by Helena Rose
Lucas took her hand and she meekly let herself be guided forward, while the men came to unload the trunks.
The door opened and Yolanda and Santos came out.
" Welcome!" Exclaimed Santos happily. "Come in! Your home awaits you!"
Yolanda ran to Lucas and hugged him tight. Aurora let go of Lucas’ hand and waited for Yolanda to end her outburst of affection.
" Yolanda." Reproved Santos in a stern voice, “Leave him alone! He’s just arrived and he’ll be tired!" Santos looked at Aurora embarrassed, but Yolanda remained impassive.
Yolanda broke away from Lucas, smiling and then noticed Aurora who stood waiting.
" Good evening." She said with a grimace, as if she had just swallowed a lemon.
" Good evening." Replied Aurora quietly.
Lucas moved, passed Yolanda and took Aurora’s hand again.
"Come, I’ll lead the way." He said, smiling.
Yolanda followed them, pouting, as Lucas and Aurora entered the building. Aurora found herself in a vast hall, built entirely of bricks made of the pink stone typical of Zacatecas. A majestic staircase with an elegant wrought iron handrail lead up to the upper floors. The colonial-style décor was warm and welcoming. In the huge fireplace, a massive log burned and sputtered.
"You did a great job, Lucas," said Aurora impressed. "I've never seen such a beautiful house!"
Lucas’ enthusiasm was definitely infecting her, while she proudly admired every small feature, and decoration, of the vast central hall.
" Wait until you see the rest!" Lucas told her. "You'll be amazed!”
They then walked round the entire ground floor, the dining room, furnished with a massive rectangular table of dark wood, the study, with a writing desk and elegant leather armchairs, the huge and cozy kitchen, where the cook was finishing the preparation for dinner.
Then they devoted themselves to the upper floor where the bedrooms were located.
For the first time since they had arrived, Lucas seemed embarrassed.
"This is the master bedroom," he said, opening a door of dark wood. "This was Gajardo’s room and I slept here during my last visit. I’ve had it reorganized, but if you like it..."
"Don’t worry, any room will do for me." Aurora hastened to respond.
The room was very large with a huge double bed in the center made of solid wood and decorated with an elegant and delicate inlay. A huge window looked out onto a balcony with a view of the gardens and the driveway.
Aurora felt her face flush as she imagined unintentionally, lying in the bed.
" It’s very nice, where am I going to sleep?" She asked, trying to sound indifferent.
Lucas closed the door and opened the door of the room opposite.
"If you like it, in here," he said, motioning for her to enter.
The room intended for Aurora was perhaps slightly smaller, but it was definitely bigger than the one she was used to in Tampico. The bed made of wrought iron, had a canopy with delicate white lace curtains and the window overlooked the back of the house, where she could see the lawn and the lush forest.
"It’s very beautiful." Aurora commented sincerely. "I couldn’t wish for more." She ran to the window and opened it. She felt the fresh evening air, and in the light of the moon she saw the high mountains surrounding Zacatecas valley.
"If you want to freshen up, dinner will be served shortly." Said Lucas withdrawing discreetly, while Aurora looked around, excited about all the new features. A little later someone knocked on the door and a young maid with black hair, entered followed by some men who carried Aurora’s trunks into the room.
"While you’re at dinner, I'll fix your luggage Ma’am." said the young maid shyly.
Aurora smiled and thanked her and the men who were leaving the room.
She undressed quickly, and after freshening up with water from the washbowl put on a periwinkle colored dress that she had unpacked from one of the trunks. She let down her hair and combed it quickly.
Then went down for dinner. Lucas and Santos were waiting in the lounge and immediately stood up as soon as they saw her.
"I’ll be going now, I've already had dinner. If you’ll excuse me." Said Santos leaving. Aurora and Lucas then went into the dining room, where shortly after dinner was served.
Yolanda brought in their sweet.
