The Forever Tree

by Rosanne Bittner

  “And I can also dismiss you from my home if you continue your shouting. I honor you, Hugo, as my best friend’s son, but I do not have to stand here and let you yell at me. This is a matter between you and Will Lassater, not you and me.”

  Hugo had let out some kind of grunt, and there had followed a moment of silence.

  “Let us have a cigar together, Hugo,” Dominic had said then, “calm ourselves down before supper. Let us talk about how the farming has gone this year.”

  Santana smiled inwardly at how her father was always the diplomatic one. He sometimes seemed to cower a little with Hugo, but she knew it was his way of keeping the peace. He hated arguments, while Hugo seemed to thrive on them.

  Now she was afraid for Will. With Hugo already angry, how would he react when Will announced his intentions toward her? Neither she nor Will had told her father, afraid that in order to avoid a confrontation, Dominic would send her to San Francisco and allow Hugo to marry her before her birthday.

  She covertly glanced at Hugo. The whole family sat at supper, her brother and Teresa and their children, and Hugo. Now that the wedding was getting closer, the familiar look in Hugo’s cold eyes was becoming even more frightening. It reminded her of the look she had seen in the eyes of a cat once, when it was stalking a small rabbit—stealthy, hungry, ready to pounce.

  Will would surely come soon. The message had been sent three days ago, as soon as Hugo arrived. It took a day and a half to reach the logging site, so Will might not get there until tomorrow, unless he rode like a madman. Already Hugo was talking about leaving in the morning and taking her with him to try on her wedding gown and help him with arrangements for the grand fiesta he had planned for after the wedding. Will must come soon! She had lied to Enrique Lopez, her father’s top man, when she’d told him to send someone for Will, saying that her father had requested it and that it was extremely urgent. The messenger must ride hard and fast and get Will back to the ranch quickly. Enrique had looked doubtful, but he had done as she had ordered.

  She hoped when Will arrived they would find a chance to be alone again. Maybe if she rode to her forever tree, he could follow her there. She wanted to kiss him again, to feel those strong arms around her, arms that made her feel so warm and protected. New feelings surged through her every time she thought of him. She wanted to please the blue-eyed American who had a way of making it impossible for her to think straight. In case he should arrive that night, she had asked Louisa to pull her hair into a tumble of fancy curls, and she wore a coral-colored dress that was puffed at the shoulders and dipped to reveal a tempting bit of cleavage. Louisa had told her that the color was immensely flattering, and the woman obviously had thought she was dressing for Hugo. Considering the way he was looking at her, Hugo apparently thought the same. In spite of the danger to Will, she could hardly wait for the man to find out her primping had been for the Americano, not for the pompous Hugo Bolivar!

  Hester came out of the kitchen to serve a dessert of pudin de pina y coco, Santana’s favorite pineapple-and-coconut pudding, but she could hardly touch it, her stomach hurt so much from worry. Finally she heard horses riding hard around the back of the house to the front door.

  “Who could that be?” Dominic wondered aloud.

  Hugo set down his spoon. “It sounds like someone is in a hurry. Perhaps something is wrong.”

  They waited a moment, looking from the dining room through the sprawling great room toward the double front doors, which stood open because of the warm night. “Take care of my horse, por favor,” they heard the rider say as he strode toward the doors. “I’ll come and get my gear later.”

  “That sounds like Will Lassater,” Dominic said.

  Immediately Hugo scowled and rose. “Why would he come here so late in the day, and in such a hurry?”

  They all watched as Will entered the house, walking through the great room to the dining room. He looked tired and sweaty. He had apparently ridden very hard to get there, and Santana loved him all the more for it. He had kept his promise! Her heart pounded with both fear and admiration. He looked wonderful, in spite of the dirt and sweat. He glanced at her once, his blue eyes blazing with determination, and that look set her afire with pride and desire. Her hero had come to rescue her!

  Dominic rose, and Hernando looked up at Will curiously.

  “What is this all about, Will?” Dominic asked. “Has something happened at the mill?”

