loves of Maximo Delgato AU ml,mm,ia,tk(Mat) [COMPLETE]

[ken_r]

The Loves of Maximo Delgato

The Loves of Maximo Delgato
Author ken_r
Rating is mature kinda - It is pretty tame
The couples are CC with a lot of difficulty
Alternate universe without aliens.

Diaclaimer: The characters are not mine except where I have to invent to fill out the story. As usual, I pay homage to the inventors of the story about Roswell and hope I respect the ownership of their characters.

Doctor Elizabeth Parker, since the traumatic death of first, her father followed shortly by that of her mother, has completely given up on finding love for herself. She has thrown herself into her work at the university. But, the department of biology, where she works is plagued by departmental politics. Elizabeth finds an intriguing and exciting book written at the turn of the twentieth century. She begins to read that book and finds it creates disturbing dreams. She soon learns of disturbing parallels in her life that play out in the novel.

I set the novel Liz reads from before 1880 up to almost the time of New Mexico statehood 1912. I enjoyed making as many references to the Hispanic culture as I could. The Spanish used in the novel would be the language used in the post-colonial Southwest. It is not intended to be classical Spanish. I apologize for my mistakes, but would like to acknowledge the help of my friends who edited the Spanish for me.

Glossary
Fiesta- party or celebration
Fandangos- dance
Tejanos- Hispanics from Texas
Anglo- generic for non Hispanics, non Native American ,non African American
Charro jacket- short jacket many times with fancy embroidery
Gringo- slang for anglo or non Hispanic foreigner. Literally the Greek
James Butler Hickok better known as Wild Bill Hickok a western marshal and gunman
Vaqueros- cowboys sometimes more like and army
Eyes of the church- a measurement of community responsibility
Hacienda- house, in this story the main house of a ranch
Mantilla- veil or shawl in this case going from the Tiara in her hair extending down her back
Caballero- gentlemen or man of distinction


The loves of Maximo Delgato

Chapter 1
“The Loves of Maximo Delgato,” was the title. The copyright date said 1902. It was in excellent condition. The pages were yellow, but not brown or brittle. Elizabeth looked it over carefully. She decided it must be a novel set in the late 1800s. The author was W.W. (Dub) Evans. The setting was in the Southwest, but there was something about the first chapter. Elizabeth felt almost sure that it was a biography. She opened the book and read the forward.

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In 1881, the wife of Ernesto Delgato, the Señora Felicia Gutierrez-Delgato, presented her husband with twins, a boy and a girl. The boy was named Maximo and the girl Isabella. The young Ernesto was delighted. These were his firstborn and one of them was a boy. The celebration was surpassed only by that of the Calderon family who had ten daughters before their first son was born. Ernesto now had an heir. He also had a daughter to marry off to some man of power to protect his heritage and his name.

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This was enough for Elizabeth. The story promised romance and possible intrigue. It would be excellent to read to forget the pressures of academic politics.

Doctor Elizabeth Parker, an instructor of Biochemistry at the University of New Mexico, was prowling the bookstore again. This was her favorite pastime. There are several old bookstores in Albuquerque. Maybe, it was because of the University or the long history of this area or perhaps because of the transitory passage of people moving to the dry southwest. There was a time when the prescription for consumption had been relocating in this corner of the nation. Famous people like Doc Holliday had come, believing that, if not cured, the dry air would prolong their useful life and lessen the discomfort. Retirees would come because of the normally mild winters. Whatever the reason, the old people would eventually die, far from their families and the estate would pack up belongings and dispose of them in the fastest way. Books would be sold by the pound or, maybe, at ten cents a volume to book dealers. Some of these dealers were savvy to the actual worth of many of the books on today’s market. Nowadays these would be sorted and put on the Internet to be found by collectors always searching for that prize they know is sitting on some shelf somewhere. There were other dealers, who, for reasons known only to them selves, just separated the books, sometimes even leaving them in piles about the crowded shops. They were constantly in violation with the fire marshal, who thankfully, was not a reader and only concerned himself when a complaint had been made. These dealers, many times retired themselves, looked on their sales of books as just a supplement that gave them reason to get up in the morning as they, themselves, also progressed toward their final end.

The Book Drop was one of these stores. The owner had an asthmatic wheeze, that in years long ago, would have been an indication of consumption, but in the modern time could be any number of lung diseases. By the amount of cigarettes lying in the ash trey in front of him, it probably was the start of lung cancer. He was a favorite of estate dealers. No hassle, no sorting on what he would pay, he gave just ten cents a book and he would sort out what was wanted and find a way to get rid the rest. He even had a secret way to get rid of unwanted volumes no matter how little value they held. He would put them in a wheeled cart that he wheeled outside in front of his store. The cart was marked fifty cents a book and he was always surprised how many customers actually paid, rather than just steal them and run away. The books he valued, he put on a shelf and listed them from two to fifty dollars according to the appearance of the covers.

Elizabeth always wore old clothes when she visited this shop. The shop was filthy with the dust that filtered into everything in the southwest and from the dust created by the books themselves. To search for books by asking the dealer, would elicit the response or a wave of his hand to indicate that he thought he had seen something like what you wanted, or he thought that in the last two months he saw it in that pile over by the back door. Elizabeth would then sit on the floor stacking the books, reading the titles, and sometimes reading a few pages. Sometimes, she would sit in the dust for hours; reading until she decided this would be something she wanted to purchase. The purchase price was always low, only a few dollars, but the real expense was the time. Elizabeth would sometimes spend three or four hours before purchasing one book for five dollars. Then, she had to look at this as entertainment. Where else could she be surrounded, by so many friends, for so little money? Friends, that never judged and only offered themselves as a condition for friendship. The friendship she always found in books.

Doctor Elizabeth Parker, of the Biochemistry department whose status at this time was instructor. Liz had worked hard, but the politics were beyond her. For one thing, she was not politically correct. Liz had spoken up vehemently about the professors not keeping their office hours. Liz had complained about the professors who shoved their lectures off on their graduated assistants, instead of presenting their acquired prestige, to the class as promised on the class schedule. Secretly, Liz thought that sometimes, the graduate students were much better than the named professors. Liz was a woman who wouldn’t stay in her place and play the game. She also wasn’t pliable to the few professors who had the reputation of promising their academic support only for favors received. This didn’t mean cookies delivered for lunch, more like being willing to cook breakfast on a regular basis. True, the department was supposed to be familiar with the evils of sexism. They all had to take the required classes for sensitivity, but some members just looked at this as an idea market.

Doctor Parker was stuck along with two elder statesmen of the department, teaching Biology 101. Liz knew that the elder statesmen were doing this because they wanted to encourage young people to enter the field of biology. Maybe, her station was an honor, likewise, because she was good with freshmen and, also, encouraged students to view biology as a career.

That night, after getting home, Doctor Elizabeth Parker took a hot shower and dressed in sweat pants, fuzzy slippers and a bulky sweatshirt. Then she curled up in her Nob Hill home before a cozy fire and immersed her self in her new story.

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Yes, Ernesto Delgato, young impetuous and handsome, was a terror to the families in Santa Fe. At the fiestas and fandangos of the Spanish-Mexican society, Ernesto caused more fear in the parents and more stirrings of love in the daughters, than any other young man. Ernesto had spent much time with the rough Hispanic Tejanos from the east and, also, with their Anglo Texan counterparts. It was only a few years ago that the Mexican war of 1847 had finally concluded with the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, which ceded the territories of California, Utah and New Mexico to the United States. Suddenly, Mexican citizens were transformed into American citizens and, without their permission; they were thrust into the Anglo culture. Young men like Ernesto didn’t care about tradition. They saw advantages in the changes that shocked the old traditions. Ernesto became one of the most feared gunmen of the area. He was fast with a gun it was said. Yes, he was fast to resort to the use of that ubiquitous weapon of the Americano’s. He purchased a pair of 1858 Remington cap’n ball pistols. They were, for their day one of the strongest and deadliest weapons to be had. Much stronger than the more popular Colts, they carried heavy charges and were very reliable. While riding in the saddle, Ernesto carried one of his pistols in a holster and the other in his saddlebags. Upon dismounting and entering an establishment, Ernesto would place the second weapon in his belt, behind his back under the old Charro jacket he always wore.

At all and any fiestas, you would find Ernesto with a smile for the girls dancing his way into their hearts. Many times, there would be jealous men who would challenge his right to hold a delicate senorita. Ernesto would step away from the present object of his affections. Then if the challenge was still pressed before the challenger could say another word, he would be lying in the dust with at least two bullets in his chest. In a time when the use of the pistol was rudimentary at best, Ernesto was phenomenal. From his rowdy friends, Ernesto had heard of the famous Gringo, James Butler Hickok. Hickok was another man who was fast to use his guns. So fast, indeed, that one night he killed a friend coming to his aid from his blind side before ever making recognition. Both Hickok and Delgato were using the early cap and ball revolvers. Hickok was using a Colt Navy because of its small stock for his almost effeminate hands. Every morning before breakfast, Hickok would walk out of town and empty his charged pistols. Every morning, Hickok would take ten shots at some target against a hillside or arroyo bank, reload his weapons and then, he would approach the new day with freshly charged pistols and renewed confidence about his shooting ability. Now, this was done in a time when most working hands would carry the same charge in their weapon for weeks. Ernesto emulated the famous Wild Bill and, he too, became an excellent shot.

At fifteen, Felicia Gutierrez was considered the one to be courted. She was head strong, but her papá owned vast grazing lands and the Tejanos were bringing in new ideas in raising cattle. The lands could, if managed, be worth fortunes. There was one, Alfredo Sanchez, who also had vast holdings. He fancied that with his land and that of the Gutierrez family, he could forge a strong force indeed. Alfredo was 40. He was never called handsome nor was he considered romantic. He courted Señor Gutierrez rather than his daughter.

After a fruitful discussion, at least as far as he was concerned, Alfredo left the Señor Gutierrez and proceeded to the dance floor. To his disgust, he found the object of his monetary lust dancing with the handsome and laughing Ernesto. His next action was almost unheard of. Señor Sanchez stopped the dancing and was making a scene. Alfredo shouted the order for his vaqueros to publicly whip the young interloper. Trouble was Alfredo only had six vaqueros with him. This left a pall of sulfurous smoke, six dead men and Ernesto with four loaded chambers still in his spare Remington. With Felicia on his arm and the loaded pistol still covering the crowd, Ernesto backed to the place he had left his horse. Vaulting into his saddle and grabbing Felicia by her out-stretched arm and swinging her behind him, Ernesto thundered into the night. At first, Señors, Gutierrez and Sanchez demanded that their guests give pursuit. But the evidence of the six bodies lying in the dust inhibited their compliance.

Father Juan O’Reily was a priest at a small church on the Gutierrez rancho. When he heard the noise of hoof beats in his courtyard, he arose with thoughts of anything from Indian attack to someone hurt and in need off succor. In the light of his lantern, he saw the bright eyes of a young man and the beauty of the lady behind him in the saddle. Ernesto dismounted and, helping Felicia to get down, faced the priest.

“We are in need of marriage,” was the command of the youth.

Father Juan lifted his lantern and gazed at the lady. If he wasn’t mistaken, she was the daughter of the patron on whose rancho his church resided. “My son have you and your intended received church counsel? Have you and the lady the blessing and permission of her parents?” Juan asked.

“Father,” Ernesto stated, “I left six men in the dirt, and I will make these hollowed grounds flow with blood if you do not marry us. Felicia is not to have to give her self to that pig Sanchez.”

This put another light on the matter. Sanchez was known for his stinginess. He never supported the church. The Gutierrez family had always been generous to the church, which caused Father Juan now to want to support them. This young man was recognized as a fearful gunman, a friend of those terrible Tejanos and a recognized man, fast to use a gun. However, the Delgato family of old had supported the church. If this man married the girl Felicia and became the eventual head of the Gutierrez family, the church would be supported. Filling the churchyard with flowing blood was a tenable outcome if he refused. It finally took the face of Felicia as she looked at Ernesto to convince Father Juan what to do. The couple repeated their vows and Ernesto gave Father Juan a small bag of gold. This was more than Father Juan had received the whole year.

“There is one more thing, Father,” and Ernesto struck the priest across the face with his pistol barrel. The sight on the barrel opened his forehead and blood was running down his face. Ernesto knelt before the Priest, “Forgive me, Father. This is so the Señors will believe you were forced to carry out this marriage.”

Again, Ernesto was in the saddle and Felicia was behind him and they road into the night. For two weeks, the vaqueros of both Sanchez and Gutierrez searched the country. They were hampered by the fact that most of the poor people of the lands liked the volatile Ernesto. Gutierrez was not disliked, but Sanchez was hated. The thought that Sanchez might become the patron was appalling to the masses. Neither sign nor word was found of the couple. Sanchez was furious, but Gutierrez was becoming distraught. He had loved his daughter and the merger of his lands with those of Sanchez had really been looked on as giving her protection.

Sanchez had gone home to his anger and Gutierrez had retired with his grief. A message was delivered to Father Juan O’ Reily and he was to relay this to Señor Gutierrez. If Señor Gutierrez would agree to the terms, Felicia and Ernesto would return to await the judgment of the Señor Gutierrez. One condition was that Señor Sanchez was not to be notified.

In his grief, Gutierrez would agree to anything. On the appointed day, his vaqueros were called into the hacienda yard. Ernesto, with Felicia riding behind, slowly rode up to the gate and into the yard. Ernesto dismounted and helped Felicia down. Then, he took off his charro jacket and hung it from the saddle. Ernesto carefully unbuckled his holstered pistol and laid it across the saddle. Clearly without arms, he approached Señor Gutierrez with Felicia.

At first, Gutierrez was tearful as he hugged Felicia to himself. All of the time she was crying, “Oh papá, oh papá.”

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Doctor Parker yawned. It was getting late and tomorrow she would face the denizens of the academic world. Liz turned out the lights and went to sleep.

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She was in a hacienda. There was music all around her. She was dressed in a black lace dress with a black mantilla extending from her tiara down to her waist. There was a handsome caballero dancing with her. The guitars were playing and she could hear singing, but she couldn’t see where it was coming from. In his arms she felt secure. There was a shout and her caballero pulled her behind himself. Men entered and Liz understood that they were searching for her. There was a fearful noise as her lover drew his pistol and began to shoot. Liz caught her self. Where did she get the term lover? Who was this man who was putting himself between her and danger? She saw the men in front of her drop, but she felt the man shielding her jerk as he was also hit. Liz grabbed him, but he was slipping from her hands and … she woke up. It was morning.

[ken_r]

Francesca it means a lot that you would like my story

Alizaleven I am using an entirely different format in how this story unfolds. Hope it amuses and pleases you.

Begonia9508 I hope I can live up to your loyality


Stories by ken_r

Yerno son-in-law
Hacienda ranch house in this case the household of Gutierrez
Vaqueros cowboys
Compadre Godfather responsible with raising of child if parent dies. Having the Patrón as comparde meant the children would be well cared for if the father or mother dies this would inspire extreme loyalty. Word can commonly mean friend or assiciate.
Patrón an almost feudal term for owner of ranch and the surrounding villages built upon the ranch.
Rancho ranch
Tejanos Mexicans from Texas in this place it is used for men maybe outlaw character
The second time I use Tejano it just means Mexicans from Texas you must be careful of this double meaning
Santa Fe gang both Hispanics and Anglos who formed political groups much like the political machines in the East. They stole form the local people using legal maneuvers
politicos politicians
Castanets pieces of wood carved to fit in the hand and clicked with the fingers used by dancers to keep time with their dancing
Caballero man of distinction or gentleman




Gringo non Hispanic
Americano citizens of the United States usually meaning the Anglos that come from the outside local area. This emphasized the feeling of the hispanics that they were not part of the United States. it was men like Ernesto and later Paulo Orchecho that pulled l'gente or people into the feeling and they were also Americanos.
Stampede runaway herd of cows
Out-bounders outlaws belonging to no particular group
Railhead train station where they could load the cows on train to ship east

Liz is probably doing a flamenco dance. A beautiful dance showing off the clothes, the legs and the skill of the dancer. Almost like tap dancing the heels are stamped and clicked on the floor or sometimes the dancers will be on a table. Both men and women have a part in this dance. The beautiful petticoats under the skirts are shown as the women twirl and spin. Then the women sometimes will gather their skirts and shake them back and forth showing their legs up to the knees.

First rule is for the musicians to fade back in time of trouble that was the first thing preached to me when I studied jazz. When the shooting starts the guitar player quickly fades away.

The firearms in this time were what we call single-action. You pull back the hammer and it catches then you pull the trigger. You can also just hold the trigger and pull the hammer over and over to keep firing. Revolvers or pistols of this time were called six shooters but they were only loaded with five shots, keeping the hammer over an empty chamber for safety. That is why Ernesto only had ten shots, five in each revolver.

Chapter 2 ____________________

There was a departmental meeting this morning. Liz hated these meetings. They never solved anything. Usually they were dominated by the stupid pricks who had given Liz problems ever since she had taken the instructor job here. There were a few remarks about supplies and a couple about needing more freshmen classes next year. Then, the assholes took over. Liz never bothered, in her mind, to name them. She just gave them numbers like you would for a new family of virus. A-1, A-2 through however many that jumped on their bandwagon. They were all assholes. Liz made a habit of letting her mind roam as they droned on. They had complaints with the behavior of the students. They had complaints about the dress habits of the graduate students. They had complaints about so much that had nothing to do with academics or biology research. Liz’s eyes just glazed over. This was not why she had decided to study biochemistry.

Suddenly, Liz was brought back to earth. She heard from a far distance, “What is your take on this Doctor Parker?”

Liz looked around. She had no idea about what the question had been about. She regained her composure, “What ever you say A-1. You will do and say what ever you want, anyway.”

The minute she left, she knew she was in trouble. Liz went to her office and sat with her head in her hands. There was a knock at her open door. Liz looked up. It was one of the professors, Doctor Schmidt, who taught freshman classes with her. “You let them have a piece of your mind, all right. They needed that. That little group always is the one that keeps us from getting anything done.” He came over to Liz and put his hand on her shoulder. “The only thing, Liz, is two of us will retire next year and you are going to be left in the minority. I am afraid you will have even more trouble then.”

Yes, she liked the old professor; she had listened in on his lecture. His description of the sex habits of snails left his students rolling in the aisles. He and Doctor Robbins were what made biology fun. Unlike Doctor Schmidt, Robbins would deadpan, terrible puns. His students never knew if he was serious or not, but in trying to catch the off-cuff remarks, they learned a lot of biology. Liz prepared for her morning classes. Unlike the jokes of Schmidt or the dead pan of Robbins, all Liz had to offer was her enthusiasm about biology. After her morning class, Liz went to her lab and started her DNA experiments. Research sounded exciting, but in reality, it was deadly boring. True, every researcher was questing for the holy grail of some revolutionary discovery, but the truth was, for that one minute of glory, the researcher had to suffer a life time of failure. By nighttime, Liz was exhausted, lonesome and depressed. After a cold dinner of leftovers, she again curled up with her book.

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Gutierrez turned to Ernesto, “I could have you whipped or better yet shot. You know that don’t you.”

Ernesto shrugged, “That would be a phenomenal waste of a yerno. In the eyes of the church, we are married. I offer you something Sanchez could never do. I can give you children who will be strong and brave.”

