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Full Disclaimer:
This story is a work of fiction and was written for pure reading pleasure
and entertainment. The names of the characters in the story related
to the television series "Queen of Swords" are owned and copyrighted
to the Production Company of Fireworks Entertainment. The names, characters,
places and incidents are used fictitiously and any similarity is entirely
coincidental with no infringement intended. The original story is copyrighted
to the author and no monetary worth is proposed or gained. List of
Unknown Characters: Translated
Words: Dulce
Venganza
Part 3 of 3 Dr. Helm saw Marta's worried look as she stood by Tessa's cot staring at her in complete silence. Marta did not hear or see when Dr. Helm left her alone. He turned and walked out of the room opening and closing the door behind him. He made his way over to his desk and sat down. The news had completely left him baffled and confused. He realized he had just been placed in a bad predicament. Sitting in silence and pondering over everything that had just happened, Dr. Helm remembered his obligations, I am a doctor of medicine and my obligation to my patient is to keep a patient and doctor confidentiality. He recalled the solemn vow he made as a physician to help the injured and treat any information he learned of when a patient was under his care as a sacred confession. Thinking some more, If I divulge her secret to Colonel Montoya, he will have her arrested and executed. He could not allow that to ever happen. His emotional turmoil surfaced once again and he felt happy, but at the same time guilty. He remembered the countless times he had treated Tessa so bad in the past, believing she was just a spoiled rich young woman of nobility, who only cared about her position in society and having a good time. He felt shocked to learn that all along she was the apple of his eye, the woman behind the mask that caused him so much grief, but at the same time, excitement and pleasure. It was hard to distinguish two people, but if those two people were one and the same it was worse. His heart started to ache from the confusion. He admired Tessa or the Queen for her determination to fight the corrupted government and protect the innocent, but on the other hand he hated her methods of justice and killing. But she was the woman, who had captured his heart and now her fate was in his hands. Feeling trapped, Dr. Helm thought about his course of action. If I do not say anything and somehow Colonel Montoya finds out, I will be accused as an accomplice for harboring the identity of the Queen and can go to jail. If I mention it to him, well the consequences will be disastrous. I would not want to live with the remorse of turning in the woman who has changed my life since my arrival in Santa Helena. This is a very difficult decision to make. Standing up and walking over to the other side of his quarters, he went behind the curtain that separated his sleeping area from the front office and laid down on his bed. Staring up at the ceiling, Dr. Helm made his decision. I will protect her at any cost. Once she is better I will ask her to explain the reason for her deception. << ===================================== >> Vera departed the Doctor's office and climbed into her buggy. Grabbing the reins, she urged the horse into a gallop and rode out of town towards the direction of her hacienda. The afternoon ride back had given her time to cool off and to think. Reaching the hacienda, she climbed out and left the buggy in the care of one of her criados. She walked towards the house and saw Gaspar sitting at the table on their porch enjoying a plate full of ripe red grapes. Vera walked up the stairs and he looked up to see her approaching him. "Ah, my sweet, did you find everything that you were looking for?" Gaspar asked her after he finished eating another succulent grape. Vera sat down at the table to join her husband and looked at him. He looks so content without a care in the world, she thought. "Sí amor, I did and much more", Vera replied. She saw the look of happiness on his face and refrained from telling him what she had learned. Gaspar has no clue and I better not say anything until I'm sure, she thought. She got up and started to go inside. "Gaspar, I'm going in to freshen up. I will join you in a little while", she told him. Gaspar nodded and Vera left him alone contemplating his food. Vera made her way back to her bedroom and closed the door behind her. She walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge to think about what she had discovered this morning. Remembering everything that Tessa had said, Vera started to reflect on the information she had learned. Tessa and the Queen are the same person. This information can work to my advantage. It is the perfect ace card. If I tell Colonel Montoya the news, he will finally get off my back and leave me