The double wedding had been a perfect close to the first year of the Pérez Esnaola family in the Viceroyalty of the Río de la Plata. However, the turn of the century brought them disturbing news. The Páez family was returning from a splendid dinner at La Rosa, attended by all their loved ones, except the Ferreiras, who had gone to visit Pablo's grandmother in the city. It was too dark to make out, but Isabel saw from the carriage the silhouette of a man waiting for them at the entrance to Águila Calva.
—There's someone by the door —she told her husband, clutching her baby tighter.—It's strange; everyone is celebrating the arrival of 1800 —Esteban commented.—Hopefully, it's not a thief —said Isabel.—Stay here; I'll go see who it is and what he wants —ordered Roberto.The carriage stopped, and Roberto got out. The stranger had a long coat with the hood covering his face. He was leaning against the wall next to the door, looking at the ground. He didn't seem to notice someone approaching. Something wasn't right; it could be an assassin or a sick peasant.—Should I go too? —asked Esteban.—No! Stay with us, brother-in-law —Isabel requested.The hooded man lifted his face as Roberto approached. If the clouds hadn't covered the moon's faint light at that moment, perhaps Isabel could have seen his features. The men exchanged a few words at the entrance and then embraced. That could only mean the stranger brought bad news.Esteban jumped out of the carriage without waiting for his sister-in-law and went to meet his brother. The coachman didn't bother to help Isabel, who got down with difficulty while Manuelito began to cry. She moved towards the entrance, trying to soothe her son and ignoring that the hem of her expensive dress was dragging through the mud. Only when she reached the doorstep did she recognize the hooded man's features: it was Mariano Bustamante, and his face was full of sorrow.—Let's go inside. I'll ask Dionisia to prepare you something to drink —said Roberto as they entered the house.They settled into the armchairs in the living room while Roberto went to fetch the servant.—What happened? —Isabel asked, though she was sure the young man's state had something to do with Juan Bustamante's disappearance.—They found my father —he confirmed, and Isabel felt the pain in his words.She felt very sorry for him. She still missed her father a lot and knew how difficult it would be for him to cope with the loss and take charge of Juan Bustamante's business. The old man managed everything and everyone in the town, and Mariano, just over twenty years old, would have to sustain the empire his father had left him.—I'm sorry —Isabel added.—It's better to know than not to know, or so they say, but when I still didn't know, I clung to the hope that he might be alive —he confessed.Esteban took Mariano's hand resting on his knee and began to trace circles with his thumb. Manuelito had stopped crying and was now pulling on his mother's hair.—How did it happen? —asked Esteban.—It was terrible... It seems it was a puma, but it was him. I know because he had his weapon —Mariano said, recalling the scene.Roberto returned from the kitchen and sat next to his wife. He looked distressed. Isabel knew that much of her husband's business was tied to Bustamante's. Their financial situation could be at risk if Mariano didn't have the same skill as his father.—You're not alone. We'll help you with whatever you need —promised Isabel after Dionisia served them some hot chocolate.Esteban nodded, confirming his sister-in-law's words.—Thank you. Can I stay here tonight? I haven't had the courage to tell my sisters what happened. María insists that Ana wanted him dead —Mariano requested.—You can stay here as long as you want. I'm sure the girl will be more at ease knowing it was a puma and not her stepmother who killed him —said Isabel, trying to comfort the young man.The woman knew that when Mariano recovered from his grief and took charge of his father's business, he would remember that the Páez family had been with him during the worst moment of his life. However, she feared that the relationship the boys had could become a scandal if it became known among high society members. She hoped they could keep their indiscretions secret.—I don't know. Doctor Medina said the puma bites were after he died. Also, his temple was crushed... as if he had been hit —Mariano added.—Maybe he fell —Esteban suggested.—I don't know, do you think María could be right? Ana hated my father, and the slaves said she brought men to the house when no one was there —he explained.—I don't know what to think. If your stepmother had a lover, it could have been him. Maybe he acted out of jealousy —Esteban suggested.