Love of Lady Liana.

by Alvarez y Losada

-- I must speak with Oliver Howard -- it shouted, but if they al­guien heard it, it did not respond. One slid by the flank of the door and it was left sitting on the cold stone floor. It had to be wide-awake when somebody entered the quarter. Nece­sitaba to speak with Oliver Howard and to convince it of which it left it in freedom. If Rogan and Severn dealed with rescatar­la, they would kill.

  One fell asleep and when waking up it was laid down in the bed without the frazada one and bathing in its own sweating. Nueva­mente somebody had there been; opening the door, it took it to the bed, without to wake up it. It walked vacillating until the small table and a cup used as water; it had the so weak hands that as soon as could raise jarro and collapsed crossed on the bed.

  When it returned to wake up, somebody it with abruptness was sacu­diendo. It was on the awares with slow movements and it saw Oliver Howard inclined on her. The habi­tación in the dark, the candle ignited behind him, it allowed to see it like a confused and blurred silhouette.

  -- Your husband does not have interest in recobraros -- he said fiercely --. It has been desentendido of all the orders of rescue.

  -- Why you want little that it has? - it asked.

  Liana moving as soon as the dry lips and cracked. As he did not answer, Liana continued

  -- ours it was a marriage arranged, my husband without a doubt is glad of which I have disappeared. If you ask in our village, you will hear speak of the horrors that I inflicted to him.

  -- I know everything to It, even that was disarmed to the village pa­ra to attend a fair. Of it to have known I then would have state and had catched it there, killing this Pe­regrine as it completed a my brothers.

  -- As vos you killed its brothers. -- The words of Liana lost all their force, because demasia­do was weak in order to raise the head. But even exhausted as it were, it wanted to save a Rogan.-- That you give li­bertad me or that you kill to me, little will matter to him -- it said --. But to do it soon, will want to take by wife to a new he­redera.

  And Liana was said: If it is soon, Rogan no it will have tiem­po to attack.

  -- Vere' if in effect it does not matter to him -- it said Oliver and made a gesture to one of its men.

  Liana saw centellear the scissors to light of the moon.

  — ¡No! -- it exclaimed and it tried to defend itself, but the ma­nos of the man were too strong. Warm and febrile tears they rolled at the most by his cheeks when it cut the cabe­llos to him, leaving them lengths until shoulders.

  -- They were only the beautiful thing of my person -- it murmured.

  Neither Oliver nor its two companions him they lent aten­ción while they left the quarter. Their clipped hair es­taban into the hands of Oliver.

  Liana cried long short while and nor a single time ma­no took towards his mutilated hair.

  -- Now never it will love to me -- it was repeated. Near the dawn one sank in an anxious dream and when it woke up it was too much weak to descend from the bed in search of the water. It returned to fall asleep.

  It woke up again and it felt a cold cloth tightened so­bre the forehead.

  -- Now, calmaos -- a smooth one murmured voice.

  Liana was on the awares and saw a woman of entre­canos hair and watched so sweet and gentile as the one of a dove.

  -- Who you are?

  The woman continued wetting the linen cloth stops to wipe the sweating of its face.

  -- Vamos, you take this. -- Acerco' one spoon to the la­bios of Liana and maintained the head to him so that it could drink.

  -- I am Jeanne Howard.

  — ¡Vos! -- Liana exclaimed, obstructing itself with the medicine of grass --. Apartaos of me, you are a traitor, a menti­rosa, demon arrived from hell.

  The woman outlined a smile.

  -- and vos you are Peregrine. You can to take a little from broth?

  -- Not of your hands, no, I cannot.

  Jeanne watched Liana.

  -- Imagino that you are good pair stops Rogan. Of ve­ras you set afire the bed to him? And you went to have supper cover of currencies? It is certain that both were locked in in a habi­tación?

  -- How you know all that?

  With a sigh, Jeanne was put of foot and one approached a table, on which there was a small iron kettle.

  -- you do not know deep how is hatred that the Howard and Peregrine are pro­fesan? Each one of them knows everything what it is necessary to know about the other.

  In spite of the fever and the weakness, Liana was estu­diando to Jeanne: this was the woman who had caused so much fury and seemed a person of common aspect, of medium es­tatura, brown hair...