  Hugo glared at him. “Yes, what is the meaning of this interruption?” he demanded rudely. “It is poor manners to come walking in on a family supper, especially looking as you do!” His gaze swept over Will scathingly, but Santana suspected he was jealous of Will’s muscular build and gringo handsomeness.

  Will looked as though he would like to hit the man, but he turned to Dominic. “Forgive me for the interruption,” he said, holding his hat in his hand. “I came as fast as I could. I knew Hugo was here and I feared he would leave tomorrow before I had a chance to say what I came to say.”

  Dominic frowned. “How did you know he was here?”

  Will glanced at Santana, then back at Dominic. “That doesn’t matter. The point is I am here, and I have something to discuss with you and Hugo. Finish your supper first, if you like. I’ll wait outside.”

  He turned to go, but Dominic told him to wait. “Come to my study now,” he said. “This is apparently very urgent.”

  Will nodded. “Fine.” He glanced at Santana again and gave her a faint, reassuring smile.

  Hugo also looked at her, then at Will. The fierce glare he sent Santana warned her of his suspicion and his rage. She was relieved when he turned and followed Dominic to his study, Will walking behind. Tears suddenly filled her eyes, though, as she reminded herself of Hugo’s power.

  “What is that look in your eyes, my sister?” Hernando asked. “Do you know what this is about? Are you the one who told Will that Hugo was here?”

  She looked at Hernando defiantly. “Si, I sent for him.” She rose and walked toward the hallway down which the three men had disappeared. “And you will find out soon enough what this is about.” She headed down the hallway to listen at the door to her father’s study.

  Ten

  Will entered Dominic’s study and threw his hat onto a red leather chair. Hugo already stood in one corner with his arms folded, watching him warily, as Dominic walked over to a liquor cabinet and took out a bottle of whiskey.

  “I would prefer some chilled wine,” he said, “from my own vineyards. This seemed so urgent, however, that I didn’t bother to tell Hester to bring us some.” He poured three shots, turned and handed one to Hugo, then walked over to Will. “Drink this down, mi amigo. You look as though you need it.”

  Will took the tiny glass and downed the fine whiskey while Dominic moved behind his desk. “Now, Will, you may tell us why you are here.”

  Will took a deep breath. It was now or never. He faced Hugo with unflinching eyes. “I have decided that I wish to challenge Hugo Bolivar for the hand of Santana Maria Chavez Lopez.” He watched Hugo’s face darken, watched his eyes narrow to slivers of hatred. For several seconds Hugo said nothing, did not even move.

  “Well, well,” he finally said. “It is not enough that the Americano betrayed my confidence by not doing business with me. Now he wishes to rob me of the woman I love!”

  Will stepped toward the man. “You don’t love Santana! You desire her for her youth and beauty. You want her for an ornament on your arm, to show off to all your rich friends. But you don’t love her totally, unselfishly. You would not be kind to her, gentle with her. I have been around you enough to know the kind of husband you would be, and I don’t think it’s right that Dominic should feel obligated to hand his daughter over to you because of a promise made to your father, who apparently was a much better man than you have ever been!”

  Hugo sucked in his breath and stepped closer himself. “With every word you speak, you give me even more reason to kill you!” he said between gritted
teeth.

  “And all I need to kill you is to think of how you would treat Santana on her wedding night!” Will shot back.

  “Stop!” Dominic said, stepping between the two men. He faced Will. “When did you decide this? Why should I give my daughter to a gringo, who does not even share the same religion?”

  “I’m willing to change my religion,” Will answered, finally taking his eyes from Hugo. “I’ll do whatever I have to do, follow any custom you require. You know me to be an honest man, Dominic, and hard-working. You know that one day I will attain great wealth from my mills, and I will be able to give Santana the sort of home and comforts she deserves.

  “I can also promise you, Dominic, that when you leave this life, all of your land will remain intact. Hugo would most certainly find a way to cheat Hernando out of his inheritance. But I would be willing to let Hernando run the ranch and the farm. All I want is to continue harvesting the trees.”

