Chapter 19

The Study on the ground floor was probably the coziest room in the villa. The French windows on the farthest side of the room, situated just behind his father's polished antique narra desk, opened up to a view of the gardens where dozens of potted palms, ferns, and bonsai sat on pedestals of varying heights. A chess set sat on an ornate Chinese chest at the right-hand corner of the room. Right across it was a plump lazyboy and a brass floor lamp, a cozy reading nook that each family member had enjoyed at one time or another. The walls on the other side of the room were covered with rows and rows of books and magazines. The floor carpeting was of a subdued moss-green shade while the high ceiling showcased varnished wood ribbing.

It was a room designed for comfort and quiet recreation, a room that exuded homey tranquility. Today, however, it seemed more like a room created for castigation and punishment; at least that's how it felt like to Angelo. At the center of the room sat two heavily-cushioned couches that faced each other across a low, over-sized Spanish chest. It was on one of these couches that Angelo chose to await his fate.

Although he had hoped on speaking with his father before the announcement of Gabriel and Louisa's engagement tonight, his father's unhappy look while being wheeled into this room by his mother did not ease Angelo's already much-distressed emotions. He'd just realized that he had a very slim chance of convincing his father that what he felt for Louisa was not just one of his juvenile, rebellious antics. And that's what's really troubling him now because he knew that he would only have this one chance of presenting his case to his father, and he had to make it perfect.

He just wished that he didn't have to do it in front of his mother, too. It was difficult enough, baring his heart to his father without his mother aggravating it with her presence. Although he felt that he was their mother's favorite and would, therefore, side with him no matter what, he also knew that he'd disappointed her often enough and he did not want to sadden her any further in case he lost control of his emotions with his father later on. And so he was relieved when, after seeing to his father's comfort, his mother left him and his father alone in the study.

Angelo sat serenely on the couch, valiantly masking his emotions. He tried to distract himself from them and concentrated on readying his mind and heart for the dressing-down that his father would surely dish out. When he heard his father pouring from his decanter, he stole a quick glance to determine the older man's present mood. The tight frown on his father's brows coupled with the taut set of his lips told him that the senior Montoya was not in a very amiable mood.

Well, at least he's not bellowing at me yet.

"Papa, I don't think you're allowed to drink that yet," he ventured to his father.

Don Fernando looked up, his frown deepening, forming creases on his salt-and-pepper eyebrows.

"Neither am I supposed to be subjected to anything that would upset me, yet you and Gabriel have managed to do that twice already," Don Fernando replied, a cynical smile curving his lips.

Angelo could find no valid excuse to that and not be seen as acting the aggrieved teenager again so he just kept quiet and waited for his father to get on with his drink. But instead of drinking the amber liquid, his Papa just kept staring at it, swirling it in its crystal vessel. After a couple of minutes, he put the drink down and turned to his youngest son.

"Bueno! You may start telling me about what is going on between you and Gabriel," Don Fernando said, leaning back in his chair, his fingers steepled on his chest.

Angelo sighed, not sure where to begin. After all that planning and rehearsing, he still did not know how he could make his father see his predicament.

"Or perhaps I should ask you if there's something going on between you and Louisa," his father said.

Angelo looked up when he detected an unexpected softening in his father's voice. And just like earlier in the gazebo, he was surprised to find sadness instead of anger in his father's eyes.

"Papa, I-I-I," Angelo stammered, suddenly unsure of what to say.

"Are you in love with your brother's fiancée?"

The word fiancée clenched at Angelo's heart and he barely had enough strength to nod his assent.

"I see," Don Fernando said, nodding in understanding.

"Papa, I did not plan this. I did not know that Louisa was betrothed to Gabriel. By the time I learned of their engagement..." Angelo paused, his throat involuntarily closing up.

"It was already too late," his father finished for him. Don Fernando sighed as he leaned back on his chair and closed his eyes.

"Papa, I'm really sorry. I did not mean for it to turn out this way. But I've never felt like this before. I really love her."

"And is she in love with you, too?"

"I'm not sure. I haven't asked her. I was about to when I was brutally informed that she was already engaged to Gabriel."

"I'm sorry, son. I should've told you about Louisa's engagement to Gabriel when I gave you that assignment at the hotel. I just thought you were already impervious to women's charms having sampled the lot to your heart's content at such an early age," Don Fernando said, his voice lightening with ill-concealed humor.

Angelo could not help but smile at his father's obvious attempt to inject humor into the situation. He, however, sensed the oncoming big 'but' around the corner so the lightness of the moment was very short-lived. And just as he'd feared, the big 'but' was colossal.

"But, there's really nothing you can do about it, hijo. Gabriel has been engaged to Louisa since he was 12. He'd known about it all these years and I just could not understand why he never told any of you," Don Fernando said a bit incredulously.

