Love of Lady Liana.

by Alvarez y Losada

  -- Who is? -- it murmured to the wife of farmer.

  -- a stranger -- the woman talked back by low.

  Near him there was an article battery of coarse wool. Because of the sumptuary laws, often it was possible to adivi­nar economic position and the situation of a person ob­servando its clothes. This man did not use skins and nor si­quiera the allowed adornments of rabbit to inferior classes. It did not have next to the body a musi­cal instrument, of way that he was not a trashumante musician.

  Perhaps -- he is a hunter -- it murmured wife of the cam­pesino -- Sometimes they come to hunt animals for the gentleman. To cause the wedding more prey will be needed.

  Liana directed fast a cautious one to farmer. To­dos was to as much of which it happened in the castle? She it had come here indeed to think about its wedding. Vol­vió the eyes towards the man tended on the grass: it seemed a young person Hercules, a mass of force and muscles now slept, a vigor that only hoped that they woke up it. If lord Stephen had been looked like this man, Liana had not been against as much to the marriage. But even slept east man it radiated more energy than lord Stephen, had with all its armor. During a little while she e smiled the scene imagined in that it would say to Helen that had decided to contract marriage with a hunting poor man; but suddenly its smile dissipated, because in fact it doubted that this young person accepted it, although Liana arrived accompanied with ca­rros loaded of silver and gold. Anyway, at least du­rante a day to her him farmer would please to represent the paper of mu­chacha, to verify if she were sufficient woman to interest a good looking man.

  One became towards the wife of the farmer.

  -- Quítate the dress.

  — ¡My lady!

  -- Quítate the dress, gives me it and returns to castle. Bus­ca to my Joice servant and dile that nobody must come to look for to me.

  The woman waned.

  -- the servant never will speak with one person like I.

  Liana took off of the finger a ring of emerald and gave it.

  -- That way close there is a horseman who probably it is looking for to me. Entrégale that and he will take to you where this Joice.

  The expression of the woman happened of the fear to the cleverness.

  -- Is a good looking man, right?

  Liana watched it with the eyes entrecerrados.

  -- If I hear a word of this in village, lamen­tarás. Now, outside here.

  It only dispatched to the farmer, dressed with one pren­da inner of coarse fabric, because Liana was not arranged a to allow that that dirty body cleared the velvet of its túnica lu­josa.

  The dress farmer who Liana was put he was very dis­tinto of his article, waist high and ample skirt. Áspe­ra wool one adhered to his body from the neck to underneath the hips, revealing the curves esbeltas of its figure. The wool was coarse and dirty and smelled bad, but it revealed much. One took shelter until the elbows the sleeves, hard because of years of fat spots. The skirt arrived to him only at the to­billos, enough cuts, of way that Liana could walk li­bremente and even to run between the scrubs.

  After putting this dress, Liana it felt that es­taba prepared to confront what it waited for it. It spied between branches to watch the man again. It returned to re­cordar all the occasions in that it had seen the farmers laughing and persecuting an a others by fields. Certain time watched to a youngster giving a flower to a girl. That divinely good looking man would offer flowers to him? Perhaps it would weave one garland for its cabe­llos since a horseman in his honor had done months before, unless this time the thing would be real. This time the man would offer to him flowers in tribute to its person, and not by the wealth of its father.

  The heavy hairdo took off, hid it between the mato­rrales and their long hair they descended on his espal­da. Liana advanced towards the clear one in the direction of him. Not des­pertó not even when she encountered over a stone battery.

  More approached, but the man not it moved. In efec­to, he was a beautiful man and his forms indeed those that God it wished for a man. Liana longed for the moment at which it saw it. Sometimes him they had said that their hair were like recamado of gold threads. it would think the same?

  The clothes were piled up not far from young person; she approached those articles and raised the shirt, maintaining it with arm extended, the hands on the wide edges of shoulders. The wool was of a coarse weave and Liana it thought that their own servants knew to weave better.

