Caray, Caray!

Leonarda seeks out Juan in the stables to bribe him to leave. She
frankly tells him his presence there disgusts her, and Juan piles it
on by evincing the same in return. He doesn't think she has enough
money to make him leave, and Leonarda insists everyone has their price.

When Juan asks what hers would be, Leonarda blows her stack. He says
he can pay it, so maybe she thinks he means she's pretty cheap.
Leonarda tries to strike Juan; and he grabs her hand, repeating that
Renato hired him and Renato can fire him. She'd better get used to
the idea, because he's staying until Renato does.

Continuing with the cat fight at the casino, Marlene steps between
Rosenda and Brigitte, just barely convincing Brigitte to desist and
live to fight another day. Brigitte sure wanted to show Rosenda just
who she was dealing with.

Rosenda exits, but not before insulting her mother again; and Marlene
is despondent -- knowing now that Rosenda's mission there must be due
to Rosenda sleeping with Rodrigo. Marlene recognizes the signs of
jealousy in her actions. Marlene anguishes over how she can help her
daughter.

In their rooms at the estate, Aimee reminds Renato she told him
Rodrigo would be furious, but Renato wouldn't listen. Renato's not
surprised, but is hurt by his reaction; and he repeats that Rodrigo's
problems with Juan are his own doing.

Aimee is nonplussed; how can Renato side with Juan against his own
family! And run such a risk -- of throwing Regina and Juan together.
After all, she feigns grudging admission, he's an attractive man; and
you said yourself he's fair and decent. Renato is still not
convinced; Regina's sweet and delicate -- and Juan's so wild.

However, he mulls again, there was that shadow Noel saw in the
garden... Aimee grasps onto this and rushes to conclude it's Regina
meeting Juan, but Renato can't stomach it. Regina wouldn't have a
secret affair; he knows her -- she's a person with character! If she
truly loved Juan, she'd stand up and admit it to everyone.

Aimee laughs, doesn't know what's good for her and proceeds to hand
Renato some tips on a platter about what a passionate woman would do:
basically anything, including lying and cheating. Renato looks a
little taken aback; I hope he was taking notes.

Regina and Federico take coffee in the port cafe and commiserate over
the big, ugly scene at Rodrigo's town house. Federico just wants to
be her friend, he says, and show that he truly cares for her. About
then Eloísa approaches their table and greets them.

Well, well, nice to see the two of you together; she lightly scolds
Federico for failing to "visit Fulgencio," insists he should do so and
reminds them of her birthday party coming up. I had to wonder if
Eloísa is going to be jealous of Federico.

At Fulgencios office, Servando dumps the bags of money from Federico's
house onto the desk in front of him, telling Fulgencio it was exactly
where the map said it would be. Turns out Federico had let it slip in
an inebriated moment where he kept his stash.

Having proven himself, Servando the Great is ready to do whatever
Fulgencio wishes -- for a modest sum, of course. Fulgencio tosses him
a generous bag of coins, and Servando is quite pleased. Fulgencio
knows how to repay those who loyally serve him, and don't forget it.

At the stables, Juan daydreams about his poor, broken father swearing
his love and devotion to young Juan and how it made Juan weep with
sadness and joy to be in his embrace. He remembers the eternal love
between Juan de Dios and María del Rosario and thinks aloud that
wherever they are, they are still loving each other. About then
Hummingbird enters, bringing Juan a loaf of bread.

They munch and ponder their melancholy states. Hummingbird says he's
sad sometimes, too; and that he even told his sad, little life story
to Regina, which surprises Juan. Hummingbird needs to know if all
parents are bad to their kids, and Juan assures him they aren't. In a
sort of bookend to how the scene starts, Juan swears his love and
devotion to Hummingbird; and in a warm embrace, Hummingbird weeps with
sadness and joy.

Down in the catacombs, Arcadio is tipping the bottle and working up a
really nasty mad. He's sick and tired of being treated like a damned
dog; who does that new guy think he is, ordering me around? ME! How
he hates them -- hates them all! Set to the music of the bottle
smashing against the wall.

