Caray, Caray!

Episode 98

On the docks, Juan stares at Renato and shouts that he should have known Renato would be behind all of this! Renato coolly taunts that Juan didn't know, though, did he? And then lays it out that he rescinded the bail in order to rescue Regina -- and see Juan behind bars in Veracruz!

We'll see about that, Juan answers; and just as the coast guard captain orders him arrested, Juan springs into action and damages a few encroaching guards. We hear the clang of blades, and suddenly both Juan and Renato are circling with swords in hand.

At Dr. Pablo's, Jimena is horrified to hear he must leave Gabriel's bedside to tend to Aimee at the finca. Those people who have hurt so many, like Marlene and Rosenda! she declares. Pablo doesn't want to go; but he swore an oath to care for everyone who needed him. He won't be long, and he wants Jimena to take care of Gabriel while he's out.

He's sure her presence will give Gabriel strength to recover soon; but Jimena doubts whether Gabriel would even want to see her. Pablo relates how much Gabriel has said he loves her and how he worried about her disappearance; and after Pablo's exit, Jimena sits to weep and caress the beloved patient.

Back at the docks, Juan shows no sign of fever, giving Renato as good as he gets; but Renato draws first blood -- a shallow shoulder wound. Meanwhile at the finca, Noel rounds up Rodrigo and Leonarda to go and give their statements, because they are both suspects in Brigitte's slaying.

Delirious Gabriel calls out for "Estrella," while Jimena prays earnestly for help. She whispers that she's there for him and begs him to be strong and fight for life so they can enjoy their love for each other, as they so often dreamed. With a hundred kisses, she insists he must live -- or she'll perish with him.

At the sheriff's office, Rodrigo mouths a prepared speech claiming Leonarda visited him at home and afterward they went to the finca, where they talked late into the night. He never saw Brigitte, he says. Leonarda backs him up and adds the indignation of an upstanding lady forced to testify about a common whore.

When she wonders why the sheriff hasn't shut down the casino, he informs her that he indeed has shut it down. Noel objects that the action is baseless, since the casino is no murder scene. When Rodrigo baits Noel with objecting due to his "friendship" with Lulu, Noel simply throws Rodrigo's truck with Brigitte back in his face.

At the sword fight, Juan and Renato vow a battle to the death. I had to laugh as Juan slipped close enough to pack a nice punch to the jaw. When Juan draws next blood on Renato's leg, the captain shouts a halt; but the pair ignore him and bowl over into the drink. Peering down over the quay, the captain orders Juan taken into custody.

Before exiting the sheriff's office, Noel scandalizes Leonarda by insisting the sheriff investigate to confirm their statements; because he had no idea she and Rodrigo were at the finca together the day of the crime -- much less late into the night, he concludes pointedly.

Undeterred, after Noel's exit, Rodrigo drops a bag of coins onto the desk and smoothly declares his trust that the sheriff realizes they are "good people," which of course the sheriff does -- and pockets the cash. Nevertheless, he points out, it will work to their advantage to make some token investigation to placate the good notario.

At the gypsy camp, Servando delights Griselda with news that Gabriel is good and dead, when another gypsy woman runs up shouting about Branko. She's horrified that he's been jailed for murder; and when she exits again, the two bad ones turn and put their heads together in a plan to frame Branko for Gabriel's murder, too. With glee, they exclaim in unison they'll make him out to be "A MURDERER!"

In a filthy jail cell, Branko can hardly believe his ears; he did not murder that woman! The heartless sheriff is just explaining that Branko will stay right where he is until some other suspect comes to light, when a minion arrives and whispers "blah, blah, blah...murderer"* in the sheriff's ear, with a furtive glance at Branko for good measure.

Turns out, the sheriff informs Branko, that someone tried to kill Gabriel -- and with the same kind of knife Branko uses. Branko is beside himself; this cannot be! It has to be Servando's doing. The sheriff points out it's known that Branko and Gabriel were enemies over the love of Jimena; Branko tries to explain that was something different, but it's not getting him anywhere.

Jimena continues tending to unconscious Gabriel at Pablo's, and she recalls the many kisses they shared in their time together; sweet ones, tender ones, urgent ones, exciting ones. In truth, they were lovely to see. Gabriel looks so handsome and vibrant in her memories -- unlike his current self, laid low by a murderer's blade.

Concluding her reverie, Jimena is weeping again, as she reminds him he must get better. Gabriel's lips are so dark blue, he must be in acute cyanosis: "...Acute cyanosis can be a result of asphyxiation or choking, and is one of the surest signs that respiration is being blocked..." I had the impression that Servando got him in a lung.

Offshore somewhere, poor little Colibri frantically pulls aside the Luzbel in a rowboat, having dashed off to warn the crew the moment Juan was arrested. Below in her cabin, Regina smiles and recalls doffing Juan "de Dios" again and renewing her vow of marital devotion to him.

