La Luna de Miel Chapter Twelve: El Lago
"Señor y Señora Montoya, your carriage!" the doorman announced. Mano and Carmen walked outside and climbed aboard. A lively evening stretched before them, but Mano's thoughts returned to the two strangers in the hotel as the carriage jostled along. It was true that full beards were fashionable, but the men's looked too full. Their shoes. Ah, that was it. Their shoes were heavy soled boots that seemed out of place even with common woollen suits. As the carriage pulled up to the theatre, his attention was drawn to Carmen, who still seemed a little out of sorts.
"Dearest, are you quite well?"
"Manolo I am fine. Please stop worrying. Let us enjoy tonight. I am so looking forward to our evening, especially as I know neither what play we are seeing nor where we are dining later." And she flashed a dazzling smile that eclipsed all thought of illness. Noticing the playbill at the theatre's entrance Carmen exclaimed with glee, "Ah, Isabel Prieto's 'Los Dos Son Peores'! Oh Manolo, how charming! I read the reviews in the papers in Mexico City. I have wanted to see this. How did you know?"
"I hope it does not live up to its title, 'The Two Are Worse,' at any rate," Mano said with a wry grin, resembling his uncle more than he might imagine at that moment. They spent a marvelous evening at the theatre, laughing at the jokes and silliness of the suitors, commiserating with the poor but picky Pepa about her choices or lack thereof. Escapism of the best sort, the play amused and relaxed them.
"Did you enjoy that, my love?" he asked afterward, escorting her to the sidewalk.
"Oh yes, Manolo. So amusing! But now, mi corazón, I am hungry."
"And we have only to walk around the corner."
"Ah, you have planned this well!"
Jorge had planned this well, Mano thought. El Lago de los Cisnes, a popular restaurant awaited. Despite its name, swan was not on the menu, but some very fine French cuisine had garnered praise from the best families in Hermosillo. Getting a table had been quite a feat for poor Jorge, so he had told Manolito. I just hope he was right, Mano thought. He was.
Dinner was magnificent. French onion soup followed by crisp duck roasted in wine and fruit jus that melted in the mouth. Delicate saffron rice. Haricots verts or green beans, Mano noted. A small green salad followed the main course and was itself succeeded by a velvety lemon tart that pleased the palate with its light crust and combination of sweet and sour. The wine complemented each course: rich flavors interwoven to feed body and soul. By the time the sommelier arrived to discuss cognacs, they were both too full to care but ordered a fine Armagnac just the same.
"Why not? We shall only have one luna de miel, mi corazón," Carmen had agreed when the sommelier suggested the cognac, which they both sipped, their eyes heavy-lidded but their hearts full.
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.