The Forbidden Promise (36 page)

Lucas and Aurora were left alone in an oppressive silence,
"Would you like something to drink before you go to sleep?" Lucas
asked at last, breaking the silence.
"Actually I’m very tired," Aurora replied, evasively.
"Something strong after a day like this will do you good!" He
insisted. He got up and with a nod he invited her to follow him into his study.
Aurora, without much strength to resist, decided to follow him, walking slowly.
Once in the study, Aurora sat down on one of the sofas in front of the desk.
Lucas handed her a glass of tequila, then poured himself one and sat down
beside her.
" Who do you think it was that blew up the mine?" she asked, looking
around.
How many happy memories in this house
! She found herself
thinking, her mind went back to those days in which she believed that her
marriage had become a true union based on love and fidelity.
"I don’t know," he replied seriously, "but I have my
suspicions."
"Who?"
"It’s better if you don’t know for the moment," Lucas said, emptying
his glass in one gulp.
Aurora was silent, then she also drank her tequila in one gulp and grimaced.
Lucas looked at her surprised and she justified herself, "You were right,
I needed that after today!"
Aurora stood up and walked to the door.
"Now it’s better that I go to sleep, tomorrow will be another long
day," she said.
He instantly followed her and stopped her by grabbing her by the waist and
drawing her to him.
"Thank you for what you're doing!" He whispered passionately.
Aurora was confused, the tequila was making her head spin, she felt Lucas’ hot
breath on her face, while her heart beat wildly in her chest.
"I do it with pleasure, this is my job," she said, looking up and
staring into those piercing green eyes.
"Come back to me ... I know you want it too. Let yourself go!"
Replied Lucas, encircling her waist more firmly.
Aurora tried to think of all the reasons why she should not give in, but desire
and fatigue made her weak, while the need to be comforted after all the horrors
of the day overcame the last of her resistance.
She closed her eyes, raised her mouth and he kissed her passionately.
She felt his soft lips on her own, their breathing became more rapid, spurred
by their growing passion.
She felt Lucas’ strong hands slowly loosening the tiny buttons of her bodice
and start caressing her silky skin. He lifted her in his strong arms, climbed
the stairs, and carried her into his bedroom. He laid her gently on the huge
wooden bed, and continued to kiss her as only he knew how to.
He took off his shirt and his expert hands soon found her breasts. Aurora
gasped with uncontrollable passion. Lucas' mouth slowly descended to her neck
while his hands slid under her wide skirt ...
" No," cried Aurora sitting up suddenly, as if waking up from a sweet
dream that was ensnaring her.
" What happened?" Lucas asked, lifting his head and staring at her
with questioning eyes.
"We can’t ... We're making a mistake!" Aurora broke free from his
grasp, demurely covered her breasts and ran out directly to her room.
" Damn it!" were the only words Lucas managed to say, banging his
fist on the mattress and sinking his head into the pillow.
Aurora shut the door behind herself, panting. A strong emotion still dominated
her body and she realized she was trembling.
Oh, Lucas why does everything
have to be so difficult? Why did you betray me? I can’t trust you ...
To try and calm herself down, she washed her face and quickly slipped on
her nightgown. She lay down on the bed, out of breath, the burning sensation of
Lucas’ lips, his passion and the touch of his hands on her body were still
alive in her.
I must stay calm, it’s useless to deceive myself again. Nothing binds us,
the only thing that still unites us is our marriage that will soon be annulled.
She forced herself to close her eyes, relaxing herself.
I must sleep, I
have to have strength tomorrow ...
She repeated this strange litany until
sleep overtook her.
The next morning, when Aurora awoke, she rushed to check Santos’ condition. The
fever had thankfully dropped. She changed the bandage and checked the
infection, the wound was less swollen and the skin had regained a pinkish
color.
"Thank God, there are no signs of gangrene. I think he'll make it and it
won’t be necessary to amputate his leg." She said to Pablo and Yolanda who
were taking care of him.
Pablo and Yolanda embraced each other happy.
Aurora prepared a fresh poultice and applied it to the wound, then bandaged the
leg again with clean bandages and turned to Pablo.
"Continue to keep his temperature down, I believe that he’ll soon resume
consciousness." She said, smiling.
