The Forbidden Promise (44 page)

In Zacatecas the mine had finally begun to function again and an
abundant extraction of silver had resumed.
Aurora had taken up her role as doctor in her clinic once more. The days passed
serenely.
After a few weeks spent blissfully in their
hacienda
, Lucas had to leave
Zacatecas to attend to some business matters and together they returned to
Tampico.
That evening Aurora planned a small dinner for friends and family.
While they waited for the guests to arrive, Lucas walked over to Aurora who was
intent on arranging the final details on the table. He encircled her waist and
kissed her passionately.
Aurora ran her hands through his black hair.
" Love, I’ve a surprise for you! I wanted to wait to tell you but I can’t
resist!"
" What is it?" he asked curiously.
"We are expecting our first child," she exclaimed laughing.
Lucas picked her up and twirled her round covering her with kisses.
"It's wonderful news, my love! "
" Put me down, Lucas! You’re making me dizzy!"
Lucas put her down and kissed her gently on the lips.
" It’s the perfect seal to our eternal love."
Aurora nodded, returning the kiss.
Their tenderness was interrupted by the arrival of the guests.
Marisol entered the small dining room of Lucas’ house in Tampico, accompanied
by Cristobal and little Matteo. The two had decided to adopt Matteo as soon as
they could get married, after the period of mourning.
Viviana was accompanied by Don José, although not officially a couple, the
gossip about their relationship became more and more insistent.
Dr. Peron and Father Julian came last, carrying a basket of sweets made by the
nuns and a bouquet of flowers for Aurora.
The cook, hired especially for the occasion, served a delicious meal and
everyone, happy and relaxed, enjoyed the delicious food and each other's
company.
Aurora and Lucas, between courses, announced their news.
Viviana was moved and ran to embrace Aurora, while Marisol and Cristobal
happily congratulated them.
After dinner, Lucas and Cristobal, went out into the garden to drink a cognac,
while the other guests remained chatting amiably in the living room.
The laughter coming from inside warmed their hearts as they sat under the
starry sky.
"I have decided to outsource the Navarra estate and return permanently to
Zacatecas," said Lucas, slowly breathing in the salty scent that the sea
breeze carried. "I'm tired of constantly going back and forward to Tampico
and now I want to enjoy my family."
" You won’t live in the Navarra
hacienda
then? Even though it’s now
a few weeks since Federico’s death and Raquel’s disappearance?"
Lucas shook his head.
" No, Aurora prefers to stay here, in this old house when we stay in Tampico,
although it seems a bit small to me. She says it is the place where we fell in
love and she doesn’t want to leave ... you know what women are like!"
Cristobal nodded with a smile.
"I have some news for you, as you may know, I've asked Marisol to marry me
and she has agreed, so I’m thinking of settling in Tampico and not returning to
Spain. If you want I can take care of the administration of your
hacienda
when you're away."
"I could not wish for a better steward," exclaimed Lucas.
"Thank you for your appreciation, Mr Navarra" replied Cristobal.
"Perhaps it is time that we used first names, I consider you a friend, a
dear friend." Lucas said shaking his hand.
Cristobal gave him a slap on the shoulder and they stayed outside gazing at
Tampico’s amazing starry night sky, finally enjoying the peace and happiness
for which they had fought so hard for.

    
A gentle breeze blew across the lawn of the
hacienda
in Zacatecas. At
these altitudes, despite the beautiful bright sun, the days were always clear
and breezy, while fluffy white clouds floated across the sky.
Aurora, sitting on a bench, was reading a novel,
Pasionarias
by Manuel
Maria Flores, one of her favorite books.
Maybe it was better to say that she was trying to read, given the joyful cries
that came from her twins Lucrecia and Eduardo who were playing nearby.
For the umpteenth time, her attention was distracted from the same page in the
book to see what was happening. The twins were playing with wooden toys looked
after by Yolanda who seemed to be enjoying herself more than they were.
She is preparing for her forthcoming motherhood
, Aurora thought happily,
noting the obvious roundness of Yolanda’s abdomen.
" Yolanda, don’t get too tired ..." advised Aurora. "I wouldn’t
like to be forced to do a cesarean section."
