Sneak Preview from "Chorros Blancos" (Book 3 of the Belle of Colombia Series)

Here is a short sneak preview from "Chorros Blancos" (Book 3 of the Belle of Colombia Series)

Colonel Cordoba paused as the men of his staff passed the reins of their horses to their aids and waited for his order. “At ease gentleman.” He strode forward toward the steps that lead up onto the wide porch.

“Welcome Colonel,” Santiago said as he saluted his commander. “You know my wife’s cousin Esteban, of course.”

“Colonel,” Esteban saluted sharply.

“Yes, of course,” he replied, returning his salute as he started up the steps. At the top of the steps he spoke over his shoulder. “Lieutenant Garcia, please present Sergeant Marquez with his new commission.” He extended his hand toward Esteban. “Congratulations Sergeant.”

“Thank you Colonel,” Esteban replied. A question lingered a moment.

“You will be replacing Sergeant Ochoa,” he said. “Effective immediately.”

“Please come in sir,” Santiago said with a sweeping motion toward the open door. “Gentlemen. You are all welcome.” He turned toward the staff with a broader wave.

“With your permission?” Colonel Cordoba asked as he crossed the threshold into the house.

In turn each officer approached Santiago and Esteban with a greeting and then asked permission to enter the house. Rafael brought up the rear, beaming as he shook Esteban’s hand and slapped him on the back. “Sergeant Marquez,” he chuckled.

“Replacing Sergeant Ochoa?” Santiago asked as they stepped through the door behind the staff.

Santiago suddenly stepped in front of the men who had gathered, uncomfortably fidgeting in the main room of the house which was rather small for the number of men present. Juanito, Camila and Maribel were standing in a line at one end facing the group with large, timid eyes. Jorge peeped out from behind his mother’s skirts with frightened eyes.

“Colonel. Gentlemen,” he said. “May I present my niece Camila Vasquez, my nephew Juan Vasquez, my son Jorge and above all, my beautiful wife Ana Maribel Arboleda Rios.”

Each of the men nodded and then Colonel Cordoba stepped forward and took the hand of each and spoke softly to them while the staff waited. Jorge would have nothing to do with the Colonel and dashed away to hide.

“Please forgive him Colonel,” Maribel said, smiling.

“It is quite alright ma’am,” he said. “Ma’am, it is a very distinguished pleasure to meet you.” He took her hand, bowed and kissed it softly.

“The pleasure is mine Colonel,” she beamed.

“Ma’am,” he began, straightening himself. “I do apologize for the interruption. It will be brief. We have a presentation to make.”

“It is quite alright Colonel,” she replied. She turned toward Camila and Juanito. “The refreshments.”

“No wait!” Colonel Cordoba put up his hand.

Camila and Juanito froze, their eyes moved back and forth between Maribel and Colonel Cordoba with a startled question.

“Lieutenant Garcia,” he said, stepping aside and at the head of the two lines which had divided themselves within the room. “Would you please join me here.”

“Yes sir!” Garcia stepped forward quickly, beaming.

“And you too Captain Vasquez,” he smiled.

“Sir?” The question lingered on his face as he moved forward.

“You are now commissioned a Captain,” Cordoba announced. “Lieutenant Garcia?”

The lieutenant produced the proper insignia which Colonel Cordoba then presented to Captain Vasquez. “Gentlemen!” he snapped as he turned. “And Dona Arboleda. I present Captain Vasquez of the Army of New Granada!”

“’Tention!” Garcia snapped. All of the military gentlemen in the room snapped to a sharp salute, which Santiago then returned.

“At ease,” Captain Vasquez said after returning their salute, and then turning toward the general. “Thank you sir.”

“You have earned it and more,” Cordoba replied. “Gentlemen. Please greet your new Captain and then return to your duties. Sergeant Marquez and Mister Ochoa will accompany me upon my return.”

Rafael’s chest swelled with pride as he watched each of the officers congratulate Santiago. There was no leader more deserving of the honor that they presented to him. He watched Maribel’s eyes glistening as each officer bowed slightly as they greeted her, and then stepped through the door. She was a beautiful, young woman with grace that was well beyond her years. She had transformed before his very eyes from the timid woman who saw an invasion of military officers enter her home, to a gracious hostess in only a matter of seconds. She certainly had the dignity to be a captain’s wife.

“Colonel,” she beamed, grasping his elbow after the last of the officers had left. “Let’s go out to the patio.” With a turn of her head toward Camila and Juanito, the signal to serve them was given and the two jumped to their duties. “Mister Ochoa, Sergeant Marquez, would you join us as well?”

“Thank you Dona Arboleda,” Colonel Cordoba replied as she lead him to a seat on the patio.

Maribel then turned to Santiago, “Congratulations, my love.” She stood on her toes to kiss him.

Santiago hesitated a moment, looking at the Colonel who took the cup that Camila offered him, bowing slightly as a thank you and doing the same as Juanito offered him a pastry.

“Kiss your wife,” Cordoba chuckled. “No more formality.”

“Yes sir,” he beamed and leaned in to kiss her.

“Good,” Cordoba said, enjoying a sip of the coffee and a bit of the pastry. “Now. Where is that baby?”

“Camila,” Maribel said softly, taking the tray of coffee from her and serving her cousin and Rafael while Camila scrambled back into the house.

“Captain,” Cordoba addressed Santiago, who having taken a seat, accepted his refreshments from his wife. “Sergeant Marquez will be assigned to you permanently. He will replace Mister Ochoa who has asked for his discharge.”

