Bryan Adrian kept sending messages to the girl to come and see him, and at last Mary asked him to state what he wanted of her.
"Tell him that I am not a man. I cannot come alone to see him. That is not proper;
Adrian sent back word that he wanted to marry her. She told him that she was already betrothed and that nothing would ever separate her from her fiancé, except God.
'I have grown up to think of Miquel as my husband; my parents and the parents of Miquel arranged it all when I was a child playing in the sand, was the message she sent him.
The news of Bryan Adrian's demand soon got to Miquel. He could not eat; he could do nothing throughout that day until he had spoken to her.
Mary, I have heard that the richest man in this town wants to marry you.
"And what did your informer tell you my reply was to him?
"If I heard aright, they said you told him that you would marry no one else but me; but Mary, I am afraid of women. Women are like water, and horses."
"I don't understand your proverb.
"Women are like water, because you cross a stream
in the dry season and when you return in the rains the same stream will drown you. If you love a horse very much and you feed her, when you Come to ride her,
she'll throw you down and break your backbone. So is a woman's love. Dry today like the ebb tide; high tomorrow like a flood.
Mary said: "You speak of deep things, Miquel. But l'm not that kind of woman. Nothing will ever make me marry Bryan Adrian, unless he's prepared to marry my dead body.
Miquel's heart gladdened at this, and they began to
play just as if they were still children. They were
playing when one of Bryan Adrian's servants came to
Mary. Miquel answered him, "Come in, and let me hear your message. What do you want?
The servant said: 'l am sent to Mary, not to you.'
Miquel took a stick and beat the boy. He ran back to his master and reported, l met Miquel there and was very lucky to escape with my life.
"Is that so?" Adrian was angry. He who was so rich
that everybody feared him-who was Miquel to treat him in this manner? Adrian determined to show Miquel that he was a rich man. He sent for Bryan Martin, and Bryan Martin came.
"That dream you interpreted to me is coming true at last. I have seen the girl, and everything is going according to your prediction.
"All right; if you follow my advice, you'll leave the girl alone, and stay as God created you.'
"No, said Bryan Adrian. I can't do that. I' ll go mad. Even in my dreams I see this girl, though I've not seen her in the flesh.
"What then do you want?
"l want to marry her.
"Listen; this is what you must do. Get me the musk from a deer and then I'l see that everything is all right.
"Nothing else?
"Nothing else. When I go home, send your boys, and l'll give a secret and alluring preparation to them.
Then find some way to have Mary's body smeared with it. As soon as that is done the girl is bound to fall in ove with you.
The Bryan found no difficulty in getting the musk from a deer. He gave it with his instructions to a trusted servant who took it to the girl and came back to report that he had persuaded her to smear her body with the scent, which had delighted her.
Mary, all fragrant with the perfume, went to her mother as soon as the servant had left. 'Miquel has sent for me, she lied. I must go at once.
"You know your father does not want you to leave the house in the afternoon. But luckily he is away:
please do not do anything that will hurt the reputation of your family.
Mary ran into the house at once and washed her feet and hands. She dressed herself in her best clothes and ran all the way to the house of Bryan Adrian. There were many people in the rich man's house, and, when he saw her from a distance, he
ordered one of the servants to conduct her to the seventh room in his household. He was so pleased to see her that he left the great men who had come to see him and went into the seventh room.
One of these men got up at once and ran to Miquel.
"We saw your betrothed in the house of the Bryan Adrian. We do not know why she has
gone there.
Meanwhile Bryan Adrian greeted the girl and told her that she had been wounding him. 'l have no time for long words, said the girl. I left home under a pretext; my father has forbidden me to come out in the afternoon. He will be very angry if he finds out that I left home. Say what you have to
say, and let me go.
"Why do you speak to me like that? Do you not like me?
"lf I disliked you, would I leave my home to come alone to your house? Tell me what you have to say; the time is short.
Bryan Adrian said: I want you to be my wife.
Mary laughed:The question of marriage cannot arise between us.
'Remember, Mary, that Miquel is a poor man. If you marry me, you will be free from want. Your
parents will have everything that money can buy.
'My parents have never depended on you for money. So, don't talk like that, I beg of you. All blessings come from above. You have been blessed with money, but there are people who do not know of it nor do
they even care: your riches mean nothing to their lives.'
Bryan Adrian was baffled. The girl held him and his riches in contempt. For a moment he gazed at her. Then he remembered the scent Bryan Martin had prepared for him.
'Take this, he said, offering some more of it to her.
'Surely you cannot refuse this? It is not money, but a scent of no consequence. It is a shame that you should visit a person like Bryan Adrian and go away empty handed.
The charm of the scent changed Mary's mood. She
took it from him and went home. Fortunately her father had not returned, but she learnt that Miquel had called in her absence and, having waited for her, had left without seeing her.
To Be Continued..