Zorro Meets his Match
Chapter 29 – Cupid's Arrow Falls Short
Diego and Boudica had been out riding, checking the herds. Diego had made a point to show her. She rode with him looking a bit awkward riding with one hand, but Rana was gentle and trotted beside Phantom as Diego set a gentle pace so as not to bounce his wife too much.
Once home, Boudica called for a bath to wash the dust from the trail from her. Diego had remained there, reading a book, watching the expanse of his wife's back as she bathed. The wound on her hand was healing nicely, but still looked terrible. However, the new skin was pink and healthy, no sign of skin turning back which was good. He hated to think how she would react to maggots on her. Leeches had been a bit difficult for her, but effective. The maggots would also be, eating the dead rotted flesh and leaving the new. However, the idea of the small creatures even made his skin crawl.
She was washing her hair when she paused feeling something. "Diego?" She asked feeling something near her hairline behind her ear.
He looked up. "Si?" He asked.
"What is caught in my hair? It won't come off." She said lightly pulling on it.
He moved quickly and knelt down beside her. He then pulled her hands up to her hair. "Don't pull on it."
"What is it?"
"A garrapata." He said with some amusement. "You didn't walk in the grass did you when we were speaking to Benito."
"No. I didn't even dismount remember."
He nodded and moved. "Don't move." He said. The parasitic creatures were a bother to be sure plaguing cattle, horses, sheep, and humans alike in the spring. One learned to remove them effectively as part of practice being a vaquero.
"Diego?!"
"It's all right." He said gently. "I will remove it." He sighed. "It must have crawled up your skirts." He smiled. "It found a good place to feed."
"Feed?"
"Si. It is drinking your blood." He said calmly.
She gasped. "What?!"
He gently patted her shoulder. "It's all right. They do not take much. Though it is at one of my favorite places to kiss you." He said ruefully. "It has good taste."
"That the hell is it?" She demanded.
"I told you, a garrapata." He said.
"A what?"
"Give me a moment. I will show you. I am sure you have a name for them in New York." He knelt bending her head forward and toward the light. He had her hand holding her hair out of his way as he used tweezers to pull the creature firmly from her. It had started to engorge, but was far from full. It was the size of a pea not a large grape yet.
It came from and struggled a bit as he held it firmly. "Ah there, you are." He said looking at it. She turned her head looking as he held it to her to see. "Such odd creatures. The Bible teaches us everything has a purpose. I have never understood the purpose of a garrapata."
She yelped and jumped away from him. "A tick!" She cried. "Get it away!"
He laughed at her reaction looking at it. "Common enough, especially in spring. Good you found it early." He smiled. He chuckled a little and then dropped it into the hot coals of the fire where it made a small pop sound as it burst from the heat.
Boudica was standing, dripping, out of the tub having jumped out of it and moved bodily back a couple feet. .
Diego looked at her curiously. "It is all right. They are a nuisance, but they cause no real harm. Come finish your bath. When you are done I will see if you have more."
"More?" She squeaked running hands on her body and then up into her hair. "There could be more?"
He sighed. "Go on." He said. "Besides if you have any more you will likely drown them."
She finished washing her hair in record time and stepped out looking at her back trying to see if there were any as she scratched a little. Diego was highly amused by this, but also was enjoying the display.
"Come here."
"I should burn that dress." She said looking at where it was on the back of the chair.
He laughed outright. "I already checked it. There are no more friends there."
She looked at it dubiously.
"Come here." He repeated.
She took a breath and did so.
"Lie down."
She did so looking about as he lifted her still wet hair and ran his fingers along. She was lying stiffly, panting as he looked at all the common places like behind her ears, in her hair, in her arm pits, under her breasts.
He looked at her as she lay there gloriously nude before him. It was a wonderful thing to be married and have one's spouse so comfortable with him that she would lie there and let him do this. He moved lower checking between her toes, the cleft between her buttocks, behind her knees, and lastly, he checked the flower of her womanhood, purposefully waiting to check it last.
