Love of Lady Liana.

by Alvarez y Losada

  -- and my hair?

  The smile of sir Robert was high and mighty.

  -- Your hair are hidden.

  She took the hairdo.

  -- Gold? -- it asked irritated.

  -- the light of the sun spilling itself on gold.

  It separated with impatience and no she reached to see the laughter contained of sir Robert.

  -- you will allow escoltaros Me in cavalcade? -- pre­guntó courteously the young person --. Right of perpetual ownership by the soul of my mother who I will not praise a single aspect of your beautiful cuer­po. I will say that you are one arpía if therefore you wish it.

  She did not watch it and she approached his horse, that already was being saddled by the assistant of the stable. It did not see nothing humoristic in which he said. Of course, it would affirm to him that she was one witch. It would say everything what it wished that expre­sase.

  Desentendió of him while they crossed the outer door, they crossed the drawbridge and they advanced towards the near forest. Liana did not pay attention to the course that se­guían but in everything case lined up towards the pool. It knew that behind to sir Robert it was seen in difficulties to maintain the step, but for that reason did not lessen the march.

  When one stopped near the edge of a little while immovable cistern per­maneció on the horse, remembering the scene of the eve: Rogan laid down on the grass. Son­rió when remembering the expression of its face when it threw to the chest the enlodadas clothes to him.

  -- My lady is so good amazon as beautiful -- di­jo to sir Robert while sofrenaba its horse next to which she it mounted. When Liana began to disassemble, he affirmed that it had to help.

  Liana spent two hours with him to borders of the pool, and it verified that he was a perfect horseman. A ama­ble man, considered, pleasing and in addition cultured and he treated it as if it had been one fragile flower that could become broken at a moment. It spoke to him of love songs and fashions and supposed that she vividly was interested in which happened in cut of king Enrique. Three Liana times it tried to orient the conversation towards the administration of earth and the price of the wool, but to sir Robert no it wanted to know nothing of that.

  While it was with this one, Liana thought constante­mente in its encounter of the previous day with lord Rogan. Of course, a terrible man, arrogant a dirty individual, imperio­so and, distributing to him orders as if she had been her slave. Of course, she was dressed of campe­sina and he she knew very or that he was count, or if what Helen claimed she were certain, perhaps, in fact, she could aspire to the Duke title. But in him it had something, something vigorous and magnetic, that determined that Liana as soon as it could to think not outside about another thing that Rogan.

  -- Perhaps I can enseñaros the new one dance, lady Liana.

  -- Yes, certainly.

  They were walking one next to the other by one an­cha track of carts, through the forest. Twice he had proposed to maintain its arm, but she refused.

  -- How it wishes a man who acts one wife? -- Liana asked.

  It did not notice that the chest of sir Robert it was swollen of pride because the question confirmed its hopes.

  -- the wife must offer confortamiento and support, to organize the home, to generate children. The wife has that to give love to the man.

  She watched it with entrecejo arched.

  -- and all Earth that the father can to yield?

  Sir Robert smiled.

  -- Of course, that also is useful.

  Liana returned to fruncir entrecejo to to remember the words of Rogan: I will not marry with one arpía. I will accept it solely if he is servicial and it speaks sweetly.

  -- Supongo that to all the men them they please the submissive and obedient women -- it responded

  Sir Robert watched it with desire, desire as much by its beauty as by the wealth that it could contribute to him. By his part, the young person could be one arpía; in fact rather it pleased his to him harshness, but was not arranged to say such thing to a woman, was better to explain to him that it had to be obedient and to hope that everything came out well.

  They walked in silence but the head of Liana gave returns. Why it had. to at least contemplate the union with a man like lord Rogan? Nothing recommended it. It had dealt it with the greater rudeza possible, although in fact he thought that Liana was a farmer. Probably it had kissed its hand and said tender phrases about the perfume of its skin, of to have known who was. And there it was asked: And the lice that would have begun to climb up its arm?