—It's possible. I'll try to find out who she was cheating on my father with —added Mariano, whose sadness had turned into contained rage.At Juan Bustamante's funeral, everyone was commenting that there might be a murderer among them. The young widow, who hadn't been seen since her husband's disappearance, arrived on Magdalena's arm. Both wore black lace veils covering their faces, so Isabel could only guess their expressions. A murmur spread around them.The arrival of Pablo and Amanda also provoked some whispers, though more discreet. Perhaps black suited the young woman, or maybe marriage enhanced her sensuality. Isabel left Manuel with Dionisia and approached them. She hoped her sister was no longer angry with her for not supporting her rebellions.—How was the trip? How are the countess and your grandmother? —she asked.—The trip was fine, my great-aunt is well, and my grandmother has died —Pablo commented, with little interest.—Oh, I'm so sorry! —added Isabel, who didn't expect to hear that response.—Look, dear, Doctor Medina —Pablo pointed out, and he walked away with his wife, leaving Isabel alone.The young woman sighed in frustration. As she had ignored Amanda, now she and her husband were showing indifference. She couldn't believe they were so resentful.Isabel spotted Sofía and her cousins talking outside the church, away from the crowd, and went to join them. At least they were glad to see her.—What a sad loss for Mr. Bustamante! I don't understand who could have done something like that —she commented after greeting them.—I heard it was a puma —Diego said.—They say someone hit him and then a puma attacked him —she replied.Sofía shared an uncomfortable look with Sebastián.—Stop it! Don't feed false rumors —the young man scolded her.Isabel stopped insisting. At another time, her cousin would have wanted to know all the details. Maturing was making him boring.—Excuse me... —said María Bustamante, and Isabel stepped aside so the girl could stand between her and Sofía.—Hello! I'm so sorry about your father —Sofía said to her little friend.—A witness has claimed that you, Sebastián Pérez Esnaola, swore you would kill my father! —María accused.—Nonsense! I never said that —Sebastián hastened to say, but the color had left his cheeks.—Do you deny swearing you would kill Juan Bustamante at the countess's welcome party? —the girl insisted.Sofía and Diego exchanged a worried look.—Why would my cousin say something like that? Mr. Bustamante was his boss, and it was more beneficial for the family that he stayed alive. Maybe you should interrogate your stepmother —Isabel persuaded, trying to defend her cousin.—Sebastián would never do something like that —Sofía added, clinging to the young man's arm.—Yes. You can't go around defaming our family with unfounded rumors. A puma killed your father because he wasn't very good at hunting! —Diego shouted at María, and the girl's eyes filled with tears as she ran away.—Diego, that was very cruel! It wasn't right for her to talk to Sebastián that way, but now she's an orphan —Isabel began to scold him, but Diego interrupted her.—You need to leave this town —Diego said, looking at Sebastián with dilated pupils.—Maybe I could go to the city with Leonidas and Pablo's great-aunt —Sebastián suggested.—Don't be ridiculous! Don't let a child's silly speculations scare you. No one will pay attention to her —Isabel scoffed.—No, you need to go back to Spain. I could write a letter saying Uncle Óscar thinks there are problems in his fields, and you could offer to help —Sofía said with conviction.Sebastián nodded and closed his eyes. Isabel couldn't believe they were serious. Sebastián wouldn't kill anyone unless...—Good heavens! You are Ana's lover! —Isabel exclaimed, and the three of them signaled her to be quiet.She wanted to know all the details, but it wasn't the time or place to interrogate her cousin. Even if Sebastián was a murderer, she wouldn't betray him. She didn't want his bad decisions to affect the family's good name. Sebastián would pay for his crime in hell; meanwhile, the sudden trip had to be believable. If everything went well, by the time they started investigating him, the young man would already be crossing the ocean.—Who could have told María what Sebastián said at the countess's welcome party? —Sofía asked.—Maybe it was Ana —Diego suggested.—No, she would never do that. I'm sure it was Magdalena. Pablo told me she promised to take revenge on him, and she must have thought that hurting his loved ones would make him suffer —Sebastián explained.—Did you know Pablo Ferreira's grandmother also died? —Isabel commented.Sofía and Diego were surprised, but Sebastián seemed taciturn and distant. Leaving the life he enjoyed at La Rosa wouldn't be easy for him, but he had no other option.Isabel hoped Mariano Bustamante wouldn't pay attention to his younger sister's words. She watched the meddlesome girl and her brother from a distance. With a bit of luck, she might convince her brother-in-law to persuade his lover that Juan Bustamante had been a bandit's victim. If that didn't work, maybe she could find a man who would be charmed by the recent widow, someone they could blame and who would bear the accusation and sentence for her cousin.