Chapter 5
Diego and Victoria were roughly pulled apart as the bandits got to their feet. There were sounds outside the cave and every pistol and musket was pointed at the entrance by the time they had forced the sleep from their eyes and adjusted to the light now pouring into the cave.
Victoria reached for Diego but the bandit pulled them apart too quickly and used her for a shield just as Alejandro and a few ranch hands appeared at the entrance, pistols drawn.
Diego glanced briefly down at his trousers and quickly closed them as best he could. He could not fasten them without both of his hands, but at least he was not too badly exposed.
"Release them," Alejandro demanded and the bandit laughed.
"I believe I have the advantage, señor!" Mancho buried his lips in Victoria's neck and hugged her close. "I suggest you come no further if you don't want the señora here harmed."
Alejandro's brows knitted together, wondering why the bandit had referred to Victoria as a married woman. He glanced around the cave and gave his son a quick once over. Noticing that he was alive but bound . "Where are the lancers, caballero? These two not important enough to send out a military search party?"
Alejandro shook his head and ignored the bandit's question. "What are your demands?"
"I want ten thousand pesos, delivered here to me."
The bandits eyes and pistols were trained on Alejandro and his men. They had completely forgotten about Diego, who was quickly working to free himself.
"It will take some time to gather that kind of money," Alejandro added slowly. He avoided looking at his son, knowing that Diego was trying to slip out of his bonds. He needed to keep the bandits distracted.
"You have two hours," the bandits' leader said, tightening his arms around Victoria's waist. "And you'd better hurry, or I may just decide to take advantage of this little lady anyway."
Alejandro turned to his men. "I want you to stay here and follow them if they try to leave." A bit louder, so the bandits could hear, he said, "I will go back to town and get the money."
"Good idea, caballero!" the leader called and just as Alejandro turned away, Victoria bit down hard on the bandit's hand.
None of them had noticed that Victoria's eyes had never left Diego's the entire time Alejandro was speaking with the bandits.
Alejandro dimly saw Diego push himself to his feet and his whole world suddenly moved in slow motion.
The bandit holding Victoria raised his hand to strike her but Diego reached the man and caught his hand before it touched her face. Victoria whirled out of the way and was pushed to the ground by the force with which Diego barreled into the man.
The other bandits attention, torn between watching the ranch hands at the entrance and Diego swinging wildly at their leader, was divided. And this division gave Alejandro's men the time they needed.
Each man took as careful aim as possible and fired at the bandits standing on the other side of the cave – an acceptable distance to risk firing at them with little chance of hitting Diego or Victoria.
The bandits aimed at whatever moved in front of them and fired as well. Before long, the cave was cast in thick, white smoke. Victoria screamed and the four men within the cave fell to the ground – Diego included.
Alejandro and his men rushed into the cave and immediately subdued the bandits. Two were dead and so were left where they lay; another cowered against the cave wall, groaning in pain and holding his injured shoulder.
Alejandro made straight for Diego and the bandit's leader but Victoria was already there, rolling Diego over to see what injury he had sustained.
He groaned and clutched at his leg, but was otherwise unharmed. Victoria launched herself into his arms and embraced him tightly.
Alejandro checked the bandit whom Diego had knocked over and found him to be unconscious but alive.
Diego pushed himself to his feet with a groan and led Victoria to the entrance to the cave, Alejandro following close behind after giving his men instructions on what to do with the bandits.
They rode straight for the de la Vega hacienda in curious silence. When they arrived, Victoria was immediately clucked over by the head housemaid and led away, amidst protests, to a warm, relaxing bath.
Alejandro followed his son to his room, eyeing his clothing suspiciously, when Diego quickly undressed and pulled a nightshirt over his head.
Felipe arrived with a basin of water and cleaning solution for Diego's leg, which he'd determined before they left the cave to only be a superficial, grazing wound.
As Felipe worked, Alejandro gave his son a once over. He had noted something odd about his son's appearance when he'd first seen him in the cave. His unkempt and dirty state was to be expected, but there was something else . . . Then Diego had freed his hands, and the first thing he had done was—adjust his trousers?
The older man thought he'd imagined it, but glancing at Diego's clothing now, his suspicion grew stronger. His eyes met those of his son, who immediately looked away – confirming guilt of some sort in Alejandro's mind. What had his son done?
Once Felipe had cleaned and bandaged the wound, he left, sensing that Alejandro wanted to speak with his son alone.
