Happy Sunday, all. Going to make this short and sweet this week and get right on into it.
Enjoy!
Linny
Chapter Ten
The rancho of Don Tomas de Velasquez stretched over a sprawling fifty-five hundred acres. Diego had told her that it was considered one of the smaller ranchos in the district, yet it was no less impressive.
He steered the carriage down the long, winding drive, allowing Olivia to admire the surrounding area.
Rolling hills dotted with trees surrounded the main homestead and its surrounding buildings. She spotted a large herd of cattle grazing over in the field to the left of them. Men worked tirelessly in the adjoining vineyard and cornfields. Dozens of horses cantered about as their workmen road them through the fields or they pulled heavy plows or carts filled with supplies. Servants bustled throughout the grounds of the hacienda, each one nodded a modest hello as the carriage passed through.
"This is it," Diego told her as he pulled on the reigns for the horses to stop.
"It is marvelous. I am almost jealous of its magnificence," she told him as she watched a small group of servants hurry to greet them.
"Buenos días, Don Diego, señorita," an older Indian man in his early fifties greeted them with a respected bow of his head. "Don Tomas is expecting you."
"Buenos días, Pascal. How is your family?"
"Quite well, señor. My daughter, Carmen, was recently married." He beamed with elation, yet there was a slight shadow of sadness behind his eyes. They were the eyes of a father who was proud that his daughter had found her match and still sad that it had been time to let her go.
"Wonderful news!" Diego crowed with delight. "Many congratulations are in order."
"Gracias, Don Diego."
Olivia stood back and watched after another servant, a young boy no older than fifteen, had helped her down from the surrey. She was stunned by the young Don's manner in which he spoke to those of a lower class. He treated them like real people, instead of servants. He was considerate and seemed to genuinely care about what they had to say. She hadn't met many men like him before. Not only was he well-educated and obviously handsome, but he had a gentle way about him. She could honestly say she'd only met a handful of others like him. And she was related to two of them.
A gentle nudge at her back from Emily—who now stood behind her—brought her back to the present and the man standing in front of her. Diego was still there, gazing at her in question. "Forgive me, Diego. I am just in awe of the scenery that it took me away to somewhere else entirely." She smiled congenially at him and hoped that she had been believable. She fought back the embarrassment she was beginning to feel growing inside of her at being caught woolgathering over him.
"I understand, señorita," he grinned at her, but something told her he wasn't just speaking about the view. It knocked her a bit off-kilter, making her uncomfortable. She couldn't afford to be distracted like that. "Don Tomas is waiting to meet with you in his study."
She nodded in agreement as he presented his arm to her. Curious, she arched an eyebrow in silent question toward him. Just what was he planning?
"Just to be safe," he commented with a playful wink. "Wouldn't want you to trip and make a bad impression."
"What a gentleman," she told him, her tone sarcastically dry as she linked her arm with his and allowed him to lead the way. She would allow him to have his way for the moment. Meanwhile, without glancing behind her in Emily's direction, she could feel the silent scrutiny of her servant. She chose to ignore it. Diego de la Vega was charming, yes, but he was only a means to an end. His stature in the community meant that he had connections that she could take advantage of.
None of it, whatsoever, had to do with the fact that he was tall and strongly built. Or that his brown eyes were warm and inviting.
At least, that was what she had continued to tell herself. Repeatedly.
Don Tomas was a man in his mid-fifties with dark hair that had a light smattering of gray to it. His almond-shaped eyes were a kind and gentle blue like a sky after a summer storm. His smile was wide and genial as he greeted Diego like the old friend that he was.
"Diego, my boy! It is good to see you again." He patted the younger man on the back in a friendly gesture.
"You as well, Don Tomas."
"And who is this beautiful flower you bring with you?" He turned his attention to Olivia, the warm expression never shifting from his countenance.
"May I introduce Señorita Olivia Walker from America? Olivia, this is Don Tomas de Velasquez."
"It is a pleasure, my dear." He took hold of Olivia's left hand and carefully lifted it to his lips.
