by Connie Mason
Though he knew little about the child, he recognized the look of quality instantly. Julie had told him Felicia was a mestiza, but somewhere along the line there was pure Spanish blood flowing through her veins, Rod surmised, enough to make her appear as highborn and proud as Elena. He would have to ask Teresa about the child’s origins, Rod reflected thoughtfully.
“Hola, Felicia,” Rod greeted affably as he came abreast of the child. “I am happy to see you back on the rancho.”
“Gracias, Don Rodrigo,” Felicia said shyly. “Are you certain Doña Elena won’t become angry with Tia Teresa for allowing me to return?”
“I have already spoken to Elena,” Rod told her, remembering the scene with Elena the day before when she had become thoroughly incensed with Rod’s decision concerning Felicia. But Rod had been adamant on the subject. As long as he was el patron, no one was to intefere with Felicia’s right to live on Rancho Delgado.
Felicia’s piquant features lit up like a beacon as she gazed raptly at Rod. “Oh, señor! You are so good and kind. I love living on the rancho. I was so happy when Doña Julie and I—” Abruptly she stopped, her face flushed.
“It’s all right, niña,” Rod assured her gently. “I know you loved her. She told me many times how much she cared for you.”
Felicia beamed joyfully. “We were great friends, señor,” she admitted shyly, “but she did not love me nearly as much as she loved you.”
“Did she tell you that?” Rod questioned gently.
“There was no need, señor, I knew.”
Rod sighed. “You are mistaken, niña. I gave Julie little reason to love me. But I thank you for your kind words. Now, enough of this talk. Do you still enjoy riding?”
“Si,” replied Felicia, glancing at Rod from beneath feathery black lashes.
“Would you ride with me? I would be pleased to have you join me.”
“Si, I would enjoy that,” laughed Felicia, jumping from the rail before Rod could assist her.
That began the first of many pleasurable hours spent with an enchanting child Rod grew increasingly fond of as the days flew by. Normally their rides were necessarily short due to Rod’s responsibilities on the rancho. But one fine morning Rod found himself with some extra time on his hands and he and Felicia rode out toward the Santa Lucia Mountains. They rode in comfortable silence for about two hours when Rod suddenly realized tht the child was no longer at his side.
Instantly he spun about and spied Felicia a short distance behind him. She had halted and was staring transfixed into the foothills surrounding them. “What is it, niña?” he asked anxiously. “What do you see?” Automatically he reached for the weapon he carried with him at all times.
“This is the place,” whispered Felicia, gazing about with sad eyes. “This is where Doña Julie and Doña Elena were stopped by the banditos.”
Rod felt his hackles rise. “How do you know, niña”? It could have been anywhere along here. Even Elena could not remember the exact spot.”
“No, señor,” Felicia insisted stubbornly. “It was here. I saw it with my own eyes. I was hiding over there.” She pointed confidently to a huge boulder about one-hundred yards away.
Rod was flabbergasted by Felicia’s unexpected disclosure. Until now he had assumed Elena to be the only witness to what really took place that day. “What were you doing so far from the mission, niña?” Rod asked skeptically.
“You will not tell mi tia, or Padre Juan?” Felicia asked fearfully. Solemnly Rod gave his promise. Satisfied, Felicia revealed, “After Doña Elena told Tia Teresa I was no longer welcome on the rancho, I stayed at the mission with Padre Juan. Tia said I would be safer there. Although I did not understand, I did as I was told.
“But I missed Doña Julie and our rides together. Padre Juan sensed I was unhappy and loaned me a horse so that I might ride again. One day I strayed close to the hacienda although I knew I did wrong, and saw Doña Julie and Doña Elena ride out together. I decided to follow them, keeping far enough behind so they would not notice me.”
“And then?” prodded Rod. Though his impatience was great he kept his voice deliberately gentle so as not to frighten the child.
“And then I saw the banditos ride out from the hills. I was frightened. They looked so fierce. I rode behind the boulder where they could not see me and waited for them to leave.” Felicia hesitated, looking wide-eyed at Rod through a curtain of thick black lashes. “Did I do wrong, señor? Was I a coward to hide?”
