La Luna de Miel Chapter Four: In Laws and Outlaws
This has been, at best, an awkward farewell, Don Domingo thought, glad to see the Santos y Vargas entourage departing his rancho, although he had developed great respect for Hector Santos, who was not the mousy man he had appeared at first to be.
"Your family is very, ah, int'resting, Miss Carmen," Buck Cannon said, wiping sweat off his brow with a black shirtsleeve and replacing his hat as Montoyas and Cannons watched three carriages full of Santoses, Vargases, French governess, maids, and baggage jostle out of the courtyard gate and rumble under the grand arches of the Hacienda Montoya to head for the Hermosillo road.
"Just Carmen, Buck," Carmen replied. "And yes, that is a very good word for them. Interesting." She had given her sister-in-law Maria an obligatory and dispassionate goodbye kiss, hugged her nieces and nephews, smiled and nodded to the governess and maids, embraced and kissed her Mamá and Hector. For her brother Carlos, she had reserved an icy stare and the slightest inclination of her head, no more, despite the fact that he had tried to apologize earlier that morning.
"Carmenita, hermanita mía, I am a weak man," Carlos had opened. "Please, search your heart..."
"Shut up, Carlos," she had snapped. "I trusted you. You threatened harm to my husband and his property, and who knows what you have done with my bank accounts. I shall never trust you. What is more, I shall probably never speak to you again." And she had not thus far. She had never liked him. Now she had reason to ignore him.
Mano bid farewell to some of his new in-laws with warmth, shaking hands with Hector, kissing the Doña Dolores's hand, tousling the heads of the little boys, and hugging the little girls. "You muchachos will come see us at Rancho Montoya, yes?" He nodded to the French governess, offered a curt bow to the Doña Maria, and looked Carlos in the eye without emotion, much as he might regard a stray cur.
"Mano, Carmen has given me a letter authorizing me to act as her agent in Mexico City," Hector had told him earlier, the day before the wedding. "I will transfer her accounts to El Banco Nacional de la Ciudad de Mexico. If what he says is true, I do not think that Carlos has helped himself to too much. However, her accounts will be repaid from the proceeds of the sale of his home, as will your uncle, then myself. Your money will be safe."
"Hector, it is her money, not mine, and we thank you. I would, eh, send a trusted man to Casados to settle Carlos's latest debt. Do not go yourself. Casados is a vicious man and not fond of Montoyas or anyone connected with my uncle or myself."
"Oh, do not worry. I am not afraid of Jose Casados."
"No? All right. Should you have any trouble, I know, ah, a lady named Lola who might be of some assistance."
"Lola? En la Zona Rosa Dos?"
"You know her?"
"Let us just say I was not always married to the Doña Dolores," Hector said with a wink. I may have underestimated you entirely, Mano thought, shaking his head with a grin.
"All right. Cuidado, amigo," Mano said, clapping Hector on the shoulder. "And should you happen to see Lola, tell her Domingo and Manolito are well and we send her our regards."
Hector nodded his assent. A good man, Mano thought. He found himself growing a little fond of the Doña Dolores, too, although she was indeed a force, as Carmen had said. Well, Veracruz is some distance away. But Hermosillo...how he loved that city, now soon to be ruined by the presence of his brother-in-law and family. At least the children were pleasant enough and amusing. Ay yi yi, well, we cannot choose our family, can we? But Carmen had fared far better than he in terms of in-laws, he thought. Still, I am glad she and I will spend a few days alone in Hermosillo, provided Jorge makes the arrangements with discretion as I asked. Which he will. Mano also smiled as he remembered the 500 pesos Hector had thrust into his hand.
"Take this, Manolo. You incurred unexpected expenses when you and Señor Cannon were forced to make that journey to Mexico City. Through no fault of your own, your funds, I suspect, have been depleted. Dolores and I wish for you and Carmen to enjoy a pleasant luna de miel."
"Gracias, Hector. This is not necessary," Mano began.
"I think it is."
So he had pocketed the banknotes with a nod and his sincere thanks, only looking later to discover the generous amount.
VKS & MJRod claim the creation of Carmen Navarro, although we took her first name from a David Dortort script proposal. We also are the creators of the Vargas clan , Rancho Navarro and its people including Delgado, and all of the characters in and around Hermosillo. We would have nothing to create were it not for our favorite western, "The High Chaparral," to which we pay tribute.