Until the Day Breaks (California Rising Book 1) by Paula Scott Read Free Book Online Page B

children. Roman wanted niños , sons to ride Rancho de los Robles’s golden horses and daughters to grace his hacienda parlor. Rachel Tyler’s image flashed in his mind, but he squelched the ludicrous notion.
    “I am not ready for a wife, Tio.”
    “The match is already set. You will sign the betrothal papers when you meet your novia in a fortnight,” Tio Pedro said quietly.
    “Two weeks?” Roman ran a hand through his hair again. No matter how much he hated it, Tio Pedro ruled the Vasquez family. Roman prided himself on being a Californio. Arranged marriages were the Californio way. Yet he never thought Tio would interfere in matters of the heart this way.
    “You are like my son, Roman. I have raised you as my own since your father died, the Blessed Mother rest his soul. I love you, and I have prepared a good marriage for you.”
    “Who is she that her family can safeguard our land?” To his own ears, his voice sounded calm. Inside, he was coming apart.
    “She is an Americana. You will meet her when we sign the betrothal papers. I’m sorry, Roman. It was you or Maria who must marry into an influential family. I thought you would rather be the sacrificial lamb than your sister. Maria is young and spoiled. She would not fare well in a marriage with a foreigner.”
    Roman could no longer stand to look at his uncle’s puffy face. Disgust rioted through him. Rancho de los Robles deserved better than this union with the Yankees. A sudden realization hit him. His uncle must be indebted. “How much do you owe this Yankee?”
    “More than you could imagine, mi hijo .”
    “Monte?”
    “And horse racing and cockfighting and . . . the Yankee always wins,” Tio Pedro said dismally.
    Roman raised his hand to silence him. “Don’t tell me more. You are not the only Californio sick with this disease of gambling. Why, Tio? Why did you bet with an Americano?”
    “I wanted to take from the gringo.” Tio Pedro smiled wistfully. “Why take from my Californio brothers when I can take from a Yankee?”
    Tio Pedro turned his horse toward the hacienda. It was several hours away. “I have become an old man. I cannot ride with our vaqueros the way I used to.” Tio Pedro maneuvered his horse next to Roman’s mount. “I’ve never seen men take the way the Americanos take. The Yankees are wolves at our door.” Tio Pedro shook his head. “I pray your gringa wife protects us when war comes here.”

CHAPTER SEVEN
    The guests in their finest Californian clothes arrived on golden horses accompanied by a sea of servants and Indian vaqueros . A red-haired young woman in the party captured Rachel’s rapt attention. She stood out amongst her dark-haired family like a lamp burning at midnight. Though, like the other women, she rode sidesaddle, she handled her prancing palomino like a vaquero. A richly garbed younger girl rode beside her on a smaller palomino, a large pony, really. Never had Rachel seen such a magnificent sight. All these golden horses and the striking redhead so sure of herself in the midst of that parade of splendor.
    “Maria Vasquez, my fair cousin.” Sarita stepped up behind Rachel on the second-story porch that looked out over the front yard filled with guests. “I hate her.”
    Rachel moved aside to let Sarita swoosh past on the balcony. Her stepmother’s gaze tore through the crowd, her fingers clawing the wooden railing. “He’s not there,” she breathed. Then more confidently, “He hasn’t come.” She gave Rachel a triumphant smile, her ebony eyes blazing with contempt.
    Under Sarita’s unexpected wrath, Rachel found it hard to breathe. Her heart began to gallop in terrified anticipation of meeting her betrothed. Her father had told her so little about him, only that he was a neighboring rancher and nearer her age than his. She didn’t even know her Californian fiancé’s name. For weeks, she’d wondered how God could allow this to happen when she loved Steven. And even now he waited for