The coast guard captain orders Juan held on their ship. Colibri boards the Luzbel, inconsolable, attempting to report to the crew what he saw. He is just beside himself, wailing and pulling at his hair. They finally understand Juan has been arrested; but before they can grab him, Colibri zips out of Remigio's grasp and runs below to tell Regina.

He bursts into the cabin, crying and wailing, embracing Regina at once. She finally gets out of him what the matter is, but there's something else: the boy is crushed with guilt! Colibri blames himself for detaining Juan over a particular kind of candy he sought. I felt so sorry for the little guy. On deck, the Luzbel crew attempts a getaway; they can't help Juan unless they are free.

But it's too late: they've been boarded by the coast guard already. Regina -- a lioness in the face of the captain -- demands to know why her husband has been held without cause. When Regina asks whose orders they're under, she is astounded to see Renato appear. Unfortunately, before the crew are removed, Colibri spies Renato embracing a stunned Regina.

When Dr. Pablo visits Aimee at the finca, he's perplexed she won't let him examine her, even with Clemencia there insisting he has an excellent reputation. Aimee can't let any doctor examine her and latches onto a tale where she is too modest without her husband attending. She claims Leonarda's argument made her faint, and Pablo urges Clemencia to help Aimee and her baby avoid upsets. Clemencia gladly agrees.

Alone on Luzbel, Regina screams at and confronts Renato. What does he mean it's nothing! They impound the ship and detain the crew -- and worst of all, arrest Juan! Where is he?! she screams. Renato answers succinctly that he's where he should be. We see Juan locked up in the storage compartment of the coast guard cutter.

Presently with a rumble, the rest of the crew appear at the door and are shoved in. They're all confused; how did they know precisely the island they were on? Colibri may not know what he's saying, but he stuns Juan when he reports no one has to worry about Regina -- he saw Renato embracing her as they left.

At the doctor's, Gabriel is much worse, and Jimena is frantic. He's convulsing, as in death throws, and Jimena is crying, No, no! when Gabriel goes limp. She holds his face to kiss him, but suddenly a bright, white light appears, and Gabriel heaves a reviving breath. He even becomes conscious a moment, smiling and speaking Jimena's name.

He tells her he loves her, and she answers the same, joyful. She asks his forgiveness for lying to him, saying she was afraid to lose him; to which he smiles, touches her face, and says there's nothing to forgive. Jimena grasps his hand, and gazing into each others eyes, they vow their love together. As Jimena kisses him, Gabriel loses consciousness again, causing Jimena to cry, Please, don't go!

In a local hotel room, Renato says they're returning to Veracruz, but Regina won't hear of it. She'll stay there until she hears some word of Juan. When she demands an explanation, Renato assumes she is still playing the part of victim. He knows what a big heart she has and that she would continue to suffer so that no one else does. Regina attempts to correct him, but he continues.

Renato is tied up with guilt over forcing her into the arms of Juan. He'll even go against her in order to free her from this bastard. Renato kisses her hand as Regina looks on, confused. Meanwhile, Juan paces the storage compartment, worrying himself over being betrayed. You see! I told you! Regina is a Montes de Oca! That letter was not to Clemencia -- it was to Renato! Remigio isn't sure and insists Juan doesn't know that.

But Juan is shouting now while pacing. Of course I do! What more proof do you want!? She was just playing with us! He yells at all of them. You hear! With all of us! Playing with our feelings! I told you! he says in Remigio's face, gritting out, She was just waiting to tell Renato where we were! That's all she wanted to do. Remigio can't look Juan in the eyes. Everyone is downcast.

Back at the hotel, Regina grabs her hand away and shouts into Renato's face that Juan is not a bastard and that neither he nor anyone is going to insult him! Renato is taken aback; she can't be serious. When he asks if Juan threatened her to not speak ill of him, Regina exclaims, of course not!

She can be frank with him, Renato encourages. She doesn't have to play the worried-spouse role, he adds; to which Regina retorts, she's not playing any role! When Regina insists she hasn't a single complaint about Juan, Renato finally feels his conscience a little relieved.

She has no idea how anxious he's felt since he found out the whole truth, he says, which latter causes Regina some consternation. Turning to walk away, she asks guardedly, What...truth...do you mean? When he admits Aimee told him "everything," Regina whirls around and stares at Renato.

At the finca in her rooms, Aimee makes a big deal in front of the doctor out of being afraid of losing her baby. She pays attention to every word he tells Clemencia about taking care of herself in order to be safe. Almost as though she were taking notes for a plausible way to "lose" the baby.

At the hotel, Regina runs back to face Renato, amazed and breathless to think that Aimee told Renato the whole truth. She confessed? she asks, amazed. Tell me just what this truth is that she told you. Renato repeats the whole fake "truth" story, made up earlier by Aimee.

He's utterly embarrassed and sorry to have believed Regina would be carrying on like that with Juan and begs her forgiveness. Renato would just like her to understand why he turned in to such a puss bucket; he was so anxious thinking Aimee was unfaithful.

He wanted to force a confession, but was terrified of it at the same time. He suffered so much and was blind to others suffering. That's why he precipitated the wedding with Juan de Diablo. Regina looks up quickly and corrects him: his name is JUAN DE DIOS, she insists.

