Nacre's Promise

Chapter XXXV : Treason

During the months which followed the disappearance of her husband, Isabel did not stop her investigations. She had once again sought help from Josefina and Carlos, as well as Manuela Cortez, but their research had produced no results. Diego was nowhere to be found, both on the road and in Barcelona. The barrel seller did not remember his visit. His disappearance therefore dated before the purchase of the barrels, that is to say between the house and the center of Barcelona. The searches of the Guardia-Civil also remained unsuccessful and no one remembered a large cart, pulled by four enormous gray horses.

This quest took him all his time. She relied a lot on Carlina, Inès and her mother to help her with the children. Andrea was old enough to understand that her father was missing. All his evening prayers called for his return and he often cried before falling asleep. Isabel no longer knew how to console him. She assured him that she would never stop looking for him and that he would come back one day, but that didn't ease his sadness.

For her part, Elvira continued her work of undermining. She had never accepted Diego's wedding to Isabel and she had sworn to erase this misalliance. Diego's disappearance was also a tragedy for her because we always cry for a child, but that did not prevent her from doing everything to discredit Isabel, with a view to her repudiation. She even went to see Padre Alfredo to ask for help in asking for the annulment of the wedding.

— Doña Elvira, this wedding was sealed before God, only God can undo it. Even the death of one of the spouses, does not call into question anything. This wedding is perfectly legal and nothing and no one can oppose it.

She didn't even listen to the end of the priest's answer and turned on her heels, without a word, without a thank you, without even a good evening. Seeing that nothing could dissolve this union, she focused on how to discredit Isabel.

During her research, Isabel entrusted the children to Carlina or Inès, but she always tried to be present for waking up and going to bed. For Marie, and so that she could be away, she was expressing her milk so that Inès could feed the child during her absence. Well-sealed earthenware pots, immersed in cool water from the patio well, kept the precious beverage for several hours.

Elvira, however, considered invoking the abandonment of the family for the benefit of research. A good mother would entrust these tasks to specialists, to stay close to her children, rather than running the countryside for weeks.

Isabel managed research and relations with the authorities and also organized the work of the workers. Indeed, even if Diego was absent, his project had to be completed and could not wait. In this task, she was helped by Matéo who was also keen to complete the development of the cellar and launch the vinification, the vines starting to produce well.

Rodrigo had seen Isabel again and tried to renew the dialogue. He offered to take care of it but Isabel had not forgiven. She dismissed him with a certain brutality in her words. She didn't knowingly do it, no, but she had no regard for him since his surrender to Elvira. She had also misinterpreted his offer of assistance. Rodrigo had assured that he "could take care of it", which Isabel had heard as: "since you can't do it, I can take care of it for you".

She now avoided all contact with the one she now considered a traitor. She had thanked him while firmly rejecting his participation in anything. The conservative and somewhat "macho" inclination of her stepfather made him receive this refusal like a stab, but she did not realize it.

Rodrigo, liberal though he was, had in fact a principled position with regard to activities which he considered as not being able to be carried out by women. Still captive to the lies and poisoned arrows that Elvira threw, Isabel's refusal displeased her to the highest point and her opinion of her daughter-in-law began to go in the direction that Elvira expected.