Hello, all! Happy Sunday! I was hoping the ending of the last chapter would make you happy. I can't tell you how eager I was to finally post it. After everything that has happened between Diego and Olivia and what still lies ahead for them, they needed this moment. Now, we are in the endgame. I hope you are all strapped in for these next few chapters.
Also, if you are in the states, has anyone else realized that a certain show has been finally added to Disney plus? If you haven't, I suggest checking it out. ;)
I hope you enjoy!
Linny
Chapter Thirty-Two
This was what he had been missing for so long. She was the woman he'd been waiting all of his life for. Finally, after so many years of feeling incomplete, in her arms he was whole.
His arms snaked around her waist as he pulled her closer. Even still, this wasn't close enough. He growled in response. In turn, she gasped and gripped his shoulders. The kiss deepened and the world around them fell into a calm silence. All he knew at that moment was her touch, her taste, and the thrumming of his heart as it beat within his chest. This was a moment that he would remember for the rest of his life.
The sound of Bernardo strumming the wrong chord on the guitar shocked them both into pulling away. They both looked in his direction, surprised to see that he was now down on the patio with them. Olivia was confused and Diego was frustrated.
The mozo's apologetic expression was already in place as they stared at him. He then signed to them that riders were approaching.
"How many?" Diego asked, instantly on alert.
Bernardo held up two fingers, indicating two riders. He then only raised one finger before making a round motion over his stomach.
Diego rolled his eyes in response. "Of course." He stifled a curse from leaving his lips as he heard the horses approach.
"He and Corporal Reyes already stopped by for their inspection today. It seems odd that they would stop by again, don't you think?" Olivia wondered in confusion. He glanced down at her. Her lips were swollen and her cheeks carried a dusty pink hue. Luckily, Garcia's observational skills weren't the best and it would be unlikely that he would draw any conclusions about what they had just been doing. His companion, however...
The main gate opened and in walked in Sergeant Garcia, followed by another man, but he was blocked by the Sergeant's large, round form. "Oh, Don Diego." His eyes went wide at the sight of the young Don. "I know the hour is late, but..."
"Nonsense. Your timing is impeccable," Diego commented dryly. He glanced toward Olivia again. She was nibbling slightly on her lower lip and looked as if she was either about to laugh or cry. He couldn't blame her. He felt like he was about to jump out of his own skin. Every single one of his nerve endings seemed to be alive and thrummed with an energy that was unfamiliar to him. The taste of her still lingered on his tongue and the feel of her in his arms—all warm and soft—made him want to shove the Sergeant back to the gate so that they could continue where they'd left off.
"This probably could have waited until morning, but the Comandante instructed me to bring this gentleman here so that he might speak to Señorita Walker."
"Me?" she questioned. The Sergeant stepped aside and her eyes went wide in shock. "Will?" She broke into a run toward their unexpected visitor and didn't stop until her arms were securely around him. "What on earth are you doing here?"
Diego didn't have to be told that this man was Olivia's brother. They had the same hair color, the same features, and the same eyes. There was no mistaking that they were family.
William looked around at the group standing around them with some hesitation when she finally let him go. "Me? What are you doing here? And what is this I've heard about you being kidnapped?"
"I can explain everything," she tried to calm his worries. "I am here because Diego and his father were kind enough to take me in when my room at the inn became unsafe."
"Unsafe?"
Diego thought it was best that he quickly make assurances. "Please, señor, if you just calm yourself, I am certain we can answer all of your questions."
William turned calculating eyes toward him. Diego felt himself shrink back slightly in reaction to his scrutiny. "Diego, was it?"
"Sí." he bowed toward his guest. "Diego de la Vega. Welcome to my home."
"Diego is the one I wrote to you about," Olivia reminded him which made him wonder what else she had told her brother about him. "He was introducing me to the landowners to procure the horses." The way she'd said that carried enough weight that he knew that that had not been all she had told him.
"I see," Their guest turned to the portly soldier. "Sergeant, thank you for escorting me, but I think I will sit and visit with my sister."
"Of course, we can have a room made up for you if you wish to spend the night as well." Diego had the feeling that this visit was not going to be a short one.
