Pearls (19 page)

This cave is not a fit habitation for an infant, and in truth I grow weary of the dark, damp atmosphere. The walls of this great cavern have offered us shelter and protection, but our time here draws to a close. I wish for my child to be born in a home, one safe from the far-reaching menace of slavery.

The slavers encroach further into the interior each day, and we must go far inland to make a life free from the threat they impose. We will travel now, putting distance between the enemy and ourselves while Karwa can still endure the difficulties of a journey. Perhaps it is idealistic of me, but I hope to find a home where peace abounds, a place where attributes such as greed, cruelty, and prejudice are intolerable. If such a place exists, I will find it and give it to my children for their inheritance.

One paved road snaked through the town of Santo Domingo, following the curve of the landscape. Houses and shops in pastel shades of stucco flanked either side of the street, stretching a line of civilization through a valley of green wilderness. In the background, a heavy mist lingered midway up the slopes of the mountains while low-slung clouds snagged against the higher peaks.

In the muted light of early evening, men leaned against the fronts of their homes, smoking pipes or playfully tussling with their children. Women pulled wash off the clotheslines and chatted with neighbors over vine-covered fences. The poignant vignettes spoke of life lived at a slower pace, and Manuel felt a sudden craving.

What would it be like to settle down—buy a house, marry a woman, have children? Some days, the unrelenting pursuit of his dream wore him down, and the sacrifices he made to follow his heart seemed too great a price. But could he find happiness in a common life, one he’d spent years trying to avoid? He glanced at Isabel, who was sleeping in the passenger seat. Maybe. Exploration took on many forms, and he could only imagine the discoveries he could make with the right woman by his side.

A hand-painted sign advertised a general store, and Manuel steered the jeep into a parking space. During the long drive, he and Isabel had compiled a list of supplies they needed to purchase before leaving the comforts of civilization, and this looked like as good a place as any to buy them.

Manuel placed a hand on Isabel’s shoulder and gently shook her. “Wake up, sleepyhead.”

Her eyelids fluttered open, and she stole his breath away with a sleepy smile. “Where are we?”

“At a general store in Santo Domingo. Want to help me buy some supplies?”

She nodded and pulled down the mirror on the sun visor, trying to smooth her mussed hair into place.

“No need to bother with primping,” he said, tugging a strand of her hair. “You look beautiful.”

She snorted. “Yes, sleeping in the front seat of a jeep does wonders for a person’s appearance. I have a horrible crick in my neck.”

“You looked comfortable enough while you were snoring.”

“I don’t snore.”

“Okay.” He rolled his eyes, knowing the simple expression of doubt would rile her.

Her wicked grin surprised him. “Those canvas tents we sleep in are pretty thin, Manuel. I’ve discovered you talk in your sleep, and I can hear you from my tent on the other side of the camp. You’d be amazed at the things I’ve learned about you.”

She giggled and hopped out of the vehicle, leaving him to wonder if he’d been spouting secrets while he dreamed. He certainly had plenty to conceal.

Raúl had parked behind them and now leaned against his jeep, looking as exhausted as Manuel felt. The drive had worn them all down, and Manuel looked forward to making camp and relaxing. The storekeeper greeted them at the door and promptly snatched up the list. He waved Manuel away and bustled off to assemble the items.

“There’s something to be said for small town service,” Manuel commented.

Isabel shrugged and smiled. “Since I’m not needed, I think I’ll find a restroom and freshen up.”

After Isabel left, Manuel struck up a conversation with an old man who sat on a bench in front of the shop. Though wrinkled and bent with age, the man still possessed a keen intellect. He answered Manuel’s questions about the area, seeming eager to talk of the land he had called home all his life.

When the supplies were paid for and loaded into the vehicles, Manuel walked to where Raúl and Isabel waited.

Manuel nodded toward the old man. “This local says it’s too dangerous to drive out of town tonight. A heavy fog covered the mountains around three in the afternoon, making the road dangerous for travelers.”

