out my hair. My heart thudded in my chest when a hand touched my shoulder. I jumped up in surprise and was even more surprised to recognize Ramiro. "My room also opens onto this courtyard" he said softly. I looked wildly back at the other closed door behind me. "Your brother's room does not" Ramiro answered my unspoken question. He sat down and pulled me back onto the bench beside him. I could feel the heat of his leg through the fabric of my dress where we touched. He exhaled a long breath and said "I heard what your brother said that caused you to slap him. It seems Hector has left me with that burden also." I turned to face him and asked "What exactly do you mean by that?" His blue eyes were barely visible in the pale light. He finally answered "Your brother may be right. Even though your maid never left your side, there are some who will make that assumption". My stomach felt like a knot twisted inside when I heard him say that. A tear leaked from one eye as I realized that my family might not be able to arrange a marriage for me now. Ramiro leaned towards me and extended one finger to wipe the tear from my cheek. At first I did not realize what he did when he slid his hand behind my head and pulled me to him. A shock ran through my body when his lips touched mine.

Ramiro did not try to hold me when I pushed away from him and stood up. My tears flowed hot and fast as I cried "Do you also consider me a fallen woman that you would take advantage of me in a moment of weakness". I started to run away, but he grabbed me by the shoulders before I could escape. "Do not go" he pleaded "I should not have kissed you. Please accept my apology. I would never think of you as a fallen woman." His relaxed his grip and drew a shuddering breath. "There are times that I do not know how to behave with women" he told me "I adored my sister but I was barely a man when she died giving life to Hector. My mother was gone long before I was old enough to know her". He sat back down and dropped his head into his hands. When I did not leave he continued "I have lived among soldiers most of my life and avoided women. But I have always striven to keep my honor. And now it seems I may have lost that." As I had no idea how to respond to him, I waited to see if he had more to say. After a few moments he lifted his head and told me "You should go to bed. We will find a way to protect your reputation tomorrow." He paused with a sad smile before he said "At least I will try to keep your brother from tormenting you". He stood up walked back to his room. When my shaky legs functioned again, I returned to my room.

I woke well before Maria did. She was apologetic when she rose to find me already bathed and dressed. It felt good to be back in my own clothes again. I went in search of breakfast with Maria trailing behind me. The old woman who was in the kitchen had only bread and fruit to offer us. She explained that the kitchen servants who had fled when Hector was arrested had taken a good portion of the larder. Don Ramiro certainly had some work ahead of him to get this estate back in shape. Maria and I had finished our meal when Esteban came in. He blushed when he saw me and stuttered "Ah...Elvira, I feel bad about what I said to you yesterday. I did not realize until later how much that probably hurt you." His contrition made me sigh even as I realized that Don Ramiro might be responsible for it. My brother had never before apologized without a scolding. I could not help but smile a little as I told him "I forgive you. Tell me if anyone sent a message to the convent. They must think we have kidnapped Sister Catarina". His return smile beamed at me as he replied "Yes, Don Ramiro sent a rider to the convent last night. We will probably have to stay here until Papa comes, but the sisters will direct him here."
Ramiro walked into the room just after Esteban finished speaking. My face went hot and then cold as the memory of last night washed over me. "Senor Esteban" he said "Would you care to join me for a ride today? I need to tour the estate and see how much work needs to be done here." Esteban was visibly pleased at this unexpected invitation and he replied "Of course, if you would be willing to loan me a horse. Mine would probably be better for a day's recovery." "See one of the men in the stable" Ramiro told Esteban "At least my horses are still there. I will meet you outside in a bit". Then he turned and left without a word to me.

