THE VISITOR - THE MEETING
CHAPTER ONE
It was a very rainy night, lightning flashing and loud claps of rolling thunder. It was not a night fit for man or beast, let alone heroes. She was sitting by the fire reading a book when she heard a knock on her door. A hard demanding knock at first then a soft desperate knock followed. She cautiously moved toward the door not knowing who would be out in this weather. She opened the door slowly and was so surprised at what she saw until she almost fainted. There in the door stood a figure dressed all in black with eyes that seem to pierce one's very soul. When the lightning flashed she could see that it was a man, but not just any man. He was wavering hardly able to stand holding his left side.
His voice low and filled with pain - "sorry for the inconvenience Senorita but…."
He then collapsed.
She grabbed him as he fell in the door. They tumbled to the floor with him on top of her. She thought that like many of the other women in the pueblo she had dreamed of having El Zorro in this position but not in this circumstance. She struggled to push him off so that she could get to her feet. He murmured something about soldiers. She barely managed to drag him to her bedroom. She laid him down on the bed. She pulled off his cape, hat, and boots. But the man that she thought was unconscious grasped her hand when it moved toward his face.
She says, "Senor I am just checking the nasty cut on your forehead."
"Senorita, his voice but a whisper muffled by the piercing pain, I asked that you do not remove my mask."
She replies, "I promise."
He smiled and closed his eyes. She knew that he was unconscious because when she went to touch his face once more he does not try to restrain her.
She wondered how did he get here and then she remembered his horse. The poor thing must still be out in the rain. She put on her cloak and goes outside to see if his horse was still there. Sure enough there he stood, El Zorro's mighty black steed trying to bear the pouring rain and shaking fiercely from being soaking wet.
She walked up to him and says, "there, there mi caballo. I am going to put you in the stable where it is warm and dry."
She gently leads him by his reins to the stable. She sheltered Tornado in the stall next to Oro. Oro appeared to be very happy to have some company in that big and lonesome stable. Oro peeked over into his stall and pawed the ground. She assumed this was Oro's way of greeting her visitor. She removed Tornado's bridle and saddle. There was a look of gratitude in his eyes for the warmth of the stable and the hay that she gave him to eat. Once this was done she turned her attention to the "visitor" in her house.
She proceeded to la cocina to get a pan of cool water and medicine to clean and treat his wounds. He laid there on her bed breathing heavily holding his left side. She could tell that he is in pain. He moaned softly and opened his eyes when she started to unbutton his shirt. His chest was covered with dark brown downy like hair that had a velvety feel to the touch. It is very muscular and solid. On further inspection she discovered a deep purple-colored bruising on his left side. When she rubbed it he groaned and his body stiffened. She glanced up and their eyes met.
She says, "I am just sterilizing and treating your wound."
He murmured something about soldiers again. She wrapped his ribs because she feared that they were badly bruised or fractured.
His voice is barely audible,"muchas gracias Senorita."
He then shut his eyes. She sensed that for the moment he felt that he could trust her. She moved up to the cut on his forehead, it was deep and bleeding. She cleaned it and poured the medicine directly into the wound. He sucked in his breath but does not open his eyes. She took off his bandana and swathed the bandage snuggly on his head in hopes of stopping the bleeding. She knew that he had fallen asleep because his body relaxed and his lips parted slightly as his breathing became steady. As he lays there sound asleep she was very tempted to remove his mask but she gave her word.
She walked to the Sala and peered out the window into the night. The rain had subsided and the lightning and thunder had migrated into the distance. She stroked the fire in the fireplace to get rid of the dampness in the house due to the rain. She then returned to her bedroom and checked on her visitor. He was asleep. She drew the covers up over his chest and added an extra pillow under his head. She touched his forehead it was hot. She then retired to her other bedroom upstairs. In the early morning hours she awoke to a rustling sound downstairs and then a loud thud. She jumped from her bed and ran downstairs. He had stumbled out of bed and tripped over one of the chairs. He set on the floor disoriented by the fall and his feverish condition. As she stooped down to help him up she sensed the heat of his stare.
"Let me help you," she says.
He rejoins, "I must go the solders will surely find me here. I don't want to…"
"Senor, she responds, you have nothing to fear from the soldiers. You are safe here."
He gazed at her questioningly and smiled with sparkling white teeth that would light up the darkest night. She put both her arms around his waist and he put his arm around her shoulder. She slowly guided him back to the bed. She covered him up and fluffed the pillows under his head.
He replies, "you are most gracious and kind to help a stranger such as me."
She answers, "Senor you are no stranger to anyone who lives in California."
"You….you know who I am," he stammers.
"Si," she confesses.
Just at that moment she heard horses coming up the trail. He made a dash for his sword.
"No Senor, she exclaims, come with me."
She helped him upstairs to her other bedroom and told him that everything would be alright. He grabbed her hand and said that he did not want to cause her any trouble.