“You did exactly right, niña,” Rod concurred gently. “There was nothing you could have done. Those were cruel, conscienceless men. You could have been hurt badly had they discovered you.”
Felicia nodded gravely, vastly relieved by Rod’s assurance. “Tell me everything you saw and heard, niña. Did … did Julie go willingly with the bandito as Elena would have me believe?”
“Oh, no, Don Rodrigo!” gasped Felicia, horrified. “You must never believe such a thing! Doña Elena was mistaken. Doña Julie was dragged off screaming and kicking but the huge bandito with the scar on his face was too strong for her. Though I did not hear their words I saw everything clearly.”
Pedro! thought Rod, his heart sinking. “I believe you, Felicia,” he declared, a sudden joy suffusing him. He should have known that Elena could never be relied upon to be truthful where Julie was concerned. There was no love lost between the two women, whereas Felicia had no reason to lie. “Why haven’t you come forward with this information sooner, niña?”
“I … I was afraid,” admitted Felicia, hanging her head. “I thought Tia and Tio might forbid me to ride again if they knew I had disobeyed them and strayed so far away. And … and I feared Doña Elena.”
“Elena? Why would she wish to harm you?”
“I … I don’t know. It is just something I feel in my heart. Perhaps she was afraid I would tell someone that she gave something to the bandito who took Doña Julie.”
“What did she give the bandito?” asked Rod curiosly.
“I’m not sure, señor. But it could have been a purse.”
“Could have been?”
“It was difficult to tell at that distance,” apologized Felicia. Rod’s acute disappointment caused her to add, “I’m sorry, señor, but there is nothing more I can tell you except that it looked like a purse, a heavy one.”
“You’ve done well, niña,” Rod smiled. “You are very observant and I am grateful to you. I would ask only one more thing of you.” Felicia nodded. “In which direction did the banditos take Julie?”
“They rode into the mountains, Don Rodrigo,” pointed Felicia.
For several days after that Rod rode out alone, always to the place where Felicia had last seen Julie. From that point he fanned out in all directions, hoping to come upon Murieta’s hideout. After two agonizing weeks he was forced to again abandon his search. He decided it was time to force the truth from Elena.
That very night he summoned her to his study. “Elena, a few days ago I discovered something that puzzles me about Julie’s abduction,” he contended coolly.
Elena drew her breath in sharply, fear spiking through her innards like a sharp blade. “What did you discover, Rodrigo?” she asked innocently, forcing a calmness she didn’t feel.
“I learned by accident that Felicia followed you and Julie that day. She ran when the banditos came riding out of the hills and hid out of fear. But she saw everything clearly.”
“Just what did she think she saw?” Elena asked disparagingly.
“From what she told me I can only assume that you lied to me. Julie was indeed taken against her will. She did not go willingly.”
“It angers me to think you would rather believe that little mestiza than me,” spat Elena, rage overriding every other emotion. “I told you what I saw. Can I help it if that child chose to ignore the obvious? You must know how she worshipped Julie and hated me. It would make her happy to dispute my words and make me out a liar.”
“Felicia said she saw you give a
purse to Pedro. Do you want to tell me about it?” His voice caused Elena to shiver as icy fear formed around her heart. Her fertile mind searched frantically for a plausible answer that would somehow satisfy Rodrigo.
“Of course I handed a purse to Pedro,” Elena announced haughtily. “Do you think they would let me go without robbing me of my valuables? Though it was Julie they wanted, they took all my jewelry and the money purse I always carry on my person. I’m surprised you should ask such a stupid question, Rodrigo.”
Rod was stunned. Naturally Murieta’s band of thieves would want Elena’s valuables. He was so busy trying to read deception and betrayal into Elena’s actions that so simple an explanation never entered his mind. Had Felicia also misread Julie’s willingness or unwillingness to accompany Murieta’s men? he wondered bleakly, finding himself right back where he started from.
At length, he said, “I’m sorry, Elena. I have no right to accuse you unjustly or accept Felicia’s word over yours.”
“I’m relieved you’ve come to your senses, mi caro,” Elena smiled smugly. “We’ve known each other since we were children. You were once mi novio and I still love you. I would never lie to you. One day you will realize we were meant to be together and when you do, I will be waiting.”