" How are you finding it here Yolanda, do you like it? "Lucas asked.
" Yes, I like it! I love it. " She replied enthusiastically. "Thank you for letting me come, Lucas, I adore you!"
Aurora coughed as she stood up.
" I'm very tired, I’d like to retire." She said, politely.
"Good night," said Lucas. "Do you remember which the door to your room is?"
"I think so. I'll try to get my bearings," replied Aurora.
"Why don’t you sleep in the same room, like everyone else does?" Yolanda asked suspiciously, not realizing the impertinence of her question.
Aurora felt herself blushing to the roots of her hair.
"Because we have decided to follow the European fashion." Aurora replied after a moment, before finally taking her leave.
" What fashion is it where a husband and wife don’t sleep together?" asked Yolanda her eyes wide open.
" The fashion of people in high places." Lucas said, sounding unconvinced. "In any case it’s none of your business!"
Yolanda stayed silent for a moment reflecting.
" I told you she wasn’t the right woman for you!" She said suddenly. "You need a real woman by your side, a woman who loves you with all her being, who knows how to please you."
"Enough!" Lucas shouted. "You're exaggerating! If you give me one of these speeches again I’ll tell Santos to send you immediately back to Tampico, and make you study with the nuns!"
Yolanda made a face and walked away, leaving him alone.
Lucas drank a glass of tequila, and then went to his room to spend the night. Alone.
Chapter 9
The long journey was finally coming to an end. Don Cristobal de la Vega admired the Mexican coast from the bow of Santa Elisabetta, the ship that had brought him from the coast of Spain to his father’s country of origin. The sun kissed the lush vegetation and its scents drifted up to him while seagulls flew high in the sky in search of their prey. A light breeze ruffled his hair. Cristobal sighed. He had left Spain but he could not forget what he had left behind, the memories of his previous life that had ended along with that of his wife, his beloved wife. He put his hand over his heart, in the pocket close to it he kept her photo, his dearest memento.
He hoped that his arrival in Mexico, and the duties he had to perform in his father’s name, the lawyer Giacomo de la Vega, would distract him from his pain.
"Good afternoon, you’re also enjoying this beautiful view" a voice distracted him from his thoughts.
"Good afternoon to you. I must admit I was enchanted. Your land reveals its charm even from this distance "
"Yes," the man replied, his eyes moving constantly to absorb the vivid colors of the coast. "This land radiates with all of its untamed beauty. It’s warm and alive just like its inhabitants."
" From your words I sense that you must have missed it a lot." Said Cristobal.
"You can’t imagine how much, I’m very happy to be finally back here."
" Do you have relatives that are waiting for your return?" Asked Cristobal.
" No, not really," the man replied elusively. "If you'll excuse me, I have to finish preparing my luggage for disembarkation."
" I'd better hurry and do it too, this scene has distracted me for too long." Replied Cristobal.
What a strange character, thought Cristobal looking at the man with ice-colored eyes, we’ve undergone a long journey together, talked for many hours, but he hasn’t even revealed his name to me. Who knows what secrets this man has.
Don Hector walked quickly away from the ship’s deck and went down to his cabin. It had been many years since his escape from Mexico du
e to Raquel. Over time, the sense of guilt had finally forced him to return, he could no longer live as a coward. He sighed worried. It was time to remedy the mistakes of his youth.
When the ship finally arrived in the harbor the passengers were all crammed on the deck, the trip had been so long and boring that people were now looking forward to touching land again.
Cristobal looked around for his mysterious traveling companion, he would have liked to have had company during his first few days of his stay in Mexico. That man, who knew the country so well, could have been a help to him getting in touch with the people that he would have to meet to carry out a legacy left to him by his father.
Cristobal suddenly saw him moving quickly away through the crowd, he called out to him but the clamor of the voices in the harbor was too loud, so he resigned himself to seeking temporary accommodation alone.
