Categories > Original > Romance > Fruta de la pasión
Ch 43 - Back in the saddle
0 reviewsThe next day Alejandro goes to Araceli in the hopes of to having her mount Dulcinea...
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That same evening, Don Alejandro was invited at Don Julio's for dinner; he was throwing a dinner party for his twenty-something niece and nephew from La Paz who were to stay at his hacienda for the few months to come. Imagine Alejandro's surprise when among the guests he saw Doña Araceli herself!
Of course, he then realised: if the nephews were to stay there for some time, he'd introduce to them the people he rubbed shoulders with on a rather regular basis. Including Señora Ximénez de Valdès whom he was often doing business with.
Her presence here was a pleasant surprise, Don Alejandro thought. Even more so that for once she wasn't flanked with Don Cesar. Quite a nice change!
He didn't chat much with her, thought: he was seated between Don Julio's wife and their niece, so he was busy entertaining the ladies with his conversation. The young girl was twenty-three and kept watching over her nineteen years-old younger brother as though he was still a child, but other than that she was pleasant company. And the matchmaker in Don Alejandro couldn't help but note somewhere in the back of his mind that she could make a very suitable wife for Diego, and thus a nice daughter-in-law for himself... Too bad she didn't have any reason to go to Los Angeles in the coming years... But who knows? Sometimes fate and fortune had unexpected plans in store.
The day after, at ten, Don Alejandro knocked at Señora Ximénez's door. To the mestiza servant who opened the door he said he was expected by Doña Araceli.
When she arrived to greet him he noted that she wasn't dressed for riding.
"I see you haven't given up this idea of yours to make me mount this horse..." she said a bit dejectedly and clearly lacking enthusiasm.
"And I'm starting to be afraid you had forgotten about it, Señora..." he answered, alluding to her attire.
Suddenly he feared he had been too pushy with her, with this idea of his. Was the prospect of having to mount Dulcinea what was making her so... despondent?
"But if you really don't want to, I'm not going to insist any further of course," he hastily added. "Let's forget about it, will you?"
"No," she replied, "no; that's fine. And you're right, I shouldn't let a defeat deter me." She paused a bit. "I'll mount your Dulcinea," she said with apparently a little bit more fake enthusiasm than she was really feeling, Alejandro sensed. "I won't let an animal get the better of me!" she stated resolutely. "I won't let her have the last word over me, for Heaven's sake!"
Alejandro smiled. Much self-pride, indeed! But he could understand that; oh yes, he could! Understand... and forgive, too.
"Good," he said. "Then I'm waiting for you in the stables?"
"Oh, no, make yourself comfortable here while Concepcion helps me change into something much more comfortable and fitting. Please, make yourself at home in the sala, and in the meantime don't hesitate to have a look at my very modest library here in the bookcase. Anibal will bring you some refreshment."
"Muchas gacias, Señora."
"Anibal!" she called. "Concepcion!"
And while the middle-aged mestiza who had opened the door to him arrived and soon disappeared with her mistress to a corridor, a young Indian boy brought him a pitcher of freshly pressed orange juice.
A couple minutes later Doña Araceli came back, ready for a ride.
At first, woman and mare were wary around each other, despite Don Alejandro's efforts to smooth the rough edges. Señora Valdès was prudently keeping her distance, only reluctantly patting Duclinea's muzzle, neck or hindquarters at Don Alejandro's prodding. But she clearly was still pouting a bit.
That woman sure could hold a grudge, he thought. He'd have to keep this piece of information somewhere in the back of his mind.
He noted that Dulcinea too was unusually difficult and fussy. When he took Doña Araceli's hand to guide it to the mare's forehead to gently scratch her between the ears, he could hear Dulcinea snort and she tried to shove their hands away by pushing their arms with her head. Then she repeatedly shook her head as though to say 'no'.
