Thankfully, she was distracted by the upcoming gathering near Santa Barbara and whipped the entire household into a frenzy of preparation—baking, cooking, washing, mending, sewing. According to the girls, we would all leave early the following morning to arrive late the day after, and there would be a rodeo and festivities for two full days.“Jacinto,” I called to the boy scampering down the hall.He paused at the top of the stairs and grinned at me. “Yes, Señorita?”I walked closer to him, not wanting anyone else to hear. “How are we to get to Santa Barbara?”He squinted at me, confused. “By horse and wagon, of course!” he said, the thought of it making his eyes go wide with excitement.“But…but isn’t Santa Barbara very far?”“Yes,” he said, nodding.“So…we will ride all day?”“All day for two whole days!” he said, as if this was the best news he could possibly deliver.I, on the other hand, felt a little sick. Two whole days on the saddle? Santo cielo, how was my backside going to handle that?
