The House of the Unholy

At the Orchard

The carriage takes it final turn towards a vast land surrounded by rows of palm trees. From where Teo is seated, he sees the number of parked carriages in a grassy lot as their carriage slowly approaches the Governor’s estate. Just across the vast land, he sees the massive structure boastfully glowing in the twilight.

The Governor’s mansion, a building of pure stones of marble and lime stones, is the largest structure in all of the island of Panay. It easily dwarfs the cathedrals in the province and the Salgado stone house of Pasi. The first of its kind, wherein the dwelling is made of pure stones, a huge departure from the traditional wood and stone combination of the yesteryears.

Outside, in the orchard there gathers the coachmen that brought in the honored guests; all of them seem to be in union of having their own festivity with some coachmen puffing their tobaccos provided to them by their lords and segnors and segnoras conversing with other coachmen.

Teo steps down from his carriage and looks around to see his Uncle and Ana Rosa standing in the orchard. He sees the lady takes a glance at him, and nonchalantly looks away, while the lieutenant is busy puffing his tobacco.

“Tatang Chuy,” he calls on the servant

He feels the urgent need in him to confront the old servant about the discomfort he feels while seeing him dressed in his foster father’s clothes or even using the cane that also belonged to his foster father though he seems fine to him and does not need any. He could not just let suspicions clout the respect that he has for the old servant since he knows he has been loyal to the Don for years. As Teo walks in closer at the servant, he is interrupted by him when he quips;

“Days ago, I woke up earlier than I needed to be; and I thought it was good to start my day then. The stone house was silent as normal as it has always been, except for loud murmurs that I thought I heard coming from the asotea. I could have mistaken the crickets for murmurs for my old age could have affected my hearing; so I followed where the murmurs were coming from;” Tatang Chuy pauses stroking the horse’s head.

The old servant meaningfully stares at Teo with a subtle nod then his gaze turns towards the direction of Captain Leon and his wife as if studying them from his position;

“Only to find out then that I was really mistaken. They were just crickets from the nearby fields” he smiles widely

The old servant takes a final look at Teo as he turns away to continue in stroking the horse’s head and begins to whistle a tune. Teo clasps his sleeves with his hands and recalls his conversation with Ana Rosa at the asotea. It is then when he studies the old servant’s gesture and enquires to himself if Tatang Chuy saw them. Or if the old servant has really mistaken them for crickets like what he claimed. It could also probably be that the old servant is trying to send him a message when he looked at the Captain and Ana Rosa while claiming to have heard murmurs in the asotea. Teo considers the consequence of his uncle finding out that he and Ana Rosa knew each other back in Manila; and worse, they both acted like otherwise. With those thoughts, he imagines a frightening scenario of the possibility of an extensive inquiry which can lead to a huge scandal. It is then when he finally utters;

“I would have to go now Tatang Chuy and pay my respect to the Gobernadorcillo. If I don’t find anything that would interest me, I shall be back soon,” he finally smiles forcefully

While walking away, the old servant calls out to him to catch his attention which makes him face the servant again;

“I am glad you appreciate my outfit tonight, Segnor. I have been constantly catching you looking at them” Tatang Chuy smiles, “these are just some of the clothes that the late Captain handed down on me. These might be worn out and old, but to me these are as precious as an heirloom”

Chuy throws a final look at Teo as the old servant who proceeds to peacefully brush off the horses head with his wrinkly hand and turns his attention away from his young Segnor