Diego leaned back against the pillows and closed his eyes, hoping his father would take the hint and leave him alone. Instead, Alejandro settled into the chair he had pulled out from the wall.
"Diego, we need to talk."
"Father," Diego sighed. "I'm tired. As you can well imagine, I didn't get much sleep last night."
"I understand, but we need to talk about Victoria."
Diego's eyes opened slowly and he regarded his father with a curious stare. "I recall seeing Maria whisk her away the moment we stepped into the hacienda."
Alejandro wasn't in the mood to beat around the bush. "What happened last night, Diego?"
Diego inwardly groaned. He didn't want to have this conversation with his father. "Would you like a moment by moment description of the events from the instant we were taken? Or are you searching for something more specific?"
Alejandro didn't appreciate his son's sarcastic tone and simply strode over to pick up Diego's trousers. He held them up and cocked his head at his son. "I think you know what specific explanation I am looking for."
Diego closed his eyes and when he opened them, his father was again sitting in the chair beside the bed. "They were going to rape her."
Alejandro inhaled sharply but said nothing.
"I told them she was my wife and – they refused to believe me until we provided – proof."
Alejandro closed his eyes and sighed. "Oh, Diego. You didn't."
"Not – exactly."
Alejandro's eyes flew open and he shot his son a skeptical look. "Then what –"
Diego relayed everything, probably more than his father wanted to hear. And at the end of the explanation, Alejandro stood and stared down at his son.
"You will marry her, immediately."
"Yes, father. If she will have me."
Alejandro's sense of propriety warred with his curiosity. After what had transpired between his son and Victoria, propriety dictated Diego marry her posthaste. But Alejandro knew what an emotional struggle his son and the woman he loved had endured during the last week. He did recognize that forcing them into a quick marriage might push Victoria further away from Diego.
Alejandro forced the question through his lips, needing to know. "Will she have you, son?"
"I haven't exactly had a moment alone with her since we returned, father." Diego nervously brushed his hand through his hair.
"But you had a chance to speak with her before your abduction?"
Diego chuckled, remembering their – discussion. "Yes, father. She yelled a lot."
Alejandro nodded slowly, waiting for his son to continue. When he didn't, Alejandro prompted, "And – you let her, right?"
Diego grinned wryly. "Yes, father."
Alejandro waited expectantly for Diego to offer anything further but he simply smiled. Alejandro stood and released an exasperated breath. "Fine. Keep your secrets! But you will marry her."
"I will ask her again."
"Tonight," Alejandro insisted.
A maid appeared in the doorway, indicating that a bath had been drawn for the young master, and Diego heaved a grateful sigh of relief for the intrusion.
Many hours later, Diego emerged from his room, freshly clean and groomed, as well as relaxed from his bath and nap. A maid was speaking with Alejandro and Diego waited politely before approaching.
The maid stared at Diego for a long moment before hurrying down the hallway to check on Victoria.
Alejandro motioned for his son to join him in the sala and Diego followed a bit reluctantly, concerned over the maid's reaction to his interruption.
Diego watched with growing anxiety as his father poured two glasses of wine and offered one to his son. It wasn't often Diego indulged and so he was instantly concerned that his father wanted him to drink now.
"Father?" Diego stared down at the glass before accepting it.
"Take it, son."
"What's wrong?" Diego asked, suddenly afraid of the answer.
"Maria was concerned about Victoria." Alejandro motioned for Diego to sit. "She thinks Victoria was raped."
Diego closed his eyes. Victoria's clothes. They would have evidence of what they had done to prevent the bandits from truly violating her. And Victoria likely had blood on her clothing from the cuts on his head as well.
Diego explained this to his father and the older man nodded, raising his hands.
"I explained what I knew – leaving out certain – events. But Maria was still very concerned over Victoria's mood."
"I imagine that now that the danger is passed, she is feeling a bit traumatized."
"Her mood seems to support Maria's insistence that she was raped."
Diego sighed and took a slow sip of his wine. "I need to speak with her."
Alejandro nodded. "I think that would be a good idea."
Just then, Victoria came around the corner, her hair combed and her skin smelling of freshly cut roses.
The men stood at once and Alejandro motioned for her to join them.
Victoria smiled uncomfortably as Alejandro placed a kiss upon her hand, as he had so often done in the past.
"It's good to see you, my dear. The cook is preparing a meal. It will be ready shortly."