  While it contemplated the shirt saw something stranger and inclined forwards to watch better. ¡Lice! The shirt was infested of lice.

  With a gritito of repulsion, it threw shirt.

  A moment before the young person slept in ground and in a second was gotten up and it appeared before her in all his glorious one nakedness. In effect, it was a magnificent individual: stop, of powerful musculatura, without a gram of fat. The abundant hair arrived you at the hom­bros, were dark but they seemed almost red to the light of the sun; and in his heavy chin it grew a bush of reddish hairs. It had the eyes green dark and watched intensely because of the emotion.

  -- How you are? -- Liana asked, extending the hand towards him, the palm upwards. It would be arranged to double the knee before her?

  -- Tiraste my shirt to the marsh -- it said he, irritated, mi­rando from its height to the pretty blonde of blue eyes.

  Liana retired the hand.

  -- it was infested of lice.

  What had to say to a hunter in supposed that he was his equal one? Beautiful day, right? or It wants to fill to me water jar? Well, that seemed most probable.

  It directed a strange glance to him.

  -- You can remove from the marsh my shirt and to wash it, today I must go to certain place.

  The voice was very pleasing but to her not it it pleased what he said.

  -- It is good that the shirt is had sunk. I already said that she was full of lice. Perhaps you wish to gather prey. I am sure that we can find...

  It saw astonished that the man grasped it by shoulders, it forced it to become towards the pool, empu­jaba.

  -- Saca my shirt from the marsh and lávala.

  Liana thought: ¡How one dared to touch it without permission! ¡And it tried that it washed the shirt to him! It decided that mar­charía immediately, it would return to its own clothes and their horse and to the security of the castle of its father. One became, but it grasped the forearm.

  -- Girl, you do not hear well? -- it said, forcing it to gi­rar --. Or you retire the shirt of there or I throw to you on her.

  -- To throw to me? -- Liana asked. It was a a step to say to him who was and what she would make or let do cuan­do of soon it saw the eyes of the man. Beautiful eyes, yes, pe­ro also dangerous. If she said to him that he was lady Liana, daughter of one of the richest men of England, would not catch it to receive rescue?

  -- I... I must return my husband and... and my children. Ten­go many children -- it said very difficult speaking. It had to him pleased the aureole of being able of this man when it slept, but when him that grasped the arm did not please so much, nor similar thing to him.

  -- Well -- he said --, if you have so many mocosos you will know to wash a shirt.

  Liana returned the glance towards the crowd black and rezu­mante, where the sleeve of the shirt only could be seen. It did not have idea of the way to wash to an article and of touching this one, infested the possibility of lice, repelled it.

  -- My... my sister-in-law is in charge to wash clothes -- she said, and one felt very pleased with same himself because one had pen­sado so good idea --. I will return to house and you the shipment. It will wash it willingly.

  It did not say a single word and it indicated marsh.

  Liana included/understood that it was not arranged to per­mitir to him that one moved away. With a face, it walked towards the pool and one inclined to reach the edge of the sleeve. It could not arrive, so that it stretched more... later more.

  It fell front on abundant and thick mud, their arms sa
nk until the elbows and the face was total­mente dirty. During moments one struggled to leave but it did not have of what to cling. Then, an arm des­cendió and put it in mainland. Liana he remained there, escupiendo moments, but it pushed it towards es­tanque.

  Mouth down in the marsh and later mouth it arrives, fell of backs in the frozen water. It was able to make foot and it began a to leave the water.

  -- Voy to my house -- it murmured, feeling on the brink of madness the tears --. Joice will prepare a hot drink to me and will encen­derá fire, and later...

  The man took it from the arm.

  -- Where you go? My shirt continues there.

  She watched the cold green eyes and fear that it had inspired to him before disappeared. Who thought that it was? No it had right to issue orders to him, although it thought that it was lowest of farmers. So that the master was believed, right?

  Completely it was dunked and it had cold, but the rage radiated its own heat. It outlined what according to it believed was one smile destined to seduce it.

