Love of Lady Liana.

by Alvarez y Losada

  But defying to Oliver and risking its life, she went to the encounter of its husband. It had been very difficult to leave castle, that was besieged. In one night dark and without moon, its ladies they helped to descend the wall and a man to whom had paid itself well it took in boat through the inner pit, later she ran, seized, ha­cia the outer pit, where another boat waited for it. Much gold had cost him to bribe the guards of the parapets so that they did not give the alarm, but it obtained.

  With a fabric layer rough on dress, atra­vesó easily the camping of Rogan without nobody it identified, If before she were not safe, when verifying that the people who were coexisted whole months it re­conocía did not receive more confidence in itself. It happened next to Severn and Zared and not even they watched it. When en­contró with Rogan, it was not glad to see it again and either because to the aim he could raise site. Jeanne requested that they went to the forest, he to him accepted and without losing second it explained to him that she had gotten to love Oliver and that would give him son.

  During a little while Jeanne it feared that he it killed it. However, it grasped it of the arm saying to him that it was Peregrine and that had to continue with him; that never entre­garía to a Howard. Even certain point, she had forgotten how they were Peregrine and before the perspective of never seeing Oliver and more having to pass the rest of its life in impure castle of Moray, Jeanne began to cry. It did not remember what him it responded, but it believed to have affirmed that it would be killed if it had to live with Rogan.

  In any case, it separated it pushing it against a tree.

  -- Vete -- it said to him --. Salt of my Vista.

  Jeanne, then, threw to run and not it stopped until being out of danger inside the hut of a farmer. That day Peregrine raised the siege and a month later Jeanne knew that Rogan it had peticionado to the king, solicitan­do the cancellation of the marriage.

  It could avoid that Oliver found out of his visit to Rogan and thus one saved many accusations caused by jealousy. But during the years that followed, alre­dedor of them floated memory of which Jeanne was si­do once the wife of Peregrine. During long Oliver time watched with distrust to its son greater and certain time Jeanne it surprised it inspecting the hair of the boy.

  -- it does not have red fibers -- it clarified to him Jeanne and separated from him. From the childhood to Oliver they had taught hatred to him towards Peregrine, but now detested more. It seemed to him that Peregrine they had the first option of everything what it had: its castle and its wife.

  So that now, many years more late, Oliver tried to strike again to Peregrine seizing of one of the spouses of that family, but this time Rogan was not arranged a to fight. It did not want to risk to lose another brother by a woman to who from the beginning it had not loved.

  Jeanne watched Liana.

  -- I do not know what will happen now -- it said sincerely.

  -- Either I -- it was the shady answer of Liana.

  18

  Liana gave last the puntada one to the dragoon embroidering in the subject fabric by the frame and cut the thread. It had finished it founds of the pillow on few weeks; it tried to man­tener occupied the hands because that way it thought me­nos.

  During five long weeks it had been prisione­ra of the Howard. After one recovered in the necessary measurement in order to walk, they had assigned a room to him of guests, a place pleasant and sunny, as well as all the seam elements that needed. Jeanne facilitated two dresses to him.

  Outside her, Liana did not see anybody, except for the servants who came to clean and to these it was prohibited to speak them to him. first days one had taken a walk by the room until they were gotten tired to him legs; but later it began to toser and it used the complicated work to separate his mind of noti­cias that Jeanne brought all the nights to him.

  The Howard watched close by to Peregrinate and in­formaban to Oliver. They saw Rogan every day: entre­naba with its men, it rode with its brother and perse­guía like a satyr to young people farmers.

  Oliver repeated its threats to Rogan and it let extend that Liana was enamored with its brother. The res­puesta of Rogan had been to ask if they would invite it to the wedding.

  Liana nailed the needle in the fabric and it punctured the thumb. the eyes filled it of tears and thought: she is a dirty one beast. Daily co­sas reviewed in its memory many terrible that Rogan had done to him. If sometimes con­seguía to escape of the Howard, no it wished to return to never see Peregrine. It cherished the hope of which all, even Zared, the disguised girl of man, is hundie­sen in their own one dirt and suffocated.