" No, Aurora, don’t worry, I'm not tired, I'm having such fun!"
" I wouldn’t want Pablo to be angry with me because I’m not taking good
enough care of you!"
Aurora saw Lucas approaching from the house. With rapid strides he reached the
lawn, patted the children and went to kiss Aurora.
"What a surprise, love! How come you're not working?" she asked
pleasantly surprised.
Lucas smiled.
"I missed you too much, so I decided to join you. In addition, these
letters have arrived from Tampico."
Lucas handed her the envelopes and Aurora looked at them curiously. One was
from her mother, the other from her cousin Marisol.
She opened the letter from Marisol first, as soon as she read it she hugged
Lucas happily.
"I’m so happy! Marisol and Cristobal have become engaged! They’re having a
masked party to celebrate the event!"
Lucas laughed.
"A masked party? Marisol hasn’t lost her extravagant habits."
"Yes, that's true. She wrote that she was inspired by the Carnival in
Venice. She wants to go to Italy for her honeymoon. I'm happy for them, finally
even Marisol, after so much pain will have her fair share of happiness, like we
have."
" We could offer the Navarra
hacienda
in Tampico as the venue for
the party, what do you think?" Lucas suggested, "It’s time for some
joy to finally banish the ghosts of the past and the shadows of painful
memories."
"It's a great idea, Lucas, I’ll write and tell her straight away."
Aurora stood up from the bench and walked towards the house, asking Yolanda to
look after the children.
She went into the study and sat down at her desk. She wrote a reply to Marisol
congratulating her and offering the Navarra
hacienda
in which
to
host the party. Then, she calmly began to read her mother’s letter.
Doña
Viviana now led a quiet life, serene and at peace. She had finally buried her
old pain and remorse and now that Aurora also knew the truth, the past no
longer tormented her. She spent her days devoted to charity auctions for the
parish, visiting Costantino’s grave in the cemetery and, with Don
José’s
friendly
calls. The affection and attention which Don
José showed
Viviana
was apparent, and she knew in her heart  that she was not indifferent.
But
what right do I have to even hope to begin to be happy again with another man
after your father
? Viviana wrote anxiously,
I could never betray his
memory.
Aurora stopped reading for a moment and thought about her mother remarried to
another man, she could not deny feeling a twinge of jealousy and regret. But
then, she roused herself, she was a grown woman, she had her own family and
lived far away. Viviana was alone, with no one close to keep her company. It
was not fair to condemn her mother's desire to have someone at her side again.
And Aurora knew that only with her consent and approval would Viviana be able
to be serene again. She continued reading the letter, thinking. Viviana soon
came to the point, her slightly more uncertain handwriting showed the emotions
she had felt when she had written the words,
Don José has openly declared
his wish to marry me, after a fitting period of mourning. I didn’t know what to
say to him, but I must confess that my mind immediately began to fantasize
about a new life at his side
.
Yes, Aurora had understood, her mother would accept in the end. And this
absolutely did not mean a betrayal of Costantino’s memory and his wish to see
Viviana completely happy.
Lucas entered the study and Aurora shared Viviana's news with him.
"It's right that she is happy, isn’t it?" Lucas asked "For years
she suffered because of her love for my uncle and hatred towards Raquel that
separated them. Now everything is buried and she can start to be happy albeit,
not with your father." Lucas looking angry added, "Another victim of
that damn Raquel."
" I hate her with all my being," exclaimed Aurora. "How I would
like to see her in prison, in the place that she deserves!"
Lucas came up to her and hugged her.
"Who knows where she is now and what she’s doing. I just hope that she
isn’t inflicting her cruelty on anyone else."

Tampico market square was as always crowded with people, busy
maids, local people, rich curious bourgeois, old people, children running
between the stalls.
Among all this confusion and this clamor, a figure moved fast and silent,
wearing simple clothes, a colorful scarf on her head tied with a knot on her
forehead and black eyes lowered, eternally watching the cobblestones.
On her arm she carried a wicker basket. She walked over to a stall and bought
two tortillas, then, a little later she bought some fruit. She put the food in
her basket and covered it with a handkerchief.
Soon after, she headed towards the prison building.
