The funeral of Maria Argüello would be the talk of the county for years, but Xavier couldn’t wait to get rid of the houseful of well-wishers, still talking and sharing stories, so he and Aleksandra could grieve for the woman who had given her life for him.
His tears had flowed for hours over the past week. They still returned when he least expected it—looking at her what-not in the corner with its tiny Spanish figurines, her sewing basket, her handwoven shawl, his horse. He shook his head. Even when he was only a young boy, his mother had already instilled in him her unique way with horses.
“I cannot bear another moment of this,” he whispered into Aleksandra’s hair when he caught her in the kitchen. He pulled her into the pantry and closed the door.
“It will soon be over.” She pulled his head down and kissed him deeply. “Maria was well-loved. Her friends want to be sure you know how much they care about both you and her,” she said against his lips.
“I just want to be away.” He kissed her on the forehead and held her hard against him.
“Away, we will be, and soon.” She bit her lip. “Thankfully, Skinner is a gentleman, despite his drunken visit that first morning. He apologized profusely the other day when he was here. He said he won’t be drinking for awhile, if ever, after he was kissed by your fist—more than I can say for your brother, I’m afraid, but we can do little for him now.”
“Skinner didn’t have to offer us the use of the rancho for six months. I sure appreciate that,” Xavier said, with the hint of a smile, “especially after his welcome in the hallway.”
“I’m grateful to Mama for encouraging us to go to New Zealand,” she said. “It was like being thrown a rope in a rough sea. She was right. All the people around Rancho de las Pulgas overwhelm me.”
“We can create a place of peace for our family in New Zealand. It’s meant to be vast.”
“All I ask is a chance to start anew in a peaceful country, away from all this death and destruction.”
They were silent for a moment.
“Have you found out when the barque is to sail?” she asked. Her lovely blue eyes shone with such trust, he felt inadequate to the task of creating this new life, but he’d give it everything he had, with all his heart.
“Captain Rach said we sail in late August. We have plenty of time.”
“August will come sooner than we think.” She pulled his hips to hers and leaned back, their eyes locked together.
“Mama and Melissandra,” Xavier gulped, squeezing her tightly again, “they’ll forever be in our hearts, but we’re ready to move on to a place we can call home.”
She nodded. “But for now, let’s go give Mama’s guests the sendoff she would have done.” Aleksandra smiled through her tears and hugged him close one more time before they emerged to face the crowd.
“A fine lot of horses and cattle you have here, Xavier.” Josh Skinner scanned the herd of cows before him. “I’d be pleased to buy any animals you wish to sell. You just name your price.”
“Now that I’ve been to your ranch and seen how you keep your stock,” Xavier sighed, “I’m relieved to know you’re buying them. I’m also pleased they’ll stay on the rancho they’ve always known, especially the horses.”
“I don’t imagine that gray Spanish horse would be for sale?” Skinner raised an eyebrow over laughing eyes. “Just kidding. I know what he means to you. I’d sure like some of his get, though. Those horses you brought back from Utah on your last trip would suit me just fine.”
“Charro over Doc Faust’s Thoroughbred mares gave us some stunning foals,” Xavier nodded, “but they won’t come cheap.”
“I’ve seen the sale list you made up and I’m prepared to pay.” He took a deep breath, hesitated for a moment, then went on. “Xavier, you’re taking this whole ordeal like the man your father was. He would have been proud of you.”
“You knew my father?” Xavier glanced up as tears filled his eyes. He shook his head. This was happening all too often for his liking.
“Yes, I was just a bit younger than you are now when I worked for him on this very rancho, before I left for the gold fields.”
Skinner blurred before his eyes. “Sorry,” Xavier said, as he wiped his eyes.
“No need, no need. You’ve both had a rough time of it lately. You’re not half as sorry as I am.” Josh put an arm over his shoulder and they walked toward the broodmare pasture. “Your Papa was a good man, and fair. I’ve tried to follow his example in my life, but I will forever regret my part in your mother’s death.” He shook his head and closed his eyes.
“Her heart was not good, you know that.” Xavier said, and looked away.
“I also realize I’m taking your birthright, but as you’ve told me, this place is too crowded for you and that lovely little woman of yours. You both need some time away, and an adventuresome life for awhile yet. There was too much unhappiness for you here with your abominable stepfather and the loss of your firstborn, as well as your mother. We won’t even discuss your youngest brother. Money will be no object. I’ll do right by you with the stock from this place and any farm implements and equipment you care to let go my way. I can help you invest it, so you always have a springboard and money to educate the many young ones you’re sure to have.” He dropped his arm from Xavier’s shoulders.
Xavier turned to face him and clasped his hand. The older man clapped him on the shoulder as they turned and walked into the horse barn to view the rest of the stock.
A feminine shriek came from the front of the house. They exchanged a glance and bolted toward the house.