"Anything?" She asked looking down at him in concern.
"No nothing." He said smiling.
"Horrible creatures." She said shaking.
He smiled as his hand caressed her hip gently. "However, I may need to check one more time, just to be sure." He said. "I could have missed one."
"What?" She gasped sitting up in alarm.
He shook his head and smiled before he bent, lifting her leg to his shoulder as he bent his head to her, lips and tongue quick to quell her fears. In a very short time, as he had predicted, she forgot all about ticks.
ZzZ
Two days later, Esteban, Diego, Bernardo, and Alejandro had gone for a ride. Boudica had shooed them out of the house to go bond and to allow the servants to go the massive spring cleaning project. She was going to supervise as tapestries were beaten outside, windows washed, the adobe whitewashed, curtains, cleaned, and pictures dusted. Diego and his father had agreed to allow her to do some of the domestic things about the house and this was one of them. She also had been very much into shifting things around the rooms a little with two vaqueros to help her.
Diego had been the last to mount up, kissing his wife soundly before doing so.
They group rode about until Esteban spotted some flowers. He dismounted.
"What are you doing?" Alejandro asked him.
"Aren't they beautiful? Lupines." Esteban said. "If Bernardo leaves now he can bring these to the Cordozar hacienda before Margarite retires for the evening."
"Oh, this is ridiculous." Alejandro growled.
"Oh, not at all, Bernardo's a good rider. I have seen him."
Diego chuckled lightly as his father stood beside him looking sour.
"You know what I am talking about Esteban and we might as well discuss it here and now." Alejandro said.
"Discuss what?" Esteban asked.
"This about the courtship and marriage of yours."
"My father and I are very concerned with that." Diego added.
"Oh well, I am very pleased to hear that." Esteban said.
"You are?" Alejandro gasped started.
"Yes, I didn't know how to approach the subject myself, but, eh, since you have opened it up Alejandro, I will need some money."
"What?"
"Ah, Margarite is a wonderful girl. She deserves more than wildflowers." Esteban said.
Diego narrowed his eyes. Boudica did as well, but she seemed very content to have them when he came home with them. Small gifts of the heart mattered to her, not expense. To be true, Boudica was not that materialist, likely from her childhood of not having much and then being a poor relation seen as a burden. Presents, when he did bring them still had a sense of wonder to them for her. She never expected them, but she was grateful. Margarite may have the other issue of expecting them and not being pleased with a simple gesture of wildflowers.
"I thought a few presents now and then." Esteban continued. "Then little trinkets. You know jewelry and that."
Alejandro shifted. "Now you listen to me. You do not love Margarite. You are only out after her money."
"Oh Alejandro. How can you saw such a thing?"
"How can I?" Alejandro was indignant as he looked back at Diego.
"Please, calm yourself." Diego said.
"That is good advice." Esteban said. "You're a sensible lad, Diego."
"Okay so we listen to me then?" Diego asked as Esteban sniffed the flowers.
Esteban beckoned Bernardo to him. "Bernardo take these to…" He looked up at Diego. "Tell him to take these to Margarite."
Diego folded his arms. "I don't think he's going to listen." He said seeing his father's look.
"Oh certainly he will. I can't get though to him, but I notice that you seem to never have any trouble."
"All right!" Alejandro growled. "But you're not married yet. Esteban. Zorro has something to say about this?"
Diego arched an eyebrow.
"Zorro?" Esteban asked.
"Si." Alejandro said. "To Zorro a thief is a thief. Whether taking coins from the church poor box or trying to marry some unsuspecting girl for her money. And Zorro always rides against a thief."
Esteban rose to his feet. "I do not like the word thief Alejandro." He then spread his hands. "But for some strange reason you seem to be upset."
"Upset?!"
