Love of Lady Liana.

by Alvarez y Losada

  It changed of idea, it walked by the runner and the stairs descended. In effect, Joice was looking for it. Lord Ro­gan had returned and shortly after the farmers had arrived almost to­dos from the village, bringing a wheelbarrow. So­bre it lay two deads, a father and his son.

  -- they are your thieves There -- it said Joice, with the very great eyes --. Indeed as you said, the farmers they hung them. Some horsemen affirm that they came thus to avoid that lord Rogan tortured them. They say that the thieves were like Robin Hood, who shared everything what they robbed and the farmers loved them. But colga­ron by vos, my lady.

  Liana outlined a face before that doubtful one honor, smoothed the skirt and descended the stairs to meet with its husband. The heart barked to him with force.

  Rogan had not disassembled and the last ones rays of the sun illuminated their hair, great corcel that mounted for you romp dangerous, because it felt the rage of his master. Rogan walked the glance by all the corners of the castle and fruncía entrecejo when seeing the cleaning of place and when obser­var the clean farmers, clean who lost his aspec­to macilento and spectral.

  Liana intuited that there would be difficulties, it could see it in the formed affluent face of Rogan.

  -- Gane' the bet -- it said more with the voice high that esta­ba to its reach, treating to attract the attention of Rogan so­bre she and to separate it from the farmers. As it were in a vantage point, at the end of the stone perron, its voice arrived at the people who were down.

  She watched it, containing the breath, while Rogan moved its horse to contemplate it. It remembers, thought Liana to me with to please and what is better still, wishes me. His co­razón began to bark with more force.

  But then the breath was cut to him, because it saw the eyes of Rogan. It seemed angered with her... not only angered, but furious. Without a doubt, that one was the face that showed before the Howard. I am not your first wife, thought Liana while the chin maintained stop and dealed with to dominate the tremor of its body. It wished to raise the stairs quickly, to put in its dormitory and to hide itself under the blankets, wanted to separate from fierce the cautious one of that man.

  -- I have won -- it said with effort --. They see, you will be my escla­vo.

  One became, because no longer it could support the hostility of Rogan and raised the lot. Perhaps few minutes to so­las in the chapel would calm it.

  Rogan saw it move away, disassembled and it gave to the reins to a laborer pelirrojo. It saw go away to the boy and it seemed to him that she was one appears well-known.

  -- Enslaved of a woman during a day? -- Se­vern said, that it was next to his brother; and in its voice a spying speaks of the good humor.

  Rogan watched, hostile, to Severn.

  -- Autorizaste the drained one of the pit? And this? -- With a gesture of the arm it included the patio, now very different and from died in the wheelbarrow.-- All this is idea yours? Hardly I give them back...

  -- the merit belongs to your wife, nona me -- Se­vern without losing the good humor said --. In these few weeks hi­zo more that you and I...

  It was interrupted when seeing that Rogan passed a its side and began to raise the stairs.

  -- Now will stop the executions? -- one dared to pre­guntar one of the farmers, Severn had its own character, also it raised the stairs, two steps per time. Zared was the only person that it was in the main hall.

  -- Where it was? -- Severn asked.

  Zared indicated the stay that they they denominated the quarter of meditation. By tradition it belonged to the head of family Peregrinates -- the father of the brothers, later to Rowland, and now a Rogan. Its privacy was sagrada and cuan­do a man entered there, could not bother it to it by nothing less important that an imminent attack,

  Severn promoted the few steps that they separated it of the door and it opened it without vacillating,

  -- Salt of here, vetoes to hell -- rugió Rogan and its voice demonstrated what felt.

  -- to listen that the men affirm that my her­mano is a cowardly one? In order to oir to them to comment that he is incapable to pay a bet?

  -- the bet with a woman -- one made fun of Rogan.

  -- But one bets accepted in public, in front of me, to your men, even in front of the farmers. -- Severn was calmed -- Why not him DAS to her what protests? Proba­blemente will force to you to sing a pair with her or to bring flowers to him. He is so serious to be the slave of a woman only a day? And specially of this one. Apparently, the only thing that interests to him is a clean house and... and you. Only God knows why, Zared and I had to support hundreds of questions about your person.