Those from the seed of Sanchez would be cowardly and stupid. I would offer you security in your old age. I offer you my youth, which Sanchez can’t. I will love your daughter as you do. To me, she will always be the star that guides my life. In her, I would see the person to run the hacienda when you are gone.

Señor Gutierrez looked at his vaqueros and then looked back at Ernesto. The Vaqueros were loyal to Gutierrez. He was compadre to half of their children. They would do what he said, but it was also clear they liked Ernesto. They greatly admired the fact that Ernesto had returned and faced the patrón without weapons. They liked his infectious smile, but most of all, they liked the light that shown in the eyes of the señorita when she gazed upon him. They had been with the patrón for many years. Many had grown up on the rancho under his father. They had watched the señorita grow into woman hood. They didn’t want to serve under Sanchez. Most of them had already conversed with their wives about leaving and returning to Mexico if Sanchez took over.

Señor Gutierrez looked at Ernesto, “What would you do about Sanchez. I have almost pledged the hand of Felicia to him?”

Ernesto smiled that same smile that had served him for so many years. “I would hire his vaqueros away from him. This would force him to turn to the Tejanos or outlaws. If he hired them, the rest of the community would turn against him.” Ernesto was strong in his own convictions. “I would lead your vaqueros and continue leading them as soon as I can promise you an heir.” With this, Ernesto drew Felicia to him.

This was the fire Gutierrez had shown when he took over from his father. It was the fire he had hoped for if he had ever had a son. Feeling years younger, the Señor smiled. The vaqueros relaxed and Ernesto and Felicia were embraced.

The vaqueros would follow Ernesto every much as they would follow Gutierrez, especially the Gutierrez of the olden days. Ernesto and his Tejano friends and the many Anglo Texans that he had known in the olden days made up the new order in the northern territory of New Mexico. The history of New Mexico was always written in the political intrigue of the so called Santa Fe gang. Ernesto had no fear of these politicos. Ernesto was a man of honor and his word was his bond. If you did business with him, your word became your bond or your epitaph. The vaqueros of Señor Sanchez had already suffered at the hands of Ernesto at the bidding of their patrón. Now vaqueros are brave men to a fault, but they were never accused of being stupid. Sanchez felt he had a grievance both with Gutierrez and now Ernesto. The vaqueros were not sure they could follow the orders of Sanchez. Sanchez had not done anything in the past to inspire loyalty beyond simple employment. His hold on his men was failing. The vaqueros of Gutierrez were loyal to Ernesto because he was always at the front of any action leading, not commanding, his men.

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Liz regretfully put the book aside. She savored the story like a gourmet meal. This may have been one of the best book purchases she had ever made.

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As Doctor Elizabeth Parker fell into sleep she became, again, the señiorita on the dance floor. She was dancing with the handsome caballero. In her hands, she had castanets clicking in time to the rhythm of the music. The guitar player was a shadow in the back of the room. As Liz clicked her castanets faster and faster, the guitar player kept up. The handsome caballero was standing so close, but not touching her. Liz began to spin, her dress whirled out, the edge engulfing her partner’s legs as he, likewise, clicked his boot heels an the floor. He was clapping in time to her castanets and the world was spinning. Liz was becoming dizzy and she could only think of falling into the arms of her lover. The ubiquitous alarm clock struck. Liz struck back.

Chapter 3 ------------------------------

She was angry at the mechanism that had terminated her dream. Liz shook her head to clear it. She could still hear the guitar and feel the castanets in her hands. Most of all, she could smell the breath and sweet sweat of the man so close to herself. Again, she was troubled about the phrase, her lover. Then the cool air of morning cleared her head and she showered and prepared for classes.

Classes went as normal. Liz did have A-1 stop by her office. Doctor Jenks was his name. “Liz, if you would be more on board with the rest of the department, I could promise you a better track toward professorship. Liz, it is just that you always seem so negative whenever we try to improve the department. You are a good teacher and, also, a good researcher, but there is more to the department than biology. Why won’t you go out with the rest of us for cocktails after work? Why won’t you at least try to socialize more with us after hours? I have asked you out numerous times, but you always say you are busy. Liz, I just want you to be a player.”

Liz was so proud of her self. She didn’t flip him off and give him the finger. She didn’t refer him as asshole one. She just smiled and said that her private life was full right now and thank you for the invitation.

The damned gels did not work! Only half of them were giving results. She had set up the experiment so carefully yesterday. Last week, she had feared contamination and destroyed and remade her reagents. After starting fresh, the results were still the same. Liz sat with her head in her hands. She thought for a long time. Then, with a sigh, she just set everything back up and tried again.

Liz picked up a dinner from a Chinese fast food place. Oh my, what next will the world bring? The establishment was staffed with Gringo and Hispanic workers only the sign was Chinese. Since she was hundreds of miles from real Chinese cooking, Liz guessed this was the best she could get. Cooking for one person was about as inspiring as those stupid gels that were supposed to show results. Liz longed for a job on TV with CSI where, in just a matter or hours, her results would be announced and she would be a heroine as she discovered the information wanted. Reality sure did suck!

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Ernesto was riding with the vaqueros. He had made good his promise to the patrón. Ernesto was now building the rancho for both himself and the future of his children. Felicia was pregnant and the rancho was prosperous. Ernesto had made friends with the Americanos and was trading hands with them and preparing for a cattle drive that would bring riches to the rancho. Many of the Texans didn’t like Mexicans and many of the Mexicans felt the same way about the Texans, but on the trail where the horsemanship might be the difference between getting you out of a horrible death in a stampede or, when branding, the quick lariat would throw the calf and speed the hot, hard work, feelings became more based on skill than ethnic being.

The vaqueros were skillful in their horsemanship. The Texans were strong in their handling of the steers. When they worked together, they worked quickly. The first time they were faced with out-bounders trying to cut the herd, they both respected the skill of Ernesto with his pistols and his bravery. It was Ernesto who rode toward the out-bounders. It was he who attempted to talk with their leader. When Ernesto decided that he could not reason with these men because they were just common rustlers, he shot the leader of the out-bounders. The rifles and pistols of both the Texans and the vaqueros cut down the rest. They made it to the railhead. The herd was sold and the men were paid off. The Texans and the vaqueros each went to their respective parts of town to seek companionship of their personal choosing. Ernesto and the foreman of the Texans, with a few hands, rode back to their respective ranches carrying money belts that would further enrich their employers and preserve the ranches for another season. More than that, they were preserving a way of life.

Ernesto found that Felicia would be due any day. The Señor was so pleased at the success of the drive, the success of his new son-in-law, and, most of all, the upcoming birth of his grandchild. The remaining vaqueros and the ranch hands of the Texans trickled back to their respective ranches for the next several weeks.

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Liz, as she had since she got that cursed or blessed book, soon fell asleep. This time the guitar player was standing right beside her and the caballero. Her castanets were clicking. The guitar player was holding his guitar high and the dancing was almost intoxicating. Liz felt Incredible in her dress. It had tiers of black lace. Underneath were petticoats of red silk. As she whirled, the red was seen just under the lace. The caballero stamped his feet on the floor and Liz did the same. As she quit clicking the castanets she grabbed her skirts and flounced them back and forth. She had now lifted them so her legs were exposed to above the knee. The thrill of the exposure, as she shook her skirts and petticoats, was exhilarating when the door of the room was flung open. The men clad in sombreros, wearing dirty charro jackets and pants with the embroidered stripe down the leg, burst in. They screamed about being there for the señorita. The guitar player faded back into the shadows. Again, the caballero pulled Liz behind himself and this time, he dropped five men before his body jerked as it took a hit. Liz grabbed him, attempting to hold him up. She felt his weight as he sagged in her arms. As he fell, Liz grabbed the pistol from the back of his belt. She had never held a pistol before. The grip felt cold and frightening, but Liz was so angry that she held the gun with both hands, closed her eyes and began to pull back the hammer. She fired over and over until the gun was empty. Liz opened her eyes and they were stung with sulfurous smoke. Before her, on top of the five dead caused by her lover, she had laid three bodies more and the rest had fled.

The alarm again interrupted the dream. Liz was bothered. In her dream, she had killed three men.

[ken_r]

Begonia9508 the dreams are troubling to Doctor Parker. They seem to be both linked to her job at the university and also to something in the novel she is reading. Please stay with me.

Alizaleven I hope I continue to hold your interest. This story is different as it is both a Roswell fic and also a western.

Martine when I was young, if I can remember that far back I worked with the State Police in New Mexico. There were many times when I would work most of the night and then teach the next day. At that time we were having many troubles in NM. I could do this because I was young. Killing in her dreams is meant to be allegorical. She must develop strength to do what soon will be asked of her.

Kittens I noticed in most of the stories I have written I am a bit hard on bad or uncaring teachers. I also hated those when I was in school and even more when I started teaching.


Author’s notes
Liz is a troubled lady. During the story it will be made clearer why. Her dreams are both realistic and abstract. In all cases the dreams are allegorical. As the story continues the meanings can be found.

As I was writing I noticed the characters changed. They seemed to grow and, at least to me they became better people, especially Ernesto in the novel and Liz in the fic. Ernesto learned to love his children so much and he learned that he was willing to go far in helping them. Liz became more willing to take chances on being with people.

Doctor Parker's gels
When I was in high school DNA was just starting to be talked about. We had experiments in class that were at best rudimentary. We would put a spot of blood on an absorbent paper that had been soaked in a electrically conductive solution. We passed an electric current through the paper and the spot would move in the direction of the current. Different components would move at different speeds so we were able to separate them for study. They left little bands on the paper. Now, as I understand it instead of the paper scientist use a gel. The rest of the experiment is still similar. Sometimes making the experiment work is difficult. On TV it seems that the CSI people find definitive tests almost immediately. I as informed, at least by my son that it just is not that simple.

Glossery

Abuelo grandfather
Miguel Michael
Dueña pronounce dwaiñ ña chaperone usually older female who goes with courting couple to make sure they behave propperly
Tia aunt
Tiara ornament worn in the hair like a crown

Chapter 4 --------------------------------

Back in class, she was interrupted by one of the graduate students. His name was Maxwell or something like that. He was having trouble getting supplies. The department had placed a ban on what he needed to complete his experiment. He had been to the asshole contingent. They had told him that they were not dispensing supplies until after mid-semester. A girl he knew, Tess Hardin, had been in one of Liz’s classes. She had told Max to ask Doctor Parker if she could help him. Liz took a look at his list. It was just common materials with nothing that the department didn’t have plenty of. Liz couldn’t understand why the department was casting this hurdle in front of a graduate student. Liz signed a requisition in her own name and handed it to Max. It wasn’t until she was in the departmental lounge that she over heard A-1 talking to A-2. They were laughing about how they were making life hard for the grad students. Professors, Schmidt and Robbins were also in the lounge. All five foot two of Liz stood in front of Doctor Jenks. “You screwed up scum bag! Those supplies are not in short supply. If you ever again do something like that, I will go to the dean. I signed for and I will continue signing for that material for the graduate students. You are playing your infantile games with the lives and careers of these students.”

Schmidt and Robbins applauded with a hardy, “Here, here.”

Liz went back to her lab. She was so mad, she didn’t dare start a new set of gels. Liz took down her notes and decided to spend the rest of the day just going over them. A scruffy head appeared in her door. “Did I get you in trouble Doctor Parker?” a voice asked.

Liz looked up and saw the face of Max. She also saw the faces of several of the other grad students waiting in the hall. “No, Max, it isn’t something you may have caused. The asshole brigade is just trying to believe that they are really scientists. Since they are not, they have to cause someone else trouble to feel justified.”

“Well, anyway, we want to thank you Doctor Parker. We would like to buy you supper if you can stand the food at the “Slothful Student Bar and Lounge,” Max intoned.

Liz started to say no as she always did, but those faces, like a litter of puppies, wanted to so much show their gratitude that she felt compelled to say, “I will meet you all at six, if that is all right.”

The Slothful Student Bar and Lounge was the local watering hole for both students and teachers alike. Liz had never been there, but she had heard many of the professors talk about it. It had a complete menu, both for fast and cheap food, but also, very good meals. When she came in, the students had assembled several tables and she saw her graduate students from the department along with several others. There were several pitchers of beer already on the table. On sitting, Max presented her with a menu that he had torn in half. She was presented only with the quality meals portion. Max laughed as he stated, “Only the best for Doctor Parker.”

The students were completely uninhibited. They told professor jokes, some of them quite ribald. Each time they told a joke like this, they raised their tankards of beer and said in unison, “Present company excepted.”

Liz caught herself laughing along with the students. As the festivities continued, Professor Robbins wandered by. He glanced over his glasses, as he always did, right at Liz, “I see you are indulging in some out of class lectures, Doctor Parker.” Then, he helped himself to refill his glass from the table’s beer pitcher. “Excellent topic, Doctor, by all means, carry on.” Then, he left to wander to a table elsewhere with some of his colleagues.

At first, Liz was a little intimidated. Then, the whole table burst into laughter. Her meal was served and she was exposed to toast after toast. By the time she was through, Liz did feel a buzz. She stood up, “I have had an enjoyable time, but I have to go.”

She was unsteady as she attempted to leave, when she felt a hand at her arm. “Doctor Parker, please let me. I don’t drink and I will drive you home.”

Liz knew the logic of this. She almost never drank, and never this much when she did. She had enjoyed herself more than she could remember. Liz handed Max her keys and he led her to where she said she had parked her car. Max drove her home and, as he walked her up her walk, she saw another man sitting in a jeep waiting for him. It must have been that friend of his, ah… What was his name? Oh yeah, Michael.

Liz stumbled into her house. She shut and locked her door. She was going to miss her reading to night. She had already had her quota of entertainment.

Liz was asleep as soon as she had undressed and prepared her self for bed.

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Her beautiful dress was covered in blood. The caballero was coughing. If he had been hit in the lungs he would soon be dead. Liz still was holding the empty pistol. Men were milling around and, with their boots, they were rolling over the dead looking at the faces searching for recognition of any of the dead. The guitar player was playing the deuguello of no quarter like the orchestra of Santa Ana had years ago at the Alamo. Liz bent over the man whose head she was cradling in her arms. She kissed his bloody lips. She could taste the salty taste of blood and she cried as she held his body.

Chapter 5 _________________________

Liz awoke. She had a headache and her mouth tasted bitter. After a very long and very hot shower, Liz felt better. Now that she could think about it, she had a good time with the students last night. The dream still kept haunting her. She had this terrible feeling about the death of her lover. Doctor Parker didn’t now, nor had she ever, had a regular lover. There had been a few nights, but she had always been too busy with study to have a strong relationship. She just couldn’t shake the terror of the dream.

Liz spent her day in her lab. She finally had gotten a series of gels to run. The dark shadowed marks were in a definite patterns. She could take the time to analyze and write her findings in her journal. She was even humming. Still, in the back of her mind, she felt for the young man whose head she had held in her lap, even if it had been in a dream.

By the time she was ready to go home, she had to concede that the day had bee quite successful.

Dinner was microwave Lean Cuisine. She felt that she really deserved her time with the story.

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In 1881 the wife of Ernesto Delgato, the Señora Felicia Gutierrez-Delgato presented her husband with twins, a boy and a girl. The boy was named Maximo and the girl Isabella. The young Ernesto was delighted. These were his firstborn and one of them was a boy. The resulting fiesta was surpassed only by that of the Caldrone family who had ten daughters, before their first son was born. Ernesto now had an heir and he, also, had a daughter to marry off to some man of power to protect his heritage and his name.

This had been in forward of the book. This was what made Liz decide to buy it.

Señor Gutierrez was now a grandfather twice over. He fondly remembered the joy of watching Felicia grow up. He remembered her dressing and dancing at the fiestas. He now, had a chance to watch a son grow up. As promised by Ernesto, the son, Maximo, would be strong. What more could an abuelo want? Nothing was going to quell the old man’s happiness. Ernesto had proved his promise. He had turned the rancho around. Using ties with the Americanos, he had brought wealth to the rancho. The two strong children grew up loving their parents and abuelo alike. Isabella could ride almost as well as Maximo. She, with her flowing skirts, would ride astride against the warning and worry of her mother. Isabella and Maximo would ride across the rancho daily. The families of the vaqueros would wave and if the young people got tired, they could count on rest and repast at any house they passed.

When Maximo and Isabella were about eight, they were forbidden to ride out one morning. Isabella was furious. Why were they refused their God given freedom? Maximo went to his father and returned very sober. “There was an attack on a wagon train last night by Indians. Father and some of his Texan friends had ridden out to see what the trouble was.”

Indian attacks were supposed to be a thing of the past. The whole hacienda was in turmoil until Ernesto returned. One day turned into two and two turned into three. The Señor sent his vaqueros out to look for his son-in-law. It was five days before the vaqueros returned along with Ernesto and his Texas friends. It hadn’t been Indians. It was renegade Anglos.

Ernesto and his friends had caught up with them after they had plundered the whole train. They found the wagons burned and most to the stock driven off. Ernesto saw that at least one wagon had been saved and it was filled with plunder. Indians never did this. They saw immigrants as an encroaching enemy and Indians were usually fighting to force them move on. They usually had little use for white man’s goods, at least in amounts that would take a wagon to carry away. One of the Texans signaled. The men went on alert. The Texan crouched as he made his way up a slight hill. In a small coven of scrub, he suddenly reached in and grabbed a small boy. The whole train was massacred except for one little boy. The boy wouldn’t speak. They had no idea what he had witnessed. That was another thing if it had been Indians, they would not have missed the sign of the boy as he hid in the scrub. As far as Ernesto could figure out, the boy was of Irish decent and his parents had been members of the wagon train. The little boy had a letter in his pocket addressed to a Mr. Guerin. Ernesto learned that the boy’s name was Michael Guerin. Another of the vaqueros rode up without shouting or making noise. He indicated that the wagon and men had travel due west. The men moved quietly as they followed the trail. It led into a protected curve of an arroyo bank. Every one was in silent agreement about what must be done. Ernesto lifted the boy down and directed him to hide in a small group of trees. Neither Ernesto nor the Texans had any use for law enforcement. Why bother the authorities. The men had goods from the train. The trail from the train led right up to the group so they hadn’t even bothered talking. With a cry, he charged the group, emptied one Remington and then reaching in his saddlebag he drew the other. With the dreaded Rebel Yell, the Texans were right behind Ernesto. Many of the Texans had those new Colt 1873 revolvers which could handle brass cartridges. Two of them had Winchester 1873 rifles that could be shot all day with out reloading. The whole episode took only two minutes. There was no one left alive. The bodies were laid out and their possessions collected along with several pistols and rifles. Ernesto rode back and picked up his small charge.

The boy was riding in front of Ernesto and holding on to his arms as they approached the hacienda. He was scared and he wasn’t willing to say anything. Ernesto, talking to the Señor stated, “He hasn’t said more than three or four words since we found him. The renegades had missed him and, unfortunately, little Miguel had been present at the blood bath when we caught up with the renegades.”

The Señor sent back some of his vaqueros with wagons to collect all of the goods that might of value. It had been decided that everything would belong to little Miguel because he was the sole survivor.

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This was a lot, but Liz had decided she needed to pamper her self with the indulgence of the extra time reading. Liz prepared for bed.

---------------------------------
Liz was sitting in a room. She was surrounded by people she felt she should know. Her dueña, Tia Rosita sat behind her. Liz was dressed in that same black silk dress with the layers of lace. She still had on the mantilla of lace that went from the tiara in her hair to her waist. The aunt was dressed in simple black cotton. She said nothing and her purpose was just to ensure the properness of the young man Liz had agreed to meet.