  He looked beseechingly at Dominic. “I am telling you that you cannot trust Hugo Bolivar. He only wants Santana for his pleasure, and because through her he thinks he can double his land holdings. He will not be kind to your daughter. Her happiness should mean more to you than forcing her to marry another Spaniard because of custom or a promise.”

  “How dare you stand there and insult me right in front of my face!” Hugo shouted. He pushed Dominic out of the way and walked to within a foot of Will. “You did not answer Dominic’s first question! When did this start? What does Santana think of this? Someone should ask her what she wants!”

  Will’s smile was hard as he stared down at the smaller man. “Fine. Ask her. As for me, it started when I met you and Santana and found out she was promised to you. I could see in her eyes that very first day that she can hardly abide you. I could see fear in her eyes, also. I have even seen doubt in Dominic’s eyes, but he is a man of his word. Santana in turn respects her father. She would never insult him by backing out of this on her own. She needs help, and I’m giving it to her. I’m offering her a way to end her engagement to you without dishonoring her father. If you truly love her, you will be willing to duel for her, willing to risk your life for her.”

  Hugo literally trembled with rage. “You bastard!” he growled. “How much have you seen of Santana? What have you and she been doing behind my back?”

  Before he could say another word, a fist slammed into Hugo’s face. The blow sent him reeling backward. He landed against a chair, which toppled over from the force and sent him sprawling. Will headed for him again, but Dominic grabbed his arm.

  “Enough! If it is going to come to this, let the fighting be done someplace else, not in my house!”

  Will stepped back, flexing his fists, as Hugo rolled to his knees. Groaning, he managed to grasp the edge of Dominic’s desk to help pull himself up. He held a hand to his lower lip, but it was bleeding so profusely that the blood trickled through his fingers and dripped onto his ruffled white shirt. Dominic quickly handed him a clean handkerchief, and Hugo pressed it to his lip. “I prefer to settle this here and now!” he said. “With fists!”

  “No!” Dominic stepped between them again. “Will is much stronger and younger than you, Hugo. This way is not fair, but a duel would leave you an even match.”

  “I need no fancy duel to—”

  “Are you afraid, Hugo?” Will taunted.

  Hugo stiffened. “Duels are for Americanos, but if that is what you wish, I am not afraid of your uncivilized practices! You are a man with no honor!”

  “I am honorable toward those who deserve honor. Your insult to Santana just now should show Dominic the low opinion you have of women. Santana is a chaste young lady. Dominic himself can testify that until last month, I hadn’t even seen her for over a year.”

  Will turned to Dominic. “You recall that when you visited my logging camp last month, I took Santana to watch the cutters. We spoke then about my feelings toward her, and her fears of marrying Hugo. I knew then I had to do something to help her. Call her in here if you want. She will tell you she is willing to marry me if I win a duel for her hand.”

  Hugo spoke before Dominic could. “Why would any well-bred Spanish woman like Santana choose to marry the likes of you over Hugo Eduardo Martinez Bolivar?” His words were slurred because of the sore lip. “There are many women in San Francisco who would pay to be married to me!”

  “Then many one of them!” Will answered. “And leave Santana alone!”

  Hugo stepped boldly closer, still holding the handkerchief to his lip. “Even if I no longer wanted her, I would not give you the satisfaction.”

  “The only reason you won’t back down is pride,” Will said. “You’re afraid people will see you for the coward that you really are. You would lose honor if you refused to accept this challenge over the woman you’re supposed to love!”

  Hugo blinked, and Will could tell by the look in the man’s eyes that he had hit on the truth. Hugo Bolivar did not want this. He was afraid to fight, and was looking for a way to get out of it by saying Santana had sullied her reputation and therefore did not deserve such honor as having her intended fight for her hand.

  “Santana has done nothing wrong,” Will said. “Dominic knows it. Everyone on this ranch knows I’ve been here only once since I left last year, and Santana was in San Francisco with you at the time. Even when I took her to watch the fallers last month, some of my men were around every place we went. She knows this is between you and me, Hugo, and you aren’t going to back out of this. I won’t allow you to give the impression to others that Santana is anything less than honorable. To refuse this challenge is an insult to her reputation, and to your own honor and courage.”

