Crista woke, thinking she had only fallen asleep, but there was a hint of light at her window. She had no intentions of greeting the dawn, her time with Diablo having left her with little sleep. She buried her head under her pillow, intending to avoid the dawn. But voices and rushing feet that sounded outside below her window had her wondering what was going on so early.
She got up and went to the terrace and gasped. It wasn’t the rising sun that lit the sky. It was a fire in the distance that sent a bright glow over the land. Vaqueros rushed to stand guard on the outskirts of the hacienda, rifles in hand.
Crista hurried into her pale blue, silk robe, worked her hair into a clumsy braid, and rushed out of her room and downstairs. She stopped near the bottom when she caught sight of her father, speaking with a vaquero his garments blackened with soot. Her mother stood off to the side and Esteban stood with his arm around Rosa.
“The fire cannot be contained. Don Cabeza’s son was shot protecting his sister but he is expected to recover. No one was able to prevent two servant women from being taken, and several vaqueros have been killed. It was a brutal attack and thankfully over quickly. Don Cabeza requests your help. He asks for more men to fight the fire.”
“My son and I will bring men,” her father said. “Go get food and drink while we gather the men.”
“Si, mucho gracias, Don Cesare,” the man said with a nod of his head and followed a servant who waved him on.
“Who would attack with such cruelty?” Rosa asked?
Esteban kissed the top of her head and held her tight. “From what witnesses saw, it was Diablo.”
Crista’s legs almost gave way hearing the name. That wasn’t possible. He’d been with her, though how many hours ago she couldn’t say. But there was no way he was responsible for this. He wouldn’t do this. He had left his old life behind.
“Something needs to be done about him,” her father said.
“That is difficult to do when there is not one person or outlaw who would even dare identify him even if they could. His black shroud hides his identity well,” Esteban said.
“There was nothing you saw when you met him that might help identify him?” her father asked.
Esteban shook his head. “Nothing. I believe he is feared worse than the devil himself.”
It was then they all realized that she stood on the steps and, having felt herself pale, she was certain she resembled a ghost.
“I never saw his face,” she said, knowing what they must have thought and keeping her word to the man she loved while trying to make sense of what happened tonight.
“And it’s good that you didn’t,” Esteban said, “or you wouldn’t be standing here now with us.”
“We must go,” her father said.
“Esteban kissed his wife. “You will go rest and sleep. You are well protected. There is nothing to fear.”
“I fear you not returning to me,” Rosa said, grabbing hold of his hand, in a futile effort to keep him with her.
“Nothing can keep me from you. I was once one of these outlaws. I know them well. They will not attack again tonight. They got what they wanted. They will be busy celebrating their victory.” He kissed her again. “Now go to bed and sleep. I will be home before you wake.”
“I doubt that,” Rosa said and hugged her husband before reluctantly releasing him.
Rosa and Crista stood staring after the two men, neither moving after they could be seen no more.
Valerianna’s sharp orders jolted them out of their worries. “Both of you back to bed. Rosa you need to think of the baby and Crista you need to make sure you are well rested before Don Navarro calls on you. Now to bed with the both of you. There is nothing more that can be done tonight.”
Her father and Esteban didn’t return until late afternoon. Both looked solemn and excused themselves to wash and change, their clothes covered with soot and grime. Valerianna followed her husband and Rosa followed Esteban. Crista was left standing alone and wondering what they had learned about the attack.
She retreated to the small parlor to wait and grew impatient as time ticked by far too slowly. She’d been disappointed but not surprised when Don Navarro sent word that he would not be able to call on her today and that he would be in touch to arrange another time. It wouldn’t appear appropriate for him to call on her after an attack on a neighboring hacienda.
When a servant finally came to tell her that the family was gathering in the dining room to eat, she hurried off. She was greeted by solemn faces and without a word, Crista took a seat across from her brother and Rosa, her parents seated at either end of the table.
Crista wanted to ask questions but something warned her to hold her tongue.
Her father looked troubled and her brother wore a scowl. Rosa had hold of Esteban’s hand and Valerianna wore a pinched expression.
Plates were filled but no one ate, though wine was liberally consumed.
Crista couldn’t take another minute of the silence. “What’s going on?”
“Malicious gossip that’s what,” her father said and received a glare from his wife.
“She’s going to find out, better she does from us than someone else,” her father argued.
“Find out what?” Crista asked, thinking the news couldn’t be good.
“Tongues are spreading senseless gossip,” Esteban said.