Victoria glanced shyly at Diego as Alejandro spoke, and smiled nervously when he repeated his father's respectful gesture and brought her hand to his lips. He held it there for far longer than was proper and Alejandro hid an approving smile behind his wine glass.
"Why don't you two take a walk in the garden. I'll have a servant fetch you when dinner is ready."
Diego gallantly bowed over her hand. "Would you care to take a walk in the moonlight, my lady?"
Victoria nodded, unable to find her voice.
Diego folded her arm around his and together they walked out the back door and into the garden.
"How are you feeling?" Diego asked after a few moments of uncomfortable silence.
After they had returned, she had been whisked away to be pampered, then given a sleeping draught so that she could rest.
Diego, himself, had been given the same draught, but had slept fitfully.
"Better," Victoria answered as they stopped and Diego took her hands in his.
Victoria smiled shyly as his thumbs caressed her wrists, where the rope had bound them and burned into her skin.
"Victoria?"
It was clear he wanted to speak about what had happened between them. But Victoria wasn't sure she could discuss it right now. The memory and the shame were still too fresh. She turned away, embarrassment coloring her cheeks.
Despite her best efforts to hedge around the questions the maid had asked about her soiled clothing, she knew the maid hadn't believed her explanations. She also knew the maid would go straight to Don Alejandro with her concerns. Victoria could barely look at the man when she'd entered the sala.
But beneath the shame and embarrassment burned an ember of curiosity. Of what could have happened had she and Diego been left alone to explore their desires more fully. Despite their situation, his gentle touch had sent thrills of desire through her body. But for now, the shame predominated.
A tiny sob escaped her, but it wasn't until Diego reached out and rested his hands gently on her shoulders that the tears began to fall.
"Oh, Victoria. Querida!" Diego enfolded her into his arms and embraced her tenderly. "I'm so sorry. Tell me what to do."
"Now that's a curious role reversal," Victoria sniffled, wiping at her tears.
Diego grinned, despite the somber mood. "Not many men know what to do when they see the woman they love crying."
"It's good to know you have a weakness," Victoria melted against him and closed her eyes.
"You have always been my weakness, Victoria." He smoothed her hair with one hand and pressed his lips to her temple in a tender gesture of affection.
Victoria embraced him tightly, unsure of how to respond to his confession.
"What can I do? Please tell me," he whispered, nuzzling her hair with his cheek.
"Just hold me."
Diego waited a few silent moments before working up enough courage to ask if what had happened between them was the cause for her distress. He wanted to assure her it changed nothing. He still loved her and he still intended to marry her.
After he had asked his question, Victoria lifted her head from his chest and stared into his eyes.
"I feel ashamed--not of what we did, but – of having people watch!"
"All they saw were a husband and wife expressing their love," Diego assured her.
"But I'm – I'm not – we aren't –"
"Not yet." Diego sank to his knees, ignoring the pain in his thigh. "Marry me."
Victoria hesitated. "But – what about – I mean, everyone will know – The maid already thinks –" She lowered her head in embarrassed shame.
"We can assure Maria that nothing inappropriate happened."
"Diego –" Victoria looked skeptical. "She stared at my skirts for a very long time."
"She will believe what we tell her. She has worked for my family since I was a boy, there is nothing she wouldn't do for us." He took her hands in his and squeezed them gently. "And when she finds out that you intend to join this family – she will be even happier to keep quiet about what she thinks she saw."
Victoria still looked unsure and Diego's heart sank. He hoped her hesitation wasn't because she was worried about intimate relations in the future. He had been as gentle as possible last night, but he could sense that she was still afraid. He needed to make her feel safe again. He needed to assure her that the feelings she had experienced last night would not be repeated when they were alone.
"Everyone thinks you've broken with Zorro." Diego tried to keep his voice steady. It would do no good for her to notice he was as nervous as a schoolboy. If he didn't do and say the right things now, he felt he would lose her – for good. "Is it not a convenient time for you to let another into your life?"
"It – is a good time," Victoria admitted with a small, embarrassed smile. "I will marry you, Diego. You know –"
"– that I love you more than you can possibly know." Diego finished with a smile that reached his eyes.
He stood and lifted her into his arms. His kissed her, once, twice before nuzzling her cheek and assuring, "I promise you it will not be like last night. It will be so very different."
Victoria's smile was in her eyes. "I know. Them watching made me feel so – dirty." She trembled in his arms and he hugged her tighter. "I – it made me –"
"Think nothing more of it." Diego set her down on a nearby bench and slid next to her. "We will make new memories."