  -- Your desires are orders for me -- it murmured, lo­grando to show a imperturbable face when it grumbled satisfied, as if that one had been the answer that she had to offer.

  It gave the back him, under a tree it found a twig long and it returned to the marsh. The shirt fished, maintained it moment with the end of the twig and later, with all its force, threw it against him, striking it completely in the face and the chest.

  While it came off itself the shirt, Liana threw to run. It knew the forests best than a cual­quiera stranger, it in line advanced straight towards a hollow tree and desa­pareció in its interior.

  It heard it burst in into the forest, closely together, and pa­ra smiled if same because it could not find it. It would wait for until it moved away, would approach its horse, that was of la­do opposite of the pool and it would return to its house. If it were a ca­zador on the following day it would receive it in castle of its father and would have the satisfaction to listen to its excuses by con­ducta that had shown today. Perhaps it would borrow one from the dresses of Helen, some article adorned with pie­les, and a enjoyado hairdo. It would shine so intensely that it would have to protect the eyes to avoid the deslumbra­miento.

  -- Already you can leave -- he said, of foot in front of the hollow tree.

  Liana contained the breathing.

  -- Quieres that it goes to buscarte? Or it cuts the al­rededor tree of your ears?

  Liana could not think that he knew really where it was. Surely it pretended, did not move.

  The long arm penetrated in the hollow, it grasped by the waist and it removed it from there, approaching it his chest. It had ca­ra stained with black mud but the eyes they burned and during a little while Liana it thought that he wanted to kiss it. The heart began to bark to him with force.

  -- You are hungry, right? -- it commented he and their eyes watched it with smiling expression --. Well, I do not have time. Another one female hopes to me.

  It separated it from himself and it forced it to return to the pool.

  Liana reached the conclusion that to limit itself to apare­cer before him with a beautiful dress would not be sufficient.

  -- I will force It to that one crawls -- it murmured.

  -- Quieres to do that? -- he said, that he had heard.

  It became abruptly stops to face it.

  -- Yes -- it said between teeth --. I will obtain that you crawl. You will be sorry to me to have treated thus.

  It did not smile and in fact its face seemed carved in marble. But its glance showed that it felt amused.

  -- Tendra's to hope a little while, then now I set out obligarte to that washings my clothes.

  -- Before I prefer...

  But it did not complete the phrase.

  -- Yes? It tell me your price and I will see if I can to pay it.

  Liana separated. He was better to finish of once, to la­var the clothes to him and to get rid of him. Now the power was in his hands, but on the following day it would be the one that would handle the reins... and whip and the chains, thought with a smile.

  It stopped on the brink of madness suspends, refusing to obey to him with the appearance of consentimien­to not even. attitude of Liana seemed to still amuse it more. Re­cogió its muddy shirt and it threw against the chest of jo­ven it, so that in an instinctive gesture she it it received.

  -- Also you can wash these clothes -- it said, and it put on the arms of Liana remaining infested articles of pio­jos later, one knelt down and the mud was washed that stained the face to him.

  Liana contained a exclamación and left to fall the clothes to the ground.

  -- Date haste -- he said --. I need those articles to cor­tejar to a woman.

  Liana included/understood that as soon as possible it finished, before would get rid of him. It raised the shirt and it sank it in the water and later it struck it against a stone.

  -- It will not want to you -- she assured Liana to him -- . Perhaps it pleases your appearance to him but if it has a little criterion, it will be arro­jará from the wall of the town before to accept your hand.

  One had extended on the grass, to sun, the head resting on the hands, while it watched it.

  -- Oh, yes, will accept to me. The question is to know if I want it, I am not arranged to marry to me with one arpía. I will accept it solely if he is amiable and it speaks in low voice.

