Chapter 18 [Sunset]

Mercedes sat on the porch's rocking chair. Her eyes scanned the horizon. Impatience nagged at her. Anxiety jabbed at her nerves. She'd wanted to help in the house or perhaps even take a ride on Lucinda.

Victoria had other ideas. She changed her friend's dressing and bandage. Then, she ordered Mercedes to stay right there. She brought the occasional cup of tea outside. Still, she wouldn't take any chances with the other's shoulder. She lectured and cajoled Mercedes to stay put.

I see what Manolo was talking about. Mercedes frowned. She knew Love and Caring prompted Victoria's lectures. Their mother's death affected them. Victoria truly became La Donna de Rancho Montoya. Manolito rebelled against everything. Could that be why he toils as a vaquero here? She shook her head.

"It is very scenic. No?"

Mercedes sipped on the now cold tea. "Si. I love the vistas. From here, the sky meets the mountains. It seems to go on forever!" She smiled. "Mano showed me the view from a ledge on your father's land. What a view!"

"Papa has many such places on his land. Perhaps Manolito will show them all to you?" Victoria supposed. "May I join you?" She set an empty glass on the end table by the rocking chair.

"Of course! You've been going all day. I wish you'd let me help Penny and you," Mercedes accepted. She motioned toward the other chair. "Please."

Victoria sat down in the other chair. "I want everything to be in order when John returns." She laughed.

"Did I say something?" Mercedes squinted at her hostess. "I missed the joke."

"No. Penny wanted me to sit down. I have been telling you to do that. Now, she tells me the same thing." Victoria rolled her eyes.

Mercedes nodded. "She is a hard worker, Victoria. She meant no offense. She just wants to fit in." She pointed toward the roof. "Blue and she really care about each other."

Victoria nodded. "They do. When they came back from that town, he spent a few days by himself. He was so sad. John told me about Penny. Still, I get the feeling that was not the entire story." She rubbed her chin. "Would you like more tea or a glass of water?"

"I am fine," Mercedes declined. "Victoria, do we really need to know everything? I know there is a great deal about Manolito's past. Papa and your father have told me a great deal. I still love him knowing that. Even after we're married, I would not ask him to stop going into the saloons or sharing drinks with your vaqueros or ours. I just ask him not to have affairs or liaisons with those women."

"I pray he will. I have seen changes in him, Mercedes. You inspire that. Papa said he wishes to speak with him and you. John and I are here for you," Victoria assured him.

"I am only concerned about one such woman." Mercedes exhaled a deep breath. Anger burned inside of herself. "That one thinks she owns Manolito. She insulted me, Victoria! She thinks I'd trap him in a forced marriage!"

Victoria frowned. "You should not have to deal with that. Manolito owes it to you to deal with this woman."

"Buck said her name is Perlita." Mercedes' expression darkened like the midsummer sky before Monsoon's onslaught.

Victoria ground her teeth. "That one! ¡Ay!" She tapped her fingers on the table's worn surface. Memoria reminded her of Perlita's demands on Manolito. Loss burned at her over the dresses, the fine French hat and shoes. She could see Perlita prancing about with the stolen goods. She even had to endure Perlita's presence at her Thanksgiving table. "She is little better than a peacock. She prances about trying to get the caballeros to look at her. She had a fiancé. Still, she was unfaithful to him." She shook her head.

"I do not want to be angry like this! It is shameful, Victoria! May God forgive me!" Mercedes lamented.

"She is infuriating. I have argued with Manolito about her. He will not listen to me. Mercedes, you talk to him. You are to be his wife. She has no place with him." Victoria chased that notion with a large gulp from her water glass.

Before they could go on further, two rifle shots echoed from the roof.

"RIDERS COMING!" Blue yelled down from the roof.

Activity stirred around the compound. The remaining hands all rushed out.

The two women jumped to their feet.

"Quien ahora?" Mercedes wondered. Apprehension stiffened her. Fear reduced her breaths to ragged short efforts.

Victoria set her jaw. "We are safe here." She marched out into the open. "Blue! Can you see?"

"Not yet! I…." He watched the riders' approach. "HEY! IT'S PA! BUCK AND MANOLITO ARE WITH THEM!"

"Manolo! He's safe!" Mercedes smiled. Relief flushed out Anger's darkness from her mindset. She smoothed her dress. "I look a mess!"

"Manolito will not care." Victoria assured her. She watched the compound's entrance. With Anticipation skipping her own heartbeat, she could well understand Mercedes' mood. She discerned the familiar trio riding across the Sonoran dirt. Within an eye blink, she watched them ride through the entrance and up to the house. "JOHN!" She waved with dramatic flourish.

John pulled up on his reins. His eyes twinkled at her. "Now that's a welcome!" Within seconds, he'd dismounted and swept her up in his arms.

Buck leaned close to Manolito. "Now you believe me?" He tipped his hat to Mercedes. "Ma 'am. Look who I ran into in town."

Manolito rolled his eyes. "Is that all, Buck? She is waiting. You understand?"

"What? Oh yeah. Get down there, Romeo." Buck smirked.

"Gracias, Amigo." Manolito groused with equal parts Impatience and Sarcasm. Hope had sustained him during the ride from Tucson. Still Doubt plagued him. His eyes sparkled into hers. He hovered not sure if she was real or Mirage's handiwork. "Mercedes?"

"Si. Manolo, por favor! Te necessito!" Mercedes trembled. She took a few steps toward him.

Manolito rushed toward her. He embraced her assuring himself in that. His mouth met hers. Much as Monsoon revitalized Sonora, their shared energy buoyed them both.

John and Victoria stepped back to watch. Their eyes drank in the tender reunion in front of themselves. He took her hand. She leaned against his strong shoulder. Contentment lightened their mood.

Penny had come out to see what was going on. She sighed with a big smile. She glanced toward the roof and her cowboy.

"You have no idea how worried I was," Manolito told Mercedes. He touched foreheads with her.

"As worried as I was for you, Manolo." She squeezed his hands in hers. "I never stopped thinking of you. I thought of how you would escape. That is how I did it." She shrugged. "I cut the tent and got to Lucinda. She kicked the hitching post."

"She did?" Manolito considered the mental image from her words. "¡Muy bien!"

"She blew their camp sky high too," Buck interjected. "I was there the next day. The horses stampeded. Must've set off the gunpowder. Everything burned." Admiration came through in his smile and a nod of the head for her effort.

"I did not mean to hurt anyone. I had to get away. I rode to town. Blue and Penny found me," Mercedes clarified.

"That was very impressive." Manolito's lips whispered Amor's notes across her cheek yet again. "I am glad you are safe once again. Your brother will be relieved."

"I did not want to disturb his calling. He is at your father's rancho?" Mercedes worried.

"He awaits your father. I think Papa called him for support." Manolito frowned. "Miguel stood up to Papa very well. You'd be proud even if he quotes the Bible too much."

"Mano, he is a priest! Of course, he will be doing that!" Mercedes shook her head. "Papa will give Miguel and you grief. I fear he will not approve."

"We will speak with them together, Mercedes." Manolito embraced her once again.

And in that moment, all seemed right with the world…..