THE HOUSE OF THE SEVEN MOONS

Part III

Isabela and Juan

Chapter 11

Isabela came to the world in a luxurious mansion,,on February 16th of 1870, when the city of Arica still belonged to Peru. She was born a noble, the first daughter of the millionaire Don Diego de Cervantes and his wife, Dona Alexandra Almagra de Cervantes, both of the purest Spanish blood. The father was the principal exporter of the ores embarked to Europe and North America. Arica, known as the city of eternal spring, for the softness of its climate, is located in the north area of what is, today, Chile, taken by force from the Peruvians, in the war between these countries, from 1879 to 1883. Arica was, and still is, an important commercial center, whose harbor drains countless products from Chile, Peru and Bolivia. And it is, also, a place of tourist attraction, for its beautiful beaches of lukewarm waters and the entrance to big desert of Atacama. About one year later, Dona Alexandra gave birth to another girl, who received the name of Cristina. Educated according to the rigid Spanish tradition, as soon as they became adolescent, both were sent to study in Santiago's best school.

When infants, they looked alike, but since puberty they evolved differently, not only physically, but also in regard to their personalities. Isabela became a tall and lean young lady, haughty, owner of a pretty face, which contrasted with the seriousness of her facial expression and large and clear chestnut eyes, that used to get darker whenever she got thwarted or infuriated. Indifferent to the courtship from school friends, as soon as she finished her studies, Isabela returned to Arica. Immediately, she became her father's favorite, who, as had not been contemplated with a male heir, felt, in a certain way, compensated by Isabela's personality. Thus, when Isabela reached twenty years, he entrusted her the administration of one of his richest farms, located the east of Arica. She took over and soon revealed to be an energetic and efficient administrator, handling the property with iron hands. Cristina grew up differently. Although also owning a pretty face, she was of small size. But her particularly attractive black eyes, inherited from Dona Alexandra, reflected kindness and docility. Cheerful and easy going, Cristina didn't possess the haughtiness nor the seriousness of Isabela. After finishing her basic study, she returned to Arica, but not for long. Soon Cristina was back in Santiago to study medicine, a dream she cherished since childhood. Five years later, the second daughter of Diego Cervantes became one of the seven female doctors in the whole Chile. Following graduation, Cristina stayed as resident physician iat the General Hospital of Neuro-Psychiatry. Three years later, with Don Diego's not so great enthusiastic approval, she married Dr. Juarez Figuera, also a neuropsychiatrist. Ten months after the marriage, Cristina gave birth to a boy, who received the pompous name of Diego de Almagra Cervantes y Figuera.

*****

Chapter 12

On March 21th, 1882, in the house of Dr. Affonso Castillo, at the periphery of Arica, one of the servants of the physician, named Marietta ( no last name was ever recorded), gave birth to a robust and healthy boy. The presumably father was an English sailor, who, during a long permanence of a British frigate in the port of the city, seduced the young and beautiful Indian of the Quechua tribe. When the pregnancy was discovered, the frigate and the sailor were already in the way to England. Marietta decided to give her son the name of Juan Pablo, which sounded very nice and very Spanish to her ears. Ten days later, at the city hall of Arica, a clerk urged her to supply a last name, in order to compose the birth certificate. For a while, the Indian was confused, but, reminding that the sailor once told her that his last name was O'Collins, she had a sudden inspiration and the necessary courage to declare that the father's family name was Colina (since, so she thought, the English word, besides sounding strange to the Latin ears of the clerk, was also difficult to be pronounced). Therefore, the small bastard, a curious mixture of Irish and Quechua bloods, was registered as Juan Pablo Colina. Juan, as everybody used to call him, was adopted as a godson by doctor Castillo, to whom Marietta continued to work. He became a handsome and smart boy, liked by all people that dealt with him, due to his cordial and helpful way. As he never went to school, Juan just knew how to count up to ten and to sign his name, with a crooked letter. But he was a good worker, helping his mother in her domestic responsibilities and cleaning and arranging the glasses of medicines that the doctor prepared at his private laboratory, to be delivered to the patient’s homes. And Juan took care of these things, always cheerful, always with a smile in the lips.

***

At sixteen, Juan Pablo was a young man of light skin, strong muscles and medium complexion. He also had beautiful features: salient cheekbones, deep black eyes and a dark and thick hair, naturally combed to the back, attesting his Quechua origin. By that time Dr. Affonso, died suddenly. Soon after, Marietta was taken by a malignant disease, that developed quickly, and passed away, after a few months of hard suffering. Dr.Castillo´s wife took care of both funerals and then, disgusted with life, she decided to go to a convent, in order to spend the rest of her days serving the Lord. But before, she cared to help Juan, to whom she had become fond of. Being a friend of Dr. Cristina Cervantes y Figuera, she got, through her, a job for young man, as a peon, at the farm of Miss Isabela, the doctor's sister. The karmic wheel was spinning again: once more the souls of Michelle and Pierre were going to meet. But now, at another time and place, under other physical garments and on quite different circumstances. Just as it was written in the book of destiny.