Victoria raised her hand and brushed it through his hair. "But – I – what we did – it was – it made me –" She looked away for a nervous moment but when she returned her gaze to his, it contained curiosity and desire. "I keep thinking about what it would have been like. If we had been alone last night. How different – I mean, would you have –"
He took her hand and pressed it against his cheek. "Victoria, if we had been alone last night, I would have been hard pressed not to take you to my bed, even without the confines of marriage."
Victoria trembled at the thought and leaned into his arms. "Your – touch made me want more." She flushed, embarrassed at her wanton behavior, and even more so by telling him about it. "I was so ashamed that those bandits were watching, and I couldn't stop shaking but – it felt good. I – I wanted more."
Diego was delighted by her admission. It meant that maybe she wouldn't have difficulty with their intimate relations in the future. "I will show you so much more, Victoria," he whispered, and pressed a lingering kiss to her temple.
When she lifted her head and gazed in his eyes, he could feel a familiar heat growing in the pit of his stomach.
"Will you – show me now?"
"Now?" Diego's voice was barely a strangled whisper. How he longed to carry her to his room and make her his – in every way.
Victoria nodded shyly. And just for added emphasis, her fingers moved suggestively down his shirtfront, pausing at the lowermost button
He grinned and slid a hand into her dark hair. He twirled it around a finger before trailing it along her jaw and around the neckline of her borrowed silk top. He bent to press a kiss to the corner of her lips and when she leaned against him, his fingers slipped over the soft swell of her breast.
Victoria gave a wondrous smile and trembled at the gentle touch. It ignited a familiar curious tingle deep within her, similar to what she had felt last night.
"I long to give you pleasure, Victoria." His voice had deepened with growing arousal and Victoria melted even further against his mouth.
"Please show me," Victoria pleaded.
The darkness hid a good portion of their bodies, but Alejandro could see the intensity in their kiss. He stopped himself from instantly marching forward. His desire to see his son and Victoria connect again with one another, warred with his strong sense of propriety. But as the scene before him played out in a far more physical way that he could honestly allow, and knowing what had happened between them the previous night, the protective father sought to prevent such an event from happening again until his children's wedding night. He stepped away from the wall and loudly cleared his throat.
Diego and Victoria separated quickly, Diego dropping his hands and Victoria snatching hers away from where they were suggestively tugging at his shirt. The two got to their feet and Diego's voice shook slightly as he said, "Father."
"I suggest a wedding take place as soon as can be arranged, don't you agree?"
Diego exchanged a knowing look with Victoria and wrapped his arm around her waist. "Yes, father. We agree."
"Excellent. We will speak with the padre tomorrow." Alejandro stated, leaving no room for discussion. "Anyway, dinner is served. Will you two be joining us?"
Victoria leaned into Diego's arm as he nodded to his father. "Yes, we will be right there."
Alejandro slowly left the garden, favoring his son with a small smile.
Diego smiled and he pressed his lips to Victoria's ear before they walked toward the hacienda. "As soon as we are married, I will show you."
The next morning, Diego, Alejandro and Victoria rode into town. Victoria to check on the tavern, and Diego and Alejandro to see to it that the bandits had been securely jailed.
They'd also decided on an adequate story should anyone ask what had happened the night before. It would hopefully quell any suspicions anyone had about something happening between Victoria and Diego, plus, they would paint a picture that showed Diego in a heroic light. Soon, with the people thinking Victoria had truly broken with Zorro over a week ago, Diego could take his place and no one would be the wiser.
But it would take this moment, this first ride into town, to be the most convincing in their ruse.
Mendoza was the first to greet them as they rode to the hitching post. Diego helped Victoria off one of the de la Vegas mares and smiled softly.
"Father and I are going to see the alcalde."
"I'll see you in the tavern later, then," Victoria smiled sweetly and it was all Diego could do not to bend and kiss her sweet, inviting lips.
Victoria wanted to go with them, but she needed to check on the tavern. She knew Pilar was capable of running the business, but it didn't keep her from wanting to see how things had gone in her brief absence.
All eyes turned to Victoria as she walked in, Mendoza in tow, lamenting the quality of the food during the day she had been away.
Pilar and another serving girl hugged her warmly before she was inundated with a barrage of questions regarding her capture.
