"Duel with a Stranger" is the sixth episode of the syndicated television series Queen of Swords, airing November 11, 2000.
Colonel Montoya employs a professional swordsman to kill The Queen after seeing him humiliate Captain Grisham in a test of his prowess. The swordsman from Madrid is Antonio, Tessa's old sweetheart.
Credited cast
Cast as listed at the beginning and end of episode. Tessie Santiago as Tessa Alvarado/The Queen Anthony Lemke as Captain Marcus Grisham Elsa Pataky as Vera Hidalgo Peter Wingfield as Dr. Robert Helm (does not appear in this episode) Paulina Galvez as Marta the gipsy Valentine Pelka as Colonel Luis Ramirez Montoya Cristián de la Fuente as Antonio Tacho Gonzalez as Don Gaspar Hidalgo Eduardo Recabarren as Pietro Olivier Vitran as the young man
Plot
Outside town Colonel Montoya, Captain Grisham, and some soldiers are assembled to meet a young Spanish nobleman, Antonio. The purpose is to test his claims as the finest swordsman in Spain. Skilled in the Spanish Destreza mysterious circle fencing system he takes on first Captain Grisham and quickly disarms him. Montoya orders his men to attack and Antonio swiftly renders them senseless. Captain Grisham is encouraged by Montoya to try again, but to no avail, much to Montoya's amusement of Grisham's humiliation. Montoya agrees to pay Antonio to kill the Queen although his offer to pay a deposit offends Antonio's honor as he is not a 'tradesman'.
At the Alvarado hacienda Tessa is taking a bath in preparation for a party at Montoya's and is reminiscing with Marta about the parties she attended back in Madrid. Marta points out she is going to find about gold shipments Montoya is making. At the party, eternally-cuckolded Don Hidalgo is calling for his wife Vera who is nowhere to be found. Canoodling with Captain Grisham until she hears her husband's voice. Tessa and Marta are mingling when Tessa spies Antonio across the room talking to Montoya, bringing back a flood of memories of two years earlier when they were sweethearts in Madrid when she and Marta witnessed Antonio dueling and called out to save his life when his beaten opponent tried to kill him from behind. Marta is not pleased that Antonio regards honor above all else, but Tessa defends him and later that day, when he is going off to fight Napoleon, is ready to give up her virginity, but he stops her as a matter of honor. She gave him her Saint Christopher pendant to keep him safe. Now he is here in Santa Helena on business and will be a rich man and wants to meet her again. Montoya and Grisham, watching with surprise that Antonio and Tessa know each other set a plan in motion using a drunken coach driver, trying in vain to impress Marta, boasting of taking gold in the coach tomorrow at dawn. Marta informs Tessa on the journey back home, but she is happy with seeing Antonio, much to Marta's annoyance.
Dawn, and the coach escorted by two outriders is pursued by the Queen and the two outriders are soon eliminated. Riding Chico hard, the Queen catches the coach and transfers from horse to coach and makes the driver jump, eventually bringing the coach under control. She brings it to a halt and her horse Chico follows alongside. From inside the coach Antonio emerges to greet a shocked Queen. Refusing to stand and fight she jumps from the coach to her horse and escapes.