"Thank you, señor. I just may take you up on that." It sounded like William Walker believed the same.
Diego turned to Bernardo and began to sign about getting a room made up. The servant nodded and went inside to not only get it prepared but to alert his father as well.
"And, Sergeant, can I offer you a drink before you go?" It was best to play his part of a good host with the Sergeant, though he hoped his friend could feel the heaviness of the conversation that was about to ensue and bow out gracefully.
The Sergeant's eyes lit up in delight at the offer, but he then quickly frowned. "No thank you, Don Diego. The hour is very late and I have an early morning tomorrow."
"Well, then ride safe, my friend." He patted the larger man on the back and eagerly led him toward the gate.
"Sí, gracias," the soldier muttered as if he'd been waiting for him to insist.
Just as he left, Don Alejandro made his appearance from within the house. He had been working late in his study. Ever since he had discovered Zorro's true identity, he had been keeping late hours as well. "Diego, I understand we have a visitor. Oh, buenas noches, señor." He greeted William with a kind nod of his head.
"Don Alejandro, I would like to introduce my brother, William Walker."
"Of course, Señor Walker, welcome to our hacienda."
William nodded back in response. "You have a beautiful home."
"Gracias. If you don't mind me asking, to what do we own the honor of this late-night visit?" Don Alejandro didn't like the fact that they had been caught unawares. He looked uneasy.
"I recently arrived in Los Angeles and was eager to meet with my sister. I was surprised to hear that she wasn't staying in town anymore. My search ended when I discovered that she was staying here. The Captain was good enough to send one of his men to show me the way." There was more to his story, Diego was sure, but he refrained from saying any more.
"It's alright. Diego and his father are friends. You can speak freely in front of them," Olivia tried to assure him.
"You told them?" he frowned.
"I didn't exactly have a choice. Diego was with me when I was kidnapped." She talked about it so nonchalantly, that it was as if she was speaking of the weather.
William glanced between her and Diego and the young Don could feel his calculating gaze. "About that..."
"Why don't we discuss this in the sala?" he offered, feeling as though this was going to be a very long conversation.
"Perhaps that would be best," Olivia agreed.
William still seemed to be uncertain of it all, yet he relented when his sister gently tugged at his arm. "Very well."
They settled in the sala, scattered around the room to give one another space. Diego stood just behind his father who was sitting in his usual seat at the head of the table. William sat on the far end, keeping his distance. Olivia chose a chair in the middle of the table as if to protect herself from both sides.
"I was worried when I hadn't heard from you. Your last letter said that you'd discovered something, yet you never wrote again." The worry on their visitor's face was clear as he gazed at his sister. He also looked tired, like he hadn't slept in days. "And then to find out that you had been taken..." He shook his head at the thought.
She reached over to him and laid a comforting hand upon his arm to offer him whatever reassurances that she could. "I'm sorry. Things have been quite hectic these last few days that it must have slipped my mind."
"Hmph. Slipped your mind... You scare me half to death and that's all you can say?" He laughed, but it held no humor.
"I am sorry. But, I can take care of myself. You don't constantly have to play nanny goat, you know." They all could see the ire rising inside of her.
"You are family, so yes I do." William's own ire matched hers.
"Hmph. Let me know the next time you do something like this for Sam."
"He at least doesn't put himself in danger on a daily basis."
"No, I just take after you."
The two siblings just stared each other down for a brief moment. Diego was beginning to see where her contention stemmed from. Not only did she usually try to prove to herself that she was capable, but to her family as well. He and his father were surprised when the two of them suddenly burst out laughing.
William turned his attention to Diego and Don Alejandro. "I'm grateful that you could be there for my sister. I only wish there was a way I could repay you."
"As long as she is safe, then that is all the payment we need," Don Alejandro informed him.
"Don Alejandro and Don Diego have been the most gracious of hosts. Even if I haven't quite deserved it." She smiled at them as an apology for the way she'd acted upon her first arrival.
"And you were there when she was taken?" he focused on Diego.
The young Don still got the inkling that he was being judged as if her brother didn't know what to think of him. "I was. Though, I feel that she did more to save me than I did her."
