Santiago Fernández is distraught when he hears that the Spanish junta has surrendered to the French, and he swears that Spain may surrender but not him. Despite his wife's and Gabriel's appeals that it is useless, he won't heed them. When Gabriel walks with him, Gabriel runs into Pujitos, who tells him that Santorcaz and his butler, Roman, are looking for him to send him to prison as he has been appointed bailiff.
Gabriel sees Father Salmon, who agrees to help him, so he takes him to the convent where Gabriel stays for a few days. Then the monks talk about the new laws that Napoleon has passed for Spain, one of which is to decimate the convents to a third. Salmon's plan for Gabriel was to get an authorization to leave Madrid, but the prior tells him that it is impossible. So Salmon thinks that they need to get help from Amaranta, and both Salmon and Gabriel go together.
Amaranta tells them that her uncle, who is for the French, and Ines are now living in the Pardo Palace, and to Gabriel's shock, he learns that Amaranta has told Ines that he is dead, and even though she resisted believing it, in the end Amaranta persuaded that it was true. It seems that she used Lobo and the papers that Gabriel signed when he proposed a post in Peru to trick Inés. Salmon, naturally, does not know that Amaranta is talking about Gabriel. When Salmon asks Amaranta to get an authorization for Gabriel, she agrees and will ask her French cousin, the Duke of Arion, and she says that it will take three days.
Then the prior says that the troops are to search the convents and Gabriel has to go. Gabriel and Salmon go back to Amaranta, and she comes up with a plan, which her cousin agrees with. Gabriel will get dressed as Arion and have his own authrization to leave Madrid. Gabriel then is ready to go when Diego appears, telling Salmon that la Zaina is dying and wants to have the last rites. So Salmon goes, and when Diego and Gabriel are left alone, Gabriel asks him about Inés, and he says that her family are opposing the marriage, and he does not really care for Inés. Yet, marrying her will mean that he will have money for every single of his whims, so he will marry her by force. So he explains that Santorcaz has devised a plan. They have talked to Ines's maid, Serafina, who will make sure that the girl is alone first thing in the morning, and they will go for a walk. Actually, she will take her to a carriage, and before she knows what is happening, she will be with Diego and he will make sure they marry. Gabriel is aghast, and tells him that it is disgraceful, and even though Diego admits that it is not decent and makes him feel dirty, he has to do it because his family and Santorcaz push him to do it, and he wants the money.
When he goes, the carriage that Amaranta has sent is waiting, and Gabriel gives orders to be taken to the Pardo Palace because he needs to warn Amaranta about Diego's intentions.
The ending is proving exciting and intense. I wonder what will happen to Diego when he turns up in the Pardo Museum. Will Ines see he is alive? Will Amaranta send the law after him?
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