Raúl nodded. “Let’s find some rooms tonight, have dinner, and sleep in a real bed. We can head out early in the morning.”

“Agreed.” Manuel scanned the street for signs of a hotel or restaurant. Seeing a group of locals gathered outside a building a block away, he decided that might be a good place to start. In his travels he’d found that the residents of a town would lead him to the best eateries if he simply followed the crowd.

The building turned out to be a cantina that served mouth-watering dinners in addition to drinks. They took a booth near the back of the one-room tavern. The rowdy laughter of men—and a few women—enjoying an evening out frequently drowned out the music of the guitarist in one corner of the room.

A sultry young waitress sauntered over to their table, wearing a look that suggested she had a target clearly in her sights. Manuel watched with interest as she engaged Raúl with a come-hither smile and flipped her lustrous dark mane over her shoulder with red-nailed fingers. Raúl’s gaze roamed her figure before he turned on the charm, and the two fell into flirtatious conversation.

Manuel thought it a good sign that Isabel showed no interest in the romance playing out before her. She glanced around the bar, taking in the activity, studying faces. Occasionally, she would nudge Manuel with an elbow and point out something that caught her interest.

After a harsh word from her boss, the waitress managed to tear herself away from Raúl’s side and take their order to the kitchen. As she walked away, she tossed a coy glance over her shoulder as if to ensure she’d not lost Raúl’s attention. She wasn’t disappointed. Raúl demonstrated extreme flexibility, craning his neck to admire the exaggerated swish of her hips as she crossed the room.

Manuel thought they’d make a perfect pair, but he didn’t want to see Isabel hurt by Raúl’s distraction. In a surge of protectiveness, he draped an arm along the bench behind her and rested his hand on her shoulder. She leaned into his touch and sighed, a pleasant, contented sound.

Raúl’s attention seemed to distract their waitress and slowed their service to a ridiculous crawl, or maybe the woman intentionally delayed their meal to keep Raúl at her table. Manuel didn’t know and didn’t care. He just wanted to eat and find someplace to bed down for the night. He took a swallow of his lemonade and prayed for patience.

After an unreasonably long time and many frivolous visits from their waitress, the food arrived. The steam rising from the hot plates smelled delicious, and Manuel muttered a quick prayer before digging in with gusto. After concentrating a few minutes of attention on his meal, a fork invaded his territory and skewered a piece of chicken from his plate. He glanced up and caught Isabel’s mischievous smile as she waved the bite between them.

“Hey, this is my food,” he scolded, holding a hand over his plate as if to fend her off.

“I know, but you looked like you were enjoying it so much I wanted to try a bite.”

“You ordered the exact same meal.”

The chicken disappeared into her mouth while her eyes issued a challenge.

He laughed. “That bite’s going to cost you.”

“How much?”

“I’m not sure, but you can bet I’ll collect later.”

Isabel smiled and went back to eating. Manuel glanced up and caught the cold-burning flames of jealousy in Raúl’s hard stare.
Unbelievable!
The man had spent the last hour ogling the waitress and still had the nerve to act possessive where Isabel was concerned. Manuel refused to be sucked into the challenge. He concentrated on his meal.

When they finished dinner, the three of them exited the cantina and stood outside, discussing where to go next.

“The bartender said there’s a place a block down the road that rents rooms. Where are you parked, Raúl? You can follow us.”

Raúl shook his head. “You go on. I’m going to wait for Esperanza to get off work.”

Manuel hesitated. “All right. We’ll reserve you a room.”

“Don’t bother. I won’t need one.” Raúl flashed a cocky smile.

Manuel realized with dismay what Raúl was implying. Was the man really so bold, or was this some sort of revenge aimed at Isabel? One glance at her carefully distant expression told him all he needed to know about her feelings. Although angered that Raúl would parade a conquest before Isabel, Manuel held his reaction in check for her sake. “Let’s get moving then.”

