Obediently, she let her friend guide her down the street to his house. He opened the gate to his large garden full of camellias, and steered his guest up the path to the stone house. Like the rest of San Ireneo, its windows were all lit up, as if inviting passersby to stop and visit. After tidying herself up, changing out of her boots into a pair of old slippers several sizes too big for her and eating an excellent dinner accompanied by a very good wine, Miss Prim was offered an armchair by the fire and a cup of tea.
“This is heaven, Horacio. I’m so comfortable, I could stay all night.”
Savoring a glass of whiskey, her host beamed with pleasure.
“You’d be very welcome, but I don’t think your employer would be too happy. He’s sending someone for you in an hour.”
“No, I don’t think he would be,” she replied, laughing. “How is it that everyone here is such a good host—always coming up with delicious sweets, cakes, and roast meats, a warm fire and good company?”
“Civilized pleasures from an earlier era, Prudencia.”
“I suppose so,” she sighed, slipping off the enormous slippers and moving her bare feet closer to the fire. Its crackling was the only sound in the room.
Outside the windows snow was still falling, muffling the few sounds that came from the village at that late hour. Miss Prim stared into the flames. She was starting to gauge the true significance of all she had thought, said, and heard during the day. And the conclusion did not please her.
“I think I did something very silly today,” she said, almost to herself.
“You mean trying to walk back? It all turned out all right in the end. It’s not worth worrying about.”
“I mean, confessing publicly that I’m attracted to the man I work for, when I’m not sure if it’s true.”
The librarian thought her host hadn’t heard, but then realized he had.
“I’ve been foolish, haven’t I?”
Horacio poured himself another couple of fingers of whiskey before replying.
“Naturally, I wouldn’t say foolish. A little rash, maybe.”
His guest smiled, eyes fixed on the fire.
“You’re so unlike him! He wouldn’t have shown me any mercy.”
“Of course he would, Prudencia, don’t be so hard on him. I know him—he’d never hurt you deliberately.”
“Is that a warning?” she asked stiffly.
“Not at all. Of course not. I don’t know what his feelings are, my dear; I can’t tell you whether he feels anything more for you than friendship or interest. But didn’t you just say yourself that you’re no longer sure if you feel the attraction you’ve mentioned?”
She averted her gaze.
“I see,” said her friend. “In that case, I’m afraid you’ll have to find out if your feelings are reciprocated.”
“Or whether any obstacle stands in the way of their being reciprocated.”
“Now I don’t follow you,” he said, looking at her with curiosity.
Briefly, Miss Prim recounted the events of the extraordinary conclave.
“Could it be true? And if it were, wouldn’t it be bigoted and fanatical? Could it be possible? You know him.”
“I do, but not so well as that, my dear. I’m afraid the only way of finding out is to ask him.”
“Ask him? Oh no, it would be the same as admitting my feelings. It’s out of the question.”
“Not so fast, Prudencia. Didn’t you say this was the reason he split up with Herminia?”
She nodded.
