Sidney Sheldon - The sands of time

Felix did not pursue the subject. It was not tactful to discuss the Catholic Church with Jaime. The two men were silent, each preoccupied with his own thoughts.

Felix Carpio was thinking: God put the sisters in our hands. We must get them to a convent safely.

Jaime was thinking about Amparo. He wanted her badly now.

That damned nun. He started to pull up the covers when he realized there was something he still had to do.

In the small, dark lobby downstairs, the room clerk sat quietly, waiting until he was sure that the new guests were asleep. His heart was pounding as he picked up the telephone and dialed a number.

A lazy voice answered, "Police headquarters." The clerk whispered into the telephone to his nephew, "Florian, I have

Jaime Miró and three of his people here. How would you like the honor of capturing them?"

Ninety miles to the east, in a wooded area along the way to Penafiel, Lucia Carmine was asleep. Rubio Arzano sat watching her, reluctant to awaken her. She sleeps like an angel, he thought.

But it was almost dawn, time to be moving on.

Rubio leaned over and whispered gently in her ear, "Sister

Lucia…"

Lucia opened her eyes.

"It is time for us to go."

She yawned and stretched lazily. The blouse she was wearing had become unbuttoned and part of her breast was showing. Rubio hastily looked away.

I must guard my thoughts. She is the bride of Jesus.

"Sister…"

"Yes?"

"I—I wonder if I could ask a favor of you." He was almost blushing.

"Yes?"

"I—it's been a long time since I prayed. But I was brought up a Catholic. Would you mind saying a prayer?"

That was the last thing Lucia had expected.

How long has it been since I said a prayer! she wondered.

The convent did not count. While the others were praying, her mind had been busy with plans to escape.

"I—I don't—"

"I'm sure it would make us both feel better."

How could she explain that she did not remember any prayers? "I—er—" Yes. There was one she remembered. She had been a little girl kneeling at her bedside and her father had stood beside her, ready to tuck her into bed. Slowly, the words of the Twenty-third Psalm started to come back to her.

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake…"

Memories came flooding back.

She and her father had owned the world. And he had been so proud of her.

You were born under a lucky star, faccia d'angelo.

And hearing that, Lucia had felt lucky and beautiful.

Nothing could ever hurt her. Was she not the beautiful daughter of the great Angelo Carmine?

"Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil…"

The evil ones were the enemies of her father and brothers.

And she had made them pay.

"For thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me…"

Where was God when I needed comforting?

"Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over…"

She was speaking more slowly now, her voice a whisper.

What had happened, she wondered, to the little girl in the white communion dress? The future had been so golden. Somehow it had all gone wrong. Everything. I've lost my father and my brothers and myself.

In the convent she had not thought about God. But now, out here with this simple peasant…

Would you mind saying a prayer for us?

Lucia went on. "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the

Lord for ever."

Rubio was watching her, moved.

"Thank you, Sister."

Lucia nodded, unable to speak. What's the matter with me?

Lucia asked herself.

"Are you ready, Sister?"

She looked at Rubio Arzano and said, "Yes. I'm ready."

Five minutes later they were on their way.

They were caught in a sudden downpour and took shelter in a deserted cabin. The rain beat against the roof and sides of the cabin like angry fists.

"Do you think the storm will ever let up?"

Rubio smiled. "It's not a real storm, Sister. It's what we

Basques call a sirimiri. It will stop as quickly as it started. The earth is dry right now. It needs this rain."

"Really?"

"Yes. I'm a farmer."

It shows, Lucia thought.

"Forgive me for saying this, Sister, but you and I have a lot in common."

Lucia looked over at the bumbling hayseed and thought:

That will be the day. "We do?"

"Yes. I truly believe that in many ways being on a farm must be much like being in a convent."

The connection eluded her. "I don't understand."

"Well, Sister, in a convent you think a lot about God and

His miracles. Is that not true?"

"Yes."

"In a sense a farm is God. One is surrounded by creation.

All the things that grow from God's earth, whether it's wheat or olives or grapes—everything comes from God, does it not?

These are all miracles, and you watch them happen every day,

and because you help them grow, you are a part of the miracle."

Lucia had to smile at the enthusiasm in his voice.

Suddenly the rain stopped.

"We can move on now, Sister."

"We will be coming to the Duero River soon," Rubio said.

"The Penafiel Falls is just ahead of us. We will go on to

Aranda de Duero and then Logroño, where we will meet the others."

You'll be going to those places, Lucia thought. And good luck to you. I'll be in Switzerland, my friend.

They heard the sound of the falls half an hour before they reached them. The Penafiel Falls was a beautiful sight cascading down into the swift-moving river. The roar of it was almost deafening.

"I want to bathe," Lucia said. It seemed years since she had last had a bath.

Rubio Arzano stared at her. "Here?"

No, you idiot, in Rome. "Yes."

"Be careful. The river is swollen because of the rain."

"Don't worry." She stood there, patiently waiting.

"Oh. I will go away while you undress."

"Stay nearby," Lucia said quickly. There were probably wild animals in the woods.

As Lucia started to undress, Rubio hastily walked a few yards away and turned his back.

"Don't go in too far, Sister," he called. "The river is treacherous."

Lucia put down the wrapped cross where she could keep an eye on it. The cool morning air felt wonderful on her naked body. When she had stripped completely, she stepped into the water. It was cold and invigorating. She turned and saw that

Rubio was steadfastly looking in the other direction, his back turned to her. She smiled to herself. All the other men she had known would be feasting their eyes.

She stepped in deeper, avoiding the rocks that were all around, and splashed the water over herself, feeling the rushing river tugging hard at her legs.

A few feet away a small tree was being swept downstream.

As Lucia turned to watch it, she suddenly lost her balance and slipped, screaming. She fell hard, slamming her head against a boulder.

Rubio turned and watched in horror as Lucia disappeared downstream in the raging waters.

When Sergeant Florian Santiago replaced the receiver in the police station in Salamanca, his hands were trembling.

I have Jaime Miró and three of his people here. How would you like the honor of capturing them?

The government had posted a large reward for the head of

Jaime Miró, and now the Basque outlaw was in his hands. The reward money would change his whole life. He could afford to send his children to a better school, he could buy a washing machine for his wife and jewelry for his mistress. Of course,