The Forbidden Promise (25 page)

In the days following
Marisol and Federico’s wedding,
Doña
Viviana behaved distracted and
nervous, so much so that Costantino noticing it could not help worrying.
Several times he asked Viviana what the problem was that was haunting her but
received only evasive and cross answers. With his analytical mind he went over
again and again every detail that had happened since the day of the wedding,
looking for the reason for Viviana’s strange behavior. He excluded Aurora’s
departure as the trigger, Aurora had been happily married for months now as
they have seen during her recent visit, so Viviana had no reason to be unhappy
about this. Then he thought of when Viviana had been separated from him on the
day of the wedding, he had seen her talking to a man but she had denied it.
Perhaps
,
he said to himself,
that was the real reason
.
He did not have any patients to see that afternoon, so he went into the house
to look for Viviana and talk a little with her. Maybe his proximity would help
her confide in him. He could not find her and the maid told him that she was
out on a short errand. He walked into the bedroom and sat on the bed, thinking
with dismay that Viviana had not told him she was going out. Not that he wanted
to keep her under control, but he always liked knowing what she was doing as it
made him feel more involved in her life.
He picked up the book from the bedside table that Viviana was currently reading
and casually flipped through it. He saw a folded sheet of paper fall to the
ground, he picked it up and opened it. Normally he would never have read
Viviana’s private correspondence, but her recent strange behavior led him to
behave as he would have never imagined he could.
What he read left him stunned. Hector was back and asked to meet with her that
evening.
He jumped up scrunching up the sheet of paper
that man has returned to
torment my wife again. I remember the state she was in when he left. I’ll not
let them see each other!
Costantino considered the alternatives: he could inform Viviana that he had
discovered everything and prevent her from meeting Hector or, he could turn a
blind eye and meet him before she had a chance. After a long deliberation, he
decided on the second option. He preferred to deal with Hector once and for all
rather than let Vivian think that he did not trust her. In fact, it was not the
lack of confidence in Viviana that urged him to act, but rather the desire to
protect her from anything that would hurt her, he knew very well how much
Hector had made her suffer.
He waited for evening to arrive with trepidation and tried to conceal his
agitated state from Viviana.
At dinner Viviana informed him that she wished to visit her sister in law.
"You know Costantino, Clara is feeling very alone since Marisol got
married and left on her honeymoon. Even though it's only been a few days since
Marisol has been gone, Clara has reached a state of rejection, that is greatly
bothering me. She asked me to visit her and I didn’t feel I could refuse."
Said Viviana. Despite trying to appear calm she betrayed her tension under
Costantino’s watchful eye. Costantino had known her for many years now and knew
how to read the expression on her face like an open book. He also knew very
well that between the two sisters in law, there was bad blood and Viviana would
be the last person to whom Clara would have asked for help.
Costantino decided to continue with his plan and pretended to believe Viviana’s
lie. "Of course my dear, go ahead, all the more so because tonight I can’t
keep you company. I’ve a complicated case and want to lock myself away in the
study and consult some books to try to figure it out. I’ll ask the servants to
ensure that no one is to disturb me." Good, he had made sure that Viviana
would not look for him and that she would believe that he was so occupied she
would not notice his movements.
They finished dinner and Costantino said good evening to Viviana with a kiss on
her cheek. "I’ll go my dear, give my regards to poor Clara and
Miguel." Before leaving he gave Viviana a loving look. Viviana smiled at
Costantino, but the poignant look made her feel troubled and a dark sense of imminent
danger engulfed her. A shiver ran down her spine.
She got up from the table and ran to her room, she would soon meet Hector.
Costantino waited until Viviana had gone upstairs and then he hurried out of
the house.
He quickly made his way to
La Virgen del Mar
chapel. He arrived with his
lungs ready to burst as he was out of breath and his heart was pounding. He
would do anything to protect Viviana, including dealing with Hector.
He saw a light filtering through the windows of the small wooden building,
Hector had already arrived. He clenched his fists and prepared for the
confrontation.
He silently entered through the door. A voice rang out in the chapel
"Viviana my dear, you came!"
"No my dear Hector, Viviana is not here, and you have to explain to me why
you sent my wife secret notes and tried to organize a compromising meeting with
her."
Hector turned and saw Costantino advancing slowly towards him. He stepped back
frightened, he had never seen the calm and devout doctor with such a wild
expression on his face.
"You're back to create new problems, aren’t you Hector? Wasn’t it enough
for you to have cruelly abandoned Viviana without any real explanation? Do you
still want to hurt her?" Demanded Costantino.
"No, you're wrong, I'm back just to address my mistakes. If you’ll let me
explain, let me talk to Viviana I could clarify everything ..." Hector
tried to explain.
"You’ll not talk to her and you’ll stay away from her. She's my wife, if
you've forgotten, and I’ll not let you compromise her in a cowardly way! Do you
realize that her reputation would be in danger once again if you met?"
Anger distorted Costantino’s features.