  -- and without a doubt they revealed everything, seems to him that it pleases to speak to them with the women. YOUR and that married Duchess.

  -- you do not say anything of which you can arrepentirte -- him ad­virtió Severn --. Yes, I speak with Iolanthe that has one intelligent head and seems that the same it happens to him to your wife. It guessed right when he said that he would obtain that the farmers you would tra­jesen to the thieves. During two years we have flagellated and struck people and continued robbing to us. The only thing that she did was to feed them and to force them to bathe and has them eating of its hand.

  -- they will get used to so much consuming meat of our cows that will stop to work and will want that su­ministremos them all the necessary one. What will request later? Dresses of silk? Skins stop to defend itself of the inver­nal cold? Languages of peacock for the supper?

  -- I do not know it -- it answered sincerely Severn -- but in effect, the woman gained the bet to you.

  -- It is like the farmers. If I give him that it protests today, what will request tomorrow? It will try to administer all the property? Also I will allow him to seat in the court and to judge? Perhaps it would have to entrust the training to him of the men.

  Severn long watched its brother.

  -- Why you fear to him?

  -- To fear to him? -- Rogan howled --. It could to divide it in two with the clean hands, to order that they lock up it, to send it, with its arrogant doncellas, to the castle of Bevan and to never return to ver­la. It could...

  It was interrupted and one collapsed heavy in a chair. Severn watched astonished to its brother: there he was cor­pulento, and hard invincible, the man who never flaquea­ba before a battle and now atemoriza­do seemed a boy. The spectacle was not pleasant because Rogan always was safe of itself, seeds knew what attitude to take, it never vacillated when there was to adopt a deci­sión, never stopped, when it solved something. No, one corrected Severn, Rogan he was firm, not only it knew what it was necessary to do.

  Severn walked towards the door.

  -- Presentare' some excuse to men. By supues­to Peregrine cannot be enslaved of a woman, the idea same she is absurd.

  -- No, it hopes -- it responded, without watching his brother.-- I was stupid when accepting a bet, never I thought that it could bring to me to the thieves. It sees see it and pregúntale perhaps what preten­de of me, only wishes one or two new dresses. I do not want to waste the money, but I will occur them.

  As Severn did not answer, Rogan returned the eyes ha­cia its brother.

  -- and well, you have another thing that to do? It sees to look for it.

  Severn felt that a heat big wave him it raised by the neck.

  -- Perhaps it wants something... well, something personnel of you. If it had like slave a whole day to me, probably me it would tie to a bed or... -- the expre­sión interested was interrupted when seeing in eyes of Rogan.-- Who knows what your wife wishes of you? Perhaps it wants that you tie a donkey tail and that you mop the floors. Who knows? This woman es­cucha more than what speaks, I believe that it knows more of us than what we know of her.

  -- As a good spy -- Rogan added with deaf voice.

  Severn raised the hands.

  -- Spy or no, pleases to me to the scent that now he has east place. It sees see what loves your wife, seems a person quite simple.

  It l
eft the room and it closed the door behind himself.

  Minutes later Rogan it left quarter of me­ditación and promoted the stairs that took to the lot. The últi­mos years it had gone there solely when a hawk needed. But the hawks there were disappear, and the walls seemed almost humid because of the recent one encalado where they hung three great carpets; first that Rogan thought to to see them was that it could sell them by gold, Were si­llas, tables, stools and seam frames of the dispersed women by the room.

  Those that was there they interrupted his to char it when they saw it and they watched it as if Rogan had been demo­nio arrived from hell. In an end, sitting in front of a window, was his wife. Rogan remembered the se­rena glance of Liana, but mainly it evoked sensation of its body.

  -- Fuera -- he was everything what he said and he remained of foot hoping while the women, scared, left quickly.

  When both they were single, Rogan more did not approach Liana. In his opinion, the best thing was that they around separated it of her of ten meters.

