Love of Lady Liana.

by Alvarez y Losada

  The elimination of both Howard nothing it made to de­volver to his brother nor alleviated his feeling to him of responsa­bilidad, now that was the greater one of Peregrine; its task was to protect to Severn and to Zared young person. It had amparar­los, to take care of its necessities mainly and to obtain the res­titución of territories of Peregrine, the earth that Howard had robbed their grandfathers.

  Their senses were cushioned by evocación, but when hearing the noise of a broken branch turned in round and supported his sword in the neck of the person who was behind: she was a young person and during moment could not recor­dar whom it was. Yes, the girl with whom that morning had married.

  -- What you want? -- it asked roughly. It wished to be single with its thoughts and the memories of its her­mano.

  Liana watched the sword that aimed at his neck and swallowed saliva.

  -- That is a tomb? -- it asked vacillating, recordan­do everything what Helen had prevented it about the vio­lencia of these men. Now that it had its dowry could kill it, everything what had to make era say that there was des­cubierto with another man and that this one had escaped without re­cibir its punishment.

  -- Not -- Rogan said dryly, that no it had the minimum intention to speak to him of his brother, or for ca­so of another thing anyone --. He returns to the camping and quédate there.

  Liana was on the brink of madness saying to him that it would go where she gave him in desire, but the warning of Joice in senti­do of which she had to be obedient took it to be contained.

  -- Yes, of course, I will return -- it said submissively --. You will return with me?

  Rogan wished to remain there, but to same time did not want that she walked single by the forest. Although it could not to remember the name of Liana, now was a Peregri­ne and therefore one enemy of the Howard. Seguramen­te to that people would please to him to catch to another one woman Peregrinates.

  -- It is well -- it said reluctantly --. I will return with you.

  Liana experienced a brief one tremor of pla­cer that it crossed the body to him and said that Joice had reason. She had obeyed submissively to her husband and it was arranged a to accompany it from return to the camping. Es­peró that Rogan offered the arm to him, but, he did not do it. However, it returned to him the back and it began to walk. Liana co­rrió after him steps, but then the dress him en­ganchó in fallen trunk.

  — ¡Delay! -- it shouted --. It was entangled to me dress.

  Rogan returned towards her and like always, it seemed that the heart of Liana barked more accelerated when it was close.

  -- Aparta the hands -- Rogan said.

  Liana watched to him in the eyes, saw how it reflected in them the light of the moon, and it did not know nothing else... until he it unloaded the sword on the trunk and cut a good piece of the skirt. It watched astonished the damage suffered by its article and it was speechless. That embroidered silk him ren­tas quarterly of six property had cost.

  -- Now, we go -- Rogan ordered again and it gave the back him.

  Liana was said: ¡Trágate the rage! It represses your anger and you do not demonstrate it. A woman appears always good and affectionate, a woman does not indicate the defects of the husband. Tra­tando to maintain, the calm, began to follow Rogan and it was asked if it waited for the night of weddings with as much expec­tativa as she.

  With each step that it took, Rogan remembered with greater intensity still the death of its brother. The lapse of two years had fact very little to cushion the memory: here, he and Rowland spoke of to buy horses. Here, he and Rowland had commented on the death of James and Ba­sil eight years before. Here, Rowland had said that he was ne­cesario to protect to Zared. Here...

  -- You could say something to me of your castle? I will have to know where I can hang my carpets.

  Rogan had forgotten that the girl it accompanied. William, that was three years old more than Rogan, was a young person of eighteen years and their last words had been, to remember the necessity to recover territories of the Pe­regrine, because that would give sense his death.

  -- It is a great construction? -- it asked mucha­cha.

  -- Not -- Rogan answered sullenly --. It is very pe­queño, is the remainder of that Howard dog.

  One stopped in it limits of the forest and it watched astonished the camping: before him there was a sea of mattresses of plu­mas distributed in the ground. The same it had been worth that ignited torches and they were called on trompetas to announce to the Howard where they were.

