Nacre's Promise

Chapter XXX : Projects

Cuevas-Blancas, 1911.

Today is Sunday, the Lord's Day, as Elvira always repeats. Since her eviction followed by her return to favor at the hacienda, she did her best to make people forget her bad deeds. Everyone even thought she was remorseful and would never do it again. All of them, except Isabel, who didn't believe it at all.

You can never quite get rid of your bad deeds, she thought.

The family was getting ready to go to the celebration of Mass in the little chapel. The increase in the number of people living on the estate, had forced Padre Alfredo to come on site, under penalty of losing faithful believers. He had therefore reopened the old chapel and Rodrigo had financed its rehabilitation since it was on his land. Since Mass resumed in the chapel, it had become difficult not to attend its celebration on the pretext of being away. This fully satisfied Padre Alfredo.

A week before the inauguration, Alfredo and Alessandro had baptized Jesus Andrea together, in the presence of the parents, his godfather, Salvador and his godmother, Angelica, Isabel's sister.

The baby had cried so much that Isabel blamed herself for submerging it in holy water. She had accepted this tradition to satisfy her in-laws and her sister, but if she had been able to choose, she would not have allowed it so much the crying of her son had shaken her.

Before the baptism, she had accompanied Diego to Barcelona to visit the Campos house, in order to officially present Jesus Andrea. She had also met Manuela Cortez whom she had not seen for a long time. After these visits, Isabel had agreed to entrust her son to her friend Carmen who still worked at Don Campos. Carmen was married to Miguel and they had lost their first child at birth. They hadn't had another since. Carmen was therefore delighted to take care of baby Jesus Andrea who was chirping all the time.

Isabel had taken advantage of this moment of rest to join Manuela in the market place. As she strolled through the streets to get there, she was saddened to find many beggars, sometimes very young, who asked for charity from all passers-by. Now that she could, she gave them alms, wishing she could do more.

What was this mighty God doing for these people who didn't even have enough to eat?

The crisis had weakened employment. This precariousness revolted her because, although the economic situation of Catalonia was beginning to flourish again, the whole population did not benefit from it.

When she was still working with Manuela, she had never seen this misery. Everyone could then easily access a job and support themselves. What had happened during these ten years, despite the industrial boom. In the countryside, it was less noticeable. People knew each other and helped each other in a natural way, but here in town nobody looked after the poor.

What did God do when his poor children needed help? Nothing of course, otherwise they wouldn't be there begging for a piece of bread.

His faith in the Church had disappeared in the face of this misery. When she was a child, she already had a hard time with the faith. She was too Cartesian for the existence of God to be real.

Why did he not show himself, this benevolent God? What was he doing for his devotees who prayed so assiduously to him in the hope of a better life?

She believed neither in Heaven nor in Hell which, according to her, was nothing but fabrications intended to enslave peoples. No, of course, she had never succumbed to the Spanish fervor which put the Church on the same level as the Kings. She had long been weaned from these beliefs, but in such a Catholic country, she couldn't afford to shock. So she had decided to conceal it, so as not to hurt her relatives, so as not to be identified with a heretic, but without sincerity or fervor.

Without renouncing her convictions, this Sunday she would go to mass like every Sunday. She would go to confession the day before, like any good Catholic, then she would go to Communion and pray for all these unfortunate people she had met in Barcelona, ​​even if she was convinced that it would have no effect.

Rodrigo and Elvira seemed to have found a compromise that allowed them to live together. They didn't speak much to each other, except in public, and had continued to separate rooms since Elvira's return. Diego had not seen the white hair that had recently appeared in his father, nor the subtle change that took place when his gaze fell on his mother. Rodrigo had an inquisitive eye, always ready to avoid a possible drama or a new Machiavellian maneuver by his wife. Constantly being on the alert had an impact on his health.

This Sunday, Isabel tried to tell him to relax his attention. She assured him that with Diego, there were two of them to continue the surveillance, but Rodrigo did not want to hear her.

— Understand me my daughter, he had said, this task falls to me. It was I who made the choice to let her come back, and it is therefore me and I alone, who must ensure that my decision is not prejudicial to anyone.

— But Padre, this is not livable, it will end up wearing you down so badly that you will die of it. I don't want that, let us handle this with Diego.

— It is my cross, but I thank you for wanting to try to relieve me of it. Enjoy your life my child, mine is now behind me.

After this discussion, Isabel burst into tears on her way home.

For several months, life was punctuated by the needs of the baby. The nights were short due to the feedings. Fortunately, Isabel had plenty of milk and he could always be full before going back to sleep.

Diego also slept little. He got up to take Jesus Andrea in his cradle and bring him to Isabel in their bed. She was breastfeeding him, putting him back to bed and meanwhile Diego was trying to finish his night.

They lacked nothing, they were happy and still in love. Their house was perfect. The young white grape vines were growing well, which suggested that the project of breeding a new Catalan cru was nearby. Diego was quite exhilarated.

One evening, he came home as happy as a chaffinch. Taking Isabel by the waist, he led her into an improvised waltz right in the middle of their living room.

— My beloved, I am the happiest man in the world! I have a wonderful wife and child and our project is taking a very good turn, he said, twirling her around.

— I'm so happy too, she breathed, curling up against her husband in a languid attitude.

— This project takes a lot of my time. I hope you don't blame me for letting you run the house and our child on your own?

— As long as you come back to me every night, and hug me that way, I have no complaints, she replied, laughing.

He tightened his embrace and, stumbling in their dance, they collapsed, still entwined, on the sofa.

— I'm not going to reveal my final project to you to surprise you, but I promise you something innovative that could perhaps be promising.

A great champagne lover, Diego had the ambition to produce a local sparkling wine to stand out from the competition and offer an alternative to the expensive orders of this French product that he loved so much.

During the following weeks, and to find out if his project could be well received, he toured the wine merchants with his idea of ​​sparkling wine. This idea was so well received, that he immediately started the construction of the shed necessary for the preparation of the future harvest. Once the hangar was finished, it remained for him to take care of the rehabilitation of the galleries which were going to house the barrels.

Rodrigo came to see them as often as possible, Elvira much less! He wanted to take advantage of his grandson and brought him gifts which, while beautiful, were also more than superfluous. Jesus Andrea took his first steps in the patio which was ideal for a child. A flat space with vegetation where he could evolve without risk and without neither Diego nor Isabel having to keep an eye on him all the time.

Isabel also provided Ernesto, Carlina and their family with her well-being. She helped them financially and often gave them gifts for the house, to facilitate their work or simply for their pleasure. Rodrigo and Diego approved.

Ever since Jesus Andrea pointed the tip of his nose, Isabel had been swimming in happiness.