Renegade Love (Rancheros)

by Fletcher, Donna

  A slim woman of fair height suddenly appeared in front of the hacienda and stood waiting for the carriage to approach. Rosa could see by her harried appearance that it had not been easy for her. But she put a smile on her pale face, tucked loose strands of gray hair behind her ears and greeted Rosa cordially.

  “How kind of you to stop by,” Elena Garavito said after Rosa was helped down out of the carriage.

  “I was on my way into town and I wanted to express my sorrow over your tragedy and see if there was anything I could do to help.”

  “You can keep that renegade husband of yours away from here!”

  “Manuel, your manners,” Elena Garavito reprimanded harshly.

  “My manners?” Don Manuel said shaking his head at his wife as he walked out of the shadows. “What of her manners coming here when her husband was the cause of all this destruction?”

  The Cesare vaqueros dismounted and stepped closer to Rosa.

  Rosa remained calm. She could not imagine how horrible the ordeal had been for the Garavitos and she did not wish to bring them anymore pain. She could see by the way Don Manuel kept his arm close to his side that he still suffered pain from his injury. And he looked to have aged considerably since her wedding, his dark hair having more gray in it and his once broad shoulders now had a slight hunch to them. She did not intend to argue with him, for she knew it would do no good. She wanted to extend her friendship as best she could in hopes that it would show that she believed in her husband. And she hoped that somehow, even in some small way, that would help.

  “I am sorry you feel that way, Don Manuel,” Rosa said calmly. “Perhaps we could share a glass of fine wine that Don Alejandro has sent along to you and discuss the matter.” She gave Pedro a nod and he lifted the basket out of the carriage.

  The man bristled for a moment, and then acquiesced with a sharp nod.

  Dona Elena smiled and seemed to relax as she hustled Rosa into the hacienda. Rosa was shown to a small parlor that had survived the damage. It was similar to Dona Valerianna’s parlor. Crystal glasses were soon brought by the servants along with a tray of fruits and cheeses.

  Don Manuel sipped at his wine and glared at Rosa. She could see the frustration in his eyes and the anger. She could see how badly he wanted to say something and yet he held his tongue. It wouldn’t be proper for him to unleash his anger on her, though the man did look ready to burst.

  She came here to help her husband, but she realized that the Garavitos also needed help. So she made it easy for him. “Tell me of this horrific attack.”

  His wife stared at him as if he was a complete stranger as he poured out all the details, snarling and nearly spitting with anger as he did. When he finished, he poured, with trembling hands, a glass of wine and drank it down, then he poured another and sipped at it as he stood at the window staring out at his loss.

  Rosa hoped that the venting of his anger at her would help Don Manuel. She had wished many times that she could spew her anger at the Curros when she had realized what her life would be like with them, but she would have suffered greatly for it. She wanted him to know she was friend not foe and so she offered it in a way he would understand. “The vaqueros linger while they wait for me, perhaps they can be of some help to you until I leave.”

  Don Manuel turned and stared at her, his eyes shining with unshed tears. It took him a moment before he said, “There are a few things I need done that could use extra hands. I appreciate the offer.”

  “You are most welcome,” Rosa said.

  He went to leave, then stopped, and turned, his unshed tears close to spilling over. “Thank you and thank Don Alejandro for his generous gift.”

  Rosa nodded and choked back tears that threatened to rise in her eyes. She realized it had taken a lot for Don Manuel to thank the wife of the man who he believed had taken part in the attack that nearly destroyed his home. Her visit had gone well and no matter the consequences, she was glad she had come here.

  Dona Elena turned to Rosa with a tear in her eye. “You are most kind and most brave for coming here today. And I must say I appreciate your bravery more than you know.”

  “Dona Valerianna would have come if—”

  “If her husband would have let her,” Dona Elena finished. “Husbands can be difficult as you probably know.”

  Rosa smiled. “And stubborn.”

  Dona Elena laughed. “You learn quickly.” Her laughing smile faded. “Valerianna and I once visited often and talked and laughed as we do now. We would work on our embroidery while our children played together. I don’t know what happened to our friendship. Now we only see each other at large gatherings or church.”

  “Good friends may drift apart at times, but they never separate.” Rosa had learned that from experience. There had been times, months, the Curros refused to let her see Marinda and when they finally got together again it was as if they had only been separated a day. And then there was Gaby. Even though they would not get to see each other often, their friendship would remain forever strong.

  “You speak too wisely for one so young.”

  “Life and circumstances has a way of aging us.”

  “There you go again speaking as a woman who has lived many years.”

  “I will say no more,” Rosa said clamping her lips tightly shut in a smile.

  “No, please don’t,” Dona Elena said with a tinkle of laughter. “I enjoy talking with you.”

  “I will visit more often and bring Dona Valerianna with me the next time,” Rosa said. “But while I am here perhaps there is something I can help you with, Dona Elena?”

  The woman smiled and shook her head. “You have helped more than you already know.”

  But Rosa was determined or perhaps it was what she would do if it had been Marinda who needed such help. Soon the two women were going through a section of the hacienda that had been partially burned collecting items that had survived the fire. And Rosa listened with heartfelt interest to stories of some of those items that brought a mixture of laughter and tears to Dona Elena.