  ¡The hair! Liana took hand a the his pro­pios. In spite of itself, one lay down to cry.

  Jeanne became towards her, with the cup in the hand, and it watched compasiva, while Liana touched the ends of his melena. The expression of Jeanne changed and it seated in the chair that was next to the bed.

  -- Vamos, you eat this, you need food. Your hair will return to grow, are things worse than this.

  Liana could not stop to cry.

  -- My hair were only the beautiful thing of my person. Now, Rogan never will return to love to me.

  -- To claries -- it said with Jeanne misfortune --. Oliver proba­blemente will kill it; therefore, what matters that Rogan loves or no to a woman?

  Liana reunited sufficient forces stops to take the cup of the hand of Jeanne and to send flying it.

  — ¡Outside here! You are the cause of everything this, if not hu­bierais betrayed to Rogan, he would not be in the conditions in that one is.

  With tired expression, Jeanne recovered the cup, deposited it in the table and went to seat next to Liana.

  -- If I leave, nobody will come. Oliver has ordered that nobody takes care of vos. But to me they do not dare to negar­me entrance

  -- For which Oliver will kill that oppose the woman who it loves? -- Liana with badness said --. To the woman who trai­cionó to my husband?

  Jeanne was put of foot and it approached window. Cuan­do became to watch Liana, its face seemed to have en­vejecido many years.

  -- Yes, I betrayed it and my only excuse is that I was a stupid and ingenuous young person. They gave me in marriage to Ro­gan when I was as soon as a girl and she had so many illusions about my life of married; orphan already from very pe­queña I was pupil of the king, so that I grew with mon­jas... Nobody loved to me, it needed or it noticed my to me presen­cia. I thought that the marriage would give a person me to whom to love, that to the aim it would have a true home.

  It made a pause and it spoke in lower voice.

  -- you have not known the brothers greater, des­pués than Rogan and I married, turned my life hell. For them, I represented money, money pa­ra his war against Howard and nothing else; if I spoke, nobody listened; if it issued an order to servant, ningu­no obeyed. Day after day lived in the middle of a in­concebible dirt.

  The rage of Liana began a to dissipate, because there was much truth in the words of Jeanne.

  -- Sometimes, Rogan came to see me by night and in other occasions was with different women. -- Jeanne nailed watched in the wall that was to the flank of Liana.­ -- terrible Era -- murmured --. For those good looking and odiosos men I was less than an orphan; in reality, was not nothing. For them, I did not exist. They spoke among them without ha­cer to me case; if I were standing in the site that one of them wished to occupy, me it pushed a flank. ¡And violen­cia! -- one shook when remembering it.-- When one wanted to attract the attention of the other, it threw an axe to him to cabe­za. I never included/understood how it was possible that anyone of them arrived at the age adult.

  Jeanne watched Liana.

  -- When I knew that you had set afire his bed, I intuited that the reason was of your part and was something that Rogan could to include/understand. Without a doubt, to the behavior therefore you remembered its brothers to him.

  Liana did not know what to say. Everything knew that what afir­maba Jeanne was certain. It knew how it was
to lack exis­tencia own. And in effect, it came with justice with Ro­gan, but it would have been sufficient if it had had to fight with her older brothers? It dealed with to react por­que none wanted to make common cause with that trai­cionera woman.

  -- and all this -- with a gesture it indicated window and the whole castle -- justified your treason? Two brothers they died treating about rescataros. It cheered to know to you of it?

  The face of Jeanne expressed rage.

  -- Those men did not die treating about to obtain that I returned, they could not to me have recognized in a multitude. It was fighting to the Howard. While I lived with Peregrine, frequently oía to say that the Howard was perverse. And now I listen the same on the Pere­grine, when it will conclude this horrible war?

  -- the treason did not improve the things -- him Liana responded, and it noticed that its energy began to leave it.

  Jeanne responded with calm voice.

  -- No, it did not contribute to promote La Paz, but Oliver was so kind with me, and this house... -- it was interrupted, like in order to remember better.-- Were music, and laughter, and bathtubs overwhelmed with water perfumed, and respetuo­sos servants and Oliver were so kind and...

  -- So kind that you gave a son him -- Liana added.

