Love of Lady Liana.

by Alvarez y Losada

  And in the room there were carved chairs with seats quilted, worked seam frames, beautiful arco­nes tachonados of ivory. Everything what she reached to see trasuntaba the beauty more exquisite.

  -- Welcome -- it said to Iolanthe and its túnica silverplated it was the most beautiful object of the room.

  -- I... -- Liana breathed deep stops to recover ­ - - You have something to say to me?

  Awhile before, she had thought about possibility of showing this woman to him who its conduct was immoral and who it would pass an eternity in hell because she was ca­sada with a man and it lived in sin with another one; but in the presence of Iolanthe, those words no they went to its la­bios.

  -- Desea'is to take seat? I ordered that prepare something to eat.

  Liana occupied the offered chair and sucked it came watered down from a gold chalice engastado with rubies.

  -- Tendre'is to go to him -- Iolanthe said -- . He is very obstina­do to yield before vos, and in addition, I doubt that it knows how to do it.

  Liana deposited the chalice on a small table and it was put of foot.

  -- I will not listen to it you. It insulted to me with frecuen­cia and the last occasion was the drop that overwhelmed the glass.

  It began to walk towards the door.

  — ¡A little while! -- Iolanthe called --. By favor, you come. He was crude of my part to speak thus.

  Liana I know returned and Io smiled to him:

  -- Perdonadme. Lately the things have be difíci­les, Severn is of terrible humor. Of course, I said to him that all it blames is hers, that if it had not had so many jealousy of its brother, Rogan never it would have said that it contracted ma­trimonio by money, and vos you had not had to appeal to the rows of currencies.

  Liana returned to seat.

  -- It is certain -- his said and took again wine glass --. In the presence of its men, it said that it could not support my fealdad.

  Iolanthe contemplated to the young blonde. Of way, thought, that it was not the money, was that Rogan had insulted the appearance physics of its wife. Both brothers were so striking men and he included/understood easily that a woman could feel intimidated by them. Each tomorrow Io studied its own image in a mirror and to its age es­taba learning to smile without wrinkling the skin around the eyes. It lived terrified before the proximity of momen­to in which Severn no longer would think that she was beautiful. It could not imagine how one would feel if Severn got to say to him that it wished the money of its husband and not to the own Iolanthe.

  -- Comprendo -- it said finally.

  -- Yes -- Liana responded --, I also I include/understand. I thought that it could induce it to love to me, I thought that it could lle­gar to being indispensable for him, but in fact never it needed to me. I do not believe that them either be useful here to other people. It is an ironic situation, my madrastra dealed with ex­plicar it to me, but I did not want to listen to it. I thought that I knew more than a woman that it had had two husbands and without em­bargo, was in the certain thing, even my Joice servant was right, saying to me that the men did not wish to have es­posa. In my case, my husband not only happened that not me qui­so, but that either me they wanted its brother, his aman­tes, its men, to only appreciated the Lady me but now its door is even closed to avoid that I between.

  Iolanthe listened to these words of autocompasión, and included/understood perfectly what it happened to him to Liana. While a woman felt desirable showed con­fianza in itself, could put fire to the bed of the husband when they occupied it with his lover; a could dare to do one bets that he would lose; to cause its rage cancelling the orders that Rogan distributed the personnel of the castle. Pe­ro when it thought that it was not desirable, it lost great part of its force and its faith.

  Io did not have idea of which it agreed to do. Abri­gaba, far from it, the hope not to obtain that Ro­gan it approached Liana, because obstina­do was a man, that did not know what him it agreed and it did not please the certainty to him that a woman exerted minimum influen­cia on him.

  -- Who is the Lady? -- Io asked, trying to ga­nar time while it meditated about the problem.

  In the beginning, as soon as it paid attention a the explanation of Liana, but something in the words of the young person attracted his attention.

  -- Vive in a room on to pave?

