The room was crowded with people dancing, talking, and drinking, but Amanda felt deeply alone amidst the crowd. Beside her was Sofía, pretending to listen to María, the youngest daughter of the house owner. The girl, about eleven years old, had lost her mother to a sudden illness. She was complaining about her unbearable stepmother, who was only a bit older than she was. Sofía wasn't paying attention to the conversation and was casting furtive glances at Pablo Ferreira, who was dancing with a very pretty girl.
Amanda searched for her family among the crowd. Her parents, her uncles, and Isabel were talking with Juan Bustamante, who had a glass in his hand and flushed cheeks. They were almost certainly talking about business, politics, or countryside affairs. Amanda preferred to stay away from such conversations.She spotted Diego playing a card game with a group of boys his age, and they seemed very entertained. Amanda sighed in boredom, wondering how much longer she would have to stay there before she could return to La Rosa. Perhaps if she had brought her drawing materials, she could have sat away from prying eyes and captured the essence of the gathering.Everyone was so concerned with trying to stand out among the other guests that she was the only one to notice that Sebastián had returned to the party after a considerable absence. A few minutes later, the hostess entered the room. Her gait revealed that, like her husband, she had drunk too much. However, she hadn't been drinking with him. Although maintaining a prudent distance, Sebastián and she couldn't stop looking at each other.Amanda stood up and crossed the room to Sebastián. It was possible that no one had noticed his risky move, but if he wasn't careful, they would soon find out.Her cousin's proximity forced the young man to look away from the sensual hostess, who had interrupted Pablo Ferreira's dance by dragging his partner by the arm. That movement didn't go unnoticed and caused a murmur, like water running in a stream, to spread through the room."Dear Amanda, are you enjoying yourself?" asked Sebastián, noticing her."I'm afraid not," the young woman admitted."Then I'll have to remedy that somehow. Would you grant me this dance?" he proposed, extending a hand to the young woman and bowing with the other arm behind his back."That sounds good. Perhaps dancing will make my night a bit more bearable, though surely more than one will hate me for monopolizing your attention," Amanda replied playfully and let her cousin lead her."No one could hate you, dear."Sebastián danced very well and guided her with total ease. His arms comforted her and made her feel completely at ease.Before the song ended, Sofía also joined the dance floor with Pablo, who had no trouble finding a new partner. Without a doubt, they made a lovely couple. He was tall, dark, and handsome, and she had the poise of a princess.In the company of her cousin and guided by the beautiful music of a pianist, Amanda's night improved significantly. She momentarily forgot about the stares, the murmurs, and the gossip; only they and the magical melody that transported her to another world mattered.They danced for hours, unaware of the passing time except for the change in the music's rhythm. They were already exhausted when Diego told them it was time to return to the estate.Sebastián suggested they bid farewell to the hostess, but they couldn't find her. It was very late, and most of the guests had already left; it was likely that the woman had retired to her quarters to rest.Pablo and Sofía had also been dancing for most of the night, and if it had been up to her, they might never have stopped, as she pleaded, "Just one more dance...""I'm afraid it's late, dear cousin, and our parents are already leaving the party," Diego replied, gently guiding Sofía to the exit without giving her time to say goodbye to Pablo.Amanda's parents and uncles boarded one cart, while her cousins and sisters joined her in another. They all shared anecdotes and talked about the guests.Diego had won a few coins playing cards. He had learned a new game called truco.Amanda traveled with her head resting on Sebastián's shoulder. She felt drowsy from the cart's monotonous movement and the caress of the cool night breeze. For a moment, she thought she was in a dream. She heard a child crying in the distance. She pulled away from her cousin, who looked at her, puzzled."What's wrong, Amanda?" Sebastián whispered."I hear a child crying."A few moments later, all five of them were alert, listening to the cry of a baby."Could it be a lost soul?" Sofía asked, clinging to Diego's arm."Don't be silly. It must be the youngest of a large family. It's common among the country folk when they can't feed all their children," Isabel conjectured coldly."Stop!" Amanda ordered the driver.She wasn't going to let a child die if it was in danger."I'm sorry, Miss. If we stop now, we'll die. Whatever is crying is not a child," the man explained, whipping the oxen to speed up.The young Pérez Esnaola siblings watched in fear as their parents' cart also picked up speed.