Caray, Caray!

As they leave Jesus makes some remark about El Antillano being (I think) able to charm the pants off a woman quicker than anything. Pablo tells him Antillano has never been that way, but Jesus insists he’s just like any other man. (So much for spying on caravans tonight.)

Ricardo and Jime arrive at Cami’s townhouse. Jimena struggles to keep her balance getting off the horse and can’t open the door, so Ric does it. Jime plans to enter alone and to have Ric knock at the door afterward. “So, Cami didn’t send you to get me.” “—No….but nothing’s wrong! Just she wants to reconcile, but won’t dare to make the first move.” (Oh, Ricardo. ¡Qué humillante! What humiliation you endure. You have got it bad, don’t ya, hon?) He stands there on pins and needles waiting to make his move, but Cami sees Jimena come in looking like the pet cat who just ate the family canary and still has yellow feathers stuck in it’s whiskers.

Jimena says that she just came back from taking a walk. Cami doesn’t believe her for an instant. “--This late at night? Who is out there? “ “--It’s me.” Ric pushes on in. Cami snubs him. Jimena fibs about him running into her and that he was walking her back home. Ric plays along, “And since I’m here, you and I need to talk.” “—We have nothing talk about!” Jime breaks in and grabs her by the arm and reminds her about their conversation that afternoon and how she had told her that her father was so happy to see his children married should he die tomorrow and how he wanted a celebration. “This is no time for you to get on your high horse," she hisses," ‘cause if you do, then don’t come crying to me afterward.” Jime leaves (Sleep well tonight, girlfriend! You've earned it.) Ric adds, “Apart from what Jimena has told you, we really need to talk things over. Now get your robe on, the night air is chilly. I’ll wait for you in the living room.” She does. He smiles because it feels so right.

In the living room Ric tells Cami that he ran into Vasco and he told him that Santi is Jorge’s son. She comments that she doesn’t know if Jorge will recognize him, she says she can imagine Ofelia’s shame, especially when Santi found out. Ric supposes that he raped Ofelia too, as part of his first night rights, and that Ofelia’s husband found out and accepted the boy as his own. She says nobody confronts the likes of Don Jorge. “I will, even though you have doubts.” He assures her that he does not fear Jorge and that he can be just as irreverent and treacherous as Mancera. “As long as a there’s a breath of life in me I will defend you, whatever the consequences.” Cami melts into Ric's arms (as I melt into my couch) and they kiss passionately. They agree “like a couple of comrades before a battle” to plan their strategy together. (Raise the flag, cuz like Mario, I am sooooo ready!) They kiss again for as Thoreau once wrote, ‘True love does not quarrel for slight reasons.’

Across town Ofelia is finishing up some chores when GRita walks in and asks after her and Santi. She brings the conversation around to whether Don Jorge plans to recognize him. Ofelia says Jorge hasn’t bothered to mention it, but she’s only worried about Santi’s well-being right now. GRita insists again that Santi has the right to be recognized and if offered, he should accept for all their sakes, and especially now that he has a child to think of. Ofelia warns her not to get her hopes up, it may not be all that she expects.

GRita then changes the subject. Out of the blue she asks Ofelia, “What was it like? You know, being ‘deflowered’ by Don Jorge? (Talk about your lurid curiosity, girl!) "He demanded first night rights, the same as he did with Cami, right?” Ofelia lets GRita have it right between the eyes. “Who do you think you are to ask me such questions? Don’t come at me with ‘I’m only interested because Santiago is my husband', either! It’s only your sick curiosity and it’s offensive to me!”

Back at the townhouse Ric offers to go ahead with their wedding celebration that Justo wants, but Cami refuses. They talk about his great respect for Ric and that he seems his avenging angel, but Ric says he’s more like the Devil. Cami hugs him and says not at all. She understands completely his reasons for everything that’s happened. It is just that despite her humble beginnings, she is a girl who was raised to believe that lovin’ goes with marriage as opposed to without. As it is she feels like his mistress.