  Pedro came to collect her several hours later, informing her that time had gotten away from them all, and it was too late to go into town, and they would be late for the evening meal if they did not depart now.

  Without thinking, Rosa gave Dona Elena a hug that at first startled the woman, and then she returned it.

  “You have restored my hope,” Dona Elena whispered in her ear.

  They parted with Rosa promising to visit soon. The visit went far better than she had anticipated. And hearing how Dona Valerianna and Elena had once seen each other often got her thinking of ways to bring the two women together again.

  They had barely crossed onto Cesare land when she noticed that the vaqueros had moved closer to the carriage and, as if by instinct, her glance drifted to the ridge. A chill ran through her when she saw a band of men on horses at the top of the ridge.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Esteban washed up for supper. He had spent the day out in the vineyards seeing how the grapes were doing and trying to forget about last night with his wife. But it had done little good. He could not stop thinking about her. And damn if he didn’t want a repeat of it. He didn’t know why he had told her to stay away from him this morning, he didn’t want her to. He hadn’t wanted to leave her when he had woken and found her snug in his arms. But if he had stayed until she had woken he would not have been able to stop himself from taking her again. And she had to be sore, whether she would admit it or not. So he had reluctantly left her to wake alone.

  Now all he wanted was to see his wife and take her in his arms. He missed her and the thought frustrated him. He was getting used to having her around, having her care. When had that happened? It was as if she had snuck up on him and insinuated herself into his life and now that she was there, he didn’t want to let her go.

  He had thought he had lost the ability to love or did he fear to love or more so to be loved?

  He threw the towel down that
he’d been drying himself with and grabbed the clean white shirt off the back of the chair. He had to be careful, very careful. Pacquito was in the area and he was looking for trouble, but then he was always looking for trouble. This time, however, he was not the young frightened boy he had been when Pacquito had first captured him, though now he had a wife.

  Anger raced through him and he clenched his hands into tight fists. He wouldn’t only kill anyone who hurt Rosa, he would make them suffer, and he knew how to make a man suffer. Pacquito had taught him well.

  He suddenly needed to know where Rosa was. With his shirt hanging open, he rushed through the door into his bedchamber only to stare at the empty room. When he had arrived home he hadn’t seen his wife, but then he had been trying to avoid her since his only thought had been of scooping her up and carrying her off to bed for the remainder of the evening. He had seen his mother in the small parlor, but had purposely not asked about Rosa. Now he needed to know where she was.

  He hurried to button his shirt, though left it unfettered at the neck, and slipped the ends into his pants, then he grabbed his jacket before leaving the room. Supper was to be served at any moment, so she had to be in the dining room. His steps were quick, though silent so his sudden entrance startled his parents.

  What surprised him was that his wife was not there.

  “Where is Rosa?” he demanded.

  His mother smiled. “She went to town to visit a friend. I’m sure she will be here any moment.”

  Esteban turned to his father. “You let her go to town?”

  “I sent six vaqueros with her,” Dona Alejandro said confidently.

  Esteban actually laughed, which stunned his parents. “Pacquito’s men would finish them off before they could draw their weapons.” His eyes heated with anger. “What right did you have to give my wife permission to leave the hacienda?”

  His father had no chance to respond, raised voices caught all their attentions. Esteban hurried out of the room, his parents following behind him. The commotion took them to the courtyard where more vaqueros gathered with their weapons.

  When Esteban saw his wife sitting in the carriage, bent from her waist, her head almost touching her knees and Dolores placing a wet cloth to her neck, his stomach knotted and his heart pounded viciously in his chest.

  He rushed to her side, his face filled with such rage that everyone scurried out of his way. When he reached her, he slipped his arm across her waist and leaned down to ask, “Are you all right?”

  She placed her hand on his arm, took a deep breath, and then raised her head to look at him. She wanted to cry with joy that her husband was there beside her. “I’m fine. I foolishly let the men on the ridge upset me.” She had been more than upset. She had feared for her life.

  Esteban turned to Pedro and didn’t need to say a word. He immediately explained.

  “A band of men, eight or ten, were up on the ridge when we crossed onto Cesare land. They followed, parallel to us, slowly, never taking their attention off the carriage and didn’t leave until we reached the hacienda, and then—” He shivered. “They let loose with a God-awful roar as if they were going to attack, but instead rode off.”

  Esteban turned to his father. “Send some men to warn the other haciendas that Pacquito is still in the area and post extra guides here.”

  “You heard my son, Pedro, see to it,” Don Alejandro said, his arm around his wife’s waist, her face pale.

  Esteban went to move his arm away from his wife, but her fingers gripped it tightly. He leaned in close, his cheek a faint breath away from hers and whispered, “I’ll keep you safe.”

  She pressed her cheek to his and loosened her grip.

  Esteban scooped her up and lifted her out of the carriage, and with a nod to his father, he hurried into the house.

  He took her straight to the dining room where Dolores was filling glasses with wine.

  Esteban placed his wife on a chair and handed her a glass of wine.

