Chapter 34

After a pleasant dinner, don Alejandro had invited their guests to join him and Victoria in the library. Victoria was chatting with Pilar. Don Alejandro was on the other side of the library talking with Estaban and sergeant Mendoza.
Victoria had invited her friend for two reasons.
The first was to have an extra table lady. And she could have asked any unmarried woman in Los Angeles for this.
Her second reason had made her ask Pilar. Estaban Carvajal seemed quite charmed by her.

The minute he had heard Pilar got invited, Estaban had insisted, on him, escorting the woman from the pueblo to the hacienda.
Pilar had already hinted that she did not mind the attention.
The disadvantage of all this was that Alicia and Isabel had to take care of the tavern by themselves. It was the first time that Alicia would be in charge. And although Isabel was a hard worker, she was young and new on the job.
Before her marriage, when Victoria was absent, Pilar had always done the honours. Now that she was the manager, Victoria was the one to be found in the tavern on Pilar's day off. Married and a child on its way had been reason enough for Victoria to trust Alicia in charge.

Victoria had done as her father-in-law had requested and prepared a delicious chilli. Despite the rather large amount that she had prepared and Victoria had not eaten a bite of it herself, the bowl had been emptied clean. The sergeant, in particular, had enjoyed his favourite dish prepared by his favourite cook.
Victoria herself had eaten some arroz con pollo. For several weeks, she had stopped eating spicy food. Her stomach was less tolerant than before she was pregnant.

Pilar did her best to overhear the conversation between the men. It hardly could catch Victoria's interest.
She missed Diego. She had thought about Diego and Felipe every day for the past six weeks. How would they get on, and when would they return? Diego had estimated about five weeks after they had left. And that was now well past.
Victoria realized that it could easily be two weeks or more before she was to see her husband again.
For some unknown reason, the loss was worse this evening than in the previous weeks. It was as if Victoria felt his presence, even though Diego was probably still many miles away from her. Victoria peered at the fireplace. Again hoping against hope that the hidden door would suddenly swing open. Impossible, especially now that there were guests in the library. Victoria was startled by Alejandro calling out with a loud laugh. "Sergeant, I couldn't agree more."

About an hour later, the men and Pilar prepared themselves to leave. With a swaying gesture, Estaban said. "Dõna Victoria, thank you for the kind invitation. The sergeant and your father-in-law spoke the truth when they said only a few surpass your cooking. My sincere compliments."
He kissed her hand and gave her a friendly nod.

"Thank you, don Estaban." She stammered.

Sergeant Mendoza apparently felt obliged to imitate don Estaban's elegant gesture. He looked uncomfortable, fumbling with his helmet to get it properly under his left arm, and offered her a hand kiss while muttering. "Gracias, dõna Victoria."

Pilar kissed her cheeks and said goodbye, while Esteban said goodbye to don Alejandro.

Victoria and Pilar followed the men, who had gone to the stables first to get the horses.
Pilar said. "Don Estaban has offered to escort me back to the pueblo."

"And what did you say?"

"That he'd better save himself the trouble of detouring. Sergeant Mendoza is a man enough to make sure I get back safely."

Victoria stopped for a moment and looked at Pilar in surprise. "I thought you liked don Estaban?"

"So do I. That's why, after the third time he asked, I permitted him to do so. Now we are going to have a picnic on Saturday afternoon." A mischievous smile played around Pilar's lips. "You should never let men have their way right away."

Victoria wished she had taken her shawl outside with her. The night air was quite chilly.
She shivered for a moment.
Victoria smiled. "Are you asking me to come to the tavern Saturday, around eleven?"

Saturday was often busy. Alicia and Isabel would hardly be able to handle the crowds, just the two of them.

"You're the best." Pilar kissed Victoria on her cheek again and gave her a last goodbye.

Estaban helped Pilar on her horse. And after both Sergeant Mendoza and Estaban had mounted their horses. The de la Vegas got thanked one last time for a meal and an enjoyable evening.