  I felt a little abandoned when Esteban followed Ramiro outside. It seemed I would have to spend the day by myself. I returned to the infamous library alcove. The dust on the books was partially explained by Ramiro's year in Italy. I started and put down several books before I realized that I was too restless to enjoy them. Several maids were startled by me as I wandered around the public parts of the house. It seemed as if these were the house's old servants who had come back. They certainly were not the ragged cringing wretches that I remembered. Their discomfort at working in my presence was obvious, so I began to avoid them as I rambled. The original building had been added onto several times. The expanding rings of the house, each with its own courtyard created a tangled maze. The upper floors were mostly smaller bedrooms with storerooms and servants quarters over that. The highest floor was one large room that at one time seemed to have been a reception hall. One wall still held two faded tapestries. Windows looked out in every direction. Beneath one was an old padded bench. I kneeled on this to open one window and look out. A brisk summer breeze blew through the window and cooled the room. With my elbows on the windowsill I watched the landscape far below. From this height, the river appeared small and distant. With my head on the wide sill, I closed my eyes and let my thoughts wander. My imagination conjured up an ancient Hidalgo standing in this very room and surveying his domain.

About mid day I ventured from my aerie for some food and water. When I went back up the stairs I took a book and some wine with me. This time I was about to settle down and read. It seemed odd to be so utterly alone and undisturbed. The point at which it became too dark to read came upon me by surprise. The afternoon had passed by and I had not realized it. Probably because of the lingering heat and the effect of the wine I had not even felt hungry when dinnertime passed. I snapped the book shut and tried to muster some enthusiasm for going downstairs. The last golden light of the sunset faded from the ceiling as the room passed into near-dark. The sky outside shaded into purple just as the door slammed open. Surprise at the noise propelled me from my seat as Ramiro burst into the room with Esteban on his heels. Ramiro put a hand on his chest as he gasped for breath. Esteban spoke first angrily "Do you realize that we have been searching the house in a panic looking for you?" I shook my head in denial. "How could you disappear like that without informing anyone?" Esteban shouted at me. Ramiro waved Esteban off and told me "That you did not come out for dinner did not worry us. But we did become concerned until Maria told us that you were not in your room. If one of the kitchen girls had not remembered that you took a bottle of wine and went upstairs, we would never have thought to look for you here. When I thought you had disappeared; it nearly scared me to death". Both men glared at me as if I had committed some crime. A little shaken at their vehemence I stammered "What could possibly happen to me inside the house? And why are you so angry at me?" Ramiro grabbed me by the shoulders and shook me once hard. "Has it occurred to you that one of Hector's men might have plotted some revenge?" he hissed "I am angry because I love you and I was terrified that someone had harmed you". I looked back at Ramiro in utter disbelief. Esteban and I spoke together the same words "What did you say?" Ramiro released me and looked away. "I said I was terrified that someone had harmed you."

Esteban stepped between us and held up both of his hands. His voice shook as he said "Stop right now. Before anything else is said, I think we need to wait for my father". Ramiro turned his face away from me when he answered my brother "Yes. I think we need to get a good night's sleep. You will want to be rested when your parents arrive." Ramiro opened the door that led out. Esteban took the hint and fled the room and towed me along with my arm in his grip. As he hurried us both down the stairs he stammered "Did he...have you... has he?" "No" I replied sharply "he has behaved with perfect decorum." The dim light of the candles hid my blush as I remembered the feel of Ramiro's lips. My heart was racing when we reached my room, but I tried to convince myself that it was because of the hurried long descent. I could tell that Esteban wanted to say more but he was not sure exactly what to say. In the end he settled for telling me "Papa will be here tomorrow". Before I could close the door he added "Papa will settle all of this, have a good night Elvira". I whispered "Goodnight" as I closed the door and shut out the sight of his worried face. Maria had waited here to help me undress for bed. She said nothing about my absence from dinner as she helped me into bed. We said our goodnights and for a long time I stared at the ceiling through sleepless eyes.