  -- Yes, a single quarter that almost always it is closed, but one would say that it guesses then when I am in difficulties, then the door is opened. She has been my better friend since I arrived and it spoke to me of Jeanne Howard. It assured to me that the men do not fight to conquer women timid or ugly -- Liana added.

  -- She is one greater lady, quite pretty, with smooth brown hair?

  -- Yes. Who is? I had the intention of to ask it to it, but whenever I see it... -- it was interrupted when seeing that Iolanthe it shook a silver bell. She appeared a servant, Io murmured something to the ear of the woman and this one it disappeared.

  Iolanthe was put of foot.

  -- inconvenient Tiene in which us let us approach that room and we know its Lady?

  -- it is closed, and thus it was since I... ever since I went to have supper with my husband.

  -- Ordene' to my doncella that it brought key. We go?

  The individual appearance of Liana awhile before it had paralyzed to that they were in the patio; but when Io and she they left meetings, all stopped to contemplate, overwhelmed, to two women. He was quite fallen into disuse to see Iolanthe, but it seemed impossible to think that one was in company of another woman.

  Liana did not pay attention to the people who it observed from within and outside the castle and lead to Iolanthe before room of the Lady.

  -- When it does not wish that they bother it, it maintains closed the door. I believe that we would have to respect its privacy.

  it did not respond and when its servant it reappeared with a great key in the hand, inserted it in the lock.

  -- I do not create... -- it began to say Liana, but it was interrupted. The room, that had been the only clean place of castle the day when it arrived, was empty. Nonempty no, because Liana could to see, under the spiderwebs and the remainders deposited throughout years, furniture of the Lady: the upholstered bank where Liana had seated and tam­bién the seam frame of the Lady. The windows by which it had entered light of the sun was broken and pája­ro dead lay in the ground.

  -- I do not understand -- murmured Liana --. Where she is she?

  -- it has died. For many years.

  Liana persignó at the same time that it denied what Iolanthe affirmed.

  -- Quere'is to say that it is a ghost? Impossible, I spoke with as real her and as vos or as. It said co­sas to me, things that other people ignore.

  It was on very great the awares.

  -- Oi' to say that in effect it does that. Never I saw and tam­poco Severn knows it; I do not know if Rogan has seen it or no, pe­ro others people knew it. Apparently, it pleases to him to ayu­dar to the people who they need. Years ago, a servant who was pregnant woman, thought to throw itself to the pit and of pron­to she heard the Lady, as you call it, who sang and hila­ba and she convinced that she stopped of the idea. Knows why nobody lives in these quarters? Half of the men even refuses to enter the lot to retire a halco­nes, but nobody dares to arrive up to here.

  Liana was trying to include/understand everything this.

  -- Nobody me it said it, not even me it suggested.

  -- Supongo that they thought that the cleaning it would end her, it never harms no person and to be ghost, is a benign presence.

  Liana walked on the dust layer of floor and approached the seam frame. It was an old drawing and in­concluso, that it represented a lady and unicornio, which was been doing the day of the visit of Liana. Suddenly, Liana felt that it lost a friend very wanted.

  -- Who is? And why it persecutes to Peregrinate?

  -- the grandmother of Severn, and also of Rogan and Zared, were Jane, the first wife of the old Giles Peregrine. Hi­jo of b
oth he was John, father of Severn. After its death, Giles married with Bess Howard and the family of this one said that Jane never been had married legally with Giles and that therefore the children of both were bastard. This castle and the one of Bevan belonged to the family of Jane; it grew here.

  -- and for that reason it returns to persecute to his inhabitants.

  -- Years after its death, it was in this habita­ción when his son John arrived at the castle, after the king it declared ilegítimo. It closed the door of this quarter and nun­ca returned to open it. Now, only it opens it. Some perso­nas say that John was an idiot, who his mother came to decir­le something and he did not want to listen to it.

  -- Probably it tried to notice to him that mantuvie­se separated from the young people of the village -- Liana said bitterly.

