The coward was hiding.

 One of the soldiers was staring at the floor behind the desk. "Colonel…"

 Acoña strode over to his side and stared down at the floor. The bound and gagged body of the clerk was slumped against the wall. A sign had been hung around his neck. It read: PLEASE DO NOT DISTURB.

Rubio Arzano watched in horror as Lucia disappeared under the rushing waters and was swept downstream. In a split second he turned to race along the river bank, leaping over small logs and bushes. At the first bend of the river, he caught a glimpse of Lucia's body coming toward him. Diving in, he swam frantically to reach her, struggling against the powerful current. It was almost impossible. He felt himself being pulled away. Lucia was only ten feet away from him, but it seemed like miles. He made one last heroic effort and grabbed her arm, his fingers almost slipping away. He held her in a death grip as he grappled his way to the safety of the shore.

When Rubio finally reached the river bank, he pulled Lucia up on the grass and lay there, fighting for breath. She was unconscious and not breathing. Rubio turned her over on her stomach, straddled her, and began to apply pressure to her lungs. A minute went by, then two, and just as he was beginning to despair, a stream of water gushed out of her mouth and she groaned. Rubio uttered a prayer of thanks.

He kept up the pressure, gentler now, until her heartbeat was steady. When she began to shiver from the cold, Rubio hurried over to a clump of trees and pulled down handfuls of leaves. He carried them over to her and started to dry her body with them. He was also wet and cold, and his clothes were soaked, but he paid no attention. He had been panicky with fear that Sister Lucia would die. Now, as he gently rubbed her naked body with the dry leaves, unworthy thoughts came into his mind.

She has the body of a goddess. Forgive me, Lord, she belongs to You, and I must not think these wicked thoughts…

Lucia was gradually awakened by the gentle stroking of her body. She was on the beach with Ivo, and his soft tongue was moving down her body. Oh, yes, she thought. Oh, yes. Don't stop, caro. She was aroused even before she opened her eyes.

When Lucia had fallen into the river, her last thought had been that she was going to die. But she was alive, and she found herself looking up at the man who had saved her.

Without even thinking, she reached out and pulled Rubio down to her. There was a look of shocked surprise on his face.

"Sister—" he protested. "We can't—"

"Sh!"

Her lips were on his, fierce and hungry and demanding, and her tongue was exploring his mouth. It was too much for

Rubio.

"Hurry," Lucia whispered. "Hurry."

She watched as Rubio nervously stripped off his wet clothes. He deserves a reward, she thought. So do I.

As Rubio moved hesitantly toward her, he said, "Sister, we shouldn't—"

Lucia was in no mood for conversation. She felt him join his body to hers in a timeless, mindless ritual, and she gave herself up to the glorious sensations that flooded her. It was all the sweeter because of her close brush with death.

Rubio was a surprisingly good lover, both gentle and fierce at the same time. He had a vulnerability that took

Lucia completely by surprise. And there was a look of such tenderness in his eyes that she felt a sudden lump in her throat.

I hope the big oaf isn't falling in love with me. He's so eager to please me. When was the last time a man cared about pleasing me? Lucia wondered. And she thought of her father.

And she wondered how he would have liked Rubio Arzano. And then she wondered why she wondered whether her father would have liked Rubio Arzano. I must be crazy. This man is a farmer. I'm Lucia Carmine, the daughter of Angela Carmine.

Rubio's life has nothing to do with my life. We were thrown together by a stupid accident of fate.

Rubio was holding her and saying over and over, "Lucia. My Lucia."

 And the shining in his eyes told her everything he felt.

 He's so dear, she thought. And then: What is the matter with me? Why am I even thinking about him like this? I'm running away from the police and—She suddenly remembered the gold cross and gasped. Oh, my God! How could I have forgotten it even for a moment?

 She sat up quickly. "Rubio, I left a—a package on the bank of the river back there. Would you bring it to me, please?

 And my clothes?"

 "Of course. I'll be right back."

 Lucia sat there waiting, frantic that something might have happened to the cross. What if it was gone? What if someone had come along and picked it up?

 It was with an enormous feeling of relief that Lucia watched Rubio return with the wrapped cross under his arm. I mustn't let it out of my sight again, she thought. "Thank you," she said to Rubio.

 Rubio handed Lucia her clothes. She looked up at him and said softly, "I won't need these right away."

 The sun on her naked skin made Lucia feel lazy and warm, and being in Rubio's arms was a wonderful comfort. It was as though they had found a peaceful oasis. The dangers they had been running away from seemed light-years away.

 "Tell me about your farm," Lucia said idly.

 His face lit up, and there was pride in his voice. "It was a small farm outside a little village near Bilbao. It was in my family for generations."

 "What happened to it?"

 His expression darkened. "Because I am Basque, the government in Madrid punished me with extra taxes. When I refused to pay, they confiscated the farm. That was when I met Jaime Mir у. I joined him to fight against the government for what is right. I have a mother and two sisters, and one day we will have our farm back, and I will run it again."

Lucia thought of her father and two brothers locked away in a prison forever. "Are you close to your family?"

Rubio smiled warmly. "Of course. Families are our first love, are they not?"

Yes, Lucia thought. But I will never see mine again.

"Tell me about your family, Lucia," he said. "Before you joined the convent, were you close to them?"

The conversation was taking a dangerous turn. What can I tell him? My father is a Mafioso. He and my two brothers are in prison for murder. "Yes—we are very close."

"What does your father do?"

"He—he's a businessman."

"Do you have brothers and sisters?"

"I have two brothers. They work for him."

"Lucia, why did you enter the convent?"

Because the police are looking for me for murdering two men. I've got to stop this conversation, Lucia thought. Aloud she said, "I needed to get away." That's close enough to the truth.

"You felt the world was—was too much for you?"

"Something like that."

"I have no right to say this, Lucia, but I am in love with you."

"Rubio—"

"I want to marry you. In all my life, I have never said that to another woman."

There was something so touching and earnest about him. He doesn't know how to play games, she thought. I must be careful not to hurt him. But the idea of Angelo Carmine's daughter being a farmer's wife! Lucia almost laughed aloud.

Rubio misunderstood the smile on her face. "I will not live in hiding forever. The government will have to make peace with us. Then I will return to my farm. Querida— I want to spend the rest of my life making you happy. We will have many children and the girls will all look like you…"

I can't let him go on like this, Lucia decided. I should stop him now. But somehow she could not bring herself to do it. She listened to Rubio paint romantic pictures of their life together, and she found herself almost wishing it could happen. She was so tired of running away. It would be wonderful to find a haven where she could be safe, taken care of by someone who loved her. I must be losing my mind.