Liz was delighted that the young man was the caballero from before. As he approached her, Liz noticed that he wasn’t wearing his revolver. He bowed and kissed her hand. His oration was inspired, “The honor is mine to finally meet the flower that has grown in Santa Fe. The hacienda of Gutierrez wishes to convey our best to the loveliness it is in the presence of.”

Liz simply asked, “Do you not habitually wear weapons?”

The young man was taken back. “Yes, normally, but I was told that when being presented to such a lovely person, I would be insulting you if I was armed.”

Liz stood up, “If you intend to pay me court, I expect you to be able to also defend me. Next time, and be assured, I desire a next time, please be equipped to so do.” Then followed by her dueña, she left the room.

[ken_r]

Alizaleven Liz has a crippled love life. She will tell her story as we go along. She also needs strength as she faces the problems of her department. She is one of the younger people working there but much is going to be expected of her. Her dreams are allegories of what she is going to face.

Begonia9508 I just hope I measure up to your expectations as a writer

Martine see what I told Alizaleven above. She has been secluded because of the sadness of her father’s death and her mother just giving up. If love did this to her mother Liz is not sure she can take it. Also she is to be a power mover with her department.

Glossary
Pendejo literallty it means pubic hair but here it is used to mean fool
Zopilotes buzzards vultures
Colt made their pistol in caliber 44/40 which was the same caliber as in th Winchester 73 they were always called colt or Winchester 44s
Paper on those men they were wanted men with reward posters having likenesses of their faces usually drawn or some times photographs
Patrón in this case Señor Gutierrez the owner of the ranch. Also used to mean the ranch administration.
Cap and ball pistol, theses were revolvers that you had to load each cylinder individually. This was a very slow process that is why gunmen sometimes carried 2 or more loaded pistols.
James Butler Hickok spelling of last name has several versions. Know as Wild Bill Hickok by Ned Buntline a writer of cheap western novels. He was killed holding a poker hand of a pair or aces and and a pair of eights no one knows what the 5th card was. This is called the dead man’s hand even to day.
Quinceañera a coming out ceremony, debutants ball the affirmation that the girl is now an adult and in this case she is ready for marriage. It is Mexican in origin coming from Aztec ceremony. To day it is very important to some Hispanic families
Abuelo grandfather
Nieto grandson
Hermana sister
Spanish spurs vaqueros took pride in their horses like their Gringo counterparts but some men trying to conquer the animal would use a cruel spur or implement worn on the back of the boot. In this case the spur had sharp points to hurt and punish the animal. Not used by real working cowboy or vaquero
Niños usually used as children or very young sons. Here it is used because Vargus implies that Maximo and Miguel are children and not men with their own mind.
Cabrón goat, used in the southwest as son-of-a-bitch or worse.


Chapter 6 --------------------------------

Liz woke up. That was weird. Liz had never liked guns. She always looked at men who carried them and shot them, as throwbacks to a former time. Then she giggled. What was this dream, if not a throw back? These were men and women who ate red meet and raised children to be strong. These were men, and also, women who were willing to fight to defend their own. If the dreams had any meaning, the ability to defend one’s love also resided in Liz. Or how else, in that dream of several nights ago, could she kill those who would take her lover away from her? There was that word again, lover. Liz didn’t have a lover and she wasn’t looking for one. The most Liz wanted right now was for a successful run in the gels of her experiment and the eventual security of professorship. Liz did feel empowered. She was in her office when A-1 stopped by. “I hear you were drinking with your students. Is that how you would represent the University if you became professor?”

Liz clipped him right in the chest with a phone book. Hot damn, those white pages flew just like a Frisbee when you threw them just right! Professor Schmidt stopped by. “Jenks had to be reminded that he was overstepping himself and leaving the department open for a harassment suit if he didn’t lay off questioning you about your private time,” he said gleefully.

Liz gave him a smile, “I just lost it for a time. A-1 is so full of himself and he has hit on me several times.”

Later that day, Max and his friend, Michael, dropped by, “Are you all right Doc? I heard Doctor Jenks was causing you trouble this morning.”

“Well then, you should have also heard that I took care of Doctor Jenks myself thank you,” Liz replied.

She heard Michael and Max chuckling as they went down the hall. What started off terrible, was ending up a good day. The gels worked again. Liz had more material for her project journal.

That evening on the way home, Liz stopped at a small Mexican restaurant. She had a taco salad that was delicious. It wasn’t take out. It wasn’t freezer food. It was served as real food, in the company of real people.

Curling up with the book was looked forward to, the whole day.

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Miguel grew up right beside Maximo and Isabella. They went to school together and studied together. Isabella, at one time, had a crush on him. She would follow him everywhere. The crush didn’t last because Maximo considered Miguel as a brother and Isabella grew to think likewise. They still played together and rode together. Maximo was wearing one of his father’s Remingtons. He loaded it every morning, just as his father told him after shooting the old loads at a target. Ernesto was not a believer in drawing his gun too quickly. He said, “Never let your weapon out run your mind.” He then would tell of the Gringo James Hickok, for whom he had so much admiration. He just was so fast in shooting he shot the friend who was coming to his aid. That was why people said Hickok was fast with his gun. Ernesto often repeated that the split second you took to be sure, would be well spent in directing your weapon where you wanted it to go. To be fair, Ernesto gave his other Remington to Miguel who did everything Maximo did.

It was thought that Miguel was about the same age as Maximo and Isabella. When they were about twelve, they could be found riding across the rancho every day when not called to study. Miguel was smart, but he didn’t take to formal study very well. One day they had ridden several hours away from home. Isabella was in the lead. She crested a rise and they all three saw a group of men riding toward them. All of the children knew that men away from the hacienda could be dangerous. They reined in their horses and started back toward the house. They had been seen and, with a loud cry, shots were fired at them. Max and Miguel hung back to cover Isabella. None of the shots came close. At that distance, you had to be very good to make a shot count. But, the fact that men were shooting at them as they rode on their own rancho was frightening. The men were definitely following them. The three youths were counting on getting close enough to the hacienda that some of the working vaqueros would hear the shooting and respond. They might have made it if Isabella’s horse hadn’t stepped in a prairie dog hole. There was a terrible crack and an unearthly squeal. The horse cried out in pain. Isabel, herself, as she went flying through the air, rolled up in a ball. All that was hurt was her dignity and her heart as Maximo, with one shot, had to put the beautiful animal out of his misery. Max had pulled up the minute he saw Isabella was in trouble. Miguel had circled and then dismounted. He and Maximo pulled their horses down to lie quietly. Standing, they would be clear targets for the approaching men. Between them, they had nine charges for their pistols plus how ever many Max had in his rifle. Max worried his rifle out of the scabbard on his saddle. The men were still coming. Max laid his pistol beside his horse. Isabella put her hands on the frightened animal’s head and spoke soothing words she, her self, did not feel. Maximo took careful aim and dropped the lead man. Miguel, after the manner of some of the Texans who came by from time to time, sat with his knees slightly bent his elbows resting on his knees. He carefully took aim and he hit the horse of another rider. With a terrible squeal the animal went down throwing its rider. Isabella thought how horrible it was that the poor, dumb animals had to suffer for the evil that lurked in men. She knew that Miguel also hated to shoot the animal more than he would the rider. The men milled around for a while. Then just as they were getting ready to charge, Ernesto came over the hill, with his Texas friend and several vaqueros. They quickly surrounded the men.

“We were just shooting at Indians,” one of the men retorted. “They fired on us first,” he lied.

“You are on the Rancho de Gutierrez,” Ernesto said. “You are not to be shooting at anyone.”

“But, they shot at us first,” the man complained.

“You were shooting at my children, pendejo,” Ernesto was so angry that he could hardly speak.

“What do you mean letting your children ride way out here?” was the angry reply of the man, but it was his last reply. Both the Texan and Ernesto fired as one. He went flying off of his horse.

“You shot him,” one of the other men called out in disbelief. He likewise had made his last statement. There was a roar of gunfire as the four remaining men died.

Ernesto rode up to his son, Maximo, and his daughter. Isabella was crying for her dead horse. He instructed one of his vaqueros to strip the saddle and bridle from the animal. Then, he extended his arm and like so many years ago with her mother, he swung Isabella behind his saddle.

The Texas friend of Ernesto’s rode up. “There is paper out on two of those men. Why don’t you let me ride in with your vaqueros and help them claim the reward? I would just let the rest lie here for the zopilotes. Remember, the buzzards need to eat also. At twelve years old, Maximo and his step-brother Miguel had been in their first fight for their lives and that of their sister, Both had killed their first man.

Ernesto presented Maximo and also Miguel with Colt 73s. These were the Colts that supposedly had won the west. However the weapons presented by Ernesto were not the Colt 45s. Rather they were the Colt 44s whose ammunition matched the Winchester 73 rifles they each now carried. Each revolver cost almost a month’s pay for the average cowhand. So only someone like the patròn could afford four of these fine weapons. Ernesto knew that both Maximo and Miguel would consider the gun as working tools. He didn’t bother giving lessons about how to safely handle the weapons, but he did stress both lessons from Old Wild Bill Hickok. First, was the morning ritual of cleaning and emptying the weapon. The weapon, thus, was both tried and prepared, even though the brass cartridges were more reliable than the old cap’n ball pistols. And second, do not to let your ability to be a fast man to use a gun out run your mind. Know what and whom you were shooting.

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Liz put the book down. She didn’t like to think about that much violence. She, also, felt, sorry for the poor animals who had to give their lives for the actions of humans. Then, she thought to ask, what kind of men would shoot at someone without any reason? Were they truly far enough away not to see that they were children? Did they not see that one of the people was a woman? Then, she had a cold feeling strike her. What if that was the reason they followed the three. What if they did see that one of them was a woman even though she was a child. Women in the west were held in respect, even by outlaws most of the time, but, maybe, these animals were such that even outlaws couldn’t stand them. Liz was thinking about Isabella crying for her beloved horse. These were hard times.

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Liz fell asleep, but it was after tossing and turning for some time. Her dueña was behind her. The caballero entered her door. He was followed, by two vaqueros and he, clearly, was wearing a revolver. This time, her father was standing beside her. He welcomed the young man and after offering him a glass of wine, he left the room along with Tia Rosita. Liz knew that they were not far and this was only a gesture that they accepted the young man’s court. Liz and the young man talked. The talk was very formal and Liz couldn’t remember anything that was said even though she vividly remembered everything else.

Chapter 7 ---------------------------

Liz arose. She was a little disturbed from the novel last night. She was also kind of pleased about the dream, but she also had concerns. In the dream, she was finding a lover, but she, also, had demanded that to court her, the man must come armed. This was not like Liz. She had always taken a strong stand on the direction of her life and beliefs. Liz had never believed in guns. She was worried about why the direction might be changing. She was starting to question why was she having these dreams. They seemed to be of the same time period as the novel, but they didn’t seem to follow the novel. Liz always felt that dreams were your mind letting superfluous ideas out to clear itself.

As Liz was walking to her office, she saw A-1. He retreated and went back around the halls to avoid her. She made it into the office without any unpleasant confrontations. Max and Michael stopped by the office, “Everything okay Doc?” they called out.

It was more than okay. Everything today worked out. Professor Schmidt stopped by, along with Professor Robbins and they chatted a few minutes. Liz noticed that a couple of the other professors also smiled and waved as they passed by. Liz felt guilty because she didn’t even know their names.

That night Liz was right back reading the novel.

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Isabella was fifteen and in this culture women started to look at men for possible mates. Social occasions were usually the fiestas thrown by different haciendas to celebrate various events. The quinceañera was one of the most important events of a girl’s life. In cities there would be strict steps to follow. In the country where there are fewer people short cuts would be made. Traditionally there would have been 14 girls called damas. They would represent each a year of the girls life. The damas would be escorted by properly chosen young men. The young men would be dressed in their best costumes, in this case they would be wearing charro jackets and pants. In the eyes of the church and in the eyes of society the girl would now be seen as an adult. If possible there would be a mass said by the priest. As with everything else in these sparsely settled lands this would be an excuse for a fiesta. In fact it was at the quinceañera for Felicia that Ernesto stole her away.

Ernesto remembered when he was young. He attended every fiesta, until that fateful day, he saw the anguish of the darling señorita when she saw that pig, Sanchez, coming as if he owned her. That day was when Ernesto grew up. He, in a split second, chose to forgo the eternal quest for fair señoritias and to just take the fairest of them all. Felicia could only see what the brave Ernesto had to offer compared to the lustful greed of the man she was about to be promised to. Now, Ernesto had two children and a ward. He wanted both Isabella and Maximo to find someone they could grow old with. Maximo was so serious. He was always on the lookout along with Miguel, for any supposed danger. Isabella had grown into as much of a beauty as her mother. Ernesto remembered his feelings when she was born, that she would be someone he could marry off to bring strength to the rancho. Now, Ernesto felt that, more than anything else, he was concerned for the happiness of his daughter.

Isabella was presented to the community. She was 15. Now the young men all lined up to dance with her. There was one damper on their passion. Well make it two or maybe three. Maximo and Miguel stood behind her. They said nothing but the implication was hurt our sister and we will bury you or feed your bones to the zopilotes. Several men still wanted to dance with her but she didn’t receive the invitations to meet in the garden after the family was asleep. The young men were genuinely trying to impress Isabella but they knew they must measure themselves against Maximo and Miguel. The third damper of passion was her father himself. It was understood that he would not accept penitence for slighting his daughter, so, if her brothers didn’t get you Papá would.

There were a few older men that did try in enter into negotiations with Ernesto. What they found was they had nothing to offer him as her father and unless they could declare their value to Isabella there was nothing more to be said.

It was also noticed that even though there were many eligible señoritas neither Miguel nor Maximo were trying to impress any of them. Those who hoped to gain a part to the Gutierrez fortune had little hope.

Abuelo Gutierrez was getting old. He was slowing down. He was leaving everything about the rancho to Ernesto. Ernesto was remembering the feelings of Felicia when he had danced with her. The Señor Gutierrez had not truly been happy at allowing Felicia to go to Señor Sanchez so many years ago. Although at first wary of the young gunman, he, the Patrón had eventually jumped at the chance to marry her to Ernesto and he had told Ernesto many times how happy he was that he made that decision. Ernesto smiled because at the time it was not clear if he would be accepted or shot.

The Señorita Theresa Harding-Garcia had been born of the marriage of Roberto Garcia and Sylvia Harding. Sylvia was from England and she had met the flamboyant Roberto at a party in Madrid. Roberto had courted Sylvia and married her. He was captivated, by her beauty. She was blonde and fair. There were many fair-skinned people in Spain at that time because Spain was a cultural hub in Europe. Roberto soon learned that the lovely Sylvia was in Spain because of her notorious behavior in London. Her parents had exported her to Spain when it became untenable to quell the rumors in London about her affairs. She was not royalty, nor did any of her family hold any peerage. She was taken to Spain in hopes of marrying her off as soon as possible. Roberto was her first and last target. After marriage, he had to contend with her infidelities. He killed two men in duels and he had whipped the beautiful Sylvia many times. He just couldn’t bare any longer to torture, tare and scar her beautiful skin. Roberto finally got her pregnant. He had hoped that motherhood would quell the adventures of the English lady. She presented him with a beautiful daughter that they named Theresa. True, Sylvia did slow down her amorous affairs after the birth of her daughter. Mostly, because of the fact that now she was a matron with a child. Also, because of the deadly anger of her husband, she was no longer as desirable as she had been before. The little girl, Theresa, grew up with the beauty and character of her mother. Her behavior in Madrid became scandalous, so Roberto decided to send her to a cousin in the New World.

Theresa’s time in Mexico was limited. Her father’s cousin, Ricardo Toledo had already made plans to leave for Santa Fe, in the new country Estados Unidos. Ricardo was sure with the fair Señorita, he would be able to open doors of opportunity. Once established and before the volatile Theresa could foment any scandal, he made arrangements to be introduced to the Señor Gutierrez of northern New Mexico. Ricardo immediately developed an intense dislike to Ernesto. He thought that Ernesto was entirely too friendly to the Anglos, especially the rowdy Texans, he befriended so frequently. He disliked the fierce loyalty the vaqueros showed toward Ernesto, more like comrades in arms than the relationship they should have to a patrón. He did see two advantages in the Gutierrez family. First, there was the nieto of Gutierrez, Maximo, and second his hermana Isabella. These two young people might be a way to bypass Ernesto. Ricardo was a master at disguising his true feelings. He tried in every way to pretend friendship to Ernesto. On Ernesto’s part, he tolerated Ricardo because of the hospitality offered by the aged Señor. If Ernesto’s true feelings had been allowed, he would have just shot Ricardo and left him beside the thieves who had attempted to destroy his family, as food for the zopillotes.

Ricardo had also contacted an acquaintance, Kiki Vargas. Vargas probably had a formal first name, but everyone just called him Kiki. Ricardo told Señor Gutierrez that Señor Vargas was a business associate and he would appreciate it if the Señor could please extend his hospitality to include him.

If Ernesto disliked Ricardo, he hated Vargas. The first one to have a run-in with Vargas was Miguel. He caught Kiki trying to ride one of the Gutierrez horses, using a whip and those terrible, cruel Spanish spurs. The horse was not used to such a heavy hand. Kiki was whipping the animal and its sides were bleeding from the spurs. Miguel called him out, “Spur that animal one more time and I will kill you where you stand.”

Kiki spun around, but he was facing Miguel’s drawn gun. Kiki also heard a soft click to his side. He stole a glance and saw Maximo standing at the edge of the corral with his Winchester 73 pointed right at his head. He slowly righted himself. “Since when do niños interfere in the world of their elders?” he said.

Both Miguel and Maximo would have shot him at that minute had not Ernesto interfered. Later, Ernesto was to think that this was his greatest mistake. “Boys stop. He is a guest of the patrón.” It was minutes before either Miguel or Maximo would holster and put away their weapons.

Kiki laughed. He started to return to the hacienda, “You would do better to watch your children, Señor. I might have to kill them someday.”

Ernesto, in one motion drew his colt and struck Vargas across the face. Like he had done to the priest so many years before, but this time, he did it with all the force he could muster. It laid the face of Vargas wide open like a saber. “Señor Vargas, this was a pass for the patrón. Next time, we won’t shoot you. We will tie you between two wild horses and whip them into a frenzy until they rend your body in too. Go back to the cucaracha that brought you here. Your hospitality is now suspended,” Ernesto told him in his anger.

What neither Ernesto nor his boys had known was that since Ricardo had arrived, he had been flattering the aged soul of the patrón, Señor Gutierrez. He had been telling him of his greatness and that he would propose unions both between his ward Theresa to Maximo and, also, his friend Señor Vargas to Isabella. Gutierrez’s mind, slowly fading into dementia, had decided that as the patrón, he had the right to make these bonds with his new friend, Señor Toledo. That this would infuriate Ernesto did not even cross his mind.

Also, what he didn’t know was that Kiki Vargas had been paying court to Isabella. Isabella wasn’t a fragile flower who would wilt at the ministrations of any man that came by. But, she was a fifteen-year-old girl who had just begun to realize her world of romance. She was flattered at the attention of the friend of her abuelo. Kiki was good looking. He was only about 25 years-old and he would have been a good match if he had been a man instead of a “cabrón”. When he came in the hacienda that afternoon with his face bleeding, Isabella ran to him.

