Chapter 16
Victoria rose awkwardly from the trough where Diego had deposited her. Who does he think he is? When I get back to the hacienda, Diego will know in no uncertain terms how I feel about what he has done. Aria set off towards the tavern to clean herself up seemingly no worse for wear compared to Victoria who was soaking wet and thoroughly embarrassed by the situation.
"Come, señorita Victoria," Mendoza offered her his hand.
"I can do it myself," Victoria sputtered, "I don't need anyone's help."
Better to wait until things cool off. I am sure that Don Diego will get an earful when she returns to the hacienda….
ZZZ
"You did what, Diego!" I didn't know the boy had it in him. Well, he is my son after all.
"She left me no choice, Father."
"They were fighting like cats and dogs. Mendoza would have arrested them for disturbing the peace if not for Diego."
The old don laughed as he pictured Victoria infuriated and dripping wet, no doubt.
"I am glad that Victoria and I could offer some entertainment for you! You are definitely enjoying all of this."
"Your solution was a little unorthodox...What else could you have done? Toss her over your shoulder…Drag her kicking and screaming from the pueblo. That would have been quite a spectacle."
"What is done is done. We will be just fine. She will be angry with me but she has to be reasonable…"
"For your sake, Diego. I hope so…."
"I will go to my room now but if you need me…I won't be far away..."
"Staging a retreat, Father,' Diego smirked as his father headed towards the hallway.
"Discretion is the better part of valor. Notify me when they return. I cannot wait for the fireworks. On the other hand, you will probably not have to send for me. I am sure that when they arrive the entire hacienda will know…" The door slammed as a furious Victoria stalked into the room followed by Aria and Felipe…
Well, no need to go to bed now, Don Alejandro thought.
"Diego Sebastian de la Vega! How dare you! I have never been so humiliated….so embarrassed. How dare you!" Victoria ceased her tirade when she saw the look in Diego's eyes as well as Ramon's.
"You two fighting in pubic is something that I never thought I would never witness!"
"If Victoria had not listened to those two meddling women none of this would have happened," Aria protested.
"My fault? You had no right to say anything about my relationship with Zorro."
"No respectable woman would consort with the likes of an outlaw!"
"Maybe we should have let you two kill each other or better still be arrested! A night in jail would have done wonders for the two of you! It certainly would have been more peaceful around here!"
"You would have let Mendoza arrest us?" Aria and Victoria responded in unison. The look in Ramon's eyes and Diego's suggested that they would have done exactly that if provoked.
"Why don't we send Felipe into town to get Mendoza? The alcalde will not mind especially if we have to pay the bail to get you out," Ramon agreed.
Don Alejandro laughed at the outraged expressions on the faces of the two senoritas.
"You wouldn't Ramon!" Aria stated.
"We most certainly would! Work out your differences or we will take you directly to the alcalde's jail!"
Aria and Victoria glanced from one to the other uncertainly. Jail time or a truce…neither prospect looked attractive. The women forced themselves to smile at each other and shook hands awkwardly.
"Jail or a truce, ladies," Diego enquired.
"We will attempt to get along, even if it kills us," Victoria admitted grudgingly.
"For Ramon, I will be civil," Aria stated reluctantly. "Gentlemen, I bid you goodnight. Victoria.
"Good night, Don Alejandro. Diego. Ramon. Aria," Victoria stated in as pleasant a tone of voice as she could muster.
"Son, you handled that well. I am proud of you..."
"A temporary solution, Father but knowing those two, nothing has been resolved yet."
"They are upset but I believe that they will forgive you and that they will resolve their differences. Be patient."
"Let's hope that we can survive until that happens, Don Alejandro."
"Those meddling senoras talked about how unsuitable Aria is for Ramon, I suspect," Diego surmised.
"I do not care about those things, Don Alejandro and neither does my sister or so I thought…"
"Victoria would not ignore them especially if she felt your reputation was being threatened."
"My reputation is not my primary concern…my happiness is…."
"At some point, Victoria and I will discuss things calmly and rationally. She can be the most irritating, infuriating woman but I love her spirit, Father..."
"De la Vega men seldom chose the easiest path but it generally turns out to be the most rewarding. Look at it from her point of view but don't forget to be a gentleman. Be patient and understanding and hopefully, I will see two weddings in the near future, if you survive," he teased. "Good night, gentlemen."