The one week Gilberto had given the people to come up with the money went by in the blink of an eye. By its end, just four thousand pesos had been collected, seeing how the poorest of the peasants had no money to pay a new tax.
The Emissary thus ordered every one of those who had not paid their share to be arrested, due to face the firing squad; yet found himself facing the unexpected resistance of the dons.
Led by Don Alejandro, a contingent of about 60 armed men – haciendados and their vaqueros – came to stop the executions. Gilberto freed the already-arrested peasants without much fuss, only warning the dons that, under such circumstances, he'd have to find another way to cover the remaining sum and they'd have to accept it.
Consequently, a few days later, the Emissary threatened to confiscate the property of the church, suggesting that, since there was no longer a priest in Los Angeles, and only a padre from Capistrano came from time to time to officiate, it made little sense to keep the mission and the church in their current condition.
Protests were organized in reaction to that threat.
"I can order the men to open fire…" Lieutenant Hidalgo suggested as he and his commander were watching the protesters from behind a window in the alcalde's office.
"Why would you do that? They are playing right into my trap…" Gilberto replied with a smile.
A day later, things were deteriorating to the point to which De Soto felt it more prudent to leave Mendoza in charge of the pueblo just in case a full-fledged rebellion might start. Informing Risendo that he had received news that could lead to the capture of a gang of bandits, headed for San Pedro for the night, certain a rebellion was in the cards. He had just left when Gilberto decided the time had come to appease the crowd and did so after noticing most of the people gathering in the church, certain they were discussing a way to prevent him from putting his threats into practice.
Smiling, he, thus, headed that way accompanied by his lieutenant and a couple of armed guardsmen. Don Alejandro had just suggested kicking the emissary out of the pueblo, and the people were acclaiming that idea when Gilberto and his party entered, their presence causing everyone to cautiously become silent.
"Good people, I understand your frustration," Risendo started, "but, as long as those who have cheated the king for years do not pay their dues, I have no choice but to sell off the Church property to make up the deficit."
"What do you mean?" Señor Peralta inquired. "Who cheated the king?"
"Well… From what I was given to understand, there is at least one caballero in this pueblo whose family made a fortune occupying a piece of land it has never truly owned. I'd say that clearly qualifies as cheating," Gilberto said, turning to stare at Don Alejandro.
"Those lands were granted to my father years before this pueblo even existed." Don Alejandro retorted, certain the emissary was talking about him. "Just because an official misplaced my property deeds, it does not mean anything my family and I have done was illegal…"
"Nor do we have to take your word for it. Has anyone seen those papers?" Gilberto looked around. Nobody came forward. "No one… How, then, can you explain that only your property deeds were missing while everyone else found theirs intact at the Devil's Fortress?"
"All I know is that I had taken the deeds there myself, years ago, just after my father had died. It was the commander's responsibility to make sure they were safe!"
"Again, why should we believe you? Why not believe, instead, Señor, that, for years, you have used lands that had never really belonged to you, building the De la Vega fortune on property stolen from the king?"
"Don Alejandro was forced to buy back his lands when the deed was found missing! That land legally belongs to him no matter what you say!" Victoria felt the need to intervene at noticing the elderly don turning red.
"Perhaps… But he is yet to pay his rent on it for the years he has used the land without being entitled to it," Gilberto said with a smile, then slowly left. "That would most certainly cover the remaining sum I am to collect from Los Angeles…"
Gilberto was wearing a smile as he returned to the garrison, certain the crowd would soon disperse, leaving Don Alejandro with no allies at that point.
A few hours later, the Emissary and his men evicted the haciendado from his house and moved there in his stead. Gilberto justified his actions by presenting the don with a paper on which he had calculated that the overdue rent on the property amounted to 15,452 pesos, money the old haciendado could not possibly pay him at that point.
ZZZ
The elderly don took some of his things and moved to Victoria's tavern. Only the following day did he even find out that Gilberto had also impounded his bank account, little money as it contained at that point, and an investigation into the source of said money was to be conducted, meaning he had been left penniless.
"He can't do this to you, Don Alejandro! The money and the hacienda are legally yours!" the young woman said at being given the news.
"Perhaps, if he hadn't occupied those lands illegally, this wouldn't have happened," a farmer said at overhearing her.
"Señor Peralta!" the caballero turned to put the man in his place.
"Leave him be, Don Alejandro!" Victoria counseled, just as the lawyer who bought the animals Don Alejandro had sold almost a week earlier entered the tavern. "He's not worth it!"
The elderly caballero relented and easily allowed himself to fall into depression. "I don't know what do to, Victoria… It seems that it's God's will for me to lose all my life's work. All I had is gone… Not that it matters anymore, now that I know I'll never see my only son again."
The young woman shook her head. "Don't say that, Don Alejandro!" she tried to encourage him. "The news about Diego might be wrong. I pray each day that it is. I have not lost hope. Not yet. And neither should you! As for the emissary, I'm sure you can come up with the money he is asking for! You can ask your friends for it. Surely there's no one in the territory who would refuse you! I, myself, can offer you all my savings: almost 2000 pesos."