Xavier ran around the corner of the barn in time to see Aleksandra leap into a familiar wagon beside two mounted riders and throw her arms around…Tatiana!
“It looks like you have company, so I’ll just leave you to it and return tomorrow?” Skinner shook his hand and turned to go.
“Thank you for coming by, sir. We’ll speak tomorrow,” Xavier said, as the new owner of de las Pulgas turned toward his horse in the barn, and he hurried on to meet their guests.
“Nikolai, how you’ve grown!” Aleksandra said, hopping off the cart to greet Tatiana and Vladimir’s son. The young man slid from his horse and picked her up in a bear hug.
Xavier reached the mob as Vladimir dismounted. He reached for his hand.
“Xavier, what’s this I hear in town about you two leaving for New Zealand?”
Xavier frowned, then he hugged his friend and clapped him across the back. “Quite a few changes around here, but I suspect it’ll all be for the best.” Xavier tried to smile as he made his way to the wagon and helped Tatiana down. The dogcart, which actually belonged to Aleksandra and her papa, was drawn by two chestnuts and loaded to within an inch of its life, piled high with belongings. Vladimir must have adapted it with a singletree, so two horses could pull it instead of one.
“You took that over the Sierras?” Aleksandra’s mouth dropped open.
“The southern road around Lake Bigler through Placerville is much easier than the northern route you took.” Tatiana smiled.
“What have you brought? The whole cabin?”
“You’d be surprised,” the Russian woman said, and raised a brow at Xavier.
“Miguel, please meet our old friends: Tatiana, Vladimir and their son Nikolai. Would you please see their horses are put up?” Aleksandra asked.
“I’ll help, Aleks,” Nikolai said. “You just take Mama and Papa in with you.”
Aleks and Tatiana shared a glance and a smile. The boy was indeed growing up.
“Come on in,” Aleksandra said, as she led them onto the porch and into the house.
“What possessed you to leave this beautiful rancho and go to New Zealand, of all places?” Vladimir said, his brow furrowed.
Xavier gripped Aleksandra’s hand tightly and told them. “And so,” Xavier said, when he’d finished the story and taken the last sip of his mocha Mexicano, “we take ship soon. I can’t say how glad I am you showed up before we left.”
“We sure are, too,” Nikolai piped in. He’d slipped into the room a few minutes before and heard the last of the story.
“I wish I could still offer you a place on Rancho de las Pulgas,” Xavier said, “but it’s no longer ours. I could speak with the new owner, if you wish. He’s a good man and was a friend of my real father.”
“Our thanks, but it is not necessary,” Vladimir said. “We are going north to a settlement on the coast. It was a Russian Fort until twenty years ago, but some of the settlers chose to stay when the fort was sold.”
“It sounds lovely, it’s right on the sea. Some friends I met on my trip here from Russia live there now.” Tatiana gave them a wistful smile. “It’ll be like a little bit of home, albeit warmer and with more freedom.”
“I wish we had time to see it before we leave, but we leave soon.”
“Don’t remind me,” Xavier said, wincing. “I have far too much to do before we leave.”
“We’re just glad we caught you,” Tatiana said, and hugged Aleksandra to her side, seated beside her on the wooden bench in the comfortable old farmhouse kitchen. “We will only stay a few days to help you if we can, and then we’ll be on our way north.”
“I’m just so glad we were able to see you before we left,” Aleksandra said again, and gave Tatiana another hug.
“Xavier,” Aleksandra called, “Mr. Fraser is here.”
“I’ll be right there,” he said, shaking the water from his hands at the pump beside the porch. Aleksandra handed him a towel and he grabbed her hand and pulled her toward him for a kiss. “Nearly there, Querida. We’re nearly done.”
“Can’t be soon enough for me,” she said, shaking her head.
“Are you still happy with our decision about our sirvientes?”
“More sure than sure can be.” She reached up and kissed him again, then preceded him through the front door.
The lawyer sat at the kitchen table, his papers already spread out around him. He stood at their entrance and shook Xavier’s hand. “Mr. Argüello, thank you for coming in during the middle of the day, especially during this busy time of year,” he said.
“I’m glad you could make it out here,” Xavier said. “You have the stock sale contracts for Mr. Skinner drawn up?”
“I do, ready for you to sign,” he said, peering at him over his glasses.
Xavier slid onto the bench opposite and took the sheaf of papers. He was one page through it when the lawyer sat up straight and looked at Xavier and Aleksandra, a frown on his face.
“I don’t seem to see, however, a list of the indentured and apprenticed Indian servants. Mr. Skinner was asking about them yesterday. He wondered how much you wanted for their contracts. Are they to remain on Rancho de las Pulgas or do you intend to sell their papers elsewhere?”
Xavier and Aleksandra looked at each other in silence.
Mr. Fraser’s eyebrows shot up.
“You have itemized them, haven’t you?”
Xavier shook his head.
