WHAT DE SOTO KNEW BUT DIDN'T TELL THEM
Disclaimer – I don't own the rights, Zorro Productions Inc does - I just like to play with the characters.
Plot - Victoria and Diego arrive home from their honeymoon to find an old acquaintance staying as a house guest, while a former foe plots revenge.
Sequel to "Repercussions"
This was only meant to be several chapters long to bring a closure to a part of Repercussions that I didn't finish but it developed a life of its own and is now a fully fledged story. I'm also thinking of turning this into a trilogy with Repercussions as part 1.
Many thanks to DietMJ who gave me the title of this story in one of her reviews :)
Chapter 1
A cloaked and hooded figure strode purposely down the dark alleyway in the more disreputable part of Madrid with an air of calm indifference mixed with arrogance that made the local inhabitants steer clear of him; they knew he wasn't some innocent traveller who had taken the wrong turn and be easy prey for the pickpockets, the tricksters and the harlots. This cloaked man was clearly on a mission; a mission that was none of their business so they let him pass without harassment or comment.
He continued unmolested down the alleyway until he came to the corner and found the place he was looking for. Above a doorway was a wooden sign; a sign that had seen better days. The wood was cracked and brittle, the picture of Spanish Bluebells had faded from its once former glory and and it hung from a rusty iron frame that creaked from the slight breeze. It was The Twelve Bells, a tavern that had a reputation for rowdiness and lawlessness but most importantly for it was known for harbouring a certain type of person.
He pulled open the heavy door and was immediately assaulted by the overwhelming smell of stale smoke, of alcohol and of unwashed bodies but he forced himself not to react to the stench and moved further inside. The noise level dropped to an almost complete silence as everyone slowly turned to face the stranger but after a couple of moments, the patrons having decided that he wasn't a threat to them, turned their backs and conversation started once again.
The stranger did not remove his hood as he walked over to the bar where he was greeted by a giant of a man who was missing three front teeth. He was cleaning glasses with a rather dirty looking rag that looked like it hadn't been washed in weeks. "What can I get ya?"
"I'm looking for Vargas." The hooded man replied.
The bartender frowned. "Why?"
"I have some business with him."
The other man snorted. "Well he doesn't have any business with you." he replied as he reached for another glass to clean.
The hooded man pulled out several coins and tossed them onto the bar. "Where is Vargas?" he demanded as his voice took on a cold tone which the bartender didn't like and was about to throw him out when a voice stopped him.
"It's alright Lebrón."
The hooded figure smirked at the bartender before he turned in the direction of the voice. "Vargas?"
The man jerked his head in the direction of the far corner. "Over there."
He nodded and walked over to the dark corner where he saw a heavily scarred faced man seated at a table drinking ale. "Vargas."
"Have a seat senor." Vargas replied as he kicked out a chair for the hooded figure; he was highly curious to know what this man wanted.
The stranger sat on the chair and gazed at the man seated across from him. The reputation of Vargas for his...craft...was well known and he needed someone who would get the job done, with no questions asked. "I have a job for you to do."
"A job? I don't know what you mean Senor. I doubt there's anything I could help you with." he replied innocently.
"Come now Vargas, we both know what you do, so don't insult my intelligence by denying it." The man said calmly.
Vargas chuckled at the stranger's confidence. "Very well, tell me what it is and then I will decide."
"Good, now this is what I want..."
Twenty minutes later.
"You are asking a lot Senor." Vargas said calmly as he took a sip of his ale while he considered the offer.
The hooded man nodded. "I'm also paying a lot."
Vargas grunted. "It's not enough, for there is much danger."
"There is always danger but I will give you same amount again once the task is completed."
Vargas leant back in his chair as he considered the stranger across from him. He could only see the lower half of the man's face which seemed to be rather ordinary with the usual moustache that most men wore but he did notice the expensive and rather ostentatious ring he was wearing on the little finger of his right hand; the man had been lucky not to have been killed for that ring alone.
"That's a large sum of money senor, how do I know that you will pay?"