She finally calmed down when he let go of Doña Araceli's hand to get into the saddle. He gently patted her neck to get her to relax, then he held his hand out down to the woman to help her into the saddle too. Dulcinea didn't seem too keen on the idea and she tried to rear, but he tugged on the reins and the mare finally complied.
"Are you comfortable?" Don Alejandro asked Doña Araceli as he was adjusting his sitting position behind her.
"As much as possible considering the circumstances," she cryptically answered.
"Alright, let's go, then."
And slipping one arm on each side of her he took a solid hold of the reins and urged Dulcinea into a gentle trot.
After a few minutes of switching between the gaits, Alejandro noticed that Doña Araceli was still very tense, and holding herself very stiff on the saddle. Certainly Dulcinea was feeling this too, and it surely didn't help putting the mare at ease either.
"Try to relax, Señora," he told Araceli in a soft voice. "You're so tense you'll have sore muscles by tomorrow if you go on like that. Relax," he repeated, "lean back on me and just hold onto the front of the saddle with your hands, I'm taking care of the rest."
She hesitantly did as instructed. But when he felt that she was still holding back a bit from fully putting her weight on his chest, he repeated once more softly in her ear:
"Just lean on me, relax and enjoy the ride, my dear. Nothing else for the moment. Just trust me."
Perhaps he shouldn't sound so familiar with addressing her, he thought in retrospect. Maybe she felt offended by his affectionate 'my dear'. He didn't mean anything by that, didn't think about it. It just slipped out; just like it did when he was addressing young Victoria Escalante, his late friend's daughter.
Except that Doña Araceli was neither a friend's daughter nor a child anymore; she was a successful businesswoman and had a rather well-established position in San Diego's society, even though recently so.
And, Alejandro reflected, Cesar Villegas would probably not be very pleased with this endearment. Strangely, Don Alejandro rather liked this idea and it tended to make him want to persist addressing her that way.
Doña Araceli, for her part, was now more at ease and he could feel that the tension had left her. Dulcinea might have felt it too, since she had finally become less edgy after a few more minutes.
"Take the reins, now" he told the Señora.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. And put your feet in the stirrups."
"You're absolutely sure?" she repeated.
"I am. I trust you. So you just have to trust me when I say I trust you."
"Alright..." she said, sounding rather unsure.
Sensing the change, Dulcinea fussed a bit but Alejandro pressed his legs to her side to remind her who was in charge but also to make her calm down and let her know that he was here with her. She grudgingly complied and finally let the woman steer her.
After some time Araceli became more confident and she sat up straight in the saddle. Alejandro suddenly lacked the contact of her back against his chest but since he was forced to hold onto her waist to keep his balance – "with you permission, Señora?" – and strictly to prevent himself from falling, well... he didn't complain. He knew that this posture would be rather improper in normal circumstances, but in this case it was permissible... strictly for balance.
He noted that her stance was indeed very good, as well as her hold on the reins it seemed. She hadn't lied: she knew how to ride and wasn't hopeless at that. She just seemed not to get along very well with such a spirited horse as Dulcinea.
Alejandro even made her urge the mare into a gentle gallop, and Dulcinea behaved.
Finally he dismounted and let Araceli ride her all by herself. He saw that the tension came back, but she held on and didn't let the horse get the better of her. Emboldened, she even made Dulcinea jump a low fence on the way back to the stables.
There, she went to Don Alejandro, looking rather pleased with herself.
"Thank you for insisting on that," she told him with a smile. "You were right, I had to mount her again. But it will remain a one-time thing: this animal is far too wild for me..."
"Is that your awkward way of admitting you bit off more than you could chew when you bought her, and then refused to sell her to me?" Don Alejandro asked her in a teasing tone.
"Is that your awkward way of thanking me for doing the wise thing in finally letting you have her, and for giving her to you for nothing?" she retorted tit for tat, mimicking his tone.
He burst out laughing. Really, she was good at giving as good as she got, he thought. And it was not the first time he noted that.
