Thanks for reading and reviewing, especially to Caatmikmak, KittyEllison and Cris Martin. You ladies make the characters keep creating absurd situations in my head and make it worth the effort to write and publish them.
Chapter 25. A tough decision.
Marina looked around as she arrived at the church. She could not see the man she was looking for in the square. She was anxious to know why he had not come.
Don Alejandro helped her out of the carriage, her lady-in-waiting got out of the second one and joined her as Don Alejandro greeted the neighbors. They stayed in the square chatting with their acquaintances because there were still 10 minutes before the bells rang for mass.
While don Alejandro and Diego were talking with other gentlemen, Pilar came out to meet Victoria.
"Good morning." she said with a big smile.
"Good morning." replied Victoria more seriously.
"Aren't you going to tell me anything?"
"No, I'm sorry but it's private."
"Fine, then I'll tell you. The alcalde has been sick for the last two days. Apparently his wound opened up and he's been running a fever. The doctor has told Mendoza that he doesn't think it's serious, but that he should stay in bed for a few days."
"And Mendoza has told everyone, of course."
Pilar nodded. "You know how Mendoza is."
Padre Benitez was at the door of the church, greeting those who were entering, and noticed that the group of the de la Vega's had already arrived. He decided to approach the young lady to consult her about something.
"Good morning, señorita."
"Good morning father." she replied very elegantly. Padre Benitez smiled, he was used to simpler people, with much more spontaneous manners.
"I have to consult something with you."
Marina made a slight gesture with her head and her companion moved far enough away that she could not hear the conversation.
Padre Benitez was very serious when he began to speak. "Your brother instructed me to read the banns for your marriage to Señor de Soto for the first time at the end of Mass today. He is ill as a result of the bullet that hit him and will not be able to come."
Marina couldn't help but interrupt him, worried for him. "I thought the wound was superficial, has it gotten worse?"
"Don't worry, señorita." said the padre touched by her concern. "Dr. Hernandez thinks he'll recover soon. He just needs to rest."
"Thank you for telling me. I'm sorry I interrupted you."
"Don't worry, it's understandable. He is reasonably well, and he has told me that he for his part is fine with the banns being read, but I need to know what you want."
She frowned, though she looked more confused than angry. Finally she said, "I'm not entirely sure I want to marry Señor de Soto."
Padre Benitez nodded, thoughtfully. "In the circumstances in which you find yourself it is normal for you to have doubts. If I have not misunderstood what happened, he abused your trust and your innocence."
Marina blushed.
"Please, señorita, it wasn't a reproach. I don't think you intended to sin, and if you did, as you must have repented and confessed, I have nothing to reproach you for. After all, we are all sinners-though some, like Señor. de Soto, more sinful than others."
"Then." she paused a moment to think what she wanted to say. "Do you advise me not to marry him?"
It was the priest's turn to reflect on his answer.
"I wouldn't say so much. I know he is ambitious, and you know better than anyone that he has few scruples, but since you arrived I have seen something that gives me hope. Do you know that when he thought he was going to die he repented of what he had done to you?"
"Did he really?"
The padre could not suppress a smile. "Oh, yes, he was very sorry saying how unfair he was to you, until Don Diego, fed up with everything that was going on in the middle of his wedding, got tired and told him he wasn't dying. At that moment I was so worried about the situation you were in, in the hands of that scoundrel who dragged you away from the church, that I didn't stop to think about the ridiculousness of the situation."
She smiled at that.
"Do you think there is hope for him?"
The padre sighed. "I believe in redemption. Perhaps the Almighty put you in his path to save Señor. de Soto's soul. I have often thought it would take a miracle for that man to change, but of course I believe miracles do exist. I have prayed for him many times. Maybe it has worked."
"What if he hasn't changed? When I'm with him and he says nice things to me I want to believe him, but he could be faking his behavior, or get tired later and go back to his old self." she said bitterly.
"I think if you finally decide to give him a chance you should protect yourself and your son. I heard that Don Diego gave you some good advice about your will. I am also sure that your brother will look out for your interests. Consult with them and decide what you want to do, but also think that a child needs a father. In any case reading the banns today does not oblige you to marry him later."