No one would have recognized that the humble woman, dressed in poor clothes,
her face pale, emaciated and marked by suffering, had once been one of the most
admired and feared women on the east coast,
Doña
Raquel Navarra y Reyes.
A year had passed since her last appearance in Tampico at Federico’s funeral.
She was now back with a single thought in her now clouded mind, absolute revenge.
She would begin relentlessly from the last in order of importance and step by
step to arrive at the apex, the death of those that she hated most; Lucas,
Aurora and Viviana.

She slowed her pace for a moment, struck by her own memories. It
hurt her, hurt a lot, recalling the time when everything had finished and her
new life had begun. Only a few friends had participated at Federico’s funeral
because she,
Doña
Raquel Navarra y Reyes, always so admired and feared,
was now disgraced, humiliated, impoverished and defeated. She relived for a
moment the burial of the coffin, all those curious eyes turned on her, waiting
for her to collapse, for her to cave in.
But I'm stronger, nobody will ever
make me yield
! She thought. She had managed to remain motionless, like
stone, her face covered by black veils, her steady hand that threw a flower on
the coffin. Then she had looked up at the gate and had seen the policemen lined
up, waiting for someone. For her, of course.
It’s over, it's over ...
No! This could not happen to her, she who had dominated, destroyed, and
suppressed anyone who got in her path. People were starting to disperse, and
she had hastened to follow them, her face always veiled, her pace slow but
sure. With cunning she joined a group of women dressed in mourning, their
voices already relaxed and animated, commenting on the disgrace that had just
happened. Raquel had repressed the urge to tighten her hands around their
throats and strangle them. She must not attract attention, it was a matter of a
few precious moments. She turned to see if anyone had noticed her, no, everyone
was busy talking to each other, no longer interested in her, an outcast, a
shadow of herself. Silently, with stealthy steps, she had turned into a side
path and had hidden behind a massive tomb with a stern angel pointing his
finger to the sky. From there she had crept towards the outer wall of the
cemetery, where there were the mausoleum in which the old colonial families
were laid to rest. There had to be an escape, an unguarded exit. But she could
not find one, and time was now running out. Soon the policemen would come and
get her. She had not hesitated a moment, she had opened the door of one of the
many funeral mausoleums and had gone in. She closed the door and hid behind one
of the majestic granite sarcophagi. She had heard the footsteps of the
policemen move around the cemetery, voices that called her, but she had
remained there, still, motionless, waiting. Then, shortly after, nothing, just
silence and finally the creaking noise of the gate in the distance being closed
for the night. It would not be reopened until the morning.
Raquel trembled again at the memory of those terrible moments, so much so that
she had to stop and lean against a wall to keep from falling. A shooting pain
pierced her brain at the thought of that dreadful night.
She had slumped on the floor of the gloomy mausoleums, exhausted, as if the
last effort to avoid capture and ultimately ruin, had drained her of every bit
of vital energy. She had stayed there, waiting for dawn, unable to move, her
eyes moving restlessly between the mausoleum’s details, the faded flowers, the
statues of severe frowning angels, the bas-reliefs of Christ bleeding and
suffering, the demons defeated by armies of angels who wrestled between the
coils of snakes and spirals of smoke. Suddenly she had realized that one of the
devils had turned and was staring at her, grinning. She understood that they
were waiting for her, that she too would finish among them writhing and
screaming for eternity in the throes of suffering. She could not repress an
anguished scream that echoed in the silence of the night. But no one had heard.
She had jumped up to escape that deadly suffocating prison, but had stumbled on
the hem of her dress and had fallen. Her eyes found themselves staring into the
face of a terrible angel, his finger pointing at her, a harsh look of
accusation in the cold marble eyes.
You will pay
... Raquel had heard the
relentless condemnation vibrate in her ears. But now she had no more strength
to resist and had remained there, crying, screaming as she had felt the
tentacles of terror approach her on the dirty floor, her limbs motionless and
helpless. Then she had realized, it was not fear that kept her trapped, but the
coils of the serpent demon from hell that had come to take her to eternal
damnation.
