Chapter Four
Breakfast
Mornings on the Cortez ranch were one of the busiest times of the day. The kitchen servants were up very early to start breakfast. The stable boys got up not long after them to water the horses and feed the pigs. The shepherds who were out in the fields with the sheep were also just rising and rekindling their campfire which had all but gone out during the night. And the harvesters were at their work not long after 6 o'clock. Long after their servants were up the Cortez family rose.
Maria was bustling about the room when Catrina awoke. "Good morning Lamb." She said when she saw that Catrina was awake. Ever since Catrina was a little girl Maria had called her Lamb. Once Catrina was older she had tried to get her to stop but the faithful and loving servant said she couldn't get the habit to go away so Catrina let her call her Lamb.
"Good morning Maria." Catrina replied with a smile. She threw the covers back and went over to a little table that held a basin and a pitcher full of water. Hanging on the wall above the table was a mirror. Catrina poured some cool water from the pitcher into the basin and then dipped her hands into it and splashed it on her pretty mexican face. Maria came over and handed her a soft white towel. "Thank you." Catrina said with her face buried in the towel. Maria laughed and then left the room to go get something. While she was gone Catrina went to her dresser and took out a dark green dress that had a skirt with rows of ruffles on it. Catrina placed it on the bed and waited for Maria to come back.
"Is this the dress you want Lamb?" Maria asked when she stepped back into the room.
"Yes." Catrina said with a nod. Maria went over to her and laced her corset up the back. "I don't see why I must wear a corset. I don't need one."
"Yes Lamb I know. You have a lovely figure but it's the style." Maria said.
"Well, whoever set a style that's meant to squeeze women to pieces was addled in the brain!"
"Now, now, you know you don't mind to much since yours isn't laced tightly."
"Yes, I suppose I always do get use to it. But its such a bother!" Catrina said with a smile. Maria slipped the dark green dress over Catrina's head and arranged it until it suited her. Then she handed Catrina a brush while she went out to the balcony and picked two white roses that were just beginning to open.
Catrina brushed her long dark hair while humming a little ditty. She handed Maria the hair brush and took the roses from her. Catrina went over to the mirror and tried her hair different ways until she found one she liked. She swept her hair back from either side of her face and fastened it with a bit of dark green ribbon. Then she stuck one of the white roses into her hair just above the little bow. She pined the other one to the middle of the neckline of her dress. "There." She said and turned around for Maria to inspect her before she went down to breakfast. "Am I ready?" Maria came over and repined the rose on the dress twice then looked at Catrina's face critically. She pinched Catrina's cheeks until more color came to them. She picked a piece of fuzz off of the skirt then pronounced her ready.
"But," She said giving a last bit of advice for the day."Before you enter the breakfast room bite you lips. It will redden them up a bit."
"Why? Is someone important going to be at breakfast today?" Catrina asked suspiciously.
"Well, it's not my place to say."
"All right, I won't make you tell. I don't want to get you into trouble." Catrina said. Then she looked at herself one more time in the mirror and left the room. Maria looked after her.
"My little Lamb...... How I'll miss her." She said sadly.
* * *
Just before Catrina entered the dinning room she did as Maria told her and bit each lip. When she came through the door she saw her mother, stepfather and sisters and brother sitting in their usual places. But with them was a young man of about twenty years. He was quite handsome. His hair was black and he was pleasantly tanned. He was talking with her step-father but when she entered he stopped in mid sentence. He smiled at her and she smiled back shyly. Her stepfather stood up.
"Senior Andres, this is my third daughter Catrina Charlota Arcadia Cortez." Catrina noticed that he didn't say stepdaughter. Senior Andres stood and bowed from the waist and smiled. "And this, my dear," Catrina's stepfather went on, " is Senior Ramon Chale Alano Andres." Senior Andres took her hand and kissed it.
"It's my pleasure." He said politely.
"I'm glad you could join us for breakfast Senior Andres." She said graciously. He bowed slightly again and went back to his seat but waited to sit before she sat down. She was seated right across from him. She couldn't help feeling that this had been set up. Catrina glanced at her younger sister Elena. She could see from the look on her face that Senior Andres was indeed here on the business of marriage.