*****

Chapter 13

The farm of Sierra Negra was about 20 kilometers to the northeast of Arica. Juan arrived there, early in the morning, having hitchhiked a coach that transported manure to fertilize the soil. He was received by Tobias, a mestizo like him, half Indian, half white, but much taller and stronger, already entered in the forties, wearing cowboy clothes. His unfriendly face, showed, on the left side, a deep scar, relic from a knife fight occurred many years before, in one of the bars of the dock area of Arica. Tobias looked at him from head to feet said:

- You must be the new peasant sent by Dr. Cristina.

Juan nodded and gave him a paper that contained the introduction letter. The other returned the it, without even looking at. Like Juan, he was totally illiterate. Without removing the eyes from new peon, he screamed to an employee that was passing by:

- Jose, accompany this man to the bathhouse for the servants and have him get rid of that horrible stench he is spreading around. Then give the guy some cowboy clothes and take him to the big house to be introduced to the boss.

Jose answered, avoiding to look at Tobias:

- Yes, sir.

Soon after, Jose and Juan began to walk in the direction of a place that looked like an immense barn. Jose was a short and thin white man, with an expression of fear in his eyes. Juan asked, with his characteristic irreverence, pointing toward Tobias, who was walking away:

- Who is that guy with the ugly face?

The other answered in a low voice:

- Tobias, the foreman. The mistress trusts him completely. He commands everything and everyone around here. He has a bad temper and is more treacherous than a poisonous snake. Try to stay away from his path and never dare to disobey him. If you do, he will make sure that you get whipped. He is the most severe server of Dona Isabela.

- Isabela... is that the mistress’ name?

- Yes.

- How is she ?

- A very beautiful woman, but harder than an oak log. She insists on perfection. Who gets out of line or falls in her displeasure, ends up whipped or throw in a confinement.

- Confin ...what ?

Jose smiled.

- Confinement. A tight cell where the sunshine never enters. It is there that Tobias and his bullies, a bunch of herdsmen, as bad as he, place us for days, fed only with bread and water.

Juan wrinkled the forehead and commented:

- I don't like that, friend. I Came here to work, not to be anybody’s slave.

Jose sighed.

- You better start getting used to the idea. By the way, how do you call yourself ?

- Juan Pablo Colina. But people just treat me for Juan.

The other faced him.

- You seem to be a nice person. Juan smiled

- I am a peaceful person, but I do not accept to be treated badly.

Jose shook the head. He didn't make any comment but said, to himself: "That fellow, sooner or latter, will get in trouble with Tobias or with the mistress. I feel sorry for him".

Finally they arrived at the barn.

- Let us go inside - said Jose - I am going to show you the bath tub.

*****

Chapter 14

Isabela woke up very early on that morning. Close to dawn, she had again that horrible nightmare that, for years, besieged her, several times a month. She woke up sweating and scared, sat in the enormous bed, caught the glass at the table at the side and took a long gulp of water, to calm down. But she didn't sleep again. Isabela got up and went to the window. It was still very dark and almost impossible to discern, at the waving light of the lanterns, placed at the posts throughout the farm, the vague contours of the peasants’ houses. The mining fields, the pastures for the cattle, the plantations of vegetables, disposed in long arrays, and the leafy trees, still more distant, were totally invisible. She recalled again the damned dream, with extraordinary clarity.

Everything began when a mestizo, of beautiful features, younger than her, wearing the traditional clothes of peasant cowboys, was introduced to her in front of the big house of the farm. They stared at each other for a long moment. His deep black eyes seemed to penetrate inside her soul and she had the feeling that they read her thoughts. Besides, there was that strange sensation that his glance seemed quite familiar, as if they had already met at another place, in a distant past, a long, long time ago. But, what scared her most was the fact that she had the impression of hearing, coming from the bottom of the black eyes, a voice that said: "Forgive me, Michelle" . And the eyes continued fixed on hers and the sentence continued repeating until she woke up.