"You saved my life, Diego. If you hadn't been there, I wouldn't be here," she reminded him.
William seemed to draw his own conclusions from this conversation. "So, you do know everything, then?" He seemed surprised by that fact.
Diego could believe how shocking it must be to discover that Olivia had revealed everything to them. It still shocked Diego to know it all, himself. "We do."
"And you have no qualms about it at all?" He must be thinking that it was quite strange for them to just accept the fact that a woman could be gallivanting about in a black hood, searching for fugitives.
"We all have our secrets, señor. Some more than others."
"I see." It seemed like he was becoming overwhelmed by all of the information he'd just received. He returned his attention to Olivia. "I hate to ask this now, because of everything I've just learned, but what did you discover?"
She shook her head. "It can wait until morning." They could all see that this conversation was taking its toll on him.
He disagreed. "No. Tell me."
"You won't like it."
"Well, now I need to know." Olivia glanced at Diego and his father, silently pleading with them to get him to wait. "Liv, tell me."
"It would probably be best, my dear, if you told him," Don Alejandro told her and looked to Diego to see his agreement.
She cursed under her breath before conceding. "Very well... Will..." she paused as she tried to find the words. Pulling in a deep breath, she focused her gaze on his so that he would understand her fully. "He's here."
He frowned in confusion at her statement. "Who is here?" She sent him a pointed look but didn't verbally respond. Father and son watched as realization slowly formed on his face. "You have got to be joking."
"I was just as surprised as you are. He's here and to make things even better, he is The Chameleon."
William stared blankly in front of him as he processed that information. He blew out a breath of surprise. "I'm guessing that he's the reason why you are in hiding?"
"We don't have conclusive evidence for it, but most likely. He knows that I know who he is and that I can expose him."
"I think I need a drink." Bernardo was instantly at his side with a rather large glass of wine for him. "Thank you." He drank deeply from the glass as he gathered his thoughts. "How about we start from the beginning and you tell me everything else that you've discovered."
She leaned back in her seat, her fingertips dancing over the fine wood of the dining table. "We'd better get settled in, then. This is going to be a long night."
Their conversation had lasted into the very late hours of the night. The clock had shown that it was already two in the morning when they'd decided to get some rest. William had decided to take up the de la Vega's offer of a room for the night while Don Alejandro and Olivia had both retired to their rooms for the night.
"I hope that you find this room adequate." Diego ushered William into the bedroom that Bernardo had gotten prepared for him. It was one of the smaller guest bedrooms in the house, yet it couldn't be considered tiny by any standard.
As with every other room in the house, no expense had been too great when it came to decorating. The bedclothes were a mix of finely woven cotton and wool. The duvet was a deep burgundy and had been ornately decorated with golden embroidery that matched the drapes. Both were the perfect accent to match the rest of the room.
Paintings hung on all four walls. Some were by a famous artist or two, but there was also a small smattering that had been done by Diego's mother many years before. There was one that was hung in that very room that Diego adored the most. It was a simple scenery image that depicted a quiet and loving household—it had been the household he had grown up in.
William barely glanced around the room as he removed his hat and tossed it onto the bed. "This will do fine." He didn't seem impressed by the opulence on display, not that Diego had intended him to be.
At least, originally.
He still felt as though the other man was silently judging him. He wanted William's acceptance, though he wasn't sure why. Yes, merely hours ago, he and Olivia had kissed and it had been everything he'd been hoping it would be. But, what that might mean for their future, he didn't know. And with the threat of The Chameleon on the horizon, he was sure it was an answer he wasn't soon to receive.
"If there is anything you might need, the servants will gladly assist. My father's and my rooms are upstairs and Olivia's is at the end of the hall." He pointed in the direction of her room in case there was anything he might need from her during the night.
Their visitor merely nodded as he perched himself on the edge of the bed. His gaze was focused on Diego, boring into his soul as if he was trying to figure him out. He crossed his arms over his chest; surely to make himself look more intimidating. Not that it was something he needed to do. Just being Olivia's brother was unnerving enough, but he was also broad-chested with strong shoulders. His mere size could make a man tense.