“It was your father,” he said. “He has learned of my love for you. We all know the story of how he rode off with your mother. That is all that is left for us my love.”

______________________
Liz didn’t see how she could put the book down at this point, but if she kept it up, she would never be able to wake up tomorrow. To her mind the duplicity of comparing his affair with Isabella to that of Ernesto and Felicia was the height of folly. She tossed as she went over in her mind the effects of the story so far.

________________________
Liz was in a bedroom. She was in nightclothes. Beside her was the caballero. He was sitting on her bed and, with his hand, he was brushing her hair. She heard the sound of his low voice as he told her of her beauty and charms. He told her of his undying love which he would prove tonight. He stood and began to take off his shirt. Liz felt her heart beating in her breast. She was a virgin and, in a short time, she would give this virginity to this handsome stranger. As he was removing his shirt over his head, and standing before her with his naked chest heaving as he leaned toward her, she could only think of the love she had for him.

Suddenly, there was a beating on the door. “Señorita open the door. The patrón, your father, has sent us,” the disembodied voice stated.

Liz looked at the caballero. He was no longer handsome. He wasn’t the man she had defended so many dreams ago. His face was a mask of savagery. He yanked off his pants and, for the first time in her life she was exposed to the visage of a naked man. He jumped into her bed. He wrenched her nightclothes, rendering them as he yanked them from her. He poised above her preparing to ram into her when the door splintered. The room was filled with smoke as a half dozen guns fired over and over. The last sensation she had was the wetness of blood as her alarm sounded.
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my two stories that are now being posted
Second Chance for Antar is almost finished

You Can’t Go Back to Yesterday this is a new CC canon fic that i just started.

[ken_r]

Alizalenen I do not purposely create cliff hangers but this story seems to be full of them. I attribute this to creating so much uncertainty in the character of Doctor Parker. I felt that only by this uncertainty every morning I could make her try to grow as the story developed.

Martine please see the above about cliff hangers and accept my apology. Tess is safe in real life and only slightly disturbing in the novel. I try to show her growing by being exposed to the real men of the west.

Natalie36 thankyou

glossary
Patrón in this case it is the grandfather Señor Gutierrez
Nieta granddaughter
Cucaracha this is a hard one in many Spanish stories the cucaracha or cockroach is an endearment it also can be meant as just what it is, the hated bug found throughout the world. In this case they are calling Toledo a very bad and useless person.
Niños in this case he is calling Maximo a little child
Pendajo fool literally pubic hair. Here it is used as very bad name
Bendición blessing
Americanos Anglos The Hispanics of this area were still not comfortable considering themselves as citizens of the United States.
Puta whore

Author’s notes: there are two jokes in the novel. See if you can find them.

I studied using a drovers whip with an uncle long ago. It is very different from the whips used in Australia. It is flexible all of the way up to the hand and thus more dangerous to the user. A skillful person can flick a cigarette from the lips of a person. Of course you loose a lot of friends learning to do this.

It has been proven by real gunfighters, not Hollywood ones but law men that have stood toe to toe and lived to not be a second place in a fight, that the most time wasted is in the mental consideration to fire. Maximo entered the room and when he saw Isabella half naked he had decided Kiki was to die. Nothing Kiki could have done would have beat Maximo at that point.

Chapter 8
Liz sat up in bed. It was minutes before she could breath normally. The intensity of the dream had her heart pounding. She involuntarily looked at the door to confirm it still on its hinges. She ran her hand up and down her body. Yes, she was still clad in a t-shirt and shorts, her habitual dress for sleeping. Liz grabbed her underclothes and ran into the bathroom. Her shower was far longer that that needed to cleanse her body. She was trying to drive that horror out of her mind. After steaming herself like a lobster, Liz finally got out of the shower. She examined her self before her mirror. There was neither blood nor wounds on her body. Her hands were dish-washer burned, but those were the hands of a biochemist. Always washing her utensils and using astringent soap rid the items of germs and impurities that would harm the experiment. Liz began to feel her body responding to normal behavior as she prepared to leave for her classes. There was no way Liz was going to quit reading the novel, at this point, but the dreams were taking on a ridiculous turn.

At class, Liz lectured with concentration. The questions and discussions of her students required her attention and, for a time, Liz forgot the dream. She was sitting in her office preparing to depart for her labs when the, almost daily, appearance of Max occurred. This time, instead of simply calling out, “Hey Doc, how are you doing?” he stepped into the office. “Doc, could I talk you into having dinner with me. I mean a real dinner, not just the beer and food at the Slothful Student?”

Liz had to laugh a little. That was the last thing she had expected. At first, she started to say her almost automatic retort about not going out, especially with students. She looked at him. If she was not mistaken, he was nearly her age. Maybe, he hadn’t achieved his doctorate, yet, but he wasn’t a kid. “Where would we go?” Liz asked.

“I don’t know, Doc, I will find some nice restaurant. Then Michael’s girlfriend is singing at a club up town. She is supposed to be good and they have other good music besides hers,” Max replied.

Liz thought, Why not? The only dates she had recently had been dream dates ending up in gunfire and blood. Maybe a real time adventure would give her mind something else to work with. Liz smiled, “Yes, I think I would enjoy that.”

Max’s face lit up like a little boy’s at a birthday party, “Great Doc, I know where you live, so I will pick you up about 7:00 tonight.”

He left. Liz shook her head. She would never have done that before, but she didn’t regret it. Max had been congenial before and being out, eating a real dinner, listening to music would be a change from fixing freezer food and wrapping her self around that book.

Liz sat on her bed looking at her closet. It was obvious that she hadn’t been out in some time. Any thing such as a nice dress was at the back of her clothes rack. She finely settled on a modest black dress with medium heels. By the time she was dressed, it was almost time for Max. He knocked on her door. She was surprised when she saw him. He was dressed in pressed slacks and an open neck shirt under a sweater vest. His hair was combed and his perpetual beard stubble was freshly shaved. Max led her to his car. It was a Chrysler letter series sedan. Max opened the door, “I borrowed this from my sister. Michael is using the truck and the jeep isn’t very good for night-time driving.

Max and Liz talked through the dinner. She was to find him a fascinating man. Michael was his stepbrother. He had been orphaned and Max’s father adopted him when he was about eight. Max had worked for four years before starting college. Actually, Max was a year older than Liz. Michael had also worked and now was doing his doctorate in entomology. Max did a lot of special experiments for Michael since he was working in the Molecular Biology labs. Max’s father was a lawyer and Max had a sister.

Liz talked about her family for the first time since she could remember. Her parents were dead. Her father had lived to see her get her doctorate from Harvard. He had died shortly there after. Her mother only lived a year after her father’s death. She just didn’t want to continue a journey through life without her partner of almost thirty years. Liz has been hired as an instructor at University of New Mexico. She was to move up and advance to professor, but she had hit a ceiling controlled by the present staff of the biology department. Yes, she enjoyed teaching freshmen and her major activity was reading and collecting books.

Max laughed at the thought of collecting books as being an activity. He had traveled before he had started college. The jobs he had held had taken him all over the world. Michael had followed Max on many of them. They were close for stepbrothers. As soon as they finished their doctorates they, intended to travel again. Trouble was, now, Michael was infatuated with this singer. Max’s sister had heard her last week and she had informed Max that he needed to hear her performance. If nothing more, for Michael’s benefit, since they all three were so close. Max apologized, “You are my excuse for going to her performance. If I am taking someone, it isn’t as if we are spying on Michael.

Liz smiled, “If you had told me that, I would have agreed faster. I thought you were trying to pick me up and were offering me a romantic evening.” It was cruel, but Liz had to enjoy the embarrassment on Max’s face. “That’s okay, Max. Let’s check this chanteuse out. Then we can both give Michael a properly, verified by two experts, approval for his singer.

Max had been taken down a notch. He still was enjoyable company and they retired to the small club where the illustrious Maria DeLuca was singing. Michael already had a table. Max and Liz sat down with him. Maria started her song. Her whisky voice carried passion as she sang both her own music and some of the blues classics. Liz was impressed. She began to feel that, maybe, part of the reason Max had invited her was that he, alone, wasn’t quite sure of his opinion on music. He seemed to defer to Liz for an opinion. She and Michael talked about Maria’s talent. Maria came to their table and Max made introductions. “Maria, may I present Doctor Elizabeth Parker,” he stated.

“Just Liz, please,” Liz requested. “Maria, I really enjoyed your singing.”

They sat and talked until it was time for Maria to go back on stage. Max touched Michael and whispered, “We have to go.”

When they were back in the car Max asked, “Did you really like her singing?”

“Yes, Max, she has a quality that is rare for one so young,” Liz returned.

There was an awkward minute when Max walked Liz to her door. “Max, I really had a good time. Thank you for including me in your assessment of Michael’s girlfriend. I really do think she is good and you should tell him. I think he is insecure about how she is received,” Liz told Max.

Max held her hand and looked as if he wanted to do more, but he just smiled. “Doctor Parker, maybe, we can do this again sometime.”

Liz wasn’t going to read tonight, but she was happy. It had been fun to see people and to talk to them about things that didn’t pertain to the department. Liz was soon in bed and asleep.

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Liz was dressed in night clothes that she didn’t recognize. She felt strong arms around her. The arms held her tight. She tried to see who the arms belonged to, but she couldn’t. She did see draped on a chair, which she didn’t recognize either, a charro jacket. Hanging over the jacket, she saw a holstered pistol. As far as Liz could tell, nothing else had happened. It was just that the arms surrounding her felt so correct somehow.

Chapter 9

It was Saturday. This was the day Liz tried to catch up on household duties. She had laundry, cleaning and a list of errands to run. By the time she was through, she had brought home a taco salad and was eating it in front of the TV. As usual, there was nothing on TV for a mind over twelve. When she finished, she stoked her fire in the fireplace and with shoes thrown across the room, she curled up with the book.

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Isabella gathered a few of her things. She wanted to leave a note for her brother, but Kiki wouldn’t allow that. Your father has turned them against me also. They stole away that night by the backdoor with Kiki taking two of Ernesto’s prize horses. They rode away into the night. Isabella remembered the story of her father and asked if they were going to stop at the church to see the priest?

“No, Isabella, no priest. They would also be against us. For us, it is only to run,” he replied.

Isabella frowned, but she was still trusting Kiki Vargas.

Maximo called for Isabella. There was no answer, so he entered her room. It was in disarray. Clothes were thrown around and Maximo saw that her riding outfit was missing. He quickly called the vaqueros. They spread out trying to strike up the trail. Maximo, also, sent a message to his Tejano friends and to the Anglo Texans with whom he had worked. Ernesto went to the patrón. “Señor Gutierrez, your nieta is missing.

The patrón just smiled, “Remember Ernesto, the time you ran away with the flower of my life, Felicia? Señor Vargas was in to see me today to receive my blessing to marry Isabella.”

“Vargas beats horses!” Ernesto shouted, “Any man that beats his horse will also beat his wife! He doesn’t have my blessing! I will kill him when I find him!”

Maximo and Miguel came in and the Señor turned to them, “Tell your father that it is for the best that I gave my blessing for Señor Vargas to marry your sister. I, also, gave my blessing for you, Maximo, to marry the ward of my friend, Señor Toledo.

Max frowned, “Patrón, Vargas is a pig. Miguel and I will not give our father a chance to kill him. We will leave tonight or as soon as I talk to that cucaracha, Toledo,” Maximo retorted.

Max went back to his room. It was a surprise to find the Señorita Theresa sitting in his bed naked. A truly naked woman in that day and age was a rarity. Many married men had never even seen their own wives naked. The whores would usually remove only enough clothes to offer their sex, but a truly naked woman just wasn’t often seen. Max looked at her. She could have been crying, he didn’t know. “Señorita, what does this mean?” he asked.

“You can have all that you see, if you will just take me now,” she said.

Max frowned, “What kind of ploy are you doing for that cucaracha?”

“He wants Kiki Vargas to marry Isabella and for me to marry you. I am here to show you what I have to offer,” Tess stated almost as if she had memorized that line.

Max handed her a dressing robe. “Here, take this. You do not have to go with him. We will offer you sanctuary if you want it. Right now, I am going to look for my sister. Stay here in this room and you will be safe.” With that, Max tossed her a key.

Max kicked in the door of the room where Señor Toledo was staying. Ricardo was sitting in a chair drinking the patrón’s best wine. “I do not deal with niños. Send your father in and get out before I call the patrón,” the insulting tone was directed at Maximo.

Maximo and Miguel were each wearing the new colts from Ernesto. Maximo palmed his colt and shot the wine glass out of Toledo’s hand. Ernesto and Miguel came into the room behind Maximo. Tell us where the pendajo Vargas would take our Isabella,” Ernesto said. Maximo let loose another round by Toledo’s other ear.

Señor Gutierrez came padding down the hall. “Ernesto this man is under the cloak of hospitality,” the Señor stated.

“This hombre has helped steal your nieta,” intoned Ernesto.

“I gave him my blessing,” whined the old man.

A bendición you have no right to give,” Ernesto stated with finality.

Ernesto turned to Miguel and nodded. Miguel had learned his craft with the whip from a master. He had worked for a brief time with one of the Americanos who was driving mules. Miguel laid out the lash and flicked it near Toledo’s face. The cracker snapped and Ricardo well knew that it could have just as well as been his eye. The lash snapped again this time touching the tip of Toledo’s mustache. Ernesto nodded again and Miguel placed the full strength of the lash against Toledo’s stomach. The fancy shirt opened and the flesh split. Toledo screamed and Ernesto simply said, “Tell us where Vargas has run and we will let you live.”

“Santa Fe, he has a house there. That is probably where he has gone with your sister. She will be ruined by the time you arrive.

Ernesto nodded and told the nearest vaquero, “Bring the horse that the Senior rode in with. Leave the Señorita if she wants to stay. If he is seen again on the rancho property, kill him.”

Maximo returned to his room. The Señorita was still there. She had dressed and was waiting. “You may stay here until Toledo leaves. After that, you may have sanctuary at the hacienda as long as you do not betray us.

Max left the room and he was gratified to hear the lock go click. Apparently, Theresa knew where she her best interest lay. Maximo slept in the hall. At dawn, the vaqueros brought horses for Ernesto, Maximo and Miguel. They rode toward Santa Fe. Ricardo had given rough directions for the location of Kiki’s house. Maximo and Miguel spread out. They went from house to house asking for a señorita with a man named Vargas. The people they talked to were clearly afraid. It was slow work, but, finally, when Maximo approached a house, he heard a scream. He could almost recognize it as Isabella’s. He quietly approached the door. He heard yelling coming from the inside. Maximo tried the door. It was unlocked. Maximo stepped back and, with his foot, he kicked the door open. Inside, he saw a sight that he hoped never in his life to see again. Isabella was sitting on a bed, her back and breast were bare and ugly welts were marring her perfect flesh. She was crying and Kiki Vargas was standing over her with his belt. When Maximo entered, Kiki straighten up. “You come for the puta. I have used her and she will forever be ruined,” he said with a snarl. With that, he threw his belt at Maximo and went for his pistol. There would have been a chance for Kiki to beat Maximo if it had been necessary for Maximo to think about drawing and killing him. Maximo had made the decision that Kiki would be dead the minute he entered the room. As Kiki was drawing Maximo placed two shots that could have been covered by a playing card in his chest. Maximo walked to the dying man and said, “Just who did you think you were?”

Kiki Wheezed, “I am Ki…Var… and he died.”

Maximo went to Isabella. He put his arm around her. He took her coat and placed it on her shoulders. He was walking out when Ernesto, Miguel and the city marshal ran up. Maximo stood with his sister. “What is going on?” was the marshal’s inquiry.

Miguel calmly stated, “Vargas beats horses.”

The men with the marshal turned to one another. “A man that beats horses will also beat women.”

With that, they were satisfied. Maximo would have to stay in Santa Fe, but two of Ernesto’s Texan friends stayed with him. The hearing wasn’t much. One elder Hispanic man led Vargas’s horse before the jury. They examined the horse and looked at the sores both from a whip and, also, scars of the spurs on its flanks. The marshal was satisfied. Any man that would do that to a horse, would surely do worse to a woman. Maximo was cleared.

When Max returned to the hacienda, he found Isabella in her room refusing to leave.

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Liz didn’t know how she could stand it, but she couldn’t keep her eyes opened another minute.

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Liz was dressed in a riding outfit. She was wearing a split skirt and a low crowned Spanish hat. She was riding astride and she felt this was normal, although somewhere in the back of her mind, she felt it was immoral. Beside her was the handsome caballero. She kept thinking that, but remembering back, she couldn’t ever visualize what he looked like. She felt close to him and she felt secure with him. Behind them rode
four vaqueros. Liz somehow knew he was handsome, but she couldn’t see his face for the life of her. Liz wondered where they were headed. Somewhere in her mind, Liz really wondered where she was going. That creature of torment, the alarm clock, went off.

[ken_r]

Alizaleven thank you and here is the next post

Begonia9508 remember the novel is a western. It is a little extreme but it was only a few years ago when people settled their own problems with out the aid of law. The double meaning is they didn’t want to drag a woman through a court trial like we do today. Maybe they were more caring of their women than we are.

Sternbetrachter thanks again

Martine I was older than a lot of my teachers especially in graduate school. There is supposed to be confusion about her dreams. Doctor Parker is confused about her life. Later she will tell exactly what it is about her parents death that bother her so much. Liz is searching for strength and she does not find where her support comes from till much later. She is scared as she doesn’t know where she is going. She is really in the dark in her personal life. Max is the magical man that she is not sure really who he is. That is also part of the fun of the story.

Glossary
Mi Hermana my sister
Querida dear one can be sweetheart or dear sister.
Nuestro papá our father used rather than padre which usually reserved for priest
Dueña chaperon Isabella felt she would’t be fit for marriage so the only romance she could have would be watching some young girl as she met her lover.
Open meeting laws Many states have very just laws where any group business has to be conducted in the open and be announced to all in the group. I worked in a situation like this once. Since I was not in the in group I called my self the lower math department and insisted I make a report to the school principal from those of us in the lower math department after the other group finished. the principal soon got tired of this duality and made the others include everyone in their meetings. It is hard to believe that grown ups can behave so badly
Riding astride again it was felt by many at the time that women would injure them selves riding astride.
Irish in civil war. Many irish fought as mercenaries and as students of war in civil war in the states.
Alejandro Alexander
Indian Territory Many of the Native American tribes were forced to settle in the location of the present state of Oklahoma. Outlaws also frequented this area and many illegal whisky stills were operating there

Chapter 10

It was Sunday. Liz attended church. She wasn’t a habitual attendee, but for some reason, she felt this was the thing to do. Liz had been raised Catholic, but she hadn’t felt the necessity of church solace for some time. Liz wasn’t particularly religious, but maybe the story was stirring feelings within her.

She walked back to her house. It wasn’t that far from the church to her home. Liz spent the afternoon doing housework and readying her lectures for next week. It was almost 8:00 in the evening before she had time for her book.

_____________________
Maximo tried and tried to get Isabella to open her door. All he could get her to say was, “Go away!”

Her meals were taken to her room and she ate very little of them. She also said few words to the women, many who had known and cared for her since birth. Finally, it was the Señorita Garcia who knocked on her door and was allowed in. She stayed for most of the afternoon. When she came out, she called for Maximo. “She wants to see you,” Theresa said.

Maximo knocked softly on her door. “Who is it?” was the soft question.

