by Helena Rose
Penelope was beginning to get annoyed with all her complaints.
"If you continue to annoy me with this nonsense, Alma I swear I'll beat you and leave you here in the middle of the road! I’ve no intention of listening to your grief a minute longer."
With one hand Penelope grabbed Alma’s arm and forced her to follow her, while in the other hand she carried a bundle with her belongings. Now I have to be careful, Lucas will take revenge, and my foolish nephew will try in every way to help him! I'll have to hide myself very well ...
"Will we at least go to Tampico, straight away?" Alma asked, worried about her young baby that she had left in the custody of the other women at the tavern.
Penelope sighed nervously.
"Tomorrow we’ll go back to Tampico, I promise. But tonight we’ll hide at the inn, before we leave I still have to play a little trick on good master Lucas ..."
Penelope smiled malevolently to herself.
Meanwhile Santos, oblivious to everything, was enjoying a glass of Tequila with Pablo under the beautiful starry night and was intent on telling him about the trip. When he saw Aurora rush out of the house he asked her, "What's the matter ma’am? Have you forgotten something in the carriage?"
He noticed that Aurora was trying to hide her tears and sobs.
"Are you all right?" He asked worriedly.
Aurora stopped abruptly and turning to him with swollen eyes and choked up with tears said,
" Take me away from here now! I want to go to Tampico!"
" Now? But ma’am, the next train doesn’t leave until early tomorrow morning ... "
" I don’t care! Accompany me to Zacatecas, I’ll sleep at an inn, but I don’t want to stay here a minute longer! "
" But Ma’am, I must first ask Lucas ..."
On hearing Lucas’ name Aurora burst into tears again, "If you don’t take me right away I'm going to walk!" Without another word, she went to the stables and ordered one of the grooms to saddle a horse. Santos, puzzled, did not dare oppose his mistress.
"Pablo, accompany her and see if you can make her change her mind. I'm going to warn Lucas,” ordered Santos.
Pablo nodded and hurried towards the stables, while Santos ran quickly into the house, up the stairs and arrived at the master bedroom.
He knocked repeatedly on the door of Lucas’ room, but without getting any response, he then decided to go in and saw Lucas asleep on the bed.
"Lucas, Lucas, wake up," he said shaking him, but Lucas did not respond. Santos tried to slap him gently, but still got no response. Suddenly he heard the noise of a carriage moving away from the stables. He went to the window and saw Pablo in the driving seat, steering the carriage along the avenue leading to the exit of the property. Pablo had therefore failed to stop Aurora...
Shaking his head, he returned to Lucas to try to wake him. Despite his many attempts, it was not until the following morning when he succeeded in tear Lucas from the arms of Morpheus.
Lucas woke up the next morning very late, with the feeling of emerging from a nightmare. His temples were throbbing incessantly and he felt his mouth uncomfortably furry, like after a hangover.
He found Santos waiting for him in the living room with a cup of steaming coffee ready for him.
" How are you feeling?" Santos asked worriedly.
"Fine, what happened?" Lucas ran his hand through his thick hair black, "When did you arrive? Where is Aurora?"
Santos sighed, looking uneasy.
"Don’t you remember anything?" He asked.
Lucas shook his head, staring at him puzzled and alarmed.
" Aurora’s returned to Tampico..." explained Santos.
" To Tampico? What are you saying? At night? Alone? And why?" Asked Lucas.
He grabbed Santos by the collar of his shirt and shook him.
Santos broke free from his grip.
"Calm down, give me time to explain, last night we came back, Aurora went straight away to your room looking for you and a few moments later I saw her run out of the door in tears. She was determined to leave immediately. Since the next train to Tampico left early this morning, she decided to spend the night at the inn in Zacatecas near the station. It’s a place for gentlefolk, used by people in high places, it seemed the best solution, since neither I nor Pablo were able to stop her ... Pablo has accompanied her. Then I came to warn you, but you were sleeping so deeply that I couldn’t manage to wake you up."
