by Connie Mason
Manuel Rojas had remained in San Luis Obispo after fear forced him to leave Rancho Delgado, for he was convinced that Rod would one day learn that he had been the go-between in Elena’s and Pedro’s plot to get rid of Dona Julie and punish him.
Then, by accident, he learned that Elena had been turned out of the hacienda and was staying at the mission. He contrived to visit her there and was shocked to learn that she was pregnant. And judging from the size of her, Manuel realized the child could only be his, for Don Rodrigo was not even on the rancho during the time Elena must have conceived.
Essentially Manuel was not a bad person. In fact, nothing at all like his cousin Pedro. Nearly as tall as Rod, broadshouldered and rugged, his resemblance to Rod, if one did not look too closely, was uncanny. That resemblance is what attracted Elena to Manuel in the beginning. Manuel did not really want to harm Julie but he had let himself be beguiled by Elena who used her sexual wiles to lure him into her devious plot.
Thus, when Manuel saw Elena and learned he was to become a father, he begged the haughty Spanish woman to marry him for the sake of their child.
Elena’s harsh laughter brought a flush of anger to Manuel’s dark features. “Marry you!” she spat disparagingly. “I am a Montoya and you are a Mexican,” she said, as if that explained everything.
“I was good enough to bed,” contended Manuel angrily. “Who will take care of you and the child? Your parents are still in Spain. Do you think they will welcome you or your bastard?” Manuel knew nothing of the money Rod had generously given Elena and as far as Elena was concerned he never would.
As the weeks passed, Manuel worked ceaselessly to persuade Elena that it would be to her advantage to marry him. Only when Elena was informed by Padre Juan that Rod had returned to Rancho Delgado with his pregnant wife did Elena finally give her consent. Two days after her hasty marriage to Manuel, Elena gave birth to a healthy son. After a two week recuperation period at the mission she and the baby moved with Manuel to a small casa in the village.
Elena despised her new life. The loss of status from el patrona to the wife of a laborer was demeaning and degrading. All her hatred was focused on Julie, whom Elena blamed. If Julie hadn’t stolen Rodrigo from her, Elena contended, she would be the pampered wife of a wealthy don instead of the mate of a landless peon. It seemed unjust that an Anglo puta should hold a place in life that rightfully belonged to Elena. Soon her hatred and spite transferred itself from Julie to Manuel, and even to her innocent son. She began to plot for revenge and plan for the day she could wreak her vengeance on Julie and leave Manuel, taking her careufully hoarded money with her.
One day, Elena hit upon an idea that was calculated to shock and hurt Julie in a cruel manner. But in order to carry out the hoax she had concocted, she needed Manuel’s help. Accordingly, after a particularly rewarding night of intense sexual pleasure, Elena broached the subject to her sated husband.
“I think it is time we left here, Manuel,” she said, running her hands sensuously over his shoulders and chest.
“I thought you wanted to remain in San Luis Obispo.” replied Manuel lazily.
“Not any longer.”
“Where would we go?”
Elena shrugged carelessly. “Sonora, perhaps. Someplace where no one knows me and my … circumstances. I can no longer bear the snide looks and cruel remarks of these … these peasants in the village.”
Manuel sighed wearily. “Perhaps you are right, Elena. If we left his cursed place perhaps we would not fight so much and you would become a more loving wife and mother.”
What a stupid fool, Elena thought smugly, curling her lips in derision. Manuel was crazy to think she would ever be a real wife to him. And his child! The brat was nothing but a hindrance. One day she would be well rid of them both.
“Of course I will become more loving,” Elena lied, smiling deceptively, “but you must do something for me in return. You must prove your love for me.”
Manuel’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “What do you have in mind?”
“I cannot, will not, leave here to begin our new life together until justice is served. Don Rodrigo’s wife must be punished. She must be made to feel the same kind of pain she caused me.”
“Por Dios, Elena! Haven’t we caused her enough harm already? Surely you are aware of what she must have suffered as Pedro’s prisoner. Can’t you be satisfied with that?”