"It is an honor to be a guest in your lovely home, Señor Velasquez. It is very beautiful."
"Yes, but no beauty could compare to your own, my dear."
She still did not know how to process all of the kind words from the men of Los Angeles. She had heard that Latins were quite vocal in their appreciation, yet it was still quite overwhelming. "You flatter me," was all she could think to say, wondering if he would have said the same if she had been dressed head-to-toe in a burlap sack.
"You are enjoying your stay in our country, I hope?" He motioned to a sofa resting underneath a window that looked out into the back garden and urged her and Diego to both sit.
They did as they were offered. "I am," she replied. "California is very beautiful and each day I find myself more and more in awe of it."
"Now, it is you who flatters us, señorita," Don Tomas grinned as he took a seat in an ornate armchair that rested at an angle to the sofa. "And as I understand it, you are interested in my young colt?"
"Yes, my family owns a horse ranch in Virginia and we are looking to improve our stock."
"So, you came all the way to California? Why travel such a distance when I am certain that you could find suitable lines in your own country."
Don Tomas was testing her, she realized immediately. His kind demeanor remained the same, yet his eyes now carried the hint of scrutiny. "Yes, well, we serve a great number of clients—that is what my brothers and I like to call them—in Virginia. We are not so far from our capital and we have even provided horses for the President, himself."
"Impressive. But, I'm not so certain that I'm convinced."
Rising to the challenge he was putting before her, Olivia continued. "We all decided that it was in our best interests to expand our selection to our clientele. And we also have heard that Los Angeles had the best horsehide in the world."
"And now we are back to flattery," Don Tomas's grin returned. "Very well, I shall show you our boy. But, don't misunderstand me, señorita. First and foremost, I am a businessman and no amount of flattery will sway me in either direction." His expression shifted then, turned pointed and firm, showing her that he was very serious.
Olivia did not back down from his warning. "I would certainly hope not, Don Tomas. If you were to be able to be swayed by a few kind words, I would not think too highly of you."
Diego sat in silence as he watched their exchange. This was clearly why he had chosen Don Tomas as the first ranchero she was to visit. His kind and genial nature would put prospective buyers at ease only to have his sharp tongue knock them off guard. But, she had dealt with far harsher men. And she wasn't one to back down from a challenge.
"Come, child. Let me show you to the stables." And the kind nature had returned as he was back on his feet. He offered her his arm. She readily accepted the proffered appendage and looped her arm through his. "I must say, you have impressed me greatly. There are not many men with who I could match wits with, yet you—a woman—stayed strong," he told her as he led their small group out of the study and through the main door of the hacienda. They continued to chat as they made their way to the stables.
"Well, you are not the first to doubt me. But, I was raised around horses and know a great deal about how the business works."
The older man chuckled at her demeanor. "Forgive me, señorita. I did not mean to offend. I can see that you are capable of dealing business, but I question how much you know of our horses that are native to Spain."
Just outside of the stables, stood a young horse tied to a hitching post. He was a brilliant golden brown in color with patches of white all over. His legs were long and slender and his body was slim. He was fully grown with a thick, brown mane and a matching tail that trailed almost to the ground.
"Here he is, Señorita Walker." Don Tomas said nothing else, giving her a wide berth to examine the creature.
She knew what she had to do. Circling the animal, she took in every inch of sinew and muscle that was on display for her eyes. "Does he have a name?"
"Sí, señorita," responded the groom—a young man whose head barely reached to her shoulder—that had been brushing him. "It is Amante."
"Amante..." she allowed the name to roll over her tongue as she weighed it. It was a Spanish word that she was not completely familiar with. "What does it mean?"
"It means 'lover', señorita," Diego explained, seeming to be slightly uncomfortable having to explain the name. But, the word had formed on his tongue in a soft whisper which caused a warm heat to rise to her cheeks. It wasn't the words he had spoken, but the way he had said them that made it appear.
"My daughter, Marisol, named him when he was born," the elder Don explained as he and Diego watched her motions with rapt attention.
