The Spanish Daughter(78)

“Of course.” Angélica walked out of the room. Martin raised his finger, as though asking me to stay, but I avoided his face and put on my jacket.

*

I somehow managed to attach the facial hair and swiftly left the room. Angélica was already climbing on her horse. Martin was telling her something, and she was nodding. I circled the house so neither one of them would see me leave, and I then I hastened down the road in the direction of Vinces.

There was an unbearable pressure in my chest that my hand couldn’t soothe.

I didn’t want to talk to Martin, and I certainly didn’t want to go back to the hacienda. I just wanted to be alone and think about what I’d just learned.

Martin and Angélica were lovers. It had been obvious.

Everything made sense now: why Angélica had left the house that night while her husband was away playing cards and she thought everyone was sleeping; why at times Martin seemed so irritated by Laurent’s presence or his nearness toward Angélica. My suspicions about Laurent liking men, and why there seemed to be a mere companionship, not affection and certainly no sexual tension, between Angélica and her husband. It also explained why Martin was a still a bachelor. A man his age would’ve found a woman to settle with by now instead of fulfilling his urges with prostitutes until Angélica could come to him during Corazones night.

For how long had this been going on? And what did Silvia have to do with them? Had Martin cheated on Angélica with this woman? Catalina had mentioned a rupture between the two friends. And then, last night at the party, Martin had wanted to leave as soon as that woman had arrived and had avoided talking to either one of them.

I’d been such a fool. I’d fallen directly into Martin’s trap. He’d been on Angélica’s side from the very beginning. He’d wanted my father’s land all along. The worse part was that I’d known this. He’d even made an offer to buy my share of the estate. He’d been trying to get his hands on the plantation in every possible way he could: if not through Angélica, then by purchasing my part, and since neither one worked, he was going to get it through me.

What better way to get full control of the plantation than by having the majority holder fall in love with him? That was why he hadn’t told Angélica about me. Because I was certain now that she didn’t know. I could see it in her humiliation a moment ago. If Angélica had thought for a second that I was a woman, her jealousy would’ve multiplied. Instead, her anger had dissipated when she realized that I wasn’t a threat, that I didn’t want her man.

How could I have been so stupid?

I walked for a long time and, without realizing it, I reached the first houses in Vinces. I slowed my pace, more out of surprise than tiredness, and continued toward the plaza. I reached the park next to the miniature Eiffel Tower and sat on a bench. Undoubtedly, Martin would tell Angélica about me now. There was no reason to keep covering up for me.

I sat there for a few minutes, leaning forward with my hands pressed against my eyes until I heard a familiar voice.

“Don Cristóbal?”

I raised my head and recognized Aquilino, who waved at me and crossed the street in my direction.

“Don Tomás, what are you doing here?”

“Oh, just taking care of some business for one of my clients, but I’m heading back to Guayaquil now.”

I hoped this business had nothing to do with the bank manager telling Aquilino about me and my inquiries.

“How are things going with you?” he asked.

An idea came to mind. I felt the pocket watch in my trousers. “You said you’re going to Guayaquil now, right?”

“Yes, Paco is waiting for me at the docks.”

“Would you mind if I came with you? There’s someone I need to see in Guayaquil.”

He adjusted his hat. “Sure.”

*

As we headed toward the docks, Aquilino mentioned that he hadn’t heard anything from the Panamanian government concerning Puri’s death certificate.

“Have they contacted you?” he asked.

I considered telling him the truth, but I would have to think about it some more. Once the truth was out, there was no turning back, and I had to learn everything I could before I became exposed to all.

“No,” I said, and renewed my walk. “I met your former employee, Mayra.”

He removed a handkerchief from his back pocket and dried the sweat from his neck. “You did, did you?”

“Yes, she’s now working at Don Martin’s house.”

“She is?”

“Well, the poor woman was desperate. It’s not easy being an unwed mother and not having a job.”

Aquilino stopped. “An unwed mother? What are you saying?”

“You didn’t know? Mayra is expecting.”

“I had no idea.”

He seemed honestly surprised, or maybe he was a good liar.

I lowered my voice. “She said that was why you fired her.”

“She did? But that’s a lie! What kind of man would do that? Who do you think I am?”

“I apologize, Don Tomás, I’m just telling you what she said.”

“Well, that’s a rotten lie meant to cover up her own dishonesty. Do you know why I really fired her?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “I found her snooping through my things, and it was not the first time. I’d caught her going through my papers once before and I warned her that if she ever did that again, I would fire her.”