  -- What you try of me? -- it asked, united dark eyebrows in a fruncimiento of entrecejo --. I will not play the role of idiot in front of my men, I will not mop floors nor I will use a donkey tail.

  Liana blinked astonished and later it smiled.

  -- it has never pleased to me to force another one to that parez­ca stupid. -- With very slow movements, it elevated the ma­nos and it cleared the hairdo, allowing that their blond cabe­llos lengths descended on the shoulders and the back and the head moved a little.-- Without a doubt, you are tired after your trip, they see and siéntate to my side, I have wine and golo­sinas here.

  It remained in the same place, watching it with hos­tilidad.

  -- Intentas to attract to me?

  Liana watched it exasperated.

  -- Yes, it attempt, and that what has of bad? You are my es­poso and for weeks I have not been seeing you. They see, tell me what hicis­te during your absence and I will tell you what we found in the pit. -- Tomo' from one it pulls a silver glass, it filled it of wine, and it approached it Rogan.-- Pruébalo, comes of Spain.

  Rogan took the glass and drank, without separating the glance of her, and observed surprised the glass; the wine was delicious.

  Liana lay down to laugh.

  -- Traje with me some prescriptions and I convinced to your coci­neros that they tried them. -- Apoyo' the hand on the arm of his husband and smoothly it began to approach it the seat next to the window.-- Rogan, you could to me have been very useful, your people is so obstinate... it was like to speak with stones. Sight, test this, is a peach tree conserve. And so time pleases east bread to you... it does not have sand.

  Before Rogan knew what was doing, one had complied in the softness of a quilted seat and ingested manjar delicious after another one and it lost time escu­chando a pile of frivolous trivialities about limpie­za. Of course, it had to be outside, training with its men, but one did not move.

  -- How many gold currencies? -- it asked.

  -- Encontramos six gold currencies, twelve of silver and more of a hundred of copper in the pit. There were also eight corpses, and we buried them. -- persignó.-- Mira, sees discomfort you, acuéstate and supports the head in my lap.

  Rogan not yet knew that it had to go away, him there was pregunta­do about the bet, but the wine was tired and re­lajaba. It extended the legs on the long seat and supported the head in the smooth lap of Liana. The silk of its skirt ro­zaba as soon as the cheek of Rogan and she him it caressed sienes and the hair with the yolks of the fingers, smooth and soft. When Liana began to tararear, it closed the eyes.

  The young person contemplated to his good looking husband sleeping in his lap and he felt desires of which that moment prolon­gara eternally. It seemed young much more when it slept, because it disappeared malhumor that harmed its beauty and the weight of its responsibility no it weighed as much on its wide shoulders.

  It slept almost one hour pacifically, until Severn entered the room with the noise of twenty-five kilo­gramos of armor.

  Rogan, customary to a reaction snapshot, seated frightened.

  -- What happened? -- it asked now and, another one time, no longer there was smoothness in its characteristics.

  Severn watched first a its brother and later to its sister-in-law. It had never seen it watch at a woman before the night and much less to support its head in the lap of the lady. He was surprising to see as much softness in its greater her­mano duro and suddenly, Severn frunció entrecejo.

  It had been of the side of its sister-in-law, but in fact the obstinacy of Rogan determined that often Severn adopted opposite position when it discussed with his greater her­mano. But this not him it pleased, nor it pleased to him that this woman induced to Rogan to forget his obligations. Hardly hours before this one had feared the moment of to eet again its wife, after an absence of several weeks. Severn it had shown somewhat amused before this attitude, perhaps but Rogan had reasons to fear the power of this woman. It was possible that it took a to it to olvi­dar its duties? Its honor? It tended to maintain La Paz with farmers; but their pacific attitudes, lleva­ban it to try that Rogan it forgot the war the Peregri­ne against the Howard?

  To Severn it did not please to him that its brother greater it cam­biase. It did not want to see smoothed its rough profiles. A thing was to play infantile with a woman and another one very dis­tinta to neglect obligations to lie down in afternoon with her.

  -- it did not have idea that today it was a day asylum, destined to the pleasure -- Severn said sarcastically --. I request to you excuse, I will leave men them are trained single, without my presence, and I will go to judge the disputes of the farmers, since you are too much... occupied.

