Chapter 4

Alejandro came home from his ride with the vaqueros and cursed when he almost fell across a bag in the hallway. "What is going on here?" He shouted. "What are these bags doing in the hallway? Ana," he asked the servant who had come at his call, "whose bags are these and why are they here?"

"They belong to Señorita Victoria," Ana explained. "Don Diego ordered that they be moved into the house, but didn't tell us where to put them. There are a few more in the library."

"More bags from Victoria? What is going on and where is Diego?"

"I don't know, Patron. He and Victoria arrived a while ago, but I haven't seen them since." Ana apologized.

"Where has Diego gone?" Alejandro cursed. "He always vanishes so conveniently. Thank you, Ana, that will be all."

"Si, Patron." Ana curtsied, but didn't leave. "The cook wants to know if there will be a reception later and if she has to prepare something."

"Reception? What kind of reception? Can someone please explain to me what is going on?" Alejandro raised his hands in confusion.

"The wedding reception, Patron. Maria wants to know if there will be a wedding reception," Ana repeated.

"What wedding?" Alejandro spotted Felipe coming into the hall. "Felipe, do you know what is going on? Who is married?"

Felipe only shrugged and shook his head.

Ana's eyes widened in surprise. "Don Diego...He married Senorita Victoria today. Haven't you heard?"

"Have you gone crazy, Ana? Diego married Victoria today?"

"It's the truth, Patron. My aunt came from the pueblo to tell me about it. She was present at the ceremony. Victoria had no place to go after she lost her tavern and Don Diego forced her to marry him."

"Diego forced Victoria into marriage? That can't be true, Ana. Diego would never do that to her. He knows that she is in love with Zorro."

"But it is the truth, Patron. My aunt said that Victoria was very unhappy and cried during the ceremony."

"Diego will have a lot to explain." Alejandro shook his head incredulously. "I want you to find Diego and tell him to come here at once!" He ordered, angrily. "And get this stuff out of the way!" Alejandro almost kicked at the bag.

"Where shall we put it?"

"Put it in one of the guest rooms. Victoria can decide later where to put it."

As Ana and another servant started to pick up Victoria's bags, Alejandro turned to Felipe, who had listened open mouthed. "Felipe, I want you to find Diego. Wherever he hides, I want him to come here at once!" Alejandro angrily waved his gloves in the air as he walked down the hall, shouting Diego's name.

"Wake up, Querida." Diego said, tenderly, to Victoria. She stirred in his arms.

"Who? What?" She opened her eyes, sleepily, to look at him.

"It must be close to noon. My father has come home and from his shouting, I assume he has heard the news."

"What news?" She was still not fully awake.

"About us." Diego smiled and bent down to kiss her.

Only then, did Victoria realize that they were both naked in Diego's bed. "It wasn't a dream, then?"

Thinking about her tavern, she began to cry.

"Victoria, are you still angry with me?" Diego misinterpreted her tears. "Do you regret our marriage?"

Victoria shook her head. "No, I was just thinking about my tavern. You must not doubt my love for you, Diego." She returned his kiss passionately.

"You have to stop that or we will never get out of here." Diego smiled.

"Who says that I want to?" She replied, playfully.

"We need to make an appearance soon. My father must think the worst of me, forcing you to marry me and then losing no time…" He pointed at the bed.

"You must admit, Diego, it wasn't the best way to get married." He nodded, remorsefully, at her words. "But, I am happy that we are finally married and that we didn't wait any longer."

"I had a hard time resisting you when I kissed you as Zorro. You didn't give me a chance once you knew there was no more reason to hold back." He let his hand glide along her body, feeling her smooth skin under his fingers. He was very tempted to love her again; loud shouting from the hallway made him draw back his hand, to Victoria's disappointment.

He went to the adjacent room that served as a washing and dressing room, and returned a few minutes later, completely dressed. "You can take your time, Victoria. I'll go ahead and face my father." He made an unhappy face.

"I'll join you as soon as I can, but I am afraid that there is a problem." She pointed at her dress, that was missing several buttons in the front. They hadn't been very careful in their hurry to get undressed. "My clothes are all in the bags in the hall." She said, embarrassed.

"I'll get them for you. Tell me which one you need." Diego assured her.

"The brown one…no, the black rectangular one…or was it the …"

Diego made face. "I see it isn't going to be that easy."

"I am sorry. I was in such a hurry to get all of my things together that I forgot what is packed where."

"I'll see what I can find." He sighed.

"Thank you, Diego."

Diego made his way down the hall in search of Victoria's clothes, only to find the hallway and library empty of her bags. He was about to yell for the servants, even if it meant alerting his father to his presence, when he felt someone tug at his sleeve.

"Felipe." Diego turned around, relieved. "It's you! Do you know where I might find the bags from Victoria's cart?"

"They are in a guest room? Fine, which one?"

Diego purposely headed there, but Felipe tried to hold him back.

He signed questions. Was it true that Diego forced Victoria to marry him? How had it happened?

"I'll explain it all later, Felipe, but I must get some things for Victoria first." Felipe joined Diego and continued is signing.

"Where Victoria is?"

"She is in my room." Diego didn't comment on Felipe's surprised look and hastened his pace. Felipe wouldn't be the only one who would want an explanation from him today. After identifying several bags that contained clothes, he asked Felipe to help him carry them to his room.

He knocked on the door, and when Victoria replied, he opened the door just wide enough to slide the bags inside, one after the other, leaving her alone again.

"Thank you, Diego, I'll join you as soon as I can," she called after him.

Victoria gratefully rummaged through her bags to find something suitable to present herself to her new father-in-law. Although she tried to hurry, it took her some time to find everything and get ready.

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