At the hacienda in Zacatecas life went by calmly for Aurora and Lucas. They were both very busy and saw each other only at dinner, when exhausted from the day's work they told each other what they had been doing.
Lucas was dealing mainly with trying to get the old silver mine up and running. He was counting on the first load of the precious material to pay off most of the debts he had incurred from the renovation of the hacienda itself, and especially to pay the hired workers that up to that time, had worked on credit, making do with food and accommodation in the run down huts on the estate.
As Lucas was impatient for Aurora to visit the mine, on one of the first days of her stay at the hacienda she went to the stables with Lucas who helped her to mount a horse.
"Please be careful, this mare is quiet, but you never know," Lucas advised Aurora, as he mounted a vigorous black stallion.
Proceeding at a leisurely pace, the two crossed the hacienda’s park, and headed towards the mountains. After a while, the flat stretch of ground gave way to an uphill rocky path that was not easy to negotiate. Lucas came up beside Aurora taking the reins of her horse to guide it with more confidence.
" I can do it, don’t worry," exclaimed Aurora.
" If you get hurt, who would care for you? You're the only doctor within a few miles!"
Aurora laughed and within minutes, they reached the cluster of huts belonging to the peones and miners. The huts stood near a solid masonry building, which resembled a sort of annex of the main house.
"The mine’s old owners used it as a store and a place to rest in." Said Lucas.
Aurora looked at the small building with interest.
" It is ideal for my clinic," she said enthusiastically.
" If you like it you can take all the space you want." Replied Lucas.
Aurora guided her horse towards the building and got ready to dismount. Lucas immediately preceded her and in a flash he was at her side, ready to help her as she got down from the horse. Aurora felt strong hands with a delicate touch hold her waist and lift her effortlessly down to the ground. She stood for a moment as if stunned, but she roused herself quickly, embarrassed.
Without further ado, she walked toward the building, followed by Lucas and went inside.
"This room is perfect!" She exclaimed eagerly. "I could organize the beds here."
In a moment Aurora was planning her clinic, moving between the dusty rooms, as if she could already see what she was just imagining.
She's so happy to be able to do what she wants. Thought Lucas, happy himself, seeing her smile warms my heart.
Shortly after they left the building and headed for the mine.
Aurora saw a massive wall of rock, with a dark opening at the center, the entrance to a dark cave like the throat of a monster.
"From the entrance you start to descend to reach the deepest levels of extraction, there is even an underground water mill that we have put into operation again." Described Lucas enthusiastically.
Aurora was impressed by the magnificence of the mine.
"Is it dangerous to work inside?" She asked worriedly.
"No, not anymore," reassured Lucas, "we’ve made it safe, securely propping up the parts most at risk of landslides. Now these shouldn’t cause any problems, the last thing I want is for someone become seriously hurt working in my mine."
The days passed quickly. While Lucas supervised the mining of silver, Aurora, for her part, was very involved in the organization of her small clinic.
"Now the premises have been cleaned and the walls whitewashed, I spent my time today looking for suitable furniture for the clinic, in the warehouses I found some beds that are a bit shabby but I hope I can make them usable. Tomorrow I’ll go into the attic and see if I can find anything that might be useful to me. I hope to find some mattresses or at least some bed linen. I also need to have a desk and a bookcase. "
Lucas watched her fascinated, Aurora always had a bright light in her eyes when she spoke of the clinic. Lucas was very sorry not to be able to offer her the equipment she needed, but the extent of their debts meant he could not afford other expenses.
"I'm glad you found something useful. For the moment, you’ll have to be satisfied with what you find here, but I hope that we’ll soon be able to afford the additional expenses of your equipment. We just need to wait a bit. Soon the mine will operate at full capacity and then you’ll have everything you need."
"I'm sure we'll make it, however for the moment I am more than satisfied with the way things are going. Later this week I think I can treat the first patients. Of course, the villagers need to know that a doctor is willing to provide them with care here at the hacienda."