  -- After the cruel treatment of Rogan, Oliver was a joy in the bed -- Jeanne talked back, and it was put of foot.-- Aho­ra, I will leave you, because you must sleep. I will return in the morning.

  -- Not it desire -- Liana talked back --. I can to fix bas­tante single good to me.

  -- As you please -- it was the answer of Jeanne and left the room. Hardly Liana heard the movement of the bolt, it slept.

  During three days it passed it single, and its fever one worsened in that fourth unprotected cold and. It did not eat nor it drank permane­ciendo in the bed, sleepy means and average wake up, to ve­ces burnt by the fever and others castañeteando the cold teeth.

  To the third day, Jeanne returned and Liana it watched as through a mist.

  -- I am afraid that they lay to me -- said Jeanne --, they di­jeron to me that you were well and comfortable. -- one became, approached door and called to the guard.-- Levántenla and síganme with her -- it decided.

  -- Lord Oliver ordered to me that she it remained here -- it said the guard.

  -- and I am opposing his orders -- it emphasized Jean­ne --. And now, if you do not want that they throw you to the way, levántala.

  Liana became aware vague of that a pair of strong arms raised it.

  -- Rogan -- it murmured.

  It slept while they descended it by stairs and des­pertó just a little while when the smooth hands of the ladies of company of Jeanne undressed it, bathed with well-taken care of and they deposited it on a soft mattress of plu­mas.

  During three Liana days it saw a solely Jeanne Ho­ward when this one provided broth to him, helped him to seat in orinal, washed the sweating of its body and it seated to his side. In that lapse nor a single time Liana spoke to Jeanne. It became aware exact of his traicionera attitude towards its husband.

  But to the fourth day, its decision began to diminish. The fever had disappeared and now he was only weak.

  -- My son is well? -- it murmured, breaking silen­cio that had maintained as opposed to Jeanne

  -- Healthful and growing day after day. it needs than a little fever to harm Peregrine more.

  -- a traicionera wife is needed -- Liana commented.

  Jeanne nailed the needle in the frame, it put of foot and it began to walk towards the door.

  — ¡You hope! -- Liana called --. I request excuses, there are si­do very good with me.

  Jeanne became, spilled a liquid in jarro and gave it.

  -- Bebed this. It tastes hateful, but ne­cesitáis.

  Obedient, it swallowed the horrible concoction of grass. When it gave back jarro to Jeanne, it asked:

  -- What suce­dió since they catched to me? Rogan attacked?

  Jeanne took a little while in responding.

  -- Rogan sent a message saying that... not you consi­deraba its wife and who Oliver could do what wanted with vos.

  Liana as soon as it could contain one exclamación.

  -- I am afraid that Oliver lost stirrups, ordered that they cut your hair and they sent them to Rogan.

  Liana avoided the compasiva glance of Jeanne.

  -- I understand. I suppose that when him they took my... ca­bellos -- as soon as it hit upon to say the word -- its attitude it continued being the same one. -- Volvio' the eyes towards Jeanne.-- and now, what will do your husband? It will send to me in pieces to Peregrine? A hand today? A foot tomorrow?

  -- Of course, it will not do anything of that -- it talked back Jeanne seca­mente. To tell the truth, Oliver had threatened to ha­cer indeed what Liana mentioned, but Jeanne knew that they were not more than words. She was furious with its husband because it had catched to lady Liana; but now that it was here and who Rogan refused to bite carna­da, Oliver no it knew very well what to do with her.

  -- What will make the Howard with me? -- Liana asked, leaning in its weak arms to get up itself. Jean­ne him it gave a velvet dressing gown to cover cuer­po naked and decided to answer to him sincerely:

  -- I do not know it. Oliver commented that perhaps ask for the king who annuls your marriage and he marries with his herma­no to you minor.

  Liana tried to contain a shout.

  -- I am glad of which Rogan does not have dangerous its life and the one of its brothers to rescue to me.

  -- As it reduces a single brother to him, its renuencia he is comprehensible -- it responded Jeanne to him in a sarcastic tone.

  -- If it organized an attack, without a doubt it would force the Zared young person to fight with the remaining men.

  Jeanne watched it with attention.