Whatever, he says; he doesn't want to talk about Juan, but rather the two of them. Regina looks askance at him. He continues, how unfair he was to her, who loved him since she was a little girl. Now he really has her attention. What are you saying? she asks, incredulous.

He knows everything, Renato says, pulling the infamous diary from beneath his waistcoat. Regina steps back with a gasp. My diary! she exclaims and grabs it out of his hands. Renato lets her have it, avowing it's the nicest thing he ever read in his life.

But don't worry, he won't utter a word about it if she doesn't want to hear it. Regina is gasping and speechless, but Renato steps closer and urges her not to be ashamed of the truth. Looking her in the eyes, he earnestly says that love never shamed anyone.

At the doctor's, Pablo returns to find a worried Jimena; she doesn't understand what happened. Gabriel woke up, but then he became unconscious again. Pablo takes Gabriel's pulse and feels his forehead and looks reassured; he tells Jimena not to worry.

He thinks Gabriel's been very lucky; despite how serious his condition was, he's alive. And that, he says, is a miracle. A miracle born of the love he feels for you -- in contrast to other places, where only hate and selfishness reign.

Jimena knows he's talking about Aimee; and he adds everybody there, except Noel and Regina. Especially Leonarda, who keeps harassing Aimee, despite her pregnancy, he says. Jimena is nonplussed to hear Aimee's pregnant, because she never saw that, reading her palm.

Looking her in the eyes, Renato is about to kiss Regina, when she shoves him away, reiterating that they are both married! Renato claims he doesn't love Aimee the same way any more. He lists her detriments, all true; but Regina defends her sister.

Renato says it's the truth and that Aimee should bow her head before Regina and himself, too. The illusions he had for Aimee are dead, Renato says. When Regina reminds him Aimee is his wife, he assents and adds, not only that, but she's going to give him a child, too. Regina is astounded to hear this news.

Servando and Griselda visit the sheriff to frame Branko for the attack on Gabriel. At Pablo's, he fills Jimena in on the news that Branko is being held for that, which she cannot believe. He would never do it, she says, and Pablo urges her to go make a statement in Branko's favor. Jimena thinks no one would believe her, and Pablo observes that Gabriel is the only one who could really clear Branko. Hopefully, Gabriel will wake up in time, he says.

Renato says that any other time, he would be thrilled to be having a child; but at this point, he shouts, he doesn't want any more ties to Aimee! In the finca in her rooms, Aimee makes a big fuss to Clemencia about fear of losing her baby. Clemencia promises to keep her healthy so that won't happen.

Regina objects to Renato's attitude about the baby; but he'd view it differently if Aimee weren't the mother, he says. Moving closer to Regina and taking her shoulders, Renato lowers his voice and says during this whole voyage he's only been able to think about her.

This makes Regina very uncomfortable. Taking her hand, he whispers he wants to speak of every shared forgotten memory, every smile he failed to notice, every precious morsel of her love...he's rubbing her cheek with the back of his hand when Regina has had enough.

Breaking away, she shouts That's it! and runs across the room. He turns to follow, declaring she has to know that he loves her. He's learned to love her from afar. This is why he can't forgive Aimee for involving Regina with another man! he shouts.

It's Aimee's fault that Regina now has a husband -- who is not him! He needs her by his side, he says, as he nears and begins to embrace Regina. He can't get her out of his head, he's saying, as Renato cups her neck and starts to lower his head for a kiss. Regina's keeping her neck stiff, but Renato makes their lips touch.

At the prison, the sheriff laughs when Branko relates that he and Gabriel are blood brothers -- someone he could never harm. Branko desperately begs the sheriff to bring Servando to accuse him face to face. When the sheriff threatens that if convicted, Branko will be in that cell the rest of his life and never see the light of day again, Branko grows hysterical and follows the sheriff to the cell door, grasping it and falling to the ground, screaming.

In her rooms, Aimee colludes with Celia about her pregnancy-that-isn't. What can be done? Pillows aren't going to work forever, and Aimee should be ashamed that Celia is the one that came up with the answer. She suggests to Aimee to find a man -- to make the pregnancy real. No one would have to know.

Back at the kiss, Regina hauls off and gives Renato a good smack. What does he think -- she's going to become his lover? Leave her alone! she shouts. But he can't leave her alone, he says. And what's more, he needs to know something. Something that can free her from Juan, he continues.

In order to annul the marriage, there can have been no consummation. Regina knows exactly what he means, and she doesn't want him freeing her from anybody! He needs to stay out of her life! Looking like he's a bad taste in her mouth, Regina tells him he belongs to her past.

She doesn't love him anymore, she states flatly. I...don't...love...you. Renato looks horrified. Bring Juan back to me! she insists. Now Juan is the love of my life! I love him with all of my heart. Much more than I would have ever loved you. Renato is stunned and speechless, searching her face for what could be the truth.


*See "...Five Go Mad in Dorset"

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