She went to her room, to a small hidden altar where she kept the remnants of her faith and her science. She began to prepare a mixture. It wasn’t a poison—Rosa wasn’t a murderer—but a potent sedative made from plants she remembered from Africa and herbs she had found in the Andes.
On the night of March 14, Rosa served Don Alejandro his favorite Spanish wine. Dissolved within the ruby liquid was her “gift” to him: a deep, comatose sleep that would last well into the next morning.
As the Baron slumped into unconsciousness, the house sprang into action. But it was a silent, terrifying action. Rosa crept into the girls’ rooms. She woke them up one by one, using secret hand signals she had taught to the eldest, María Esperanza.
“We are leaving,” her eyes said. “Tonight, the nightmare ends.”
The Escape into the Night
The escape was a masterpiece of coordination. Francisco Mbá had horses waiting in a clearing two kilometers away. He had timed the guard rotations perfectly, creating a 15-minute window of invisibility.