"Do you mind if we have a word in private, Señor de la Vega?"
"Of course." Diego tried to act like the question didn't bother him, but he would be lying to himself if he said it didn't make him nervous. He could still feel the judgment of the other man's gaze. He could only imagine what he was thinking of him.
Stepping inside the room, Diego shut the door behind him. He didn't move any further from that spot. He felt it was better to keep his distance.
"I am grateful that you have welcomed my sister as kindly as you have. Really, I am."
Diego could sense that there was more that he'd wanted to say on the subject but had refrained from doing so. "But?"
"But, I have to wonder what your intentions with her might be?"
"I'm not certain that I understand." Oh, he understood completely, but he couldn't let on that he did. He wanted William to explain what he meant.
"You are a man and she is a woman." He looked quite awkward as he stated that fact. It probably wasn't easy for him, being her older brother, to admit that his little sister was a grown woman who was capable of making her own choices.
"Yes, that is true." Diego continued to play dumb. Not because he was relishing the fact that this conversation seemed to be making the other man uncomfortable, but because there was no other way for him to comment. He was a man and she was a woman; it was as simple as that. "And I consider her a friend."
"And does she consider you the same?" He seemed truly curious while asking that question.
Diego shrugged, though he didn't doubt it for a second. Although, the way she had kissed him now made that conclusion a little muddy. "I'd like to think so."
William nodded as he took in his response. As if he was trying to find some kind of flaw in it. "And you care for her." That hadn't been a question, but a statement.
"Yes, I do. As much as a friend can." Diego still wasn't certain where he was going with this line of questioning. Was he merely trying to figure out that he was trustworthy or something else?
His response made William laugh. "That's not what I meant."
"I'll admit that I'm confused."
Uncrossing his arms, he moved them down to the mattress where he used them to prop him up on his palms. "Are you aware that she wrote to me about you? Her letters had started as nothing but business as usual. She started by mentioning that you were introducing her to the landowners to see if anyone was willing to meet with her. Then, as the weeks went by, she mentioned you more and more."
"As I said, we became friends."
"She's made friends before, but she has never once spoken about them the same way she has about you."
Just how had she spoken about him, Diego wondered. "I feel as though there is something you may be implying. If you'd like to make both of our nights just a little bit better, perhaps you should just come out and say it." He wasn't trying to be mean, but there was an implication to his words that Diego didn't like. Just what was he inferring about him and Olivia?
"I'm not implying anything. I'm just making an observation." He paused as he pushed himself forward so that he was sitting up straight again. He picked nervously at his fingernail before speaking again. "Liv took our parent's death the hardest. She has been consumed with the thought of revenge for so long, but when I read those letters where she was talking about you, I don't know. Something was different. She was different. And seeing her again tonight, I think I might now know what that is."
This was not at all how Diego thought this conversation was going to go. He had thought William might warn him away from his sister in some strange way of trying to protect her. But, now he wasn't so sure. Now, it sounded like he was thanking Diego. "I fear that you have lost me."
"Forgive me. I only meant to say thank you, Diego. Olivia is strong, yes, but I don't even think she realizes how much she needs someone just as strong to rely on."
"Fortunately, it's usually at times like these when we discover who we can truly rely on." With those words spoken, the two men forged a silent agreement.
"Nicely said."
"Well, I should allow you to get some rest. I'll bid you goodnight." Diego bowed slightly to him before he reached for the door latch.
William stood up from the bed, his expression much younger-looking now that it was full of gratitude. "Good night, De la Vega."
The evening was quiet at the home of Don Tomas de Velasquez. A warm blaze was burning in the fireplace, casting a radiant heat throughout the sala. Doña Dorotea sat on the sofa, mindlessly working on her needlepoint and humming a soft tune under her breath. Her husband sat in his favorite chair, reading over a stack of correspondence he'd allowed to build up over the last few weeks. Marisol lay on the rug in front of the fire, a book laid open in front of her, but the pages hadn't been turned in at least thirty minutes. The even sound of her breathing told her parents that she had fallen asleep.
This was the perfect image of contentment. It was quiet and peaceful. None of them should have had a care in the world.