  She reached for it with a trembling hand and he quickly hunched down in front of her and wrapped his hand around hers to help still her trembling so that she could take a few sips. He then took the glass from her, placed it on the table, and stood, turning to his father.

  “My wife is not to leave the hacienda without my permission. And while I am gone a guard will be posted outside our bedchamber.”

  “You’re leaving?” Rosa asked, her heart that had calmed with his presence now hammering wildly against her chest.

  “I need to see to this,” Esteban said with a determination that sent a chill through Rosa.

  Her hand shot out and grabbed his, squeezing it tight. “You cannot go.”

  “You will be safe,” he assured her, though part of him knew that he was the only one who could keep her safe from Pacquito.

  “It is not me I’m concerned for... it is you.”

  He looked down as her other hand locked around the one that already held on to him. He almost laughed at her attempt to stop him. Her meager strength could not hold him there.

  “Please do not go,” she pleaded softly. “I do not want to lose you.”

  Her words were like a lasso that wrapped around him and pulled tight, not allowing him to go anywhere. Little by little her words and actions were binding him to her, and damn if this wasn’t one binding he didn’t mind. The thought disturbed him and he pulled his hand out of hers.

  “You have such little faith in me?” he snapped. He got angry with himself as soon as he let loose with the remark, his wife drawing her head back as if he had just slapped her.

  “Faith has nothing to do with it,” his father said. “It’s foolish for you to ride off now. If another hacienda is attacked and you are once again nowhere to be found, then the rancheros will believe that you ride with Pacquito again.”

  “I do not care what they believe.”

  “You should,” his father reprimanded. “You are wed now and you have your wife to think about and how your actions will reflect on her. Manuel Garavito believes you responsible for the attack and refuses any help I offer him and no doubt will soon let everyone know how he feels.”

  “Don Manuel accepted the help I offered him today,” Rosa said without thinking and all three turned to stare at her.

  “You went to the Garavitos and not to town?” Don Alejandro asked, as if he could not believe his own question.

  Time to face the consequences of her actions, but before she did she reached for her glass of wine. Her hand still trembled and once again she found her husband reaching out to help her and hunching down in front of her, though this time he wore a look that made her a bit leery.

  With his hand closed firmly around hers on the glass, he said, “Tell me, wife, why did you go there?”

  “To offer my help in their time of need,” she said quickly and almost cringed, for it sounded like a practiced response.

  “And were the Garavitos pleased by your visit?” Esteban asked.

  Rosa smiled and color popped back into her cheeks. “Yes. Don Manuel extended his thanks for the wine I brought them and accepted the help of the vaqueros. Dona Elena and I enjoyed the fruit and cheeses I also brought, and then I helped her salvage some items from one of the rooms damaged in the raid.”

  Esteban returned the wine glass to the table, and then lifted the hem of her dress. “I was wondering where this soot had come from.” His hand went to her face and his thumb swiped along her jaw holding it out for her to see. “And this as well.”

  She surprised all of them by laughing softly. “It was a messy chore, but worth it. We were able to salvage many cherished items.” Rosa turned to Dona Valerianna. “I told Dona Elena that you would join me when I visit next. There is much she needs help with.”

  “She has servants to help her,” Don Alejandro said.

  “Dona Elena needs friends now, not servants,” Rosa said. “And she told me what a good friend Dona Valerianna is and how much she misses her.”

  “We will go he
lp her,” Dona Valerianna said before anyone else could speak.

  Esteban stood. “My wife goes nowhere without me.”

  “Good, then you’ll be joining us,” Rosa said, keeping her smile firm even though Esteban scowled at her. At least the turn in the conversation had kept her husband from leaving.

  “Why don’t we all sit and have supper,” Don Alejandro said sending a nod to Dolores for the food to be served.

  “I have things to see to,” Esteban said and turned to leave.

  Rosa grabbed for his hand,” Stay.” She didn’t mean for it to sound like an order. It was worry for her husband’s life that caused it to sound like a command. Surprisingly, he didn’t seem to take offense.

  He leaned down in front of her once more and pressed his cheek against hers. It was warm and so soft that he would have lingered there if he could. He whispered in her ear. “What would you do to keep me here?”

  Her knees began to tremble and she gathered her courage and pressed her mouth to his ear and whispered, “Anything.”

  Chapter Twenty-two

  His wife’s one word shot to his groin hardening him in an instant. Images flashed through his mind of all the things he’d like to do to her. And with the way she had responded so willingly to him last night, he didn’t doubt her when she said, ‘anything.’

  Esteban stood, lifted and turned his wife’s chair with her on it, to place closer to the table in front of her plate. Then he took the seat beside her.

  Dolores hurried to move the place setting from where he usually sat opposite his wife, to in front of him.

  Pedro entered the room shortly after they began eating to inform Don Alejandro, though he looked at Esteban when he spoke, that extra men had been posted around the hacienda and that there had been no signs of anyone approaching. Men had also been sent to spread the word to the other haciendas to be on guard.

  The news seemed to relax everyone at the table except Esteban. He was aware of how Pacquito and his men could sneak up and strike without anyone spotting them. He had done it himself.