The next morning I could barely drag myself out of bed. It must have been nearly sunrise before I had fallen asleep. Maria chided me for sleeping well past breakfast. The sun was well on it way to noon as Maria helped me bathe and dress. She waited patiently as I ate the breakfast that she had brought up from the kitchen. But she stayed behind when I left the room to go in search of my brother. When I got to the dining room, I could see Esteban and Ramiro out in the center courtyard. Judging by their gestures I would say they were arguing, but the noise of the fountain kept their voices from being heard in the house. After last night's scene, the sight of this argument made me hesitant to join them. Some type of sweet fruit juice was still on the sideboard so I poured myself a cupful and watched them through the window. Esteban was still arguing with Ramiro when one of the men came in the front and went through to the courtyard. I saw him lean over to speak to Ramiro before he returned the way that he had come. Ramiro stood, came into the house and passed me without a word. Esteban had followed him but paused when he saw me. "Papa is here" he told me; then after a moment's hesitation, followed Ramiro towards the front door. Realizing that my parents would be anxious to confirm my well being with their own eyes, I gathered my courage and followed them both.

Papa was already out of the carriage when I came out of the front door. I ran to him and threw my arms around him. "Mi avita, I am so happy that you are safe" he murmured as he hugged me tight. Mama stepped out of the carriage and pulled me into her arms. Ramiro drew their attention when he spoke "Senor and Senora, I beg your pardon for interrupting your reunion with your daughter. Please accept my hospitality while you are here." He gestured towards the open front door and asked "If all of you would please come inside we have a lot to discuss". The he turned his intense blue eyes on me and added "I am sure this will take some time before all is said and done". Papa turned to Don Ramiro and replied "We would be pleased to accept your kind offer. There is quite a lot of this story that I have not heard yet" The two men turned their backs on the rest of us as they walked into the house. Just inside the door, Papa introduced himself "I am Hernán de Silva and this is my wife Lucia. I understand that you are Don Ramiro de Medina. I am Hernán de Silva and this is my wife Lucia" Ramiro acknowledged Papa with a nod and replied "I am pleased to meet you both. Your children bear a strong resemblance to you both". Ramiro led the way inside and we followed. I was puzzled that the usually boisterous Esteban remained quiet and lagged behind everyone else. Just before we went into the parlor, Ramiro exchanged a look with Esteban. With a determined expression on his face, Ramiro stopped in the hallway and said "Don Hernán, I would ask to speak with you man to man while your daughter gets a chance to speak with her mother". Father started to protest but when he looked back at Esteban, something in Esteban's expression made him think again. He gestured for Ramiro to lead the way and Esteban followed the two of them inside. Ramiro shut the door behind him.. "What on earth was that about?" Mama asked me. I spread my hands in surrender and replied "I wish I knew. I am as surprised as you".

We went out onto the patio and sat down.  I may have been able to refuse Esteban's demands for my story. But I could not refuse my mother. The whole telling took quite some time. Mama only stopped me a few times to ask questions. The part about finding the secret passage made her praise my perception. It was amazing to her that anyone could notice such small details in order to make such a discovery. She laughed aloud when I told her about the theft of the horses. I omitted my moonlight conversation with Ramiro. But I was surprised to find at the end of the tale that the men still had not emerged. The torrent of words that had poured out left me feeling tired and thirsty. I sipped some water and waited for a comment from my mother. Her face was pensive as she shook her head sadly and said "It is certainly a shame for Don Ramiro that his own nephew would do such a thing. But sometimes desperate men do things that they otherwise might not have done." My mother was a charitable soul and was willing to give anyone the benefit of a doubt. Whatever she would have said next was stilled by the sound of the door opening. The men walked purposely towards Mama and me, with Papa in the lead. Whatever the discussion had been was not apparent from Papa's closed expression. Esteban's face was a mixture of puzzlement and irritation.

  "Madam" Papa announced to my mother "It seems we have found our daughter only to lose her again" Mama gasped and her hands flew to cover her mouth. "Or perhaps I should say" he continued "That we will be gaining a son-in-law". I looked from Papa to Ramiro to Esteban for an explanation. By the expression on her face, Mama had been taken as completely dumbfounded by this announcement as I had been. Papa took in our shocked state and finally explained. "Don Ramiro has asked for Elvira's hand and has given me some compelling reasons to agree." He turned to me and traded Mama's hands for mine. Then he led me forward and placed my hand in Ramiro's. I felt dizzy as the implications of this sank in. Ramiro's touch felt very hot as he slipped a heavy gold ring on my finger. At that point Mama burst into tears. Papa looked solemnly at me and asked "Are you willing to marry this man?" Ramiro's hand clenched tighter on mine as he waited for my response. I swallowed twice to clear the lump in my throat and whispered "Yes".

