La Luna de Miel Chapter Five: The Family Circle
John Cannon and Victoria had walked inside Hacienda Montoya as soon as the Santos y Vargas contingent boarded the carriages.
"Oh, John, I am glad to see those people go."
"I suspect Mano is, too, Victoria. And probably Carmen. At least her brother."
"Can you imagine? Such a despicable man! Taking her money, sending men to kill my brother, stealing his prized horse!"
"Well, some of that was that Casados fellow."
"Only with Don Carlos's help could Casados have known what to do."
"They're gone, Victoria. They won't be back."
"But they will be in Hermosillo, John! Much too close."
"Yup. That is a concern. But Mano and Carmen'll handle it. Besides, they won't always be at the Rancho Montoya," John said, pausing. "I am sure they will go to Carmen's ranch and spend some of the time with us at High Chaparral. Those places are far enough away from Don Carlos."
"Oh, John I hope so! Do you think they will? Manolito is becoming so involved in assisting Tío Domingo here."
"I think they will, Victoria. Mano and Buck have their own land and their mares. Diablo is now at the High Chaparral permanently, remember. Mano'll always want to check on the stallion." John smiled at this thought. Part of his arrangement with Buck and Mano allowed him to use Diablo as stud with the Chaparral horses, a most satisfactory deal all around.
"Yes, but…"
"But?"
"But, eventually, they will be here at Rancho Montoya always."
"Yes, but that will be awhile, Victoria, at least till your uncle decides he no longer wants to be the patrón, and from the looks of Domingo, I don't expect that anytime soon."
"It is a bit amusing, is it not, John?"
"What?"
"That my brother, who sought his whole life to avoid responsibility, now has the responsibility of three ranches and a wife!"
"Well, you know things were bound to change sometime," John smiled. "And I think Mano's done well."
"Oh yes, I love Carmen. She is perfect for him. And you know, John, Tío arranged the initial meeting. The rest was up to them."
"Yes it was. Seems you Montoyas are pretty good at arranging things," John smiled as he drew her close and kissed her. She smiled and returned the embrace as the front door blew open and Buck marched in, followed by the others.
"Oh, John, I am so happy," Victoria exclaimed, her eyes shining as she looked at the rest of her family.
"We is all happy, Victoria," Buck, overhearing, exclaimed. "We are happy them Vargases are gone. Oh, pardon me, Carmen."
"No. I feel exactly the same, although I shall miss Mamá and Hector," Carmen responded. Mano still grimaced at the thought of his mother-in-law, but the Doña no longer frightened him as she once had.
"Well, regardless, they are all gone," Mano announced, his voice relieved. And not soon enough, he thought.
"Um, what are your plans?" John Cannon asked, changing the subject.
"Oh, Manolo is taking me to Hermosillo…"Carmen began.
"In a few days," Mano clarified.
"And then we will visit Rancho Navarro. And then we hope to come to Arizona!"
Victoria clapped her hands and John smiled. "That will be wonderful!" Victoria proclaimed.
"Yes, it will," John affirmed. "And that will give us a little time to get ready for you."
"Oh, please do nothing special," Mano insisted. "We will be quite comfortable as things are. And it will not be for some time. We will spend at least a month at Rancho Navarro, then swing back by here to see how Tío is getting along without us." They all smiled at the thought that Tío Domingo might need them.
"I am glad to hear that," Domingo added, blowing a stream of cigar smoke. "This will always be your home, you know," he purred with his customary inscrutable smile. "I do not wish to be a lonely old man."
"Gracias, Tío," Carmen exclaimed, giving him a light kiss. Uncle, you are smooth, Mano thought. Smooth. Anyone could learn a few things from you. Even me.
"Yes, well, what of you all?" Mano asked.
"Oh, we'll head out tomorrow," John said as Victoria nodded. "Work is piling up at the ranch and it won't wait. Can't stay gone forever."
"Yes, Buck and I have been here for over a month!" Victoria exclaimed.
"We shore have, Victoria. An' I gotta check on our mares, Mano. See if Wind needs anythin'. It's about time for Diablo to do his bizness."
"I hope you are keeping accurate accounts, Buck," Mano said, remembering the business side of their horse breeding enterprise. He had almost forgotten about record keeping and tallies in the excitement of the last few months of meeting and marrying Carmen.
"I am, S'nor Montoya," Buck replied, defensive. "Or I was till somebody decided to get married. You know who's been purty good at all that?" Buck asked. "Wind, that's who. Señor Ruiz showed him all about keeping track of what mare was bred to what stallion and what the outcome was. Bottom line, we got us a pretty good set-up. I think you'll be pleased with the re-sults even if you ain't bin around to keep book."
"I am sure I will, Buck," Mano answered, placing his hand on Buck's shoulder. "I meant no criticism. And thank you for being here this last month. It has meant the world to us to have you and my sister at Rancho Montoya." Buck grinned.
"Enough of this standing," Don Domingo interjected. "We must sit down. But first, Señor Cannon, could I interest you in a game of chess?"
"Yes, you could, Don Domingo. You could indeed," John boomed.
"My brother's chess set is in my study. Shall we?"
"Let's," John Cannon replied and the two men made for the office. Uh oh, Mano thought, watching them go. After the last time at the Chaparral when these two played...chihuahua, John takes his chess seriously and Tío never offers to play anything he cannot win. Perhaps this would be a good time for Carmen…
"Miss Carmen," Buck interrupted his amigo's thoughts. "Would you like us to take a little ride, jes you an' me, an' leave these chest players and brother an' sister alone fer a bit?" Carmen smiled and nodded her agreement. She did not know that Victoria had put him up to this, but Mano figured it out. His sister wanted to have a private talk. Ay Bendita, not another one. He blew out his breath.
"Oh yes, Buck! Give me a minute to change!" Carmen cried, turning to run upstairs and missing the exchange of looks between Buck and Victoria which did not go unnoticed by Mano. Maybe it is time for this family to leave also, Mano thought.
"I'll go tell the stable hands to saddle us a couple a horses an' meet you outside, missy," Buck said with a grin. He looked at Mano, then spun on his heels to head out of doors. Sister and brother were left alone and after they watched the others exit, they turned to each other. Mano shrugged as his sister walked over to him.
VKS & MJRod claim the creation of Carmen Navarro, although we took her first name from a David Dortort script proposal. We also are the creators of the Vargas clan , Rancho Navarro and its people including Delgado, and all of the characters in and around Hermosillo. We would have nothing to create were it not for our favorite western, "The High Chaparral," to which we pay tribute.