  Irritated, one approached the camping and he arrived where es­taba its brother, who talked and smiled to one of doncellas of the Neville. It struck the shoulder to him for obligar­lo to become.

  -- What stupidity is this one? -- it asked --. Why we did not invite to the Howard to that they come and they cut the ca­beza to us?

  Severn applied as well puñetazo on the shoulder of Rogan.

  -- well we are defended and they distributed as soon as few mattresses for the women.

  Rogan unloaded another push in the chest of Se­vern.

  -- I want Them outside my Vista, women can sleep in the ground or return to Neville.

  Severn closed the fist and it unloaded it to his brother, pe­ro corpulento Rogan not even moved.

  -- Some men want to sleep with women.

  -- In that case, it is better still than no sleep dema­siado comfortable. If a Howard arrives, we will be prepared... like no we were it the night that killed Rowland.

  Severn, agreed when hearing this and went a to order to the solda­dos that gathered the cushions of pens.

  Of foot in the edge of the forest, Liana saw to its husband and his brother-in-law to strike itself as if they had been enemy ju­rados. It contained the breathing, not outside that the fight termina­se in spilling of blood but, after mi­nutos in which phrases in serious voice were said and guttural, they separated and Liana breathed deep. It watched around and it noticed that some of their women observed kindly, but no of the horsemen Peregrinate seemed to be interested in the rough dialogue of his masters. Nevertheless, Liana knew that one anyone of those blows had demolished to most of those horsemen.

  Then Joice approached running, the face contracted by the feeling.

  -- My lady, does not have stores, we will have to sleep in the ground -- she said finally with horror expression.

  Generally, during its trips, Liana, the father, madrastra, and most of the women, if they were not huéspe­des of another landowner, slept in sumptuous stores. As they transferred with them, of castle in castle, ma­yoría of their furniture, armed beds e even the tables inside the stores.

  -- and there is hot meal no -- it continued saying Joice --, we have only meats you cold that they were retired of festín of the wedding. Two women are crying.

  -- In that case, they will have to dry his tears -- re­zongó Liana --. You said that to a good wife not complaint to me, that bond also for his doncellas.

  Liana too much was excited approaches of the pers­pectiva at night of weddings to worry about car­nes, you cold and the stores.

  When hearing a noise, both became stops to see the ca­balleros Peregrine retire the mattresses of pens and devol­ver them to the interior of the cars.

  — ¡No! -- Joice, approaching a exclaimed they.

  During the following hour the chaos reigned, while Lia­na convinced to his doncellas that they slept in the ground, low the stars. It retired full coats of skins that were piled up in the cars and it ordered that they deposited them in the ground, with the leather against the grass, and that it helped to contain the tears. Some horsemen Peregrinate surrounded with his arms to the women and comforted them.

  Liana ordered that they fixed for her some skins extended outside the camping, in the shade of an oak. Joice ca­misón of clean thread helped it to take off the broken dress and to put itself; later, Liana lay down and hoped. And it hoped. And it hoped. But Rogan did not approach and since it had not rested the preceding night, this fact and the pro
­longado trip they determined that one fell asleep, although it tried to remain wide-awake stops to receive the husband. But it was become sleepy with a smile in the lips, conscious from which his husband would come to wake up it.

  Rogan lay down between the rough blankets of wool, near Severn, like always it did during his trips.

  Sleepy, Severn became towards him.

  -- Crei' that now you had wife.

  -- the Howard attacks, and I will be revolcando to me with a girl -- Rogan said sarcastically.

  -- It is a pretty small thing -- Severn said.

  -- If they please the rabbits to you, the only one way of knowing whom it is is to watch the color of the dress. Today it is Thursday?

  -- Yes -- Severn answered --. And we will be in sába­do marries at night.

  -- Ah, well -- masculló Rogan in low voice -- . Then, I will not eat rabbit during the supper of Saturday.