  -- Not -- it responded --. All believed that she desea­ba to make him know where they were the registries parroquia­les.

  -- What registries?

  -- John never could demonstrate that his parents had married, all the witnesses of the connection passed away or they disappeared mysteriously and nobody could find the registries that they demonstrated the accomplishment of the marriage. The majority thought that the Howard they had destroyed, but some affirmed that the old Giles hid them stops to put them outside the reach of its codiciosa second espo­sa. -- it smiled it.-- If you return to see your Lady, you could ask to him where they are those documents. Of encon­trar itself, the king would perhaps give back to Rogan and Severn the pro­piedades of Peregrine and would stop this war with the Howard.

  Liana contemplated the possibility that Rogan ama­ra if it discovered the registries. No, probably no, it would continue being an ugly woman although it had all the wealth of the world.

  -- Tenemos to march to us -- said -- and to close with key the door. It is necessary to respect the privacy of this woman.

  They left the room, closed it door and gave the key to its servant, who was been hoping outside in silence.

  -- Ire'is to see it? -- it asked.

  Liana knew to what it talked about.

  -- I cannot, does not want to me; ansía the gold. And now that has it, surely it will be satisfied.

  -- the gold is a cold companion of bed.

  A knot in the throat formed of Liana.

  -- Tiene to those women. And now, me you will excuse? I must finish an embroidering.

  They descended the stairs that lead to to pave and Iolanthe took leave of Liana.

  That night, Severn went to the rooms of Iolanthe. Cojeaba and had a wound in the flank of the head. Io distributed an order to its servant and shortly after was washing the head to him with a linen cloth of thread.

  -- Matare' to my brother -- Severn said between teeth -- It is the only way to stop it. You were able to convince to wife?

  -- Tuve as much success speaking with her like you conver­sando with your brother.

  — ¡Taken care of! -- Severn said, shaking -- I do not want other wounds. At least, I can understand to Ro­gan, one was very tolerant with its woman, allowed him to accompany it while he it judged the cases that arrived at the court, accepted to do what it wanted in the village and inclu­so granted a whole day to him in the bed.

  -- he has been extremely generous -- it said sarcásticamen­te.

  -- In effect, he was very generous, and never I thought that one would be thus with a wife.

  -- and what you believed? That your pleasant brother he would bring it to this dirty castle so that he lived with servants who they ridicule, he ignoring it, and who would not remember how she is she until the lady it stuck fire to him to the mattress?

  — ¡The women! -- Severn murmured --. They are so illogical creatures.

  -- My logical one is excellent, your brother is who...

  Severn seated on its knees and him it kissed the neck.

  -- Olvidemos to my brother.

  It separated it and she was put of foot.

  -- How many weeks you take without bañarte?

  -- Before you did not worry to know if it bathed to me and no.

  -- Crei'a that the horse dung was your natural scent -- Iolanthe talked back.

  Severn was put of foot.

  -- All this is fault of this woman. If she...

  -- If you had not interfered, things now would march very well. What you set out to make to repair damage that you yourself you caused?

  -- we have already spoken of this, you remember? I was arranged to recognize that I was... well, that exaggerates a little with Rogan, so that responding to your suggestion, I sent to them invitations to have supper. And it already dresses what was from that, eh? That stupid dog it appeared with his collection of currencies. Rogan had to accept the supply of payment. that it would have had to do is...

  -- It had to say to him that she is beautiful -- it interrupted --. Liana thinks that your temperamental brother does not wish it, no I include/understand why. Rogan is able to lie down with a woman although she him demonstrate a very doubtful feminidad.

  Severn smiled proudly.

  -- Is an authentic male, right?

  -- we do not discuss my opinions about your brother. You must obtain that Rogan assures to him to Liana that sees it beautiful, and that wishes it more than to all the others.

  -- Of course. And of step, I can move few mountains. You wish that it changes from place to London mien­tras I am in it? You never tried to obtain that Rogan did something that he is not arranged to make.