“Elena, I know I wronged you, but nothing can be decided between us until I find Julie. Or ….or learn that she is no longer alive,” added Rod bleakly.
“Do you care so much?” asked Elena wryly.
“I … don’t think I ever gave our marriage a chance. But in the few months we were together I came to care for her a great deal.”
“Caring is not love, Rodrigo,” reminded Elena, refusing to face the fact that Rod loved Julie. “Besides,” she hinted slyly, deciding to do something she had thought about for a long time, “I haven’t wanted to tell you this but there is a good chance that Julie is dead.”
“Por Dios, Elena! What makes you say that?”
“Manuel,” she replied hesitantly.
“Manuel?” The vaquero? What the hell does he have to do with this?”
“Manuel is Pedro’s cousin. Of course he doesn’t have anything to do with that vile Pedro or his activities, but on occasion the two visit relatives at the same time. Pedro told Manuel that Murieta abducted Julie in retaliation for Maria. When he tired of her, he handed her over to his men. According to Manuel she didn’t survive the ordeal.”
Rod’s face turned deathly white and if he hadn’t been sitting he would have been unable to support his rubbery legs. Dios, no! The thought of his Julie mauled and cruelly raped by a band of cutthroats was too horrible to be borne. “No!” he shouted aloud, his composure shattered by the picture of her torn and abused body lying beneath those of countless men. “I’ll kill them! I swear I will avenge her if they have killed her. One by one I will hunt them down and snuff out their lives!”
Rod’s outburst was so emotional that Elena immediately regretted her lie, fearing she had done more damage than good. When Rod stormed out of the room to confront Manuel, Elena was hard on his heels. But as fate would have it, Manuel was nowhere to be found. When earlier Elena made casual mention of what she planned to do, the vaqueros became so fearful of Rodrigo’s wrath that he packed his gear and stealthily departed the rancho in the dead of the night.
Thoroughly demoralized by her lie as well as by Manuel’s abrupt disappearance, Elena deemed Rod ripe for another attempt at seduction. Faced with the possibility of Julie’s death, depressed, it seemed only natural that Elena should take advantage of his restlessness, his spells of nervous aggitation, the long sleepless nights spent walking the floor.
For days Elena watched Rod carefully, thinking that soon he would be driven to either take one of the attractive servant girls or visit a puta in the village. Aware of his strict code about using any of the servants in such a manner, although many of them would not be adverse to bedding the handsome don, Elena suspected that before long he would seek out one of the village putas. She knew him to be virile with strong sexual urges. But evidently she did not know Rod as well as she thought she did. Seeking gratification with another woman was the farthest thing from Rod’s mind.
Late one night she heard Rod’s footsteps pass her door on the way out. Instantly she was out of bed and out of the room. “Rodrigo!” she cried, immediately halting his stealthy progress. “Where are you going so late at night?”
“I owe you no explanation, Elena,” Rod answered crisply, turning to resume his steps.
“Rodrigo, wait!” Taking a calculated risk, Elena whipped her filmy nightgown over her head and flung it at her feet. Rod’s muffled groan lent her courage.
“Why go to a puta when I can do much more for you, mi amor?” she purred huskily, undulating her hips in a seductive manner.
The door to Elena’s room was thrown wide and her nude body was clearly outlined in the light from her lamp, every luscious detail etched into Rod’s brain. Dusky-tipped breasts slightly swollen from desire rose up sharply to tease his senses. But the sight of full curving hips, gently rounded stomach, and a mound of ebony curls lower on her abdomen did not affect Rod like Elena had hoped. The sight of her nubile body filled him with disgust. Contrary to what Elena thought, Rod was not on his way to find a woman. He was going to the study to get a bottle in order to drink himself into a stupor. Of late, sleep would come only after rendering himself senseless.
“I don’t need a puta, Elena,” Rod snarled, shoving her aside. “And I certainly don’t need you! Get out of my sight, you sicken me!”
“I didn’t sicken you once,” Elena retorted hotly. “You had no qualms about taking my virginity.”