Papa and Ramiro disappeared back into the parlor and Mama took me by the arm and whisked me off to the courtyard. I went along with her in a stunned daze. She chattered on about the plans we needed to make. It took a moment for her behavior to penetrate my foggy thoughts. But I soon realized that her animated chatter was a cover for her nervousness. Mama told me that she would insist that we would all spend this night in Ramiro's house. But we would have to leave for home early the next morning. My silence unnerved her so that she tried to fill the gap herself. Mama told me that she would expect all the banns to be read. This meant at least a month before the wedding would take place, even if my father asked for a proxy ceremony. She explained what I already knew in my heart, that if I married too quickly there would always be rumors about what happened during my kidnapping. I must have made some appropriate responses to her comments, but I had no memory of what I said. We gathered in the dining room for dinner. The men ate at one table, while my mother and I were seated at another. Messages went out, sent both by my father and Ramiro. We ate and the men talked and ate and talked some more. I knew that my future was being planned at the table where my father and brother ate with Ramiro. But I knew that my duty was to do what my father directed me to do. Truthfully, at that point I was past caring, so I made no effort to listen to what they discussed. Mama said little while we ate. It was if she had exhausted herself earlier. Dinner ended; the day passed and I was finally glad to retreat to the solitude of bedroom. Sleep refused to come as I tossed and turned in the sheets. The night was hot enough to add to my restlessness. Restlessness which I finally admitted was born out of my frustration at having my life decided for me. Finally I decided to sit outside and cool off. With my eyes closed I sat on the stone bench and let the night wind blow across my face. While not exactly cool, the open air had a more relaxing effect on me than the stuffy air of my room. Somehow I was not surprised when two hands descended on my shoulders. Ramiro's face was in shadow as he looked down at me. I rose shakily from my seat to face him.

  My whole body shook uncontrollably. Ramiro stroked my left arm and commented "You are trembling. Are you that frightened of me?" I dropped my gaze and replied "No.....and yes. I think maybe...... I do not really know". It was in fact the truth. My head spun and my stomach tied in knots from the stew of emotions inside me. "Talk to me" he pleaded "Tell me what you are thinking". I took a few deep breaths and asked "Do you love me? How could you? You have only known me a few days". He took a deep breath and looked up at the stars. When he answered his voice was deep with emotion "Yes, I am in love with you. I did not want to admit that, but it is the truth. It seems that since the moment I first saw you that everything I learned about you pushed me in that direction. I listened to your story and saw a loyal, courageous woman so unlike any other I had known. Could you not have gotten away quicker if you had not been so solicitous of your maid's advanced age? You were not afraid to walk in the dark amid dangers you could only imagine". He fell silent for a moment and looked at me. "Why would you be afraid of me?" he asked softly "Does my scarred face repulse you?" I sat back down on the bench and Ramiro sat next to me. "To tell you the truth I think I am afraid of my own feelings and not you. After the first few times I saw it, I hardly noticed your scar anymore so that has nothing to do with my feelings" I responded to him "I did not feel courageous. I could only think of getting back home and my life would return to normal." I stopped to blink away hot tears that threatened to fill my eyes. With my hands clenched tightly together I told Ramiro "Now I feel as if I am looking into an unknown abyss. I expected to marry someday. But I always thought it would be one of Papa's friends or allies. Now nothing will ever be the same again and that is what frightens me."

