Chapter 6

She crept closer as tears streamed down her face. The door was half open and that made her spying easier. Why was she torturing herself? Her hands were shaking and her heart ached, it wasn't fair! She should be there, she should be enjoying that intimacy.

Sam woke up with tears in her eyes, dreaming about her memories opened that wound she tried to ignore because she didn't know how to heal it. Loneliness gnawed at her bones, maybe it was what she deserved after all. She was presumptuous to desire love, companionship, passion. Why? She shook her head trying to throw out those harmful thoughts, it was amazing how the evil words of others could hurt so much that, you end up believing them. No, she shouldn't feel guilty for wanting to love and feel loved, she shouldn't think so low of herself and blame herself for wanting to have passion in her life, for wanting to experience pleasure, if it existed. 

What would that experience be like? Everyone talked about it as if it was good, plus she witnessed her cousin enjoying it, it must be good. But she didn't feel that way, it was painful and violent. It was humiliating. She had dreamed so much of that encounter, of his kisses and caresses. Why did he hurt her so much? She loved him and thought she was the happiest woman in the world when they married. But her happiness did not last long, her father died at the celebration and her world went with him.

She could still remember his green eyes, as she believed they sparkled with love. She could remember…

Flashback

 “Samay,” Daniel approached her with a smile that was inevitable not to blush. “I have to go now. It's late and it's not right for me to be visiting you at night, I don't want bad tongues to tarnish your good reputation as a decent lady.”

 “I understand,” she pouted. It was difficult to have him all to herself since her father was almost always talking to him when he visited her. They rarely went out and it was always a short walk in the park. She tended to watch him from afar as he worked alongside her father, he was her man of trust and who helped him manage the ranch, which is why Mr. Fraga was very pleased with her engagement.

“Be patient, soon we will get married and we will be together forever. I love you, Samay,” Daniel pronounced taking her hands, she blushed instantly, but she was very disappointed. She didn't want a kiss on her hands, as usual, she wanted to taste his lips. They had been dating long enough and would soon be married, but she had never been kissed. Curiosity and desire were taking away her peace; however, as a decent young lady and of her house she should not have to ask for it. She moved closer to him in the hope that he would give her more that night, she only asked for a kiss on the lips, to taste the flavor of his mouth, to know why couples enjoyed that.

 “Daniel…” she pulled him when he said goodbye with the gesture on his hands. She was so nervous she felt she would faint, her cheeks were red and her heart was pounding intensely. “Can you kiss me on the lips? We're sweethearts, it's okay if we kiss…”

 “No!" she got excited at his interruption. “It's not okay, Samay. You should go to church more often and stop talking to your cousin. She is a bad influence on you. I love you, but I will not accept such behavior from you, you will be my wife, a chaste woman, and of her house. I will only kiss you on the lips after we are married. I bid you farewell,” he waved his hand coldly and left in anger. Samay could not help crying, she felt so ashamed. She shouldn't have asked for that, she was too bold.

End of flashback

Sam wiped away those tears that escaped her. Remembering her past still hurt; the cruel way they shattered her innocence and joy, how her illusions were trampled, and what she thought would be her greatest happiness, was her misfortune.

Six months later...

Arthur kept up his fight against the crooks of his region and tried to imprison Henry Jones for the crime against Anabela, but he had not succeeded; even so, he continued to fight for it.

He succeeded in getting the governor of that place full of corruption and abuse to at least lower taxes on wage earners and to pay them a fair day's work. Many women were harassed in small businesses in the region so he created an institution to protect them so they could complain without losing their jobs. He was allied to the Ben family, who were influential people in the nearby region and fought for justice and social integrity. Arthur visited the family very often by mandate of his father and it was time to assume his responsibility as the only Connovan heir and participant of the vigilante alliance, which rather than doing justice, focused on their benefits; however, it was the only thing he had at hand to bring some peace and resources to his region.

Arthur was returning from visiting the Ben family and arrived at a small town with his men for the night. The sun had not yet set, so he took the opportunity to find available inns. Murmurs of men and pleas from a woman caught his attention. He rode to that desolate alley and his men followed him, understanding that he would help whoever needed his help. That was the way he was, he would risk himself to help others. He jumped off his horse indignantly when he saw some men harassing a helpless woman she was a beggar, probably one of those women who lost their minds and had no one to take care of them, then wandered the streets begging for food and enduring all kinds of abuse. He walked determined to smash the faces of those bastards who laughed as they beat and wanted to undress that young woman who begged for mercy. His men drew their weapons and pointed them in the direction of the thugs, who raised their hands perplexed and pale with fear. For his part, Arthur went to the beggar girl who was on her knees crying, knelt in front of her, and extended his hand to help her to her feet.

 “Calm down, I won't hurt you,” she reacted nervously at the sound of his voice. She raised her face in disbelief and Arthur froze in shock. It was her. His heart pounded with agitation and his eyes glazed over. The woman who had saved his life and healed his wound, who took care of him for a whole month and gave him unforgettable moments was in front of him. Although her face was covered by that horrendous cloth that was not the red veil he remembered, it no longer had her exquisite aroma of spices and herbs, rather it reeked, he recognized her. She was sad and lost, her clothes dirty and torn, her extreme thinness from malnutrition was noticeable and her hair was more matted than he remembered it. It was her, despite her stench and neglect, it was that woman who took him in, it was the woman with the veil.