Outskirts Press, INC.

PAMPLONA, SPAIN, (CIRCA 1832–33)

BEAUTIFUL AND YOUNG MANUELA ‘DROPS’ HER PARASOL WHILE WALKING WITH GIRLFRIENDS ON THE PLAZA OF PAMPLONA, SPAIN AND A YOUNG SEMINARIAN PICKS IT UP AND RETURNS IT TO HER, AND SOMETHING HAPPENS.

THEY ‘SIGNAL’ TO MEET AGAIN AND FEELINGS DEVELOP AND SOON THE ‘WOULD-BE PRIEST RETURNS TO UNCLE’S FARM TO THINK ABOUT IT. LOVE WINS BUT A CIVIL WAR INTERVENES AND FERNANDO MUST FLEE TO THE MOUNTAINS WHERE HE FINDS A TWIN BROTHER WHO LOOKS EXACTLY LIKE HIM. A ‘CAIN AND ABEL’ STORY SEEMS TO ENSUE. THE ‘CAIN’ WANTS MANUELA AND ‘ABLE’ IS ASSUMED DEAD.

MANUELA’S WEALTHY FAMILY SENDS SHE AND TWIN BROTHER TO ALTA CALIFORNIA WITH UNCLE TIMOTHY, A FORMER PRIEST RETURNING TO THE CRUMBLING CARMELO MISSION, NEAR MONTEREY.

TRAGEDY STRIKES DURING THEIR VOYAGE AND UNCLE AND BROTHER ARE KILLED. MANUELA TAKES HER BROTHER’S IDENTITY IN ALL RESPECTS AND BECOMES ‘HIM’ TO ENABLE HER TO OBTAIN A LARGE RANCHO LAND GRANT—‘MALES ONLY MAY APPLY.’

ROBERTO (MANUELA) GETS THE LAND GRANT. TWO ‘FERNANDO’S’ SHOW UP WITH THE QUESTION OF WHO IS THE ‘REAL’ FERNANDO? NEITHER? MAYBE?