The bandits had, indeed, been brought in by the de la Vega ranch hands and turned over to the alcalde. But the men had spouted incredible rumors, from one saying he had forced himself on the señorita to the other saying that they'd forced their captives to prove to them that they were husband and wife.
Victoria was in the middle of answering yet another question when Diego and Alejandro walked into the tavern.
People parted to let them pass and the two men stopped protectively beside Victoria, asking if she were all right.
"Just fine, Don Alejandro," Victoria smiled, a bit exasperated by all of the questions. "I was just explaining how Diego saved me from those men."
Diego forced an embarrassed smile to his lips. Continuing to play the modest, passive man around Victoria now that she knew the truth was going to be a true test of his acting abilities. "I simply did what any gentleman would have done to aid a lady."
People began to question Diego now, asking him what he'd done, how he'd saved her. Asked him to explain the other rumor that he and Victoria were married.
When they were finally able to answer everyone's questions to their satisfaction, the crowd parted and went back to their meals and their drinks.
The people did notice Diego's attentiveness to Victoria but considered it a byproduct of their ordeal. And since Zorro was no longer in the picture for the young señorita, perhaps she would soon choose to accept suitors. As soon as she did, they knew a wedding would not be far off.
The wedding reception lasted far into the morning with Alejandro receiving much of the praise in finally seeing his son married.
Diego and Victoria were nearly inseparable, except when one or the other was dragged onto the area of the garden designated as the dance floor.
It had been only a month since they had been abducted, and Alejandro heaved a sigh of relief that he would no longer have to resort to trickery and manipulation to keep the two of them apart.
Victoria had spent much time at the hacienda, staying at the tavern only when she had overnight guests. And even then, Diego stayed in his customary room, concerned with leaving her alone. Her affection for Diego had quickly grown, due to their ordeal, and the fact that they'd seriously played up her break from Zorro.
Even after a few weeks, the pueblo was never the wiser that Victoria had, indeed, married the masked man she loved so deeply.
Alejandro leaned against the adobe wall and watched his son and new daughter dance their final dance of the evening. The party was still going strong but the new bride and groom would not be there to see it end.
They'd stayed as long as was decently proper, but Alejandro knew they wanted to be alone.
When the dance ended, a soft, romantic tune, Diego led Victoria over to where Alejandro stood.
"We're leaving. Please give everyone our thanks for celebrating this day with us."
Alejandro embraced his son and then pressed a kiss to Victoria's flushed cheek. "Go. Go. I will make your goodbyes."
Victoria hadn't even been allowed in Diego's bedroom during the last month and she giggled now when she thought back to just why Alejandro wouldn't let her down this wing of the hacienda.
During her quick courtship, Victoria had come to discover that Alejandro knew exactly what had happened between them, and when he'd caught them in the garden the evening Diego had again asked her to marry him, the older man had seen more than they intended as well.
She and Diego had laughed many a time over Alejandro's fight to keep them apart so that no further lapses in control happened until they were properly wed. Diego would have never allowed it anyway, but his father made it quite obvious that he didn't think his son capable of resisting his lady's charms.
Well, now, as Diego led her through his sitting room and into the large, spacious bedroom, she reflected that it was finally proper for them to be alone together. Her curiosity over what had happened that night had only increased. As she and Diego had grown closer and she found herself impatient to learn everything she could about this act reserved only for those bound together in marriage.
Diego mistook her reflections for nervousness and sought to reassure and calm his new wife by wrapping his arms around her from behind and dropping his mouth to the soft skin of her neck.
Victoria inhaled sharply and leaned against him, her legs instantly weak. They'd kissed over the last few weeks, certainly, and even explored a bit further in gentle caresses through their clothing. But now, they were free to express their love completely.
"Don't be nervous," Diego assured her, whispering through his soft, gentle kisses. "I won't hurt you."
Victoria turned within the circle of his arms and slid her hands up the edges of his tailcoat. Standing on tiptoe, she slid the elegantly designed material off his shoulders where it dropped unnoticed to the floor. "I am far from nervous, Querido."
Diego wrapped his hands around her slim waist as she slid her fingers through his dark hair, pleased with her admission. When their lips met, a whimper of delight traveled through Victoria's slender frame. . .
. . . When the sun rose, its gentle light filtering through the curtains onto the two sleeping in a tight embrace, it seemed to bring with it the promise of a long life of love and happiness.
END
The remainder of the above scene will be complete on my web site. It has been edited for content here.