  -- I doubt It, Peregrine even have certain nor­mas. -- Hizo a pause.-- Nobody said to you that Zared is a girl? Still they dress it man?

  Liana blinked.

  -- a girl? Zared is a girl?

  It remembered when Zared squashed the head of the rat with the fist, and Zared in the room of Liana in the middle of the night. It watched with astonishment to Jeanne, but it remembered the opportunity at which she herself it had angered because Zared slept with three women. ¡How they ed ***reflx mng Severn and Rogan when seeing the rage of Liana!

  -- Not -- Liana gave, almost between teeth --. Nobody was bothered in explaining to me that Zared is in fact one girl.

  -- Teni'a only five years during my permanence there, and I believe that the brothers felt ashamed because father had had a daughter. They attributed to the fault to his fourth wife, a woman cowardly, but rich gimiente and. I tried to protect to Zared, an error; it is so militant like its brothers.

  -- and I am a still greater idiot, then never I suspected it -- Liana said. And it thought: And they never molesta­ron in to explain the subject to me, vi­das had excluded me from his. It never was one Peregrinate and now they did not wish that it returned.

  It watched Jeanne.

  -- there was answer of no Peregrine ever since they re­cibieron my... my hair?

  Jeanne frunció entrecejo.

  -- they have seen Rogan and Severn hunting... and drinking together.

  -- Surely you mean celebrating. I thought that... -- it did not hit upon to say what thought. It thought that there were llega­do a to need it, since not to love it. It was convinced that Severn locked up it with Rogan in that quarter because ex­trañaba the things that it contributed to all castle.

  Jeanne took its hand and it tightened it.

  -- They are Peregrinates, are not looked like anybody, they are interested only in its own people. For them, the women are means of to obtain money nothing else and. I do not want to be cruel, but it is necessary that you know this: Peregrine now has your money; therefore, why you they need? I heard say that you insisted on cleaning cas­tillo and offering to them better food, but these men do not appreciate this type of things. Rains of
the pa­sada week they filled the pit by halves and they say to me that already it has flo­tando three dead horses.

  Liana knew that what to Jeanne him it related was certain. How it could have thought that it meant something for Ro­gan? Now, no longer it would have to support the interferences of Liana in its life.

  -- and the women? -- Liana murmured.

  -- Already they returned -- Jeanne answered.

  Liana breathed deep.

  -- Then, what you will do with me? My husband does not want to me. I do not believe either that my madrastra wishes my retor­no. I am afraid that your husband will have to confront the situation.

  Oliver has still not decided what will do.

  -- Rogan and Severn must be laughing willingly. They got rid of me, they conserve my dowry, and they loaded on backs of its enemy to one arpía fries inserted.

  Jeanne thought that that one was more or less situation but did not say anything. It shared the suffering of Liana, so that it knew how one felt. The first weeks, many years back, after Oliver Howard catched to Jeanne she had undergone much. It did not love its young husband nor it got along with its prepotent brothers, but it hurt to him that there were deaths a cause of her. During a time it seemed that Rogan also would perish downcast by the arrows of Oliver, and when to the aim it healed, it was for discovering that his brothers had died.

  And in all this situation, Jeanne, marked by the suffering, it had been Oliver. Never one had seted out to love the young wife of its enemy; but hers it had not had children and passed away a year before, of way que felt single, just like Jeanne, and thus they felt attracted the one towards the other. It had mos­trado itself in the beginning challenging, to honor a husband who was di­cho to him very few amiable things and it had never demonstrated affection to him, except perhaps during the sexual act. But in very just a short time the calm kindness of Oliver it smoothed it. Mien­tras beyond the walls the war got rid and hom­bres died, in the rooms of the Jeanne castle it lay in arms of Oliver.

  When this one knew that it would give a son him, it conceived furious ce­los. Its hatred to Peregrine was accentuated because woman a who it loved, the mother of her son, was espo­sa of another one. Jeanne requested to him that it allowed to go to see him Ro­gan to request the cancellation to him of the marriage; but Oli­ver was gotten angry before the same idea. It terrified the possibility that Jeanne returned with Peregrine -- or in­cluso that, when seeing Jeanne and to find out the situation, Ro­gan assassinated it.