Puri

3 | The Lady and the Merchant

Sofia, now at home, inside the four corners of her bedroom, finally had the privacy she needed to read the merchant's note.

She unfolded the small piece of white paper. On it, neatly written, are two simple words that mean the world to her: River. Midnight.

On the lower right corner are two Chinese characters she knows so well. 荫秀 -- Yin Xiu [/(y)een show/], the merchant's name.

Sofia quickly folded the piece of paper and hid it in a compartment under her desk when someone knocked on her bedroom door. She turned at the same time Doña Elena opened the door.

"We're about to eat dinner, hija," the Doña informed her. "Come now."

Sofia stood up and walked to the door. Doña Elena waited for her outside. "So, how was your day, my darling?" she asked.

Urgh, Sofia thought as her mother hooked her arms on Sofia's. They were walking down the hallway to the staircase while Sofia recalled her day. She wanted to tell her mother how annoying the Gobernadorcillo's son was, asking her questions about nonsense things and making a joke about the title of every other book in the bookstore.

Alas, she cannot talk ill of Antonio. The man was only being himself, at least, from her point of view. As much as she wants this marriage out of the table, she cannot just ruin the man's image to her mother.

"Antonio bought me a book," she said, making her mother gasp.

"He really is a sweetheart, that Antonio," Doña Elena gushed as they descend the stairs. "Celina raised an admirable young man."

Sofia chose not to answer. She let the comment float.

After the evening prayer, Sofia immediately tucked herself inside her room. Her father kissed her forehead goodnight before heading to his study. Her mother reminded her to have a peaceful rest.

In a little while, Lilia knocked on Sofia's bedroom door, holding a basket full of fresh fruits and a canteen of drinking water. Inside, also tucked underneath, was a picnic blanket. She will be taking these with her when she sneak out of their house later midnight.

When midnight came, Lilia checked in on her again. She informed Sofia that the other household members and servants are peacefully sleeping in their own rooms. The two of them sneaked out into the backdoor with a small lamp illuminating a halo around them.

She will be using the secret passage behind the garden to the river. It's not far, only a kilometer away. She can walk that far, since she's already had practice for the past two years.

Once out of the garden, Sofia stepped into the dirt road extending to both her sides. Sofia faced left, to the direction for the river.

In minutes, she started hearing the soft slush of river water on rocks. On the riverbanks, Sofia made out a dark figure. A smile immediately appeared on her lips, thinking that the merchant had been waiting for her.

Quickly, she made her way to the riverbank. She crept behind Xiu and attempted to surprise them when the figure turned.

It wasn't her merchant.

It was her fiancé's coachman, Felipe.