Read Online American Blood by Jason Manning - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jason Manning
Ads: Link
captured the candlelight.
Delgado's problem was that, bracketed between Jeremy and Jacob Bledsoe, the latter in his customary place at the head of the table, he had to be extremely circumspect in his staring, and he tried his best to be, for that reason and because it was not gentlemanly to allow one's eyes to rest so boldly and so long upon a young lady. Of course, she caught him red-handed early on, and though she smiled tolerantly, he looked quickly away, mortified, and tried to exercise his will and avoid looking at her for the remainder of the meal, only to find that he was not in command of his own will, after all. She was waiting with a sweet and slightly sultry smile when he finally gave up and glanced her way again, and Delgado realized, elated, that his inordinate interest was not, apparently, the least bit offensive to her. Throughout the dinner they exchanged surreptitious smiles. Delgado was thrilled, and pleased that no one at the table seemed to notice all this eye contact. He paid absolutely no attention to the lively conversation taking place around him—until he heard his name spoken. To his horror he realized that Jacob Bledsoe had asked him a question.
"I beg your pardon, sir?"
"I am concerned that the subject of our discussion might be offensive to you, Del."
Delgado glanced around the table and nervously saw that all eyes were on him. He had noidea to what subject Bledsoe was referring. So, in a flash of inspiration, he hedged magnificently.
"Why should it be?" It was, he decided, infinitely better than admitting he had been rudely ignoring the talk.
"You are, sir," said Thomas Hart Benton, "are you not, a citizen of the Republic of Mexico?"
"I suppose I am, technically."
"Do you not support your country in the present conflict?" asked Pilcher bluntly.
"Really, Joshua," scolded Bledsoe. "Perhaps we should talk about something else entirely."
"No," said Delgado, his pride pricked. He had no desire to be mollycoddled. "Mr. Pilcher, my home, Taos, is isolated by hundreds of miles of desert waste from the rest of the republic. The tumult of war and politics rarely touches us there. And besides, while I support the Constitution of 1824 and all it represents, Mexico has suffered under the heel of a succession of tyrants, the worst of which is Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna."
"Here, here," said Dr. Lowry, in full accord with Delgado's last sentiment.
"My father is a Scot," continued Delgado, "who is only concerned with politics as they may affect his commerce. My mother is an Arredondo, a
peninsular
. This means she was born in Spain, of a distinguished family of pure Spanish blood, who happens to reside in Mexico. During the revolution her father and her brother were killed by the
mestizos
. Needless to say, you will not find her supportive of the republic. She has no respect for Santa Anna, for he is a
criollo
, a creole, of Spanish blood but born in Mexico; she feels he has betrayed his own kind."
"It would be very unfair," remarked Sterling,"to suggest that my friend Delgado is any less a patriot to his country because he does not support its present government than are our own Whigs, who decry 'Mr. Polk's War.' "
"I certainly did not mean to suggest any such thing," said Pilcher hastily.
"Our young friend has hit the mark," said Benton. "Tyrants rule Mexico. They are concerned only with their own aggrandizement. As everyone knows, I deplore the outbreak of war. I have consistently spoken for peace. It was my most fervent desire that our two nations might negotiate a mutually satisfactory settlement of the boundary disputes, as well as the rightful claims of our citizens against Mexico, which, I might add, are grossly inflated by President Polk. But, as you are aware, Mexico refused to even receive our envoy, Mr. John Slidell. And she broke off all diplomatic relations subsequent to our annexation of Texas."
"Yet you voted in the affirmative for the president's declaration of war and the
Delgado's problem was that, bracketed between Jeremy and Jacob Bledsoe, the latter in his customary place at the head of the table, he had to be extremely circumspect in his staring, and he tried his best to be, for that reason and because it was not gentlemanly to allow one's eyes to rest so boldly and so long upon a young lady. Of course, she caught him red-handed early on, and though she smiled tolerantly, he looked quickly away, mortified, and tried to exercise his will and avoid looking at her for the remainder of the meal, only to find that he was not in command of his own will, after all. She was waiting with a sweet and slightly sultry smile when he finally gave up and glanced her way again, and Delgado realized, elated, that his inordinate interest was not, apparently, the least bit offensive to her. Throughout the dinner they exchanged surreptitious smiles. Delgado was thrilled, and pleased that no one at the table seemed to notice all this eye contact. He paid absolutely no attention to the lively conversation taking place around him—until he heard his name spoken. To his horror he realized that Jacob Bledsoe had asked him a question.
"I beg your pardon, sir?"
"I am concerned that the subject of our discussion might be offensive to you, Del."
Delgado glanced around the table and nervously saw that all eyes were on him. He had noidea to what subject Bledsoe was referring. So, in a flash of inspiration, he hedged magnificently.
"Why should it be?" It was, he decided, infinitely better than admitting he had been rudely ignoring the talk.
"You are, sir," said Thomas Hart Benton, "are you not, a citizen of the Republic of Mexico?"
"I suppose I am, technically."
"Do you not support your country in the present conflict?" asked Pilcher bluntly.
"Really, Joshua," scolded Bledsoe. "Perhaps we should talk about something else entirely."
"No," said Delgado, his pride pricked. He had no desire to be mollycoddled. "Mr. Pilcher, my home, Taos, is isolated by hundreds of miles of desert waste from the rest of the republic. The tumult of war and politics rarely touches us there. And besides, while I support the Constitution of 1824 and all it represents, Mexico has suffered under the heel of a succession of tyrants, the worst of which is Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna."
"Here, here," said Dr. Lowry, in full accord with Delgado's last sentiment.
"My father is a Scot," continued Delgado, "who is only concerned with politics as they may affect his commerce. My mother is an Arredondo, a
peninsular
. This means she was born in Spain, of a distinguished family of pure Spanish blood, who happens to reside in Mexico. During the revolution her father and her brother were killed by the
mestizos
. Needless to say, you will not find her supportive of the republic. She has no respect for Santa Anna, for he is a
criollo
, a creole, of Spanish blood but born in Mexico; she feels he has betrayed his own kind."
"It would be very unfair," remarked Sterling,"to suggest that my friend Delgado is any less a patriot to his country because he does not support its present government than are our own Whigs, who decry 'Mr. Polk's War.' "
"I certainly did not mean to suggest any such thing," said Pilcher hastily.
"Our young friend has hit the mark," said Benton. "Tyrants rule Mexico. They are concerned only with their own aggrandizement. As everyone knows, I deplore the outbreak of war. I have consistently spoken for peace. It was my most fervent desire that our two nations might negotiate a mutually satisfactory settlement of the boundary disputes, as well as the rightful claims of our citizens against Mexico, which, I might add, are grossly inflated by President Polk. But, as you are aware, Mexico refused to even receive our envoy, Mr. John Slidell. And she broke off all diplomatic relations subsequent to our annexation of Texas."
"Yet you voted in the affirmative for the president's declaration of war and the
Similar Books
