"Get in," she said to de Beauville and Borges. The Frenchman assisted her to the wagon seat, then climbed up beside her. Borges sat beside Marta and took the reins, then started the team out of the square and down the narrow alley that led to the town gates. Borges' horse was tied to the back of the wagon.

Tessa did not draw a comfortable breath until they were clear of the gates. She forced herself not to turn in case the soldiers were following them.

Borges looked back and said petulantly, "Señorita Alvarado, you put us all in a very delicate situation. I would have had to lie to save this Frenchman." He spat the last out with disdain. His father had died as a prisoner of war on the march to France.

"Simon, I must ask you one more favour. Would you give Señor de Beauville your horse? I don't think the colonel or the capitan will wait too long before they come for him. They may even now be getting a patrol together to catch up to us and take him." Tessa leaned around Marta and placed her hand on his. "I will repay you for the horse, but if we do not help Señor de Beauville to escape, I am sure he will be killed."

Tessa watched the emotions chasing across Simon's youthful face. He seemed to be torn between his hatred for the French and his strong feelings for her. She knew it was wrong to use those feelings to sway his decision, but a life was at stake. She squeezed his arm gently and smiled into his eyes. "Please, Simon," she pleaded. "We do not have much time."

Without a word, he halted the team. De Beauville vaulted from the wagon and untied the horse, then climbed into the saddle. He reined beside them, his eyes thoughtful as he glanced at each person on the bench. His voice faltered as he said, "I don't know why you have helped me. I don't deserve it, but I am grateful." He leaned toward Tessa and took her hand and kissed it warmly, then shook Marta's hand and finally, reached to grasp Borges' hand.

Simon ignored the outstretched hand, and said. "Once we were enemies, and I don't forget that. What I have done is for the señorita. Vamos, señor."

With a quick salute, de Beauville reined his horse to the north and nudged it into a fast trot. Borges started the team again. Tessa watched the Frenchman slowly become just a dust cloud on the plain, then he disappeared around a cliff and was lost to her view. She prayed fervently that he would get far enough away that Grisham would never overtake him.

De Beauville had insisted on coming to Mass that morning. He had wanted to see the monstrance in its proper place, used as a holy object instead of a piece of plunder from the war. Tessa had objected that it would be dangerous, but the Frenchman was determined to go. Now, as she sat back against the wagon seat, she shivered from the release of the tension she had been holding. Marta patted her hand and she felt again that warm strength flowing toward her.

Borges seemed to be lost in his own thoughts and Tessa respected his silence. He had tried to put the war behind him. No doubt it had cost him emotionally. He probably felt he had betrayed his father in not exacting vengeance against the Frenchman. Without Tessa's intercession, he might have given de Beauville up to Montoya and let him take the consequences of his actions. Borges knew Tessa's story was a lie, that de Beauville was not sick, nor had he been at the hacienda, nor was he a friend of Borges. Tessa experienced a stab of guilt, knowing it was only Simon's love for her that made him cover for the Frenchman. It was made even worse by the fact that she did not return his feelings. All she felt for Simon was a sisterly affection which she knew would insult him if he knew.

The rest of the trip passed mostly in silence. As they topped the rise to descend toward the villa, a low rumble of hoof beats caused them to turn. Borges pulled the team to a halt as a patrol of soldiers caught up then surrounded them in a swirl of dust and plunging horses.

Grisham saluted with a mocking smile as he sidled his horse up to the wagon. "I convinced the colonel that we should investigate this de Beauville further, señorita. Where is he?"

Tessa wrung her hands and trembled. "Oh, Capitan, you were right about him! Just a few minutes ago, he forced us to stop the wagon and stole Señor Borges' horse. I don't know where he is now."

Grisham's eyes hardened. He plainly did not believe her. "Which way did he go?"

Tessa thought quickly. "He went north." She could feel Marta start beside her.

"North, eh?" the captain remarked with a sly smile. He turned to his soldiers and waved them to follow him, south.

Tessa sighed with relief as Borges once again started the team down the hill to the villa. She smiled at Marta who gave her a stony look.

"What if he had gone north, Tessa?" Marta snapped. "He would have captured de Beauville sooner or later. That capitan is like a bulldog."

Tessa laughed airily. "He doesn't believe anything I say so when I gave him the right direction, of course he took the opposite."

Epilogue

Tessa stood outside the Rose Courtyard, taking deep breaths to calm her anger. She was being treated like a jilted bride, and it galled her since the opposite was true. Inside, the engagement party continued with music and loud conversation. Now and then she could hear Lola's high shrill laugh above all the others. Lola had a lot to laugh about. She had finally one-upped Tessa in the social game and won something she assumed Tessa wanted ...Simon Borges.