alone. What if I tell Marcus of this news? He could benefit from it and would be rewarded for the capture of the Queen and given a promotion by the Viceroy in Monterey. What should I do?, she thought. Vera sat thinking of the difficult decision she had to make. She remembered when Tessa had helped her to resolve her predicament of being discovered for her indiscretion. She recalled the time when Tessa had not divulged her name as the witness to the crime during the trial of Anton, the son of Mary Rose. Tessa had promised she would help and keep her illicit affair a secret and she did. Vera also remembered another time that Tessa had saved her life. She had been terrified to discover that her former husband Bernardo had tracked her down and wanted to blackmail her by telling Gaspar all about her bigamy and her past life. She had confided her secret to Tessa or the Queen and she managed to help her deal with the situation. In both instances, Vera realized that as Tessa or the Queen, both acted as a good friend and kept her secret in order to protect her reputation. I do not know what I am going to do. I need to think about all of this very carefully. I think I will meditate on everything for a few days and then I will make a decision, she told herself. Vera knew that Tessa's life was in her hands. << ===================================== >> Two days later, Dr. Helm was pleased to give Tessa the news that she was on the road to recovery from her ordeal. Tessa sat up on the cot and looked content. The fever that had caused so much aggravation and heartache had finally broken and was defeated. It had been a rough few days, but the young woman was in better health. Marta was happy to see that Tessa had conquered the demons inside her and now she was going to be her old self again. Dr. Helm gave his permission for Tessa to be transported back to her hacienda so she could rest and recuperate. << ===================================== >> Montoya was in his garden pruning his flowers when his servant passed him a note. He opened it and saw it was from Grisham. He read it --Tessa Alvarado has recovered from her illness and will be leaving town to return to her home today--. He crumpled up the note in his hand and threw it to the ground. The dream of owning the Alvarado hacienda was crushed once again. Defeat was his worst enemy, but he reluctantly succumbed to its failure. He smiled and chuckled. He turned to hand pick five beautiful red roses from his own garden and arranged to have the bunch of blossoms delivered to her home with a note attached to them. There would be a next time. << ===================================== >> The ride back to the Alvarado Hacienda was pleasant. The fresh air felt good against Tessa face as she sat in the back of the wagon with Marta, while Felipe drove the team of horses. The day had been very cloudy with the sun appearing on occasions from behind the massive white balls of cotton that floated in the sky. The temperature was not as hot as the previous days and the small gusts of wind provided the right atmosphere for the ride home. Marta saw Tessa's face and could only smile. Those days of anguish were gone and now peaceful days were ahead. So much could have happened in those days. Tessa could have died. Gracias, Dios Mio for bringing her back to me, Marta silently thought. Marta suddenly became preoccupied with her other new concern. She wondered, How am I going to tell Tessa that she revealed the secret of her other identity? Tessa saw her hacienda from a distance and welcomed the site with a bright smile on her face. As they approached the front of the house, a few criados had grouped and formed a welcoming committee. They cheered and applauded at her arrival. Tessa was touched at their display of affection. Two of the criados helped move their mistress on a stretcher from the wagon back into her bedroom with Marta following close behind. Safely tucked in her own bed, Tessa sat upright watching Marta. She grabbed the bag and unpacked the few items they had taken. Putting them away she moved back and forth, striding from one end of the room to the other. Tessa found it odd to see Marta act so strangely. "Marta, will you stop that, you are making me dizzy. What is wrong?" Tessa asked hoping Marta would cease her pacing. She motioned for Marta to sit next to her on the bed. Marta stopped her pacing and walked over to Tessa to sit next to her. Clearing her throat, she began. "Tessa, I do not know how to tell you this, but you have to know. Something happened in Dr. Helm's office while you were sick and you are not going to like it", she remarked. Tessa stared at Marta with a look of concern. Marta grabbed Tessa's hand to give herself encouragement. "Marta, you are scaring me. What happen?" she asked. Tessa waited for Marta to answer her. She squeezed Marta's hand to give her support. Marta reluctantly responded, "Tessa, the Doctor and Vera Hidalgo both