Marina waited impatiently for Alma to come back.
"I've sent the gardener. He has friends at the harbor that will tell him which ship can carry your letter," the woman said, walking into the kitchen.
"Thank you very much, Alma."
"May I ask you something?" asked the housekeeper, lowering her voice.
They were alone in the kitchen, but with half a dozen servants and the two soldiers watching Castillano, there was no telling when somebody could come in and overhear a conversation.
The girl nodded, as serious as the woman.
"How did your lady meet the captain?"
Marina hesitated. "He didn't tell you about me?"
Alma shook her head, surprised. Why would he even mention a maid?
"How long have you been in his service?"
Alma frowned, suspicious. "My whole life."
"Oh, well. Where can we talk away from indiscreet ears?"
Castillano played dice with his guards at the daily dining room when he saw them come out of the kitchen, and Alma's astonished look told him he didn't need to explain anything to her anymore.
The women spent the rest of the morning setting up the bedrooms upstairs, and both Alma and Dolores had to scold Marina, because the girl was about to spoil her dress, working even harder than the maids. Once they were done, Alma send the maids to help the cook. She and Marina took the girl's clothes from the chests and let Dolores rest before lunch. While they put Marina's dresses in the small closet, Alma asked the dozen pending questions she had after their conversation. The girl answered them the best she could, and asked about the house routine, especially the soldiers.
"Two during the day and only one at night," she repeated, thoughtful. "Always the same one at night?"
"No, they take turns. They're half a dozen."
"Do they sleep during the night shift?"
"Two or three of them, yes, like logs. The others, maybe, depending on what they had for dinner. And one of them is a sleepless demon that even refuses to sit down."
"They eat here."
"Yes."
Marina flashed a mischievous little smile. "How's your laudanum supply? I'm going to need some to make sure they don't wake up."
"What are you intending to do at night, in hiding?"
"See the captain alone," the girl replied, like it was obvious. "Seems to be the safest moment to do it." She noticed Alma's frown and blushed up to her hair. "Oh, no, no! I mean seeing him to talk! Your boy is more stubborn than a mule, Alma, and I'm still to convince him to run away if he's not absolved."
"Do you think you can make him change his mind?" asked Alma, halfway between hope and disbelief.
"Hand to heart? No, I don't think I have the slightest chance. That's why I asked you to send that letter. I will need my ship and my men, because I intend to take him away by force if need be."
Marina froze when Alma took her hand with a sad smile. "I was here that night, you know? With Hernan. And there are nights when I still think I can hear them fight in the main hall. But you... You're a miracle, child. I don't know why you even try, but I thank you from the bottom of my heart. My boy deserves all the help he can get."
The girl took a minute to control herself, because Alma's words had moved her deeply. The woman talked about Castillano like her mother talked about her, with an unyielding, proud love.
"If you only knew the horrors he saved me from, you wouldn't be surprised I'm here. Your boy is a true lion, and all the pride you may feel for him is fair. I have no idea how come one of my blood and one of his are together in this house again, in such opposite circumstances. But if it's a miracle, it's one he set in motion."
Segovia showed up at noon like the perfect beau, with a bright smile, wearing his best uniform and bringing flowers for Dolores. He hardly heeded Castillano and Marina over lunch, and they could only admire Dolores' patience and skill to handle the man. The general invited her to a ride around town, hoping for a chance to be alone with her. But Dolores apologized and declined. The last weeks had been so harsh for her; she needed to rest, or she would pass out at any given moment.
As soon as the guest was gone, Dolores asked Marina for help and they went upstairs together. She hadn't lied about how demanding the last two months had been for her, and now that they were sort of safe, she only wanted to lay down and rest, oblivious to the world.
Castillano also retired for a nap over the hot hours, and Marina seized the chance to get rid of her 'awful doll dress.' She accepted the more comfortable and simple clothes Alma gave her, which included a bonnet that allowed her to take off the hairpiece. Glad to be able to breathe again, she asked Alma for permission to renew the flowers in the house, and that afternoon all the rooms smelled of the fresh, sweet perfume of the jasmines she set in every vase. Then she joined the maids in the kitchen, where she felt better than anywhere near that horrible main hall. It was a merry group, that made her feel welcome and comfortable like she'd felt among the women of the pleasure house in Maracaibo.
A couple of hours later, firm footsteps interrupted the chattering and giggling. The door opened wide and Castillano walked in, like it was the kitchen of his own house, asking for something cool to drink.
He didn't recognize Marina among the maids until he approached the table to grab a fruit. Then he spotted her sitting there, a bitten apple at hand and her eyes shadowed by the white bonnet covering her whole head.
"Velazquez?" he tried, surprised.
"Captain?" she replied, looking up at him with a little smile.
The cook placed a jug of lemonade and a glass on a tray.
"Make it two glasses," he said. "Mind to join me, Velazquez?"
He grabbed the tray and headed to the side door. Alma traded a look with him first, as he smiled, shaking his head. Then with Marina, who went after him, eating her apple. Castillano paused at the doorway and signaled one of the maids to open the inner door. A soldier waited there.
"I'm going to the garden, Jose," he said to the man, almost friendly.