"I don’t want to do her any harm, I’ve never wanted to. I assure
you," said Hector, raising his voice in turn.
"You never wanted to hurt her? However, you somehow managed to do so, and
hurt her very badly" Costantino grabbed Hector by the arms. "Go away
Hector, go back to where you came from and leave us to live our lives or I
swear on my honor that I'll make you pay!"
Hector screamed in pain and tried to defend himself. Soon the two men started
to wrestle furiously. So involved in the fight they were not aware of a figure
cloaked in a mantle of black silk who had approached the chapel listening to
their conversation. The stranger blocked the door of the chapel shut and then
walked slightly away. The figure retrieved a lit oil lamp previously hidden in
a clump of sundried vegetation and also picked up some twigs.
The figure then returned to the chapel and laid the branches and dry foliage
beside the building’s wooden wall before dropping the lantern that shattered.
The oil contained in the lamp caught alight, also setting fire to the twigs.
The figure stepped back staring fascinated at the flames.
There
, thought
Doña
Raquel ,
everything is accomplished. The fire will be my ally to
get rid of anyone who stands between me and what I want. Hector won’t be able
to come back again to upset my plans. I thought it would be Viviana who would
accompany Hector to hell. I was looking forward to the gossip that would arise
when their bodies were found together. Instead, Viviana survives to mourn the
death of her husband and also of her lover. I couldn’t ask for better.
The wooden structure of the old chapel parched by the sun and whipped by wind
and salt for so many years caught fire quickly.
La Virgen del Mar
chapel, a comfort to fishermen and farmers, soon became an inferno of flames
and smoke.

Doña
Viviana reached the beach with a sigh of relief. Costantino had believed her
lie and during the journey she had not met a soul. The chapel was not far away
and in a few minutes she would know the truth that Hector had kept hidden for
all those years. Impatience made her quicken her pace. In the direction of the
chapel she saw a strange and ominous glow, fear struck her like a whip. She
increased her pace. She passed the vegetation growing on the edge of the beach
and approached the chapel. A cry of terror broke from her lips. "My God,
the chapel is on fire!"
Viviana’s voice made Raquel turn round in the direction from which it had come
from.
I have to disappear, to hurry. One moment, I forgot one last detail
and then also Lucas will be finished!
Raquel took the cufflink that Lucas had lost during the scuffle with
Cristobal and threw it near the burning chapel. Then she fled.
Viviana saw a figure cloaked in black running away from the fire,
"Stop!" She shouted desperately. She went nearer to the chapel where
the flames were now so high that they prevented her from reaching the front
door. She ran towards the town in search of help.
Oh Virgin of the Sea help
me! I pray that Hector is not inside there, I beg you!
Breathless she reached the nearest tavern, taking care to keep the hood of
her cloak over her face, she rushed in and shouted "Quick
La Virgen del
Mar
chapel is on fire! Help me, there could be someone trapped
inside!"
The customers, after their initial amazement, stood up knocking over tables and
chairs. Everyone knew how dangerous a fire could be with its destructive fury
if it spread to the town. Some made their way directly to the chapel, others
went in search of buckets and containers to carry water. A
tam tam
played along the city streets made other people pour out of their homes eager
to help.
Soon they realized that it was too late to remedy the fire. The old wooden
structure was now engulfed in flames. Many knelt down to pray to the Virgin of
the Sea, the merciful mother that had always protected them was burning.
Viviana returned to the chapel desperate. She followed the route that she had
seen the black-clad figure take and on a branch she found a piece of black silk
damask. She was still clutching the piece of material in her hand when a
deafening roar reached her, the chapel had collapsed in on itself.
The flames after having devoured everything, went out leaving behind only
smoldering ruins.
A scream ripped through the air, "There are some dead!"
Horrified Viviana moved closer trembling.
Hector, my Hector
... but she
could not cope with the sight of charred bodies and ran towards her home.
It was now nearly dawn, what would Costantino say to her? Tears were streaming
down her beautiful face when she entered the house. Her maid ran to her,
"Ma’am, Thank heaven, you’re all right! Tonight some people came looking
for the master but he wasn’t in the house and neither were you! I was so
worried! "
Viviana waved aside the maid with her hand and walked in a daze towards
Costantino’s study. A terrible anguish caught the breath in her chest.
Costantino,
my God ... it can’t be,
she reached the desk. Her eyes came to rest on a
crumpled sheet of paper that she picked up with trembling hands. Despite her
vision being blurred with tears, she recognized Hector’s elegant calligraphy.
With a strangled cry she fell to the ground lifeless.

Immediately after the meeting
with the banker, Lucas began traveling back to Zacatecas. He did not feel like
waiting until the following day to leave, as he was too impatient to report to
Aurora the excellent chance of obtaining funding. In addition, and he almost
did not want to admit it even to himself, he could not stand being so far away
from Aurora, every moment without her seemed to last an eternity. He arrived at
the
hacienda
in the early afternoon.
