Isabel had invited her sisters for breakfast at Águila Calva. She laid out a blanket with sweets and pastries to enjoy while watching the men playing pato in the gardens. Isabel didn't understand the appeal of such a rough sport and brought her hand to her mouth every time one of them was about to fall off his horse.
"That's the way to do it!" Amanda shouted at her husband as he approached Esteban and grabbed one of the four handles on the leather bag containing a dead duck inside.The men tugged at each other and wobbled precariously on their horses until Pablo managed to keep hold of the bag. When he threw it through a metal ring, Amanda began cheering his success, stopping only when the game resumed.This sport brought out the wildest side in men. Roberto and Pablo kept insulting each other, and Isabel hoped the rivalries wouldn't end in a real fight. Diego, for his part, rode back and forth across the field but didn't seem very interested in getting hurt just for the sake of playing the game."It's unfair they didn't let me play. I'm sure I could do better than them, and Diego doesn't even want to be there," Amanda protested."It looks dangerous! It's not a game for women," said Sofía, enjoying a slice of lemon cake she had baked herself."Roberto insists that if you play well, the chances of falling off the horse are very low, but he can dream if he thinks I'll let him teach Manuelito to play pato when he grows up," Isabel assured."It looks fun, but Pablo is going to lose if Diego keeps playing like that. The Páez brothers are good riders," Amanda commented.Roberto and Esteban won the game, and although Isabel had feared that her husband and Pablo might fight, fortunately, the rivalries didn't go beyond the game's limits. When the sun reached its highest point, the four men put their horses away in the stables. They returned sweaty and sore.Diego had fewer scratches and bruises than his companions, but he was thirsty and hot. He grabbed a glass of water and drank it all without stopping. Esteban collapsed and accepted a homemade cookie Isabel offered him."Put that down! I'm going to prepare the asado right now," his older brother scolded, and after drinking some fresh water, he went to light the fire.Pablo poured some water over his hair with the jug and then sat next to his wife. He kissed Amanda on the cheek and said:"Next time, I'll team up with you, and we'll crush the Páez brothers.""Who said I want to team up with you? Maybe Diego and I will be the ones to crush the Páez brothers," Amanda said, sticking her tongue out at Pablo."No one can beat us. Though I might retire undefeated, every muscle in my body hurts," Esteban replied from the ground, eating another cookie Isabel offered him."I didn't like the game. I prefer playing Truco," Diego confessed."That's because you didn't even bother to start playing," Pablo teased, while Amanda and Esteban laughed.They chatted and joked until Roberto finished preparing the meat and called them for lunch."Go ahead. I'll come when I can move," Esteban said."Oh, brother-in-law!" Isabel exclaimed, offering her hand to help him up.They had set the table outside to enjoy the beautiful day. The servants brought wine and salads, but it was Roberto who cut and served the grilled meat he had prepared. It looked delicious, and everyone applauded the man before starting to eat."Are you okay?" Roberto asked his brother, giving him a hard pat on the back.The young man winced in pain and replied, "Better than ever.""Next time, you and your brother won't have it so easy," Pablo warned."I already told you no one beats the Páez brothers. Maybe you'll have a chance playing against Manuelito, but only because he's too young to understand the game," Esteban replied, and everyone laughed."Have you heard about Ana Bustamante?" Sofía asked, continuing without waiting for an answer. "They say she used the money her husband left her to move to the city.""Yes, I heard. I think it was for the best. It didn't make sense for her to keep living with her stepchildren. Mariano told me his younger sister and Ana fought every day. Since she left, the family finally has some peace," Esteban commented."I heard that Magdalena de Toledo y Rojas's father accepted her engagement to Simón," Isabel added, not wanting to be left out of the conversation.Amanda watched Pablo cautiously. It was evident she wanted to gauge her husband's reaction to the news that the young woman he had courted before her was getting married to a simple secretary. The criollo seemed to notice because he raised his glass and added:"I'm very happy to hear that. I hope they are very happy together."His wife smiled, pleased, and raised her glass, followed by the others. After toasting, Pablo gave her a tender kiss on the lips. Amanda responded, blushing slightly. Isabel was glad her sister was happy and had reconciled with the family. She loved these kinds of family gatherings where they could exchange news about what was happening in town. Especially now that Manuelito had gotten used to being alone with Dionisia and hardly cried when she left him for a few hours.It was a shame her mother couldn't attend. Doña Catalina had left at dawn to accompany the widow of Hidalgo to the city and wouldn't return until nightfall.When they finished eating and sharing news, Esteban said:"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to die on my bed now. I mean... sleep on my bed."Pablo and Roberto laughed."Then, if we set up another pato game, I'll take your place," Amanda suggested.Diego and Roberto exchanged a look that showed they had no plans to play again, much less with the young woman. Isabel couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for her sister."We're tired, we ate a lot, and our bodies hurt too much to survive another game like the one we had," Pablo explained.Amanda lowered her gaze, disappointed, and the young man quickly added:"Tomorrow we can play at home. Give me one night to recover.""Okay, but if I win, you'll have to pose for the painting I told you about," she said, and for some reason, Pablo blushed."Agreed, but if I win..." he began to say and finished the sentence in Amanda's ear.The couple noticed everyone was watching them. Even Esteban had stayed, standing by his chair instead of going to rest."Everything was delicious," Pablo said, trying to hide his nervousness."Yes, it really was. It was a great lunch," Amanda agreed, embarrassed.Although Isabel didn't fully like the criollo, she was glad he made her sister happy.