The hooded man shrugged. "You don't."
The two men regarded each other for several moments.
"Very well, I agree." Vargas finally said.
"Good. Now remember it must look like an accident." The hooded man warned as he handed over the small bag of money.
Vargas nodded as he took the bag. "It will be done senor. How will I get word to you?"
The hooded man stood up and looked down at the other man. "You don't. I will know if you are successful and then I will send the rest of the money to this tavern."
Vargas took a gamble and nodded. "Very well."
Without another word the hooded man turned and walked out of the dimly light tavern and out into the night.
The driver of the dusty stage coach cracked his whip to urge his team of tired horses up the small hill before the last stretch into Los Angeles. It had been a hard and tiring journey for both man and beast; the main road between Monterey and Los Angeles had been blocked in three separate places due to the recent heavy rains that had caused small landslides and it had forced travellers to take the old road, which was narrower and full of deep ruts.
"Gee up." The driver called out to his horses as they finally crested the rise and the passengers inside breathed a sigh of relief. They knew that it was a straight road from now on and they faced a relatively easy journey into Los Angeles.
Doña Victoria straightened herself up after the last of the ruts had thrown her against her husband and exchanged a somewhat irritated glance with Diego, who knew how she felt; he too was tired of the jolts and longed for the time they weren't being tossed around like a ship at sea.
"It won't be long now." he reassured her. "Perhaps another twenty minutes and then we'll be home."
"It's not soon enough if you ask me." she replied. "All I want to do is to sit on a soft seat that doesn't move and stay there for a week" she complained as she stretched her back.
He leant down slightly and whispered hotly in her ear. "Would a soft bed do?"
She felt a flush creep over her face at this suggestion but she wasn't going to let him get away with that. "Well, I guess it depends on the bed doesn't it? Not all of them are soft." she whispered back with a teasing gleam in her brown eyes.
Diego grinned. "That's true but I can assure you that mine is soft." he replied as he caressed the skin of her wrist, please by the slight tremor his action caused. He had been surprised by how much he had to restrain himself not to touch her; at least in public anyway. In private, he just couldn't get enough of her; her soft smooth skin and her hot kisses drove him crazy and he guessed it was the result of six years of suppressed yearnings that made him somewhat possessive of her.
Victoria smirked. "So is mine."
"Mine's bigger." he whispered back as he caressed her wrist once more before his attention was turned to one of the other passengers who had asked him a question about Los Angeles.
Even as she giggled at their silly conversation, she shivered at the soft caress; a reaction that she always had whenever he touched her. She never realised just how much she could be affected by his touch until the first time they had made love. He had been gentle, understanding but oh so passionate and his touch made her whole body come alive with astonishing sensations that she had never knew existed.
She had wondered at his apparent knowledge of lovemaking and when she had queried him about it, he had replied in typical Diego fashion, that he had read about it in a book. But in turn he was curious about her, for she seemed to have some knowledge herself, even though she had been as innocent as he had been and with an embarrassed grin, she told him of what had happened just after she had taken over the tavern.
She had a married couple staying overnight on their way to San Diego and later that night, she had heard muffled cries coming from their room and thinking that the woman was in trouble, she had barged in without knocking and had stopped dead by what she had seen. She had blushed furiously and apologised profusely before she retreated rapidly, closing the door behind her. She had decided there and then that she would always knock loudly and call out first before opening doors to any occupied guest room.
She had also told him that over the following ten years she had inadvertently come across several amorous couples who had not closed their door completely but out of a sense of privacy for her guests, she quietly closed it herself and in doing so, she had gained a further understanding into what occurs between men and women, even though she had no personal experience of it.
Victoria's musings stopped as the stage coach rumbled under the wooden sign, signalling their arrival in Los Angeles and as she looked out of the window she was surprised that it looked the same before she left. Somehow she had expected it to be changed but then she realised that it was her who had changed; she was now a married woman with a new position in their community. A position that she was somewhat uncertain about; she had some memories of Diego's mother and of how much she was respected by everyone and she wasn't sure of she could live up to Doña Felicidad's example.