  At the beginning of the sixth week, Jeanne it came to see it with an expression worried in the face.

  -- What happens -- Liana asked.

  -- I do not know it. Oliver is angered, more angered that never. It wants to force to fight to Rogan. -- Jeanne seated with loss of heart expression.-- I could not discover na­da, perhaps but Oliver sent personal challenge to Rogan... a luck of judgment of God.

  -- That would solve definitively it disputes, the vence­dor would be the owner of this castle.

  Jeanne hid the face between the hands.

  -- You can permitiros say that, Rogan is several years younger than Oliver, more corpulento and hard. Your es­poso it will win and mine it will die.

  During the last Jeanne weeks it had gotten to know Liana very well, almost until the end of which they could to consider friends. Liana supported a hand in the shoulder of its interlocutor.

  -- I know what you feel, before I believed to love a my husband.

  To the right a noise was heard.

  -- What was that? -- Jeanne asked raising the head.

  -- the man who cleans the toilet.

  -- it did not know that there was somebody here, I also sue­lo to forget it. They come and they go so discreetly -- Liana said --. In my house... I mean, in the castle of my husband, the servants were incapable and sluggish and they did not have idea of mo­do to clean.

  Again the noise. Liana approached door of the toilet.

  -- Outside here -- it ordered to the old one bent that last the three days was in charge to clean the ha­bitación clumsily.

  -- But I have not finished, my lady -- the man moaned.

  — ¡It was! -- Liana repeated, remaining of foot mien­tras the old one moved away cojeando and dragging one of the legs.

  When they were single, one became towards Jeanne.

  -- What responded Rogan to the challenge?

  -- I do not believe that it has sent it, Oliver no it can think that it will manage to defeat to Rogan. Oh, Liana, this must finish.

  -- Then, dejadme in freedom -- him it asked for Liana --. Ayudadme to flee and once I disappear, the rage from Oliver will calm.

  -- Volvere'is to Rogan?

  Liana turned aside the glance.

  -- I do not know it. I have some properties personal. Perhaps I will go there, where surely I will be able to find a place to which belong, a place in which I am not a load.

  Jeanne was put of foot.

  -- First of all, I must fidelity to my husband, I cannot co­laborar with fled yours. Right now, it does not please it that it sees you every day. Not -- it said with voice signs --, if traiciona­se would feel humiliated.

  Liana thought: The treason. The history of the Howard and Peregrine abounded in disloyalties.

  Jeanne left abruptly room, as if it feared the possibility of changing of idea under influence of Liana.

  On the following day, Liana was nervous and sobresal­taba with each noise. The door was opened, she watched towards there with the hope to see Jeanne and to find out noveda­des; but it was solely old the in charge one of the lim­pieza. Disappointed, it returned the eyes towards new linen cloth extended on the frame.

  -- Llevaos the tray of the food and you leave here -- it said opposed.

  -- and where I will go? -- a voice asked so well-known by Liana that a chill crossed the spine to him. With very slow movement raised the glance. Of foot i
n front of the heavy door it was Rogan, a patch on an eye, a hump and a leg bandaged of so way that seemed that it was deformed.

  It smiled to him so of way that Liana included/understood that it hoped to see it jumping of joy.

  However, Liana seized of a glass deposited on the tray of the breakfast and it at the top threw it of Ro­gan, who avoided it and the glass struck against the door.

  — ¡Bastard! -- Liana said --. Satyr incorrigible, killer mentiroso and cheater. I do not want to return to verte. -- One by one the things were throwing him that were on the tray and continued yet what could find in the habita­ción.-- you left Me here, that rotted to me. Me they cut the hair, but it did not matter to you. You did not wish to see me, never me you wanted, not even you said to me that Zared was one mu­chacha. You answered a Oliver Howard that reason why I mattered to you, could do what wanted with me, you ed ***reflx mng yourself and festejabas while I was prisoner, you went to hunt with Severn while I lived locked up in this quarter. You...