know you are the Queen of Swords". The look on Tessa's face told Marta she had been caught off guard and was in total disbelief. In a tone of voice that sounded like regret, Marta explained. "It happened one afternoon while you were still feverish. You spoke in your sleep and they were present to hear it all. I had dozed off from lack of sleep. If I had been awake I could have stopped you. I'm sorry, Tessa, I failed in protecting your secret". Tessa saw the hurt in Marta's eyes and knew she had to reassure Marta's confidence. "Marta, there was nothing that you could have done. The whole situation was out of your hands. It is my own fault, not yours so do not blame yourself for what has happened. My own mind betrayed me. The damage is done. Now I have to think of how to salvage my two identities", Tessa answered accepting her blame. She wanted Marta to know that even though she was foolish enough to make such a big mistake, she would take care of everything. "What are you going to do?" Marta asked as she noticed Tessa thinking. Tessa responded, "I'm going to invite both Dr. Helm and Vera to the hacienda for afternoon tea tomorrow. I would like to show them my gratitude and thank Dr. Helm for his care and Vera for showing concern over my welfare. I will try to convince both of them that while I was feverish and delirious I pretended to think I was the Queen of Swords. Can you arrange it for me? I have a plan and I'm going to need your help". Marta looked puzzled, but knew that Tessa was intelligent enough to convince anyone and save her reputation in the process. << ===================================== >> Wednesday had turned out to be a good day. The weather was pleasant and it was perfect enough to have the social gathering outside on the patio. Marta had one of the criados carry messages to both Dr. Helm and Vera Hidalgo very early in the morning to inform them of their invitation to tea around 3:00pm in the afternoon. Tessa was feeling well enough to play hostess. Her goal was to influence her guests with her wit and charm and convince them of the story she was going to tell them. The criado had returned an hour later with the news that both Dr. Helm and Vera Hidalgo had accepted the invitation and would arrive at the arranged time. Tessa sat on the patio chair enjoying the afternoon breeze. She was feeling much better and welcomed the fresh air. She spotted a lone rider approaching the hacienda and knew it must be Dr. Helm. He was so sweet in taking care of me. I wish I could tell him the truth, but I can not, Tessa thought. Dr. Helm trotted slowly on top of his mare, Furia, and saw Tessa sitting down by the table on the patio. Dismounting, he handed over the reins of his horse to Felipe and walked over to her as Tessa greeted him. "Good afternoon Doctor, so good of you to come". Tessa motioned for him to take a seat next to her. At that moment they both became distracted when the sound of an approaching buggy announced the arrival of Vera Hidalgo. Vera drove her buggy towards them and pulled the reins of the horse to make it stop. Dr. Helm saw Vera and went to assist her in getting down. Vera welcomed his help and they both joined Tessa on the patio. Tessa greeted her second guest, "Hello Vera, glad you could come." Thank you both for accepting my invitation. Please sit down and join me in some tea." Dr. Helm and Vera accepted and sat down. They watched as Marta arrived with a tray containing three teacups and a teapot accompanied by a plate filled with sweet biscuits. She set the tray down on the table and began to pour the tea for Tessa and the two invited guests. Tessa broke the silence. "That's all for now Marta, I will not be need you anymore. I will take care of and entertain our guests myself. Go back to your chores", Tessa dictated. Marta acknowledged the order that Tessa gave her and retreated. "I wanted to express my gratitude to the both of you. I just went through the worst experience of my life and I really appreciated your care and concern. I am glad this nightmare did not turn into a horrible tragedy" she told them. "Yes, it was fortunate that Marta brought you to me in time so I could treat your illness", Dr. Helm responded. "I am happy to see that you are recovering well". "Thank goodness Tessa you are alright. I was so worried for your welfare", Vera chimed in. "I am feeling much better. I hope I was a good patient, Doctor. I remember during my childhood years that I would give Marta such a hard time when I was sick. I would say things that were never true. She always scolded me for telling her lies. Just yesterday, she told me that while I was still unconscious I mentioned that I was the Queen of Swords. Isn't that funny?" Tessa spoke followed by a joyful laugh. Dr. Helm and Vera stared at each other casually and then looked back at Tessa as she continued. "I find the Queen of Swords an interesting person and sometimes I have fantasies of being