Miss Historian and Her Lady Guide (The Love We Found)

Uncharted Waters

The days that followed their discovery of María and Isabel's letters were a blur of excitement and sleepless nights. Roxan and Dana stayed in a small inn near the old district, their room cluttered with notebooks, photographs, and pages of scribbled notes. The mystery of María and Isabel consumed them both, and they spent hours piecing together the fragments of the past, trying to see the whole picture.

One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon and the sky bled into shades of orange and pink, Roxan sat on the small balcony of their room, staring out at the sea. The cool breeze carried the scent of saltwater, and she felt a calmness that contrasted with the storm of thoughts inside her.

Dana joined her, leaning against the railing. "Penny for your thoughts?" she asked lightly, a playful smile on her lips.

Roxan smiled back. "I was just thinking about what Isabel wrote in her last letter... how they found peace here, even if just for a while. I can't stop wondering what happened after that. Did they stay? Did they leave? And if they did... where to?"

Dana nodded, her expression turning thoughtful. "I've been thinking the same thing. But maybe we're looking at it the wrong way."

Roxan raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Dana hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "Maybe it's not just about where they went... but why they went. What was the moment that made them decide? Was it another threat? A realization? Or did they finally find the courage to leave everything behind for good?"

Roxan considered this, the idea settling in her mind like a seed ready to grow. "You're right," she said slowly. "If we understand their reasons, maybe we'll know where to look next."

Dana's face brightened with enthusiasm. "And I think I know who might be able to help us."

---

The next morning, they set out for the old house again, but this time, they had a specific goal. On their first visit, they had noticed a neighbor—an elderly woman who had been watching them curiously from her own garden across the street. Her name was *Lola* Lita, and she had lived in the old district her entire life. If anyone might have heard stories about the two women who once lived in the stone house, it was her.

As they approached Lola Lita's house, they found her in the garden, tending to a patch of herbs. She looked up, her eyes narrowing slightly as they drew closer, but her expression was more curious than unfriendly.

"Good morning," Dana greeted warmly, offering a friendly wave. "We're sorry to bother you again, but we're hoping you might help us with something."

Lola Lita straightened, wiping her hands on her apron. "You're the girls who were at the old house," she said, her voice raspy but strong.

"Yes," Roxan replied, stepping forward. "We're researching two women who lived there in the 1870s—María Concepcion and Isabel de la Cruz. We found some of their letters, but we're trying to understand what happened to them after they arrived here."

The old woman's eyes softened, and she sighed, her gaze drifting toward the house across the street. "Ah, the lovers," she murmured. "I've heard of them... stories passed down from my mother, and from her mother before her."

Dana's eyes widened with excitement. "What do you know?"

Lola Lita leaned on her cane, her face thoughtful. "They were always spoken of in hushed tones. My grandmother used to say they were brave... and foolish. But mostly, she admired them. She said they lived quietly, keeping to themselves, but there was a strength about them, a bond that no one could break."

Roxan felt her heart quicken. "Did she ever mention what happened to them?"

The old woman nodded slowly. "There was a rumor that spread one summer... that they had been seen boarding a small boat, heading out to sea. Some said they were escaping once again, others believed they had found a place where they could truly be free."