Rafael noticed Santiago’s questioning glance. They hadn’t discussed it and he felt bad about it. He had arrived at the decision as he was sitting on the stone slab which overlooked the gorge of the river. The quiet peace of the mountains, the pines whispering to him and the gentle wave of the grass had spoken their mind to him and had presented an invitation that he couldn’t resist. He shrugged an unspoken reply to Santiago. He started to speak, but was interrupted by the arrival of Sara, who took over the entire attention of the group present, just as new babies have a tendency to do.

“May I present Sara Maribel Vasquez Arboleda,” Maribel said, taking Sara from Camila and gently extending her toward a suddenly uncomfortable Colonel Cordoba. For all of his rank and prowess as a military leader, he was still a very young man and not accustomed to holding a baby in his arms. He took her awkwardly and held her as though she were a fragile piece of glass.

“Well now,” he said, smiling as he held the baby stiffly in his arms. “She is nearly as beautiful as her mother.” Sensing the Colonel’s tension, Sara immediately began to cry. The distraught Colonel looked up at Maribel with fear in his eyes as he struggled to regain control of a situation that was beyond his experience.

Seeing Cordoba’s obvious discomfort, Maribel scooped Sara out of his arms and calmed her. The moment Sara was in her mother’s arms, she began to settle herself and soon stopped crying.

“Nothing like a mother’s touch,” Cordoba smiled. “I apologize ma’am. I don’t have much experience with babies.”

“It is quite alright,” she replied, moving over to take a seat beside Santiago, while she rocked the baby and talked to her quietly. She tilted Sara’s face so that she could see her father. “This is Captain Vasquez.”

“Just Daddy to you sweetheart,” Santiago replied, rubbing a finger on one of her chubby cheeks as he spoke.

Rafael looked around the group of men, warriors all, who had become suddenly transformed from rugged and fierce to soft and tender with Sara in their presence. Even in Cordoba’s discomfort there was a wistful look of gentility and longing for an end to death and destruction. As they chatted quietly about homes and families, Rafael couldn’t help hardening himself. He had lost all of that. The Spanish had taken it from him. He had exacted plenty of revenge, but the feeling was empty. Dying faces did not offer an adequate elixir for the illness which ravished his body.

He had enjoyed a drunken night or two with some of the other llaneros who had continued on with Cordoba’s command in Rionegro, but the bottle had never appealed to him as a means of escaping it all.

He grinned as he remembered the drunk he and the boys had tied on the night before, when he had announced that he was going to ask for his discharge. The revelry had continued into the early morning hours and spilled out into the plaza, where they had loaded some passed out drunk onto a wagon bound for the Magdalena River; telling the driver to put him on a boat to Barranquilla. They roared with laughter as the wagon rolled out of town and then noticed that the glow of the sun was lighting up the sky behind one of the green ridges.

As the others shuffled off toward their beds, Rafael had sat quietly in the plaza, watching the shadows of night begin to creep away as sunlight began to retake its command of the day. A thought had come to him suddenly as he observed the changing of the guard. Darkness and light constantly changed possession of the land in something that was so ordinary that no one ever considered it. Was it like that with all things? Was New Granada’s independence nothing more than the changing of darkness and light? How long would it last? As the questions repeated themselves throughout the day, Rafael knew that he had made the right decision. He needed to sort things out.

“Mister Ochoa. Sergeant,” Cordoba’s voice boomed, interrupting Rafael’s thoughts. “We have taken advantage of Dona Arboleda’s hospitality long enough. Sergeant, I need you to accompany me in order to bring the gift that I have for Miss Sara. If you will make ready to leave, we will depart shortly.”

“Yes sir,” Esteban replied, standing. Rafael stood as well.

“I already have your horse ready, sir,” Juanito announced. His eyes were wide and serious as though he was conducting an official duty.

“Thank you,” Esteban said. “I guess I’m ready when you are sir.”

“Then we’ll be on our way,” Cordoba said, rising from his seat. “Dona, you have a lovely baby, a lovely home and an excellent husband. I promise to take good care of him.”

“Thank you Colonel,” Maribel replied simply.

“Captain,” he said. “The main body will be moving out tomorrow. I am extending your time here for an additional ten days. Sergeant Marquez will accompany you when your leave is up. The rest of your staff will be in position and have everything in order when you arrive in Medellin. Lieutenant Garcia will be assigned to your staff, as well, and will discharge your duties until you arrive.”

“Thank you sir,” Santiago replied.

“Enjoy your lovely family,” he said.

Maribel passed Sara off to Camila and took the Colonel’s arm to escort him to the door and Santiago turned to follow.

“Captain Vasquez,” Rafael said to catch Santiago’s attention for a private word between them. He had made the decision to leave as soon as his discharge was signed and he wanted to be alone with his friend to say a more private good bye.

“Santiago,” he corrected turning back toward his friend. “Nothing has ever been formal between us.”

“I just wanted to try it out,” Rafael chuckled. “Sounds pretty good.” His face suddenly turned serious. “Please forgive me for not telling you about my discharge.”

“It’s not a problem Rafael,” he smiled.

“I ought to have talked to you about it. We’ve been pretty close these past months. You have been a good friend. Thank you.” Rafael extended his hand.

“We can discuss it later this evening,” Santiago said. “We’ll have a dinner to celebrate.”

“I won’t be coming back,” Rafael replied. When he saw Santiago’s brow wrinkle at his announcement he continued. “Well, not today anyway. I’ll be around. I kind of like it in these mountains.”

Santiago looked deep into his eyes as though he was searching his soul. Rafael wasn’t sure what he was seeing there, but he suddenly saw the searching stop and a twinkle replace it. Before the words were actually spoken, Rafael knew what they were going to be. “I understand,” Santiago said, drawing him in for a strong embrace.