Chapter V
Nosy
Diego would usually never just walk into a place: he'd leap into it, as he did into the hacienda's patio that afternoon, then headed straight up the stairs. He knew from experience that a sign of that sort in a public part of town wouldn't come alone. It would bring trouble and it would bring it soon.
"Ah, Diego, I thought I heard you arrive."
He had to stop in his tracks and turn to his father, who was just emerging from his bedroom.
"Father. I had the meeting with Don Hilario. If you'd excuse me, I will tell you all about it during dinner."
"You can tell me now. Let us go to the library."
"I would like to but I have some things to do."
"That's not the only matter I want to discuss with you today."
Don Alejandro didn't wait for an answer or for another excuse; as so, Diego had no choice but to follow him downstairs.
"Don Hilario agrees on us to continue using the water from his ranch for our cattle-" he explained, as the older man sat on his desk: "-in exchange for a fare that I found reasonable, so I agreed on it."
"Good."
Apparently, the specs on the water business would have to be saved for later: "You wanted to talk to me about something else."
Don Alejandro reached for the inner pocket of his jacket: "Cresencia found this in your clothes, do you recognize it?"
The maid had been working at the De la Vega's for at least 30 years, which meant she had met his mother and seen him grow up, prepared his afternoon snacks when he was a child, even watched over a persistent fever he got once, at 13 or 14 years old. She was efficient and thorough as no one (except maybe Bernardo), but wasn't she the nosiest person in all of the lands of California.
In his father's hand there was a handkerchief; a women's handkerchief.
"I don't" he replied firmly.
"She also says you haven't allowed her to clean your room in weeks."
He had lost the habit of tiptoeing around don Alejandro, of lying blatantly, making up stories and having an alibi right up his sleeve at all times. However, he would have to retort to those practices:
"I-"
"Don't you tell me that you won it in a duel, I know well that you do not exercise your fighting abilities in public." The handkerchief was white and had lace in the borders; he had gotten it for Josefina recently, along with the puzzle. Cresencia must have taken it that other day: "Listen to me, Diego, I will not pry into your personal life. You are a man already, not a boy anymore. But I will not tolerate you sneaking women of questionable reputation into the house. Is that understood?"
Perhaps this was a win, after all.
"It's not what it looks like."
"I don't want to know. Just not in this house."
There was no need to continue digging into it, at least not for the moment.
"Understood, father" he nodded.
"See you at dinnertime."
He would explain later, hopefully. There were other things to take care of now.
He climbed up the stairs once again and walked down the corridor; and he was almost at the room's door when he saw it: soldiers approaching the hacienda, three of them in total.
The sign on the wall of the taberna hadn't come alone, that was for sure.
"Hello" she told him, once the door was closed behind his back. "How was your day?"
"Pick up your things right away, Josefina, they're coming."
How silly of her: this room, Diego, the days passing by one after the other with no bad news; the cups of tea, strawberry pastries and the stories in the books, in short, the safety this place had given her, had almost made her forget that they could, they would still be after her, that this would eventually happen.
How silly.
"How do you know?"
"They placed a reward on you."
"A rew…?"
"Pick up your things, please."
She did, her hands shaking. There weren't too many of them anyway, they filled in a bundle made up with the shawl.
"Where am I going?"
He looked at her as if he had a plan or as if he had just made a decision.
"Here."
She didn't see too well what it was that he did, but whatever it was, it caused the wall next to the chimney to open up like a door.
"Oh..."
It was dark in there and a little cold, at least colder than it was outside.
"Stay here" he said, grabbing her by the shoulders: "Don't move until I come back."
She nodded, and the last thing she saw before everything around turned black, was his eyes that were serious and reassuring at the same time.
Don't move…
Don't even gasp.
Feels like I'm breathing too hard.
Josefina wanted to rest a hand on the wall in order to have some kind of physical support and sense of up and down, right or left inside that cavern, but she refrained from it. Don't move, he had said, and it had to be taken literally. Maybe if she stepped on a spot she shouldn't or grazed the wrong rock, the entrance would split open again and… and what? Who, exactly, was coming, and why here?
It offered no difference to keep her eyes open or not, so she closed them and hung onto his promise.
… until I come back.
Just stay still.
And then, she heard it:
"Comandante! I was not expecting such a visit here. Is anything the matter?"
"As a matter of fact, it is, De la Vega. García, Reyes, keep searching."
"How may I be of assistance, then?"
"A loyal subject of the King's authority, are you not?"
"As always."
"..."
"..."
"We are tracking down a fugitive. We were informed that someone with similar characteristics was seen around your family's lands, at night, nearly a month ago. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"
"A fugitive?"
"Sí, don Diego, and it's not Zorro this time."
"Shut up, García. Will you answer the question, De la Vega?"
"I haven't seen anyone, I don't know anything about a fugitive. What crime is he appointed for? I hope nothing violent, we would have to reinforce the windows and doors."
"It is not a he but a she. And her crimes are no business of yours."
"We found nothing, Comandante, she's not here."
"Forgive me, Comandante, but did you expect finding such an individual in my personal bedroom? That would be outrageous, to say the least."
"We're searching all of the haciendas of the area because… I will zip it, Comandante, sorry, so sorry."
"Rest assured that I will keep an eye on you, De la Vega."
"Be my guest. There is nothing but law abiding citizens in this house."
"We will see."
"Adiós, don Diego."
"Sargento. Corporal."
After they were gone, Diego took a seat in front of the desk where the puzzle was in the works: the American continent was ready, Europe and Africa were just starting to take shape.
"Monasterio is on the wrong track, for a change. Wouldn't you think so, father?"
"..."
"Or not?"
"I have learnt to know you well, Diego. It would only be fair, at this point."
"..."
"Need I say anything else?"
"She's not a criminal."
"Jesus Christ… where is she?"
She heard the steps approaching, so she opened her eyes at last. The bundle with her scarce belongings, she had it all squeezed against her chest.
There was light again and it dazzled her sight a bit.
"Josefina? Come on out. It's alright."
Breathe.
It's alright.
If he says it's alright, then it's alright.
A lot of different faces Diego's father had taken in her imagination; the stern expression was most definitely there.
"Good afternoon?" she said almost in a whisper.
Don Alejandro studied her a few moments, then gestured at Diego to follow him outside.
"I'll be right back. Lock the door."
She did, still holding on to the wrap of clothes.
(...)
Note: I have a weakness for writing Diego and don Alejandro having arguments of a sort. I just love their relationship. I guess the handkerchief part was awkward, but I just wanted the dad to figure out Josefina's presence by himself, so I had to give it a sort of preamble and this idea popped up in my head and I actually enjoyed writing it a lot. Gotta say I have a nickname for my dear don Alejandro: "mi viejito", in Spanish, which translates to the idea of "my dear old man", something like that. Ah, "mi suegrito" is a nickname for him too, which is "my father in law" XD
Thanks for reading!