Alejandro offered Victoria an arm to walk her back to the hacienda. After the front door was closed, Victoria hopefully glared for the umpteenth time that evening at the candle snuffer. The copper object was still in the exact same position as it had for the past weeks. She wished it had miraculously changed.

Alejandro uttered, "Victoria, are you all right? You look a little tired, and, to be fair, I thought you were rather quiet this evening."

"I am. And I just miss Diego. Felipe too but...," Frustrated, Victoria wiped away a tear from the corner of her eye.

Alejandro looked at her with a pitying expression. On more than one occasion over the past few months, he had seen how much his daughter-in-law and son loved each other. "Yes, it's only natural that you miss your husband. Just think, after every night, they come home a day sooner."

A small smile wrapped around her lips. "You are right."

Alejandro comforted Victoria by wrapping an arm around her shoulder and hugging Victoria. " Of course, I'm right. Go to bed and try to get some sleep. I'll bring you your cup of tea in the morning before I leave."

"Where are you going?" Asked Victoria curiously.

"Esteban and I will discuss with Mendoza and see what else is needed to make next week's election smoothly and fair. You were there, weren't you? We just talked about it during dinner?"

She had probably been more distracted than she had thought. Victoria had barely picked up on what the men had been discussing. "I think I might have been distracted."

"I see. Well, you go to bed. And I'm going to check on Toronado the last time. See you tomorrow?"

Victoria pressed a kiss to the wrinkled cheek. "Goodnight, father."
Alejandro took good care of her. Since Diego's departure, she had suffered from nausea in the morning. The first morning after his departure, she had seen green.
Maria had recommended drinking chamomile tea to calm her stomach. Since then, either Alejandro or Maria brought her a cup of tea with a dry rusk in the morning. The remedy helped sufficiently. She still had nausea now and then, but that was due to certain smells.

"Buenas noches, my dear."
Alejandro gave her a loving squeeze on her shoulder.
"You'll see they'll be back before you know it. It won't be much longer."

"I hope so." Victoria uttered.

Reluctantly, Victoria walked through the corridor into the empty bedroom. At first, she had tried to sleep in the dõna room one night. Halfway through the night, given up on getting any sleep. At least in the shared bedroom, she could still smell Diego's scent. It was strange. Before their marriage, Victoria had slept alone every night. And she slept like a baby. For years, Victoria didn't have the feeling of missing anything. Of course, she had fantasized about what it would be like to share a bed with Zorro. But never she had woken up in the middle of the night because while sleeping, her hands were searching for something that wasn't there.
Father was right. Diego and Felipe could come back any day now. She just had to hold on a little longer.

Sighing, Victoria pushed open the door. She froze on the floor. Her eyes got immediately drawn to the large bed. On the pillow on her side of the bed was a red rose.
"Diego," she whispered, her eyes scanning the room.
Then Victoria flew towards a dark shadow half-hidden behind the curtain.
She threw herself into the two arms catching her to embrace her with such force her feet got lifted from the ground.
In the dim light of the oil lamp, she could not make out the face that belonged to the shadow.
Victoria did not need to. All her other senses told her that her husband had returned to her.

The arms that pressed her in a tight grip against his broad chest felt wonderfully familiar. Victoria inhaled his scent. She heard a satisfying deep growl. And when, after half a second that felt like an eternity, she finally felt his lips press against hers, she opened her mouth and tasted Diego.
Victoria had wrapped her arms around his neck. She bent her body to get even closer to him.
Diego had already taken off his jacket. Victoria felt his warm skin burn under her fingers through the cotton covering his abdomen.
Groaning, Victoria parted her lips to answer the hungry kiss that ravished her mouth.
It was Diego. Diego had finally returned to her.
Victoria protested when Diego managed to tear himself away from her lips.

"Victoria." Out of breath, he murmured, burying his nose in her fragrant hair.
He had missed her. Now that he was finally holding her in his arms again, the nagging pain in his heart, Diego had felt every moment of the day and night for the past six weeks, changed into pain so intense it felt like it was tearing him apart.
Her tender hands touched his face.

