He constantly had to invent excuses to justify his behavior to the other servants in the house. Tomás, on the other hand, worked in the garden with a feigned tranquility that fooled everyone except Joaquín. The older man approached him at the end of the day.
“Whatever you foresee, my son,” he said softly, “may God be with you.” Tomás looked at him in surprise, but Joaquín simply nodded and walked away without another word. On Sunday night, Don Eduardo finally arrived. He left for Havana after dinner, as Isabella had expected. Little by little, the house
She remained silent as the servants retired to their rooms. At 11 p.m., Isabella was dressed in dark, practical clothing, a far cry from the elegant gowns she usually wore. She grabbed the trunk containing the jewels and slipped out of her bedroom door. The night of the escape had finally arrived. Isabella,