  It watched to sir Robert and it offered a weak one to him smile. He was young clean, amiable and a boring one. Oh, very, but very boring.

  -- You would kiss to me? -- it asked, obeying to an impulse.

  Sir Robert did not need that was said it twice. Smoothly, it embraced it and it tightened its lips on those of Liana.

  Liana felt that risk ran of to fall asleep. A step backed down and it watched it surprised. So that that was reason for which it contemplated the marriage with lord Rogan.

  It wished it. When he kissed it, she it had estreme­cido. When it was standing as opposed to Liana, almost naked, his own body había sense heat waves. Now mis­mo, to sir Robert could to take off until the last one of its clothes and Liana knew that it would not feel anything.

  -- Liana -- it murmured to sir Robert and it advanced passage towards her.

  This became with such quickness that air movement that it caused shook the hair of the young person.

  -- I must return. I must say to my father that acceptance the marriage.

  Sir Robert was astonished so much that he a little while remained immovable, incapable to make a single gesture, Later, ran after Liana, it embraced it and it began to kiss the neck and the throat to him.

  -- Oh, wanted mine, thanks to you I am happier Earth man. You do not know what this means for me, from for a year the fires have been destroying our property, almost had lost hope to reconstruct everything what it has been burned.

  It separated from the young person.

  -- Crei' that you wished my golden hair and my eyes of sapphire.

  -- Of course, also that.

  It grasped the two hands of Liana between hers and it began to kiss them enthusiastically. It retired them and ran towards his horse.

  -- Tendre'is to find another person that it helps you to the reconstruction, I have decided to marry to me with the greater one of Peregrinate.

  Sir Robert emitted a howl of authentic horror while it ran after her and grasped him the arm.

  -- you cannot contemplate the possibility of the marriage with any of them. They are...

  She raised a hand to contain it.

  -- To vos it does not correspond to you to decide. I will return to my house and you can remain here or accompany to me. When in effect return, I suggest vos and your men leave the property of Neville and is going to look for another heiress who helps to repair the properties damaged. Perhaps and the next time, you prune to take care of better those properties and to prevent the fires before they begin.

  One approached its horse and it mounted.

  Sir Robert watched and his a little while deception began to dissipate. Perhaps marimacho would be better without that because marriage with a woman as it could be infernal. To perhaps it agreed him more to lose a little earth that to tie itself to her by the rest of its life.

  It thought: No, it did not want to know nothing with she. ¡Damn those Peregrine! The women seemed to feel attracted by they, in spite of its dirt and of its permanent fight to reconquer earth and titles that did not belong to them. It thought with certain satisfaction that if Liana married with one of those Peregrine, in the term of three years serious one old and spent woman, because would be used it worse than to a plow horse.

  It mounted and it followed, was better to reunite it his men and to leave immediately. It did not support the idea to attend the ceremony married of beautiful lady Liana with one of those Peregrine. One shrank of shoulders, the s
ubject no longer concerned to him.

  Liana, of foot as opposed to its father and his madrastra in the lot, announced that it was arranged to contract marriage with lord Rogan.

  -- Girl, is a wise decision -- she said Gilbert --. The best falconer of all England.

  The face of Helen received slowly shade purple.

  -- you do not do that -- jadeante said --. You are trying to offend to me.

  -- Hice which you wanted and I chose husband -- Liana said coldly --. I thought that you would feel pleased with me.

  Helen tried to calm, sank heavy in his armchair and it elevated the hands to the ceiling in a surrender gesture.

  -- It is well, you you win. You can quedarte here, to administer the property and to direct to the servants. Quédate yet, by what can matter to me. When it is going to reunite to me with the Creator, I do not want that the fault to have forced the daughter of my husband weighs on my conscience to accept this death in life. You have won, Liana. This pleases to you? And now, it vetoes, salt of my Vista. At least déjame this room, where neither you nor your mother died they will govern.