Maximo replied, “It is Maximo, mi hermana.” Then, he entered. Isabella looked terrible. Normally, her beauty showed through any emotion. Her hair was uncombed and she had been crying.

She was playing with her hands as she sat with head bowed. Maximo did something he had never done before. He took her comb and, just as he would brush the mane of one of his prize horses, starting at the ends of her hair. He combed it working out the snarls. “Tell me, querida. What can I do to bring you back to the land of the living?” Maximo intoned.

“What is to become of me, now? The beast ravished me. All of the time laughing, as he said he was bringing down the house of Gutierrez. He also said that the Señor had given his blessing for him to take me,” Isabella tearfully said.

“The animal is dead, Isabella. If anyone was to talk against you, Miguel would horse whip them. He will not hurt animals, but hurting evil men does not bother him. I am your brother and I will always stand by you. Nuestro papá will ever love, his Isabella,” Maximo told her as he slowly combed her flowing hair.

“Will I ever be able to get a man? Will anyone ever want to marry me? Will I suffer the indignity of only being a dueña to some other girls romance?” Isabella was full of feelings of doom.

“Isabella, a man will come and he will love you, not for being the nieta of the Señor, but rather, for being the lovely woman that holds a horse’s head as her man takes a stand to protect her. Isabella, our father has told me over and over. The traditions of the past are fading. In the new world, it will be what we do, what we are and not who we are. You need to meet a man who will love you for your self and your strength.”

Isabella took the comb from his hands. Maximo, I am not your prize horse. You do not groom a woman like you do a race horse,” she almost laughed.

“Isabella, before you, the only thing I ever tried to groom was a horse,” with that Maximo left.

The next morning, Isabella did come to breakfast. She and the Señorita Theresa spent much of the day quietly talking.

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Liz put down the book. She sighed. It was good that Maximo was willing to see past the mistakes of his sister. It was like a game that readers often play. Liz hoped that Isabel would find the love she was seeking. Liz was, also, happy that Theresa had become a supporter for the Gutierrez household.

Liz lay back in the dark thinking about her dreams. There was so much confusion when she tried to make sense of them. Liz wasn’t promiscuous, but she wasn’t a virgin at the age of almost thirty. Liz wasn’t a dancer, even though she had gone to high school dances years ago. Liz didn’t like guns, yet she had insisted that to be courted, her suitor must be prepared to protect her. Liz had never been on a horse in her life and she dreamed about riding beside her man. That was the last part. For the life of her, she couldn’t conjure a picture in her mind of what the caballero looked like. She knew he was handsome, but how did she know this?

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As the dream took over, Liz stood before a priest at confession. She spoke of her sins, the few that there were. Then, she told of her love for the caballero. She mentioned to the priest that she had her father’s blessing for him to marry her. Liz, then, was standing at an alter. She was dressed in white. Her handsome man stood beside her looking straight ahead. Liz tried to see his face, but she could only see a poor profile. The priest was reading their wedding vows in Latin. Liz understood what he was saying, even though she had studied only German in school. They were served communion together for the first time and they turned to face each other. The alarm rang. Liz was furious. She flung her pillow at the offending mechanism.

Chapter 11 -

Oh, why couldn’t it have waited just seconds more. She almost saw her handsome caballero. She almost gazed into his eyes. Since everything else was going wrong, it must be Monday again. There would be department meetings and she would be facing new set ups in her lab.

The first problem occurred at the departmental meetings. The principal assholes were all late as a group. Before even a call to new business, Doctor Jenks, better known as A-1, stood up. “We have been talking about some of the problems in the department. We have decided to discuss changes of personnel to make your department run better.”

This made Liz furious. “Who the hell is we? Did you jerks have a secret meeting to discuss departmental procedures? Don’t you realize that a closed meeting is strictly illegal?” Liz was just getting wound up.

Another young instructor, Liz didn’t know his name, stood up, “You may have violated open meeting laws. No matter what you call it, if you discuss departmental business, it has to be in an open meeting unless it falls under the recorded restrictions,” the man speaking was very nervous.

Another person, this time it was a young lady who stated, “I am in law school at this time, along with being an instructor in the biology department. I move that we close this meeting out and return next week with proper university counsel and discuss a vote of confidence for the leaders of this department. It plainly was a coup. Liz had nothing to do with it. The people were tired of the department being run by the A’s.

That afternoon, Max and Michael stuck their heads into Liz’s lab. They were both wearing berets of revolution. Liz frowned, but the infectious grin she saw on Max’s face made Liz break into a laugh. Later that afternoon she saw all of the graduate students wearing the berets of revolution. It looked like there were several problems going un-solved in the department.

Just before she was leaving, Max returned to her Lab. “Doctor Parker, do you ever go dancing? Maria has this gig at one of the casinos just outside of Albuquerque this Friday. It would be dinner, dancing and helping me know what to tell Michael about his girl friend,” Max said with a grin.

Again, Liz caught her self as she went on automatic. She started to give that tired reply she always gave, but the last time she had enjoyed Max, Michael and Maria’s company. “Yes, Max, I would enjoy that,” came out before the inhibiting part of her mind could take control.

Liz couldn’t help it. She felt almost giddy. She was an instructor of the biology department, but what the hell did that have to do with anything. She had been asked out on a date by a handsome somewhat mysterious, graduate student. It was a date and Liz could only compare her feeling to some buried within her memory of early high school when she first noticed that boys were looking at her.

That night at home, Liz actually cooked something. It was a pasta salad, but this was the first meal she had prepared for herself, except for the toast or eggs she sometimes made for breakfast, in a long time.

Nothing could spoil how she felt as she curled up with the book.

_______________________
The Señorita Theresa tried several times to interest Maximo. He was always polite, but he still didn’t completely trust her. She was bored at the hacienda, but it was safer than out where Ricardo could find her. She had received several letters asking her to meet him at various villages. Recently, she had met several of the Texans who visited Ernesto from time to time. They were so different from the cortiers she had known back in Spain. They, truly, treated her like a queen. They always took off their hats and spoke politely to her. One time, she had come upon them unannounced and they had been telling rude jokes. When they saw her, they all doffed their hats and embarrassingly apologized for their comments. In front of a lady, they had a very strict code and they all considered her a lady. Sometimes she would ride with Isabella. Theresa only rode sidesaddle. She just couldn’t see how Isabella could do such a thing as riding astride. They never went out of sight of the hacienda without Maximo and Miguel or with a cadre of vaqueros. Ernesto had made that clear and Isabella, for once, was not about to argue with her father. Ernesto did present Isabella with a brand new Winchester ‘92 in the lighter caliber of 32-20. The little Winchester was much lighter than the Winchester 73s that the boys carried. Both boys, though, preferred the long thirty-inch barreled rifles they were used to.

Sean O’Brian had been a worker on the Union Pacific railroad. He had quit when they met up with the Central Pacific in Utah. He had originally been part of the Irish fighting in the Civil War. After Utah, he drifted south, mostly working as a driver for the wagon trains bringing freight into the southwest. Here, he met Maria Vasquez. He fell in love immediately. At first her family wasn’t thrilled at the big Gringo who had entered into their lives. Soon, they found that he was a hard worker and very smart at business.

Now, he had his own freight lines and he had hired many of his in-laws. His last son, Kyle was born in 1875. Sean had met the charismatic Ernesto when Ernesto hired his wagons to bring building material to the Hacienda of Señor Gutierrez. From time to time, he would return with freight ordered by Ernesto. It was soon after Isabella had returned, that Sean’s son, Kyle, was driving for his father, arrived at the hacienda. As always, Ernesto invited the wagon boss and his son for dinner. Kyle saw and met the Señorita Theresa. He was completely lost. Her beauty had captivated him. It became habitual for wagons to, sometimes, come miles out of their way so Kyle could dine, and then converse, with the señorita. He would shower her with presents. Theresa learned that, in his own right, Kyle was heading a route for his father. He wasn’t one of her dandies, but Kyle was substantial and he seemed wealthy.

It was almost two years before Kyle came to Maximo and asked, “Who can I plead to for the hand to the Señorita. Maximo smiled, he knew of the affection Theresa was beginning to have for the young wagon boss. Kyle had a large house in Las Vegas, New Mexico. There was one time when Las Vegas, New Mexico was the biggest town between San Francisco and Independence Missouri. There was a society of such and Theresa was sure she would be happy there. While living with the Delgatos, Theresa had grown up a lot. She learned how quickly life could be taken and how dear some held life. Maximo could only tell Kyle to talk to Ernesto. With Ernesto’s blessing, Kyle was soon married to the Señorita.

The marriage was a fiesta as these unions normally go. There was one important event that happened. Sean O’Brian had a close friend by the name of Charlie Evans. He dearly wanted Charlie to come to his youngest son’s wedding. Charlie and his son, Alejandro (Al) Evans, came all the way from the Texas panhandle.

Al, or sometimes Alex Evans, was quite a character. He had been back east to college. He was smart and good looking. It was said he danced with every señorita at the fiesta. Ernesto thought of the time when he was young and he had felt that fiestas were created just for his prowess at seeing how many hearts he could break.

Ernesto sat with Sean, who he considered a good friend, and Charlie, who as the wine flowed, he was beginning to see as a friend. Charlie had also brought a couple of jugs of whisky from the Indian Territory of Oklahoma.

Alejandro looked around the dance floor. He had made almost every lady swoon with his smooth voice and easy words. He saw in the shadows a blond beauty who he had yet to meet. He asked one of the vaqueros, “Who is that regal beauty who has not danced with any one?”

The Vaquero answered, “That is the Señorita Isabella Delgato. Her abuelo is the patrón of the rancho.

Al approached the lady. “How is it that the fairest flower of all is not on the dance floor? Beauty should not be hidden in the shadows, but rather it should be displayed for all to see and worship.” Al extended his hand, but the lady just shook her head and lowered her eyes.

Standing beside her were her brother, Maximo, and her stepbrother, Miguel. Al well knew the reputations of both of these men. They were very fast to use a gun. Maximo leaned over and said something to the Señorita. She looked up at Al and his heart went into his throat. Isabella stood up and took his hand. She allowed herself to be led to the dance floor for the first time since she had been returned from Santa Fe. As they swirled about the floor to the music, Al asked, “What did your brother say to make you change your mind?”

“He said you were a good man,” Isabella said with a slight smile.

Al threw back his head and laughed. “What would you have done if he had said I wasn’t a good man?” he asked with a twinkle in his eye.

Isabella shrugged, “He would not have said that. He would probably have just killed you if Miguel hadn’t beaten him to it.

Alejandro Evans danced with Isabella most of the night. He asked if he could see her again.

Isabella was sad as she answered, “You do not want to see me again. When you find about my story, you will not see me as such a prize.” She turned and went back to where her brothers were still standing. Al couldn’t be sure, but he had the feeling she was crying.

Al Evans just couldn’t let things go that easily. He stood at the dance floor watching as she left. Suddenly, being the greatest lover at the fiesta just wasn’t that important. Several girls were giving him the eye as he returned to his father. He saw the piercing eye of Ernesto watching him. Charlie, fairly deep in his cups from, the liquid friendship offered by Ernesto, asked, “Alejandro, there still might be girls that you haven’t danced with yet. Are you quitting?”

Alejandro just hung his head, “Papá, I think I have danced with the fairest lady I will ever know.” Then he turned to Ernesto, “Señor, what do I have to do to win the hand of your daughter?”

Ernesto looked at Alejandro, “My son, Isabella has recently suffered greatly. She was hurt by a pendejo who sought to steal her heart and her honor.”

Alejandro stood straight, “Then tell me, Señor, what is the name of this animal and I will kill him myself?”

Ernesto shook his head, “My son, that has already been taken care of by her brother. Now the problem is to rebuild her heart.”

Charlie was having a hard time standing, much less making coherent sentences, “Al, maybe the Señor would let you stay… would let you stay a few weeks. You could help him ready a shipment of cows and, maybe, you would have time, with the Señor’s permission, to court the Señorita.

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With a sigh, Liz put the book down and turned out the lights.

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Liz was in her wedding bed. She heard sounds from the other room as her love was preparing to come to her. She could see the light in the other room. The door opened and her lover was silhouetted against the light in the other room. He closed the door. She couldn’t see, but she could sense him as he came to her bed. She heard his voice as he kissed her face and wrapped his naked arms around her body. She was engulfed with the kisses of his passion. Liz could only wonder what he looked like. Why did she keep saying he was handsome? She knew that he had draped his holstered pistol over a chair near the bed. Somehow, this made her feel safe. Back in her mind, she rebelled. A pistol in a bedroom should have concerned her greatly. Liz felt his hands as they explored in the darkness her body. His hands were up under her night dress. These were thrills her body had never felt before. She felt his hands as they gently crushed her breasts. It was with both deftness and strength that he spread her legs. She felt him as he crawled between her legs.

The alarm went off.

[ken_r]

Sternbetrachter thank you for reading.

Begonia9508 Liz is having frustrations about her love life and also her work life. The dreams are foretelling stresses in both.

Alizaleven Alejandro Evans is a special character. Watch as the story unfolds

Martine there are frustrations with her whole life. Pay attention to the dreams in this posting. Sometimes a person will have dreams where everything is vivid except for some essential part and they never can bring that part into focus.

Glossary
His horse could turn on a dime and give you change this cliché is used a lot in western stories. The Cutting horses used by working cowboys almost do the work themselves. They cut or single out an individual steer and chase it to another location. It was a testimony to the rider's training. how well his horse performed.

, he would take the horns of a steer and dog him to the ground in just seconds. In real work sometimes a grown steer which would have evaded branding or some times need medicine. The procedure is called bull dogging. It takes a strong young man who rides along side a steer and grabbing the horns he jumps from the saddle and twist the neck of the beast until it falls to the ground. There he can hold the animal on it’s side until his fellows can do what ever they need.

Puta whore

hijo de puta equivalent to son of a bitch

shots sounding as one I am not very good at it but by slipping the hammer on a single action colt you can almost fire it as fast as a semi automatic pistol

“Mañana, this equivalent to the phrase in Gone With the Wind where Scarlet always said “I will worry about that tomorrow. The Hispanic culture takes a bum rap on this phrase, but they know that many things can’t be solved immediately so we should just wait until tomorrow.


Pay attention to Liz’s dream where she explains some of her fears and anxieties from the death of her parents


Chapter 12 -

Liz woke up in a sweat. She was going to crush that damned clock if it was the last thing she ever did. Liz, again, took a very long shower. At school, the department was in an uproar about the coming election of no confidence. Liz had to dodge more that one collegue as she made her way to her office.

She had just returned from her first class when A-1, Doctor Jenks came in. “Liz, I am here to make you a deal, come on board with us and I can guarantee you professorship this semester,” he said as he held his clip board. “I told everyone that you would be all right as soon as you were able to get the advancement you wanted.”

“You did what? Asshole! What gave you the right to infer that I could be bought so easily?” Liz, this time grasped the yellow pages. It didn’t fly as well, but she was a lot madder and she threw it harder. A-1 went running down the hall.

It was only a matter of minutes before one of the other instructors came in, “Doctor Parker is it true that you are going to support the present leadership of the department?”

“Emphatically no! And if you would, could you hand me the yellow pages that I just threw at that scum-bag? The answer for anyone is that I will await the decision of the University counsel when they talk to us Monday and I advise others to do the same.” When Liz came back from lunch, she found, stacked against her door a dozen telephone books, all white pages, with a note from her friends in the graduate school.

That afternoon, Liz was visited by Doctor Schmidt and later by Doctor Robbins. They both just wanted to make sure she was all right. By the time she was ready to go home, Liz was a wreck. She fixed some soup and just curled up with her book. The trouble was, she couldn’t concentrate. She read the first page over and over. She just couldn’t concentrate enough to enjoy her story. Liz returned the book to the stand. After tossing for some time, she went to sleep.

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Liz was standing dressed in a black and red Flamenco dress. Her wedding dress was on the table behind her. The guitar player was strumming. She looked around, but she couldn’t see her lover. The caballero was nowhere to be seen. Men came in the door of the saloon, as that was where they appeared to be. They faced Liz, they were shouting, but she couldn’t make out what they were saying. They advanced on her. She backed up, feeling with her hand to avoid tripping on a chair or table. She felt the charro jacked and there was something hard beneath it. As the men kept coming, Liz pulled the holstered pistol toward her. She yanked the revolver out of the holster and holding it in both hands, she fired again and again. Again, it seems she closed her eyes. Liz had a giggly thought. What kind of a gun woman was she, closing her eyes as she fired? Liz did know enough about guns to know that you were supposed to look where you were shooting. She looked at where the men had been. There was nobody there. She felt someone come up behind her and she felt strong arms supporting her. He deftly took the pistol from her hand. She felt him turn her and crush her to him in a passionate kiss. Liz had her eyes closed As she drew back from his kisses to look into his amber eyes, she woke up.

Chapter 13

When Liz was finally back at school, the day was better. Several members of the department came by and introduced themselves. She, now, knew the department better than she ever had before. At noon, one of the graduate students brought her a taco salad. When she was back at her lab, she actually was able run a series of gels that worked with no problem. That night she went home. She had picked up a carton of Chinese food. After the quick take out supper, Liz, again took out the book.

---------------------------------
Alejandro was a good hand. Ernesto had to admit, for his age Al was as good as some of his older vaqueros, even if he had spent time back east at school. He was aggressive and fast. His horse could turn on a dime and give you change. When he came off his horse, he would take the horns of a steer and dog him to the ground in just seconds. At first, Isabella was cold toward Al. But his bubbling personality wouldn’t let her ignore him. One night while they were talking, Isabella just broke down. “Alejandro you have no idea of what I am. You see a señorita worthy of marriage, but you do not know that a man stole my honor. I no longer am a virgin to offer myself to a husband.”

Alejandro smiled. “You know, Isabella, the best story I like about you was the one Miguel told when the three of you were twelve. How as Maximo was shooting at the outlaws, you were holding the head of his horse and talking soothingly to calm him down. Isabella, that is what counts. Knowing you have proved that you can stand fast in trouble while your man defends you. Isabella, many of us have done evil. Some of us have evil done to us, but what will always be important is that we stand firm with those we love and strengthen them in times of trial. Isabella I am formally asking permission to court you, with the intention that if you find me worthy to request your hand in marriage, from your father.

Miguel had been going to town. He had discovered a singer in the saloon. She was young, beautiful and he was in love. Her name was Maria Vargas. That is what scared him. She was distantly related to Kiki. Miguel had talked to her many times. He knew that she was having a hard time. Her father had been killed a few years ago. She bearly knew her mother who had died when Maria was a little girl. Miguel was talking to her one evening. Ricardo Toledo came into the room. He had not seen Miguel for some time and Miguel was no longer the fifteen-year-old boy who had whipped him. Ricardo slapped Maria, “Puta, I told you to go to your room. The señor has already paid for your services. Make sure you serve him well!”

Ricardo hadn’t even looked at Miguel. Miguel could speak Spanish fluently, but he also remembered his roots. In a slow, Texas drawl he said, “I bet this hijo de puta beats horses, also.”

Ricardo looked up. A dawning of recognition came to him. He went for his revolver, but, in his hurry, it caught on his clothing. Miguel just sat there watching him. Ricardo finally freed his weapon and fired, missing Miguel by a mile. Miguel slowly drew his colt and fired three shots which sounded almost as one. A small triangle appeared in Ricardo’s face.

The marshal came running. Miguel spun his colt and presented it to the marshal, butt first.

