Rubio and Tomás walked ahead, talking quietly together.
They are talking about me. They think I do not know their plan. Sister Teresa moved nearer to them so she could hear what they were saying.
“…a reward of five hundred thousand pesetas on our heads. Of course Colonel Acoca would pay more for Jaime, but he doesn’t want his head. He wants his cojones.”
The men laughed.
As Sister Teresa listened to them talk, her conviction grew stronger. These men are killers doing Satan’s work, messengers of the devil sent to damn me to everlasting hell But God is stronger than they are. He will not let them take me back home.
Raoul Giradot was at her side, smiling the smile that she knew so well.
The voice!
I beg your pardon?
I heard you sing yesterday. You are magnificent.
May I help you?
I would like three yards of muslin, please.
Certainly. This way…My aunt owns this shop and she needed help, so I thought I’d work for her for a while.
I’m sure you could have any man you want, Teresa, but I hope you will choose me.
He looked so handsome.
I have never known anyone like you, my darling.
Raoul took her in his arms and was kissing her.
You’re going to make a beautiful bride
But now I’m Christ’s bride. I can’t return to Raoul
Lucia was watching Sister Teresa closely. She was talking to herself, but Lucia could not make out the words.
She’s cracking up, Lucia thought. She’s not going to make it I’ve got to get hold of that cross soon.
It was dusk when they saw the town of Olmedo in the distance.
Rubio stopped. “There will be soldiers there. Let’s move up to the hills and skirt the city.”
They moved off the road and left the plains, heading for the hills above Olmedo. The sun was skipping across the mountaintops and the sky was beginning to darken.
“We’ve only a few more miles to go,” Rubio Arzano said reassuringly. “Then we can rest.”
They had reached the top of a high ridge when Tomás Sanjuro suddenly held up a hand. “Hold it,” he whispered.
Rubio walked over to his side and together they moved to the edge of the ridge and looked down into the valley below. There was an encampment of soldiers there.
“¡Mierda!” Rubio whispered. “There must be a whole platoon. We’ll stay up here for the rest of the night. They’ll probably pull out in the morning and we can move on.” He turned to Lucia and Sister Teresa, trying not to show how worried he was. “We’ll spend the night here, Sisters. We must be very quiet. There are soldiers down there and we don’t want them to find us.”
It was the best news Lucia could have heard. It’s perfect, she thought. I’ll disappear with the cross during the night They won’t dare try to follow me because of the soldiers.
To Sister Teresa, the news had a different meaning. She had heard the men say that someone named Colonel Acoca was searching for them. They called Colonel Acoca the enemy. But these men are the enemy, so Colonel Acoca must be my friend. Thank You, dear God, for sending me Colonel Acoca.
The tall man called Rubio was speaking to her.
“Do you understand, Sister? We must all be very, very quiet.”
“Yes, I understand.” I understand more than you think. They had no idea that God permitted her to see into their evil hearts.
Tomás Sanjuro said kindly, “I know how difficult this must be for both of you, but don’t worry. We’ll see that you get safely to the convent.”
To Èze, he means. Oh, but he is cunning. He speaks the honeyed words of the devil But God is within me, and He is guiding me. She knew what she must do. But she had to be careful.
The two men arranged the sleeping bags for the women, next to each other.
“Both of you get some sleep now.”
The women got into the unfamiliar sleeping bags. The night was incredibly clear and the sky was spangled with glimmering stars. Lucia looked up at them and thought happily: In just a few hours now, I’ll be on my way to freedom. As soon as they’re all asleep. She yawned. She had not realized how tired she was. The long, hard journey and the emotional strain had taken their toll. Her eyes felt heavy. I’ll just rest for a little while, Lucia thought.