His cheeks felt rough under her fingertips. Diego had not shaved that morning, and tiny hairs sanded her skin.
Victoria buried her fingers in his hair, pulling his head towards her to let her lips find his mouth for a second, all-consuming kiss.

Diego swung her into his arms, without interrupting the kiss and in five steps, he was at the bedside.
Carefully, he flattened her down. Victoria had her fingers clasped to his shirt and refused to let the distance grow wider.

"Diego, it's you." Her chin rested on his shoulder as their bodies sought confirmation that her eyes were not deceiving her.
"How long have you been back?"

His hands encompassed her hands to press kisses to the knuckles. "A couple of hours. Felipe and I had to wait hours for your guests to leave. We were in the cave."

"Guests?" Victoria had already almost forgotten the presence of Mendoza, Pilar, and Estaban. "Your father had invited them to come and eat chilli. Why didn't you and Felipe just come through the front door?"

"Because it's better if Zorro and Diego don't make their return at the same time after weeks of absence. And in case Zorro's presence is needed, it's better if he returns first."
The explanation had taken him long enough, and he longed to kiss Victoria once more.
Diego chuckled contentedly and pulled Victoria closer to him. He had missed her. And now that she was finally within reach, his longing for her grew with every breath he took. Yet there was this little voice that held him back. He would only be able to enjoy her after some questions got answered.
"How are things in Los Angeles?"

Victoria hastened to say." It's actually all pretty quiet."
Quickly, she told him how things had gone over the past few weeks. The planned elections and how the lancers had captured four rustlers under their own steam.
"How was your trip?" She asked him.

"Good. I believe it did Felipe well to return to where I found him. And he got used to the idea of speaking to people along the way. He is doing fine. And how are you doing?" Possessively, Diego placed his hand on her belly.

"As of three minutes ago, everything is perfect." Victoria stroked the worried frown from his forehead. "I'm fine. I just missed you so much."

"I missed you as well," Diego uttered.

Since their wedding night, Victoria had gained enough experience to deftly and quickly unbutton his shirt without looking. Diego shook the shirt off his shoulders.
Groaning, Victoria let her fingers roam over the muscular chest, thinking by herself that this body part could make many Greek or Roman Gods look green with envy. She bent forward to trace a wet trail from his collarbone to a nipple with her tongue.

Diego held his breath as her lips folded around his nipple, and she began to suck. "Victoria," Diego panted. "If we need to stop, you better tell me now."

Her hands had reached the waistband of his trousers, of which she could find the buttons and unbutton them, even blindfolded.
Victoria stammered. "I need you to make love to me."

Hurriedly, Diego helped her take off his trousers. He had already removed his shoes before Victoria entered.
Victoria was still fully dressed, while Diego stood in front of her nude.
Hungry, her eyes slid over the perfectly muscled body.
Diego kicked the trouser leg off his foot. And even before the garment landed three feet further on the ground, his fingers groped through her hair. He found and pulled out a hairpin.

Victoria started to help. The thin metal pins got carelessly thrown to the floor. After the last one, her black locks undulated over her shoulders. With his fingers, Diego combed the curls backwards.
"Querida, you're beautiful."

Victoria sat straddling his legs, stretching her back.
At lightning speed, his fingers pushed down the wide neckline of her blouse and untied the ribbons of her corset. Victoria longed for his touch as much as he hungered to see her perfect forms.
A gossamer silk chemise was the only obstacle.
Diego pulled the chemise from the band of her skirt and pushed it up far enough so that his hands could cup her breasts.
Victoria shivered, her nipples reacting immediately and turning into rock-hard buds.
The sight of ice-blue eyes sparking from the intensity with which Diego gazed at her made Victoria hold her breath.

"So luscious."
Diego lightly squeezed the curves that always had filled his hands so perfectly. Slightly surprised, he said.
"Your breasts. They seem slightly larger, or am I mistaken?"
Her nipples were also slightly darker than he remembered. Would they have changed in taste too, Diego wondered.

"Yes," Victoria stuttered. Having a hard time making her mouth form words. "And they hurt less than before. But I believe you are right, that they have indeed grown."

