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Author's Chapter Notes:
Thank you, Amelia-Jane, Devin, Kimber and SarahandJamesFanatic, for reading and reviewing. I'm glad that you're liking the story, even if you can't stand Darla and Snyder. I can promise that we will get rid of them... eventually. ;)



And a huge thank you to Jen, you've been an invaluable help for me from the beginning of the story. :D
Chapter 7

Galveston docks

A very wide-eyed William looked at the ships passing by as Mr. Snyder hauled him from one of his arms. He’d felt uneasiness settle in his gut as soon as they’d entered the docks, mostly because as hard as he’d tried, he just couldn’t figure what they were doing there. The dirty docks didn’t seem like a place where they could find a fine gentleman like don Rodrigo.

“Mr. Snyder? Are you sure we are on the right place?”

Snyder sneered evilly as he finally found the ship he was looking for. “Oh, yes, we are in the right place. As a matter of fact, we just have to board that ship over there, and you’ll soon be reunited with your father.”

William’s eyes grew even bigger when he saw the imposing ship they were about to board, the suspicions he’d harbored since they’d left Campo Real growing to an alarming level. “My father is waiting for me there? How can that be? You said that he would be waiting for us so we could go together to the Mayor’s office.”

Snyder only snickered as he kept pulling the boy after him; but William wasn’t having any more of that, so he bit Snyder on the hand that had him caught as hard as he could and when the older man let him free to nurse his hand, he began running back to where the foreman had left his horse.

*~*~*

Back at Campo Real

“Mother!” Angel cried as he ran into Darla’s bedchamber.

“Angel, how many times do I have to tell you that a gentleman does not go about yelling and running around like a madman?” Darla said, contempt at her son’s actions written clearly in her face.

“But-but…”

“Tell me once and for all what you want, Angel. I don’t really have time for this at the moment, so tell me now or go back to your room.”

Angel stared astonished at his mother. She’d never been exactly affectionate with him, but she’d never treated him like this before either. “I-I can’t find William anywhere!”

“Is that all this is about? The little savage probably just went back to where he came from.” Darla shrugged. “After all, with your father dead it is not like I would have let him stay here anyway.”

“H-he would not do that. He promised he’d be here.”

“Seems to me he must have lied, then.” At her son’s appalled expression, she decided to take a softer approach, it wouldn’t do that Angel made a big scene because of her husbands bastard’s disappearance just when the crème de la crème of Galveston society was coming to pay their respects to her. “I think it is for the best that he left, honey. We will be going on a long trip in a few weeks and I want my baby all for myself, all right?” Angel nodded, thoroughly confused by his mother’s mood changes but happy that she seemed to be softening towards him once more. “Now, give your mother a kiss and go back to your room to get ready.”

She lowered herself a bit and presented her cheek to Angel and after he kissed her, he did as she told him and went to his room to get ready.

Darla exhaled an aggravated sigh as soon as he left the room. She could hardly wait until Angel grew up. She never had cared much for children and if it’d been up to her, he would have been on his way to a boarding school as soon as he began walking. But no, Rodrigo De Alcazar wanted him to grow in the niche of his family and have him home schooled until he was older. But thank God Rodrigo was not around anymore. And as soon as she could arrange their trip to England, she would take Angel to a very prestigious boarding school there. When he came back to take his rightful place at Campo Real by her side, he would not be the annoying little boy he was today, but a gentleman through and through.

*~*~*

Giles’ Office in Galveston

Rupert Giles could hardly believe his eyes when he received the note Doña Darla had sent him. It couldn’t be true; Don Rodrigo De Alcazar couldn’t be dead. And what would become of William now? He had to go to Campo Real and make sure that he was all right, if Doña Darla knew who he was, this could turn into a very ugly affair.

*~*~*

Back in the docks

“NO! Put me down!” William yelled while Snyder carried him back to the ship after he’d caught him.

“I will leave put you down in a minute, boy! Now stay put!”

“What’s happenin’ here?” a man inquired.

“I’ve got a little present for your captain.”

*~*~*

Campo Real

Giles had arrived to Campo Real as soon as he could after receiving doña Darla’s note, only to find Angel alone in the garden looking sad and dejected. At first, he had thought that it was because of the death of don Rodrigo, which wouldn’t have been surprising if one considered the circumstances. But it’d turned out that there was something else, William apparently had disappeared from the hacienda, and Angel couldn’t believe that he’d break his promise and leave without telling him.

Giles couldn’t believe it either. He hadn’t known William for long, but he had seemed genuinely happy to be in Campo Real with his father and brother. He’d interrogated the peones but no one seemed to know anything about the boy or where he could be. He just hoped that wherever William was, he’d be all right.

*~*~*

Two weeks later…

Rupert Giles passed a hand over his tired eyes after he took his glasses off. He was so exhausted. He’d been trying traveling to all of the nearby cities almost on a daily basis looking for William, and he still hadn’t been able to find him anywhere. No clues, no leads, no nothing. It was as if the Earth had swallowed him.

*~*~*

Snyder returned to Campo Real after he’d taken doña Darla and Angel to the train station for the first leg of their trip to England. He was elated at how well things had been going for him. He was the new Administrator of the hacienda and for the time that doña Darla stayed in Europe, there wouldn’t be anyone with more power than him in Campo Real.

And to make things even better, the two persons that could actually threaten his new post had been taken care of.

Yes, life was good for him.

tbc

Next chapter will begin twelve years into the future (1882) and we’ll begin to discover what happened to William and don Rodrigo. Hope you're still enjoying the story. :)





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