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“What?” She was more than a little confused.
“I think he’s just holding on until I agree to take over. Agree to take care of you and your mother.”
It dawned on Isabella that he was probably right. She gave a slight nod. “Yes. I can see that now.”
“He’ll hang on until I give him an answer of yes. But in giving him what he wants, I will lose him. We’ll all lose him.”
“You can’t believe these lies,” Diego said, looking at Daniel Garcia with what he hoped was a pleading expression. “I’m being falsely accused. I have no wife or child.”
Mr. Garcia frowned. “I said nothing of a child.”
Diego quickly realized his mistake. “I was talking of the supposed illegitimate children I’ve been accused of having with women of loose morals. It’s all falsehoods. I’m not the beast people accuse me of being.”
“And the debts? Those are lies as well?”
“No. I admit to the gambling. I knew it was out of control and stopped. But I still owed several people money. I spoke to my father about it, hoping he would take care of the matter and help me clear my name.”
Of course, that was a lie, but it was clearly a matter of his word against his father’s. Though Garcia would believe Esteban Morales rather than his son.
“You must see how bad all of this seems to me. I cannot have you courting my only daughter. She’s a good woman, and I won’t allow you to cover her in the shame of your past and the mistakes you continue to make.”
“What do you meancontinue to make?”
“I know you’ve been playing cards in town.”
Diego had known Garcia would have spies. He should have avoided the gambling tables altogether. But there was no sense in lying about it.
“I have played, but I’ve been careful. I owe no man.”
“I realize that, but it’s still a bad habit that will lead you back into debt. Eventually it could mean that you wouldgo through my daughter’s inheritance and leave her with nothing.”
“I’ll stop. I’ll prove to you that I don’t need it in my life. I was just bored, and the fellas I work with suggested it. I don’t have to do it.”
“And what about your drinking? I won’t have a drunkard in my family. It goes against the Word of God. Speaking of which, I never see you at church.”
Diego ran a hand through his black wavy hair. “I’ve been exhausted, Mr. Garcia. I’ve never worked in manual labor before now. You know that. It’s been two months of such work, and I hardly feel I get enough sleep as it is.”
“Yet you have enough energy to gamble and drink.”
Diego took in Garcia’s expression. The older man somehow knew he was lying. It was almost as if he could see right through to Diego’s soul and know the resentment he held in his heart. Not just for his father, but for Garcia as well.
“You gave me a year to prove myself, and I’m trying my best. Do I still have a job?”
Garcia nodded. “You do. I am all for you proving the truth, Diego. I encourage you to continue your work at the mine. I will leave off with this for now. Your father intends to further investigate these accusations regarding your marriage. I will keep you informed, but in the meantime you cannot be alone with my daughter under any circumstance. I believe you know why.”
“Of course.” Diego barely held his temper in check. “I must prove myself worthy first.”
“Come, I’ll walk you to the door,” Garcia told him.
Diego had hoped for at least a few private moments with Isabella, but obviously that wasn’t going to happen now. He obediently followed Garcia and paused at the door while the ancient butler brought him his hat.
“Isabella, come say good evening to Diego,” Garcia called. “He’s tired and must head back in order to get his rest.”
She appeared down the hall, coming out of the music room with Aaron Bailey. She looked at Diego for a moment, then glanced away. Diego could see it in her eyes. Her father had told her everything. He wanted to yell and put his fist into both men’s faces and then force Isabella to listen to his side of the matter.
“Good evening, Diego. I hope you rest well,” she said.
“Good evening, Isabella. I do hope we’ll have time to talk soon.”