Just then the stage came to a halt outside the tavern and with a final call of encouragement to his team of horses, the driver jumped down from his seat and opened the door of his stage coach.
"Senor and señoras, we'll be here for an hour, so you're free to stretch your legs and perhaps refresh yourself at the tavern." He said with a knowing smile at Victoria. They had known each other for many years and the stage always brought in extra cash from the thirsty and hungry passengers.
Victoria smiled as he helped her down from the coach and then her smile widened as she saw her father-in-law waiting for them at the bottom of the tavern steps and she quickly walked several paces to him.
"Welcome back, my daughter." Don Alejandro said with a beaming smile as he pulled her into a warm embrace.
"Gracias Father." she replied as she hugged him back. "It's good to be off the stage." she added as she pulled away.
He gave an understanding look. "That bad was it?" he asked as his son came up to them.
Diego snorted. "Bad doesn't even begin to describe the last couple of days." he said as he gave his father a quick embrace, while Victoria excused herself and made her way inside the tavern, eager to make sure that everything was okay in the weeks they had been away.
Don Alejandro grinned as he watched his daughter-in-law walk inside. "Don't tell me that she is tired of your company already Diego?" he teased.
Diego chuckled. "Not at all but Victoria does want to check on things. This has been the longest that she's been away and well, I think she is still very protective of the tavern even though Jaime is the manager." He replied as Miguel came up to him and handed over their bags. "Gracias Miguel."
Don Alejandro nodded. "Of course, I'm rather protective of our ranch, so I know how she feels." he paused as he gazed at his son for a moment.
Diego saw his father looking at him rather strangely. "There's nothing wrong is there? Is Felipe okay? Where is he anyway, I thought he might have been here." He said a little disappointed as he looked around and although a number of friends smiled their greetings to him, he didn't see his son.
Don Alejandro shook his head. "There's nothing wrong with Felipe, he's just keeping our house guest entertained."
Diego turned back to his father. "Oh, did one of the wedding guests stay over?" he asked curiously. He wasn't expecting any of their guests to stay longer than a few days before travelling back home.
Don Alejandro shook his head once more. "No, it's..."
He was interrupted by Victoria coming out of the tavern with Mendoza behind her. He smiled widely as he held out his hand. "Welcome back Don Diego. How was San Francisco? Did you go to Ricardo's bakery as I suggested. He and his wife make the most mouth watering bread you have ever tasted."
Diego smiled as he shook his hand. "As a matter of fact, we did and yes, their bread was delicious and they wanted us to give you their best wishes."
Mendoza beamed with happiness. "That was very kind of them. They are good people."
Victoria nodded. "Yes they are." she turned to Diego with a large smile. "Jaime said that nothing happened while we were gone, except that..."
Mendoza bounced excitedly on his feet. "I'm getting married Don Diego." he beamed happily.
Diego was thrilled, pleased that this good and honest man had finally found happiness. "That's wonderful news Jaime, I am so happy for you and Señora Solis. Have you set a date yet?"
He shook his head. "No, not yet but..." he was interrupted by someone calling out his name from inside the tavern. "Ah, please excuse me Doña Victoria, gentlemen, I must go."
"Of course Jaime." Victoria said as they watched him go.
"I don't think I have seen him so happy before." Diego said with a large smile on his face.
Don Alejandro chuckled. "I know what you mean but he hasn't been engaged to be married before either. They are well suited with their love of food and they obviously have great feelings for each other."
"It's truly wonderful news for our former sergeant but now I'm eager to get home and see who our house guest is."
A slight frown crossed Victoria's features as she turned to Don Alejandro. "One of the wedding guests?"
Don Alejandro smiled at their almost identical question. "No, not one of the guests. Come, the carriage is around the side." he said as he led the way around the other side of the building, while Victoria gazed at her husband curiously. "Do you know who it is?" She asked as they followed Don Alejandro.
Diego shook his head as he carried their bags. "No but I guess we'll find out soon enough." he replied.