  Ramiro held my hand softly stoked my fingers as we sat in silence. Some time passed before he cleared his throat and spoke again "I told you that I avoided women, but that was not exactly true. I have avoided women of my class. The women I have known have been of that low sort which the common soldier finds comfortable. I was pleased and surprised as I came to know you; that you are everything that they were not. You are innocent and honest. Even the funny way you play chess was something to like about you." He paused again as if he expected some response. I squeezed his hand to encourage him to continue. At that moment I could not have spoken if I had wanted to. "I know that life with me will be very different for you. But I promise to do everything in my power to make you happy." Ramiro stood up and pulled me to my feet. His face looked down on me from only inches away and I did not retreat from him. His hands moved to my shoulders and pulled me against him. "Let me seal that promise with a kiss" he murmured just before his lips closed over mine. This was not the fleeting touch of his previous kiss. He kissed me and caressed my face. Then his lips worked their way down my neck as I shivered in his arms. Ramiro held me so tight that I felt the heat of him all along my body. Fire burned through my skin and into my veins everywhere that we touched. When he released me at last I was breathless and dizzy.

Maria's voice called from the doorway and I jumped backwards in surprise. "Mistress, please come inside." She called out "It is not good for you to be out here alone with a man" she pleaded "Even if you are engaged to married." My wobbly legs barely obeyed me as I walked towards Maria. She closed and locked the door behind me. With her hands on her hips Maria watched as I climbed into bed. "You should know better than to sneak out at night" she wagged her finger at me "You should be asleep". She made a snort of disgust when I did not answer. She made sure that I climbed into my bed before she returned to her bed. Usually she closed the door from my bedroom to the sitting room, this time she did not close the door behind her. Maria made sure that if I might leave my room, she would know about it. Sleep eluded me for a long time after I had lain down. I lay awake and tried to make sense of what had happened and my feelings were. I knew that what I felt now was somehow different and more confusing. Every time I closed my eyes I remembered again the feel of Ramiro's lips on mine.

  In the morning we all rose early and began packing to leave. Since the one carriage that my parents had arrived in would be too crowded with me and Maria in the same carriage with Mama, Papa and all their attendants. Papa arranged to borrow a carriage from Ramiro for my journey home. Ramiro would ride with us as far the convent with his horse tied to the back. Sister Catarina needed to be returned to the convent so she went along also. Papa planned on spending one night in the convent before pressing on towards home. When we all set out, Sister Catarina sat quietly and watched as the scenery passed by. Maria glared at me and Ramiro as we sat together on the seat opposite her and the nun. She still had not forgiven me for my nocturnal excursion. This made for a silent, slightly uncomfortable trip. When we came to the turn in the road, the carriages stopped. Outside the carriage saw several men had stepped out from behind some brush with crossbows. One man shouted for everyone to get out of the carriages. "I am a damn fool for leaving my guards at the house" Ramiro hissed in anger "I have only a dagger with me." We climbed down into the bright sunshine. When everyone was lined up outside the carriages another group of men rode up on horses, Hector in the lead.

"You should have known better than to send so few guards with me Uncle" Hector sneered at us "My men were more than enough to overpower that pitiful band of soldiers". As Hector's bandits searched the carriages for valuables, I slipped Ramiro's gold ring into the front of my corset. I was wearing no other jewelry. Papa's signet ring was not visible on his finger so I assumed my mother was hiding it and probably her wedding ring also. Hector rode forward and stopped in front of me. "I think perhaps that I can still collect a ransom for you after all" he said as he smiled evilly at me. He gestured two men over and ordered "Bind her hands and put her up in front of me". When the two men grabbed my hands to tie them, Ramiro launched himself at them and overcame both of them with just his dagger. Then he turned on Hector and pulled him from his horse. Esteban and Papa pulled their daggers on the two men closest to them while Ramiro and Hector wrestled in the dust. Hector tried to wrench the dagger away from Ramiro, while he obviously sought to merely subdue his nephew. Esteban made a move to intervene, but Papa restrained him. After he landed a blow that stunned his nephew, Ramiro stood up and waited for his next move. Hector managed to stagger to his feet. For a several heartbeats the two men faced each other like matador and bull in the ring. Then suddenly Ramiro staggered as a crossbow bolt plunged into his back, followed quickly by a second bolt. He fell to his knees in front of me. His eyes were closed and he shuddered before fell onto his side. I dropped to my hands and knees as I stared in disbelief at the red trickle oozing into the dust. As I knelt beside Ramiro's body, Hector walked up and stood over us. His face was evilly distorted as he gloated over his fallen uncle. His self-satisfied tone chilled my blood when he said "You thought you would prevent me from taking your pretty toy away. You were wrong."