"Michelle"... Isabela didn't remember to have known anybody by that name. Why then? Who was, or had been that Michelle and what did she have to do to with her, Isabela? Yes, because some connection must exist. Nobody dreams, repeatedly, a same thing, for years, without there being some meaning for that, no matter how strange or absurd that seemed to be. Those dreams tormented her so much that, two months before, Isabela had gone to Arica and sought, at the local library, every books related to the meaning of dreams. She did not find much. One, however, called her attention: a book, entitled Primitive Culture, published in London and written, in English, by an author called E.B. Taylor. Thanks to the perfect education she had received at Santiago's schools, it was possible for her to read the text. Through it, Isabela learned that certain repetitive dreams, like hers, were considered as having a spiritual meaning. Some thing related with karma and reincarnation, ideas that remounted very far in time, from old oriental theologies, recently revived by Allan Kardec, the father of western spiritism. Usually, Isabela’s strict Catholic formation would have immediately rejected any consideration about spiritism but, before the strong impression caused by the insistent nightmares, she started to question whether those spiritualist ideas would not have, after all, some fundament.

She opened the window and aspirated the fresh air of dawn, while her thoughts kept going back to the mysterious dreams. And so she remained until the clarity of the sun, still semi-occult behind the mountains to the east, began to move away the last shades of night. Then, she went back to the bed and pulled a string beside it, which made a bell ring to alerted her room maid. Soon, someone knocked at the door and an Indian woman, short and heavy, entered the room and said:

- Good morning, my lady.

- Good morning, Maiara. Arrange my bath and inform the kitchen personnel that I´ll soon will be descending for breakfast.

The maid left and, while waitinged for the bath to be ready, Isabela removed the nightgown, posted herself nude before a giant mirror and contemplated her own body. She saw a tall and lean woman, of firm and pointed breasts, flat abdomen, with slightly thick thighs, contrasting with the long nicely shaped legs, and the well formed ankles, ending in delicate and small feet. In the slightly pale and oval face, stood out the dark chestnut eyes, which were almond-shaped, reminding a non existent indigenous or oriental origin. The very black hair, that she usually tied behind the head, in the shape of a coke, was now loosened, falling over the shoulders. In the whole, a pretty woman. Yes, thought Isabela, I could be considered attractive, if I tried to look more feminine. If I didn't need to demonstrate to be older than I actually am, to guarantee the respect and obedience of the rude men and women that surround me and to whom I must exercise total authority.

Isabela was only 28 years old and had never known the caresses of a man or even a simple flirtation. Yes, since the times of school in Santiago, she had met many youngsters, anxious to date her. Some even dared to insinuate the desire to take her to bed, and two made promises of marriage. But she always had been indifferent and disinterested. Because of this, sometimes, Isabela questioned about her own femininity. But that idea was soon moved away when she recalled another kind of dream she had, also frequent and repetitive, although very different from the one that scared her. In this second dream, a man, whose features she never got to distinguish, appeared from nowhere, approached the bed, caressed her luxuriously and then, penetrated her vagina with passion and intensity. And she lived, in the dream, the ecstasy of the orgasm. After waking up, she noticed that her whole genital area was entirely flooded.

On those mornings, Isabela felt tempted to get in touch with her father and tell him of her desire to give up the direction of the farm and return to Santiago. There, in the mundane life of the capital, she could search for an attractive man who would become her husband or even her lover. Someone to give her the pleasures of a real love-making. But soon the feeling passed and she resumed the determination to keep on doing what she had done for the past seven years: to live isolated in that farm, without affection and without love, just exerting power and authority. It was as if a mysterious force, stronger than a female natural desires, forced her permanence in Sierra Negra. And, in certain occasions, mainly when the skies were cloudy and the rain was falling, Isabela felt the sinister premonition that she would remain in the farm until the last day of her life.

******

Chapter 15

Isabela had just finished breakfast when a servant announced that Tobias awaited for her, in front of the house, to introduce the peasant that had come to seek employment in the farm, bringing a letter of recommendation from Cristina. She immediately remembered that, in a previous missive, her sister had written on the subject. Isabela rose and walked to the entrance of the house. Slowly, she began to go down the steps of the stairway of the balcony. Tobias, with a young man by his side, made a curvature, greeting his mistress.

- Good morning, Dona Isabela.

She started answering, but stopped in the last step and became silent. Her glance had fallen upon the face of the peasant. The heart discharged and she turned pale. It was as if the damned nightmare was happening there, on that exact moment, in full day light. Yes, because the peon had exactly the same face of the man, whose eyes pursued and scared her in the bad dream. Tobias noticed that something wrong was happening, but didn't hit upon the reason. Supposing that perhaps the mistress was not feeling well, he took a step forward caught her arm and asked:

- Are feeling ill, mistress ?