He raised his arms, holding them out to her to help her dismount. As soon as her feet touched the ground he removed his hands from her waist. If anyone were to enter, he didn't want them to get the wrong idea, and he didn't want to mar her reputation. Not that she wasn't successfull in doing it herself and without his help – but with Lieutenant Alcalá's at first, and now with Don Cesar's – but still... he'd rather not have a hand in that when all they had was a perfectly innocent friendly relationship.
Doña Araceli went to a crate in the corner of the stables and came back with a carrot which she presented to the mare. Dulcinea didn't even sniff it and turned her nose up at it. Señora Valdès took a few steps back.
"Oh?" Don Alejandro said, surprised, turning to his mare. "What's happening to you, girl?" he asked, affectionately scratching her head. "Anything wrong?"
He too went to the crate, took a carrot and presented the treat to the mare, who happily munched on it. Araceli took a few steps to Don Alejandro to help him feed his horse, but then Dulcinea stopped eating the carrot and pushed her away with her head. Araceli stepped to the side, and then she tried to walk to Alejandro's side again; and again Dulcinea sort of head-butted her in the shoulder.
Don Alejandro started to scold her, but he stopped short when he heard Doña Araceli laugh heartily.
He turned a puzzled look at her.
"Oh dear!" she said between fits of laugher, "she's awfully possessive of you!"
"Possessive?"
"Can't you see it?" she told him. "She's simply jealous, she doesn't want me anywhere near you. She wants you all to herself..."
z ~ z ~ z ~ z ~ z ~ z ~ z ~ z ~ z
"Thank you again, Don Alejandro," she said as she saw him to the door.
"You're welcome," he replied, "that was a pleasure. At least for me, if not for Dulcinea!"
They laughed.
A pleasure indeed. Riding and bantering with her had been very pleasant, even though having her so close to him with her back touching his chest and leaning back against it had felt sort of... strange... thrilling... but in a good way, somehow. Not really unpleasant, in fact.
"I'm sorry I can't keep you for lunch, but fortunately I'm hosting a small dinner here for a few acquaintances tonight. Would you join us?"
"Well, it will be an honour, Doña Araceli."
"Tonight, then?"
"Tonight."
And with that, he respectfully took her hand and bowed over it to take his leave.
z ~ z ~ z ~ z ~ z ~ z ~ z ~ z ~ z
The morning after, Don Alejandro woke up in a good mood. Was it because he had obtained a good price for the tallow produced from his cows? And all this thanks to Doña Araceli: at dinner he was seated in front of a man she introduced to him as one of her suppliers from Baja California. The man too was into business, but contrary to her he wasn't trading with Spain: he limited his activities to the Californias.
It had been a quiet but pleasant evening. Strangely, Cesar Villegas hadn't been there, but Alejandro didn't miss him at all. Well, perhaps that too was playing a small part in his merry mood. He didn't know why, but the young man's presence had a tendency to grate on his nerves. He couldn't objectively tell why though: Don Cesar never wronged him in any way, or anyone as far as Alejandro knew, he had always behaved pefectly courteously with him... but still, Don Alejandro de la Vega wasn't very fond of Don Cesar Villegas's presence.
In this sunny morning he wandered on the market from stall to stall, not looking for anything in particular but enjoying the morning's gentle weather.
Then, on a stall presenting fabrics, linen and tapestry items, something caught his eye: a nice and soft silky cushion, with – o supreme irony – a magnificent horse embroidered on it!
Don Alejandro couldn't help it: he bought the cushion, of course. His merry mood was making him playful, this morning. Then he found the same young Pedro as the day before hanging around the plaza.
"Hola Pedro!"
"Excelencia," the boy said eagerly, hastily taking off his hat, "is there anything for your service?"
"Yes there is, niño. The Ximénez Company, same as yesterday, Doña Araceli... do you remember?"
"Si Señor."
"Good. I'll give you a parcel for her in a few minutes, just wait for me at the tavern's door, will you..."