  -- Ve train the men -- it talked back roughly Rogan --. I will dictate justice, and if you do not want verte mastican­do that language that you have there, mantenla quiets.

  Severn returned on time to disguise a smile. That was its brother, the man who gruñía and fruncía en­trecejo, the man who treated it as if he was still a boy. It was well that woman changed the castle, but to Severn she did not please to him that she tried to change to Ro­gan; it thought with a face: ¡As if it could do it! Na­da nor nobody could to modify to Rogan.

  Liana felt desires to throw something to him a Severn, aun­que included/understood the sense of its attitude, perceived its incre­dulidad in its eyes when it saw Rogan sleepy over his lap. It seemed that all conspired in order to avoid that the minimum dulzura in the life of Rogan hu­biese. It raised one hand and supported it on the shoulder of its husband.

  -- Perhaps ayudarte could judge, a slight colabo­raba with my father -- it said.

  In fact, after the death of its mother it had assumed the absolute responsibility to dissolve the disputes of farmers because his father did not wish that they bothered it.

  Rogan was put immediately of foot and it watched, hos­til.

  -- Woman, you arrive too much far. I I will judge, impar­tiré justice between my farmers.

  It put itself of foot.

  -- and until now you have done it very well, it is not ver­dad? -- it said irritated --. To kill them of hunger is your jus­ticia idea de ? Think that they need that the ceiling of its houses falls to them on the head? If two men come to you with a di­ferencia, what you do? You hang them to both? Justice! You do not have idea of which the word means. You only know to punish.

  Liana saw the rage in the face of Rogan and it had the cer­teza of which he was arranged to add it to extensive lis­ta of people to those who it wished to destroy.

  .Crushed by the fury of Rogan almost it backed down, pe­ro a great force of will forced to stay it fir­me.

  Suddenly, it changed the expression in eyes of Rogan.

  -- and what you would do with a man who is robbed the cow of another one? You would invite them to that they bathe together? Perhaps them you would order that the nails per day were cleaned twice, co­mo punishment?

  -- Caramba, no, I... -- it began to say Li
ana, and enton­ces included/understood that he was making fun of. Its eyes chispea­ron --. Ente­ro would force to support them to your character a day badly. That, and the scent of your body after several weeks without hygiene, would be sufficient.

  -- Yes? -- it responded to him in low voice and it advanced towards her -- Parece that to you it does not concern my scent badly to you.

  It approached it an arm and Liana narrowed his body con­tra the one of Rogan. No, apparently it did not concern its scent to him, his badly character, its hostility, or its disappearances. It kissed it, in the beginning smoothly, later every time with more intensi­dad, until it felt all the weight of the body of Liana con­tra his, so robust.

  Rogan separated its mouth from the lips of Liana but even so retained it.

  -- and what you will demand to me during my slavery? Pasare­mos all the day laid down? You will in front of stand me cubier­ta only with my helmet and you will present/display your reclamations to me?

  Liana was on the awares. What devises interesting, it thought, and it almost responded affirmatively the suggestion, but consi­guió to dominate its sensuality.

  -- Quiero that seen to you of farmer and go with me to a fair.

  Rogan blinked a little while, later it loosen so abruptly that it struck against the wall.

  -- Never -- it said, and its face showed of new a colérica expre­sión --. You want to cause my death, yes, you are one spy. The Howard...

  — ¡Damn they are the Howard! -- it howled Liana --. They do not matter to me absolutely. Only desire that you pass a day conmi­go, two single ones. Without guards who watch us, without brothers who criticize to you because you dare to spend one hour with your wife. I want a whole day with you dressed. Here he is im­posible, because they do not leave you peacefully, for that reason I request to you that du­rante a day you stop being lord Rogan and you share with me hours in the festival of the farmers. -- a little calmed and supported the hands on the forearms of Rogan.­ -- Please -- said --. They are simple people, and their pleasures are sim­ples. It will be a day of dance, drink and food. I believe that they set out to represent one it builds. You cannot dedicate a day to me?