On this exact moment, Juan raised the head and his eyes met those of Isabela. For a brief instant she had the sensation she was going to faint. Taking a deep breath, Isabela moved Tobias's hand away from her arm, diverted the eyes from the peon and, in a supreme effort, murmured:

- Nothing to worry about... just a slight dizziness.

She hesitated for a brief instant and concluded, in a low voice: -

Tobias, take this boy to the peasants’ lodging. I’m going to rest for a while. Then I'll send for him.

Isabela turned and began to go up the stairway, seeking protection by grabbing to the handrails. She was already crossing the door, when the foreman's voice cried out:

- He brought a letter for you.

With a vague gesture of the hand, Isabela replied, in an exasperated tone:

- Later, Tobias, later.

And disappeared inside the big house.

***

Almost totally recovered physically, but still with the mind confused, Isabela climbed the stairs that gave access to the second floor. In the way, she dashed with Maiara who, noticing her mistress paleness, asked, timidly:

- Do you any help, my lady?

Isabela, without looking at the servant, answered:

- No, it is all right. I just wish to stay in my room, alone, for some time. Let everyone know that I don’t want to be disturbed don't want to be disturbed.

The Indian eyes enlarged:

- Yes, lady. I will do that.

Isabela entered the bedroom, locked the door and threw herself in the bed. "My God," - she said to herself -" what is happening ?" And began to contemplate the situation, trying to order the thoughts in a logical, rational way. No, the young peasant had nothing to do with the figure that tormented her in the dreams. It just happened that their faces were extremely alike...as if hey were twins... Then: no, Isabela, this is not the proper way to look at the problem. A real person cannot be twin of a dream’s personage. But, what about those black and deep eyes? Were not they exactly the same? Yes, but so what? Only another coincidence, nothing else. Little by little, reason surpassed imagination and Isabela started to calm down. Any way, she decided, the situation had to be faced. And the best way to do it was to meet the peasant, face to face, to look right into his eyes and make sure that there was nothing weird, that no voice would be heard, asking someone called Michelle for forgiveness. Yes, this is what must be done. Maybe if the night ghost was confronted at daylight, he would disappear, forever, from her imagination and from her dreams. Yes, why not try it ? Lively with the perspective and filled with hope, Isabela got up and opened the door of the room. The faithful Maiara was right there, seated in the corridor's ground, taking care that nobody came to inconvenience the mistress. Isabel smiled at her and said:

- Inform Tobias that I want to speak with the new peasant, in my office, within ten minutes. And that I wish to see him alone.

The Indian left to accomplish the order. Isabela went to the bathroom, washed the face, arranged the blouse and the cowboy pants, threading them inside the heavy boots and looked at herself in the mirror. There it was, stamped in her face, the habitual expression of confidence and serenity. She had recovered the posture of the mistress of Sierra Negra.

* * *

Juan Pablo had withdrawn to the servants lodging. He sat in one of the beds and began to think about his new mistress' strange reaction. Although lacking education and reading, he was intelligent and owner of a strong sensibility. He had perceived that Dona Isabela became visibly shaky when she was descending the stairway and came across him. Had the mostress been suddenly ill or was she, by some reason, disturbed at seeing him? Did his features evoke someone else’s memory ? Perhaps because of the hard life he had, when working for Dr. Castillo, Juan had not much time for leisure, except playing soccer on Sunday mornings. Thus, he never enjoyed a woman's affection. When, in the streets, he came across some beautiful woman or when he remembered the scenes he saw in pornographic magazines, he used to have an erection and, occasionally, reached orgasm, either by masturbation or through spontaneous ejaculation, during erotic dreams. Once he spoke to Dr. Castillo about his desire to go to one of the whore's houses at the dock zone of Arica, but gave up the idea when the physician frightened him, speaking about the risk of contracting "dangerous venereal diseases". Although he had felt attracted by several women in Arica, what he experienced, a few minutes before, when his eyes met those of Dona Isabela, was something entirely different. However, he was not sure in which the difference consisted.

* * *

The office was located at the eastern extremity, in the first floor of the main house. It was a vast room, replete of chairs and dispersed bookcases. Close to the window, a desk, having, at the side, a closet where were kept the files containing documents related to the farm activities and the personal data of the personal that worked in Sierra Negra.

Isabela entered the office, leaving the door open and went to sit in a chair behind the desk. She didn't have much to wait. Tobias appeared at the door and asked if he could let the new peasant in. She answered affirmatively, accentuating that wanted to interview him alone. The foreman raised the eyebrow, but said nothing and signed with the finger. Juan entered, gave two steps to the front and remained silent, posted before Isabela, who kept the head lowered, pretending to examine some papers disposed across the desk. Tobias left, closing the door behind him.

