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“Dizzy spells?” her father asked. “She said nothing to me about them.”
“I know. She didn’t want to worry you.” Isabella sighed. “She’d been having spells off and on for over a month—maybe two. She planned to speak to the doctor if they didn’t go away.”
“That would certainly account for the fall,” the lawyer said, pulling a tablet and pencil from his case. “I will send a telegram to the sheriff. This will clear up the matter. Knowing that she was experiencing problems, it makes sense that she might easily lose her balance on the stairs. Perhaps the dizziness created a sense of confusion, and she was unable to grab the banister.”
“I wish I’d insisted she see the doctor immediately. It’s all my fault.” Isabella began to sob into her handkerchief.
“Nonsense, Isabella,” her father said, shaking his head. “Our life is in the hands of God. If my sister was ill, suffering from these spells, you couldn’t have stopped the possibility of a fall.”
Isabella couldn’t stop the flow of tears. “I can’t believe she’s gone.” She got up. “Please excuse me. I can’t bear this sorrow.”
She hurried to the door to escape. This couldn’t be happening. It simply wasn’t possible.
Diego waited until Mrs. Garcia offered to show Mr. Williams to his room to speak to Isabella’s father.
“Sir, if you have a moment, I would like to explain why I accompanied Mr. Williams.”
Daniel Garcia looked at him. “I already know why you’ve come.”
“You do?”
“You want to marry my daughter.”
Diego smiled. “I do. I love her very much, but I also came to offer my condolences. As the last to see your sister, I wanted to assure you that she was fine when I left her.”
“I’m confident we’ve figured out what happened,” Mr. Garcia said, taking a seat behind his desk.
“You have?” Diego asked so quickly that he was afraid it would draw attention to himself. “I’m so glad to hear it. Might I ask what conclusion you came to?”
“Isabella said my sister was experiencing dizzy spells. No one else knew about it. She figures Josephina got dizzy while climbing the stairs and lost her balance.”
Diego nodded. “That would make perfect sense.” He fought to keep from showing any sign of relief. He alone knew she had lost her balance pulling away from him, and that was the way it would remain. “Still, I am very sorry. I know how close you were to your sister and she to you.”
“I appreciate your condolences.” He watched Diego with a wary eye.
Diego remained standing, as Garcia hadn’t asked him to sit. It made him feel like a child, and he resented the man for it. “As you already figured out, the other reason I came was to ask for Isabella’s hand.”
“I won’t toy with you. The answer is no. You have a reputation that could only bring sorrow to my daughter. You have debts and no job. You have nothing of your own, and I know that your father plans to put you from the family now that you have turned thirty-five.”
Diego felt his gut tighten. All he could do was admit to his terrible past and assure Garcia that he had changed. That he had come here to prove himself a different man.
“It’s true that I was an irresponsible youth, but I have turned over a new leaf, as they say.”
“You’re thirty-five years old, Diego. That’s hardly a youth. Most men your age have long committed themselves to a course of living, are married, and have produced heirs. You’ve done nothing, as far as I can see, but cause trouble and live off your father’s money.”
It was difficult not to fly across the desk and punch Garcia in the mouth. How dare he?
“I know I made bad choices.” Diego forced out the words. “But I assure you, I have changed. I have come here as proof of that. It is my desire to do whatever you require of me to marry Isabella. We love each other, sir. Perhaps you would allow us at least to court while I show you that I can be the man she deserves.”
Daniel looked at him as if he could see right through the lie. “And you would be willing to take a job of my offering?”
“Anything. I was searching for work when I learned of your sister’s passing.”
Daniel slowly nodded. “Very well. Work in my silver mine for one year. Prove to me you aren’t afraid of hard work. Iwill put you up in one of the mining apartments and feed you as long as you work faithfully each day. You’ll also receive a regular salary alongside the other men.”
The thought of such labor was unthinkable to Diego, but he desperately needed to buy himself time. His father would disinherit him otherwise, and Mr. Garcia would put an end to him having anything to do with his daughter. At least this way he could offer the pretense of starting over.
Diego extended his hand. “I will do it, Señor Garcia. For the sake of proving to you and to my father that I have changed, and for the hope of marrying Isabella. I will prove to you all that I am not the foolish boy I once was.”
