Diego finished drinking his third mug of black coffee in the half hour with Pablo. The two men seldom spoke and sat by the fireplace in the headman's house. Pablo attended to some bridle and harness repairs, while Diego drank in the silence. He hadn't requested more work from the headman, feeling happy to complete as much polishing of leatherwork as he could before his father joined them.

Alejandro lifted his eyebrows as he approached the cottage. He could see Diego and Pablo on the patio, now that the sun was rising to warm the air. His son seemed more relaxed than he could ever remember him being, and he was surprised to feel comforted by that. He hadn't really noticed that Diego wasn't relaxed. He had assumed he was, as he seemed to have nothing pressing on his mind. It wasn't as if his life was hard, or had he missed something?

"Good morning, Father," Diego said, greeting him with a hot mug of coffee. Alejandro thanked him, and sat to drink it. Was that a pile of leatherwork where Diego had been sitting? It gleamed in the sun, as Pablo shifted it to the side.

"What are the plans, Patron?" Pablo said, liking to get down to business quickly. A moment of daylight wasted was a crime in the man's mind, Alejandro remembered with a small smile.

"All the cattle have been brought in from the north estates for the calving, so that's finished for the year," Alejandro began. "Some of the vaqueros mentioned that they have a few strays to the north, so we will help them up there. Then we'll repair the fences so that worry is fixed."

"Sounds easy enough," Diego said. The two men glanced at him and smiled.

"You'll see. Simple but not 'easy'. We have at least twenty strays, and a few hundred yards of fences to repair. It will take more than a day, Diego," his father responded, with a glance at Pablo. "No one expects you to be an expert, but please pay attention, and don't cause extra trouble for the vaqueros."

"I'll do my best, Father," Diego said, trying not to be offended. He knew he was out of practice doing ranch chores, and he had played on his 'helplessness' when faced with hard work and adversity for a long time.

"I'm sure you will, Diego. Just stick close to me, and I'll explain as we go. It will be a long day of work."

Zzz

In the end they decided to stay within two hours ride from the hacienda. Diego found it jarring to be the reason for the limits placed on them. They rode normal stock horses, leaving the familiar mounts behind.

"Be careful with Maximus, he will pull," Alejandro cautioned as Diego mounted the gelding. Diego bit his tongue as he felt like reminding his father that he had helped gentle Dulcinea alongside his father. It seemed that all their history had been forgotten.

The gelding did have a habit of pulling and fussing, but Diego's quiet confidence stopped all bad behaviour even as it started. He didn't want a bolting horse to remind his father of his 'failings' yet again. Diego usually mastered a new mount within moments, gently restraining the animal from its worser habits. His father used to know that. He had forgotten a lot in these last five years.

They rode in comfortable silence for an hour before they stopped to rest the horses a little. Diego noticed a humorous glint in the workmen's eyes as they stopped. They thought he wasn't up to the ride? Alejandro glanced with concern at Diego.

"Are you getting sore, Diego? Maybe this wasn't the best of ideas?"

"I am perfectly fine, Father." Diego was becoming exasperated at the slightest things, he realised, and attempted to control himself. "It is further than I normally ride," he admitted after a moment. "I am sure I will handle everything you expect me to do."

The vaqueros filled their water canisters as the horses stopped at the stream for a drink. Diego stayed in the saddle, and adjusted his position as Maximus dropped his head for a drink and took advantage of the available green shoots of grass on the bank.

Pablo came across to Diego, mounted on his own grey gelding. "You are dealing with Maximus expertly," Pablo said. "Maybe you should take him as a general mount, and leave Esperanza in the stables?"

"I like Esperanza," Diego said. He liked Maximus as well, and enjoyed the challenge of mastering the gelding during the ride. He was becoming very aware of the tricks the horse relied on to annoy its rider. Maximus was a man's horse, a man that meant business and had authority. Esperanza was a quiet mount, and people were used to him riding her. Maximus had developed a reputation throughout the area as a troublemaker and had travelled through many owners before leading in the de la Vega stables. Questions would be asked, and eyebrows lifted if Diego could ride Maximus effortlessly into town.

Pablo frowned silently. Diego had spoken abruptly, and in a way that was meant to silence him on the subject. Maximus flicked his ears back and forward and snorted, and Diego checked him with a firm hand on the reins. He scanned his surroundings carefully, but there were no signs of danger.

None of the other horses seemed upset, and Diego knew it was the gelding trying to fuss. He dismounted with a graceful movement, and offered the gelding a hidden sugar cube. Pablo would not be impressed with the offering, as he looked after all the de la Vega horses with an expert hand.

Maximus snorted his approval and snuffled it down, and Diego moved away. The vaqueros were discussing where the strays might be located. The fences had failed near the northern estates, another day's ride, but being herd animals the cattle would most likely travel south to be near the rest of the herd.

Diego was quiet and listening to their conversation. The quicker they could round up the strays, the easier it would be for his father. Twenty strays? Not too bad, he thought, reminding the few times he had gone out with his father as a teenager. It could be worse, especially with broken fences.

There were five vaqueros, Pablo, himself and his father. It could make short work of the strays, around 2 head of cattle each. As a teenager he had personally corralled three. Maximus was trained for this sort of work, and Diego knew that he wanted to prove himself, at least to these workmen. One day they would work for him. His father could be fooled easily enough, Pablo not so much, but he didn't want to be a failure in everyone's eyes.

The supply wagon joined them and they prepared coffee, handing around steaming cups to everyone. Diego made his way back to his father, trying not to appear too excited or show his growing confidence.

"At least we have a sunny day to work in," Diego said, and sipped his coffee. "Spring showers are good for pasture, but not so good to ride in."

The vaqueros were amused. Not so his father, but he remained silent at least.

"At least our somberos protect our hair, Don Diego." One of the vaqueros piped up, and was silenced by a glare from Pablo.

"Where might these cattle have gotten to?" Diego said after a minute of silence all round.

"Slightly to the east, Patron," Pablo said. "That's where the vaqueros last saw them. When we approach them, I'd like you to stay near your father out of harm's way. You're just observing, remember?"

Diego nodded, and sipped his coffee again. Like hell he'd only observe. Why come all this way and not help out where he could? No one but the other vaqueros would see him. His father would assume he had trouble with Maximus and expect nothing more from him than ineptitude. He was sick of feeling like an absolute failure in the eyes of everyone.