Slowly, Isabela raised her head, looked quickly at the young man and signaled him to sit down in a chair, right in front of her. Juan obeyed and waited while the mistress studied his face. "My God," - she thought - " the likeness with the man of the dream is really impressive ". Taking courage, she stared at Juan and kept looking well inside his eyes, for a long time. No voice, asking forgiveness came from them. However, she felt an intense force emerging from the black eyes, but, unlike what happened in the nightmares, she didn't feel afraid or inconvenienced. On the contrary. To her surprise, Juan’s black eyes seemed to express only sweetness and curiosity. Isabela calmed down and began the dialogue:

- How do you call yourself?

- Juan Pablo Colina, my lady, but people just treat me for Juan.

The voice was calm, respectful and pleasant, although, as expected, it had the characteristic tone of the poorly educated people from the north of Chile.

- How old are you ?

- Sixteen, my lady

"How young."- she thought - "He has the posture of a mature man but, actually, he is just, chronologically, an adolescent". But she wanted to know more:

- You look mestizo, but your skin is white.

He smiled, showing clear and perfect teeth. A captivating smile. Isabela trembled inside.

- My mother was from the Quechua tribe and my father, who I never met, is or was, according to mom, an white European. Irish, I believe....

- You brought a letter from my sister, right?

Juan took out a paper from the pocket of the jacket and passed it to Isabela. Unintentionally, their fingers touched, lightly. Nevertheless, she felt as if an electric current traveled through her body, from feet to head. Confused, she thought: " My God, what is going on ? Why this man, many years my junior, affects me so much, psychological and physically ? But, for sure, I am too influenced by the nightmares. Yes. That must be the reason".

Isabela tried to disguise. She did not wish for him to take notice of the tumult the touch of his fingers had caused her. She deposed the letter on the desk, without reading, and spoke, giving the voice a tone of seriousness:

- Did you read what it is written here?

- No, lady - answered Juan, blushing slightly - Unfortunately, I am illiterate, I can't read or write. I just know how to count and sign my name.

She agreed with a gesture of the head. His honesty was also captivating.

- Would you like to learn?

His face lit up.

- Very much, my lady, very much indeed.

- We have a school here in Sierra Negra to teach our workers' children. If you stay with us, you will be able to frequent it, on the night turn. Now, tell me, do you have any experience with farms?

- No, lady, I Never lived in the country. I always worked in the city, helping Dr. Castillo to prepare medicines and delivering them to the patients houses.

- Then you must know how to ride a horse...

- Reasonably. I did the deliveries by foot or horse, depending on the distance, but, most of the time, I used a small coach - his voice didn't hide a light tone of pride - Actually, I am an excellent cart driver, my lady.

Isabela could not repress a comment:

- For an illiterate person, you speak very well Again the captivating smile.

- I never went to school, but Dr. Castillo always took care in training me to speak as correctly as possible. He used to say that was very important for a man.

- I guess he was sort of a father for you.

A shade of sadness crossed his face.

- Yes, Dona Isabela, he acted like father and friend.

It was the first time he had treated Isabela by her name. Without knowing why, she liked it. In a impulse, she said:

- It pleases me to ride horses, but as the area of the farm is very extensive, some times I get quite tired. Very well, you shall be my private cart driver and every day you will take me to inspect the different sites of Sierra Negra. I’ll tell Tobias to make the necessary arrangements, so that we can begin tomorrow morning, very early. I like to start working just after sunrise. Take the rest of the day today to fix your own things and to get familiarized with the area. Here is the administration center that controls all the activities of Sierra Negra.

Isabela rose, signaling that the chat was over. Juan also rose, made a light bow and left the room, followed by the scrutinizing eyes of his new female boss.

*****

Chapter 16

Tobias Barrios was 48 years old. He had been the only son of a fisherman and a maid servant that lived at the Chilean city of Valparaiso. Three days after the date of his third birthday, the father's ship disappeared in the sea. The mother became a prostitute and died from syphilis two years later. Tobias was sent by the priest of the parish to a Catholic orphanage, from where he left, already an adolescent, to work as stevedore to embark mining into the barges of Don Diego de Cervantes. Thanks to his privileged physique, total absence of sentimentalism and, above all, absolute loyalty to his boss, when Don Diego gave to Isabela the administration of Black Sierra, he also raised Tobias to the position of foreman of the large farm, to help his daughter. And Tobias’s devotion to the master was transferred to the young mistress.