"Of course Señor!"
Once he was upstairs in his room Don Alejandro sat at the small wooden table near the window; there, on a visiting card, he wrote down a cheeky three-words line in his finest penmanship:
Just in case...
Of course, he then realised: if the nephews were to stay there for some time, he'd introduce to them the people he rubbed shoulders with on a rather regular basis. Including Señora Ximénez de Valdès whom he was often doing business with.
Her presence here was a pleasant surprise, Don Alejandro thought. Even more so that for once she wasn't flanked with Don Cesar. Quite a nice change!
He didn't chat much with her, thought: he was seated between Don Julio's wife and their niece, so he was busy entertaining the ladies with his conversation. The young girl was twenty-three and kept watching over her nineteen years-old younger brother as though he was still a child, but other than that she was pleasant company. And the matchmaker in Don Alejandro couldn't help but note somewhere in the back of his mind that she could make a very suitable wife for Diego, and thus a nice daughter-in-law for himself... Too bad she didn't have any reason to go to Los Angeles in the coming years... But who knows? Sometimes fate and fortune had unexpected plans in store.
The day after, at ten, Don Alejandro knocked at Señora Ximénez's door. To the mestiza servant who opened the door he said he was expected by Doña Araceli.
When she arrived to greet him he noted that she wasn't dressed for riding.
"I see you haven't given up this idea of yours to make me mount this horse..." she said a bit dejectedly and clearly lacking enthusiasm.
"And I'm starting to be afraid you had forgotten about it, Señora..." he answered, alluding to her attire.
Suddenly he feared he had been too pushy with her, with this idea of his. Was the prospect of having to mount Dulcinea what was making her so... despondent?
"But if you really don't want to, I'm not going to insist any further of course," he hastily added. "Let's forget about it, will you?"
"No," she replied, "no; that's fine. And you're right, I shouldn't let a defeat deter me." She paused a bit. "I'll mount your Dulcinea," she said with apparently a little bit more fake enthusiasm than she was really feeling, Alejandro sensed. "I won't let an animal get the better of me!" she stated resolutely. "I won't let her have the last word over me, for Heaven's sake!"
Alejandro smiled. Much self-pride, indeed! But he could understand that; oh yes, he could! Understand... and forgive, too.
"Good," he said. "Then I'm waiting for you in the stables?"
"Oh, no, make yourself comfortable here while Concepcion helps me change into something much more comfortable and fitting. Please, make yourself at home in the sala, and in the meantime don't hesitate to have a look at my very modest library here in the bookcase. Anibal will bring you some refreshment."
"Muchas gacias, Señora."
"Anibal!" she called. "Concepcion!"
And while the middle-aged mestiza who had opened the door to him arrived and soon disappeared with her mistress to a corridor, a young Indian boy brought him a pitcher of freshly pressed orange juice.
A couple minutes later Doña Araceli came back, ready for a ride.
At first, woman and mare were wary around each other, despite Don Alejandro's efforts to smooth the rough edges. Señora Valdès was prudently keeping her distance, only reluctantly patting Duclinea's muzzle, neck or hindquarters at Don Alejandro's prodding. But she clearly was still pouting a bit.
That woman sure could hold a grudge, he thought. He'd have to keep this piece of information somewhere in the back of his mind.
He noted that Dulcinea too was unusually difficult and fussy. When he took Doña Araceli's hand to guide it to the mare's forehead to gently scratch her between the ears, he could hear Dulcinea snort and she tried to shove their hands away by pushing their arms with her head. Then she repeatedly shook her head as though to say 'no'.
She finally calmed down when he let go of Doña Araceli's hand to get into the saddle. He gently patted her neck to get her to relax, then he held his hand out down to the woman to help her into the saddle too. Dulcinea didn't seem too keen on the idea and she tried to rear, but he tugged on the reins and the mare finally complied.