  -- and if she is stupid -- Liana added --. It wanted to kill the lice, so that it took a stone and it began to punish clothes. When it returned the shirt, it saw the very small agu­jeros that the stone it was perforating. The eyes were agran­daron to him horrified and later it smiled. Yes, it had washed the clothes to him, but when it finished, the articles would seem network of a fisherman. — ¡Only one stupid woman could accept to him! -- it said in voice discharge, with the hope to distract it of which she was doing.

  -- the stupid women are better -- he answered --. Nondesire an intelligent one, these carries problems to us. Still you did not finish with that?

  -- They are dirty and they need much washing -- it said with the greater possible dulzura. The idea that it would appear in the house of a young person with articles completely perfora­das pleased to him --. And I suppose that the women caused many difficulties to you in the life -- said Liana. vanity of this young one was overwhelming.

  -- Very few.

  It was observing it kindly and a Liana did not please the way to him in which it watched it. In spite of its humid clothes, it obtained that it felt very heated. Now was it dozed and calm, but she had been present at her rage and perceived the violence that she nested under his skin.

  -- How many children you said that you have? -- he with calm voice asked.

  -- Nine -- Liana affirmed aloud --. Nine varoncitos, all great and strong ones like the father. And the uncles -- it added nervously -- My husband has six enormous, strong brothers like bulls, and of very badly character! I never saw people thus. Exactly, the last week...

  -- mentirosa What you are -- it responded with calm voice, resting again the head in the ground, without Never watching it -- you were with a man.

  She stopped to strike the clothes.

  -- Tuve a hundred of men -- it said, but recti­ficó --. I mean that I was with my husband hundreds of times and... -- it was playing the role of idiot.-- you have your clothes Here. Hopefully irritation tortures to you until the death. Me­reces a body covered with lice.

  It was standing, and dropped humid articles on the hard and smooth belly. One did not shrink at least to cau­sa of the cold and it watched it with eyes that seemed warm and apre­miantes. Liana wished to move away and knew that now he was free; but for some reason, it remained there, of foot, its uni­dos eyes to those of the stranger.

  -- So good work deserves one it compensates. Inclínate towards me, woman.

  Liana felt that its body doubled knees before him, and who he got up himself to leave to his encounter; it supported his ample hand in the nape of
the neck of the young person, their fingers grasped the hair and they approached his the lips of the young person.

  Few men had tried to kiss a Liana but never demonstrated a so exact technique. Unlike his modales, the lips of the stranger were smooth and warm and it closed the eyes in order to feel it better.

  The kiss was everything what it hoped that outside, the arms of Liana surrounded the neck by the stranger, while it tightened his body against his chest feeling through his you cold clothes skin, warms up by the sun., it moved its la­bios on those of Liana, half-opening smoothly bo­ca to him, and it responded to the suggestion. hands of Liana rose until the hair of the young person. They were clean gra­cias to the bath that had taken before and it felt them so warm that it seemed to him that it could perceive the red shades of algu­nos tufts.

  When he finished kissing it and it separated, she mantu­vo closed the eyes and one inclined towards him, because it wished to continue.

  -- Well, already it is sufficient -- he said, with voice that expressed rejoicing --. A virginal kiss for a virgin. And now, re­gresa to your house, to that would have haberte protected and you do not return to persecute men.

  Liana was on the awares abruptly.

  -- Perseguir men? I was not...

  It gave a fast kiss him, with a wink in the eyes, an­tes to get up itself.

  -- you were spying to me from the shrubs. You would have to learn what is lascivia, before you try inspirar­la. Now, veto before it changes of idea and it gives you what you walk looking for. Today I need to take care of subjects impor­tantes than the problems of a hungry virgin.

  Liana did not need long time stops to react, in few seconds was gotten up.

  -- Prefiero to die before in hell that to have ham­bre of individuals like you.

  One stopped when already a had begun to put a leg in a pair of humid panties.

  -- I feel attemped to obligarte to swallow what you said. Not -- the previous movement said and resumed -- Tengo other things that to do. Perhaps later, when already it is married, you can come to reunirte with me. I will see if then dispon­go of time for you.