He smiled at that offer. "You are very kind, my dear, but I can't accept. Considering everything that had happened during the last few years, something tells me that, even if I did manage to pay what Risendo demanded, somehow he'd still find a way to demand more… And, should I ask my friends for loans, who's to say I'll have the money to pay them back? No… What I have left – the remaining cattle and a few horses – I need in order to ensure that my servants don't end up destitute. I always planned on giving them a pension when they'd become too old to work. I can't let them down, Victoria…"
As they remained silent for a few moments, the newcomer saw his opportunity and neared their table. "Señorita, Señor," he said as he came to stand next to them, "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation, and I was wondering if you would grant me a little of your time."
"Señor De Amo?" Don Alejandro said as he looked rather puzzled at the short, thin man, inviting him to sit down. "I was under the impression that you had left Los Angeles... But I was hoping you'd return soon because there is something I need to talk to you about. I know that, as per our deal, I was to care for the animals you have acquired from me until you'd settle in, but I fear circumstances have changed. I can no longer take care of the animals," he told him. "I can help you transfer them to another hacienda but, unfortunately, I have, it seems, lost mine…"
"I did overhear you talking about that, Señor. Which is why I was wondering if I might make you a new offer."
"A new offer?"
"Si. You see, Don Alejandro, I am a lawyer in the service of the Count of Dragonera. The king was generous enough to recently offer His Excellency a land grant north of the pueblo, neighboring your lands; and, considering he's on his way here, he instructed me to either build him a house or buy one for him near Los Angeles.
"Seeing how I came to realize that building a new house might not be an endeavor I would be able to finish by the time of his arrival, I've been looking to buy one. And, from what I was able to find out, you, Don Alejandro, have the best one; not to mention, the most conveniently-positioned. So, considering your recent troubles, I was wondering if you might be willing to sell your hacienda. In exchange, I can offer you the sum of one hundred thousand pesos."
"One hundred thousand pesos?" Victoria said in awe.
"Señor, you must be confused. My hacienda… Is not what it once was. Part of my land I have had to sell a while back, my vineyards just burned down, and only a small percentage of my horses and cattle still remain, seeing how you, yourself bought most of them…"
"No… I believe it is you who has gotten it wrong, Señor," the lawyer corrected. "What I offer is just for your house and your remaining lands. I am willing to pay separately for the cattle and horses after I have them appraised."
Don Alejandro remained half open-mouthed at hearing that. "I am trying to explain to you that you are offering too much as it is, and you try to offer me more?" he wondered.
"I am offering what I consider to be the just value of the property after having seen the lands and the house."
"I see…" the don muttered. "And you are truly willing to give me all that money despite knowing you overpay?"
"As I said, I don't believe I overpay. Besides, as long as my efforts result in my client being satisfied with my services, it is still I to gain from such a deal. Of course, I will still have to enlarge the hacienda by the time the count arrives. And I might want to keep part of the furniture, should you be willing to part with it."
"Even with the furniture, the hacienda is worth half of what you are offering," Don Alejandro said.
"And yet I doubt I would convince you to sell it for that. Besides, I am instructed to offer up to three times more than the market value for what I feel might be to my employer's taste, and I have a rather large budget.
"That rich, is he… this count?"
"Si, Señor. Very rich… and very generous," the man said. "But I see you are still hesitating, so allow me to sweeten the deal. While my instructions are to buy good animals for the count's hacienda, and make sure they are properly taken care of, I have no idea how to raise horses and cattle. Nor do I know much about the land, agriculture, and the people here. Under these circumstances, I would be glad to also offer you to remain to manage the hacienda in return for 50% of all the earnings."
"I see… And my men?"
"As I said, I don't know the people here. I would be more than happy to agree for them to stay, as well, under the same conditions as now. At least until the Count is due to arrive. He has his own servants but, from what I know of him, he is also the kind of man who avoids dismissing people. I am sure he will do all he can to find work for them, as well."
The caballero was silent for a few moments as he considered that offer. "I'm sorry, Señor… It's not that I dislike the deal you are proposing, on the contrary… It's just that…"
"It's too good to be true," Victoria said.
The elderly don nodded. "Precisely. And when something is too good to be true…"
"It is your decision, Don Alejandro, but I am more than willing to put everything we have just discussed in a contract."
At that point, the caballero glanced towards the young woman by his side, who just shrugged her shoulders, so he nodded. "I believe you have a deal, Señor. Put all that in writing, and my hacienda is yours," he said, and the man soon left joyfully, heading for his room.
"But you can't sell your hacienda, Don Alejandro. Diego…"
"Diego is gone, Victoria. No matter how much it pains me, we are not getting him back. At least, this way, I can make sure my people are safe, and that Risendo doesn't get his hands on my life's work! And… If my son does return one day, we'll still have enough money to buy a new hacienda and start anew…"
"And how can you be certain Risendo will not freeze that money, as well? He's more than capable of doing it!"
"That is a good point you are making, Victoria…" the don conceded, remaining pensive for a few moments. "But I doubt he will be able to justify freezing those funds, seeing how their source will be quite clear. Besides, if I use the money to pay the remaining sum the emissary was sent here to collect, he will no longer have a reason to stay, and we'll finally be rid of that man!"