her. Of course, I could never be like her. It is not in my nature to act the way the Queen does. She fights with a sword. I do not even know how to use one, plus she's always wearing that black outfit and mask. I guess she does not know how to appreciate the splendor of beautiful gowns and lace shawls. Don't you agree Vera?" Vera smiled and picked up her cup to take a sip of tea. Dr. Helm interrupted Tessa's explanation. "Well, I have to agree that during a fever the mind is weak and it is possible to have moments of temporary hallucinations. There have been cases that people experience periods of imagination that can play with the memory". He smiled at Tessa and she smiled back. Dr. Helm knew Tessa could have experienced the dreams she had talked about. He took a biscuit from the plate and picked up his tea to drink it. Vera looked at the two of them. Tessa's story sounded skeptical, but the Doctor's explanation was reasonable. But what did she know about medicine or effects derived from a fever. Maybe it is true, but how will I know if Tessa is or is not the Queen of Swords?, Vera thought. Tessa picked up her tea to drink and thought, I hope my reasons of not being the Queen have convinced both Dr. Helm and Vera that it was all a product of my imagination. Suddenly a loud shout from one of the criados of the hacienda disrupted their conversation and caught their attention. "The Queen, the Queen", he shouted repeatedly. The three of them looked in the direction of the shouting and saw the criado pointing to the top of the hill by the gravesite of Tessa's parents. A female wearing a lace mask and black clothing similar to the Queen of Swords sat on top of a horse that looked like the Queen's horse, Chico. Pulling the sword out from her sheath, the lone figure raised it up to her face. The reflection from the afternoon sun set off a sparkle of light from the long blade. She swung the sword back down and placed it back it is proper place. Rearing the horse on its hind legs, the female dressed in black saluted and then rode off disappearing over the hill. Vera looked stunned. "That was the Queen of Swords", she replied. She sounded totally surprised when she spoke. Dr. Helm added, "Yes, indeed it was". Tessa saw the look of confusion on their faces, but she managed to plant the seed of doubt in their minds like she had planned and hoped it had worked. "Well that was an unexpected surprise. If I knew she was going to be nearby I would have invited her to join us for tea", Tessa remarked sarcastically. She got a chuckle out of Dr. Helm and a twisted smile from Vera. The appearance of the Queen of Swords had concluded their afternoon social. Tessa thanked her guests for coming. Bidding her guest's farewell, Tessa watched as both Dr. Helm, riding his horse and Vera driving her buggy, left the limits of the hacienda in opposite directions. Her job was done. At that moment, she saw a rider approach carrying a beautiful bouquet of red roses in his arms. The rider dismounted and walked towards her. He handed her the flowers and the note. Bowing and taking his leave, the rider mounted again and rode off. Tessa saw only five roses and set them down on the table to read the note - You are the one rose missing from this blossom. Speedy recovery, Señorita Alvarado, Colonel Montoya --. Tessa was surprised and puzzled, but smiled at Montoya's gesture. She picked up the roses and walked inside the house and almost collided into Carmelita. "Oh good. Carmelita, please take these roses and put them in a vase. Then place them in the living room." she told her. The woman took the flowers and headed for the kitchen. She walked towards her room and opened the door to find her faithful and trusty servant undressing. "Well Marta, it worked. You did a great job" Tessa congratulated her. She walked over and sat on the bed as Marta joined her. Marta started to pull off the black boots and motioned for Tessa to unlace the corset. "Tessa, sometimes you amaze me. I think you managed to save the whole situation. Your secret identity is safe and I know that you have convinced them. Your idea of me dressing up as the Queen was a good plan. I am happy it worked" Marta responded. "You know Marta, I have learned a lot from this experience. I am very vulnerable as either Tessa or the Queen and I can make mistakes. Thank you for being a true friend". Tessa stood up and walked over to the open window to stare outside. The afternoon had started to disappear making way for the night to arrive. Marta joined her and placed her arm over Tessa's shoulders. The two women looked out to see the dusk settle in. It was the perfect ending to another day. El Fin (The End) "Dulce Venganza" (c) Copyrighted - May 2001 - Margie Milan Please
send comments on this story to the author~Margie~ "After all, what is a Lie? 'Tis but the truth in Masquerade" - Lord Byron, Don Juan. |
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