Ric shows his frustration. “Why should you give relevance to laws men make when those laws have condemned me for a crime I didn’t commit and because of it my life should be a disgrace? God’s law unites a man and a woman, not two last names!” he argues. Cami agrees, but says they live in a world which has rules and customs which are very important to her. He says alright, then they can go back to Monto Carmelo and get married using his real name (Works for me!) but she refuses because she says this would be too dangerous for him. He insists that he’s only using the other name while undercover for the crown, till he wins his pardon. When that happens he swears they are going to get married as God demands. “No. No,” he corrects himself. “As man’s law commands, because for God you are already my wife forever and always.”

Ric then asks Cami how does she want to work it. Cami says living apart would raise suspicions. He agrees to start over and for now, at least, to do what Cami feels is the only acceptable way in light of the situation. Yes, Ric offers to forgo sex if she agrees to return to his place and if it will quiet her conscience, even though he admits it is asking too much of him. The effort he is making and his restraint of his urges in order to have Cami return is plain as day on his face as he explains to her what a sacrifice this will be for him. “When a man lives with a woman he intends to have a full relationship. Making love with you is not just some way to vent, but to reiterate what we feel for one another. But, if that’s what you want, then I…agree.” The love in Cami’s eyes is just as evident. (Is it just me or did you all just turn to jello, too?)

Meanwhile, Vasco, Ascanio and Ines are eating dinner. Vasco says he feels for Santi not to accept whatever Don Jorge offers him would be stupid. He asks Ascanio if he were in Santi’s shoes what would he do. Ascanio says he isn’t in his shoes, and it is pretty disgusting to know that not only did the guy rape his mother but his fiancee as well. In the end, if it were him he’d have killed the man. Vasco says killing doesn’t resolve a thing. Ascanio says that’s true, but at times like that a person simply doesn’t think straight. Vasco adds that a man with a good heart like Santi would be a blessing for the town. There would be an end to arbitrary decisions and all sorts of abuses.

Ascanio says, well Lord Governors are not good hearted men and this one is, like most, surrounded by a group of men who though “gentlemen”, are actually just thugs. Vasco and Ines wonder what he means by thugs. Ascanio knows he’s said too much again.

The next morning Ric is at breakfast with his aunt and Lis. They ask him where Mario is and he says he’s on an errand for him. Fran asks what sort, robbery or murder. Ric warns her not to mess with him because if it weren’t for her and his uncle he wouldn’t be having to live the life he’s leading now. She says she had nothing to do with that. He ignores her and asks what their motive was, greed or pure hatred for his father. She insists she’s blameless and if he doesn’t believe her well she’s sorry. He gets angry and says she’d better start to feel sorry and to become worried because –and he stabs his knife into the table for emphasis—there may come a day when he loses all patience. “And speaking of patience, Cami is coming back in a while." Clotilde comes in then all ears. Ric yells at her over his shoulder, “Get out!!” and she drops a dish of food on the floor from fright, but to buy time as she listens she takes her time about picking the food off the floor. “Get out!!” Clothile gets up then and rushes out.

Ric lowers his voice. “Legally married or not it doesn’t matter. She is my wife and the lady of this house and as such she will be treated.” They politely say, “Certainly.” He tells them he has their number and he knows because they’ve made it very plain how they abhor her. “Don’t you try to gossip or plot against her; just leave things well enough alone! She knows who and what I am and it doesn’t matter. Enjoy your meal! Excuse me.” He leaves and Lis and Fran realize that that means Cami knows he’s Ricardo de Salamanca and doesn’t care. Lis gets upset because she says that without Alberto’s finding the ED letter she won’t be able to recover her father’s fortune and they’ll be forced out with nowhere else to go. Fran says then accept his marriage proposal. Lis screams back “Never!” So Fran says get used to putting up with the whore and her snubbing them and walks out.

Clotilde comes back in looking for information and sees Lis crying. Lis tells her to take her to town for a walk. She doesn’t want to go with her aunt and that’s that.

Outside Ric orders Pablo to go into town and try to find out if anyone robbed the caravan the night before then to attend to getting his wife’s things picked up and brought back there. Over at the townhouse Jimena makes Cami promise not to let a man as sincere and special as Ric go for any reason, especially because she might be afraid of what others are thinking. Cami promises but again explains that even though others don’t suspect they’re not married the thought of it, for her, still fills her with a sense of shame.