She states, "it's the least that I can do."
She came down and pulled the rope to release the stairs back into the ceiling that leads to her other bedroom. There is a hard knock on her door. She opened the door just a little. There stood a rotund and unkempt dressed man in a soldier's uniform.
He greeted her, "Buenos dias, Senorita, my name is Sergeant Garcia. We are looking for a masked bandit and were told that he might have passed this way."
She looked at him.
"Sergeant with the weather as bad as it was last night, I am surprised anyone would venture out," she replies.
With a smirk Sergeant Garcia retorts, "Oh you don't know that rascal of a Zorro, weather has no meaning for him."
"Well no one has passed this way," she answers.
"Gracias Senorita but be careful, he is a very dangerous man," the Sergeant warns.
"Mil gracias for the admonition," she responds.
"Adios Senorita," Sergeant Garcia touches his hat, mounts his horse, and he and his lancers ride away.
She stayed at the door to watch Sergeant Garcia and his lancers disappear down the path. She then hurried back upstairs to check on her visitor. He is sitting up in the bed. He smiled when she stepped through the door. As she went over and puffed the pillows behind him her nostrils filled with his manly scent. She is embarrassed at her desire to stay there and enjoy this new and wonderful emotion rising within her.
She quickly moved to the foot of the bed and inquires, "how are you feeling?"
He looked puzzled but responds "better."
His eyes searched hers for an answer to her previous action.
He queries, "were those soldiers I heard downstairs?"
"Si, a Sergeant Garcia and four lancers. He said that they were looking for a masked bandit. I told them no one by that description passed by here," she replies.
He stared at her with a perplexed look. Her gaze met his.
"I do not consider you a bandit Senor," she remarks.
She asks if he is hungry and he answers "Si."
"I will go down to la cocina and fix you something to eat," she says.
He tried to follow her but moaned in pain.
"You stay here I will bring the food up to you," she responds.
As she walked out of the room she felt his eyes follow her every move. He still did not know whether he trusted her or not. She could have the soldiers waiting downstairs to capture him at any moment. She hurried about la cocina humming as she fixed tortillas, gazpacho, arroz y pollo. She brought a plate up to him and a bottle of wine that she had been saving for a special occasion. He ate hungrily, it seemed his weaken condition had no effect on his appetite. He thanked her and drunk the wine commenting on how good it was.
"I have had it since I came here from Spain three years ago," she says.
He looked at her.
"You came here from Spain just three years ago, with surprise in his voice. Did you come by yourself? Where is your family," he queries.
She answers, "I was born in Spain and attended the Universidad de Madrid."
He has disbelief in his eyes as he questions, "you went to the Universidad de Madrid?"
She knew why this is hard for him to believe because in this time very few women if any were allowed to attend the Universidad. You had to come from a family of wealth and position to accomplish this. She was lucky in that regard.
"Why are you here in California? Why did you not stay in Spain? Did you come here to get married," he inquires.
"You are full of questions, are you not Senor," she muses.
"Forgive me but you are the first educated woman I have met here in California," he admits.
"Gracias Senor, but I am sure that you have many beautiful Senoritas falling at your feet constantly," she states.
He smiles and declares, "but none that intrigues me the way you do."
The heat from his words caused little beads of sweat to break out all over her body.
But the only thing she could say is, "can I take your plate?"
She reached for his plate but he took her hand and kissed it ever so tenderly.
She is trembling as she says, "can I get you anything else?"
"No gracias, the food has restored my strength enough to take my leave before the soldiers pick up my trail and it leads them back to you," he answers.
"I am not afraid of the soldiers, Senor," she remarks.
"You are in the minority Senorita. It is Senorita is it not?" he inquires.
"Si," she responds.
She laid down the dishes and walked over to the bed. She pushed him back into the pillows and the look on his face was one of surprise and then delight. He clutched her hand and the look of fascination in his eyes said everything that words could not.
She gently dislodged her hand and comments, "I think that you should lay back and rest. Your wounds still need time to heal. I am going downstairs to wash the dishes. I will be back to check on you."
"Gracias, Senorita for all your kindness," he replies.
She left the room and closed the door. As she entered la cocina she heard someone step on the porch. She thought not more soldiers. Could they have picked up his trail as he had feared? She surmised that with the rain all the evidence of him being there would have been washed away. There is a knock on the door.
"Senorita Ricardo are you there," asks a little gray haired lady peering through the window.
It is Senora Corazon, who owns the rancho just over the hill from hers.
She opens the door and says "Buenos dias Senora Corazon."
"Have you heard the news, Senorita Ricardo," retorts Senora Corazon.
"What news," she questions.
"They think that mask bandit is in the area. The soldiers have been searching for him all night," Senora Corazon responds.
"Verdad," is all she has to say.