  -- it has returned to sleep with the servants?

  Severn outlined a face.

  -- No, and I believe that that is half of problem. It has not spent as much time without woman since... -- Penso' a mo­mento.-- ...ever since the Howard seized of their pri­mera wife. You do not watch to me thus -- it continued --. My brother knows to treat the women, to the margin of which he is married with them or no. Perhaps it does not need one indeed now and it seems to me one comprehensible attitude, in view of the behavior that has shown its wife. That maneuver with the currencies was the drop that overwhelmed the glass.

  -- You decide -- Io with tender voice said --. Why you do not convince to Rogan that it sends to Liana of return to cas­tillo of its father? That way, it will be able to get rid to­talmente of her. Later, you can to bring a loaded car of beautiful youngsters, so that your brother lay down with a dozen every night.

  -- and which will take care as which they serve to us pies in the meals? -- Severn murmured --. ¡Curse, Io! And mal­dita is that Liana. ¡Malditas is all the women! Why they cannot leave peacefully to man? Rogan married solely with her by its money. Why it had that... that...

  -- To what you talk about? -- it asked with innocent air --. Why it had to fall in love with her? Why it had of to begin to need her?

  -- I did not want to talk about to that. ¡Damn be both! Al­guien would have to lock up them together in a room and to arro­jar key, both causes nauseas to me.

  Suddenly, it raised the head.

  -- What happens?

  -- Nothing. Only one idea..

  -- I occurred it -- it exhorted it.

  It happened awhile before Severn it began to ha­blar.

  That same Severn night sent an offering of peace to Liana. It was seated, single with her ladies, as it happened lately. In general no of the inhabitants of the castle approached - as if it did not exist, or as if they wished it thus -, so that she felt very sor­prendida when an old horseman covered with scars brought to him jarro of wine and said that lord Severn sent it to its beautiful sister-in-law.

  -- Crees that is poisoned? -- it asked Liana to Gaby.

  -- Perhaps with a love concoction -- it answered this one. It had never moved backwards in its attempts to reason with Liana. The wine he was condimentado with spices, it arrived warms up and Liana drank more than what it had thought to do.

  -- Suddenly I feel very tired -- it said. So it was tired that the head weighed to him much and could not maintain it.

  Then Severn entered room and the wom
en who accompanied Liana contemplated the good looking one blond giant, but Severn had eyes only for Liana.

  Gaby watched alarmed its lady: Liana it closed the eyes and its head fell backwards.

  -- Creo that happens something to him.

  -- Dormira' awhile -- Severn said, separated from the Gaby way and it took in arms to Liana.

  — ¡My Gentleman! -- Gaby exclaimed --. No you can...

  -- I am doing it -- Severn answered, while it left completely with sleepy Liana and it began to ascend stairs in spiral. It in front of happened the dormitories that were on the lot, it promoted another section, until I arrive at a heavy door of edged oak from iron. It moved the body of Liana, maintaining it with the shoulder, while it took a key that hung of the end of a chain together with its belt and opened door.

  He was a fourth small one with a toilet a a flank and another heavy closed door that lead to the way that ran to length of the parapets. That room served generally to lodge to guards but today these had disappeared. Sometimes the place was used like jail, and for that wanted Severn to it.

  It opened the door and he remained immovable moment while their eyes adapted to the little light. Laid down and the bed, completely slept, it was Rogan; during a little while Severn it reconsidered his plan. But then a pair of fleas began to move on their back and it included/understood that what was doing was the appropriate thing. It deposited its sister-in-law on the bed, next to its brother and it tried to hunt the fleas.

  -- Well -- it said while it watched the spouses --. They can remain here until we have little of peace.

  16

  In the morning, Liana needed awhile in order to desper­tar, it was as if it could not be on the awares. It stretched the arms, legs and enjoyed the smooth calidez of the mattress.

  -- If you want to eat something, it is better than you the East and you use.