She closed her medical bag and headed for the door. Pablo stood up and shook
her hand vigorously.
"Thank you doctor you’ve saved him" exclaimed Pablo, enthusiastic.
"Santos is a strong man and he’s lucky to have friends who care so much
for him," replied Aurora.
Once out of the room Yolanda joined her. She closed the door behind herself
trying to make as little noise as possible.
" Ma’am," she said shyly, trying to hold back her tears, "I also
wanted to thank you for what you’ve done for my brother, you’re an outstanding
doctor and above all an amazing woman!"
Aurora was surprised to hear these words. It was the first time that Yolanda
had spoken to her spontaneously in a kind and respectful tone. She looked at
Yolanda who had tears in her eyes, and she saw her sincerity.
"Thank you," She said, holding Yolanda’s hands in hers.
She started to leave, but Yolanda's voice stopped her.
"There's another thing I have to tell you ... And I hope that you will
forgive me!" Yolanda looked down because she did not know if she could
face Aurora’s eyes after confessing what she had done.
" What is it?" Aurora asked curiously, retracing her steps.
"The letter that you sent from Mexico City..."
"Yes", encouraged Aurora, curious understanding immediately what
letter she was referring to.
The one I wrote to Lucas giving him a deadline
before enforcing the pact in front of the ecclesiastical tribunal...
“Well, Lucas was in prison when it arrived here at the
hacienda
. So I
took it and destroyed it..."
Aurora stared, speechless with astonishment, at Yolanda’s face as Yolanda burst
into tears.
" Forgive me, I've always loved Lucas and I couldn’t accept that he
preferred you to me, I acted out of jealousy ... I tried to separate you. I
know I don’t deserve any forgiveness for what I did, but I swear I regret it
... Only now do I realize what an extraordinary person you are and why Lucas
loves you so much," she said through tears.
Aurora stood motionless for a few seconds, she could not believe what she had
just heard.
"You’ll tell Lucas, won’t you?" Asked Yolanda.
Aurora put her hand on Yolanda’s shoulder and said, "No Yolanda, I won’t
say anything."
Yolanda looked up, she was not sure she had heard right.
" Why are you so good to me after how I’ve behaved to you?"
" Because maybe in your place I would have done the same, or maybe I would
have behaved even worse. Sometimes in the name of love, one does stupid
things."
"Thank you! You’ll return to Lucas? Believe me he loves you immensely.
I've never seen him suffer like this for any woman," said Yolanda wiping
away her tears.
Aurora smiled, stroked Yolanda’s face, but did not answer. He did not receive
the letter, however, I saw him in bed with someone else...
Dejected, she went to begin another hard day among the wounded from the mine.
The confession had left her full of doubts.
But why didn’t Lucas write to me
to explain everything even if he didn’t receive my letter? Didn’t he know my
address? Ingenious as he is he could easily have found out.
As she reached the mine, her thoughts were in turmoil.
No, I mustn’t have second thoughts! We aren’t meant to be together even
though each time I find myself with him I would like the world around us to
vanish. Now I have to concentrate on the work that awaits me. But if he, after
my behavior last night, doesn’t want to see me anymore? It’s good! I’ll avoid
falling back into his arms again like a fool.
The fear that after the previous night something between her and Lucas had
finally broken filled her with anguish. Now it's over, in any case it is
useless to think about it, fate has been our enemy from the beginning.
When she got to the field hospital she found Father Julian praying with the
wounded and their families. The excavations at the mine had finished, and now
everybody had moved to the makeshift hospital to help.
Those who had survived until now had a good chance of making it through,
volunteers did their utmost to distribute food and water and to relieve as much
as possible the wounds of the soul.
Aurora heard Lucas’ voice behind her while she was busy changing a dressing.
She turned and saw him enter with two men to whom he was giving orders  to
refill the water tank with fresh water.
Lucas met her gaze, but without even a nod he averted his eyes and turned the
other way.
Aurora felt a deep sadness spread inside her, she continued to stare at Lucas
who proudly walked away without giving her the slightest attention.
She continued to work hard throughout the morning while Lucas, although he
often passed between the rows of sick, never tried to approach her.