“No!” screamed Elena, consumed with rage. “You heard Padre Juan. Rodrigo told him Julie’s father saved her before she had been harmed. Once! Just once I want her to feel the same kind of pain I suffered because of her. And I need your help.”
“The woman is breeding, Elena. Have you no mercy?”
“If you help me, Manuel, I promise not to touch her physically or cause her bodily harm. Her unborn child will not suffer at my hands.”
Elena was very persuasive but Manuel was not so easily convinced. He did not hate Julie, nor wish her ill. He only wanted to make a good life for his wife who never seemed satisfied no matter what he offered her, and for his son who was more precious to him than life. Then Elena suddenly realized the only way to sway Manuel was through his son, and she threatened to take the boy where Manuel would never find him. The poor man, whose intelligence was never on the same level as his wife’s, finally acquiesced. Jubilant, Elena outlined her simple plan and the part Manuel was to play. Afterwards she rewarded him with a stunning display of lust the likes of which left them both gasping for breath.
Manuel began keeping his bargain by closely following Rod’s movements. At first he was disappointed to learn that Rod rarely left the confines of the hacienda. But then roundup began and the situation changed drastically overnight. His former patron began spending long hours on the range taking an active part in the roundup which Manuel knew from experience would last for weeks. When Elena was informed Rod sometimes did not return to the hacienda until the small hours of the morning, and oftentimes not at all, she rejoiced, for she knew her moment for revenge had finally arrived.
Given Julie’s mood and condition that morning, she would have believed anything. She hadn’t seen Rod for more than twenty minutes at a time in days, Felicia’s time was taken up in lessons, and even her father seemed to have little time to devote to a pregnant woman so maudlin of late that she broke into tears at the slightest provocation. Her best moments during her endlessly boring days arrived at mid-morning when she took her exercise in the courtyard before the sun became too bright and chased her inside.
This morning was no exception. Alone in the courtyard with nothing or no one for company but her memories, Julie vividly recalled these happy months when she and Rod became friends as well as lovers. Until the last few days, she thought ruefully, when he acted as if they were nothing but polite strangers. Had he met someone else, she wondered jealously? Had his love for her cooled as her figure grew to monstrous proportions until she was no longer capable of satisfying his passion? Her deep sighs were echoed by the breeze ruffling the leaves above her head. The baby stirred restlessly and Julie moved awkwardly toward a far corner as if in answer to her child’s silent command.
Unnoticed by Julie, a small, veiled figure detached itself from the shadows and waited until she was nearly abreast before stepping boldly in her path.
“Buenas dias, Julie.”
Julie froze. There was no mistaking the husky, breathless voice. What was Elena doing here, she wondered, at tremor of apprehension tightening her muscles until she felt her rigid body cry out in protest? Curtailing her rampaging emotions, she asked, “What do you want, Elena?”
“To talk, Julie, nothing more.” Elena could not help but eye Julie’s protruding stomach distastefully, thinking that the spawn of an Anglo puta should not be the Delgado heir.
“Then talk quickly and leave,” Julie insisted, unable to control the tell-tale quiver in her voice. She could neither forget nor forgive the woman who had nearly cost her her life.
Elena smiled inwardly, immed
iately recognizing Julie’s fear and reveling in her mastery over her rival. “It won’t take long to say what is on my mind. It concerns Rodrigo and myself.”
“You and Rod?” repeated Julie stupidly. “Whatever could you mean?”
“You may be a lot of things, Julie, but stupid isn’t one of them.” chided Elena derisively. “Rodrigo and I have been … seeing each other for weeks.”
“I don’t believe you!” exclaimed Julie, suddenly very frightened.
“It’s true. After I left the hacienda I took a small casa in town. Shortly after your return here Rodrigo, realized he could not live without me and he came to me. We became lovers.”
“No!” gasped Julie, her swollen stomach lurching in revulsion.
“Si!” smiled Elena cunningly. “Did you know I carried Rodrigo’s child when I left the hacienda?” At Julie’s horrified look, she added, “Ask Teresa if you don’t believe me.”