Ramiro's dagger lay in the dust beside him. My heart ached as the bloodstain continued to spread slowly across the back of his doublet. The shadows of the two men who had fired their crossbows from hiding came up and joined Hector's. One spoke to Hector "The men are anxious about being on the open road." A glance told me that Hector's attention had been diverted away from me. A hot fury rose up in me as I closed my fingers over the hilt of the dagger. To conceal the dagger, I slid it under the edge of my skirt. Only when I saw Ramiro dead before me was I forced to admit my feelings to myself. My heart broke as I realized my love for him, too late now to return his professed love for me. The pain of his loss, and any hope I might have had for the future, burned my heart like a flaming coal. Hector grabbed my arm and pulled me up from the ground. The dagger I kept hidden in a fold of fabric. One of the maids sobbed softly behind me. My intention was to make sure that I followed Ramiro in death very soon. To suit Hector's vengeance, I knew that his treatment of me would be neither pleasant nor quick. His face was dark with anger and his cruel intentions. "You have made me an outlaw for good" he shouted at me viciously "You could have gone home unharmed after the ransom had been paid. You and my self-righteous uncle will both pay for this." Though he twisted my wrist cruelly, the fire in my breast left me too numb to feel that pain. When I looked at his dark hand closed around my small white wrist; it felt as if I saw him grasp someone else's arm. Blood pounded in my ears and my surroundings seemed distant and unreal; as if they were something seen in a painting. The dagger that might be my release from this world felt warm in the grip of my other hand. One of Hector's men brought a horse over to where we stood. It gradually became apparent to me that Papa and my brother still held daggers against the throats of two brigands. Hector turned in their direction and shouted "My men will shoot anyone else who moves. Release those two or she dies now." Papa lowered his dagger reluctantly and Esteban followed his lead.

Every fiber of my body focused on Hector and my only thought was to avoid being carried off by him. It felt as if the rest of the world had faded away and no longer existed. The sounds of activity around me were something I heard only dimly, like far distant thunder. My left wrist showed the red marks from Hector's fingers after he released me to gather his horse's reins. When he turned his side towards me and reached for the saddle horn, I saw that he had given me an unexpected opportunity. Like a wild animal I sprung at him. With all the strength I could muster I buried the dagger up to the hilt in Hector's side. The impact of blade grating on bone jarred my arm up to my shoulder. The shock of the blow made Hector jerk sideways. His hands scrabbled blindly to find the dagger between his ribs. Eyes wide and one hand clutched on the protruding hilt, he slid down against his horse's side. With enormous effort, he used his other hand to pull himself upright by clinging to the saddle skirt. With an unearthly groan he pulled the dagger out. A spurt of dark blood followed the blade's exit and soaked through his thin shirt. Hector held the dripping dagger and eyes blazed with hatred as they focused on me. The red spatters turned the dust black where they fell. Hector swallowed hard before he stepped towards me, dagger held in front. He stopped and grimaced in pain. He took several more steps towards me before his eyes glazed over. He was already dead before he landed face down in the dirt.

This was one lemur that I knew would not haunt me. What I had done left me feeling sick inside, but Hector left alive would have continued to hurt others besides myself. Even though I had hoped that Hector's death might be the preservation of my own, I knew that it would not bring Ramiro back. My fury drained away and left me exhausted. I looked around me and found that the other bandits were down or had fled at the fall of their leader. Papa and Esteban had dispatched three of them. A crossbow bolt was imbedded in the side of the front carriage near where Papa had stood. He had a slight cut across the back of his hand which Esteban helped him bandage. Mama and Sister Catarina were kneeling beside Ramiro. Hot tears blurred my vision as I sat on the ground beside them. The Sister looked up at Papa and said "He still lives. If we can get him to the convent quickly enough, we may save his life". Dizzy with shock I watched as Ramiro was lifted from the ground by Papa's direction. Immediately the servants loaded Ramiro into one carriage with Sister Catarina. My father's attendants also moved the other bodies to the side of the road. Papa went with Ramiro and the nun and the carriage took off at a breakneck pace. That left the rest of us with the second carriage. Hector's body remained among the other dead brigands alongside the road. Mama, I and the servants got into the other carriage and followed. When Mama and I arrived, Ramiro had already been moved to the convent's infirmary.