Aurora was able to take a moment to rest and eat something only in the early
afternoon. However, her attention was on the movements of the doctor who had arrived
from Zacatecas and who she did not trust at all. Father Julian sat down next to
her, tired and depressed.
" Father Julian, do you know where Lucas is?" She asked restless. She
had finally come to the decision to speak with Lucas once and for all to resolve
the situation.
" I think he went to saddle the horses in order to go to Zacatecas to
bring additional supplies."
"If you’ll excuse me, Father Julian, I’ll be right back," said
Aurora.
Father Julian looked at her, smiling as she walked away anxious to see her
beloved. He wondered how much time would elapse before those two who were
obviously made for each other, realized it.
Aurora managed to encounter Lucas before he left for the town.
"Good afternoon," she said cautiously, approaching Lucas who was
adjusting the saddle on his horse.
" Good afternoon," he replied without stopping and without looking
up.
"I think that within a few days the last of the injured will be able to
return to their homes..." She said, feeling foolish and clumsy. She
breathed deeply, trying to calm down and speak in a tone as composed as
possible.
" And the mine, will you be able to get it back working again soon?"
She asked, trying to decipher Lucas’ mood.
" The damage is extensive, I only have a few healthy men available and frankly
I don’t know how long it will take to start the silver extraction again,"
said Lucas giving a last tightening tug to the saddle strap.
Aurora walked over to Lucas.
" Lucas," she said with a sigh, "about last night ... "
Lucas turned towards her seemingly indifferent.
"The tequila made me lose control," Aurora continued, "it won’t
happen again."
These words infuriated Lucas who until that moment had appeared cold and
distant. Quickly, he encircled her waist with his strong arm and drew her to
him with passion.
"Why don’t you take off your armor for once and let yourself be guided by
your emotions and passion?" He growled angrily. "Don’t you realize
that you love me as much as I love you?”
Aurora remained silent and did not protest. It was perhaps this that she had
been looking for, to provoke his reaction so that he would hold her close and
kiss her again. The indifference that he had shown her all morning had made her
crazy.
"You can’t continue to be afraid of the fear of suffering for love ...
Admit that you need me!" He continued, relentless, hugging her more
tightly to him, his emerald green eyes blazing with passion.
Aurora felt a chill run down her spine and the feeling of surrender that she
felt whenever she was in his arms. Her resistance fell under his relentless
gaze, and overcome, she closed her eyes, and raised her face towards his and
waited for Lucas’ mouth to take possession of hers.
Lucas gazed at her beautiful face for a few moments and then finally, gently
touched her forehead with a kiss in a brotherly and ironic gesture that made
Aurora immediately open her eyes.
As soon as she had recovered from the surprise, a fit of anger burned her
cheeks.
" You’re insolent, a villain, you’re making fun of me!" She cried in
the grip of disappointment and frustration, beating her fists on his ample
chest as he still held her smiling.
"I know that you need me and still love me. I wanted you to know it too!
"He said in a mocking tone.
"Let me go immediately," cried Aurora, while Lucas continued to hold
her.
At that very moment, they were interrupted by another voice.
"I think the lady told you to let her go," said a man behind them.
Aurora and Lucas turned round at the same time and with surprise saw Cristobal,
standing a few feet from them.
"What are you doing here?" Lucas growled, letting Aurora go and
approaching Cristobal.
" To help," said Cristobal staring at him.
" We don’t need your help! We can manage very well on our own, so you can
leave." Lucas retorted.
"It was Marisol’s idea to come, she insisted so much ... and I offered to
accompany her."
Aurora raised her eyes to the sky.
My cousin again,
she thought,
this
is certainly an excuse to be close to Lucas ...
"Enough! Please." She intervened, "there is always a need for an
extra pair of hands!"
She approached Cristobal while the two men continued to stare daggers at each
other, ready to leap at each other’s throat.
"Thank you Cristobal for being here, where is my cousin?"
Cristobal turned away from Lucas and sweetening his expression he turned to
Aurora.
" She stayed at the
house
, the journey has tired her."
Typical of her
, Aurora thought to herself.
" If you want to start helping, the tent with the wounded is over
there," she said with a wave of her hand and pointed to the camp.