Epilogue

Five years later, the good citizens of Los Angeles were gathered in the Mission chapel for the wedding between Don Felipe de la Vega and Senorita Anabel Gomez. Felipe had met the lovely Anabel while he had studied law with the de la Vega's lawyers in Santa Barbara and had fallen head over heals from the first moment he saw her. He now knew how his father had felt all those years ago when he had come home from Madrid and saw Victoria.

Diego was standing beside his son in front of the padre, waiting for the bride to come down the aisle. At first he had urged them to wait for another year or so, after all they were both only twenty-two but when he saw them together, saw their love for each other, he didn't have the heart to deny them their happiness. He glanced behind him and meet the loving gaze of his wife. His heart pounded with love and pride as she held their two and half year old son Alfonso, while his father held their four year old daughter Felicidad. His father had been appointed Alcalde when Grand Duke Seville had arrested de Soto, while he himself had taken over the day to day management of the ranch. Any important decisions regarding the ranch were made jointly between father and son.

Felipe gasped at the vision of loveliness of his bride as she was escorted down the aisle on the arm of her father. He had never seen anything as beautiful as Anabel in her white dress, almost like an angel as she walked towards him. The bride and groom moved in front of the padre and began repeating their sacred vows. No-one in the chapel could deny the strong bond between the young couple.

Don Alejandro beamed with pride as he watched his grandson exchanging his vows with the young woman he loved. Over the last five years, Felipe had grown in confidence; he now spoke fluently and rarely stuttered. As they repeated their vows, his granddaughter started to squirm on his lap but he soon quietened her down and planted a soft kiss to her raven curls. He had been overjoyed by these gorgeous babies and he looked forward to many more.

"Do you Felipe Diego take Anabel Maria for your lawful wedded wife, to honour, cherish, to protect her and forsaking all others."

"I do." came his firm voice.

"Do you Anabel Maria take Felipe Diego for your lawful wedded husband, to honour, cherish, obey and forsaking all others."

"I do." came her soft reply.

Victoria felt tears well in her eyes at the love they were showing to each other. The two families had planned this wedding for several months and it had all gone to plan. It made her think about her own swift marriage but she realised that she wouldn't have wanted it any other way. She gazed at her husband's broad back, her heart pounded from her love for him. She couldn't imagine her life without her best friend, confidante and lover.

Felipe couldn't tear his eyes away from his bride, not even to receive the ring from his father. Diego had to nudge him to take the ring and grinned sheepishly at his father, who smiled knowingly. He turned and with trembling hands, he slid the ring on Anabel's third finger, her own hand none to steady. Anabel had tears of happiness flowing down her face as she gazed into her husband's eyes. He squeezed her hand to reassure her.

Diego had a lump in his throat as he watched his son exchange his vows, he glanced back to Victoria and saw her eyes misted with tears of joy.

"I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Felipe smiled warmly as he lifted her veil and gently kissed her waiting lips. Then they turned and walked down the aisle to cheers and applause of the gathered crowd.

Much later, after they had said their farewells to the newlyweds, Victoria and Diego were walking in the garden, enjoying the quite night after such an eventful day. Diego wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back against his chest, she shivered as she felt his lips on her neck.

"That's nice." she whispered as she leant back into his warm embrace.

"Just nice?" he asked as he nibbled on her earlobe.

"Really nice." she teased.

Diego chuckled throatily. "I'm glad that I can be really nice to you, querida."

Victoria giggled as she turned in his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Perhaps I can be nice to you." She gently kissed his throat.

"MMM, that is nice." his voice deep and husky as he pulled her closer against him.

She pulled back slightly and gazed lovingly up into his blue eyes. "Diego, I have something to tell you."

"Oh yes, is it something nice?" he teased.

Victoria giggled. "I think it's more than nice."

"Oh really!" he pulled her tight against him, his growing hardness pressed firmly into her lower stomach, sending a hot ache through her body. She moved against him and was pleased to hear his deep groan.

"Dios Querida, you better hurry up and tell me before I take you to bed." he whispered hotly in her ear, pleased that she shivered at his suggestion.

She took a breath, more to steady her desires than to gather her thoughts. "Diego, I'm going to have another baby."

He was still caught up in his desires and it took a moment or two to understand what she had said. Then a large grin appeared on his face. "Are you sure?"

Victoria grinned and nodded. "Si, very sure."

"Oh dios, that's fantastic." He picked her up and twirled her around in his arms.

Don Alejandro came out at that moment. "Well, what's this?" he asked.

Diego put her down and they both turned to face his father. "Well, Victoria has some news, some great news."

Don Alejandro looked at both of them, saw their large grins and found that he had a large grin of his own. "Dios, you're not...?"

She nodded and hugged her father in law. "Si, in just under seven months, there will be another addition to our family."

He hugged her back. "Dios, I so pleased for you both. Do you realise that before the year is out, the two of you will probably become grandparents yourselves."

Both Diego and Victoria laughed as they all walked back inside the hacienda.

"We know father, we know. But that will make you a great grandfather."

Don Alejandro snorted. "Thanks for reminding me."

"I thought you wanted plenty of babies around the hacienda father." Diego teased.

He chuckled. "Of course I do, son. This hacienda has been without children's laughter for a long time and I'm overjoyed by our growing family. Well goodnight to you both."

"Goodnight father." they replied in unison as they went their separate ways.

As they reached their bedroom door, Diego swept Victoria up in his arms.

"Diego!" she squealed in delight as he carried inside.

As he slowly placed her on her feet he said. "Father is right, I am thrilled by our growing family, querida." his voice deep with his love for her.

"So I am." she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply, lovingly. "Make love to me Diego." she whispered as she began unbuttoning his shirt.

"Always, for the rest of our lives mi preciosa." he promised.

THE END

Authors note - I hope that everyone enjoyed this happy ending. I know that at least one reader had already guessed how it was going to end - not that I had intended this story to be such a mystery - it just happened that way. However I did write 2 endings for this story - this one and a not so happy one, which I may post at a later date.