  -- Era Baudoín -- Rogan responded to him.

  Exhausted the utensils used like projectiles, Liana began to take the blankets of the bed and to use them of same way, those that flying by the air, went aterri­zando on the feet of Rogan. Now, around him there was a great battery of adornments, pillows and plates.

  -- You deserve everything what the Howard you they do -- Liana howled --. Your family is rotten until the marrow, almost I died of fever while you passed it well. I am sure that it does not matter to you, but me rain tied to a tree all the night ba­jo. It could have lost to ours son, as if that worried to you. You never...

  -- Baudoin was the one that left to hunt, I he was -- di­jo Rogan here.

  -- Very typical of Peregrine: to throw it blames to another one. The poor man and innocent family father. One would worry if they al­guien it cut the hair of its wife. ... -- Hizo a pause. In the room no it was necessary nothing else to throw to Ro­gan.-- Here? You were here?

  Its voice expressed suspicion.

  -- I was here, buscándote during almost three weeks but the quarter that you occupied was a kept affluent secret.

  Liana was not safe to believe to him.

  -- How you could be without nobody here it knew it? The Howard knows you.

  -- Not as much as they create, its spies have sight to Baudoin hunting and persecuting the girls; she was not I. I es­taba here, disguised, cleaning to rooms, encalando walls, sweeping floors... and meanwhile it listened.

  Liana began to pay more attention to him, perhaps the news that had arrived to him about their conduct were false.

  -- You cleaned something? -- it asked --. I must believe that? You would not know what extreme of the broom you must use.

  -- If now it had one, it would know what end to use in your buttock.

  It was certain, Oh, God santo, was certain. In effect, it had been looking for it. The knees of Liana became loose and it collapsed on the mattress of pens, sank the face between the hands and began a to cry as if co­razón was destroyed to him.

  Rogan did not dare to touch it, it remained of foot in the same site, the center of the disorder, watching it fija­mente. It had not believed possible to return to never see it more.

  The day that had captured it, when it fell in a bed of ortigas and the skin burned, imagined that his to him espo­sa him it would have prepared a hot water bathtub, that would alleviate its pain. But to to promote the stairs discovered a lot populated by women who cried. No it could remove na­da in clean from the servants of Liana, but Gaby, between so­llozos, it informed to him that the Howard had captured Lia­na. Oliver Howard had sent a message in which it said that in exchange for the return of Liana it wanted the delivery of the castle of Moray.

  Without saying word, Rogan went to dormitory, its intention had been to happen awhile solo and to plan his strategy, but suddenly discovered that Severn and Baudoin held it against the floor. The room was destroyed. Having by a so blind rage that not yet it remembered na­da, it had taken an axe to the room and it had been dedi­cado to destroy everything: the fabric, iron, wood objects. The wax of candles were mixed with desga­rradas sheets. With one palmatoria of iron it had destroyed to the legs of the oak chairs and beautiful crucifijo of Liana was a pile of chips. Everywhere pieces of the dresses were seen of Liana: red, brocaded silk blue, tisú of gold, tisú of silver. Four hairdos they lay broken and the re­lleno appeared by the rasgaduras.

  Severn and Baudoin demolished the door and finally they were able to hold to its brother, avoiding who he himself hurt itself.

  When Rogan recovered the sense was calm, very calm. As much that Severn was gotten angry.

  -- Atacaremos -- Severn said to him --. Now we have money, we can contract finally expulsare­mos mercenarios and a the Howard of the home of Peregrine.

  Rogan watched Severn and imagined to his brother washed and deposited in a coffin, since he had seen Basil and Ja­mes when they had fought to recover to his first es­posa. Rogan knew that no temera­rias had to adopt attitudes, that it had to think with clarity and with calm. It could not attack a as important place as earth of Peregrinate without a considerable work of planning.

  During days it worked much and esforzadamente and it forced its men to exercise itself until the exhaustion in his preparation for the war. At night one stopped only when no longer it had forces to continue; and then it fell in a calm and deep dream.