Lucas got up from the table stretching muscles exhausted by fatigue "I'm so tired. Hard work has never scared me, but staying in the mine all day is really tiring, I ache all over."
"I can give you an ointment to relax and loosen your muscles. You would find it beneficial." Said Aurora
" You’re very kind, thank you." Replied Lucas. Aurora smiled and stood up "I’ll go and get it right away, if you’ll excuse me."
At that moment Yolanda came into the room so fast that Aurora had to step aside to avoid colliding with her. "Lucas I’ve got you a nice hot bath ready! I’ve put oil on the fire to warm up and I’ll give you a massage. It’s a panacea for pain." Said Yolanda flaunting a bright smile.
"Thank you," Lucas said embarrassed, "but I think the b…"
"I see that you don’t need my ointment after all. I'll leave you in Yolanda’s expert hands. Goodnight." Said Aurora as she left the room with long strides.
"Aurora wait ... “said Lucas weakly, then, furious, he turned to Yolanda "You're the same old quarrelsome girl! What did you have in mind offering to give me a massage? Furthermore you said it in front of Aurora. You’re a little hussy! Get out now brat."
Yolanda said through tears. "Stop calling me brat! I just wanted to take care of you, I don’t think your wife would do likewise. You don’t even sleep in the same room!"
Lucas grabbed her arm and yanked it. "That’s none of your business, don’t make me repeat myself again. You’re rude to Aurora, you never greet her when she comes back home, and you serve her disrespectfully. I warn you that I'm losing patience with you."
"Let me go, you're a brute! It's me who’s losing my patience, you don’t understand that I take care of you like she’ll never be willing to do. I love you and you do nothing but follow her around like a loyal dog.” Cried Yolanda.
"For the last time, be respectful to Aurora, child, or I myself, will teach you a lesson! I warn you, behave like that again and I’ll send you back to Tampico, I’ll forcefully put you onto the next stage coach!" Replied Lucas.
Yolanda screamed in shock and went out crying, "don’t try to touch me you bad tempered bore, that’s what you are, I'll tell my brother! And if you force me to go and study with the nuns, I swear I'll run away at the first opportunity, and neither you nor my brother will ever hear anything of me again! "
Lucas sighed in exasperation running his hands through his hair. That girl is becoming a real problem. I can’t all
ow her to ruin all my attempts to get closer to Aurora. Aurora ...
Aurora slammed her bedroom door violently behind herself and sat on the bed with her arms folded. That little schemer, always so inappropriate and shameless! Offering to massage Lucas, what a hussy! And in front of me! Who does she think she is? A concubine of a prince in one of those scandalous novels that Dolores reads? But I know, it's all Lucas’ fault, how can he permit her to behave that way? If he had any consideration for me, he wouldn’t accept such behavior. Tears of frustration began to wet her face. But who am I kidding, I'm jealous, jealous of that stupid girl. And Lucas has made no effort to hide his affair from me. He hasn’t even had the nerve to come and apologize! He'll be enjoying his massage.
She stood up and with angry gestures prepared to go to bed. She tried to sleep but as soon as she closed her eyes, vivid images appeared in her mind of Lucas in the bathtub and then lying down being massaged.
It was only later that at last tiredness over took her and Aurora fell into a restless sleep.
The next morning she woke up in the same bad mood as when she had fallen asleep.
She hoped not to meet Lucas at breakfast but when she went into the dining room, she realized she was not going to be so lucky.
"Good morning," she said coldly.
Lucas greeted her with an uncertain smile and asked. "Good morning Aurora. Did you sleep well? "
"I've had better nights." She replied.
"I'm sorry," he said helping her to sit down and placing a napkin on her lap.
He then sat down himself. For a few minutes they remained silent. Yolanda brought in hot chocolate and put it on the table with bad grace, without deigning to look at either Lucas or Aurora.
They began to eat in a silence that became increasingly tense.