Chapter Eight

Sophie wasn't at the pasture, but that was no surprise. She had no doubt taken Bandera on one of the trails that wound around the property. Since she was an experienced rider with a good sense of direction, Robert allowed himself only a fleeting worry, then quickly pushed it aside.

He looked around. Of all the challenges he had anticipated in returning home, boredom was one that had never entered his mind. Ever since the day he left Castaño as a young man eager to join the rebellion, each day had a structure and a purpose to it. Even in Kentucky, before he settled into communications work with Sam, his days had been filled with the first heady rush of love finally realized.

Loss didn't fill the gaps nearly as well. If he went back to the house, Amalia would no doubt be happy to restructure her time to spend it with him, but she would have questions about Diana's final days, and Robert wasn't ready for that. He could work on his correspondence instead, but something felt wrong about that, too.

Miguel had recommended the library. Perhaps he would find something there that would provide him with a productive distraction. After all, there was no point mooning around the property, mired in the past. Diana would've thought him a fool, as no doubt he was.

#

"This is certainly not where I expected to find you."

Robert looked up from his book and turned slightly to face Amalia. The motion of his body made the hammock sway.

"If it wasn't for the book, I'd say you were behaving very out of character, lounging around like this," she teased.

He held up the book so she could see the cover.

"Oh, for Christ's sake." She came closer and took the trigonometry book out of his hands. "You haven't changed a bit, have you?"

"Mathematics is a beautiful thing, Amalia."

"I suppose so, but it was never my cup of tea. Diana struggled with it too, as I recall."

"Yes." In spite of her best efforts, Diana had never sufficiently mastered math and science to enter the veterinary training program she so coveted. The distractions of love, a phone company, a daughter and a long post-partum recovery hadn't helped.

Amalia handed back the book. "You didn't come around for lunch, and now it's almost dinner time."

"Is it?" Robert had purposefully gone without a watch today, the better to keep from noticing how time was slipping away, unproductive and unrecorded. "I haven't been hungry. It sometimes happens when I get caught up in a book."

"Trigonometry is that much of a distraction?"

"I'm afraid I'm a hopeless case." Robert sat up and swung his legs over the side. "Is Sophie back?"

"No." Amalia cast a glance toward the pasture."I'm sure she'll be back soon, though."

"Yes, she knows she's to be home by dinner."

Together, Robert and Amalia walked toward the house.

"I started reading the diary."

Robert held his breath.

"It seems she had quite an adventure."

"I'm sure she did. Would you like some help with dinner? I'm not the world's best cook, but I've never poisoned anyone."

"You don't want to talk about her."

"I have an aversion to pain." As they stepped inside, Robert added, "But I will answer your questions. Not now, but I promise I won't leave this mountain without telling you everything you want to know."

This answer seemed to satisfy, because Amalia gave a brief nod and directed him toward a mound of vegetables on the countertop. "You could help by cutting those up for me. My arthritis makes it difficult these days."

Half an hour later they were working quietly in the kitchen, dinner almost ready, when Sophie burst into the room. "Am I on time?"

"Excellent timing," Robert told her. He looked her up and down. She was windblown and rumpled, but seemed otherwise fine. "Where have you and Bandera been?"

"All over." Sophie launched into a tale of forest paths and vistas, mountain streams and butterflies. "It's really pretty, and the trails go everywhere. You should go with me tomorrow. Please? It'll be fun."

"Perhaps. Why don't you get ready for dinner? Grandpa will be here in a few minutes, and you don't want to keep anyone waiting."

Amalia followed the girl with her eyes as she left the room. "Why don't you want to go riding with her? It would be a nice father-daughter activity, and it's better than reading math books all day."

"Riding has always been a means to an end for me," Robert reminded her. "I don't much care to get on a horse if there is no place specific I need to go."

"This is a difficult transition for her, and she needs her father. Isn't that specific enough?"

Robert met Amalia's eyes. She was right, as she so often was. "I'll give it my consideration."

"Quit talking like you're on a diplomatic mission or making a copper deal for your phone company, Robert." Amalia turned away, annoyed, and returned to the oven to check on a pan of enchiladas. "I'll pack a picnic for the two of you in the morning. I'll include the trigonometry book if you like, but tomorrow you'll go trail riding with your daughter. It will be good for you both."

"Yes, mother."

She chose not to respond to his sarcasm, and selected a bottle of wine from a cupboard. Robert took it from her and opened it deftly with the offered corkscrew.

"I'm sorry, Amalia. This can't be easy for you, either."

"No, it's not."

Chastened by her curt tone, he took the bottle to the table, then went to check on Sophie.

Previous