Victoria had discovered that she needed to keep a sharp eye on the boy, as twice she had caught him trying to sneak outside without her seeing. She wasn't sure what he was planning but he was definitely up to mischief, as he blushed beet red on discovery.
"Come into the kitchen," she said, sternly, on the third attempt. "You will sit at this table and eat some breakfast and tell me about what has happened to you."
"I don't need your help, senorita," he said, with such a high born English accent and tone that she smiled in spite of herself.
"No? Then why come to my tavern in search of work for food?"
"Well…"
"And you are shivering again. From cold?"
The boy checked himself. He was cold and he was hungry. He didn't have enough energy to be angry. He was persistent. She had to sleep sometime. Maybe the customers would become too much work for her assistants. He had to get to the alcalde's office and steal that money. For the bandits. For all he knew the bandits had already kidnapped his sisters. He would have a moment to sneak out.
"I'm sorry, Senorita," he said, dropping his eyes.
Victoria crossed her arms, and scanned his face as he glanced up again. Raised as she had been with two brothers, and also being responsible for them after her parents had gone, she knew the mischief that hid in that gesture.
"So you should be," she said with a frown that dissolved into a slight smile. "Now, eat your eggs, and drink your juice."
He sighed, and devoured the meal as only a famished boy could. He forgot all manners that he might have been taught, and ate faster than a starving cowboy. Pilar was washing dishes and preparing more food for the customers, and Victoria walked over to her.
"Are you sure you are doing fine without me? It seems very busy out there," Victoria said, her eyes on the boy constantly.
"Of course. I could ask my other sister to come in as well as Sonja, if it does get on top of us," Pilar said, wiping her brow with a cloth. "For one of the coldest winters, it is hot work today."
"Thank you and your sisters," Victoria said.
"You have helped us before, Victoria. We are only repaying your kindness."
Victoria glanced at the boy as he wiped his face with a cloth. He was even more grubby than before.
"Buenos Dias, Victoria," said a voice behind her, and she caught her breath. Before she could turn around, the boy reacted.
"Uncle Alonso, I can't believe it," Charlie shouted, running to the tall man who had stepped into the kitchen. Victoria turned.
The man before her was tall, handsome and familiar. He gave her a kind smile, laughing at the boy for a moment.
"Easy mistake, young man. Alonso is my cousin. My name is Diego. We look very much alike, don't we?"
Victoria crossed over automatically to the table and collected the dishes, placing them near the sink. Something was off. The man was Diego, wasn't he? But something was wrong.
"Are you alright, Diego?"
"Yes, I was feeling a little ill earlier, but I am fine now," he said. His voice was different, she decided. A little too deep.
"You might be catching a cold, Diego. I think your voice is getting hoarse."
"I brought the buggy," he said. "We can get Charlie to the nursery to meet his sister. Clara will be so pleased to see you. She has been very worried."
"Clara! Thank goodness," Charlie said, relieved. "I haven't been very good at this adventure."
"I think you have done the best you can under the circumstances, Charles."
Victoria was still unsettled. "I can pack a few things…"
"I have everything we need at the hacienda. Go and fetch a thick shawl and we will meet you in the buggy in a few minutes."
She made her way upstairs, her mind trying to decide what was bothering her. Something was still wrong, but she didn't know what. Diego was Diego, all present and perfect in that blue suit he wore. Perfect? Was that the right word? Was that even an appropriate thought to think of her friend?
zzz
Alonso had noticed Victoria's confusion. Leading the boy outside to the fine buggy, he knew he had to get Charlie's cooperation, or the deception would not work.
"You look very much like my uncle," Charlie said, staring at him.
"That's because I am your uncle," Alonso whispered. "I am pretending to be my cousin, Diego."
"Why?" Charlie said with wide eyes.
Alonso hesitated. It sounded like an irrational game for a moment, and he had to think of a decent excuse.
"Because it is classified," Alonso said, vaguely. "A need to know basis."
"Something to do with Work?" Charlie whispered back. "Oh that makes sense."
Alonso thought it made less sense than anything else he could have thought up. To say that they had swapped identities because Diego had thought it best, sounded worse though, so it was a win.
"I need you to pretend as well, Charlie," he whispered. "Victoria has to think I am Diego."
"I don't know if we can trick her," Charlie said. "She is very smart."
"We both have to try very hard. It's important."
Charlie nodded. "Ok, Don Diego."
Alonso smiled. Hopefully it would be easier now with the boy's help. Victoria had a sharp eye for detail, picking up on the voice difference. Going on vague details of Diego's manner and personality was not as helpful as he thought. She knew the man and he did not.
zzz
The boy reluctantly bathed, supervised by Alonso. The water was too hot, apparently, and the warm was too cold. To destroy the argument, Alonso had the fire built up a bit, and a bit of cold water added. There were no excuses left.
Alonso noticed the temperature of both the room and the water had not changed at all, but Charlie had accepted the bath better with the deception. Alonso had the boy scrub his hair clean, well aware that his light brown hair was a lot lighter last time he saw his nephew.
It was close to the colour of Lady Elizabeth's hair, and that of her sister, Margaret. He closed his eyes to shut of the memory and forget what had happened to them both. Grieving could come later, when the children were safe. When they had them all in the nursery, and they had all been bathed and dressed appropriately. When his father could take charge of the situation, as it was completely beyond Alonso's knowledge how to move forward again.
He watched blankly as the boy dried himself, as a flash of his beautiful wife crossed his memory like a ghost. He gasped aloud, and mastered himself with difficulty. Focus on the boy. He needs an adult, not a weeping fool.
"These clothes are nice and warm." Charles was saying, standing fully clothed down to shoes and socks. How long had he been staring blankly into space? Long enough for the boy to break the silence with something vague and uncomfortable.
"Yes? They must be Diego's hand me downs. You look very fine." Alonso led the boy to the nursery where Clara hugged him with tears streaming down her face.