  Liana was astonished before the speech of his madrastra and thought about which it had heard while it became to leave room. It was almost in the door when it included/understood what Helen meant to him and it returned quickly.

  -- Not -- it said with certain pressure in voice --, I want to marry to me with that man. In fact, I saw before. Yesterday we were single awhile and...

  One watched the hands, the expensive purple.

  -- Oh, santo God, it violated it -- he said Helen --. Gilbert you must hang it.

  The Gilberts and Liana exclaimed to the unisonous one:

  — ¡No!

  -- the hawks... -- Gilbert began.

  -- no... -- Liana said.

  Helen raised the hands to protest silence and tightened the belly. It did not doubt that his son would be born with hooves instead of human feet after the hell that his hijastra had to him caused during the pregnancy.

  -- Liana, what did that beast to you?

  She thought: It forced to wash to me to him clothes, kissed to me.

  -- Nothing -- it said --. Not even it touched to me. -- During the mass it would have to make penance by that lie.-- Yesterday, while he rode, I found and... -- She what? It got along with him? One fell in love? it hated? Probably all those things, But anyone was the feeling that it inspired to him, was intense.-- and I want to accept its married proposal -- it concluded.

  -- Good election -- Gilbert said --. boy is really a man.

  -- You are a stupid one, Liana -- it murmured Helen, intensely pale --. Rare time a young person has a father so weak him it allows to choose its own husband and now I include/understand why it is thus. It never had imagined that you would be so stupid. -- It sighed.-- Now the responsibility is yours. When it strikes to you, and if still conserves the life, you can retor­nar here and we will take care of your wounds. Now, it vetoes. Sopor­to not to continue viéndote.

  Liana did not move.

  -- desire not to reunite to me with him before ceremony -- it said.

  -- At least, now samples a little of good sense -- Helen said sarcastically --. Mantente moved away of him to­do possible.

  Gilbert was eating grapes.

  -- it did not request verte, I imagine that the one of yesterday was sufi­ciente, eh? -- it smiled and it yawed to its daughter. It did not remember when one woman had pleased so much to him. The Pe­regrine boys could be a little coarse, but he was thus because one was men, not of petimetres governed by mu­jeres.

  -- Supongo that it is thus -- said Liana. It feared that if it saw it before and discovered that she was the woman who was arroja­do to him clothes to the face, would refuse to marry it. They do not agrada­ban arpías to him, and if Rogan wished a woman to speak dul­ce, she would have to be a wife of to speak sweet.

  -- Well, it is quite easy to fix that -- Gilbert said --. I will say that you have smallpox and that it can interchange ring with a substitute. We will fix the wedding stops... -- Miro' at Helen, but it stayed quiet, imperturbable.-- Three months. You agree, daughter?

  Liana watched at Helen and instead of hating a his madrastra, remembered that she was arranged to allow that she remained like solterona in the house of the Neville. Perhaps, after all, Helen not it it hated.

  -- Necesitare' dressed -- it said amiably Liana --. utensils for my new home. Think that you will be able to help me to choose that I need?

  Helen had a shady expression.

  -- I cannot obtain that you change of idea?

  -- Not -- Liana responded --, you cannot.

  -- Then, I will help you. If you die, I will collaborate in preparing your corpse for the burial and therefore I have asistirte also in this.

  -- Thanks -- Liana said smiling, and it left the habita­ción, feeling agile and happy wonderfully. It would have mu­cho that to do during the three following months.

  The standard of Peregrine, ram­pante white hawk on red bottom, with the skulls of three horses in diagonal on the belly of the hawk, flamed on the camping. Some men slept in stores or under the covered carts of the luggage, but Rogan and Severn descan­saban in the ground on blankets, the bodies surrounded by arms.