  Hugo lowered the handkerchief. “You are a dead man, Will Lassater. And when you are buried, Santana Lopez will be mine!”

  “We shall see.”

  “I will go and get Santana,” Dominic said. “I trust that the two of you will remain civil while I am gone. I will not have fighting inside my home!” He left them glaring at each other and opened the door to his study, only to look out and see Santana hurrying away. She had obviously been listening. “Santana!” he called.

  She turned. “Yes, Father?”

  He almost smiled at her attempt to look innocent. To be honest, he had not been totally surprised at Will’s challenge to Hugo, not when he had seen how Will and Santana had looked at each other at the logging camp. Santana had been so insistent on going with Dominic, and he had suspected she was more interested in seeing Will Lassater than the camp. He had a high regard for Will himself, but he knew Hugo’s power, and his ability with pistols. This was not going to be an easy thing for Will, and how would Hugo treat Santana if he was the victor? Dominic had had his own doubts about the marriage, but had not known how to stop it. He did not like the prospect of his daughter marrying a gringo, but he greatly respected Will Lassater. He was a hard-working man of bravery, honor, and wealth.

  “Go and get your brother and come into the study,” he told Santana.

  “Si, Padre.” Santana hurried away, returning moments later with Hernando. They both came into the study, and Santana felt a secret glee at seeing Hugo’s bleeding lip. Will had given him his proper dues for insulting her.

  “What is it, Father?” Hernando asked.

  Dominic took hold of Santana’s arm and walked her around to face all three men. “Will has challenged Hugo for your sister’s hand,” he told Hernando.

  Hernando’s eyebrows arched in surprise, and he looked at Will. “I did not even know—”

  “That I had an interest in Santana?” Will faced him. “I have had, for months. All that time I tried to stay out of it. I still might have if I thought she was marrying an honorable man who would be good to her. I don’t like sticking my nose into family matters, Hernando, and I understand you and your father’s insistence in keeping a promise to Hugo’s father. But I’ve suspected all along that neither you nor Dominic truly wants Santana to marry this man, and I know for a fact that
Santana doesn’t want to marry him. She’s afraid of him! I’m offering her and you a way out of this.”

  “This whole thing is outrageous!” Hugo exclaimed. “This family has been friends of my family for years! My father saved Dominic from the revolution!”

  “That doesn’t give you the right to take Santana as a wife!” Will shot back.

  Hernando looked at his father in wonder, then at Santana. “You knew about this?”

  “I already told you that I am the one who sent for Will.” Santana faced Hugo proudly. “I am willing to marry whoever wins the duel.”

  Hugo glared at her. “You would marry an Americano?”

  She turned her gaze to Will, desire suddenly pulsing through her. Yes, she would not mind this man making a full woman of her. “If he wins my hand honorably, si, I would marry him.”

  “Then it is done,” Dominic said. “My daughter has expressed her willingness in the matter. The challenge has been made before me and Hernando, and it cannot now be changed. There is only the decision of when and where…and what weapons will be used.”

  Hugo straightened his shoulders, looking confident. “Pistols, of course.”

  Will nodded. “You may use a pistol. I, on the other hand, intend to use a hatchet.”

  Santana gasped, and Hugo’s eyes widened in surprise.

  “A hatchet!” Hernando exclaimed. “Against a pistol?”

  “It worked once before, with the outlaws.”

  “That was different, you fool!” Hugo spat out the words. “You caught the man off-guard. This is a duel! You could never—”

  “I’ve chosen my weapon,” Will interrupted. Hugo appeared unnerved, which was what Will wanted. If Hugo lost this duel, he would die hideously, and he knew it. Still, Will knew it was a great risk for himself.

  “Then you most certainly are already a dead man,” Hugo said. “And in two months Santana will be my wife.” He turned his dark, menacing gaze on Santana. “Whether she likes it or not!” He looked at Dominic. “Why waste time? Tomorrow morning at sunrise, at the grove of oak trees near your family burial ground.” He grinned. “It will be convenient.”