In the patio, Regina braces Juan about the vandalism in her sister's
bedroom at the town house. She's sure it was him! Does she have
proof, he asks. Juan casually cocks his muddy foot up on the
furniture, and Regina scolds him. Juan looks abashed and tries to
brush the dirt off.

Getting back, Regina demands to know what he was trying to do --
destroy her sister's happiness? Juan grins and thinks of naughty
Aimee with her sister's nun's habit. Regina's very naive, Juan says.
Take a little advice: don't bend over backwards for your sister,
because she wouldn't do the same for you. Are you trying to make me
suspect my sister, Regina asks.

Nope -- just to open your eyes, Juan says, diving at her with his eyes
stretched wide open. Do you really believe your sister is true, Juan
asks -- dirty foot back on the furniture. (Ill-mannered, she
counters.) Her back to him, Regina insists her sister loves her and
wouldn't hurt her. Unconvinced, Juan just wants her to remember what
he said.

In the stable, Hummingbird has the great bad luck to be cornered by
drunken, furious Arcadio. Arcadio's going to show him that the farm
kids don't have the run of the place and intends to whip the boy --
with a whip, not figuratively. Hummingbird is yelling at the top of
his lungs, which brings Renato in the nick of time, just as Arcadio is
lifting the whip.

Renato manages to stop the whipping, but Arcadio is a beast. The two
of them fight, and Renato hits the dirt. Arcadio is just lifting a
dagger out of its haft to stab Renato when Juan appears; and once
again Arcadio is prevented. But not stopped; that man is a force.
Juan is barely able to subdue Arcadio, even drunken. But Juan does
manage it, and Arcadio is in serious trouble.

In a pointed remark which seems to go right over Renato's head, Juan
stresses how he and Renato are now even: each saved the other's
life. They're not indebted any more.

At the casino, Marlene apologizes to Brigitte for Rosenda's behavior,
and they both admit they know what passion or greed can do to a
person. Marlene regrets the fact that Rosenda behaved like that over
a rich, old widower like Rodrigo. They both promise not to let that
situation happen again; Marlene is so grateful she has the girls, who
are more like daughters than her own.

In Leonarda's finca office, Rosenda weaves Leonarda a good tale of
vanquishing Brigitte in her own lair, and Leonarda is effusive in her
praise. She knew she could count on Rosenda to back her against that
sort of gold digging trash who would offer themselves to a man like
Rodrigo. Right, right, Rosenda replies. Just out to see what they
can get, uh huh.

You don't have to worry -- Rosenda will watch out for Rodrigo! And
that's why Leonarda gives Rosenda her complete trust, Leonarda says.
Unless of course, Rosenda ever does anything to abuse it; and then
Leonarda could never forgive Rosenda, Leonarda warns. About then the
maid barges in to shout that Arcadio has to see Leonarda immediately!

At the sea shore, the fishermen all pile into the beach shack,
complaining they haven't earned a thing that day. I think we'll hear
more about this tomorrow, as I suspect it's related to Rodrigo's
little talk with the sheriff, where he was going to hurt Juan through
Juan's friends. Maybe he's already started.

Meanwhile, down the way, Hummingbird walks the beach with his
spyglass, yacking with his parrot on his shoulder about Regina and
school, when they cut to Griselda, who is watching the boy with a very
greedy look in her eye. Griselda rushes into Servando's tent to
exclaim there's a kid ripe for kidnapping, alone on the beach.
Servando is not impressed, still feeling full from his big bag of
coins Fulgencio gave him.

What does Servando need with the trouble of a kidnapping right now;
he's doing really well with his henchman job. Griselda insists he
share his take, because that's how it's done. And she keeps on with
the kidnap plan, trying to tempt him with a special twist: she's seen
Gabriel with the boy, and he'd probably pay a pretty ransom.

Back at the finca office, Leonarda slaps Arcadio around the best she
can, and he allows it. How dare he endanger her son! Renato is the
most important thing in her life! She'll kill Arcadio with her bare
hands! Right. Arcadio admits it was a mistake; but what's done is
done!