Careful in approaching the animal, Olivia held out her left hand with her palm laying flat. The horse did not shy away and even took a step toward her his nose coming into contact with her hand. He gently nuzzled her as she came even closer. "I can see his name is quite fitting," she giggled as she ran her hands down his smooth neck. The animal nibbled softly at the shoulder of her blouse while she continued her examination. His back was firm and his legs were strong. "How old is he?" she asked as she ran a hand over his rump and took a closer look at his hindquarters, making certain not to startle him and get kicked.
"Almost three years old," the groom informed her but offered up no more information. Clearly, his master had given strict instructions to only answer any questions as simply as possible.
"And he is a Paso Fino, is he not?"
Impressed by the observation, Don Tomas smiled. "He is, indeed. But, I doubt you have seen many like him."
"No. I have only seen one other. His owner was a man traveling from Peru." She told the story of the man as she continued to examine Amante and all of his fine qualities.
"She is quite impressive, is she not, Diego?" Don Tomas asked, more than impressed.
Diego smiled his agreement. "That she is, Don Tomas." Had that been the hint of affection she'd heard in his tone? No. She must have just imagined it.
"So," she began, opening her arms in question, "does this mean that I have passed your test?"
"It does, indeed. You passed with flying colors. I don't believe that many men could carry the same amount of knowledge that you do."
"I will take that as a compliment."
"It was meant to be one. Now, shall we discuss terms? In my study?"
"Certainly," she agreed, allowing him to lead the way.
The group had just left the stable yard when a voice cried out.
"Papa! Papa!" A young girl of about ten came running up to them, tears streaming down her olive-skinned cheeks. "Papa, it's Rosita! She won't get up!"
"Calm down, Mija," Don Tomas urged the child as he placed calming hands upon her shoulders. "Now, slowly, tell me what is the matter?"
Pulling in a deep, shuddering breath the girl's shoulders continued to shake with anxiety. "I was riding out in the back acreage and on our way back, Rosita just collapsed."
"You were out in the back acreage alone?" the elder Don's temper flared momentarily, but it quickly erased when he saw the frightened look in his daughter's eyes. She wasn't afraid of him, but the situation. With a sigh of exasperation, he asked, "where is Rosita, now?"
"This way!"
On swift feet, the girl was gone, leaving the adults to trail after her. They didn't have to go far. The horse was laying on her side in a nearby pasture, surrounded by a cluster of vaqueros who murmured to one another over the poor animal's condition. Olivia couldn't understand all of what they were saying, but they were very concerned.
The fear of what was possibly happening rose quickly inside of her. She stood back from the small crowd, but could already see the muscle convulsions beginning to start. The sounds of labored breathing pulsed in her ears.
"I have never seen this happen, Patrón," one of the workmen stated as he knelt beside the creature and ran a soothing hand along the animal's neck.
"I have," Olivia spoke up morosely. Turning to the girl who still cried freely, she knelt down to her level and looked her straight in the eye. She made certain to be patient with the child or else her question wouldn't be answered. "Tell me, child, did Rosita eat anything while you were out riding?" She kept her voice soft and gentle when asking, despite the fear that clenched in her chest. If she was correct, then time was of the essence.
Marisol nodded. "Sí, señorita. She took a bite of a leaf off of a hedge."
"Can you take us to where you were? I have the feeling that I know what is causing this, but to be certain, I need to see what she ate."
Sniffling loudly, the girl nodded. "Will she be alright?"
She didn't want to lie to the girl; it would only cause more pain in the long run if complications were to occur. No, she would speak the truth as she knew it. "I don't know, sweetheart. But, I will do everything I can to help her."
"Juan, Pablo, fetch some horses," Don Tomas ordered.
"Sí, Patrón," the two men replied in unison, both hurrying off to the stables.
"What do you think this could be?" Diego asked once Olivia returned to her full height. His voice was low enough that the Señorita del Velasquez could not overhear.
"She's been poisoned. I know of one plant that can affect the muscular system. But, I hope that I am wrong." She immediately turned to Don Tomas. "While we are gone, your men should try to get her to drink as much water as possible. It could be early enough that she hasn't digested the plant yet. The water should help her flush it out."
