The carriage takes its 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 stone houses from 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
Few more steps before Teo reaches the old man still attending the horse claiming;
"Days ago, right after the dinner in honor of your uncle, the stone house became 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 Teniente 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
"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
"You will surely find something, or someone that would interest you in there Segnor," the old servant pauses, "You already have,"
The old servant takes another glimpse at Teniente Leon and his wife before he nods a farewell look at Teo