She nodded. The bells began to ring, calling for Mass. She raised her head and said resolutely.
"Read them. If in these weeks I see in him what you have seen, I will marry him."
After Mass, Marina decided to go to see her fiancé. She knocked on the door of the barracks with determination. Sergeant Mendoza opened the door.
"Señorita, welcome, is there anything I can do for you?"
"Please, tell Señor de Soto that I have come to see him, and that I have something important to discuss with him."
"Just a moment, señorita. Please wait here."
Mendoza left through the door that led to the armory courtyard in a hurry, leaving it open on his way out. Marina could hear him knocking on the door of the alcalde's quarters and how de Soto answered.
"Mendoza, I said I don't want to be disturbed."
"Excuse me, mi alcalde, la señorita Ortiz de Casqueta is here."
"Where?" said the alcalde trying to get up from the armchair and grunting when the movement caused the wound to hurt.
"In the office."
"You have left her there alone?"
"She's accompanied by her lady-in-waiting."
"At least you will have offered her a seat."
"No, mi alcalde, I didn't think of it."
"Useless, as usual. Help me make myself presentable." Mendoza approached the alcalde to try to put on his jacket.
"Not this one, the gray one. No, it can't be, it doesn't match my pants. What a disaster." said the alcalde in frustration.
"I don't think the lady attaches so much importance to your clothes, señor, she wants to talk to you."
"Of course presence is important, but you're too simple to understand that. Come, put that jacket on me, I can't keep her waiting."
"Ahora mismo, mi alcalde." said Mendoza in a resigned tone.
De Soto entered the office with his best smile. "Good morning my dear Marina."
Marina looked at him very seriously and turned to her companion. "Leandra, please wait outside and leave the door ajar."
"Sí, señorita."
De Soto waited for the lady to come out before approaching his fiancée. "I have been told by Mendoza that the father has read the banns. You don't know how happy you make me, palomita."
She allowed him to kiss her hand and then withdrew it. "Don't call me that." she said grimly.
"What do you mean, palomita?"
"Nor my dear. I'm not your palomita any more, that's what you called me when you visited me, but that young lady you seduced and abandoned pregnant with your child is no more, and you don't feel anything for me either, only for my money and position, so dear isn't suitable either." she said marking the word dear with a tone of disdain.
"If that's what you think, why have you accepted my proposal?"
"I have agreed to have the banns read. Padre has told me that I am not obliged to marry if I don't want to."
"I understand."
"No, I don't think you understand. A moment ago Padre Benitez told me there was still hope, and I wanted to think he was right, and yet I come here and hear you insulting and arrogantly treating your subordinate. My brother has much more money and rank than you and he doesn't treat even the beggars we give alms to like that. My grandmother, who was much smarter than me, once told me that if I wanted to know if someone was good I should not look at how he treats his superiors or equals, but at how he treats his servants, his horses or his dogs."
"I wouldn't treat you that way."
"Now maybe not, but it has been made clear to me that in marriage the wife is subordinate to her husband. If this is how you treat those under your responsibility you will end up doing the same to me and my son."
"You mean our son."
"Our? You acknowledged him without telling me? Because his baptismal certificate doesn't have your name on it. I learned that when they helped me make my will." She looked at him sternly. "I'm not smart, but when I learn something, then I remember it well."
"I can send a document to the parish where you baptized him."
"I'll talk that over with my brother. He will know what to do about that matter. We will do what is best for Dieguito."
De Soto was more worried than angry, watching his best chance slip through his fingers.
"I'm in a bad mood because of the injury. Let me show you I can be nice." he approached her cautiously, as if she were a nervous mare. "I'll try my best to be the husband you need."
"I know you can be charming when you want something, my little boy is proof, but what worries me is that I don't know how long it will last." She turned away from him. "I'm going back to the hacienda with the de la Vega's. I need to think, and also talk to my brother."
"Your brother will probably be here soon. I sent a message for him to come as soon as possible."
"I hope he can tell me what to do with you, because I'm so lost." she said sadly and frustrated. "See you tomorrow."
She offered her hand for him to kiss and walked out of the office to meet her assistant.
"Maldita sea." said de Soto punching the table and cringing in pain as the movement affected his wound. "I have to convince her."