Chapter 11
de Soto was indeed changing, slowly but surely. He had visited Father Benitez many times and with the older man's help, he began to change his behaviour towards the people; he stopped treating them with contempt, he didn't raise any taxes or harassed them in any way and he took a general interest in their lives. In response, the citizens began to greet him more warmly than before, although he could still see some wariness in their eyes; a guardedness that he himself had placed there with his previous actions and he hoped that given time, they would come to see him differently.
But right now there was something even more troubling for him than the people's acceptance of him. Rumour had it that the Governor himself was in the area on an unexpected tour of the region and he could not be unaware of what had transpired three weeks prior and of what it meant to him personally. His death. He had killed the King's Emissary and nothing could change that outcome but if he was to die, let it be for the death of Gilberto de la Vega and not for his lack of duty towards those under his command.
He ordered Mendoza and the lancers to clean the cuartel from top to bottom, to have their uniforms cleaned and pressed and he put them into a series of drills that kept them busy with marching, riding and shooting at targets of different ranges. He became the soldier he had once been and much to the surprise of the citizens, the newly inspired lancers had actually stopped a raid on the stage coach from San Diego and had captured and wounded the four bandits.
In was in this flurry of exercise that the Governor made his appearance in the pueblo.
de Soto had just arrived back to the cuartel after taking his lancers out on manoeuvres in the outer districts. He was hot, dusty and sweaty but he was pleased with the progress of the training he was giving his men. As he entered the office, his thoughts were only on the desire to remove his dirty clothes and have a bath but when he saw a well dress gentleman sitting at his desk, he immediately snapped to attention.
"Governor Ruiz, if I had known that you were arriving today, I would have here to welcome you personally."
Ruiz gazed at the man who was the cause of many complaints and along with his predecessor, Luis Ramone, had made this small dusty pueblo a big thorn in his political side. "No doubt you know why I'm here de Soto." He said without any greetings to the man in front of him. To kill the Emissary, a man personally appointed by the King himself, was unheard of and it happened while he was the Governor.
de Soto schooled his face into a neutral expression. "Yes sir. I believe I do." He replied.
Ruiz narrowed his eyes. "Do you really think that you can get away with killing the King's Emissary?"
"No sir."
Ruiz nodded. "At least we agree on something. Do you have your written report for me?"
de Soto nodded. "Yes sir." He replied as he moved over to the cabinet and pulled out several papers and placed it in front of Ruiz.
The Governor didn't even look down. "Tell me everything that you didn't put in that report. And I mean everything de Soto." He ordered.
de Soto swallowed hard as he saw the cold gaze of his commanding officer. He knew that Ruiz was not a man to cross, nor lie to so he gave a verbal report from the time the Emissary arrived in Los Angeles to the time of his death.
Ruiz listened in silence and was pleased that what the Alcalde was telling him, matched to what others had already told him. That the Emissary was a man bent on destruction of a well respected and honoured family; a family that had political clout in Madrid due to their connections with the Spanish throne.
de Soto stood silent waiting for the punishment that must surely come.
"What made you go out to the de la Vega hacienda?" Ruiz asked with no emotion showing on his face. He had his own idea about that but he wanted to know if what the citizens had said was true; that de Soto was now a changed man and only a changed man can admit to his failings.
de Soto's heart pounded in his chest as he realised that the Governor's question would either make or break him. Should he tell the truth or lie or perhaps something in between? He tried to decipher Ruiz's face but he could see nothing in the older man's features. He was on his own.
"Well de Soto, I thought it was a rather simple question. What made you go out there?"
de Soto swallowed hard; did it really matter anymore? His life was already forfeited so why not tell the truth. He squared his shoulders and finally admitted the truth. "I went there to steal Don Alejandro's best stallion and to flee west into Indian Territory." There he had said it and he felt a strange weight lift from his shoulders at the confession.
"I see. What of your Sergeant Mendoza? Was he not under a sentence of death if either of you had broken the agreement." Ruiz asked.
"Yes sir but my fear of losing my own life was more than my loyal Sergeant." He replied.
Ruiz frowned as he steepled his fingers together. "This has caused your loyal Sergeant to leave the service."
de Soto nodded. "Yes sir, it is. He deserved a better leader than me." He said.
The Governor snorted in the first show of emotion since they started talking. "Yes, he does deserve better de Soto but I'm glad that you can see that."
"Yes sir." Was all de Soto said.
Ruiz finally looked down at the report on the desk and thought for a moment. "de Soto, you do realise that you will have to return to Madrid to answer for this? I have no authority in such a serious matter."
de Soto nodded. "I understand and I'm ready to face whatever punishment is required."
Ruiz raised his head. "Even your death?"
"Even my death."
Ruiz gazed intently at the man before him. Gone was the once arrogant stance, replaced by a more humble and more understanding man. It seemed to him that he had changed.
"I know that Mendoza's release papers will soon come through but I would like have the Sergeant be the acting Alcalde until my replacement arrives." de Soto stated firmly but respectively.
Ruiz nodded. "Actually I have Mendoza's papers with me and if he is willing, he can stay as acting Alcalde but as to your replacement...well that won't happen."
de Soto frowned. "I'm not sure I understand."
The older man sighed. "Take a seat de Soto. What I'm about to say must stay between us, at least until its official."
de Soto sat down and his quick mind made the connection. "Madre de Dios. So it's true then, that Mexico is no longer part of Spain?"
Ruiz nodded. "Yes. I received a dispatch several weeks ago about the Mexican succession and how they claim all of California as part of the so called Mexican Government."
de Soto's eyes widened. "All of California! That's unbelievable. What is the King going to do?"
Ruiz shrugged. "What can he do, Spain has fought several wars lately and things are not going well for us. I imagine that the King realises that we don't have the resources or the funds to fight another war on the far side of the world. Oh he'll probably send some troops and ships to fight but I doubt that anything can from it. I personally believe it's inevitable, the King will have to concede to Mexico."
de Soto sighed and nodded in agreement. "I guess that means that we all have to return to Spain."
Ruiz nodded as well. "Most definitely, although the lancers won't have to leave if they have family here. They can just resign from the Spanish military."
"How soon will all this happen?" de Soto asked.
The Governor sighed. "It could be a matter of weeks but you won't be here to see it. You have to leave immediately for Spain."
de Soto nodded once more. "I understand."