  Severn became and conciliated the dream, but wide-awake Rogan per­maneció one more hour. Their memories of this place were too intense and they did not allow him to sleep and in addition its mind was occupied by the plans about which it would do now with gold of Neville that had it. It had to construct machines military, to contract and to equip ca­balleros, to buy foods for the prolonged site that waited for them, because to reconquer the territories of Peregrine would imply a prolonged period military.

  Nor a single time thought about its new one wife, who es­peraba in the opposed end of the camping.

  To the following morning humor of Liana it was not pre­cisamente the best one than it exhibited in the course of his life. Joice it approached his master with a torrent of complaints originated in doncellas. horsemen Peregrinate had done them the love with enough rudeza and two of women were hurt and doloridas.

  -- Better hurt and doloridas than healthy and comfortable -- Liana grumbled --. Tráeme the blue dress and the hairdo and di­le to them that they stop to complain or I will give true reason them for complaint.

  Liana saw its husband between the trees and again it tried to contain the rage. All the marriages were thus? All the women suffered an injustice after another one and had to bite the language? Was really this one cur­so of the love?

  A blue túnica of satén was put with adorned do­rado belt with diamonds. There were also small diamonds on the stop and quilted hairdo that used. Perhaps today it would watch it with desire, perhaps eve had been shamed before the idea to sleep with her in a situa­ción in which all their men were around. Yes, perhaps those were the reasons of its behavior.

  That morning, he nor greeted it. In reality, passed to his la­do once and not even it watched it, was exactly like if it had not recognized it.

  Liana mounted its horse with the aid of a horseman and rode again in the center of the men, between the dust and horse dung.

  Towards noon it began to worry itself, it saw that Se­vern and Rogan were at the top of the row, bottled in which it seemed a serious conversation and it wanted to know what interested so much to them.

  — ¡My lady! -- it said alarmed Joice --. Where it goes?

  -- As my husband does not come to me, I will go a he.

  -- it cannot do that -- Joice said, with the very great eyes --. To the men they do not please to the women atrevi­das to them, you must wait for until he comes.

  Liana vacillated, but its weariness prevailed.

  -- Already I will see it -- his said, and spurred horse until estu­vo next to its brother-in-law, with Rogan of the opposite side. Severn not thus Rogan watched but, and neither it directed a word to him of greeting.

  -- Necesitaremos all the grain that is possible to reco­ger -- Rogan said --. We must store it and preparar­nos.

  -- and what you say to me of the fifty hectares on the North way? The farmers say that those fields no they produce and that the ewes are dying.

  -- Dying,go! -- Rogan grumbled --. I am sure that those bastards sell the merchants who pa­san by here and the money keeps. It sends to some hom­bres that they burn few houses and flagellate to several cam­pesinos and we will see if the ewes continue dying.

  That was a subject in which Liana it felt comfortable. The problems related to the ewes and the campesi­nos they had been the center of his life during years and it did not think about the possibility of "to obey" or to shut up his pro­pia opinion.

  -- Aterrorizar to the farmers never it served as na­da -- it said aloud, without watching neither. -- Before to­do, it is necessary to find out if what says is certain, could have many causes: it is possible that the Earth is exhausted, that the water is bad, or that it is had pronounced a curse against the ewes. If she is not none of these things and the cam­pesinos are deceiving to us, we can expel them. There am des­cubierto that expulsion is as effective as the torture and much less... disagreeable. When let us be there, I will take care of the subject.

  One became to smile to the men.

  Liana could not understand the expression that it saw in the faces of Rogan and Severn.

  -- Also they could be the seeds -- it added --. There was a year in which a fungus destroyed all our seeds and...

  — ¡Back! -- him espetó Rogan by it under -- . It returns with the women, if I want the one opinion, I will request it -- it affirmed in same tone whereupon had been able to say that pre­guntara to its horse about problem of grains an­tes to do it to a woman.