"I just wanted to make sure that you were all right," Senora Corazon replies.
"Gracias for your concern but I am fine," she remarks.
"I am going into the pueblo today and wanted to know if you needed anything," Senora Corazon inquires.
"No I went to El Mercado yesterday," she answers.
"Very well keep your doors locked and your windows shut. They say he is a very dangerous desperado," warns Senora Corazon.
"Gracias Senora Corazon," she responds.
"Hasta la vista," Senora Corazon calls with a wave of her hand.
After she finished washing the dishes she went back upstairs to check on her visitor. He was asleep. She goes over to the bed and pulled the covers over him.
As she started to leave the room, he says, "talk to me."
She is startled at first because he is supposed to be asleep and second, by what he said.
"Si, Senor, what would you like to talk about," she replies.
"I want to know more about you, his eyes twinkled with anticipation. Since I am an intruder in your home, I would like to get to know more about you," as he glanced at the spot next to him on the bed as an invitation.
"You are a welcomed guest in my home," her eyes met his in acceptance.
She sits down at the foot of the bed.
"I would like to know about you as well," she asserts.
He confesses, "I can only tell you that I also lived in Spain for three years. I now live in Los Angeles. I like you attended the Universidad in Spain and came back to California six years ago. My family lives here in Los Angeles. Now tell me more about you. Why are you here in California?"
She answers, "my father came to California in search of his fortune. He bought this rancho. My mother refused to leave Spain. She did not want to live in the harsh conditions here in California. My mother wanted me to be educated which she said could not happen in California. We remained in Spain and my father came here to live. Unfortunately, after only being here for seven short years he died when the first smallpox epidemic swept California," her eyes glistened with the tears she is trying hard to hold back.
"Oh Senorita, que lastima," he takes her hand in his.
"He left this rancho to me and I came here to live," she replies.
"How do you survive here alone?" he questions.
"I have six vaqueros who help out," she answers.
He quickly looked around on his guard.
She puts her other hand on top of his hoping to quiet his fears, "you do not have to worry Senor. They stay out on the range and I do not have any servants here in the house."
He muses half-heartedly, "are you not afraid of being alone with me?"
She counters back, "should I be?"
He continues, "have you not heard that I am a dangerous man?"
"I do not believe everything I hear," she comments enjoying the banter.
"You are a very interesting lady, Senorita. Once again, why are you not married?" he queries with a playful look in his eyes.
"I could ask you that same thing Senor," she says with a grin.
"Touché Senorita," he replies returning her smile.
She saw that he is getting tired.
"Rest Senor and we can talk later. You need time for your wounds to heal properly," she remarks.
As she stood up and goes to leave he grabbed her hand and looked up at her.
"Por favor Senor, you need your rest," she pleads.
He let go of her hand and closed his eyes. She goes downstairs and removed all the evidence in the casa that she could of him being there in case the soldiers decided to pay her another visit.
Three hours had passed and she is in la cocina finishing her cleaning. She turned and almost cried out in alarm.
"Did I startle you, Senorita," he questions.
Si, you move so quietly," she responds.
He sits down at the table.
"Can I get you something," she asks.
"No," he replies.
"Did you want something of me," she asks.
He got up from the table and moved toward her. She took a step back.
"Are you now afraid of me," he queries.
"No," she replies.
He reached out and grasped her hand and kissed it.
"I am mesmerized by you Senorita like no woman I have ever met," he gazed deep into her eyes and his lips are only a breath away from hers.
She could not decide whether to run or stay. Hypnotized by his manly aroma – she chose to stay.
Avoiding his stare she exclaims, "Senor coming down the steps like you did will only aggravate your injury. I will help you back to bed."
He nods, "I am at your command."
She helped him back upstairs and into bed.
"Tell me Senorita when I was asleep why didn't you remove my mask?" he asks.
"I promised you that I would not," she replies.
"Do you always keep your promises?" he asks.
"Si Senor," she replies.
"I am going to share a secret with you and ask that you keep it," he smiled.
Not knowing what it could be but honored that he would entrust her with something so important to him, she says, "Si I promise." He begun to untie his mask…she gripped his hand…. "no Senor…no…..please….. no," she begged.
He muttered, "do not be afraid my little one."
He untied his mask and lets it fall on the bed.
She closed her eyes refusing to open them.
"Please Senorita…..he pleads, open your eyes…..I am not that hideous looking."
He grasped both of her hands and kissed them tenderly. She opened her eyes slowly. He held her to him and pressed his lips to hers. His breath is hot on her face. "I want you to see the real me without the mask," he muses. He once again kissed her lips lovingly forcing them open with his tongue. Her whole body shook and she felt the fire growing inside her. The taste of his tongue in her mouth aroused a new and wonderful feeling inside her. He pulled her down in the bed with him.
"Senor, I have never," she purrs.
"I know," he says softly.