"Because he'd been thinking of ways to wriggle out of it," Angelo replied, his calm voice belying the building tension inside him.

"Well, I've known of his reluctance, but he assured me that he would honor his commitment to Louisa when the right time came."

"Yes, but it will be a 'paper marriage', Papa. He admitted as much to Miguel," Angelo said, his anger now beginning to seep into his voice. He felt a mild satisfaction when he saw his father's brows shoot up in surprise. The senior Montoya was apparently unaware of his eldest son's plan for his betrothed.

"Is that so?" his father asked, brows knitting into another tight frown.

"Miguel knew about their engagement and he let it slip that Gabriel was only marrying Louisa to honor the commitment you made to Tio Ramon but he apparently has no plans of being a real husband to her."

"Well, I'd have to talk with Gabriel then. If that's his plan I would not stand idly by and condone it. It's just absurd and dishonorable!" Don Fernando slammed his fist on his desk, incensed now at his eldest son's callousness.

Angelo never liked putting any of his brothers in a bad light, especially with their father, but on this rare occasion, he felt no guilt at doing so. Perhaps now that his father knew of Gabriel's stand he would be able to consider his proposal.

"Papa, I know it's not my place, but I'd like to know if there is any chance of dissolving the betrothal between Gabriel and Louisa."

Don Fernando looked at his youngest son with new eyes. Angelo had always been the 'rebel' of the family, always insisting on doing things his own way, but he never intentionally went against family and tradition, not to his knowledge at least. To think that Angelo would now willingly discard family honor and tradition meant that he was driven by something more powerful than those two. It meant that he really was head-over-heels-in-love with Louisa.

What Angelo was asking now would not only place the Montoya integrity in question but it would also break a tradition that has been held sacred by their clan for generations. A betrothal contract between two families is almost as binding as the marriage contract itself because it involves both families' pride and honor and cannot be dissolved without due cause. Traditionally, though, to save both parties from losing face, the woman's family should be the one to cry-off from the betrothal. And as far as he knew, Ramon has no intention of breaking it off. He had assured Fernando that Louisa would stand by his decision and do what was expected of her.

"It's not that easy, Angelo. And it's never been done by our family before."

"But don't you think it's about time that we discarded this antiquated practice? Besides, if it's the joining of the Montoya and Almendrez families that concern you, then shouldn't I be given the same chance as Gabriel? I am a Montoya, too. All I want is a fair, fighting chance at Louisa's heart. Is that too much to ask?"

"Yes, but the contract was made between the two eldest children, the heirs of both families."

Angelo never begrudged Gabriel his being heir of the Montoya clan but this time he felt a very violent resentment towards his eldest brother's being born before him blossoming within his breast. He raked his fingers through his hair as frustration started to overwhelm him.

"But Papa, is there no other way? What about Gabriel's and Louisa's feelings? Should they really be forced to live with someone they can't be happy with for the rest of their lives? Are you really willing to condemn them to a life of misery just because of family honor and tradition?"

Don Fernando was taken aback by the vehemence in Angelo's voice, but he understood his point. If Gabriel really had no intention of fulfilling his duties as a husband to Louisa then he would be condemning the poor girl to a life worse than hell. Gabriel, as a man, would still enjoy the same freedom he's experiencing right now. He could even take on a mistress if he wanted to. But Louisa would never be allowed to find her own happiness elsewhere without being branded an adulteress and cast out of genteel society.

No, he could not do that to his godchild. One of the reasons why the contract was made in the first place was to protect her but if marriage to Gabriel would only bring her grief then that would defeat the purpose, wouldn't it? Perhaps it really was time to set aside the old practices and open his family to newer, more practical ways. But he must speak with Gabriel and Louisa first. It would mean, however, putting off the announcement of their engagement tonight.

"I see your point, hijo. The truth is, since most betrothals are contracted during either or both parties' minority, no one could really tell how they would turn out. So, in view of that, several extenuating circumstances were deemed acceptable in breaking-off an engagement."

Don Fernando shifted in his chair uneasily, not sure if he should be telling this to Angelo. He could be adding fuel to an already very volatile situation, but seeing as his son would not let this matter slide easily, he decided to continue, hoping that Angelo would see the futility of his position.

"One – if either party begets a child with someone other than the betrothed, another is if the man or woman is found morally compromised, mentally unstable or criminally liable. These reasons, however, would create so much scandal and eventually cause either or both families dishonor. The only way to dissolve the betrothal without besmirching the honor of both families is for the woman to break it off. It's a special prerogative given to the woman's family. So in this case, Louisa must be the one to request its dissolution."

For the first time in days, Angelo saw a glimmer of hope. The only problem now was how to make Louisa beg-off from her engagement to Gabriel. He had no idea how to do that.

But one thing he was sure of – he would do anything in his power to prevent her from marrying Gabriel.