  -- I only was... -- it began to explain Liana.

  -- If you say one more a word I tie to you in the interior of a cart -- Rogan affirmed, with glance it lasts and irritated.

  Liana swallowed its own anger, returned grupas to his ca­ballo and returned with the women.

  Severn was first in speaking when again both they were single.

  -- the water? What can have of bad water? And a curse. Think that the Howard pronounced a maldi­ción against our ewes? And how we can avoid it?

  Rogan watched forwards and thought: The condemned woman. What tried to do? To interfere in the work of men? Once it had allowed the one interference, in an opportunity she reconciled to listen a woman and she paid to him with the treason.

  -- there is no curse, only farmers codiciosos -- Rogan with firmness said --. I will show to them whom pertene­ce earth that they cultivate.

  Severn reflected a little while because no it suffered the same hatred towards the women that characterized to its her­mano. It often commented many things with Iolanthe, compro­bando that the answers that it offered to him they were sensible and useful. Perhaps that heiress of the Neville she had more qualities than what he had believed prime­ra time that saw it.

  One became and it watched it: it was seated, rigid body on the horse, the raised back, the flaming eyes of fury. Severn smiled to its brother.

  -- Now you offended it -- it said jovialmente -- . Tonight one will not be so sweet with you; I have discovered that re­galo it improves the humor of a woman generally. Or perhaps the fulfilled ones are useful, dile that their hair are like gold and that its beauty induces to you to sacrifice until the soul.

  -- the only thing that moves to me is the gold that it is in the ca­rros, not the one of his hair. And I believe that no­che will be better than this take to one from doncellas to avoid that you continue thinking about the hair of the women.

  Severn continued smiling.

  -- While you sleep with your pretty one wife and him ha­ces some children?

  Rogan thought: Children, piston rods that him they helped to lu­char against the Howard, that lived in earth on Peregrinate when it recovered them. Children who would trotaran to their side, to those who to teach to fight, to ride and to hunt.

  -- Yes, I will give children him -- it said finally Rogan.

  Liana, after its confrontation with Rogan, es­taba convinced that Joice was right. It would need a time stops to be accustomed to obedience, to listen to and to shut up its own ideas.

  That night they returned to encamp again and Liana ex­tendió several skins under a distant tree, but either es­ta time Rogan
approached her. It did not speak to him and not even it watched it.

  Liana refused to cry and refused to remember the words of warning of Helen, but however, revivió episo­dio together, to the pool, when he had kissed it. It seemed that that time he believed it desirable; but it was not the case now. It slept it troubles and it woke up before the dawn, when the rest of the camping still was sunk in the dream. Le­vantó, one hand on the sore back, and went into in the forest.

  When one had inclined to drink of arroyue­lo, became aware of which somebody watched it and when becoming abruptly, it saw in the shades a foot man. Con­tuvo a exclamación and a hand took to the neck.

  -- you do not leave the security of camping without a guard -- the serious voice of Rogan said.

  It became aware intense of which she covered his des­nudez only with the thin túnica with silk and that its cabe­llos him they fell on the back; and he dressed only his panties and the fabric covered it with waist on the feet; the wide chest was naked.

  It advanced a passage towards Rogan.

  -- it could not sleep -- it said in low voice. It longed for that it extended the hands to take it, that tightened it between, his arms --. You slept well?

  It watched it with entrecejo gathered. For certain reason, it seemed to him well-known, as if it had seen it before. She was one quite tempting figure in that first light in the morning, but it did not feel ardent desire to take it.

  -- Regresa to the camping -- it said and it gave him the back.

  -- By all... -- Liana said by low, but con­tuvo. There was some reason that justified that that man it ignored? Joice assured to him that it would be able to ha­cer itself indispensable for him when it was in his home. There, it could take care of its comfort and to take care of his mu­chas necessities.

  And in addition, it thought pleased, would share one ca­ma.

  Haste occurred to reach it.