The barkeep came up to the marshal. “He let the fool get off the first shot. He just sat there as Toledo drew. It wasn’t until afterward that Miguel defended himself.”

The rest of the bar patróns also agreed. One elderly man came up and stated, “Marshal, Toledo beats horses. He was making the girl go to a señor that had paid for her. I am sure he beats her.”

The marshal finally handed Miguel back his gun. Come by the office sometime next week and sign some papers. I think we can agree that if a man beats his horse, he probably deserved to die.

Miguel rode back to the ranch, but he didn’t go back alone. He took Maria with him. He gave her into the care of a woman who worked in the hacienda. She prepared Maria for bed and arranged a room for her. Miguel knocked on Ernesto’s door. When Ernesto came to the door, Miguel made it short and sweet. “I killed Ricardo Toledo tonight.”

Ernesto just looked at him. “Was it a clear case off self defense or do we have a problem with the law?” Ernesto asked.

“I let him get off the first shot before I drew,” Miguel said. “It was a fight over a woman,” Miguel informed him.

Ernesto raised his eyebrows. “This woman, where is she now?”

“She is in a room. One of the household women is looking after her. Trouble is, she is Maria Vargas. A distant relative of Kiki Vargas,” Miguel stated.

“Mañana, then,” and Ernesto closed his door.

_____________________
At first Liz laughed. The man was killed and Miguel was acquitted because Señor Toledo beat horses. He beat horses? Then she remembered that one of the first indications of a sex offender or a serial killer was their cruelty toward animals. Maybe, the old lawmen were not that far off in their reasoning.

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Liz was somewhere she could not recognize. She felt fear all around her. The wind was blowing so she was sure she was outside. Then she heard the call of the night birds. On top of that, she heard the call of coyotes. There was the scream of a rabbit who had been caught by some predator. That is what Liz felt like. She was a poor rabbit and in the night there were predators looking for her. She didn’t dare move, but if she stayed here in the open, the night eyes would find her. Liz was terrified. She had no way to defend herself. All she had was her brain. What use was her thinking ability when she had no way to use it?. She felt a wind as some night flyer came close to her face. Along with the wind on her face was a fleeting wind of terror in her heart. Liz forced herself to think, what was her greatest fear? When her father had died, Liz felt that all she had worked for was lost. From the earliest time she remembered, he had told her of his dream that she get the best education she could. Liz wasn’t sure when this dream centered on Harvard. When she got her scholarship, she had studied and worked the hardest she could. Liz had forgone many pleasures for herself because she didn’t let her direction waver from finishing Harvard with honors. When her mother just died one night. Liz, for a time, felt totally alone. That was when she started to turn down almost every invitation to do anything unless it was connected with her work. Again, she felt the wind as something flew close. Liz tried to step back in alarm, but she felt something both resilient and strong stopping her. For some reason, this did not invoke more fear. Instead, she felt security as she leaned against the force behind her, whatever it was. Again, the arm of the hidden one was being wrapped around her. The sun was rising. She was turned to look upon her protector. The alarm went off again.

Chapter 14
It was Thursday. Liz went to work. She lectured to her classes and she worked her gels. She had a lot of work to do in her journal. Liz worked very late that night. By the time she got home, she just kicked off her shoes and stripped. Then, she pulled on her shorts and t-shirt. She was asleep by the time she hit the bed.

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Again, she was somewhere outside. She felt her body with her hands. She didn’t apparently have many clothes on. It was so dark that she could not see her hands even though she held them close to her face. She felt the breeze throughout her whole body. She listened to the night creatures. They were not here. The world, as she saw, it was silent. Liz could sense, rather than see, movement before her. It was as if the eddies of air were stirred by these movements, so Liz became sure of their direction toward herself. Through whatever thin clothes she was wearing, Liz could sense warmth behind her. She knew that whatever was approaching in front of her would be thwarted by the essence behind her. Suddenly, Liz was frightened as flashes from revolvers held on either side of her. Revolvers fired at night were consumed in flame that not only came out of the barrel, but also from the cylinder. The flame was licking up against her sides. She felt nothing. Her sane, logical brain questioned,, how did she know that? She knew nothing technical about firearms. The sound in the total silence she had experienced before was more than deafening. The arms holding the weapons gripped her body as whomever it was moved her in retreat. The wind howled now. A storm was coming. Lightning was striking. She turned in the arms of her savior and the lightning flashed. She knew that face. It was the face of her caballero. It was a face that she well knew.

Chapter15 -----------------------------------

On waking, Liz remembered the entire dream except for the view of her caballero. She remembered that she knew him, but for the life of her, now that she was awake, she couldn’t remember who he was.

This was Friday. She had a date tonight. Her classes were fun. The students almost seemed to know that her life was only full of happiness. Her gels worked and they came out early enough that she was able to record her results by the end of the day. And still she arrived home earlier than normal.

Liz had showered, applied body lotion and fixed her makeup along with her hair. She had put more effort into her appearance tonight than she had in a long while. Liz felt giddy, like she had when she accepted this invitation.

Max was prompt, as usual, or as he was the last time she had gone out with him. He was in a western suit with a bolo tie sporting an interesting stone holding it together. His cowboy boots were python. Liz could not see any of the graduate student she knew, in her present escort. His transportation also belied his position as a graduate student. It was a Jaguar sedan. He laughed. “Michael borrowed the Chrysler and I didn’t want to use either the truck or the jeep, so we are stuck with this. I don’t take it out much, but it is fun to drive sometimes,” Max explained.

Liz marveled as she sat in the soft leather seats. She ran her fingers across the wood veneer dash. She had never ridden in such luxury. They met Michael and Maria at the casino. Maria had over an hour before she had to go on stage. So they had dinner. Maria ordered a very light salad because, she said, “I do not like to eat heavy if I am going to go on stage. I still have stage fright when I am faced with an audience.”

Michael and Max both had steaks. Liz settled for a grilled fish of some sort. Liz sat and talked about many things. The exception was that she didn’t talk about departmental politics. Michael told of his travels to South America. He had been on a collecting expedition. He told of the incredibility of the hunting guides when he told them he was a hunting butterfly. There was a mix up in translation and they had given him a back up man armed with a 375 H&H magnum heavy rifle to protect him from wounded game. The outfitters had requested to see his weapons and were very upset when he showed them his butterfly net. Liz found that Michael and Max were right up there with Professor Schmidt when it came to telling stories. Maria told about her adventures when she first started to go on tour.

It became time for Maria to go on stage. After her songs, Max asked Liz if she would dance with him. Liz was afraid she would be rusty, but in Max’s strong hands she felt secure. In the back of Liz’s imagination, she felt his arms were as secure as her dream caballero. In his arms she didn’t even fear the upcoming confrontation she was facing next Monday. Liz put her head against Max’s chest and heard the heart beat as she had heard that of the beat of the caballero many nights ago. Liz’s generation hadn’t learned the Jitterbug, but with Max’s help she was fast dancing, swinging out and back in. He caught her in his strong arms and as she was spinning, she remembered the flamenco dancing she had done before. Liz laughed and Max noticed. “I just had a thought about dancing with castanets,” she told him.

Maria danced with Michael and Max continued dancing with Doctor Elizabeth Parker. Maria had one more show to do, but Max told Michael and Maria that they had to be going.

Once back in the Jag. Max pointed the car back toward Albuquerque. “Doctor Parker would you like to stop for a drink or something?” Max asked.

Liz looked at Max and replied, “Max, I thought you didn’t drink?”

“I don’t, but I just do not want the night to end, yet,” Max stated.

“How about we stop for coffee and pie at that all night truck stop right ahead,” Liz suggested.

The coffee stop was busy, but Max found a booth in a corner where they wouldn’t be bothered. They talked about their families and their plans for the future. Finally, Max said, “Liz, you said most of your family was dead. What are your plans for Thanksgiving?”

Liz looked up in surprise. Ever since her mother had died, Liz had simply canceled holidays. When they happened, she just pretended they were an extended weekend and used them to clean the house or read or something like that. “I don’t really do much, Max. Holidays are for families,” Liz stated.

Max, with that infectious grin, suggested, “Liz, let me loan you my family this Thanksgiving. We always gather at my sisters and there will be my parents, my sister and her husband and, also, Michael and, I would guess, Maria. They all gang up on me, so you could be my cheerleader as I face all of them.”

Liz had to laugh as she thought of the family ganging up on Max. Why not? Wasn‘t she trying to break out of just being home all of the time? Liz turned to Max, “You know Max, I think I would like very much to be your cheerleader.”

Max was smiling like a little kid. That was something Liz was noticing about him. The littlest things would make him seem so happy. Sitting in the luxury of the Jaguar was so comfortable that before she knew it, they were home. Max walked her up to her door. Liz turned intending to tell him that she had had a very good time. Max said, “Forgive me, Doctor Parker,” and he spun her into his arms and kissed her with almost as much passion as the caballero in her dream.

Liz was staggered. She didn’t know what to say. Max grinned again, “I have wanted to do that since you took this instructor job.”

Before she knew it, Liz was inside her house and sitting on her sofa wondering what just happened.

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The caballero didn’t come tonight. Liz’s dreams were filled with dancing with the man, Max. Then, Liz in her dream, sat up. She had never asked Max what his last name was. She had seen it, of course, when she signed the requisition, but in her dreams, she couldn’t find the name. Max’s arms were every bit as strong as the caballero’s. He was ever bit as good looking as the caballero… Maybe, Liz remembered she didn’t know what the caballero really looked like, so how did she know that Max could compare? The orchestra that was playing was better than just a guitar. The music of both rang through her mind. Which would Liz prefer? She couldn’t tell. Right now, being with both of these men was still so much only in her mind. The night lingered as her dreams argued with each other and Liz sat in the middle trying to make a decision.

[ken_r]

Sternbetrachter regardless what you see in the movies. Cowboys were notoriously bad shots with a pistol. It took me years and a lot of ammo to become a good shot with pistol. There was a war in Wyoming once where several hundred men were taking part. They fought for several days. The only casualty was one man shot himself in the foot when the Calvary was disarming him. Wild Bill Hickok was different. he wanted to have fresh loads in his pistols so he emptied them daily. This was also a form of target practice which the average man never did.

Martine I now have introduced another Liz who parallels our Doctor Parker
Max was a shy person he felt he was being forward kissing his professor. Maybe I am also shy and I would fear being forward or of crossing some line of proper action. I know you gotta take a chance and when I did I finally found my wife.

Begonia 9508 Max is the last one finding a woman for his attentions. Just like Maximo. She would be his cheerleader. I guess I put a little of my self again into Max.

Natalie36 Doctor Parker does not know that in reality the family will be cheering Max for finding some one.

Chanks_girl I worked a lot on Alejandro and also Miguel to make them follow the characters of the Roswell story

Forgive me if i bore you with these explanations. Those who do not read westerns do not know the almost unwritten language on this genre. i thought the explanations would make my story more enjoyable

Mi querida hermana my dearest sister
sala privada private room or in this case his office or study
Paseo de Raton Raton Pass the pass into Colorado in the north eastern corner of New Mexico
I didn’t want to go into a convent churches in New Mexico have always been poor. The only thing they would be able to offer Marie was for her to enter into holy orders.
I do not know if it was true or just fiction. Most men in the west did respect women. Of course there were those who took advantage of them
Niños Ernesto used this term as endearment. They are grown but he considers them as his little ones.
Hija this is the term for daughter
Esposa I have run into this term used many ways. Wife is first but also intended wife but that may have been used incorrect. I once heard it used as engaged, I am sure that was incorrect but that was what the person meant.
On the frontier it was expected for women to help in loading weapons and carrying ammunition during a siege.
Sound of the bugle this implies in American west the arrival of the Calvary or horse mounted army. Here it is used to mean help from outside.
The Hispanic people in the southwest have always been religious. As Liz becomes closer to the story she feels stirrings of things from her youth.
Fiesta party
Nooses ropes tied for a hanging or execution.
Lynch a famous judge that hung almost every one before him meaning party to hang evil people.
Casa de Gutierrez house of Gutierrez still the family of Gutierrez until he dies and then the Delgatos take over.
hermano gamelo. Twin brother

OK it has been discussed about Doctor Parkers personal hang-ups at the end of chapter 18 these are explained

Chapter16 -
Liz woke up. It was thirty minutes before the alarm was to go off. This was so different from the other dreams she had been having. Liz sighed, it wasn’t as if either set of dreams had much chance of coming true.

Again it was Saturday. Liz had been thinking that she needed to go shopping for a new dress. She had gone on two dates. That was more than she had been on for as many years. She needed to update her wardrobe. With shopping and chores and errands and Saturday things, it was late when Liz finally stopped for supper. She just made some soup and, when finished she returned to the story.

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Ernesto was up early. He was met by his boys, Maximo and Miguel. “I shot Ricardo last night. The marshal stated it was self-defense and I brought home the lady whom we fought over. Her name is Maria Vargas. She was related to Kiki. She is a dance hall girl and, I guess, Ricardo was trying to make her into his whore.” With that Miguel just leaned back.

“We need to talk to the Señorita. We need to see how she feels about Kiki. We need to tell her about our relationship with Kiki. It is better that she finds out from us than for someone else to tell her later,” Max said thoughtfully.

Ernesto surprised both of them. “It also concerns Isabella. I think she should be present when we talk to the Señorita. Max, I think it should be your place to talk to Isabella.” Then, he surprised them even more. I think that we should also include Alejandro. I think soon he will be part of the family.”

Maria arose and found clothes lying on her bed. They were old ones that Isabella had outgrown. Maria was shorter than Isabella, but she was almost as filled out. She dressed and opened the door. A señora came by and she led Maria to the table where Isabella was just finishing her meal. Miguel came in and he sat with Maria. He introduced Maria to Isabella. They made small talk until Maximo came by and asked Isabella to step out side because he had something he needed to talk to her about.

Isabella went into the hall with Maximo. “Mi querida hermana, the girl Miguel has brought to our home is Maria Vargas. She is distantly related to Kiki Vargas. She was set up by Toledo and he was using her. He confronted Miguel last night. Miguel killed him. Miguel is in love with her. Papá wants us all to sit and talk with the Señorita and see how her feelings run. He thinks that you should be included. Papá thinks that if things are going well with you and Alejandro, he should be included also.”

Isabella was quiet for several minutes. “Miguel is our brother. His love should be respected as he has respected us for so many years. I will sit with Alejandro and the family. We should give the Señorita a chance to know who we are and to know that we do not hold her relative against her.”

Maximo and Isabella went into the sala privada of their father. Maria and Miguel were already sitting there holding hands as Ernesto was talking to her. He had sent for Alejandro and he arrived in a few minutes. Maximo held a chair for Isabella beside Alejandro. Maximo stood in the back of the room, since his father now was talking loud enough for all of them to hear.

“Señorita Vargas, you are welcome to our home. We feel that there are some things that you should know about us. First, you are related to the former Kiki Vargas. He and Señor Toledo insulted the honor of my daughter. Maximo killed him like the dog he was. Now, we have killed Señor Toledo, another that was connected to you. We want you to know us, and what we have done. We make no apology for our actions. These men were worse than mad dogs that needed to be killed.

Maria sat holding Miguel’s hand even tighter, “Señor, listen to my story and then, you will see what has been done to me. I lived in a small town just north of Paseo de Raton. My mother died when I was very young. She taught me to sing. After she died, my singing was what kept papá alive. He said that mama lived in my voice. Papá was killed by outlaws when I was fourteen. I had no place to go, so I stayed at the church until they could find any of my relatives. Señor Toledo is distantly related to us. That is probably how he knew Señor Vargas. Señor Toledo came six months ago and satisfied the church that he would be my guardian. I had no choice. I didn’t want to go into a convent, which was the only other choice the church offered. For a while, Señor Toledo took care of me and he was a good guardian. We traveled, and many times, he would have me sing. The men at many of the camps liked my singing . I think, if they had known what was to happen, they would have killed Ricardo then. Two months ago in Santa Fe Ricardo bought me dresses and things that were beautiful. He had me sing in one of the saloons there. The men, again seemed to enjoy my music, but one of them talked with my guardian. I was told to go to my room. Soon a man, much older than I, came to the room. He had a key to the door. He locked the door and he began kissing me. At first, I did not know what to do. Then he, tore my dress from my body. He threw me on the bed and, always watching, me he disrobed and he climbed on me. When he had finished, he told me I was good, but I would get better with practice. He dressed and left, locking the door behind. When Ricardo came back, he looked at me. He pointed to a basin of water and told me to clean up. He also told me that the next time he sent someone to me, I was to wear only a robe so the expensive clothes wouldn’t be ruined. It has only been a few weeks since I met Miguel. We have talked when my guardian wasn’t around. It wasn’t until last night that I found out that Miguel knew Ricardo. You see, Señor, I have no love for Señor Toledo or for that distant relative, Señor Vargas.”

Ernesto stood up. “Miguel, this has been a trying morning for the Señorita. Please take her out side for some air. We will call you directly.”

After Señorita Vargas had gone with Miguel, Ernesto turned to his children, “Niños, it is from me that the decision must come, but you wil have to live with whatever I decide. Miguel has been as a brother to you. He, now, is clearly infatuated with the señorita. He has spoken to me about marriage. He has his own fortune, saved from the wagon train so long ago and invested to give him a start in life, either with us or if he chooses, on his own. I think we should accept the señorita as his choice.”

Isabella sat worrying a handkerchief in her hands, “I don’t want Miguel to leave us. He has been with us since childhood.”

Ernesto smiled at his daughter, “Hija, soon you too may have to make a choice whether to stay at the hacienda or follow your heart elsewhere. We will always consider Miguel family, as I hope we can also consider his choice of esposa.”

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When Liz finally fell asleep, she was riding with her caballero. They were approaching a spread out ranch house. It had a wall around the house. The gate was open and Liz could see children playing inside the courtyard. There were men working around the house. There were many animals grazing near by. A way off in the distance she could see a large body of men riding toward the house. Liz and her caballero were closer to the house than the body of men. They whipped up their horses and raced toward the gate. As soon as they were inside the gate, Liz gathered the children and began to rush them inside. Her caballero was shouting something and men were rushing to the wall. A tall man came from the house. He had a soft Texas accent. He walked to the gate and, with her caballero standing beside him, he opened the small gate in the wall for pedestrians. They went outside the walls. Liz was so frightened if her caballero and the tall Texan were not successful, then Liz knew that she and the rest of the women were going to have to help the men at the walls. A woman came up to Liz and handed her a heavy canvas bag. Liz looked inside the bag and saw that it was full of cartridges. Without knowing how, she knew what was expected of her. Liz prepared to go up to the men on the wall and make sure their rifles and pistols were loaded. Liz heard a bugle in the distance. Liz woke up.

Chapter 17

It was Sunday. Liz hurried and prepared herself for church. She was wearing a loose blouse and full Skirt. Where did they came from? Then Liz remembered that she had gone shopping yesterday. When did she buy this skirt and blouse? Liz couldn’t remember, but they must have been bought sometime yesterday. She had never had clothes like this before.

After church, Liz returned and began her Sunday ritual of preparing for the next week. Liz dreaded tomorrow. She knew that the departmental meeting was going to get ugly. Liz, finally had a few minutes before she was to retire to bed to read a little of the novel.