Raúl reached into his pocket and pulled out the keys. “Do you want to take both vehicles? I’ll get my bag out of the jeep and plan to meet up with you tomorrow.”

“Fine.” Manuel snatched the keys from Raúl and reached for Isabel’s hand.

Just then, a man pushed his way between their group, knocking Raúl into the wall of the cantina and jostling Isabel backward into Manuel’s arms. The stranger disappeared before they had a chance to recover and protest.

“That was rude,” Isabel commented. She rubbed the shoulder the man had slammed into. “There was no need to run us down like that.”

“Probably drunk,” Manuel offered.

Uttering a few profanities, Raúl ran a hand through his hair and straightened his clothes. He dragged his hand across the front of his shirt, catching it on a note poking out of his pocket. Frowning, he pulled out the slip of paper and opened it. His face paled.

“What’s wrong?” Manuel asked.

His expression smoothed over, and he wadded the paper and stuffed it in his pants pocket. “Nothing.”

Manuel knew he was lying, but he didn’t want to pursue the matter in front of Isabel. “Let’s get going then.”

Raúl headed down the street toward the jeep, and Manuel started to follow. When he realized Isabel wasn’t with them, he turned.

She knelt on the sidewalk, holding a rumpled piece of paper in her hands. Her hair fell loosely around her face and hid her expression from his view, but her back was rigid.

“Coming, Isabel?”

She jumped as if he’d startled her then shoved the paper into her pocket. “Yes.”

He took her hand as they walked through the darkened street. “Want to tell me what’s the matter?”

“Not now.”

“When?”

“Later,” she promised as they arrived at the jeep.

Raúl slung the strap of his leather suitcase over his shoulder and turned on his heel. “I’ll find you in the morning.”

Isabel stared out the window of the modest bed and breakfast and admired the moonlit garden. The proprietress had bragged about her gardening skills as she’d shown them to their rooms, and even in the fading light, Isabel could see the woman had not exaggerated. Flagstones carved a path through flowering bushes and large ferns. Fruit trees hovered above them, branches outspread as if to protect their smaller charges.

She and Manuel had settled in an hour ago, and though tired, Isabel couldn’t seem to relax. Too many worries swirled around her mind, and she decided a walk in the garden might benefit her. She slipped on her shoes and left her room. Passing Manuel’s door, she thought some company might be nice.

She knocked softly, heard the creak of bedsprings, and the rustle of clothes being pulled on. His tousled hair and half-buttoned shirt told her he’d been more settled in than she had.

“I’m sorry. Did I wake you?”

“No. I was reading in bed. What’s up?”

“Can’t sleep. I thought I’d take a walk in the garden. Want to come?”

“Love to. I’ll get my shoes.”

They met at the back door and slipped outside. Isabel wrapped her arms across her chest, fending off the cool night air. She filed the information away, making a note to wear a jacket in the evening while they worked in the mountains. They ambled along the path in silence, surrounded by the heady scents of the plants.

Near the back of the property, they came across a bubbling marble fountain surrounded by a ledge thick enough to sit on. Moss had grown up in the cracks of the brick pathway surrounding the fountain and released an earthy smell when crushed underfoot. Isabel sat on the marble edge and drank in the pleasant fragrance.

“You’re quiet tonight.” Manuel wore a concerned expression on his face. “You okay?”

“Yes.”

“Are you thinking about Raúl?”

“A little.”

“You have a right to feel hurt and angry. You were involved with him for a while. It must be hard to watch him—”

His voice trailed off, and Isabel was grateful for his discretion. She’d seen Manuel’s worried glances when Raúl announced he intended to spend the night with Esperanza. The concern had touched her. His arm slid around her back and urged her to sit closer. She accepted the invitation and laid her head against his shoulder. The sounds of the night enveloped them as he held her, stroking her back and her hair. “To be honest, Manuel, I wasn’t hurt at all by what happened tonight. As soon as I saw her coming our way, I expected it from him. I think I just feel sorry for him.”