Nacre's Promise

Chapter V : A harsh winter

The following winter, the fever arrived and when it left, it had ravaged many homes. The young Barcelona cousin of Doña d'Almondara had been taken away and in the domain too, many workers had not escaped.

Ernesto's family had been spared but Imelda had lost her little Concepción, a rather small and fragile infant. Very weakened, his sanity had also left with the child.

Isabel found it hard to accept that her mother, so close to her and so loving, had become an inert body. She had known her so lively and playful. It was hard to believe that she would never take care of her daughters like before. The disappearance of a mother is an ordeal that no one can easily overcome, but it was worse! Her mother was still there physically but she had become an empty shell. Isabel would never be able to ask him for advice again. His infectious laughter would never ring again in the house, it had been wiped out in a few days.

Everything had changed since this scourge had ravaged the region. The end of the century, which had weakened the powerful as well as the humble, seemed conducive to the start of a profound change.

The news which came from the city testified to this. The working people demanded better consideration and a better life. He didn't want to be that low class anymore to feel sorry for. Their movement gradually led them towards a proletariat capable of paralyzing entire sectors of the economy with its strikes. On Sunday May 4, 1890, major workers' demonstrations were organized in many Spanish cities in response to the May Day demonstrations that took place in other countries.

At the estate despite the remoteness of the city, the news had arrived and all these raised fears of a revolution. The struggle of the workers against the bourgeoisie and the ruling classes was at its peak. The workers demanded a working day, limited to eight hours, and better consideration.

Isabel with one more year, saw these changes as luck. Obedient and level-headed by nature, she had grown up carefree, protected by her parents, surrounded by her sisters and friends and above all without asking questions about her future.

With her fairly light blond hair and blue eyes, she was pretty and quick-witted. She was very different from her sisters and other children. Growing up, she sometimes found it difficult to feel in harmony with them. As her analytical mind developed, she asked herself many existential questions.

Why did she feel so different? Why couldn't his friends see anything? Why did her family have to work so hard, for a salary that just made ends meet? Why couldn't she go to school, learn to read and write?

She had always found it unfair that there was such a big gap between the life prospects of the high-born and that of those of her condition. At least the fever had been, so to speak, fair in touching all social circles. She had taken her younger sister with her, but although she defended herself, she couldn't help but think it was better this way. She would have been an extra mouth to feed for her parents who were already exhausting themselves with the task.

Don d'Almondara had been very present and attentive since the misfortune that had affected Isabel and her family. After the epidemic, it brings together all the domestic workers and workers to identify the actions to be taken to restart the operation. The epidemic which had decimated the men had been followed by a great drought whose consequences on the plantations had been terrible.

The person in charge of the seasonal workers was called Sébastian. He had been very ill, but he had survived nonetheless. He stood next to Don Rodrigo and spoke to present the situation.

— Hello my friends, we have all been touched by this dramatic episode. We have lost loved ones and it is unbearable but we will have to raise our heads and work hard so that the estate can still feed our families.