203 INFATUATION
By Jim Guy
PROLOGUE
Don Dominguez is looking for the little scamp worker of his, sixteen year old, Maria Elena. He quickly shows that he's no better than dirt with how he talks about Maria and his to his wife. He's off to search for Maria, who went to the coast to see the supply ship come in.
Maria Elena had been thinking of stowing away on the supply ship to get away from her mean boss. Because the ship wouldn't be leaving until the next morning, she went to hide in the hold and fell asleep.
Several days later, Maria Elena was sick, tired of the rats and was ready to abandon ship. When she jumped overboard and swam a little, she was saved by the Queen of Swords. Either the Queen's range of protection was really wide, or the ship hadn't moved very fast in those several days. <g>
The Queen tells the girl that she has friends who will take her in, Tessa and Marta.
Tessa changes and presents herself as Senorita Alvarado for her new guest.
Tessa and Marta talk of Helm and that Tessa may snag him one day. Marta has a zinger: "Not if you can't catch him. The man is standing still and you still haven't caught him."
After Tessa and Elena have introduced themselves to each other, Marta comments: "To see the two of you is like looking at Tessa's younger self. Same hair color, same complexion, same build."
Inquisitive Elena right away asks about Tessa's friend, the Queen of Swords.
We find out that Montoya has a thousand reales bounty on the Queen of Swords' head.
Elena is infatuated with the Queen and laps up the story about her. Because her employer, the Don, is looking for her, she will stay with Tessa.
~~~~~
Once again, Don Dominguez beats his wife. He can't find Maria Elena.
~~~~~
Tessa and Marta are in Santa Helena where a whip traps Tessa. Don D., not the brightest light in the sky, confuses Tessa for his escaped worker. Montoya tells the Don to release Senorita Alvarado at once. He can personally vouch for her identity and integrity. Cool, there was that imposter in the first show of this season.
Dim-witted and determined Don D wants to prove that Tessa is Maria Elena and rips the back of her blouse to proudly show that he had whipped her in the past. Then to make matters worse, he tries to hit Tessa.
Grisham cracked him over the head with his pistol. I would have preferred that at this moment, Grisham would have fired the gun instead.
Marta, ever Tessa's protector, wants to beat the crap out of the unconscious don but his held back by a certain handsome doctor.
Don Gaspar, after being told by Montoya that he shouldn't slit Don D's throat, punches him in the mouth instead, knocking him out.
~~~~~
Don Dominguez woke up in 'Hotel Montoya' as some people called the jail. Good name!
Word comes that Don D's wife was beaten badly and had told the authorities about his behavior with her, and for his treatment of Elena. Montoya will send him back to Monterey in chains.
~~~~~
This time, when Don D was ready to shoot Tessa, thinking she was Elena, Grisham finally kills him.
Tessa tells Montoya that Elena has been in her care and that she was sick and had been whipped in the past. Tessa thinks of her as a younger sister. Then teases, "Poor Marta. She thought she had a terror on her hands with me, now there are two of us to torment her." Poor Marta's work is never done. <G>
~~~~~
While relaxing at home, Tessa is told that a worker on another hacienda has been arrested for stealing. He only stole food to feed his family. Elena wonders why Tessa would rather nap than deal with the news. Tessa can't reveal that a nap wasn't her true intention, and Elena thinks that Tessa is uncaring.
Marta tells Tessa to be careful and Tessa tells her that she always does. Marta: "Right. I guess the bullet holes and swords cuts in your blouse are figments of my imagination."
~~~~~
The Queen has been tricked. Grisham was lying in wait for her to 'free the prisoner'. The Queen takes command of the situation and there's another Queen of Swords there, taking them both by surprise.
The Queen has who we can assume is Elena dressed as the queen (?) put Grisham's uniform on and then knocks Grisham out and locks him in a cell.
In a safe, quiet place for a talk, the Queen is angry at Elena for her stunt. Also, she wouldn't listen to Elena's talk about Tessa not helping a poor worker who was wrongly arrested. The Queen tells her, "Don't underestimate your enemies. Don't underestimate your friends either."
When Elena says she hates Montoya and Grisham, the Queen tells the girl: "Hate is an emotion that can ruin you, make you forget caution and get you killed. Look what hate did to Don Dominguez. He was so full of hate that he attacked an innocent woman. He was so blinded by hate that he would not listen to reason."
~~~~~
Elena is still under Tessa's tutelage of how to be a lady and read and write a month later.
Elena has found the Queen's clothes in the finding place in the wine cellar. Tessa is ready to confess to the girl that she is the Queen of Swords, but thank goodness Elena hadn't made that connection. She just assumes that Tessa is a friend of the Queens and is keeping her clothes there.
THE END