Diego laid his hands on her shoulders and gently moved her upper body closer to his mouth.
His tongue circled the areola and sucked it in.
On release, he blew against the hard bud.
Victoria's body responded by getting goosebumps.
"Still just as sweet," Diego murmured contentedly. "Sweet and beautiful."

Over the past few weeks, most days had flown by. The nights, however, had been agony. Victoria had appeared in his dreams countless times. Always just out of his reach. He had a couple of nightmares about what could have happened to her with Zorro not being nearby. And now he knew his nymph was safe. She was so close, yet the limited distance between them had to be bridged and reduced to nothing.
Her smooth naked skin under his fingertips made him go crazy with desire.

"Diego, Diego, I love you." She moaned.
Victoria clung to him.
Fiery, deep kisses alternated with short ones.
She had missed his presence. Not a day had passed when she had not longed for his return. Now that Victoria felt his hands caressing her skin, she fully realized that the missing had been physical as much as mental.
She sobbed with relief and joy that he had returned to her.

Diego saw that a tear escaped from her eye and ran down her cheek. He kissed the salty-tasting liquid from her cheek.
"Don't, my love. Please, don't cry."

Victoria hiccuped and swallowed. "Diego, these are tears of happiness. I am so happy that you are with me again. That I can feel you, see you, touch you. I love you."

More tears welled up in her eyes, tears of relief, despair, happiness, and longing.
Diego kissed them all away. One by one, enjoying the salty taste.

.

Later, sweaty, exhausted, and perfectly happy, Victoria lay flattened across his broad chest.
Victoria uttered. "I love you."
She tightened her grip around him and kissed his shoulder.

Satisfied, Diego held the small figure in his arms tightly to himself. He couldn't get the grin off his face.
"If I had known you would welcome me like this, I would have rushed even more to be home sooner."

Victoria confessed what she had felt the entire evening. "You returned just in time. The missing was the worst today. It was almost like I felt your presence, knowing it was impossible for you to be here."

Victoria played with his chest hair. Diego sighed, thinking by himself how wonderful it was to be home again.
His stomach growled loudly.
Soft giggles sounded like music to his ears.
"Are you hungry?" Victoria asked in a teasing tone.

"I'm particularly starving for you," Diego murmured.
Diego took the small of her chin between his thumb and index finger and kissed her until his stomach loudly announced its presence for the second time.

"Your stomach doesn't seem to agree with that statement."

Diego sighed. "Yesterday morning was the last time we had a somewhat normal meal," he confessed.

Victoria sat down on the edge of the bed. "Let's go in the kitchen and see what we can find. I actually could eat something."

Victoria put on a dressing gown, and Diego picked up his trousers from the floor. Armed with an oil lamp, they crept hand in hand down the corridor to the kitchen.
Once there, Diego turned the lamp to its highest setting, and Victoria lit a candle to see what she could find in the pantry.
Victoria found a loaf of bread, cheese, and fruit.

In a teasingly grumbling tone, Diego remarked. "I had hoped for a plate of cold chili," he said. "Mendoza kept rattling on about it."

"Then your father shouldn't have invited him and Esteban. I thought I had made more than a sufficient amount. Those two almost eat the bottom of their plates."

Diego pulled Victoria to him and let his lips wander over her shoulder. "They love your cooking, as do I."

Victoria giggled at the tickling sensation of his moustache against her skin. Turned around in his arms to face Diego again.

.

Their second attempt to find something to eat was more successful.

.

To her mind, Victoria had only closed her eyes for a minute when she heard a loud, intrusive knocking. The sun was peeking over the horizon, telling her it was way too early to get waken up.

Diego had woken by the first knock and was standing beside the door. "Who's there?" he called.

From the other side of the thick oak door sounded the muffled reply. "Felipe!"

Diego glared at Victoria to see whether she was decent.
Victoria wrapped the sheets closer around herself.

"Come in, Felipe."

The bedroom door flew open. Felipe had a desperate expression on his face.
"Diego, Toronado is gone, so is his gear." The boy took a deep breath before he continued, uttering. "And I can't find your father anywhere."

.

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