"Are you comfortable?" Don Alejandro asked Doña Araceli as he was adjusting his sitting position behind her.
"As much as possible considering the circumstances," she cryptically answered.
"Alright, let's go, then."
And slipping one arm on each side of her he took a solid hold of the reins and urged Dulcinea into a gentle trot.
After a few minutes of switching between the gaits, Alejandro noticed that Doña Araceli was still very tense, and holding herself very stiff on the saddle. Certainly Dulcinea was feeling this too, and it surely didn't help putting the mare at ease either.
"Try to relax, Señora," he told Araceli in a soft voice. "You're so tense you'll have sore muscles by tomorrow if you go on like that. Relax," he repeated, "lean back on me and just hold onto the front of the saddle with your hands, I'm taking care of the rest."
She hesitantly did as instructed. But when he felt that she was still holding back a bit from fully putting her weight on his chest, he repeated once more softly in her ear:
"Just lean on me, relax and enjoy the ride, my dear. Nothing else for the moment. Just trust me."
Perhaps he shouldn't sound so familiar with addressing her, he thought in retrospect. Maybe she felt offended by his affectionate 'my dear'. He didn't mean anything by that, didn't think about it. It just slipped out; just like it did when he was addressing young Victoria Escalante, his late friend's daughter.
Except that Doña Araceli was neither a friend's daughter nor a child anymore; she was a successful businesswoman and had a rather well-established position in San Diego's society, even though recently so.
And, Alejandro reflected, Cesar Villegas would probably not be very pleased with this endearment. Strangely, Don Alejandro rather liked this idea and it tended to make him want to persist addressing her that way.
Doña Araceli, for her part, was now more at ease and he could feel that the tension had left her. Dulcinea might have felt it too, since she had finally become less edgy after a few more minutes.
"Take the reins, now" he told the Señora.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes. And put your feet in the stirrups."
"You're absolutely sure?" she repeated.
"I am. I trust you. So you just have to trust me when I say I trust you."
"Alright..." she said, sounding rather unsure.
Sensing the change, Dulcinea fussed a bit but Alejandro pressed his legs to her side to remind her who was in charge but also to make her calm down and let her know that he was here with her. She grudgingly complied and finally let the woman steer her.
After some time Araceli became more confident and she sat up straight in the saddle. Alejandro suddenly lacked the contact of her back against his chest but since he was forced to hold onto her waist to keep his balance – "with you permission, Señora?" – and strictly to prevent himself from falling, well... he didn't complain. He knew that this posture would be rather improper in normal circumstances, but in this case it was permissible... strictly for balance.
He noted that her stance was indeed very good, as well as her hold on the reins it seemed. She hadn't lied: she knew how to ride and wasn't hopeless at that. She just seemed not to get along very well with such a spirited horse as Dulcinea.
Alejandro even made her urge the mare into a gentle gallop, and Dulcinea behaved.
Finally he dismounted and let Araceli ride her all by herself. He saw that the tension came back, but she held on and didn't let the horse get the better of her. Emboldened, she even made Dulcinea jump a low fence on the way back to the stables.
There, she went to Don Alejandro, looking rather pleased with herself.
"Thank you for insisting on that," she told him with a smile. "You were right, I had to mount her again. But it will remain a one-time thing: this animal is far too wild for me..."
"Is that your awkward way of admitting you bit off more than you could chew when you bought her, and then refused to sell her to me?" Don Alejandro asked her in a teasing tone.
"Is that your awkward way of thanking me for doing the wise thing in finally letting you have her, and for giving her to you for nothing?" she retorted tit for tat, mimicking his tone.
He burst out laughing. Really, she was good at giving as good as she got, he thought. And it was not the first time he noted that.
He raised his arms, holding them out to her to help her dismount. As soon as her feet touched the ground he removed his hands from her waist. If anyone were to enter, he didn't want them to get the wrong idea, and he didn't want to mar her reputation. Not that she wasn't successfull in doing it herself and without his help – but with Lieutenant Alcalá's at first, and now with Don Cesar's – but still... he'd rather not have a hand in that when all they had was a perfectly innocent friendly relationship.