  -- I do not include/understand why it accepted to marry with you -- re­pitió Severn. He was something that disturbed it from the mo­mento in that Gilbert Neville said that her daughter was acorda­do with the marriage. Rogan it had been limited to shrink of shoulders and began to negotiate what had to include itself in the dowry. Neither the young person nor the Gilberts seemed to be surprised that fiancèe, after rejecting to most of the candida­tos of England, she accepted to Rogan without not even seeing it.

  -- Rehuso' the hand of all the rest -- Se­vern said -- Certainly, I do not approve that mu­chacha is allowed one to choose husband, but, why would refuse before a man like Stephen Whitington?

  Rogan became from flank, separating a little their brother and grumbled:

  -- the girl has good head, has chosen well.

  Here it touched to Severn the turn of to refunfuñar.

  -- In this it has more than what you say to me. It hears, you will not have seduced that young person when they were single?

  -- I never saw. Very it was occupied trying to sedu­cir to Neville in order that it was come off its gold. Perhaps it struck the girl and it insisted to him with whom she had to be ca­sar, that is indeed what it had to do from the beginning.

  -- Perhaps -- Severn said --. But still I believe that you...

  Irritated, Rogan watched from shade a its brother.,

  -- I already said you that I have not seen the young person, I was with Neville from the morning to the night.

  -- Except when you separated from we, before arriving at the castle of Neville.

  -- I no... -- it began to say Rogan, and it interrupted, remembering the young person who complained the dirt of articles that he used. It had completely forgotten it until that moment. It would have to remember that it had to look for it when returned three months later, for the wedding.

  -- I did not saw the heiress -- it said in low voice Rogan --. His father surely fixed all the details. He is a stupid one and it could have bought its soul by a dozen of hawks.

  -- Dudo that you had had to pay as much -- Severn made fun of, and later it made a pause --. And the heiress not you inspired curiosity? To me it would please to see to me the woman with whom I am going to marry before the ceremony. It could be obese and old and...

  -- What matters to me how is this wife? What desire is their earth. Now, to duer to me, hermanito, because tomorrow it is Wednesday, and in this day it is necessary to spend much energy.

  Severn smiled in the dark. On the following day it would see Iolanthe and everything would return to be equal. Three months later lady Liana Neville would get up to its lives and his existence would in the same way continue then if it were looked like the father, she it had of being an afraid and cowardly small thing.
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  -- No, no, no, my lady, the good ones spouses do not shout. The good spouses they obey to its husbands -- Joice advised. It was tired and exasperated, lady Liana had requested to him that him it taught to be good consorte, but Liana had exerted the control of the properties during too much time and it was almost impossible to obtain that it understood how had to behave a wife.

  -- Even when it behaves in it forms stupid? -- Liana asked.

  -- Specially when he is a stupid one -- Joice answered --. To the men it pleases to them to think that everything knows, that always they are right and they demand the absolute fidelity of its women. It does not matter how much it is mistaken your husband, will try that vos you support it.

  Liana listened to these kindly words. It was not what her mother thought of the marriage and Helen did not have either that attitude. And to no of them a wife could consider itself bienamada, Liana with a face thought. During the last month it had arrived a to include/understand that it wished that its marriage was very different from both that she same it knew, did not want to live in an atmosphere of hatred by the rest on his life. Apparently, to its mother it did not concern the fact to him that it despised to his own husband and that one were also the attitude of Helen; but Liana wanted that his life was different. Certain time had seen a love union, a pair whose members, after years of to have married, still were watched long and they remained many together hours chatting. Liana wanted that class of marriage.

  -- and he will prefer obedience before that the sincerity? -- Liana asked --. If it is mistaken, I do not have to say it to it?

  -- It is clear that no, to the men them it pleases to think that their spouses create Gods in everything almost. They take care of of its house, they give children them, and as far as opinion, they say to them that they know much more of those things that they because the wife is not more than a woman.

  -- it is not more than one... -- Liana repeated, trying to understand the point. The only man whom she had known really, he was his father, and he hated to think about which they would be the territories of Neville if her mother had not administered them.