Lucas grabbed the cup of coffee and drank a few sips. He still felt dazed and shocked by Aurora’s flight.
"I remember having dinner and then nothing ... your aunt served me ..." he paused thoughtful.
" What happened? Do you remember anything?" Santos said, worried.
" I don’t know ... it's like a dream ... I remember being in bed with Aurora, but it’s not possible if she ran away immediately, then ..."
" ... Then the woman that you were in bed with was not your wife," concluded Santos for him " and Doña Aurora saw you ..."
"Damn! I wasn’t myself last night!" Lucas swore loudly "Your aunt! ... And who could be the woman with whom I ...?" He did not finish his sentence, he closed his eyes and ran a hand through his hair in despair.
" From what you tell me, I also suspect that my aunt has had a hand in all this and I swear Lucas, that if I find out that she had something to do with this matter I'll kill her with my bare hands"
"Go and call her." Lucas ordered furious "No, let's go together."
The two men ran into the kitchen, but they found only Yolanda.
" Where is that witch of an aunt of ours?" Santos asked abruptly, grabbing Yolanda by the arm.
"I don’t know, this morning when I woke up she wasn’t in either her room or anywhere else and she seems to have taken all her things with her. And the woman who came from Tampico is no longer here either. I found it odd but ..." replied Yolanda.
"Cursed Witch!" Lucas interrupted her. "I'll go to Tampico straight away. Santos you stay here, in case that hag comes back."
Santos nodded.
"But do you know what happened?" Yolanda said, "why did Aurora ran away last night?"
Santos turned to his sister.
"You’ll no longer have anything to do with our aunt! That damned woman has ruined Lucas’ life!"
Yolanda looked at her brother shocked.
"Is Lucas going to get his wife back?" she asked.
Santos nodded.
"I'm going to help him in the stables." He said, going out. He joined Lucas, but while Lucas was quickly saddling his horse, one of the shift managers from the mine, with dusty clothes and a sweating forehead, came running to them.
He said breathlessly, "Sir, you have to come to the mine immediately ... the workers are in revolt and have threatened to blow up everything!"
Galloping Lucas and Santos rushed to the mine and there they found a group of workers armed with shovels and forks waiting for them in silence.
Santos carefully pulled out his gun, but Lucas gestured with his hand for Santos to put the weapon back.
"Gentlemen," he said, pulling on the reins of his horse. "I'm here to talk to you."
" With all due respect Sir, there is no longer time to talk ... our kids are hungry, this month's wages haven’t arrived yet." said one of the men who seemed to be the leader of the revolt.
"I know you’ve been very patient and I know you need the money but I assure you that your wages will be paid ... I’ve almost completed the sale of the last load of silver and in a few days I'll have the money to pay you." Said Lucas.
" We are no longer willing to wait, for us a week's delay in payment means we can’t put food on the tables for our families. If we don’t get paid today we’ll leave the mine." Retorted the leader of the revolt.
"I agree, you're right, for you a week's delay is too long. I’ll go to Tampico today and in two days time I’ll return with the money." Said Lucas then he turned to face Santos, "Go back to the house and wait for me there."
Then Lucas spurred his horse into a gallop, and headed towards Tampico.
"Don’t be impulsive or you’ll regret it, the Master always honors his promises ..." Said Santos to the workers as he turned his horse and rode away.
He did not notice a figure that had spied on the whole scene from inside a tool shed. When she saw that the two men had left on horseback and the group of workers had dispersed, she came out of her hiding place and crept over to the leader of the revolt.
" You did a great job ... here, these are for you," and she handed him a clinking jute bag. "The person who sent me knows how to reward a job well done."
The man grabbed the bag and put it in his pocket quickly making sure no one was watching.
"Thank you, Doña Penelope ... it's always a pleasure doing business with you," he added with a grin.
"Remember that no one must know of our agreement and you must convince the workers to abandon the mine as soon as possible."
" But if the Master returns with the money ..." the man objected.