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Miguel and Maria were to be married. Miguel had talked for a long time with Ernesto. He hated to leave the hacienda, but he felt that he needed to try to be on his own. Ernesto assured Miguel that he and his mujer would always be part of the family Gutierrez. And, there would always be a place for them or their children at the hacienda. There was a fiesta. It was smaller than the one for Theresa because Maria had even less family of her own. Those attending were friends of the Gutierrez family and some of the Texans that knew Ernesto. Charles Evans was there because of his son. It was no matter. A fiesta was a fiesta. There was dancing and food and Charles brought Ernesto another of those jugs from the Indian Territory of white lightning. He and Ernesto had a long discussion as to the attributes of his Oklahoma whiskey compared to the hardy liquor from Taos. Kyle and Theresa were there. Kyle announced that Miguel would be working for him driving a team for a while. Ernesto announced that Miguel had requested to have a house built some distance from the Gutierrez hacienda. Eventually, Miguel would be working with Ernesto or rather Maximo as every year Maximo took on more of the operation of the rancho. Before everyone became totally intoxicated, Charlie Evans stood up with his arm around Alejandro and Ernesto, standing beside Isabella, Charlie loudly proclaimed, “After the summer cattle drive Isabella has consented to become the wife of Alejandro,” everyone cheered for the already assumed news.

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Wow! Liz thought, the strong love of Alejandro had soothed the wounded heart of Isabella. She was going to become his wife and he would never let anyone hurt her again. The family of Gutierrez had grown under Ernesto. The men of the family were strong. They had fought for their women and their women stood tall beside their beloveds.

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Liz was riding with her caballero again. This time, they were riding toward a cadre of trees. The trees were cottonwoods. They must be surrounding a spring. Behind her were many vaqueros. As they rode toward the cottonwoods, Liz saw another group of men riding up to meet them. She didn’t like the look of the men. They, for some reason, looked evil. As the second group of men rode up, Liz saw yet another group. This time she recognized the Texan, Alejandro. With him rode Isabella proudly, followed by several Texas cowboys. Liz, in her sleep, wondered how did she know that this was Alejandro and Isabella, but she was sure of the identification. Her caballero waved at the third group and called out, “Isabella.” The group of evil men looked at the vaqueros and at the Texans. Liz looked behind her. She saw that the vaqueros riding with her were riding toward the cottonwoods. They were carrying their lariats tied into nooses. They were throwing the nooses over branches of the cottonwoods. The Texans drew their weapons and the evil men fled. Liz, again, woke up.

Chapter18

Now, that was what Liz needed! A lynch party and two groups of men to enforce the peace. There was no use putting anything off. It was Monday and at the departmental meetings heads might roll. Liz hated confrontation. When she walked into the meeting, the department was clearly divided. Liz sat beside professors Schmidt and Robbins. There were low whispers from both sides of the room. The tension was so thick that you could layer it like a cake. Professor Jenks stood up and cleared his throat. He looked at those assembled on his side of the room and he started to address the room. Two young men entered before Doctor Jenks could start. The first man was a young Hispanic. He introduced himself as Jesse Rameriez, attorney counsel for the university. The other introduced himself as Alexander Charles Whitman, attorney representing the graduate students of the biology department. Professor Jenks started to object. To what he was objecting no one ever knew. Mr. Rameriez took over the meeting. “There have been many complaints, both from students and faculty, about abuses which, frankly, have been just childish. I am not going to go over all of these complaints individually, but rather, I am passing out a list of them. Most of these complaints have been substantiated, by our investigators. The dean of the college of Arts and Sciences will appoint Doctor Parker, Doctor Schmidt and myself to oversee the department for the rest of the year. At that time, if I feel that progress has been made, we will have new department elections and the department will be free again to run itself. Mr. Rameriez then turned to Mr. Whitman. Will this meet the complaints of the graduate students. Alex Whitman walked over to Mr. Rameriez and shook his hand. Then, said in a drawl which shook Liz to her core, (where had she heard that voice and accent?) “I think that will nicely suffice. These professors have the confidence of the graduate students and, from my investigation, the confidence of many of the faculty as well.”

As quickly as that, the asshole brigade was out. The cost to Liz was high. She lost one more afternoon from her research to meet with doctor Schmidt and Mr. Rameriez to discuss departmental business and, then, report to the department as a whole on Mondays.

That night, still reeling from the events of the morning, Liz curled up with her book. She only hoped that with the extra work she would not be made to lessen these times of leisure.

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Isabella was going to have a wonderful wedding. The Texans swore that it would be the biggest fiesta the Gutierrez family had ever seen. She had to laugh at the enthusiasm they portrayed. On her part, she was delighted with Alejandro Evans. His father was a close friend of Ernesto. The summer Alejandro had worked with Maximo and Miguel, who returned from time to time, had made a strong bond with her brothers. Now, Maximo and a group of vaqueros were taking her to Santa Fe to buy her wedding dress. It was as if nothing could interfere with her happiness now. Isabella knew that Alejandro could stand right up beside her brothers when it came to defending her honor. She knew that the Texans were just as close a family as the Casa de Gutierrez. She and Maximo would stay at the home of Hernando Ortiz. The vaqueros were relatively free as long as they didn’t get into too much trouble, so they looked at this as a seldom seen vacation. Maximo and Isabella were not the only guest of the Ortiz family. The Orcheco family, Paulo and his daughter, Elizabetta, were visiting. Paulo was an attorney. He was an expert in land grants and Spanish historical claims. He had been educated both in Mexico City and also at Harvard in the United States. His wife had died a few years ago and he was moving to Santa Fe. Hernando Ortiz had promised to introduce Paulo to Ernesto Delgato at the first available time. Ernesto was recognized as a leader in Hispanic and Anglo relations. Ernesto had from the beginning, worked equally with both groups and his children were married to prominent Anglo businessmen. Hernando also warned Paulo that Ernesto and his sons were gunmen. They had never broken the law, but they didn’t take any interference from outside groups and the political gangs who were strong in New Mexico were frightened of the Delgatos.

Elizabetta was a dainty woman almost only a girl. She was younger than Isabella by more than a year. She was a friendly lady and Isabella learned that she was well educated. This was something Isabella sometimes envied. Isabella’s education came from books and from living a difficult life. She knew all about ranching, horses and how to shoot. These were the things she had learned to survive on the Gutierrez ranch. She learned that Elizabetta also was well read. The difference was Elizabetta’s education was from an institution. Isabella voiced her disappointment at her perceived deficiency. Elizabetta said, “Isabella ,do not disparage the knowledge you received from life. You have read the many books that contain knowledge. You, also, have lived the life that teaches you to interpret these books.”

When Maximo came back to the Ortiz house, Elizabetta was sitting with Isabella. She leaned toward her and asked, “Who is that dark caballero that is talking to my father and Señor Ortiz?”

“That is my brother, Maximo Delgato.” Isabella said as she laughed.

Elizabetta’s eyes got big, “You mean the terrible gunfighter, Maximo Delgato, is your brother?”

Isabella now laughed out loud, “I don’t find him so terrible. He is a gunfighter and he has defended my honor twice. The first time he did was when he was only twelve. He is my hermano gamelo.

Elizabetta pursed her lips, “He is very handsome. I would be afraid to talk to him alone. Is it true that he has killed many men?”

Isabella looked down at her hands. “It is true, but he and my other brother were many times the only thing keeping us from death or worse. Maximo is a very gentle and shy man. He probably would be more afraid of you than the other way around.”

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Liz placed the book back in its place on her nightstand. The novel was taking shape. It was obvious that the Señorita Orchecho was interested in Maximo. It was, also, obvious that he was the last of the Delgato family to find his love. Liz wondered about this. Would she ever find a love? After her mother died, Liz had almost sworn off looking for any love. Her mother had been so desolate after the death of her husband. Her mother’s grief had affected Liz so much that she hadn’t been in bed with a man since that time. She snuggled up in the blankets and soon was fast asleep.

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Liz stood with her caballero. The tall Texan, Alejandro and the fair Isabella were standing beside her. The several nooses were hanging from the branches of the trees. They were all empty. The evil men had fled away. Liz felt she should know Isabella even though she never had been in Liz’s dreams before recently. Her caballero shook hands with Alejandro and Liz embraced Isabella. Alejandro and his Texan friends and Liz with her caballero rode back to way she had come to the hacienda.

[ken_r]

Stories by ken_r

Begonia9508 as a reader we want to shout to the character, “Look in front of your face. All of the answers are just waiting for you.” As the writer we want the poor character to suffer ignorance for one more chapter. We want all the audience to be on the same page so when the character discovers what the rest of the world already knows, the event is just so much more sweet.

Alizaleven I am just always so happy you rediscover me and enjoy reading my efforts.

Sternbetrachter the idea is for the dreams to be indicating the mind of Doctor Parker. Soon we will see how the death of her parents caused her to fear strong attachments.

prometido fiancé or promised one
La gente pronounced la hente means the Hispanic community
Haven’t seen his grave yards. This a cliché used as much as possible in westerns. He may be called a gun fighter but I haven’t seen the men he has killed. In western books the man saying this is almost always the next to be killed.
señora of station an important woman.

It has been pointed out to me that Elizabetta is not a Hispanic name. That is true. when i was looking for a derivitive of Elizabeth the Spanish name was just not that different to make the story have the three divisions that i wanted, the novel, the dream and her real life. Elizabetta is probably more Italian than anything else.

I am disappointed that my very corny joke was not at least condemned as inapproiate in a romantic story. The event of Maximo shooting Kiki Vargas and his last dying breath was Ki..Var was the starting germ of me writing this story. Well maybe it is best to bury this deep in Ignominy

Chapter 19

Liz had to work long and hard throughout the week. She had to make up the time she was loosing by being in the Guidance Committee, which was the name they chose to call themselves. Her gels were still a little stubborn and, sometimes, she still lost a complete day. Liz did not get back to the book until Friday night. Well, that was all right. Next week was Thanksgiving break and, except for going with Max on thanksgiving day, Liz intended to relax during that break.

Friday night, while other singles might be out studying each other Liz was hard at work thinking about the family a hundred years ago who had lived and loved and fought for that right to live their lives. She was thinking about what was going to happen to Maximo. Why did she all of a sudden think of Maximo separately? Up to this point, Liz had considered all of the characters as a group.

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After talking to the Señors, Maximo came over to his sister. At first, he hesitated. Sitting beside Isabella was a fragile creature. At first Maximo took her for just a child. On looking closer, he saw that she was a woman of small stature. “Maximo, may I present the Señorita Orchecho,” Isabella smiled as she saw that strong fierce brother of hers almost stutter.

Maximo took her hand and kissed it. Clearly, the señorita did not expect such gallantry from such as he. “I am pleased to meet such a flower blooming in the city of Santa Fe,” Maximo said. In his mind he was glad he remembered what Alejandro had said when he first met Isabella.

Elizabetta was unsure how to respond to this handsome caballero who reputably, had killed so many, but was looked up to by his sister as her protector. Elizabetta lowered her eyes, “It is a pleasure to meet the famous Maximo Delgato.”

The moment might have been more strained except for Isabella’s laughter. “Please Señorita, do not fill his head to make it any bigger. Just remember, he is my brother and nothing more.”

Elizabetta was clearly embarrassed. “Maximo turned to his sister, “Perhaps, you would like to invite the señorita to come with you as you pick out your wedding dress. I am sure she would be of more help than I in this matter!”

Isabella turned to Elizabetta and said, “Would you? Maximo will just tap his boots and try to hurry me without being obvious about it. With you along, he will behave. We can talk about the many things I am getting for my wedding.”

Maximo, in a borrowed buggy, drove the women to the shop where they were preparing the dress of Isabella. He heard Isabella talking to Elizabetta about her prometido. Elizabetta, again, was amazed. The beautiful Isabella was getting married to one of those terrible Texans. True his mother was Spanish, but she sounded like her Alejandro was every bit as wonderful as her brother. Elizabetta was well educated, but she was new to the southwest. She still had her heart in the culture of the east and of Mexico City. She enjoyed the free talk of Isabella, but she still feared the men who lived in this area.

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Liz put the book down and turned out the light.

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Liz was sitting on a porch. Standing beside her was her father. No, her father was dead, but this dream father was as close to Liz as her real father. He was a lawyer. He was trying to meet some of the prominent people in the area. Señor Ortiz had told him that representatives of the Delgato family would be coming to stay a few days. He had told him that Isabella Gutierrez-Delgato would be getting married soon and she was to stay with the Ortiz family while she shopped for items for her wedding.

Liz had with proper duty followed her father. She was terrified by the stories she had read about these wild people. She had heard about the dreadful gunfighters and the terrible Texans who lived here. What kind of women did it take to tame these frightening men? That she would meet one of these women was both intriguing and disturbing. She sat on the porch and watched the men and women as they walked down the streets. True she couldn’t tell which ones were terrible fire breathers, but she imagined as she watched each man or woman, what they really were like inside.

Chapter 20

Liz’s Saturday was full of chores. Just like her work at school, the extra afternoon with the guidance committee ate into her weekend. She had to let many household chores go until Saturday because she was just too tired when she got home at night. Just as her reading was being curtailed, her free time was being limited in other ways.

That night, Liz did find a little time before she went to sleep to read.

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Elizabetta and Isabella spent the day talking girl talk and looking at dress goods and other things for the wedding. Elizabetta was enjoying herself so much she almost forgot she was in the wild southwest. Elizabetta noticed that when she and Isabella were in the shops, Maximo would sit on a bench watching the people moving by on the sidewalks. When they would be ready to leave Maximo would quickly be at their side. It was a little disconcerting for Elizabetta when Maximo would put his hands on her shoulders as he guided both her and Isabella out onto the streets. One time, Maximo quickly grabbed Elizabetta and, along with Isabella, he pulled them back into the shop. Elizabetta started to correct him, but then she heard gunshots . Then she saw Maximo standing at the doorway with his gun drawn. The marshal quickly arrived, rounded up the offenders and took them away. Maximo quickly holstered his pistol and guided the women out onto the streets always looking out for dangers to either woman.

Chapter 21

Liz put down the book. She could only imagine the girl Elizabetta being introduced to the real men in the southwest, men who lived and died in a moment. She wandered about the concern of Elizabetta about propriety when Maximo was just trying to protect the women. If Liz had dreams that night, she couldn’t remember any of them. She didn’t wake up early enough to go to mass, so she just slept in and had a brunch somewhere about noon. Liz spent all Sunday preparing for next week. The only thing she was happy for was that it would be a short week. She thought about spending Thanksgiving day with the family of Max. Liz neither read nor dreamed. Some way, she was going to have to budget her time better. The department was running better, but the price Liz was paying was too dear.

On Monday morning, the department meeting went smoothly. The assholes were quiet. The rest of the staff voiced true concerns about the department. Mr. Rameriez was there and voiced concerns relayed to him by the attorney of the graduate students.

Liz was able to teach her classes. In her lab, she was mainly preparing to have all of her gels finished before Wednesday. So mostly, she was just housekeeping this week.

It was Wednesday night when Liz felt she would have time for herself. Max had come by and said he would be by to pick her up at about 10:00 next morning.

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Isabella and Elizabetta had spent several days together. Elizabetta didn’t know how much Isabella needed feminine companionship. Isabella only had the ladies who worked at the hacienda and her mother to talk women talk to. The seamstress was fitting Isabella and Isabella always enjoyed the company of Elizabetta, as she was dressing and undressing, trying and fitting. Maximo, as always, was right outside the room where the women were doing whatever was their business.

Maximo, who could face down Kiki Vargas and who, at the age of twelve, had faced the outlaws, was now brought to his knees in the presence of Elizabetta. When he was taking them to different stores, Maximo simply drove as the women chattered. It was becoming almost like a sore, deep inside of Maximo, the desire to talk to Elizabetta himself. He had felt her draw away from him when he pulled her back from the door when they had heard gunfire. He had seen in the look in her eyes when he first met her. She was a lady in anyone’s terms and Maximo was a gunfighter by necessity. He couldn’t regret that skill. He had used it to protect his sister and his father depended on him. Maximo knew his world was so different from that of the beautiful Señorita.

Privately, Elizabetta was talking to Isabella. “Your brother is so distant. Does he never loosen up? The caballeros I have known were always at my feet, telling me of their prowess and power that they had over so much land. Your brother is never looking at me, but always beyond, as if he expects something to be coming from the edges of the sunset.”

Isabella laughed, something she found herself doing, so much more, in the presence of Elizabetta, “Maximo is like my father, he can walk into blazing guns and live to walk out again. He can foresee danger from afar, but, unlike my father, Maximo is terrified in the presence of a beautiful woman. He has spent so much of his life caring for the rest of us, that, somehow, he didn’t learn to care for himself. He is also constantly, fearing for our safety. The Delgato family has learned to always be on the lookout for danger.”

“Do you think Maximo would ever look at me?” Elizabetta murmured.

Isabella took both of Elizabetta’s hands, “Are you falling under the Delgato spell?”

Isabella and Elizabetta were coming out of a store. For some reason, even though Maximo had led the way and he perceived no apparent danger, he had to duck back into the store. For the minute that he was off of the sidewalk, two men came by. “If it isn’t Kiki’s whore and her friend,” one of them said.

Isabella pulled Elizabetta behind herself. She looked at the man. He was a stranger, but from his careless dress she decided that he must be a drifter of some sort. He wasn’t of la gente, but she couldn’t tell anything else about him. She looked daggers at him as she said, “Kiki was fed to the dogs and so will you be if my brother sees you.”

The man laughed, “You mean that so called gunman, Maximo? I have not yet seen his graveyards. Maybe until I do I can sample the offerings before me?”

At this time, Maximo returned behind his sister and her friend. Maximo pulled Elizabetta behind him and then he pulled Isabella. Isabella well knew what must be done, so she grabbed Elizabetta and shoved her into the closest shop. When the girls came into the shop almost falling as they tried to get as close to the floor as possible, the rest of the patrons of the shop also knew that there was trouble on the street. The entire group ducked behind the counter and under display tables. Three shots rang as one. Maximo had waited until the gun of the drifter was half out of his holster before he even started his draw. The mornings of emptying his revolver every day before breakfast, even though he was no longer carrying that old cap’n ball, but now had the new colts with brass cartridges, paid off as his draw was smooth and his work with the pistol’s hammer was fast.

Elizabetta screamed. Then, she quickly noticed that she had a more important duty than to her own fears. Isabella was sobbing. Elizabetta put her arm around Isabella, “Its all right, Isabella, we are safe.”

Isabella just kept crying, “I will never be safe. Vargas took my honor and, forever, I will suffer and those around me will suffer, also. What if you had been hit or if Maximo had been just a second slower?”

Maximo was standing on the sidewalk. He still had two shots in his colt and there was always the spare revolver Ernesto had taught him to carry in his belt behind his back. The second man stood with his hands clearly touching his hat. He wanted no one to mistake him as one wanting part of the attack of his associate.

This was the second shooting in which Maximo had been involved in Santa Fe. There was one thing different this time. A deputy marshal had been following the drifters at the direction of the marshal. They just looked like they would be up to no good. Maximo stood as the deputy approached. Maximo kept his hands above waist high. Maximo deftly spun his colt and presented it to the Deputy butt first. The deputy just shook his head and said, “Well, Maximo, I guess you just shot another horse beater.