“That was a mistake, Elena, and you know it! You tricked me. I thought you were Julie.”
“Well, that one time made me pregnant!” Elena blurted out heatedly. “You had no difficulty planting your seed in my belly!”
Rod froze, all color drained from his face. “You lie!” he spat, glowering.
Elena smiled smugly, gloating over her cleverness. He would never need to know that Manuel had fathered her child. “Do you doubt me?” Elena asked reproachfully. “Believe me, mi amor. A woman knows these things. Put your hand on my breast.” She grasped Rod’s hand and placed it on her swollen breast. “Feel the nipple.” His fingers began a slow exploration of the engorged nipple and his expression told her he was convinced.
“We must marry, querido,” Elena urged, pressing her advantage. “Would you have your son born a bastard? It has been weeks since Julie’s abduction and from all indications she is long dead.”
The thought of Julie’s death was abhorrent to Rod. Even if she were dead he would never marry Elena. But what if she really did carry his child, he allowed grudgingly? If she were pregnant—and he wasn’t certain she told the truth—could anyone else be the father?
“Rodrigo? What are you thinking?” Elena asked worriedly. “I’m telling the truth. I am carrying your child.” She clung possessively to his arm and Rod shook her off as one would a pesky insect.
“Por Dios, Elena! I have to think!” Rod cried. “Leave me! The sight of you leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth. And cover yourself, you hold no appeal for me.”
Stunned, Elena grabbed her robe, holding it before her nakedness. How could Rod resist her, she wondered conceitedly? Time and again she had thrown herself at him only to be rebuffed. She could only stare after him in amazement as Rod rushed by her on his way to his study where he carefully locked the door behind him.
The following day Rod slowly made his way to the stables where he encountered Felicia sitting forlornly on a bale of hay. “Buenas dias, niña,” he greeted, wondering if she had been waiting for him to appear. He had much thinking to do and wanted only to be left alone so he could gather his thoughts into some semblance of order. But Felicia’s appealing soft eyes made him halt suddenly. Her resemblance to someone from out of his past tugged at his memory, but once again the elusive picture was lost to him.
“Is i
t true, Don Rodrigo?” she asked gravely, her face a study of concern.
“Is what true, niña?”
“Dona Elena informed me a little while ago that you are to marry her. Is it true?”
“You must not believe everything that Dona Elena says,” Rod hedged. His answer did not satisfy Felicia.
“You can’t, señor! You just can’t,” sobbed Felicia, heartbroken. “How could you do this to Dona Julie? She loves you!”
“You don’t understand, niña,” Rod explained patiently. “I don’t even know if Julie is still alive.”
“Dona Elena doesn’t love you, señor!” Felicia blurted out. “Not like Dona Julie. If she did, she would not have done what she did with Manuel in the stables.”
Rod froze, every instinct telling him he was on the verge of a great discovery. “What did Elena do in the stables with Manuel?” he prodded gently.
Felicia became immediately wary, and her expression showed her fear. “You will not become angry if I tell you?” she asked, suddenly as skittish as a young colt.
“Why should I be angry, niña?”
“What I saw … it is not very nice. Dona Elena would be very angry with me if she knew I was spying on her.”
“Were you spying, Felicia?”
“Oh, no, señor,” denied Felicia, horrified. “I saw Dona Elena and Manuel meet in the stables many times but I never thought to spy on them.”
“Then how do you know what happened?” probed Rod.
“One day I went to the stables to take a nap in the soft straw in one of the stalls,” Felicia revealed, hesitating but a moment before continuing. “I was awakened by a cry, as if someone was in pain, and moaning sounds. When I went to investigate I saw … I saw …
“Do not be afraid, niña,” Rod said reassuringly when her voice faltered. “No one will harm you if you are telling the truth.”
“Dona Elena was lying naked in the straw in the next stall and Manuel was atop her, also naked. She cried out when he put his … they did what the animals do when they mate.” Her eyes were as round as saucers and Rod had to bend low to hear her words. “She was crying out and rolling her head from side to side but I don’t think Manuel was hurting her for she urged him to continue. I crept out of the stables where they were still … occupied. Are you displeased with me, Don Rodrigo?”