"Don’t worry, my Mistress will make sure that Lucas won’t enjoy either the money or his hacienda for long... Let alone pay you back in time ..." She threw her head back laughing. The trap had been sprung with precision and the poor little mouse will never break free, it will die crushed in the attempt.
Chapter 18
Lucas arrived in the coastal town after traveling all night on the train that he had fortunately managed to catch at San Luis Portosi station. He knocked on the door of Doña Viviana’s house.
He was very tired from the long journey and had also not yet fully recovered from the drug that Penelope had given him. On the way to the station he had even risked falling from his horse. During the train ride he had rested a little, but it had not helped much.
Carmen opened the door, she was surprised to find herself in front of Aurora's husband, his face pale and suffering.
" Can I help you, sir?" She asked in amazement.
" Is Aurora here?" Lucas asked staring at her.
" No, Aurora has gone out with Doña Viviana."
"Where did she go?" Questioned Lucas.
"I don’t know..." Replied Carmen.
"When will they come back?"
" They didn’t say that either."
Lucas became impatient with Carmen’s reticent tone and said, "When she comes back please tell her that I called... I desperately need to talk to her. Tell her also that I have to go back to Zacatecas straight away as there are serious problems, but I will come back to her soon as possible."
"Okay Sir, I’ll give Doña Aurora your message."
Lucas returned to his modest home, where he tried to rest for few hours before going to the bank. After reluctantly gulping down a few mouthfuls in a local tavern, he hastened to the bank’s massive building in the town center and entered the heavy front door.
"Good morning, how can I help you?" Asked the clerk at the counter.
" I’d like to speak to the manager." Replied Lucas.
"Don Guadalupe is busy at the moment, you'll have to wait for a few minutes."
"It's an issue that can’t wait," Lucas said firmly and headed towards Guadalupe Rodriguez’s office.
"Wait ..." said the clerk running after him, "At least give me time to announce you!"
Lucas stopped just outside the door and waited nervously for a few minutes.
After a while the clerk came out and said, "You can go in now!"
With a couple of strides Lucas entered the office.
"What can I do for you Mr. Navarra," asked Don Guadalupe sitting with his elbows on his desk and his hands clasped under his chin.
Lucas looked him straight in the eyes.
"I need a loan..." He announced in a firm voice without preamble.
Don Guadalupe cleared his throat with two coughs.
"Well," he said, opening a desk drawer and taking out sheets of paper. "Fill in these forms and I’ll get the procedure started today."
" How long will it take?" Enquired Lucas
" How much are we talking about?" replied Don Guadalupe.
" 3,000 pesos."
Don Guadalupe shrugged his shoulders and said.
" A couple of weeks..."
"That’s too long, I need it today." Retorted Lucas
" For today? No, it’s not possible. I don’t believe that we even have that amount in our safe."
"Tomorrow the money won’t be of any use to me, I need it today!" Bellowed Lucas, banging down a fist on Don Guadalupe’s desk.
"I realize this Don Lucas, but there are procedures to be followed, I could lose my position. Despite your prestigious name I need some guarantees for such a large loan." Said Don Guadalupe wiping sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief.
"I'll sign a mortgage on my house in Tampico to guarantee payment as long as the money is handed over to me today."
Don Guadalupe was silent for a few seconds, drumming his fingers on the desk. Lucas stared at him.
"All right, Don Lucas, but the mortgage must be on the mine in Zacatecas, not on your modest home in Tampico!"
Lucas sighed, clenching his fist, "If there is no other solution, I accept!"
"Good, if you can wait here I’ll be back in ten minutes with the cash. These are the documents to be signed ..." and he pulled out two more sheets from another drawer in the desk, then walked out of his office.
Don Guadalupe closed the door behind him, and after making sure there were no other customers in the bank he turned to whisper to the clerk at the counter.
" Go immediately to Doña Raquel and tell her I sent you and that the mortgage on the mine has been signed and that everything has been done as she commanded. And remember to ensure that you aren’t followed or spied on by anyone. You useless person!"