"So I forgive you." Esteban sighed. "I hope you are right. I hope your Zorro does try to interfere. He has been a thorn in my side ever since I came to California." He sighed. "I am just waiting for a chance to meet him again."
Alejandro and Diego exchanged a look.
Esteban then turned to Bernardo. "Bernardo." He said nodding his head. "Do you think I should marry Margarite?"
Bernardo smiled and nodded also. Alejandro gasped looking at his son. Diego shook his head a little and watched.
"There you see. You must admit he's an impartial observer."
Bernardo smiled as Esteban went to mount his horse. Alejandro looked at him with fire in his eyes and Bernardo's smile dropped as he looked down a little admonished. Diego looked at him and then growled at him as they returned to their horses.
ZzZ
That evening, Diego found his wife lying on her stomach on the bed eating an apple as she read from a book. Her bare ankles were crossed as she moved them from her back and upwards.
He looked at her. "What are you doing?"
"Passing time." She said. She then playfully lifted her apple to her feet and then rolled her whole body forward until the apple and her feet were level with her face. She took another bite casually as she watched him pulling off his cravat. He watched her in the mirror as she turned the page and took another bite.
He looked back at her. "I am not even going to ask how you can even manage that." He said folding his arms.
She smiled and then took the apple in her hand and put her feet beside her shoulders. In a quick maneuver she shifted bringing her entire body to stand on the bed. She beamed. "Tada!" She said.
He shook his head and lifted a hand to her. "That puts me in pain." He said.
"It actually feels good to me, gets the kinks of my spine."
"Kinks?"
She smiled at him. "I have been so often on my back of late, I needed to stretch it."
Diego opened his mouth to comment on that, but then shook his head. He moved to the secret entrance and Boudica followed him.
"You ride tonight?"
"Not far." He beamed. "Just to Uncle Esteban's room."
"Oh?"
"This engagement has gone on long enough."
"You are sure he doesn't care for her?" She asked.
"He does not care for anything other than himself." He said pulling on his black clothing. She lifted his sash to him.
"Maybe he learned." She said as he tied it around himself with practiced ease. Next was the cape.
He snorted as he tied the bandana over his hair. "Esteban is the bear that goes back to the honey tree, even when he is stung dozens of times because he likes the sweet treat within." He pulled on his mask and then his sombrero.
She handed him his gloves as he put on his sword. He smiled at her. "If you hear anything, try to ignore it."
"Don't run him through."
"I will try my hardest not to yield to the temptation." He lifted her hand. "Until later, Senora."
ZzZ
Esteban was getting ready for bed when he pulled off his cravat noting Zorro was there in his window, sitting casually. As he whirled to see him, Zorro lifted his sword in a fencing salute with a huge grin behind it.
Zorro put out a candle with his sword and then looked up at him. "Buenas noches, Don Esteban. I have just learned of your impending marriage."
"Really. And you have come to wish me congratulations?" Esteban asked.
"I have come to wish you a pleasant trip back to Spain."
"Spain?" Esteban looked around for his weapon. "I know that Senorita Cordozar is planning an extended honeymoon, but I had envisioned somewhere like Santa Barbara or Monterey."
"No." Zorro said lifting his blade from where it had been resting. "I think you go back to Spain alone." He said as he sat casually, cape off draped on his leg, on leg propped up, his arm about it.
"And leave the Senorita behind me?"
"Precisely." Zorro said watching him. Both the Senorita and her money."
"I am gratified that you are so concerned, Senor Zorro."
"I am."
Esteban made a sudden movement drawing his sword. Zorro shifted a little caught by surprise. He had hoped this would be a chat with him being the only one armed in the confined space. It would make fencing difficult, but not impossible.
"Now shall we see which one of us leaves California?" Esteban asked.
Zorro put his cape on the sill as he rose slowly, smiling. Esteban charged him. Zorro parried and ducked about, letting Esteban tire a bit. There was no need to exert himself over this. Esteban moved him to the door of the room. He lunged and caught the sword in the door as Zorro jumped back out of the way, arms up.