What does she expect, the way she treats him like a damned dog!
That's no excuse! This time, Leonarda can't pull him out of it! And
if he tries to rat her out, she'll rat him out, too! He's in this up
to his neck for years, same as her. Renato enters, and I have to say,
he looks very fetching all mussed up from his fight in the barn.

Meanwhile, out on the patio, Aimee encounters Juan and wonders what
he's decided about their lives. Juan has no idea what she means,
since Aimee's already made hers. She belongs to Renato -- what more
does she want? What more? Aimee wants Juan, of course. Juan asks
how she intends to pay -- with her body? It can't be her soul, since
she has none.

Aimee admits that Juan has stolen her soul, and Juan chuckles
ruefully. When she tries to cozy up to him, he can't stand it. Juan
doesn't want her anywhere near him; he's only there because of Renato
-- and Aimee calls him a liar. Since she has no idea about the family
history, Aimee of course thinks Juan is there for her and no other
reason.

And she's going to make sure he stays. Juan jerks Aimee toward him
and warns her to keep her distance, because Renato could enter at any
moment. Which he does, and Juan quickly changes the topic. Renato
congratulates Juan for being a great friend and saving his life.

Renato explains the fight to Aimee. Juan repeats that now they are
even -- and don't owe each other anything anymore. The men exit, and
Aimee mulls smugly that now Juan doesn't owe Renato anything, she's
one step closer to having him.

At the gypsy camp, Griselda continues insisting that if Servando will
help her kidnap the boy, they can split a tidy sum. And Jimena might
be back on the table, she says. But Servando doesn't need Jimena any
more: he's going to have enough cash to buy companionship at the
casino! A quick segue to the casino bedroom, where poor Fifi
remembers Servando's knife at her throat and his ugly, awful kiss.

But Marlene enters and cheers her up with happier thoughts and the
idea of a delicious meal that Lulu has prepared. Downstairs, Lulu
explains to Philippe how she always liked to cook and wishes she had a
little inn or restaurant. He wonders if she is ashamed of what she
is. She admits she met a nice man and explains the encounter with
Remigio, how she lied about being the cook, and how he looked at her
so adoringly and helped her home.

She felt so different; like she'd never felt. Lulu's always wanted a
husband and children, she says; does Philippe think she'll get them
one day? To be honest, Philippe looked a little doubtful. Meanwhile,
far away in the cane field, Remigio is also thinking of their sweet
encounter earlier, when suddenly a worker arrives with the urgent
message that Arcadio got drunk and attacked Juan and Renato. Remigio
departs post haste.

In the finca office, they are all gathered: Juan, Renato, Leonarda and
Arcadio, to decide Arcadio's fate. Renato wants him fired right away,
but Arcadio plays his hole card. He pulls out the sad yarn about his
poor "wife" he must keep. How will he do that if they fire him.
Renato has had it with this line, but Juan is still moved by it.

Juan doesn't think the poor woman should suffer because Arcadio is a
drunken fool. Leonarda appears surprised to hear that Juan has met
the "wife," when Juan explains her sojourn at his home when the woman
somehow landed on the beach, very ill. Juan begs Renato to
reconsider; and Renato reluctantly relents, on condition of viewing
this "wife" of Arcadio, so apparently tomorrow they plan to do that.
Leonarda looks worried indeed.

Here are the previews I saw: in the first one, Juan smiles at Regina
and explains that the world is full of women, and he wishes he'd been
lucky enough to meet someone like her. In the background, Renato
looks to be overhearing this, concerned.

In the next one, Leonarda hands Arcadio a vial of one of her special
elixers. Just give a couple of drops of this to María del Rosario to
keep her asleep while the boys come take a look at her.

Next, Rosenda halts Renato outside his mother's door, saying Leonarda
has had some "attacks" and refused to have the doctor called.
Finally, Leonarda is shown lying in bed, pitifully begging Renato to
please, please get rid of that Juan guy.

Jeri

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