A convict spinster, he was one of the most feared visitors of the bars and the brothels of Arica, where he used to spend time and money almost every weekend. He had no friends and treated the employees of the farm with steel hands, never hesitating to use the whip or the confinement to impose discipline. Isabela was the only person he respected integrally and whose orders he accomplished without hesitation, although, some times, he disagreed of what he considered "excessive benevolence " from the mistress, who, unlike him, avoided, to the maximum, the employment of more severe correctives. In relation to Juan, it was a typical case of antipathy at first sight. Antipathy that had increased after the strange behavior of Isabela in front of the main house and that grew even more when the Isabela decided to exclude him, Tobias, from the interview that she had with the recently arrived mestizo.

His intuition told him that, in some way, Juan had disturbed Isabela and that inconvenienced him very much. Because, at the bottom of his bitter heart, he kept a secret, never to be confessed to anyone: his passion for Isabela. Therefore, when she called him to communicate that, starting from the following day, Juan would become her private cart driver, the antipathy he felt for the young peasant developed into hate, through the black tunnel of jealousy. But the time to punish Juan would come, for sure, sooner or later. His steps would be constantly watched. At the smallest mistake, at the smallest slip, he would feel the taste of the whip. And he, Tobias, would take charge, personally, of transforming into wounds the backside of the little mestizo.

One more piece that was being added to the karmic drama of love and hate traced by destiny.

***

On the following three weeks, Juan drove the cart, so that Isabela could inspect the multiple and diversified daily activities of Sierra Negra. They left at sunrise, only returning by the end of the day, after traveling the cultivated lands, the mines and the pastures. Isabela examined everything and gave orders to the managers of each area. Juan was learning and admiring the energy and firmness of his mistress. They talked very little and always on trivial subjects. Isabela enjoyed the young man´s company but avoided to stare at him, because she continued to feel disturbed, whenever, by chance or careless from her part, their eyes met. At the same time, Juan was, slowly, realizing that his admiration for Isabela was being changing into a quite different feeling, that intensified every day. And, although he ignored the real meaning of his sentiment, the mestizo was falling in love with his female boss. During those almost idyllic three weeks, Isabela was not disturbed by any of the repetitive dreams. And she was already beginning to believe they were gone for good. But she was wrong. On the twentieth-first day, after they had arrived at the main house and the night was descending over Sierra Negra, Isabela felt abnormally tired and noticed that one of her old headache crises was approaching. She attributed the fact to the proximity of her menstrual period. After drinking a cup of tea, Isabela dipped inside s lukewarm bath prepared by the faithful Maiara and, minutes later, went to bed.

* * *

At dawn the dream came. Not the one that terrified her, but the other, in which a man entered the room and made love her. But, this time, the features of the perpetrator were quite clear: they composed, unmistakable, the face of Juan Pablo Colina. And, during this particular dreamlike sexual act, Isabela reached a much more intensive orgasm than those experienced in previous dreams. When she woke up, still in a semi-torpor state, with the sheet abundantly flooded, Isabela realized that, in this last dream, she did not make love with a shade, but with a man. A man for whom, during the hours of vigil, she had a strong physical attraction that, although she refused to admit its existence, kept increasing at each passing day.

On that morning, Isabela didn't go out to inspect the farm, so to avoid any encounter with Juan. She remained at the office, trying to ponder about some bureaucratic subjects. But it was difficult to concentrate. All the time, her thoughts were going back to the previous night dreaming experience. She had the impression that the hours were running too slowly and it seemed that the night would never arrive. And, the whole time, between anxious and hopeful, she asked herself if the dream would repeat. It did, exactly like the previous one. And, this time, the orgasm was even more intense.

*****

Chapter 17

The sun was appearing over the horizon when Isabela woke up. Then, still lying down, in that state of happy peacefulness that uses to follow the joy of orgasm, in an impetus, that only happens when reason is totally blocked by passion and emotion, she decided that her sexual experience with the young peasant shouldn't continue to be limited to the dream level. She wanted to verify if, to do sex with the real Juan, would be as gratifying as to do sex with the dreamlike Juan.

And Isabela started making her plans: she and Juan would leave today for a long inspection of the farm. Then, they would stop for a picnic at some lonely and distant spot, somewhere deep in the fields, far away from human eyes. Next, she, Isabela, would seduce the young peasant.

During the three previous weeks, when they had been traveling together, Isabela noticed, many times, that Juan contemplated her, stealthy and, so said her intuition, his glance was not only of admiration but, also, of refrained desire. Being twelve years younger and her employee, it was natural that he should fear to take any daring initiative toward his mistress, no matter how much he might wish to do so. Therefore, it was up to her, Isabela, to do it. For a brief instant, she hesitated, saying to herself: " No, I can’t do that, it is madness ", but the memory of the dreams and the power of sexual desire prevailed and she made up her mind to go on. Virgin for option, Isabela had never before allowed to be seduced and, much less, tried to seduce a man. "But," - she told herself –" there is always a first time for everything...". And today would be day for that special first time.