Doña Araceli went to a crate in the corner of the stables and came back with a carrot which she presented to the mare. Dulcinea didn't even sniff it and turned her nose up at it. Señora Valdès took a few steps back.
"Oh?" Don Alejandro said, surprised, turning to his mare. "What's happening to you, girl?" he asked, affectionately scratching her head. "Anything wrong?"
He too went to the crate, took a carrot and presented the treat to the mare, who happily munched on it. Araceli took a few steps to Don Alejandro to help him feed his horse, but then Dulcinea stopped eating the carrot and pushed her away with her head. Araceli stepped to the side, and then she tried to walk to Alejandro's side again; and again Dulcinea sort of head-butted her in the shoulder.
Don Alejandro started to scold her, but he stopped short when he heard Doña Araceli laugh heartily.
He turned a puzzled look at her.
"Oh dear!" she said between fits of laugher, "she's awfully possessive of you!"
"Possessive?"
"Can't you see it?" she told him. "She's simply jealous, she doesn't want me anywhere near you. She wants you all to herself..."
z ~ z ~ z ~ z ~ z ~ z ~ z ~ z ~ z
"Thank you again, Don Alejandro," she said as she saw him to the door.
"You're welcome," he replied, "that was a pleasure. At least for me, if not for Dulcinea!"
They laughed.
A pleasure indeed. Riding and bantering with her had been very pleasant, even though having her so close to him with her back touching his chest and leaning back against it had felt sort of... strange... thrilling... but in a good way, somehow. Not really unpleasant, in fact.
"I'm sorry I can't keep you for lunch, but fortunately I'm hosting a small dinner here for a few acquaintances tonight. Would you join us?"
"Well, it will be an honour, Doña Araceli."
"Tonight, then?"
"Tonight."
And with that, he respectfully took her hand and bowed over it to take his leave.
z ~ z ~ z ~ z ~ z ~ z ~ z ~ z ~ z
The morning after, Don Alejandro woke up in a good mood. Was it because he had obtained a good price for the tallow produced from his cows? And all this thanks to Doña Araceli: at dinner he was seated in front of a man she introduced to him as one of her suppliers from Baja California. The man too was into business, but contrary to her he wasn't trading with Spain: he limited his activities to the Californias.
It had been a quiet but pleasant evening. Strangely, Cesar Villegas hadn't been there, but Alejandro didn't miss him at all. Well, perhaps that too was playing a small part in his merry mood. He didn't know why, but the young man's presence had a tendency to grate on his nerves. He couldn't objectively tell why though: Don Cesar never wronged him in any way, or anyone as far as Alejandro knew, he had always behaved pefectly courteously with him... but still, Don Alejandro de la Vega wasn't very fond of Don Cesar Villegas's presence.
In this sunny morning he wandered on the market from stall to stall, not looking for anything in particular but enjoying the morning's gentle weather.
Then, on a stall presenting fabrics, linen and tapestry items, something caught his eye: a nice and soft silky cushion, with – o supreme irony – a magnificent horse embroidered on it!
Don Alejandro couldn't help it: he bought the cushion, of course. His merry mood was making him playful, this morning. Then he found the same young Pedro as the day before hanging around the plaza.
"Hola Pedro!"
"Excelencia," the boy said eagerly, hastily taking off his hat, "is there anything for your service?"
"Yes there is, niño. The Ximénez Company, same as yesterday, Doña Araceli... do you remember?"
"Si Señor."
"Good. I'll give you a parcel for her in a few minutes, just wait for me at the tavern's door, will you..."
"Of course Señor!"
Once he was upstairs in his room Don Alejandro sat at the small wooden table near the window; there, on a visiting card, he wrote down a cheeky three-words line in his finest penmanship:
Just in case...
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