Chapter 28: The Old Steward's Secret

When breakfast was over, Angela ordered the coach to take them once again out to the property of her family and to the house where the steward still lived to this day.
She dressed in her most expensive and honorably attire making her look like the wealthy woman that would and should be accepting such a fortune. Joaquin too dressed in his high social attire and so they looked very much like the respectable couple that traveled abroad.

The old man greeted them at the gate and led them into the modest little house where he sat them around a smoldering fire and offered them tea. The simplest of offerings for some but it was all that the old man could offer.

"We have come for a secret," Angela said as she held out the diary to the man, "my father writes of a secret that only you can tell us and as I have brought with me a very trustworthy man I believe it is time for you to tell us the secret of my father's wealth."

"It isn't as much a secret of his wealth, but rather a secret that binds the wealth to you," The steward said as he sat down opposite the young woman, "to know this secret is to make a very big decision and before I am to release the secret to you I am instructed to find out one thing from you first."

"I am willing to tell you anything," Angela said desperately.

Joaquin listened silently to the conversation that continued to develop as the old man stole glances at him as he spoke.

"You must answer truly and of the heart my dear. This is something that you will have to live with for the rest of your life," the old man warned.

"I am prepared for anything," Angela answered.

"Very well, my question is a simple one then," the old man said. He then took a deep breath and took one of Angela's hands, "Do you love this man you are with enough that you would marry him?"

Angela gasped at the question and blushing she turned to look at Joaquin, his face had also gone red at the question but a thick silence fell in the room.

"you have not discussed the possibility of marriage?" the old man asked a shocked expression on his face, "you have come traveling with a young man, who is not your husband and am I to assume that you are neither engaged nor betrothed to one another?"

"That is true," Angela said as he eyes fell to the ground in guilt.

"Shocking indeed, but none the less I need an answer, for if you do not give me one, the one I need, then I will not be able to tell you the secret," the old man said.

Angela was silent again for a very long time as she stared at the floor. She thought about all of the things that Joaquin had done for her and in true kindness had never asked for anything in return. She remembered how she had felt when she first arrived and had vowed that he, much like any other suitor would never be accepted, because she believed that her grandmother simply wanted to take the easy way out. But now she was confused. She had come to esteem him in the highest regard and she could not think of herself without him now, but marriage was such a huge commitment, a huge step that she had decided never to take and yet could she risk loosing Joaquin to another when they returned to California.

"Yes, I love him," Angela whispered.

"You do?" Joaquin gasped as he fell to his knees beside her feeling like the wind had been stolen from his lung.

"I do," Angela smiled simply.

"Will you marry him?" the old man asked.

"Yes," Angela said still smiling into Joaquin's kind eyes.

"Then the secret is to be know," the old man said.

Joaquin and Angela turned to look at the old man now, as he walked across the room to a large portrait that hung above the fireplace. He moved the portrait to reveal the bare wall and a tiny hole where the framed portrait was fastened to the wall. The hole was large enough for the man to fit only the very tip of his smallest finger but as he did the muddy stucco that was on the wall began to crack and a panel swung open to reveal a small hiding space. In it lay a bundle of documents wrapped in a leather casing. He pulled them out of the hiding place and handed them to Joaquin before replacing the portrait.

"What are these?" Joaquin asked holding the leather bundle.

"They are the remaining legal documents that had been entrusted to me by my master," the old man said, "the strictest of instructions were given to me with the package. I was only to answer the questions asked if a man of true worth and who was trusted explicitly by the young woman came to claim them."

Angela and Joaquin looked at the leather package but did not speak.

"In there are the documents that must be authorized upon the date of your marriage. They are Angela's dowry documents and they there by put all of her wealth into her name and yours," the old steward stated, "once the documents are turned over to you, Signor de la Vega, the grandmother and guardian will no longer hold any claims to the property in Spain or in France or any of the treasure that are kept for your wife. I suggest that you work swiftly and conclude the business of marriage before the woman comes into Spain again or before you leave to retrieve the holdings in France."

"We will," Angela said as she held the package tightly.

"You're father had great plans for you," the old man smiled, "he would be very proud of the man you have brought to be his son in law."

"If he only knew," Angela whispered to no one but Joaquin.