Zorro looked as Esteban struggled to free his blade in amusement. Esteban tried to pull. Zorro flicked his blade down. "May I help you, Senor?" He asked poking him lightly with the blade tip against his sash where it would be padded, but enough to goose the other man to yank harder. Zorro smiled as he jumped out of the way as Esteban aimed a wild slash at him.
They dueled as Esteban forced Zorro to a wall. He slashed wildly and Zorro ducked as the slash went through a put on the dresser. Zorro then moved. He went on the offensive letting out a yell as he charged forward, startling Esteban.
Esteban yanked down a tapestry and threw it at him. Zorro dodged out of the way and then smiled as he circled the older man. Outside there was knocked. They crossed swords on the desk. Zorro then flipped it over onto Esteban, knocking his blade away in the process.
Alejandro was outside. "Esteban!" He then looked at the man servant. "What happened Manuel?"
"I don't know. There are noises." Another voice outside said.
Zorro sheathed his weapon and looked down at Esteban. "There will be more than noises if you continue to court Senorita Cordozar." He then moved and jumped out the window, pulling his cape with him, as Esteban looked after him.
ZzZ
The next morning, Bernardo had found more wildflowers as directed and came into the house to take them to Esteban.
Boudica was sitting with Diego and Alejandro. They were eating breakfast together in the Sala. Boudica had complained the smell of the coffee coming in from the kitchen was making her ill so to appease her they moved to the Sala. Diego had opened a window.
Everything was shiny, new, and freshly cleaned.
He sat down looking at her as she ate ravenously. Toast, eggs, tea, and some sausage that Maria had cooked up. There were even some early preserves. She relished the sugary topping for breads with butter.
Diego watched her devour her third toast, looking up at his father in amusement. Eating like that would account for the small amount of weight gain she was having.
"Bernardo." Diego called him.
Bernardo froze and turned looking about to act as though he had not heard and actually would have seen them there. He smiled and stepped to where Diego was casually smoking a cigar as his father mopped up some egg with a piece of toast.
He came to Diego and gestured.
"Ah, cupid's little helper, eh?" Diego asked playfully.
"Oh! When you get back, get me some." Boudica said. She nodded to the wilted ones nearby.
Bernardo smiled at her and nodded.
"He is not going to give up, is he?" Alejandro said in annoyance.
Diego shook his head. "Well neither are we." He looked up at Bernardo. "He doesn't love Margarite and he's not getting her money." He took a breath. "Take them up to Uncle Esteban and when he leaves let me know. I think I will ride part of the way with him."
Bernardo made a Z in the air. Diego folded his hands on his lap and nodded taking a drag and blowing it back out.
Boudica smiled. "Poor girl. She really has no idea the difference of a man who wants her for her dowry and inheritance and a man who wants her for her."
Diego nodded looking at her. He reached over as she started to butter another toast. "Thankfully you do." He said smiling. "Don't you."
"I am already married, Senor. I would not try any tricks at seduction." She said taking a bite.
"Tricks?" He said beaming around his cigar. "Come now."
She smiled and sipped her tea. "Yes. I know the difference."
He chuckled. "I would have taken you barefoot wrapped in a flour sack."
"That would have been awkward for Maria." She said.
Alejandro nearly spat his tea as he looked from one to the other who were both grinning at each other.
ZzZ
Zorro rode and found Esteban on the road. Using his whip, he was able to destroy the bouquet as well as knock Esteban from his mount into the river.
Esteban made it to the pueblo and explained what had happened to Garcia and Reyes. They came up with a plan to try to catch Zorro. However, everything went horribly wrong when a skunk family came upon them.
Zorro was amused at the three in the water.
He then rode home.