Raquel could no longer remember how she had spent the rest of the night. Her
mind had erased everything, she had found herself at a certain point in a ray
of light that passed under the door. With a tremendous effort, she had got up
and, trembling had pushed the door open and gone out of the mausoleum. The dawn
light hurt her eyes, but inside she had felt wild joy. She, Raquel Navarra y
Reyes had also survived hell, she was even stronger than Satan! No one would
ever be able to defeat her and stop her from getting revenge on all her
enemies!
Raquel, recovering from the whirlwind of memories, began walking again with the
wicker basket grasped in her hand, her steps once more certain and decided, her
lips twisted into a smile.
She could not stop the flood of memories that had inexplicably assaulted her,
but subsequent events had made her harder, stronger and invincible, able to
fulfill the role of an avenging spirit that she had taken on.
When the caretaker had reopened the huge cemetery gate, it had been easy to
leave without being noticed. Without taking off her veils she had bought some
simply clothes with the few coins that she had had left. Then she had asked a
coachman that was heading to San Luis Portosì for a ride.
Raquel smiled at the memory of the amazement on his face when she had killed
him to steal all his money. And then a whole year in San Luis, living on her
wits.
But she had survived, ready to come back stronger than ever. The news of the
lavish masked engagement party between Marisol and Cristobal, at the
hacienda
that had been hers, had convinced her that it was time to act. The
whole area was speaking about the party and it had not been difficult for her
to discover all the details of the high-society event of the year.
She had returned to Tampico, ready for absolute revenge. But first she had to
devote herself to the minor pieces on the chessboard, to that damn traitor who
had contributed to her downfall.
She arrived in sight of the prison and assumed the air of a simpleton again.
She asked the guard on duty to be able to visit a prisoner showing the food she
had brought. The guard scowled and made her wait in the street. Shortly after,
he took her into the office of the corporal on duty.
" Who would you like to see?"
" Penelope Robles," she said hoarsely, "I’m a distant relative
and I’ve come to visit her. Her nephew and niece, Santos and Yolanda sent
me."
" That witch never receives visitors." Muttered the corporal,
"Alright, let her go in. Only for five minutes!" He ordered the
guard.

The
guard took Raquel down some gloomy stairs, to a long underground corridor, lit
only by slits with gratings and torches attached to the wall. The various
cells, places of degradation and decay opened on to the corridor.
The guard stopped, took his keys and opened the cell.
" Witch!" he shouted rudely. "There’s a visitor for you!"
The guard pushed Raquel in and locked the bars behind her.
"Just five minutes!" Reminded the guard as he walked away.
Penelope, dressed in a kind of grimy gray dress, stood up slowly from her
pallet. She had aged, her hair graying, her haggard face even sharper.
" Who are you?" She asked curiously. The twilight helped Raquel to
hide until the last moment.
"Santos and Yolanda sent me," said Raquel disguising her voice as
much as possible. "I’ve brought you some food."
Raquel uncovered the basket and put her right hand in. Penelope approached
without looking up to see her visitor’s face, all of her attention was on the
tortillas and fruit. Her eyes immediately lighted up with greed and gluttony.
"Kind Santos and Yolanda, remembering their aunt who fell into
disgrace." Crooned her dull voice. She did not notice the right hand that
quickly withdrew the dagger hidden at the bottom of the basket and lunged at
her. She felt the cold knife stab her three times in rapid succession.
She did not have time to scream before falling to the ground. In agony, she saw
her visitor bending over her, loosening the knot of the scarf and letting down
a cascade of black, smooth hair, now flecked with many gray strands. That hair
that she had carefully combed many times, while they had woven their evil plots
together.
"Do you recognize me now, my dear Penelope?" asked Raquel smiling.
Penelope did not have the strength to answer. She died with her eyes wide open,
while a mute look of astonishment appeared on her face at the last moment.
Raquel stood up, satisfied. She had been recognized.
She tucked her hair under the scarf again and with difficulty she positioned
Penelope’s body on the mattress, sitting back against the wall, in front of the
basket, as if she was staring at it spellbound with her head down. Then,
hearing the guard’s footsteps approaching, she pretended to give a cordial
goodbye to Penelope and waited to leave the cell. The guard did not notice
anything and escorted Raquel upstairs. She went out into the road and
disappeared in the crowded streets.
When the guards became aware of the murder it was too late to track down the
mysterious woman.