She stretched the hand and pulled the cord beside the bed, in order to ring the bell. Maiara appeared immediately. Isabela asked the maid to prepare her bath, with plenty perfumed salts and, then, to tell Juan to have the chart ready, since she wanted to restart the inspection of the property on that very morning. When Maiara left to accomplish the orders, Isabela jumped off the bed, with the heart loaded of anxiety and expectation.

But the hand of destiny had written a different plot...

* * *

At 8:00 AM, Isabela was at the office, waiting for Juan, when Ortega, one of Tobias’s assistants, showed up to let the boss know that the peon was not in Sierra Negra.

- How come ? - she asked, not hiding her surprise.

Ortega explained:

- We needed to send samples of an ore to be examined at the Institute of Mining in Santiago. As you didn’t leave yesterday to do the inspections and didn't inform that intended to do it today, Tobias entrusted Juan to that task. He left for Arica at five o’clock. From there he will go by train to the capital. Tobias gave him all the necessary instructions. I‘m sorry, my lady, that we had to send your private cart driver, but no one else was available at the time. However, if you so wish, I am at your disposal to drive for you.

Trying to hide her deception, Isabela answered:

- It won't be necessary. If I decide to leave, I will ride my horse.

And giving the voice a tone of little interest, she asked:

- And when is Juan supposed to return?

Ortega made some mental calculations and answered:

- Within seven or eight days, I would guess.

He paused and ended:

-Any thing else, my lady ?

- No, thank you, Ortega, you may go now.

- Then, if you excuse me...

The foreman's assistant left and Isabela remained seated, thinking and imagining whether a superior force would not have acted to avoid that she went ahead with the plan to seduce Juan. Maybe the Lord was testing her or giving her more time to minimize that crazy attraction she felt for young man. Or, on the opposite, to postpone their encounter could be a way to intensify, still more, her desire. And, perhaps, if she dreamed again, the dream would guide her heart and strengthen her determination, one way or the other. The best thing now was to keep busy, so time would run faster and the night would arrive sooner, bringing, who knows?, some more clarifying dreams...

Isabela left the house and told a peasant to inform Tobias to have her horse ready. She was going for a long ride...

* * *

The night came and went away. Isabela slept deeply. If she dreamed, the dreams were not registered in the memory. She woke up rested but disappointed. And worked all day long, waiting the following night. This time, when dawn was approaching, the dream came. But it was not the one in which she heard, coming from Juan’s eyes, a voice begging for forgiveness. Nor the other, in which the peasant took her to the supreme ecstasy of orgasm. It was a new and weird dream: a cart, quite different from those she knew, pulled by a nice horse, was running swiftly across a strait road, beside a cliff, in a rural area, that she did not recognize. There was a couple in the front seat of the coach, but, at first, she didn't get to see the features of the man that was driving. Beside him, she could distinguish a beautiful young woman, whose blond hair was flying to the wind. Her face showed an expression of fear and - Isabela heard, quite clearly - when she screamed to the companion: "For God’s sake, Pierre, be careful !". Soon after, one of the front paws of the horse slipped in the side of the cliff and fell down in the abyss, taking the cart along. On the following scene, Isabela saw the semi-destroyed coach, with the poor animal dying underneath it, while the man crawled towards the woman, who was lying down, totally immobile, her head strangely twisted to the side. And Isabela heard, with all clearness, the man screaming, desperate and repeatedly: "Michelle, Michelle !". Finally he got near the woman's body and put his head on her chest. At that moment, between fear and fascination, the mistress of Sierra Negra saw the features of the dead young lady go changing. until it turned into that of herself, Isabela. And the fright evolved into terror when the man turned his head and she recognized the face of Juan Pablo Colina.

Isabela, let out a scream of the deepest horror, woke up and sat in the bed, trembling all over, her heart jumping madly inside the chest. In an abrupt movement, she rose and went to the window. But, for a long time, she didn't get to see anything but the dreadful scenes of the damned nightmare. Slowly, she quieted down. And when the first rays of the sun cleared the surroundings of the house, Isabela began to meditate on the possible meaning of the things that her mind had registered during the terrible dream.