Back across town Sofia comes to see how Ofelia’s doing and how Santi took the news. Ofelia, furious with Sofia, blames her for everything tragic that is happening to her and her family. Sofia feels sympathy for her and tries to explain that she had several reasons to do what she did. Sofia explains that mainly she feels Santi is the only decent member of the Mancera family and that is what helped to motivate her. Ofelia says that her son is not a part of that family, and doesn’t she realize what it’s cost her son to learn this.

Sofia insists that Santi carries Mancera blood in his veins. There are other reasons that eventually she may tell Ofelia in due time, but either way, he has more rights than her daughter to the title and he deserves this opportunity. Ofelia thinks it will bring worse tragedy, but Sofia says it may bring him his fortune. Sofia warns her off and says not to dare try to influence him not to accept and that Ofelia better not go against her in this. Santiago has obligations to fulfill and he will comply.

In town on the plaza, Chip and Dale are still bugging Ascanio for information about Santi. He tells them again to ask him themselves when he gets back. Manuela and Agata pass by the forge and Manuela looks directly at Ascanio and gives him a big smile. Ascanio returns the favor. “Marcel and Dali” run into each other. They both wonder if Gonzo was stupid enough to try to rob the caravan the night before. Just then Foreman and Hernan’s coach arrives in San Fernando. They get out and Foreman says the town is nice, but not very affluent. They look over and see the Mancera Palace and figure out that it is the home of the Lord Governor of the region. Uriel gets distracted when he sees Alberto arriving and calls out his name. Alberto nods at him but when he turns his head he is surprised to see Foreman standing there. Uriel walks off. Foreman says he’s just as surprised and he never figured that the first person he’d see when he arrived would be LaFont. Pablo is watching all of this from behind a pillar a few yards off.

LaFont tells Foreman he got his letter but didn’t expect him this soon. They shake hands, looking pretty chummy to Pablo. Foreman tells LaFont what his alias will be while he’s there and that he’ll only be around a few days. He asks who lives in the palace and Buffy gives him the 411 on the town. Clotilde tells Lis that she sees Don Alberto nearby and Lis goes over to greet him. Foreman gets introduced and realizes she’s Ric’s blind cousin. He leaves to get cleaned up after the long journey but first asks to see her again. Lis says she’d be delighted.

After he’s gone Lis asks LaFont if he has the ED letter. Alberto says yes, but best not to discuss it there in the street and takes her to his house with Clotilde following a few feet behind. Pablo has seen enough for now and returns to Ric’s to give him the low-down.

Across the plaza, Agata warns Manuela not to go to the blacksmith shop. She is sure Mannie's asking about Santi’s problems are not the main reason she’s going, either. Manuela doesn't listen and goes to greet Ascanio. She asks him to walk with her to the pier for a chat, but he’d rather not, since he knows that would be rather compromising for her to be seen with somebody like him. She insists so he walks with her there. Chip tells Dale that if Don Alberto finds out he’ll cut Ascanio’s essentials off. Dale says it looks more like Manuela is the one who’s after him. Chip says makes no difference.

Ascanio tells Mannie that he really doesn’t feel that they know each other well enough for him to discuss things that are not his place to tell her. Besides, he says, it’s not wise for them to be having chats like this with people watching and such. He is not the type of person for her to be keeping company with and her father wouldn’t approve. She says she doesn’t care whether a person is rich or not, it’s what is inside him that’s important. She fights back tears telling him she needs some kind of friendship, but nobody is ever considered good enough for her. Anyway, she’s used to her father’s fits of anger and his punishments. This upsets Ascanio. “What? Does he beat you?” “—No. No.” Mannie suggests they might meet somewhere else, then apologizes and is embarrassed to have said that. He tells her thanks for the nice sentiment, but in reality, things just aren’t that way. She thanks him for his time and leaves. Mannie seems to definitely have rocked Ascanio’s world.

