Chapter 7
From the beginning, Ignacio had a hard time at university. It was as though he was back to the time when he first enlisted in the army. He had to hold his temper at the inconsiderate comments of the other students of his year. They were younger than him by at least six years and to his mind, they were all pampered young pups who had no idea what life was about. They thought it was funny to call him farmboy, soldierboy, old man amongst other things until he had enough and challenged the leader, Salvadore Valdez to a duel, even though it was against the university rules to do so. He had to defend his own honour but also he had to prove to the young fops that he wasn't a man to be taken for a fool.
On the morning of the duel, the two duellists and their seconds met in a small park and the two men squared off against each other. The young men were taken by surprise by de Soto's ability with a pistol, he fired first before Valdez could even fire his own weapon.
Valdez dropped to his knees clutching his right shoulder as the bullet tore through his skin.
"I should have told you before Valdez but for some reason it slipped my mind. I am an expert shot with both the pistol and the musket. I could have killed you but I did not. Just remember that the next time you decide to dishonour my name." de Soto stated coldly before walking away from them, with a smirk on his face. Somehow he knew that they would stop their harassment. He was right, his classmates became wary of him and his reputation for his marksmanship grew amongst the other students.
Ignacio soon settled down to his studies, he had opted for history, in particular military history and literature. It was then he fell in love. Not with a woman, or a man for that matter but for politics. He took a short course in political science and he finally found what he had been looking for ever since he could remember. He saw the potential for the power he had always craved for, the ability to make decisions that would affect others, to have control over his own life.
He decided to make politics his main area of study and he began to make connections of his own to further his ambitions, once his studies had been completed. What Carolina had taught him over their six month affair, put him in good stead with the conduct of society. He was grateful for her, without her lessons or her patronage he would not have the ability or the confidence to get through the four years of study. He often thought about her and wondered how she was doing.
He admitted to himself that he had feelings for her but it wasn't love. Not that he knew what love was, seeing that he had never known that feeling. He had written her a number of letters to advise her of his progress, afterall she was his patron. But it wasn't until his was half way through his second year that he actually saw Carolina in person, albeit from a distance. It was at an award ceremony for his former commanding officer General de Alvaro, which was being held at the barracks in Madrid. He turned out partly to honour the general for he was a well-respected soldier and partly to see her, his ex-lover. What he saw stunned him.
He watched as the General opened the carriage door, his young twelve year old son jumped out with a cheeky grin at his father, who smiled back as he helped his wife down from the carriage. In Carolina's arms was a toddler, a girl by the clothing she was dressed in. What shocked Ignacio was the young child had very fair hair, while both her parents were dark haired.
Carolina smiled at her husband as she shifted her young daughter in her arms and took Vincente's hand to help her down. She had changed in the last couple of years, she was less restless and less self-centred and although she still flirted with her husband's fellow officers, she had not taken another lover since Ignacio. She put all her energy into her wonderful daughter. She casually looked around the gathered crowd and suddenly her eyes met an astonished Ignacio de Soto. Her smile faded as she saw him stare at her daughter, then met her eyes before dropping back to the young child in her arms.
Before she could say or do anything her husband said. "What's wrong Carolina?"
She shook her head. "Nothing Vincente. Lets go." she replied as she linked her arm with her husband and walked inside the building.
Ignacio was too shocked to return to his afternoon classes and walked aimlessly around Madrid. Was Carolina's daughter his child? He tried to work out the age of the child to see if she could be his but he wasn't good at telling the age of children. He snorted, he didn't really like children and they seemed to dislike him as well. Marriage and children wasn't high on his priority list at the moment, but he assumed that one day he would marry and have children of his own. His wife would have to be of good family and of good connections, in order to further his ambitions.
When he returned to his lodgings, he found a letter waiting for him at the front desk and he immediately recognised the handwriting. He took the letter upstairs and opened it.
My dearest Ignacio,
After seeing the shock on your face this afternoon, I had to write to explain myself. As you saw, I do have a daughter and you would have noticed that she has light coloured hair while my husband and I have dark hair. I saw the confusion and the suspicion in your eyes but I cannot give you the answer that you are looking for.
My daughter is my husband's child and that is how it should be, that's how it has to be. I know that is not what you wanted to hear but there can be no other answer. What I can tell you is her name. It's Juanita. I have always liked the name.
Ignacio, I hope that you understand.
Forever your friend,
Carolina.
Ignacio sighed and leaned back in his chair. He understood completely, it would be political suicide for the General and his wife to acknowledge that her daughter was anything other than her husband's child. For although she had a number of lovers, in every other way she was fiercely loyal to her husband, he had asked once why her husband allowed her to have freedom within their marriage but she never answered and he couldn't find out any information from other sources. Whatever the reason it was a very closely guarded secret between husband and wife.
He read her letter again and knew that her daughter, Juanita, was his own child. He had once told her that his mother was named Juanita and she had admitted then she had always liked that name. He sighed to himself, he had a child that he could never acknowledge, for it would be suicide for him as well, to suggest that the wife of a well respected general had an illegitimate child. He would never do that, he cared too much about his own career and wouldn't risk a confrontation with the general.