Julie was too shocked by Elena’s malicious revelations to reply as she stared gape-mouthed at Rod’s lover, or so she assumed. Suddenly her wits returned and she said, “Am I expected to calmly accept your word? Where is this phantom child of Rod’s?”
Without a word Elena whirled and strode purposefully to a secluded spot surrounded by shrubs, bent down and lifted from a bed of soft grass a child who couldn’t have been but a few months old. “I knew you wouldn’t believe me so I brought my son with me. His name is Rodrigo, the same as his father’s. Is he not a handsome child?”
Julie began perspiring profusely, staggering toward a bench when she felt her legs give way. Relentlessly Elena followed, flaunting the baby before Julie as proof of Rod’s love.
Against her will Julie’s eyes were drawn to the child. Rod’s son, if Elena could be believed. Judging from his size he could have been fathered by Rod during Julie’s long absence. He looked much like Elena, but what really convinced her was the boy’s crisp, curing hair and sturdy body so like Rod’s that her heart constricted painfully in her breast at the sight of him.
Elena felt Julie’s uncertainty and moved in to deliver the final insult. “If you do not believe me, come to my casa tonight and you will see with your own eyes what your mind refuses to believe.”
“What … what do you mean?”
“Rodrigo is coming to me tonight. I can give him what you cannot. When he makes love to me, nothing exists but the two of us and our love for each other. He has told me many times that he wishes you would leave so he might acknowledge his son and bring me back to the hacienda.”
If Julie hadn’t been so emotionally distraught she would have realized just how irrational Elena’s words were. But all she could think of was Rod’s sudden coldness toward her and the baby Elena held in her arms. Were all these months of happiness a delusion, she wondered dismally? Was there something lacking in her to make Rod turn to Elena?
“Will you come tonight, Julie?” she heard Elena asking. “Are you brave enough to learn the truth? It must hurt to realize that you are unwanted, that in fact you are nothing but an encumbrance to Rodrigo who should have never married an Anglo in the beginning.”
“Where?” Julie whispered. “Where do you live?” An evil smile lurking at the corner of her mouth, Elena gave explicit instructions on how to reach her casa.
“Be there promptly at ten o’clock,” she hastened to add, “if you want to discover exactly what your husband does each night. Walk along the veranda until you come to the bedroom.” The inflection in her voice left Julie little doubt as to what went on in Elena’s bedroom.
After Elena left as mysteriously as she appeared, Julie could not force her legs into motion so she sat, far longer than was her custom. So long, in fact, that a distressed Teresa came looking for her. “Dona Julie,” she chided gently when she found her mistress in a far corner of the courtyard, “I became worried when you did not return in time for lunch. Felicia is waiting in the dining room for you.”
Julie looked at Teresa dumbly, as if recognition was slow in coming, her vagueness alarming the housekeeper greatly. “Señora, are you ill?” the older woman asked. “Is it the baby? I will send for Don Rodrigo.”
“No!” cried out Julie, the mention of her husband’s name bringing her to her senses. “I’m all right, really,” she added more gently.
“Then come along, señora, your lunch is getting cold.”
With the help of a concerned Teresa Julie rose somewhat unsteadily to her feet, suddenly recalling Elena’s words. “Teresa,” she asked abruptly, “was Elena with child when she left here?”
Teresa thought nothing of Julie’s question. It was common knowledge to all but Julie that Elena was now living with her husband Manuel in San Luis Obispo. Quite a comedown for the haughty Spanish woman, sniffed Teresa.
“Si, Dona Julie. When she left here, only Don Rodrigo and myself were aware of her condition. He took her to the mission and put her in Padre Juan’s care until her child was born. It wasn’t long before everyone knew that she had a child. Especially after she left the mission and went to live in the village with—”
“Stop!” came Julie’s anguished cry. “I don’t want to hear anything more! I never want to hear her name again.”
Teresa was puzzled by Julie’s apparent aversion to Elena, being unaware of all that Elena had done to harm Julie, as well as what had transpired in the courtyard earlier. But she was astute enough to realize that speaking of Elena was doing her mistress no good.