“Vicious gossip that has not an ounce of truth to it,” her father said, wagging his finger.
“I had such high hopes. Don Navarro would have made a good match for Crista,” Valerianna said. “He is mannerly and proper in appearance and words and has substantial wealth.”
“It doesn’t matter,” Don Alejandro said. “Our daughter has only returned home. I’d like time to spend with her before she’s rushed into a marriage.”
“Besides, he’s a stranger,” Esteban reminded. “All we know of him is what we’ve heard and we can’t be sure of either assumption. Some say he purchased the Edgardo hacienda while others talk of him being a distant cousin of Dona Maria Edgardo and inherited the Edgardo hacienda from her. We do not know if he’s brought his own wealth with him or if he spends the Edgardo money in making the many improvements to the hacienda that everyone is talking about.”
Alejandro nodded, agreeing with his son. “You are right. We don’t want Crista to wed a stranger. So it works well for her.”
“Now another family will arrange a marriage with him. Many mothers have plotted since his arrival here to snare him for their daughters.” Valerianna looked to her husband. “From what you told me about last night and the way Sofia Cabeza clung to Don Navarro when he arrived to help, I wouldn’t be surprised if she lays claim to him.”
“What are you all talking about?” Crista asked, knowing Diablo—Chavez—belonged to her.
The heavy silence that hung over the table stunned her.
Esteban went to speak and their father shook his head and cleared his throat.
“Gossip spreads like the fire that took many of the Bolanos buildings. Many are saying that Diablo attacked the wrong hacienda last night. That he was searching for you. That he wants you back and was angry when he didn’t find you and set the barn and other buildings on fire,” her father said.
“That’s nonsense,” she said, knowing it was an outright lie but not able to say so.
“Of course it is,” her mother said affronted. “But that doesn’t stop people. They lie to suit or benefit themselves. This lie, however, will completely destroy any—”
Her mother looked to bite her tongue from saying anymore, and Crista finished for her. “Prospects of marriage with Don Navarro or anyone else.” True or not, this was one bit of gossip her family believed she wouldn’t survive.
No one spoke, leaving the silence to hang heavier over them.
Crista took pity on her family, realizing that each—in their own way—was hurting for her and trying to do their best to defend her and protect her. It made her realize how much they loved her.
“This shouldn’t be discussed with the entire family,” Valerianna finally said, turning a sympathetic eye on her daughter. “It is for your father and I to decide what is best for you.”
After being free to make many of her own choices while growing up in Spain with Ricardo and Lucia to guide her, her mother’s remark would have angered her. But it didn’t. She had come to realize that it took a great deal of strength to make necessary choices for your children and for one’s self. Her mother did what she did out of love and sacrifice and that couldn’t be easy. Crista wondered if she would have such strength when it came to her child.
“There is nothing to be done, Mother. Don Navarro will continue to call on me or he won’t,” Crista said, knowing nothing would keep Diablo away made it that much easier for her to say what she did.
Rosa sent a worried look her way.
She knew her thoughts. There wasn’t any time for delay. She had to wed before her pregnancy was made known.
As if the baby intended to remind her of his presence, a bout of nausea hit Crista and had her hurrying to her feet. “Excuse me, I’m not feeling well.”
Valerianna rushed to her feet and went after her daughter, her face a tight mask of worry.
Alejandro turned his glance from his wife’s retreating back to his empty plate in front of him on the table. “It breaks my heart to see what Crista goes through only having returned home. It might be better if we send her back to Spain and find her a husband there.”
“No, Padre,” Esteban protested. “We finally have her home. We cannot send her away again.”
Rosa was quick to agree with her husband. “Esteban is right. Crista has been away from family far too long. She belongs here with us. We will help her through this.”
“There is no helping her through this. She will not only be ostracized, but the family will be as well. That means that grandchild of mine you carry will have no friends. Do you want that for him? I doubt very much that Crista does.” He stood, throwing his cloth napkin down on his plate. “I’ve already received a note from Don Navarro expressing his regret for not being able to call on Crista today and that he will be in touch to arrange another time. Something I highly doubt he’ll do.”
Don Alejandro walked out of the dining room, his shoulders hunched, his head bent, looking more a defeated man than Esteban had ever seen him.
“Perhaps father is right,” Esteban said. “Perhaps the best solution for Crista is to return to Spain where none of this is known.”
Knowing that Crista was with child Rosa thought the same but remained silent, wishing there was a way out of this awful ordeal for her sister-in-law she had come to love.