He offered me four times what this property is worth and became angry when I refused.
I asked questions in Santa Fe.
There may be a rail route planned west of San Isidro.
The engineers need dependable water.
Our spring runs in drought years when the others fail.
If that is what Silas wants, this land is worth more than he is telling us.
Rosa stopped.
Gabriel swore quietly.
“You knew.”
Her gaze snapped toward him.
“No.”
“You know something.”
“I know about the survey.”
Rosa stood.
“You came here because of the spring.”
“No.”
Her face hardened.
“You saw the spring this morning.”
“Yes.”
“You knew a railway survey needed water.”
“I knew there was talk.”
“And now you return with a ladder?”
Gabriel’s jaw tightened.
“I returned because your roof was going to leak over two infants.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“Yes.”
The answer came too quickly.
Too firmly.
Rosa’s anger sharpened.
“Every man who comes here says he wants to help.”
Gabriel did not move.
“Then eventually he tells me what he actually wants.”
“I asked for water.”
“And what do you want now?”
“Right now?”
“Yes.”
“For you to finish reading your husband’s letter before deciding I’m another man trying to steal from you.”
The words hit hard.
Rosa stared.
Gabriel took one breath.
Then stepped back from the table.
“You’re right to distrust me.”
That made her angrier.
“Stop agreeing with everything.”
“I’m not.”
“You just did.”
“I said you’re right to distrust me. I didn’t say you’re right about me.”
Silence.
Rain hammered the porch.
Tomás began crying inside.
Lucía joined him a moment later.
Rosa closed her eyes.
Too much.
Grief.
The letter.
The ring.
The rain.
The crying.
Gabriel immediately moved toward the gate.
“I’ll go.”
Rosa opened her eyes.
“You haven’t eaten.”
“This is not the time.”
“You repaired the roof.”
“You owe me nothing.”
“I said supper.”
“Another night.”
He collected his tool bag.
Rosa looked down at Julián’s letter.
There was more.
One final paragraph.
If anything happens to me, take the receipts to Judge Herrera, not the county clerk.
Mercer has friends there.
And Rosa, this is important.
Do not let anyone convince you that keeping our home is foolish just because keeping it is difficult.
Difficult and foolish are not the same thing.
You know this land better than I do.
You always have.
I love you.
Julián.
Rosa’s vision blurred.
She sat down again.
Gabriel heard her breathing change.