Tessa gritted her teeth against the wrath that was roiling inside her. Simon had courted her with flattering attentiveness, escorting her here and there to the various tertulias and to Mass for several weeks. Since Dr. Helm was not a Catholic, he was not really considered by most of the gentry to be a serious suitor, even though Don Gaspar had approved. Though her relationship with Simon seemed on the surface to be just a friendship, it had obviously been causing talk. At a wedding feast a month before, Tessa had arrived with Simon as Roberto had been unable to go. Lola's mother had the nerve to sidle up to her and when Simon had gone to get her some wine, to whisper, 'so you've finally caught a rich don, my dear. Good for you. You're not getting any younger.' The old woman's face had puckered with a mean look when Tessa had replied, 'Nor is Lola.' It was a low and unworthy remark, Tessa knew, but those two women seemed to bring out the worst in her.

It's my own fault, Tessa admitted to herself. Marta warned me that I was letting him get in too deeply, thinking he had a chance of marrying me. She said it wasn't fair to let him hope, knowing he had no chance, that I am practically engaged to Roberto. She wanted me to tell Simon. But as I said to her, "Simon hasn't proposed to me yet so what am I supposed to say? If you're thinking of asking me to marry you... forget it?" Until he actually proposed, I could do nothing other than refuse to go anywhere with him.

Even now, weeks later, Tessa cringed inside as she recalled Simon's shy and endearing proposal. It had been hard to refuse him, since she was not officially engaged to Robert Helm. Simon had not taken it well. He said she had led him on, and was cruel and heartless. Those words had stung, but she could not defend herself. It was true.

Tessa sighed, recalling how he had suddenly turned his attentions to Lola and, in a whirlwind courtship, had become engaged to marry the other woman after only a few weeks. Now, at the engagement feast, she had to endure the pitying glances of the women and the gloating stares of Lola and her mother. It would have seemed improper to have refused the invitation to the party though Tessa was very tempted to stay home. Marta had insisted they would go with their heads held high. Easy for her to say, Tessa thought bitterly. She's already married and she only has to sit among the servants and listen to their gossip. I have to pretend that I don't feel anything or that my pride is not hurt. She turned toward the gate to return to the party, almost bumping into Colonel Montoya.

"I could call him out for you, Señorita Alvarado," Montoya said evenly, taking her hand and patting it paternally.

"Why should you do that, Colonel? Señor Borges is a free man, able to decide for himself what he wants to do," Tessa replied archly, and with an arrogant lift to her chin, withdrew her hand from his.

"As a Spanish officer and gentleman, I feel he has impugned your honour, Maria Teresa. Since you have no near male relatives, I will gladly redeem it for you with a duel. It would be my pleasure to do so." He bowed slightly, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Colonel, let me decide if my honor has been impugned or not. I can take care of my own affairs."

Montoya bowed again, more stiffly, his pale eyes darkening with rancour. "People talk, señorita and an unmarried woman is a target for gossip. Especially when she has been rejected by her suitor." With that, he turned on his heel and re-entered the Rose Courtyard.

"Would you like me to punch him in the nose for you?" asked Helm from behind her. He had been standing near the courtyard wall, his presence concealed by some large bushes. Now he stepped forward to stand beside her.

Tessa started, finding the doctor there and having heard the conversation. Angry and flustered, she snapped, "Who, Montoya or Borges?"

"Both, if you like," he said with a wry grin.

Tessa laughed at the absurdity of the offer, her heart beginning to lighten. "You mean, like Don Quixote coming to the rescue of Dulcinea?"

"Something like that," he murmured, taking her hand. "I told you once I would be your White Knight. I always keep my promises, especially to damsels in distress."

Suddenly, Tessa didn't care who was watching or what they were saying. All that mattered was the way his hand felt in hers and the warm amused light in his eyes.

"A penny for your thoughts," Helm said.

"I'm a businesswoman, Dr. Helm. Let me see the money first."

He made a show of searching his pockets then laughed with chagrin. "I'm just a poor doctor. I don't have any money on me. Could you extend me some credit?"

Tessa laughed at the irony of that. Both knew Roberto had a fortune cached away from the hidden treasure he had found. She raised her eyebrows, giving him a haughty look. "That depends. Are you planning to leave town any time soon?"

His look changed as the green eyes seemed to darken. Still holding her hand, he said, "I've found many reasons to stay. The town needs me and, I think, I need this town...and certain people in it." Tucking her arm in his, he added, "Shall we go back inside to face the ogres and dragons?"

Watch for the next exciting adventure Fora de la Paella...- Episode #316, starting on March 23, 2003.

If you have missed any episodes, you will find them in the Season Three Archives section.