Elizabetta found herself on the caring end of a life situation. Instead of being pampered she was finding concern for a new and dear friend. Isabella, who Elizabetta had seen only as such a strong woman, was distraught. They proceeded to the Ortiz house as quickly as possible. All of Isabella’s purchases had been made. There was the last minute fitting of her dress, which could just as easily be done back at the hacienda. Senior Ortiz had told Maximo that Señor Orchecho desired to talk with Ernesto. Maximo approached the elder statesman, “Señor, I can leave you a contingent of vaqueros and a wagon if you and your daughter would like to be our guest. I would only ask the favor that you pick up the packages Isabella has purchased. I think it is best that I get Isabella home as quickly as possible. Elizabetta has been with Isabella and she knows what Isabella has been buying.”

To Señor Orchecho, this sounded like the opportunity he had been seeking. Secretly, Elizabetta was delighted. First as she would be reunited with her new friend, and second, she would get a chance to know more about the frightful, but handsome Maximo.

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Liz put the book down and quickly fell asleep. She had, in the last week and a half, suffered through so much stress that she couldn’t keep her eyes opened any longer.

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Liz was sitting in a wide open space. She saw three people approaching her. She stood as if to greet them. She frowned as one of the men looked an awfully lot like the lawyer who had talked about being the counselor for the graduate students. He was wearing Texas boots with the sharp toes. He was also wearing the hat of a plains rider with the tall crown, which remained cooler in the hot sun. The woman was wearing the Spanish dress of a señora of station. She was also wearing a Spanish hat with a low crown. The other man was dressed in a charro costume, and a sombrero with the broad thick brim worn by the vaqueros on the range. Yes, he was her caballero. Oh my god, he looked just like… the alarm went off.
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You Can’t Go Back to Yesterday

[ken_r]

Sternbetrachter glad you liked it.

Begonia 9508 There are some dark things about Liz’s life and the reasons she doesn’t date. Letting go of these reasons it the main plot of the story.

Natalie36 of course we all know it is Max but it is fun to watch Liz try to work this out in her head.

¿Qué paso,? Mi hermana. What is happening? my sister.
Perdóname, beg your pardon
Foolish niños foolish children derogatory statement about the other youth.
Hija daughter, Señor Orchecho was worried bout his daughter especially when she was dancing with Maximo.
If I hold the ace of hearts, it and a six of spades in my colt, beats your king of diamonds. Maximo held the heart of Elizabetta and also he had a six shooter although it only carried 5 bullets, six of spades meant 6 ways to die. The king of diamonds was her father.
caballero de la gente a gentlemen of the Spanish community

Stories by ken_r

Chapter 22

Liz woke with the knowledge that she knew exactly who the caballero was. Dreams sometimes quickly fade. Before Liz was completely awake, she only had that nagging feeling that she had solved the puzzle. Then, she only had the knowledge that she had forgotten the key.

Max was to come at 10:00. Liz wore a peasant dress with a matching blouse. She wore low heeled shoes that were comfortable. Max was there at ten sharp. Liz got a jacket to wear in the open Jeep. It seemed that every time she saw him, he was in a different car. They drove to a sprawling house set back against the eastern Sandia mountains. From the driveway you could see most of the city. Liz imagined that at night it would be beautiful. There were several cars parked in front of the house. They went up to the door and Max rang the bell. They were met by a tall blonde woman, who Liz felt she should know. Max introduced her as his sister, Isabel. Inside, Liz saw the little blonde girl Tess who had been in her class. She also saw the tall man, Alexander Whitman, the Lawyer. When introduced, Liz made the faux pas of referring to him as Alejandro.

They all laughed, “No, Liz, that is the name of an ancestor of isabel’s.” Alex said.

Liz frowned because she didn’t understand why she had said that. She saw Michael and Maria. Liz had enjoyed the time they all had spent together. Tess introduced her boyfriend, Kyle Valenti. That meant something to Liz, but she just couldn’t think what it was. Mr. and Mrs. Philip Evans were next. She experienced nothing there, except, that now she knew that Max’s last name must be Evans.

At dinner, they all quizzed Liz about her life. Alex had told them that it was his recommendation that Liz be part of the guidance committee. What he didn’t say was that it was from Max’s suggestion that he first looked at Doctor Parker. Liz found herself talking about her family for the first time since she had opened up a little to Max one night. “I think some of my relatives were Hispanic, maybe from northern New Mexico. I do not really know,” she said. “My father died right after I got my doctorate from Harvard, and my mother died soon there after. I am afraid, like many youth, I didn’t listen well to the stories about my family. We lived in Roswell when I was small. I love to collect old books.”

Isabel smiled, “You must look at some of our books sometime. They go back to the turn of the century.”

The conversation turned to many topics. Liz learned that the Evans family was very well read and well traveled. After dinner, Isabel gave Liz a tour of the house. Since the rest of the family was gone so much it fell upon Isabel Whitman to store and protect the family treasures. Liz was studying some old photographs on the wall. There was a fearsome picture of a Hispanic man. He had dignity and pride, as well as, power in his face. Isabel laughed, “That is my, I do not know how many greats, grandfather. He was a fierce gunfighter. He took his wife from her home at the point of a gun. It was said that the gun was not pointed at her, but rather at everyone else. She bore him two children for whom Max and I are named.

Liz marveled at the dignity of the old man. In her way, Liz was comparing him to the men in her book. Those eyes could face blazing guns and still walk away.

Isabel showed Liz another picture. The picture bore a little resemblance to Liz herself. The lady was in her finery and Isabel explained, “She was an aunt of ours. She married into the family.

Liz found that Max was the butt of many of the family jokes. Isabel had been married for several years. She didn’t have any children yet, but they were hoping. Tess was an old friend of the family. Liz didn’t know exactly how she fit in, but it was clear that they almost considered her as a sister. Michael, Max had told her, was adopted. He had come to live with the Evans family when he was about eight. Liz got the idea that there was some blood relationship, but she wasn’t clear about it. When Max had decided to travel after his Bachelor’s degree, Michael, as soon as he got out of school, had followed. At the time Michael was hunting butterflies with the elephant gun back up Max had also been in the Amazon country studying the genetics of several species of fungi. It seemed that they seldom traveled together, but their ramblings usually took them to similar locations.

Now, Michael had a serious girlfriend. The family was looking at Max to follow suit. They gently teased Liz that, maybe, she was the girl he was bringing home from school. At first, Liz was embarrassed, but when she saw the discomfort in Max, she had to laugh. If she, Liz ,hadn’t had many dates in the last few years, it seemed that Max had had fewer. She told them about her research and, sadly, how the committee work was eating into her lab time. They talked about how the assholes had risen to power and how the department was going to heal itself.

They spent most of the rest of the afternoon looking at pictures and talking. It was evening when Max took Liz home. The picture of that fierce old Spaniard remained in Liz’s mind. Liz knew that the early photographs were taken from very slow emulsions on glass Plates. The people were forced to not move and they tended to look stern. Liz, for some reason, tried to think of the stern old man at a fiesta dancing and singing as he made happy times with his friends and family. That night, she reached for the book intending to enjoy a carefree read.

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Isabella was at home. She was with her mama, her friends, Theresa and Maria and the women who had cared for her since she was a child. Isabella was distraught. Maximo had killed another man because of her. He had done that right in front of the Señorita Orchecho. Isabella, after being with Elizabetta, was almost convincing herself that she could be a lady. Now, she feared that she could never be accepted in company such as the Orchecho’s. Kyle had brought his wife back to the hacienda, as had Miguel, so they could help prepare for the wedding. The men folks were working and, except for Maximo, were not at the hacienda. Ernesto had insisted Maximo stay with his sister. It was three days since they had returned from Santa Fe. The vaqueros that Maximo had left with Señor Orchecho, returned with the Señor and his daughter. This was the first time Isabella had shown any interest. She knew that both Theresa and Maria understood about her experience with Kiki, but she needed the Señorita Elizabetta to give her assurance. The four women, two married and two not, but all close to the same age, immediately became friends. They unpacked Isabella’s packages. Elizabetta had been very careful about getting all of the things she and Isabella had purchased. It was when the two unmarried women were alone in Isaballa’s room that Elizabetta and Isabella talked about the shooting in Santa Fe. In the days since the event, Elizabetta had grown to understand part of Isabella’s life. She really had not had enough time to be afraid when Isabella pushed her through the shop door. Later, she was amazed at how the people around them reacted to the shooting. First the deputy saying that Maximo had just shot another horse beater, to the shaking of heads as the men measured the distance apart Maximo’s bullets had struck. None of these people, including the women, showed any horror at the man being killed. She heard one woman comment to the shopkeeper, “I am shore glad that young Delgato boy was about when that trash came by his sister. He shore took good care of her. Too bad they couldn’t find him a nice lady to settle down with. He was truly a good catch for someone.”

Elizabetta kept thinking about that last phrase, “He was truly a good catch for someone.” Elizabetta knew her father worried about her. She knew that he was hoping that she would meet some strong man somewhere. Elizabetta was looking around Isabella’s room. In one corner she found a rifle. “What is that Isabella?” she asked.

“Papá gave that rifle to me after we were accosted by outlaws many years ago. It is lighter than the rifles of the boys and shoots lighter cartridges. I usually practice ever so often, so if I ever get caught again, I will have something to protect my self. I always carry it on my saddle when I ride.”

When Ernesto came back to the hacienda, he was greeted by señor Orchecho. They argued long and hard about the values of preserving tradition against the values of progressing into the century just ahead. Ernesto’s experiences were just what the Señor wanted to study and discuss since Ernesto had made such great strides while still protecting his family and rancho. They both understood that Ernesto had worked hard to preserve his obligation to the men and families who lived on his rancho. His vaqueros stood by him out of both loyalty and friendship. The Texans that were associated with Ernesto also were loyal both because of friendship and because Ernesto was a good businessman and treated everyone fairly. Señor Orchecho also saw that the alliances that had been made because of several marriages between those associated with Ernesto and many influential men of the area. Ernesto laughed at this because theses alliances were all by choice of the niños and not arranged. They discussed the up coming marriage of Isabella. Ernesto told Orchecho how he had let Alejandro work on the ranch so he could court Isabella.

That night, Elizabetta was preparing for bed, sitting in front of the dresser in her room. As she was brushing her hair and humming to herself, she began to think of the strong Maximo and how safe she would always feel in his arms.

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As she had done so many times, Liz put down the book. The fragile Elizabetta was now thinking about Maximo. It was nice that she had been there without judgment for Isabella. Liz thought how nice it was that in those isolated times, Isabella had found several women who would support her. As she prepared for bed, Liz experienced a twinge of jealousy at Isabella, so sure of her Alejandro, and of Elizabetta finding someone she thought she might be willing to trust her life to.

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Liz’s dreams were a disaster this night. She was accosted by caballeros, gunfighters and graduate students, named Max Evans. One minute, she was on a horse riding with vaqueros and the next minute, she was in a Chrysler sedan. Then, she was in a jeep and then, riding down the highway in the comfort of a jaguar. The dreams were becoming disturbing tonight.

Chapter 23

Friday was still a holiday. Liz was working around the house like she did every holiday. That afternoon, Max called her. He had to fly to San Francisco on Saturday.”

“Well, I have to take the corporate jet to San Francisco. My business will take me about on hour and we could have the rest of the day just seeing the sights,” he said. “Would you like to come?”

Liz was finding that knowing Max was opening many avenues she had never realized. Before, her rational side would have cut in and refused the trip Liz found herself accepting. Max would pick her up at 8:00 in the morning.

Liz sat down. Things were going very fast for her. One of the things that was out of control was who was Max Evans. Maybe, she could read for a while. She couldn’t stay up too late though if she was going to be ready the next morning.

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It took several days for the guest to arrive for a fiesta as large as this one. Both the Texan friends of Charlie Evans and the Hispanic friends of the Gutierrez family were coming. Elizabetta was almost as excited Isabella. She had been to many parties in Mexico City and also on the east coast of the United States. She sensed that this party was more than just a marriage. It was the daughter of the great Señor Ernesto Delgato and the son of Charlie Evans. To Ernesto, it was two cultures coming together. To Maximo, it was a time to be overly careful. Maria had been with Isabella for a the past week. Maximo and Miguel kept their eyes open. There were just so many people that they didn’t know. After the wedding, there were many young caballeros who wanted to show the señoritias how great their skills were at dancing and charming. Elizabetta, being someone new, was a sought after partner.

Maximo and Miguel had always stood by Isabella until Miguel had married. Then, it was Maximo alone who stood behind her chair. Now, Isabella was in the arms of another man. Maximo, after working with Alejandro all summer, had no doubt of his ability to look after his new wife. Now, Maximo stood alone. Many señoritas flashed their bright eyes at him, but unlike his father, Maximo just smiled and declined every invitation, no matter how subtle it was given, to take one of their hands and dance them around the floor.

Many of the young men had tried to win encouraging words from Elizabetta. Either as encouragement to continue courting her or in, maybe talking her into a tryst since it was known that she was from the big and more liberal city. Several men had approached her father to initiate negotiations for her hand. Being of the old tradition, he listened to each one. Maybe, he could find a comfortable position for a marriage. Señor Orchecho believed that parents did have the right to negotiate whom their daughters were to marry.

Elizabetta had, for the whole evening, been trying to catch the eye of Maximo. She finally approached Isabella. “How do I get your brother to dance with me?” she asked.

Isabella smiled and turned to one of the vaqueros near by. He went to Maximo and told him that he was wanted by his sister. Maximo hurried to her side. “¿Què paso,? Mi hermana.” Maximo asked.


“Maximo, the Señorita Orchecho has done us great service and you have not shown her the courtesy of our family by asking her to dance,” Isabella said in her normally regal tone.

Maximo bowed to the Señorita Orchecho, “Perdóname, Señorita, will you honor me with a dance?”

Elizabetta was taken into the arms of Maximo. She could feel that he seemed afraid he would hurt her. “Señor, do not be afraid to hold me. I am strong enough to be present caring for your hermana after your gunfight. I think I am strong enough to dance with the famous Maximo Delgato without breaking,” she told him.

Maximo held her closer and he was experiencing feelings stronger than any he had felt before. Once, twice, thrice they danced to the songs of Spain, Mexico and the Texans, in otherwise songs of the southwest. Elizabetta made it clear that she didn’t want to be free of his arms any more than he wanted to release her.

Armando Calderon was a businessman from Mexico City. He had lusted after the beautiful Señorita Elizabetta. She was just what he was looking for, a beauty to grace his hacienda, to raise his children and to warm his bed. Enough for these foolish niños, to follow the woman. Armando would court the father. He would not waste his time on the dance floor. Señor Orchecho was well willing to listen to Armando. He had watched his hija dancing with the many young men. They followed her enough to make a father worry. Armando came to him wishing to formulate a contract to marry Elizabetta. He would be glad to find her a secure position and Armando apparently held a position in the government of Mexico. He would offer Paulo security as the father of the wife of Armando if the marriage took place. Right now, Paulo was watching the son of Ernesto Delgato dancing with his daughter. He knew little of Maximo except that he was a known and feared gunfighter. Yes, he was getting more and more anxious to see his daughter situated. He and Armando shook hands. It would be his pleasure to see his daughter married to such a well-appointed man.

Armando knew nothing of the Gutierrez family. He did not like Ernesto. Ernesto was siding himself with the Americanos. Armando didn’t like this. Ernesto didn’t carry himself well for a patrón. He was too close to his men. Armando knew nothing about the son of Ernesto. He had heard that he was a known gunfighter, but Armando was like Elizabetta formerly had been, he believed his position would give him privilege. Armando walked out on the dance floor and put his hand on the arm of Maximo. The minute he did this, the music stopped. The floor cleared and men who were friends of the Delgato family took up places along the sides of the floor. Armando did not see the ominous climate that immediately pervaded the courtyard. Armando in a loud voice proclaimed, “Señorita Orchecho, your father has given me your hand in marriage.

Maximo shook off the hand of Armando. “Señor, you may have won the mind of her father, but I am well on the way to winning the heart of the Señorita. If I hold the ace of hearts, it and a six of spades in my colt, beats your king of diamonds.”

You could hear a pin drop. Everyone’s eye was on Maximo and Armando. Paulo Orchecho started to walk out onto the floor. His intention was to correct the young Delgato. He had already given the hand of his daughter. Paulo felt a gnarled hand twisted by many lariat burns and calloused by the branding iron and the sixgun, on his shoulder. He looked into the face of Ernesto. It was not the face he had looked at across the table over a glass of wine as they discussed politics. This was the face that almost twenty years ago had held off an entire dance floor with only four loaded chambers in his Remington. This was the man who had run away with the bride of another and returned to raise an old man and his dream to glory. The tension of the courtyard was as thick as it had ever been.

It was Kyle, “EEhoow, Maxie, lez string the snova-beetch up, right here, and we won’t have problem.”

Armando was startled to hear such words. He looked around and the vaqueros were laughing and the Texans were all swinging out their ropes. Armando suddenly realized that he was no longer a caballero de la gente. He, personally, was in danger. Armando looked at Señor Orchecho, but he was standing beside Delgato. Armando had never in his life seen such fierce eyes as those of Ernesto. Armando began to slowly back away from the courtyard. He made it to his horse and quickly mounted and they could hear him riding away.

Maximo turned to Elizabetta, “Señorita, I can ride and return your man if you want.”

Kyle yelled again, “Shiiit, Maxie, why would she want a fop when before her stands a real man that would love and care for her like he should?” Kyle might be a little drunk, but he was perceptive.

Maximo looked into the eyes of Elizabetta. He was looking for permission, but he finally just bent taking her into his arms and kissed her. He hoped he was feeling what he thought he was and that she was kissing him back.

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Liz put down the book. Every time the Delgato family had a wedding another betrothal happened. She was happy for both Elizabetta and also for Maximo. They had found their loves. Liz had began to wonder if she might now dream of love. She had given up on this when her mother died. Liz put out the light. Tomorrow, she would travel with her graduate student to San Francisco.

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Liz was lying in her wedding bed. She was dressed in a negligee of considerable expense. Liz had chosen this item after careful consideration. She looked around the room. It must be a hotel suit. She could see the complementary champagne, in a silver ice bucket, just feet from her bed. She sat up in the bed. Hanging carefully from a hanger was her wedding dress. Sitting on stands were two matching pieces of luggage. Liz, in the dim light could see men’s clothes in one piece of luggage and women’s clothes in the other. Liz knew little about men’s clothes, but she could see that the items in the lady’s luggage were of high quality. She looked down at the floor. Dyed satin shoes were sitting just under the stand. Beside the satin shoes, Liz saw a pair of shoes from Gucci’s. Liz couldn’t even understand how she knew that name. Liz had never paid more than one hundred dollars for a pair of shoes in her life, but here she was recognizing these expensive items at sight. Hanging on a rack beside the other piece of luggage, she saw a man’s coat of camel hair. It was so soft looking that it gave Liz shivers. Reason was fighting for control of her mind. Reason asked what was she doing in a bridal suit anyway. Liz didn’t even know anyone well enough to be a boyfriend, let alone well enough to be her husband. Liz made a sharp intake of air. What if that man, Max, had done something to her. Maybe, he had given her some drug and taken her some place she had no idea of where. Max, it must be him. He was the only man she had even half way dated. A Shadow darkened the doorway. Where did that door lead anyway? A man almost naked entered the room. She couldn’t see him clearly so how did she know he wasn’t fully dressed? Liz clutched the bed covers to her chest. She was almost to the point of screaming, when that favorite spoiler of modern society and especially of her dream world, the alarm clock sounded.
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You Can’t Go Back to Yesterday is a canon fic that attempts to explain the first season of Roswell

Acommidation This is a sad story how two people overcome adversity. It is a Max and Maria story that could be possible