"Of course." Don Tomas relayed her instructions to two remaining vaqueros who instantly obeyed and ran to fetch fresh water.
Three horses were quickly saddled and ready. Don Tomas pulled his daughter up to ride with him as Diego and Olivia mounted up as well.
Marisol instructed her father where to go and they were there within thirty minutes. "That is it, over there. The one with the white flowers."
Olivia and Diego were quick to dismount and approach the wide hedge. It stretched about twelve feet in length and stood about eight feet tall. The top of each leaf was dark green and glossy and the white flowers had a bright yellow core.
Olivia reached out with a gloved hand and took hold of one of the leaves. Turning it over, she saw the pale green underside and noted how the veins lay in an opposing pattern. "Damn," she murmured under her breath. "How much did Rosita eat?" she asked, hoping her voice wasn't betraying her worry.
"Only a bite or two, I think," the girl replied, her emotions going wild as she broke down into sobs again. Her father wrapped his supporting arms around her and held her tight as he whispered gentle words of reassurance into her ear.
"We have not yet had the opportunity to cultivate this area. That is why I did not want Marisol to ride out here alone. We still are not sure what kinds of dangers are out here."
"Is it bad, señorita?" the girl asked, weepy.
"This is a plant known as Oleander. It is extremely poisonous to livestock and humans," she informed the elder Don. "I suggest you have your vaqueros remove it immediately and dispose of it as far away from your land as possible. Do not burn it, either. I've read that the smoke released is even more dangerous."
"What does this mean for Rosita?" Diego asked.
"Well, if Marisol is correct and the horse only ate a couple of bites, I do not believe she is in too much danger. She will be ill for a few days and will need constant care during that time."
"I shall have my Caporal, Mateo, stay with her through the night. Is there more we can do for her?"
Olivia shook her head as she returned to her mount and climbed up. "I am afraid not. All you can do is keep giving her as much water as she'll take... and wait."
"Gracias, señorita," Marisol said in a soft, quite voice.
"De nada, little one," she said as they began to ride back toward the house.
No one had moved from Rosita's side, they'd noticed upon their return. Emily now sat with the horse, caressing her neck in slow, tender strokes.
"You will forgive me, señorita, but I feel that we should postpone our business dealings for another time?"
"Of course, Don Tomas. If you would permit me, I would like to stop by to check on Rosita's progress in the morning?"
The Don nodded in acceptance. "I believe Marisol would appreciate that very much." He glanced down at his child and noticed that she had fallen asleep in his arms.
"The poor thing," Olivia commented as she dismounted and removed her gloves. She shoved them in the pocket of her skirt and reminded herself that they would need to be disposed of. "She has had such a trying day."
"You'll forgive me Diego if I do not show you to your carriage personally? I must tend to personal matters." He glanced down at the child in his arms and gave a slight shrug so as not to disturb her.
"Of course, Don Tomas," Diego bowed his head in respect. He'd been very quiet throughout the entire ordeal and she couldn't help but wonder what he had been thinking. "We shall take our leave, now. Buenos días."
"Buenos días," Olivia repeated. "Until tomorrow."
"Until tomorrow, señorita. Good day, Diego."
Settling a guiding hand on the small of Olivia's back, Diego led her back to the carriage. Bernardo and Emily were at their heels.
"You were very impressive today," he told her. "You possibly saved not only Rosita's life but the lives of all of Don Tomas's cattle."
"I have seen what Oleander can do. It is not a pleasant sight. I just hope Marisol was correct and the horse did not eat more than what she'd said."
"If it's alright with you, I would like to join you tomorrow when you come to check on her."
Olivia smiled at him, pleasantly surprised that he was willing to come along. "Gracias, Diego. I would like that."
He took his place behind the reins and urged the horses into motion. "What are your plans for the rest of the day? Our hacienda is not far from here. How would you like to join my father and me for lunch?"
"That is a gracious offer, Diego, but the excitement of the morning has taken a lot out of me. I think I should return to the inn and rest."
He seemed disappointed but reluctantly agreed. "As you wish, señorita."