* * *

On that morning, Isabela ordered Maiara to inform Tobias that she was indisposed and would stay in bed, at least until lunch time. She had a lot to think about. Since the strange dreams began, she sought to unmask them and, now, considering that last nightmare, she became fully convinced that there was kind of spiritual nature involving her with Juan. Perhaps some thing related to karma and reincarnation. After long hours of reflection, she concluded that, some time in the past, in another existence, their destiny had crossed. That she had been Michelle and he had been Pierre. And, judging by the names, they had lived somewhere in France. Unless she, Isabela, was suffering from some serious cerebral disturbance that originated night hallucinations and altered her personality, driving her to a state of obsessive attraction for Juan, to the point of planning to seduce him. But how to distinguish one thing from the other? If she had any brain trouble, perhaps her sister Cristina, being neurologist and psychiatrist, might be the most suitable person to do such diagnosis. However, if her mind was working normally, then she would have to look for another type of help and advice. From somebody that really understood the phenomena of spirituality. She was aware that in the Eastern world there were Buddhist monks capable of doing so. But she was on the other side of the world, in South America, where Buddhism was practically inexistent.

In this hemisphere, mainly in Brazil – so she had heard – there existed spiritual centers and African cults that dealt with affairs related to the dead. But Isabela didn’t believe their followers had the knowledge to elucidate her problem, much less to give the advice and support she was badly needing. Suddenly, she recalled something she read regarding a Hindu woman who as now living in Chile, working as clairvoyant and astrologer. What was her name ? Where did she read about her? Probably in the Tribune del Pueblo, a weekly newspaper that she received regularly.

Isabela left the room, went down stairs, entered the office and opened the closet where the newspapers were filed. She placed the issues of the last twelve months on the desk and began to browse. After some minutes, Isabela found what she was looking for. The announcement said: "Indira Vanayama, Hindu Buddhist. Find out about your destiny by the reading of cards and astrological charts". It was followed by an address in Valparaiso. Isabela wrote it down and called for her efficient secretary.

- Rosana, send a telegram to my sister Cristina, informing that I need to see her with urgency. That, as soon as I arrive in Santiago, I will seek her at the hospital where she works. Also call my father and ask him to get me a ticket to the capital, on the first available train and tell him I shall be in Arica around two hours from now. Tell Maiara to arrange, in a small suitcase, some of my clothes and the other necessary things for a seven to ten days trip. Then notify Ortega to have a coach ready to take me to Arica and that I intend to leave Sierra Negra within one hour. I should be absent for one week or a little more. Tobias will be in charge of the farm until I’m back.

Rosana didn’t even blink. She just said:

- Don’t worry, my lady. I’ll take care of everything, immediately.

And she rushed from the office to accomplish the orders. Isabela still had two things to do before the trip. The telephone, invented by the Americans in 1876, had recently arrived in Chile and, on the previous month, Don Diego had poles and wires installed, thus connecting Sierra Negra to his mansion, through the phone headquarters in Arica. As the technology was still precarious, not always a good transmission was obtained. Nevertheless, in the whole, it worked.

Isabela went to the apparel and made the call. She was lucky: almost immediately she heard the voice of the operator in Arica and asked to be connected to her parents' house. Dona Alexandra answered. After the usual introductory sentences, Isabela asked:

- Mother, do you remember the exactly hour that I was born ?

The other laughed. -

Why do you want to know it, dear? ?

- I'll tell you some time, mom. It's a long story. But now I am in a hurry and I need that information.

She heard a sigh on the other side of the line.

- It 's been such a long time ago...

- How come, madrecita? I am only twenty-eight years old.

- It is true. Well, you were born at night. Of that I am sure. Let me see...it was around nine o'clock... no, it was later. A little before ten ...Yes, that's it...ten o'clock..

- Are you sure?

- Well, it might have been some minutes before or after ten, but I am sure it happened around that hour.

Isabela was satisfied.

- Thank you, mother. I am going to Santiago to see Cristina. I already informed dad and asked him to get me a ticket for the first train to the capital. I will arrive at Arica within an hour from now. But I won't stop by the mansion. I'm going straight to the railway station to get the reservation father must have done for me.

Dona Alexandra's voice became full of apprehension :

- What is happening, Isabela? Will you seek Cristina because of some disease?

The daughter let go a laughter to tranquilize the mother.

- Not at all. It is about some thing else. I promise I'll let you know later, OK ?

Alexandra seemed convinced:

- Well, then. Have a good trip and kiss Cristina for me.

Isabela ended the chat: - I’ll do that. See you soon, madrecita.

And hung up. Now, the last thing to be done before leaving. She went to the filing cabinet, where the data on the farm´s workers were filed and picked up that of Juan. Inside, there were only two sheets: Cristina's letter of introduction and a birth certificate. She wrote down the data, put everything back and left the office. A coach, with her suitcase inside was already waiting in front of the main house. Isabela sat at the side of the coachman and they left for Arica.

*****

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