She lay next to him and listened to his contented breathing. His eyes are closed and she assumed that he must be asleep. The initial pain she experienced making love with him was replaced by unbelievable pleasure and passion. He was a very understanding and gentle lover. As she stared out the window she saw that the rain had returned. The rhythmic sound of it on the roof lulled her into a feeling of peace and tranquility. As the rain washed the earth clean and renewed it she perceived a purging of what used to be and the excitement of what is to come. She stirred.
He opens his eyes and embraces her in his arms, "are you alright?" he asks.
"I did not want to wake you. You were sleeping so peacefully," she purrs.
He whispers, "mi amor I need you."
His naked body covered hers and she felt his heart pounding. As he entered her he cried out in pure ecstasy and abandonment. Her body is consumed with pure rapture and an overpowering sense of happiness at his touch. Afterward, they lay there together breathless.
He sits up in bed and holds her to him; "you make me feel the way I have always dreamed of feeling."
"As have I mi vida," she whispers.
He stared deeply into her eyes as if searching for proof of her words.
"I do not want this feeling to ever end," he says.
She returns his stare and then asks, "are you hungry?"
He closes his eyes and answers, "always."
She kisses his lips and replies, "I meant for food."
"Oh, maybe later," he murmurs.
He holds her tight and revels at the feel of her body touching his. They are caught in passion's grip for the rest of the day.
As darkness clothed the sky, she for the first time really looked at this handsome man lying next to her. She thought and then remembered seeing him in the pueblo. She at the time gazed steadily and intently at this handsome and dashing caballero. She would never have imagined that he was the infamous El Zorro. But even more so, that she would be lying here beside him. How could she expect to hold his attention with all the beautiful Senoritas at his beck and call. With this unnerving revelation she decided that she needed some air to clear her head. She must come back to reality. She glanced at him one more time and started to get out of bed.
He opens his eyes and asks, "Is something wrong."
She replies avoiding his eyes, "no I was thinking that I should go and check on your horse in the stable."
"Why the sudden need to leave, mi amor," he sits up in bed with concern in his eyes.
"I….please….I just need some air," she stammers.
He gets out of bed and takes her in his arms, "something is wrong and I want to know what it is," he asks.
She turned her face away. She tried to dislodge his arms from around her but he held her even tighter.
"You are going to stay right here until you tell me what is wrong," he retorts.
She looks up at him tears streaming down her cheeks, "what happened between us… Soon you will be gone….. and I will never see you again," her voice breaking.
He looks at her tenderly, "oh mi amor…..I promise that you will see me again. I can never stay away from you…..you make me feel so…..complete and utterly free. Something I have been searching for but never thought I would find," he whispers.
He wiped the tears from her cheeks.
"Oh Senor," she purrs as she pulled his mouth down to meet her open lips.
The taste of her tongue starts a fire raging inside him that can only be satisfied by the warmth of her naked body.
"I am yours forever," he moaned, as his naked body once more covers hers.
As the sun breaks through the window, they are awaked by a knock on her door. He sprung from the bed and grabbed his sword.
She says, "no, I will go and see who it is."
She put on her gown and robe and goes downstairs to see who is at the door. She opened the door slightly and there stood her caporal Luis Sandoval.
"Senorita Ricardo, I just wanted to make sure that you were safe. Rumor has it that the masked bandit is hiding in one of the casas in the area. The soldiers are planning to make a thorough search of all the casas. I wanted to assure myself that you are safe," Luis says.
"Gracias Luis, I am fine," she says.
"Very well then," Luis replies.
He got on his horse and rode away. She closed the door, turned, and almost fainted from fright.
"Senor, please give me some warning when you are going to sneak up behind me. You heard what my caporal said," she remarks.
"Si, I have to go. If they make a thorough search they will surely find me," he answers.
She hugs him tightly as she attempted to stop the tears that poured from her eyes.
"Mi amor, I will never stay away from you," he confesses.
Then he swept her up in his arms and took her to the upstairs bedroom. There once again she feels the fervor and passion of his naked body covering hers.
Afterwards, he cuddled her close and says, "you will see me again. After today I cannot stay away from you, mi amor. You make me feel the way I have always dreamed but never thought it could ever become a reality," he says with a broad smile.
He got up and started putting his clothes on. She felt an emptiness inside that she had never experienced before. After he got dressed he came over to the bed and held her in his arms and kissed her ardently. As he went to walk out the door he turned and looked at her. The desire and longing in his eyes made her want to pull him back in the bed and never let him go. She begun to get out of bed but he stopped her.
With yearning in his voice, "please mi amor, I will never be able to leave with you standing there."
As tears ran down her face she watched him walk out the bedroom door. She heard the front door open and close. Protected by the cover of night, she listened to the sound of horse's hoofs fade down the trail.
"Hasta la vista, mi vida," she whispers.