  And in spite of everything what worked, it continued ex­trañando it. Liana was the only person in its life that was been able to make him laugh. Neither their father nor his brothers mayo­res had joked never while they lived and in spite of ha­ber itself married with that girl by money that could contribute to him, later nothing had been the same. She was the unique one that one dared to criticize it; other women feared too much to him to complain treatment that it gave to them and to not said him that it was mistaken. It thought: those women lacked value, did not set afire the bed to him, did not appear to have supper covers of currencies, did not dare to ask about his first wife to him.

  It was watching the boarding of some machines military in the carts, when a horseman Peregrinates arrived with package sent by the Howard. The cofrecito of oak had been thrown by upon the wall with a message destined to Rogan.

  It broke the lock with a tip of iron, retired the bulk surrounded in linen cloth and found inside the cabe­llos of Liana but was able to conserve the calm. With those hair of silk in the hand it began to walk towards the tower.

  Severn reached it.

  -- Where you go? -- it asked.

  -- This it is a subject between Oliver Howard and I -- Rogan said se­renamente --. I am going to kill it.

  Severn forced its brother to become.

  -- Crees that Howard will accept a battle personnel with you? That it will confront a clean fight? He is an age man.

  Rogan felt the hair that it had in hand.

  -- it hurt it and for that reason I will kill it.

  -- Piensa about which beams -- Severn requested -- . He will be suficien­te that you approach the entrance of its castle and he will order that they cross to you with arrows. Later, what will be of your es­posa? We go, ayúdanos to prepare the war, we will attack as it corresponds to the Howard.

  — ¡As it corresponds! -- Rogan exclaimed, means in ridicule --. Since we did previously? Then there were five brothers Peregrinate, and even so the Howard derro­taron to us. How it is possible that, poor men as we are, alimen­temos the hope to fight against the Howard? Llevare­mos our very small force, we will surround them and Howard will be ed ***reflx mng of us from high of its walls.

  -- and nevertheless you, a single one think that man, pue­de to do what he is not within reach of all our force?

  Rogan did not have answer for that. A went its room of meditation, closed the door and was twenty-four ho­ras there. Finally, it knew what had to do. The day that it and Liana had gone to fair, saw with how much facility the farmers entered and left the castle of Moray. By su­puesto, always
it saw them, with its baskets of hens, his ca­rretillas of three loaded wheels of coarse merchandise, mu­chos with its tools to shoulder to make works of repair; but never it paid attention to them. Only when the own Rogan dressed atuendo the farmer understood with what freedom entered that people and how it was introduced in the castle without nobody it did questions to them. But if a man with armor and to horse approached a less than twenty kilometers of the castle of Moray, he had to face his armed horsemen.

  Rogan summoned its two brothers to quarter of me­ditación and included for the first time to Baudoin like miem­bro of family. One said that that was what Liana would do because it had contributed to him more precious of the gifts: another brother. Rogan explained to them that it glided to get dressed farmer and to enter single the strength of the Howard.

  The shout of protest of Severn frightened a the doves of the ceiling. It howled, it raged and it threatened, but it could not affect to Rogan.

  Baudoin, that had kept silence during the explosion of Severn, finally it spoke.

  -- Necesitara's a good disguise, you are too high, identificarte is very easy. Gaby will prepare one not even to you and lady Liana will be able to discover to you.

  That day, Rogan, Gaby and Baudoin tullido, tuerto worked esforza­damente to turn it an old one and jorobado. Severn so was irritated that it refused to collaborate, pe­ro Rogan went a to see it and requested him aid. This it knew that the spies of the Howard observed them, and it wanted that Severn induced them to think that it still was in the castle of Mo­ray. Severn and Baudoin had to obtain that the Howard pensa­ran that this last one it was Rogan.

  One approached single the strength of Howard. Cuan­do took leave to the forest, Severn embraced their brother, fallen into disuse gesture between Peregrine, that had not pronounced before Liana arrived and a little ablan­dase.