That Dammed Letter!

The secrets of men (and women) are in their stories. Behind the full story of Catalina and Sebastian is a letter written by Matilda, the late wife of Don Guadalupe. In that letter written on her death bed, were poured out the secrets of her reckless and shameful whoredom. This is what dominated this episode 10.

The whole village knew she was a rich slut, as there were few men in town who did not go to bed with her. She was a terrible disgrace to her rich husband who regretted the day he met her. In that letter, she cleared the air about the paternity of her children Martina and Sebastian. The letter was also speculated to contain secrets about the paternity of Carmelo (whom I personally suspected to be the her illegitimate son by another 'customer' from her roaring prostitution).

Palpable fears were also being felt that some secrets of Madame Antonieta (her best friend), may also be contained in that letter. The letter was given by Matilde to the old priest of the village church, who himself is now late. It is popularly suspected that Petra may be in custody of that letter, but she has always denied it.

Meanwhile, after accomplishing the first phase of her scheme, Adela organized her discharge from the hospital, on the pretext that her disease was incurable, so she wanted to go and 'die' at home.

Adela's pretensions were however exposed when Catalina's sister, Luisa, eavesdropped and knew that Adela feigned her illness so at to trap Catalina and Sebastian into wedlock. (I am amused at what force would break this matrimonial padlock contrived by Adela).

Luisa threatened to expose the truth to Catalina but Adela countered her threat by warning her that she (Luisa), had much to lose if Catalina should know the truth, because she would stop going to school as there would be no money coming from Sebastine to pay her school fees.

Emilia refuse to cow and vowed that she would break the marriage of Catalina and Sebastian. She went to propose an irresistible deal to Carmelo, telling him to help her win Sebastian's love, and she would help him find information about his paternity from Antonieta.

Carmelo set to work on Sebastian by telling him that it would be a great loss if he ignores a ravishing Emilia for any city girl.

Antonieta too proposed a deal to Emilia that she would help her to win Sebastian if she gives her the first child from her conjugal union with Sebastian to raise. She wanted to raise the child to hate Lupe. The stage for thriving intrigues is now set.

Carmelo too, eaten up by doubts about his paternity, he went to Petra to ask her why she was alway kind to him. The old woman told him that that she was only the last wish of his mother whom she claimed was her sister, who also worked in the ranch for Lupe before she got pregnant and died some few years after giving birth to Carmelo.

He wondered aloud if his late mother was carrying Lupe's pregnancy. Petra denied that and told him to stop imagining that he was Lupe's son, because it is not true