“You don’t seem yourself today, señora,” she soothed. “Why don’t you go to your room and let me send up a tray for you. Felicia is a wise child. She knows you are near your time and will understand if you don’t join her.”
Numbly Julie allowed Teresa to lead her through the courtyard to the French doors opening into her bedroom. She made no protest when the kindly woman helped her undress and tucked her into bed. A short time later Felicia carried a tray to Julie. Julie’s listless replies to her questions soon convinced Felicia that her sister-in-law was best left alone to her rest, and went off to find her own amusement.
Julie was in a turmoil of indecision. Did she really want to know if Elena and Rod were lovers? Would it not be far better to think Elena a liar than to face the hurt of Rod’s betrayal? Did she truly wish to view his infidelity with her own eyes? Yes, she decided painfully, she could not trust Elena’s word. She owed it to Rod to give him the benefit of the doubt until she proved otherwise. Julie was well aware of Elena’s deceit, well-versed in the many ways Elena chose to demonstrate her hatred and cunning. This was something she had to do, Julie resolved. Somehow, someway, she would be at Elena’s house at ten o’clock tonight.
Julie knew exactly how long it would take her to reach San Luis Obispo and planned accordingly. She joined Felicia, her father and Ramona for the evening meal. Rod, who hadn’t eaten with them in many days, was occupied elsewhere. Following the meal she promptly excused herself and went to her room, presumedly to go to bed. Not long afterward she heard her father and Ramona leave. Shortly Felicia came in to say goodnight. If Felicia thought Julie’s goodnight was rather strained, she said nothing. It seemed like forever until the house was quiet. Only then did Julie leave her room and stealthily let herself out through the courtyard door.
Julie thanked God the moon was high and the terrain clearly illuminated as she made her way quickly to the stables. Nearly all the horses were put to use during the roundup but Julie was gratified to see that Rod had thoughtfully left the horse that was normally hitched to the small carriage he had purchased for her when she could no longer comfortably sit a horse.
Moving awkwardly, Julie managed to ready the carriage and pull herself into the seat with great difficulty. Taking the reins in her hands and clicking her tongue softly, the carriage started forward slowly. At any other time Julie would not have left the premises without being discovered and probably stopped. But every available hand had been pressed into service for the roundup, leaving the hacienda deserted but for Carl Darcy whose own casa was
some distance from the main house.
Thus it was that Julie moved undetected and unhampered through the countless Delgado acres without encountering any of the vaqueros who were camped in the surrounding hills.
It was nearly ten o’clock when Julie reached the outskirts of San Luis Obispo. Following Elena’s explicit directions, she soon found the small casa that had been described to her. The streets were deserted even though there was considerable din coming from the several cantinas lining both sides of the narrow dirt street. At that moment Julie had never felt so alone in her life.
Elena’s casa was at the end of a quiet street. Julie drove the carriage past the darkened house and into the tall brush a short distance away. Hauling her ungainly body out of the carriage, she tethered the horse to a bush and cautiously approached. The sound of her footfall was like thunder in her ears but in truth was barely discernable as she stepped lightly onto the veranda and made her way around the side just as Elena had instructed.
Keeping to the shadows, Julie stopped abruptly when she reached a pair of French doors thrown open to garner the soft night breezes. Her heart was hammering painfully in her chest, her legs shaking so badly she was certain she could move no further. She seriously considered returning to the hacienda without ever learning the truth, thinking that she really did not care to learn whether or not Rod had been bedding Elena. She had already seen the child, wasn’t that proof enough? No, she decided stubbornly, she would never be satisfied until her own eyes beheld her unfaithful husband in Elena’s bed. Elena had been the cause of too much heartache for Julie to accept her word as proof, alone.
The scene inside the bedroom had been carefully set. A lamp burned brightly, leaving Julie no doubt as to the identity of the two people intimately entwined on the bed. Elena’s passion-glazed features were clearly defined, her face turned toward the French doors. She and her lover had been engaged in intense foreplay for some time and needed only the appearance of Julie for final consummation.