He entered the house silently and immediately asked for his wife.
Pablo informed him that Aurora had retired to rest after lunch before returning
to the clinic. Lucas went up the stairs two steps at a time. He slowly opened
the bedroom door, Aurora had dozed off, an open book lay on the bedspread. Her
face relaxed in sleep was even more beautiful and innocent, her long dark
lashes shaded her cheeks and her red lips were slightly parted and seemed to
invite him. He bent down and kissed her gently on the lips.
Aurora shook herself and opened her eyes. “Lucas, my love, I thought it was a
dream, and instead you're here." She said stretching luxuriously.
"I wouldn’t have missed the joy of waking you up with a kiss for anything
in the world. You're even more beautiful when you’re asleep."
Aurora smiled and pulled away slightly, "You’ll be tired, come and rest a
little."
"What a tempting offer." Lucas said mischievous " but I think
that if I come to bed I won’t be able to sleep at all. "
"So don’t sleep," she replied equally mischievously.
That afternoon the mineworkers and the sick waited for Lucas and Aurora in
vain.

Two days later, the
couple was enjoying a well-deserved day off when a man arrived at the
hacienda
.
It was a mail carrier.
"I’ve a telegram to be delivered to Mrs. Aurora Navarra y Reyes." He
announced breathlessly.
Pablo called Aurora and Lucas who arrived at the entrance shortly after.
"I hope nothing serious has happened." Said Aurora as she clutched
her hands to her chest gripped by anxiety.
"Thank you." Lucas said as he took the letter that the man held out,
then went back into the house, accompanied by Aurora. He sat her down on the
couch and opened the envelope. He read the first few lines in silence, shook
his head and dazed started to reread the telegram in disbelief.
Aurora could not stand the wait and cried, "Tell me what’s happened I beg
you!"
Lucas sat down on the couch next to her and hugged her tightly, "My
darling, have strength, your father’s had an accident ... "
Through tears, Aurora whispered, "Is it serious?"
Lucas’ stricken silence brought her slowly to awareness. "My father’s
dead." She hid her face in her hands and moved even closer to her
husband's chest as he held her tighter. "I'm sorry my love ..." Lucas
let her cry, murmuring words of comfort.
Only much later did Aurora find the strength to read the telegram and find out
how her father had died.
Doña
Viviana had written only that he had died
in a fire, omitting the reasons for which Costantino had been in the chapel
when it went up in flames. She apologized for the delay of two days before
informing her, but the pain had incapacitated her to such an extent that she
had not been able to think clearly. She also requested Aurora presence at the
funeral.
Lucas ordered Penelope to pack their bags. On hearing the terrible news she was
profuse in her condolences before undertaking Lucas’ order.
My mistress has performed remarkably well, dear Hector is dead, and the trap
to get that bastard has been sprung!
She felt herself overflowing with joy
.
A few hours later Aurora and Lucas left for Tampico. Aurora did not notice
the time passing, her mind was full of memories of her father, his smile, his
protection and the complicity that united them. She could not forget all that
he had meant to her, a valuable ally even against Viviana, a trusted friend, an
extremely good and understanding father.
Even though they arrived late at night they went straight to the Vargas de
Coronado’s house.
The meeting between Aurora and Viviana was heartbreaking, the two women united
by grief embraced in tears.
"Forgive me my dear for not writing to you immediately," said
Doña
Viviana between sobs. "When I heard the news, the pain was so strong that
I was nearly out of my mind and I spent a whole day in despair, unable to think
of anything. If it hadn’t been for Father Julian’s help, I would definitely
have gone crazy."
Lucas could do nothing other than watch them without finding any way to relieve
their pain. Only towards dawn did Lucas managed to convince them to go to sleep
for a few hours. The funeral was to be held shortly after and they would have
to draw on all their strength to be present.
Viviana in particular, appeared bloodless, like a ghost. Lucas had always seen
her proud, beautiful and confident, she was now pale, limp, with pain in her
eyes and dressed in full mourning. In fact, Viviana was feeling the most
excruciating torment. Inside, in addition to the grief over the loss of
Costantino, she felt the punishment of never ending remorse; remorse for not
loving him enough, not reassuring him about her feelings, not marrying him
right away causing him pain with the knowledge of her relationship with Hector.
What a cruel game fate has dealt me! In one night I lost the man I love and
the man I thought I loved.
The sense of guilt broke her heart, only with
the death of both of them did she realize that the loss of Costantino was
infinitely more unbearable than the mere memory of Hector.
Only now I know
that I didn’t love Hector but only the memory of the passion and the feelings
he aroused in me ... my God, Costantino! Will you ever forgive me?
She could not help stifling a sob while Aurora supported her as they went
up the stairs
. If only I had thrown that note away as soon as I received it
and then all this wouldn’t have happened. My beloved daughter, your mother is
to blame for all this
. Viviana crying held Aurora more closely while she
asked for death for herself to be released from the pain.