" Yes, Sir, I'll go straight away."
Aurora walked slowly at her mother's side, her face looked even paler and more pained due to the dark mourning dress she wore.
"You didn’t say a single word at your aunt Clara and uncle Miguel’s house. What's happened to you, my child?” Asked Doña Viviana, putting an arm around Aurora’s shoulders, as they went in the front door.
"Nothing mother, I told you that everything is fine." Her voice broke, however, and betrayed her anguish.
"But how can it be fine if you're holding back tears? You left yesterday morning and you're already back, something happened with Lucas, I'm sure of it! Tell me the truth dear let me help you."
Doña Viviana looked at Aurora anxiously who put her hands to her face, burst into tears and dropped to her knees. Doña Viviana helped her to her feet and hugged her. "Come, tell me what's bothering you."
Aurora took a deep breath and told her mother about the scene she found when she had arrived in Zacatecas.
"That cheat…That villain...That wretch…That man is like everyone from his family! You should never have married him! But I swear I'll do everything to ensure that he doesn’t come close to you ever again and to end this absurd marriage as soon as possible!"
Viviana's hazel eyes lit up with uncontrollable rage. My daughter has been made a fool of like I was ... Those damn Navarra y Reyes!
Aurora stayed silent, words seemed pointless, but her mother’s insulting towards Lucas penetrated her soul like sharp daggers.
Aurora took leave of her mother and went up to her room, still prostrate with grief. Viviana watched her with sorrow, when her attention was called by Carmen.
"Good evening, Ma’am," said Carmen coming out of the kitchen, "Is Doña Aurora with you?"
"Yes but she’s gone to rest."
Carmen wrung her hands in her apron, anxious.
"Don Lucas came and left a message for her."
Upon hearing this, Viviana took Carmen by the arm and went into the kitchen with her.
"What did that wretch say?"
"He asked me to tell Doña Aurora that he had been here and that he would return as soon as possible."
Viviana released Carmen’s arm
and began to pace nervously about the kitchen.
She had to think about what to do, she could not allow Aurora to continue to suffer due to that despicable man. I had a feeling that he wasn’t the right man for her ... oh Costantino! If you’d only listened to me! Not one of that damn family is honest and sincere!
"Not a word to my daughter, do you understand?" She said finally, in a severe tone.
"No Ma'am ... as you wish," said Carmen, frightened by Viviana’s reaction.
" And now go back to taking care of dinner!" She ordered sharply. Viviana then turned to the cook and asked for boiling water to prepare a tranquilizing herbal tea for Aurora. As soon as it was ready, she took the tray and climbed the stairs to take it to Aurora. When she reached the bedroom door, she knocked gently.
"Come in," said Aurora who was lying on her bed staring at the ceiling. A cool evening breeze came in through the open window.
"I’ve brought you some hot tea." Said Viviana.
"Thank you mother."
"How are you feeling?" asked Viviana as she handed her the cup.
Aurora sighed.
"Not well, but I still can’t believe it really happened. I thought he loved me ... How could he have pretended so well in our moments of intimacy? I feel so stupid and humiliated."
Viviana pursed her lips tensely.
"That man is an adventurer, used to having many women, and not content with having only one ... believe me, it’s better this way, he’s not the man for you."
Sitting down on the edge of the bed next to Aurora, Viviana took her hand and continued:
"Why don’t we go to Mexico City? You and I... Let’s go and stay with your cousin Dolores for a while, you’ll see, it’ll do us good to be away from this town and to forget everything. What do you say?"
Aurora took a deep breath.
"Fine, maybe that's what I need."
"Then get ready, because we leave tomorrow at dawn." Said Viviana.
"So soon? But ..."
"No buts, prepare your luggage. It makes no sense waiting. Let's leave at once." Replied Viviana.
" As you say mother, now could you leave me alone for a while." Aurora said ruefully.
" As you wish dear, I'm going to pack my bags."