The Converso physician thought he could remove the arrow, but it would be difficult. It was late in the afternoon when we had arrived. I sat on the convent's veranda with my mother and watched the shadows grow longer and longer. Food and wine were served to us as we sat and waited. The nuns lit the lanterns just as the sun's last rays faded. It was fully dark when one of the nuns came up and spoke to us "Senoras, the surgeon has gone. The Count is asleep, but you can see him if you wish." I stood up immediately and hurried to follow the sister inside. I had not even waited to see if my mother followed. Ramiro's face was pale even against the white of the pillow. He did not stir when I sat down and took his hand in mine. The sister who acted as the nurse told us "The surgeon said he was strong and he had hopes for the Count's recovery. But of course, all is now in God's hands". She left me and my mother alone with Ramiro after that. It was a mark of my distraction that it took some time for what the Sister had said to sink in. "Count?" I looked at my mother quizzically. Her eyebrows rose before she responded "You did not know?" Confused I shook my head to answer her. The strangest look crossed her face after though I could not fathom what it was that had puzzled her. Mama touched my shoulder then and told me "You should go to bed now. He is not likely to wake before morning." With fresh tears in my eyes I looked up at her. "No" I replied "I will wait. If he never wakes again, I want to be here to know." She patted my shoulder and sighed in resignation before she left the room.

I knelt on the floor and laid my head on the mattress. My father came in later to check on me. I shook my head at the question in his eyes and he retreated silently. My mother came back in later and sat next to me. From the tension in her posture, it was obvious she wanted to say something but was unable to begin. I sat back and looked up to watch her clench her hands in her lap. She gathered her thoughts and directed her gaze down at me. "I do not understand" she began "Why you are fretting this much over a man you hardly knew. We are all grateful that he helped you get back to us safely. But this is more than your father and I can understand." She did not leave again so I knew she had more that she wanted to say. After several false starts she finally asked me the rest "Your father is worried that perhaps this man has known you.  He thinks that this is the reason you are so overwrought. If he were to die before he married you, the consequences would be............well, unpleasant at best. Is this the case?" I looked up at her and I never felt so tired before in my life. "Mama" I replied "I will swear on any holy thing you ask that Don Ramiro has not.......known me." It was a shock to me that my mother would ask me that. But my second reaction to my mother's words had brought my confused feelings into sharp focus. What she had asked made me realize exactly what Ramiro's kisses might have led to. Whether or not the dim light of the sickroom hid the blush that had crept into my face, I could not tell. Mama decided to be satisfied with my answer and left again as the Sister walked into the room. During the night, the Sister came and went at least three times before I fell asleep.

I woke to the sensation of someone stroking my hair. My neck was so stiff that I could hardly move from the spot where I lay. At first when I was able to raise my head and look at him, Ramiro's eyes were still closed. After a moment he opened them and his eyes were the blue of a pale morning sky. "How did I get here?" he croaked through dry lips. The sound of his voice brought one of the nuns in with some water. She was not the same nun that I remembered from the night before. With the nun's help, Ramiro lifted his head and drank a little. He turned and faced me after he had lain back down. "I dreamed an angel rested next me and we were in heaven" he said in a clearer voice.  My heart was so full I could barely breathe until I swallowed hard and answered him "My love, when you are able to rise I will tell you the whole story." A crooked smile broke slowly across his face. "My love" he whispered "I like the sound of that. I shall have to hear it often".



=The End