Boudica was in the cave waiting for him. She had been combing Nevada, feeding her oats from her hand, and bonding with her. When Tornado returned, Nevada moved to see him. Zorro nearly dismounted onto her.
He looked at her startled and sighed, going the other way as Tornado nickered softly to his mate. Zorro set the log and then came around looking at his wife as he two horses saw to each other and Nevada came to Zorro.
She nudged him expectantly.
He looked at her as Boudica looked on in amusement as Zorro lowered his mask to look at the mare. He caressed the nose gently and then chuckled as he gave her a bit of sugar.
"She is getting very spoiled your little Nevada."
"She deserves it being a momma." Boudica said.
He spread his hands. "I really cannot argue with that."
They walked back together to the room. Diego changed as she walked, arms folded, helping him a little as he then dressed in Diego's clothing.
"Were you successful?" She asked.
"I am not sure." Diego said. "Esteban is stubborn with such a vast fortune."
She nodded. "Can I help in any way?"
"Be a friend to Margarite when this eventually falls through. Be the clever watchful wife…"
She nodded.
He pulled her into his embrace. "You are shaking." He said. "Are you cold?"
She smiled. "Maybe a little."
He nodded and pulled her into their bedroom. He set her down as he moved to make a fire. He stood looking at her as he pulled her to the chair by it. "Your hands are like ice." He said. He lifted a hand to her brow. "You are not warm." He said. "No fever." He watched her.
"I think I just lost time in the cave with Nevada. I will be fine Diego."
He nodded as he watched her move to get ready for bed. She sat down and let her hair drop in a waterfall. He came and stood behind her. He reached and took the hairbrush and then began to brush her hair in firm stokes.
"Gracias." She said in pleasure.
He leaned forward and kissed her neck. "You are welcome." He murmured as she sat there allowing her husband to brush her hair.
Her eyes opened and she spotted a small box. "What is that?"
"Open it." He said.
She did so. Inside was a thin metal bracelet of pounded metal made by the local artisans at the mission. It had been a project of hers to provide small loans to those of the mission so they could start businesses. The money had come back faster than everyone, including Boudica had expected. The artisans could sell to other pueblos and then the money they brought back would help the community. It was a beautiful idea.
Diego had found some the trinkets to be rather beautiful and simple, elegant, much like his wife. He smiled as she lifted it admiring it in the light.
"Oh. Diego. It is beautiful." She said putting it on her wrist.
He smiled as he set the brush down. "I am happy you like it." He said.
"Gracias."
He smiled tipping her chin toward him as he bent to kiss her. "A month and we will have been married a year." He said, face inches from her, watching her face.
"So much has happened in a year." She said.
"Si." He nodded. He smiled a little as he sat back, leaning against the dresser beside her. "I thought we could go to Santa Barbara for a few days in July. The coast will not be as warm."
She looked at him. "We had a honeymoon." She laughed.
"We can have another." He said smiling. "We can afford it. Plus, you have been working so hard on the hacienda. You deserve some time away, Senora de la Vega."
She chuckled. "Oh?"
"Si."
He moved to undress as she sat admiring the bracelet. He sat on the bed, the sheet about his hips as he looked at her. "Come to bed, mi zorra." He said softly.
She looked up at him startled at the name, but then came to him as he held out his hand. He shifted to sit on the edge, regarding her.
"I was thinking." He murmured.
"Hum?" She asked as he reached up and removed her dressing down. He then gently pulled the die of her nightdress and it followed the dressing down to the floor. She shivered again, but this time due to her husband's advance.
"I was wanting to see you wear this." He said lifting her arm gently.
She smiled. "I am wearing it." She said.
"Only that." He said, voice low.
She smiled as she moved, shifting the sheet out of her way as she put her knees on either side of him. She sat down on his lap, joining them as she looked at him. He watched her as she laid her arm, the one bearing the bracelet and her tender skin on his shoulder as she moved against him. His hands went to her hips as he bent to take her lips with his.