“But those indentures are worth a lot of money. Surely you’ve considered that?” Fraser said, as if speaking to small children. “You’ve lost enough money out of this farce of a land transaction, thanks to your sainted brother. The sale of the indentures and those of the apprentices would go a long way to helping you both get a new start. You can’t mean to just leave them for nothing on the rancho for Skinner?”
“Actually, that wasn’t our intent, sir,” Xavier said.
The lawyer’s brow furrowed and he looked at him sideways. “What is it, then? Because I cannot see any other choice.”
“Aleksandra and I have discussed this at length,” said Xavier, “and given our abhorrence of slavery, which is what these forced indentures and apprenticeships truly are, we see another choice entirely.”
Fraser’s jaw dropped and he could only stare.
“We require you to draw up letters for each servant. Here’s the list,” Xavier took the list from Aleksandra and handed it to him, “detailing that their indentures and apprenticeships have been fulfilled in their entirety with no exchange of money by any parties.”
“But...” Mr. Fraser had no words for a moment, then he found them, in earnest, “but those contracts are worth a small fortune, and the government doesn’t believe the natives can govern themselves, which is why they support—”
“—Mr. Fraser,” Aleksandra cut in, “do you wish to draw up the papers or shall we find another solicitor?”
The man went white as a sheet and stared at the long list of men, women and children before him.
“These people, I prefer to think of them as people, Mr. Fraser,” Xavier enunciated every word, “are essentially slaves. While some were born on this rancho, most were kidnapped from their families and forced to become slaves for decades.”
“But Xavier,” the lawyer tried again, “you must realiz—”
“—Mr. Fraser, this is the end of the discussion. Do you wish to draw up the papers or shall we find someone else?”
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his hands shaking. “Yes, Mr. Argüello,” he whispered.
“She looks a strong ship.” Aleksandra said to Captain Rach, as he prepared to lower the ramp for them to enter the hold. “It’ll be a long trip for the stock, but it’s for the best.”
He pulled the lever releasing the winch and the ramp slowly moved downwards, ropes creaking as they unwound. “We can carry feed and water to accommodate the eight horses and dozen beasts for the time of the trip and then some. Yours will be the only stock on board,” he said, as he watched the ropes.
Aleksandra inspected the tie stalls in the hold, stamping on the floorboards to assure herself of their condition. “Brilliant, sir. There’s plenty of room for our stock. They’ll do fine down here,” she said, as they climbed back up the ramp to the deck. “We chose the Emmeline specifically because of her ramp setup—so the horses can be walked on the deck for exercise—and because you came so highly recommended.”
“Thank you,” Rach said. “Your husband was most particular about the horse quarters and access. He said it would matter to you.”
She smiled. “The horses and stock will certainly be happier with ramps than with harnesses,” she said. “It will be easier for everyone.”
“I’m looking forward to having you and Mr. Argüello on board for the trip,” he said. “You’ll be the only immigrant family. This trip is mostly cargo to supply the colonies.”
“Do you know when we’re to leave San Francisco?”
“I’ll send a barge to the Redwood City docks to pick up your stock and goods in three weeks, on the Monday.” He ran his fingers through his hair, biting his lip. “I might be able to get the Emmeline into the deep water channel at Redwood Creek, but I suspect she might not come out in one piece, so we’ll have to load everything twice, sorry.” He took a deep breath and shook his head. “We’ll transfer everything from the barge to the Emmeline back here in San Francisco.”
“We wouldn’t expect you to take that sort of a chance.” Aleksandra said. “The stock will be waiting in the corrals near the Redwood City docks. You’ll send word if you’re delayed?”
“Of course, Mrs. Argüello,” he said, as he took her hand to assist her across the gangplank. “Oh, one last thing,” he turned to her and spoke across the ramp. “I’m an abstentionist, and the crew will be allowed no alcohol of any sort, whether as ale, porter, spirits or otherwise, including laudanum. I would appreciate it if you do not supply them with any. I will not put this restriction upon you and Xavier, but I require your word that you will not provide it to any of the men.”
“Xavier doesn’t drink alcohol and neither do I,” she said, “so we’ll have no problem with that, and won’t be bringing any on board.”
“That is as it should be. Thank you,” he said, with a smile.
“Until then, Captain Rach.” She nodded to him and walked along the dock in search of her wagon.
“Clumsy oaf!” An unnervingly familiar voice came from the other side of a wagon as she walked past. “Take better care of her case, damn you! If I wasn’t in a hurry, I’d string you up and use you for target practice,” the man menaced.
Cole Younger. It had to be. There was no one meaner than he, it was reckoned. She pulled the brim of her bonnet further forward over her face and slipped her braid underneath the shawl covering her plain cotton gown. She kept her head down and walked faster. She tripped over an uneven cobble in the road beside the wharf and began to fall forward, her feet tangling in her petticoats. Her heart was in her throat when someone grabbed her roughly by the arm.