LaFont informs Lis that he has the ED letter from the doctor, but he doesn’t want to hand it over to Jorge, since he could give it to Cami in exchange for her favors. She wonders if DJ will get angry if he finds out, but Buffy says no. He knows how to smooth things over for her. He asks her if her aunt spoke to her about his feelings. Lis asks if his taking care of the letter is dependant upon her accepting his proposal. He says no. He tells her he truly loves her and wants to protect and care for her. He tries some silly poetic phrase out on her but when she doesn’t respond he rolls his eyes. So LaFont tries kissing her hands in another skin-crawl worthy scene. Just then daughter Mannie walks in and surprises daddy LaFont in mid hand-kiss. He jumps out of his chair like a perv caught with his hand up some little girl’s skirt. She is red-faced impactada by what she sees she has interrupted and quickly walks through and out the other side of the room. Lis is embarrassed to think what Manuela must think of her now but LaFont doesn’t consider that important and gets back to the business at hand, so to speak, with Lis. He tells her not to worry for Mannie. As for Lis, he understands, he says, her discomfort in living together with Ric and her father’s widow. She says it doesn’t matter because if she recovers her money—LaFont says, no she is going to get it back because once he sets his mind to something he gets it done. Lis asks for more time to think over his marriage proposal. He says to take all the time she wants. Lis agrees then to have him hand the ED letter over to Judge de la Orca.

At the inn in his room Foreman talks over the situation between LaFont and Lis de Salamanca, the one whose inheritance Ric came to help recover, with Hernan and Lorencillo. They figure LaFont must know what’s going on and that’s why he’s become so chummy with Lis. They also figure Ric will know that Foreman's in town because Mario is certain to tell him. Foreman is going to tell Antillano something other than the real reason he came to town, but he knows that Ric is no fool. He says he doesn’t underestimate anybody, particularly Antillano, as even the biggest idiot can always be dangerous. Antillano, though is as smart as a fox and deadlier than any cobra.

Lorencillo asks Foreman why he doesn’t just tell Antillano, being part of the Brotherhood, what his business with LaFont is. Foreman says first because there is no reason to and secondly because he suspects that being the godson of an influential priest, he could just as easily be persuaded to side with the Spanish to get himself a pardon. Lorencillo says that would be a betrayal of the brotherhood. Foreman says well, who wouldn’t accept a pardon, to be able to live without the fear of being hanged? He’d do the same himself to save his skin.

Cami is putting her things back in the bedroom while Fran complains to Ric that Lis has gone out on her own without her and she’s worried because she’s never done something like that before. Ric promises to go out looking for her shortly and Fran leaves.

Cami is worried that Lis might have gone to report him to the police, but he says he highly doubts it and if she does, he’ll think of something to save his skin. He would probably have to flee but only death in the end would prevent him from returning to her. In the meantime she should deny knowing anything about his true identity. She doesn’t want to talk about him dying. He says Death always lies in wait for us though we never know when, it comes eventually for everyone. Therefore, they cannot waste their time and he starts kissing her passionately.

Pablo arrives about then with urgent news and interrupts them. Ric says just as well because he’d have broken his pact with her. He tells Pablo that he can speak in front of “his wife.” Pablo tells Ric then that he didn’t hear anything about the caravan but Foreman just arrived in town and was chummy with LaFont and is staying at the King’s Inn. Then he says that Lis came along and started talking to LaFont just as chummy-like and ended up going with LaFont to his house. Ric is not a happy camper now.

Back in her room Mannie tells Agate that she suspects something is up between Lis and her father. Agata says he’s been a widower long enough and it is only natural for him to want to get married again. She says fine, but he’ll be a rotten husband. Agata says all men are bad husbands. Mannie says there are good men, like Ric and Santi and even Ascanio. She admits she’s got feelings for him and Agata tries to talk her out of it. He’s an outsider and not of her social standing. Besides, if her father finds out he’ll skin both of them alive probably.

Back at Ric’s, Fran and Lis discuss the fact that LaFont has the ED letter and is giving it to Judge de la Orca, but also has expressed his desire to marry her. Lis thinks he really loves her and is willing to give her time to get used to the idea. Fran says great because even though he is older he’s a good match considering her disabilities. This angers Lis because it’s like saying Lis has to settle for whatever she can get in a man. Fran apologizes when Lis tells her she’s tired of the woman constantly jamming the fact she’s blind down her throat and she knows what she is doing here.

Cami asks Ric if he believes that Foreman went to see Alberto and Jorge. He says that he is sure he probably is buying the stolen money from them. She comments that if that is so, then he should report them to his godfather and obtain his pardon. Ric still doesn’t have any proof, since nobody wants to go against the Lord Governor. He figures that they’ll have to wait for someone to implicate them all and then it dawns on him that that someone just might be Lis.