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financing of minor works in the rural districts. The post allocated was in the small town of San Juan Bautista and Alberto was required to oversee all municipal works in the town itself and the surrounding district: an area of several thousand square kilometres. Here, after just over a year, Maria’s daughter was born and the sorrow of her name began to return. The child contracted some sort of chest disease and despite the best medical attention San Juan Bautista had to offer, died just after her first birthday. From then on happiness faded fast. Maria’s husband, a man of strong political convictions and a fierce nationalist, had been elected lodge leader of the local Katipunan, a secret society set up to work for Philippine independence which, when its existence was discovered and suppressed by the Spanish, translated itself into a revolutionary army. Maria’s husband became an officer, the lodge members his soldiers, and they left San Juan to join forces with others to form the new Army of Independence. Her sorrow at departure of her husband was as nothing, however, when two months later she received the news of his death. He had been killed in his first engagement with Spanish troops. The fact that he had died bravely, leading his men on a charge of the Spanish position, comforted her not at all.
    From then on her life became true to her name. She was a childless widow and soon just one of the many widows the war against Spain created. What sympathy and support had been initially forthcoming for these unfortunate women slowly dried up and then stopped. San Juan was not a rich place and there were just too may widows to look after: those with children had to take priority. Maria was left to fend for herself. It was the Church that finally came to Maria’s aide. She was told that she could live in the empty priest’s house on condition she kept it clean and looked after any priest who came to stay there. Also she must clean the church and see that it was unlocked and locked so that it could be used at appropriate times. There were no wages for these services but it was a roof over her head and, as an official of the Church, however humble, the town could not see her starve. A small but sufficient allowance of food was collected from the parish. Thus Maria survived for ten years.
    Then Father Enrique arrived.
    Young, enthusiastic, full of hope, he kept her on as housekeeper and gave her an allowance for all the domestic necessities which Maria considered almost sinfully extravagant but, with an effort, she managed to live with her new life of excess. Her social position also changed. With Father Enrique’s arrival and her elevation to official housekeeper of the town’s only priest she was a woman of importance. She no longer took charity but was even able to dispense it herself, on behalf of Father Enrique of course. After so many years of difficulty and sorrow Maria Dolores once more glimpsed happiness and she thanked God, but only after she had thanked in her heart and prayers Father Enrique.
    Now she sat in the kitchen with this young woman, a stranger come from nowhere who had crept into Father Enrique’s life and into his heart.
    They sat facing each other across the kitchen table.
    â€˜I did as you said. I told him he must decide.’ Maria didn’t say anything. She was thinking. The young woman waited a few minutes before she spoke again. ‘Will he send me away?’
    Maria shook her head.
    â€˜No. He is young and full of passion. Until now he has given all that passion to God and the Church but last night he found another way to give it. If he was going to send you away he would have done it when you got into his bed or this morning when he had thought over what he had done.’
    â€˜So I can stay?’
    â€˜We will see. These things must be properly managed.’
    â€˜But you will help me?’
    â€˜No. I will not help you.’ The young woman looked