But, one of them did. This life of complacency was dull. With their money and influence, they could do so much more; achieve so much more. Given the right amount of ambition, they could rule over all of Los Angeles and bring it into a new era of prosperity. Instead, they had maintained their contentment and, in turn, lost the will to improve.
"Consuela, would you mind putting her to bed?" Dorotea asked as the maid stopped to clear away Tomas's ashtray and an old cup of tea that had been long forgotten beside her mistress.
"Sí, señora," the young woman nodded as she set aside the things she'd picked up to focus on the sleeping child. She bent down and carefully lifted the girl into her arms, cradling her small form as she carried her to her bedroom.
As she passed by her mistress, a bit of paper fell from her fingers, but she didn't seem to notice. It caught the attention of the Doña, who then leaned over to pick it up.
Tomas was so distracted by his latest letter that he didn't even notice. There was, sadly, so much that Tomas didn't notice.
She carefully unfolded the piece of paper and scanned the words written on it.
Meet me tonight.
It had no name to or from, but she knew it was for her and who had written it. She would have to remember to compensate Consuela properly for her discretion.
Glancing toward her husband, she tried to think of how she might sneak away. She noticed the way his eyes slowly began to droop as he read. This was typical of their evenings together. She would try to entertain herself with busy work while he fell asleep in that damned chair. The thought of it made her almost want to cry. "You look tired, my love," she said instead. "Why don't you go to bed as well?"
He jolted awake and glanced at her over the parchment in his hands. His smile was soft and warm. She hated the way it made her feel to see it. No matter what, he always managed to make her feel like she was the only woman in the world for him. "I was just thinking the same. Pablo Barbarossa's letters can certainly put one to sleep. What about you, amor?"
"Oh, I think I may stay down here and continue my work for a little while longer." She tried not to look at him. Because if she did, then she would forgo tonight's excursion and join him in their marriage bed like she did every other night.
He folded up the letter he'd been reading and left it with the stack he still had yet to go through. "Very well. Don't stay up too long." He passed by her on the way to their bedroom, pausing to kiss her tenderly on the forehead.
Tears flooded her eyes at that compassionate gesture. Every time he did that, her heart would flutter with excitement and remind her why she had fallen in love with him in the first place. "Good night, my heart. Sleep well."
She loved Tomas dearly, but his every waking moment only concerned the running of their rancho. When they were first married, he'd been so passionate about making California better for every man and woman. But, as his influence had grown, the more his passion faded. He'd become as lazy and contented as the rest of the landowners.
He was a good man who have given her a good life, but there was so much more out there to be had.
That was the reason why she had strayed. He had seemed so mysterious when they'd met on one of her travels to visit her sister in San Francisco. There was a darkness about him that had pulled her in. He was a man with great ambition and a lust for power. It had been intoxicating.
Of course, she had no real emotional attachment to this other man. The only attraction she did carry was to what he could achieve and offer her. She needed more out of her life and if her husband wasn't able to give that to her, then she would get it from someone else.
She impatiently sat and waited for nearly thirty minutes before she was certain she wouldn't be discovered heading to the stables. She quickly saddled a horse and was swiftly on the way to meet her lover.
He paced back and forth over the patio of the old, dilapidated farmhouse. This was the only place he could think of to take refuge. No one else knew of this place. It was their place, so it was unlikely he would be found there.
Where was she, though? He pulled out his pocket watch and held it in the dim light of the lantern. He huffed in aggravation when he saw the time. He had passed the note to her servant nearly two hours before and she still hadn't come to him. He was beginning to lose faith that she would ever show.
She talked about how in love she was with that old fool of a husband of hers, but then she would end up in his arms whenever he summoned her. Perhaps this time, his pull had been much greater and she had finally decided to remain at the home they shared.
No. She wouldn't have. She always talked about the need for danger and adventure and how only he could give her that. That was enough for him to believe that she would show.
While he waited, he tried to gather his thoughts.
The Marshals had come and his plan was nowhere near in place. He'd considered taking her with him and the two of them could just run away together. Forget this life altogether. But, no. He had worked far too hard for his position. And his plan was far too great for Los Angeles and California as a whole. He needed to follow through on his plans. He needed to succeed.
