Read Online Golden Paradise (Vincente 1) by Constance O'Banyon - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Constance O'Banyon
Tags: Fiction, adventure, Romance, Historical, Adult, Action, Western, San Francisco, 19th century, wealthy, BBW, curvaceous, older brother, Charade, dancing, American West, Vincente Siblings, GOLDEN PARADISE, Exploit, Crystal Palace, Profession, Double Identity, Veiled Jordanna, Innocent Valentina, Marquis Vincente
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sang about and poets wrote about. It had never touched his heart. He doubted that it ever would.
5
The coast had been left behind; Valentina and Santiago now traveled in heavily wooded country. Valentina would have enjoyed the beautiful scenery if she had not been so troubled. She stared blankly at the profusion of wildflowers that grew on the grassy hillsides. She was unmindful of the tall pine trees that scented the air with a bracing aroma. As the horses clopped along the dusty road, her thoughts were on her father. She wondered what she would say to her mother if she discovered her father were indeed dead?
It was shortly before sunset when Santiago pulled off the road, stopped beside a gurgling stream, and unhitched the horses. Valentina walked along the grassy slopes as he set up a canvas tent for her to sleep in. She was touched by the little man's thoughtfulness. He seemed to anticipate everything that would add to her comfort.
Valentina patted each of the bay horses that were tethered nearby. Walking downstream, she allowed her eyes to wander past the woods, drinking in the beauty of this land. She stooped down to pick up a pinecone that was the length of her arm, marveling at its size.
As the sun splashed its last dying colors against the western sky, she returned to camp. Santiago smiled widely, motioning her to sit on the campstool so he could serve her dinner. Valentina was not hungry, but to keep from hurting Santiago's feelings, she ate the beans and tortillas that he had prepared for her.
Later she entered the tent and lay down on the downy soft bed Santiago had made for her. She fell asleep almost immediately and did not awaken, even when the distant sound of a wolf pack echoed through the dense valley. Valentina felt safe with the little man, Santiago, who had gone out of his way to please her.
As the next day progressed, the road took on a steady upward grade, becoming no more than a rutted trail. The team made slow progress climbing the foothills of the Sierra Mountains. The fog was so dense it was impossible to see the horses, let alone the road. Santiago slowed the animals to a walk and strained his eyes, trying to watch the road. The chilled wind that blew down the mountainside was biting cold. Valentina pulled her cape tightly about her and pushed her hands into its pockets, trying to keep warm.
"When we started out this morning, the sun was shining. What happened, Santiago?" she asked, straining her eyes in the swirling fog.
Santiago adjusted his poncho about his throat before he answered. "We are at a higher elevation. The weather is often unpredictable in these mountains. I have often seen it snow up here in the month of August, senorita."
They passed beneath tall pine trees, their ghostly images colorless against the foggy sky. The day seemed endless. It was impossible for Valentina to judge time or space since she could not see the sun. A sudden gust of wind blew the swirling mist and it thinned just enough for Valentina to catch a glimpse of a deep crevasse that ran the length of the roadway. Clasping her hands nervously, she tried not to think what would happen if the buggy veered off to the side. She was amazed that Santiago could keep to the road at all since she could not see where they were going. The one thing that kept her from calling a halt until the weather changed was the burning desire to reach her father's mine.
Suddenly there was a rumbling noise in the distance that made the earth tremble. The sound was somewhat muted by the mist and it was hard to tell where it came from. Valentina felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end when Santiago called out, "Hold on, senorita! It is a landslide!"
Before Valentina had time to think, the horses reared into the air. Rocks and debris crashed down the mountainside right in front of them. Valentina heard the animals cry out in pain as the buggy lurched before being flung into the air by the impact of the
5
The coast had been left behind; Valentina and Santiago now traveled in heavily wooded country. Valentina would have enjoyed the beautiful scenery if she had not been so troubled. She stared blankly at the profusion of wildflowers that grew on the grassy hillsides. She was unmindful of the tall pine trees that scented the air with a bracing aroma. As the horses clopped along the dusty road, her thoughts were on her father. She wondered what she would say to her mother if she discovered her father were indeed dead?
It was shortly before sunset when Santiago pulled off the road, stopped beside a gurgling stream, and unhitched the horses. Valentina walked along the grassy slopes as he set up a canvas tent for her to sleep in. She was touched by the little man's thoughtfulness. He seemed to anticipate everything that would add to her comfort.
Valentina patted each of the bay horses that were tethered nearby. Walking downstream, she allowed her eyes to wander past the woods, drinking in the beauty of this land. She stooped down to pick up a pinecone that was the length of her arm, marveling at its size.
As the sun splashed its last dying colors against the western sky, she returned to camp. Santiago smiled widely, motioning her to sit on the campstool so he could serve her dinner. Valentina was not hungry, but to keep from hurting Santiago's feelings, she ate the beans and tortillas that he had prepared for her.
Later she entered the tent and lay down on the downy soft bed Santiago had made for her. She fell asleep almost immediately and did not awaken, even when the distant sound of a wolf pack echoed through the dense valley. Valentina felt safe with the little man, Santiago, who had gone out of his way to please her.
As the next day progressed, the road took on a steady upward grade, becoming no more than a rutted trail. The team made slow progress climbing the foothills of the Sierra Mountains. The fog was so dense it was impossible to see the horses, let alone the road. Santiago slowed the animals to a walk and strained his eyes, trying to watch the road. The chilled wind that blew down the mountainside was biting cold. Valentina pulled her cape tightly about her and pushed her hands into its pockets, trying to keep warm.
"When we started out this morning, the sun was shining. What happened, Santiago?" she asked, straining her eyes in the swirling fog.
Santiago adjusted his poncho about his throat before he answered. "We are at a higher elevation. The weather is often unpredictable in these mountains. I have often seen it snow up here in the month of August, senorita."
They passed beneath tall pine trees, their ghostly images colorless against the foggy sky. The day seemed endless. It was impossible for Valentina to judge time or space since she could not see the sun. A sudden gust of wind blew the swirling mist and it thinned just enough for Valentina to catch a glimpse of a deep crevasse that ran the length of the roadway. Clasping her hands nervously, she tried not to think what would happen if the buggy veered off to the side. She was amazed that Santiago could keep to the road at all since she could not see where they were going. The one thing that kept her from calling a halt until the weather changed was the burning desire to reach her father's mine.
Suddenly there was a rumbling noise in the distance that made the earth tremble. The sound was somewhat muted by the mist and it was hard to tell where it came from. Valentina felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end when Santiago called out, "Hold on, senorita! It is a landslide!"
Before Valentina had time to think, the horses reared into the air. Rocks and debris crashed down the mountainside right in front of them. Valentina heard the animals cry out in pain as the buggy lurched before being flung into the air by the impact of the
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