Chapter 4: The Sea Side.
The ships arrived all through the night and well into the morning. It was a very busy place, the port of California. Merchant ships were still coming and going between the New World and the old. Navel ships patrolled and protected as the pirate threat was still quite prevalent in the western waters. The grand ships caused great crowds to gather with excitement. The white sails, of the queens of the ocean, still dancing in the wind like maidens in the sky and the songs of the wave's beet against the ships in a rhythm that only the tide could keep, bringing an old enchantment to the port and the people that worked within it. It was like a magic was at work among the bright young ships and the wise old vessels. It was an exciting place for all. The men who had spent months at sea were happy to set foot on the ground and see what the New World had to offer. The old sailors were always impressed to see all the glory that the oceans could bring into port and the new stories of adventure and freedom on the waves. The young men with salt in their blood and ambitions in their minds, whose hearts lived on the waves, longed for the moment they could set the shore behind them and reach out to grab the distant and unknown horizon.
Joaquin stood impatiently by the carriage that had brought himself and his parents to the port. Looking out at the dock, Alejandro and Elena had decided to take a stroll up and down the boardwalk to visit with the merchants at the tents and see to the business of their tenants. Joaquin was not as interested in it as his parents and stayed behind. Why he had agreed to come in the first place, he did not know, and with every passing moment he was getting more and more annoyed with himself. He almost believed that memorizing speeches and reading Milton would be much more enjoyable than watching the ships come and go. He was already tired and felt so very over dressed to be parading about the docks.
"Why do you do this to yourself?" he asked himself as he leaned heavily against the carriage.
One of the horses turned and looked questioningly at him.
"Yeah, I know, we should be doing something much more heroic then standing here and waiting for the tide to come in."
The horse snorted at him in agreement and looked back to the road.
Suddenly, Alejandro's steward walked briskly up the boardwalk and stopped bowing, slightly, before Joaquin.
"What is it Antonio?" Joaquin asked looking at the ground.
"The Master and the Mistress request that you join them on the peer," Antonio said and bowed again.
"Can you tell them I have run away and shall never return?" Joaquin almost whispered.
"I could, senor, but your father has already anticipated that and he has instructed me to tell you that he would find you, and you will join them whether you like it or not," Antonio smiled.
"Fine, take me to them," Joaquin said and sulked all the way down the boardwalk.
Joaquin arrived, moments later, dragging his feet, his hands in his trouser pockets, next to his smiling, happy parents.
"Well done Antonio," Alejandro said to his steward and waved him off.
"Stand up straight," Elena said not even looking at her son, "you are a gentleman of society, remember that and present yourself as such."
Joaquin sighed, but did as he was told.
Standing next to his father, Joaquin was nearly identical to Alejandro although visibly younger. Though he was a few inches taller, he looked just as his father had in his youth. The only difference in their situation was that he was truly a young man of wealth and privilege and Alejandro had not brought up as a nobleman. Joaquin showed all the signs of his fathers handsome and troublesome past, masked by the tell tale signs of wealth and breading. The three of them did portray the image of a well bread noble family. Even though he hated it, Joaquin knew it was his duty and as they were always being watched and criticized by the rest of the upper class he was proud to show of his wealth and station. He did like the attention he got but found being on the boardwalk not the place to be attracting the kind of romantic attention that he was used to.
"Can you tell me again, mother, why I am here?" Joaquin asked as he and his father both bowed to one of the Dons as he passed.
"You are here to meet some old acquaintances of mine," Elena smiled at the passing Don.
"Mother, if this is an old school acquaintance of yours, I see no reason why I should not have waited at the hacienda to greet you as you returned," Joaquin whispered through his fake smile.
"No, I though it was best that you meet the young lady yourself, as she is to be a new acquaintance of all of ours," Elena smiled as she finally turned to look at her son and reached out to straighten the lapel of his costume.
"Young lady," Joaquin asked, looking down into his mothers eyes.
"Yes, the daughter of my acquaintance. He passed away and soon after so did his wife and they have left their daughter both of their past fortunes. She will be accompanied by her grandmother, on her mother's side. I do not technically know either of them," she whispered and smiled at her son.
Joaquin sighed emphatically as he relaxed his stance, "mother, this isn't some crazy match making idea of yours is it?"
"Of course not," Elena stated, "I was contacted by the grandmother to acquaint them with the United States and California in particular. The young lady, though well traveled through Europe, has yet to set foot on American soil."
"Bringing old money into California has never been good for us," Joaquin said, looking to his father.
"I am optimistic this time, my son," Alejandro smiled.
"That is because you want to see good in everyone, but that isn't always the case, Father," Joaquin sighed.
"Everyone, no matter their position of economic status or wealth, should be given equal treatment and the benefit of the doubt," Alejandro stated, "besides what is an old woman and a young lady of wealth going to do?"
"Don't underestimate the gentler sex," Joaquin said.
"I would never," Alejandro smiled at his wife.
"And besides, this will be good for you, son," Elena smiled, "perhaps you'll find something in the young lady you have yet to find in anyone here."
"This is a match making plot!" Joaquin huffed angrily.
"Even if it was a match making plot, which it isn't, you should take advantage of the foreign girls, they are always full of life and excitement," Alejandro said looking lovingly at his wife.
"You forget, my love, I was born on this continent," Elena whispered in her husband's ear.
"I didn't me you," he whispered playfully.
"Oh you scoundrel!" she giggled.
"Yes, I was born a scoundrel and a rogue," Alejandro whispered back, "you were still far to good for me."
Joaquin rolled his eyes and looked away from his parents.