She appeared a few moments later, riding in on a chocolate brown mare. A thick fog had begun to collect in the air, shielding his gaze from the distant road. She pierced through it like some dark, ethereal being that made his pulse erratic.
He stared at her as she dismounted. She wore a black, lace mantilla (1) on her head and a black cloak to protect herself from the chilly night swirling around her and almost giving her a mystical form. It was the same feeling he got every time he saw her. She somehow managed to captivate him more than any other woman.
That was why he had called for her. Her mere presence grounded him and allowed him to think more rationally.
"Why did you summon me?" She sounded angry as she glared at him. Even irritated, she was still so beautiful. She took in the state of him with a cool sweep of her gaze.
He glanced down at himself and cursed at how disheveled he must look to her. He'd discarded his uniform jacket hours ago and his dress shirt had become untucked at some point in that time as well. He'd been forcibly running his hands constantly through his hair as he fought to find a solution to his problem.
"Something is wrong" she finally realized when he didn't immediately answer.
"Everything is wrong," he growled. "The Marshals have come looking for me."
"How can you be certain?"
"One of them was in Estevez's office, talking to him about a fugitive. It's all gone wrong. If it hadn't been for Zorro and his little hooded friend, I would have achieved my goal and taken over the garrison as I'd planned." He hadn't yet shared with her his theory of La Sombra being the final member of the Walker family. He just didn't have any evidence that their intersecting arrivals were any more than mere coincidence. He just had the feeling that they were connected in some way.
She pulled him out of his thoughts by placing her palms on his chest. Her touch was warm and made his entire body come alive with a new life. It was the same way he felt every time she touched him. "Why can't you?"
"Because I need to get all of the men on my side. And those that I can't need to be dealt with accordingly. I can't do that if I am not able to get inside those gates. And I won't be able to get in those gates if that Marshal reveals that I am not really Jorge Allende."
"How many of the soldiers do you have on your side?" She reached up a hand to brush away the wrinkles that had formed on his forehead. The motion was soothing.
"Not enough," he frowned.
She leaned in and placed a gentle kiss at the corner of his down-turned mouth. "And what about your other men? I thought you were supposed to have an army."
"It would take days for them to arrive. Maybe weeks." He wanted to push her away, but the things she was doing to him made the blood thrum throughout his body. His questions weren't helping him, but when she touched him or pressed against him, he wanted to throw all caution to the wind and forget his troubles.
"Then why don't you call for them early? Yes, you don't have the number you'd expected to have, but with the number of soldiers on your side, how likely would it be for Estevez and those loyal to him to receive any sort of support?"
She almost got to the point of pressing her lips against his and capturing his mouth in a soul-searing kiss, but he stopped her before that could happen. She was right. What support would Estevez be able to wrangle up before he could act? Not much, if he moved fast.
Smiling, he gazed into her eyes with the utmost reverence. It was because of her that his plan would succeed and that they would be bringing California into a new age. "Have I ever told you how happy I am that you've come into my life?"
She reached up and tenderly stroked his cheek with her thumb. There was no love in her eyes, but he could see pure adoration for what he could give her in the end. "I only want you to succeed, mi amor. Which leads me to your other little problem." She frowned at him and grabbed his face in a firm grip. "The Americana is still alive."
Easing himself out of her tight grasp, he rubbed at and flexed his jaw. She was surprisingly strong. "Don't worry, querida. She will be dealt with as well."
"That's what you said the last time and yet she still lives." Her gaze had turned cold and fierce. He adored how she was just as ruthless as she was beautiful.
"Do not worry. There is no way she will be able to escape in time." He would even include de la Vega and his father to make it extra special, this time.
Her expression turned skeptical at his words and a frown marred her flawless complexion. "How can you be certain this time?"
He wanted to wipe that frown off her face with his lips. He quickly swept her into his arms and spun her around in a little dance. "Because, my love, this time, I will do it myself."
(1) mantilla- a traditional Spanish lace or silk veil or shawl worn over the head and shoulders
