Chapter 17

The ride back to the hacienda for Zorro was short. The great black horse sensed his master's mood and ran like the wind he was named for with little urging on Zorro's part. The opening to the cave welcomed them both like the refuge from the outside world it really was.

A little while later, Diego, mounted on Esperanza, lived every minute of the long ride back to the pueblo in dread. He had no idea what had been said after he had fled the plaza. What could Victoria possibly be thinking! The comment about "Diego's warm, loving arms" had sounded promising, but the looks he had endured as Zorro from those dark eyes of hers had been chilling. And just what was it she had said about emeralds? He had to laugh in spite of his fears. There were no de la Vega emeralds. Or at least, there were none right now. He had a feeling he would be purchasing some soon though.

As he passed under the gates, he took a deep breath, ready for anything. But the people who walked past him as he made for the railing in front of the tavern all met him with smiles. He had not even dismounted before his father came out of the tavern to greet him.

"Diego! There's good news. Zorro found the missing girl, all safe and sound." Before Diego could even form a reply, he continued, "And, not only that, but Victoria has made the most succulent roasted chicken I've ever smelled for our picnic!"

"Oh, yes, our picnic. Father, I was thinking —"

"If you go around back, you'll be just in time to help us load up the wagon." When Diego hesitated, his father insisted, "Diego, come on now. We'll be losing the light if we take much longer to get going." And with that, he slapped the side of Diego's boots with the pair of gloves in his hand and turned to go back into the tavern.

The baskets of food were loaded in almost total silence. Alejandro kept up a running patter of talk about nothing, with only an occasional "yes" or "no" coming from Victoria. The drive to the pretty spot beneath a huge shade tree beside a softly babbling stream was also a very quiet one. With every bump of the wheels over the rough, little-used path, Diego felt the upcoming argument encroaching upon him.

Victoria's mood seemed to defrost in the beautiful setting. All through the meal, Victoria talked animatedly and smiled — at Alejandro. Diego, she mostly ignored. When, at last, they all sat back, sated by the sumptuous food, she finally turned to her future husband.

"So! Would you like to tell me just why it is that you keep turning up, no matter what you are wearing, with Andrea draped all over you!"

"Draped!" Diego sat full upright.

"Yes! Every time I turn around, there she is, with her hands all over you, acting as if she owned —"

"Victoria, I had to go find her," he said reasonably. "The lancers were looking nowhere near the correct —"

"Oh, but you went straight to her, like a bee to its hive!"

"Now, Victoria, you know — "

"I know what she claimed!"

"She was just saying that to make you jealous. Surely you know that!"

Victoria folded her arms across her chest and narrowed her eyes to slits. "You let her kiss you!"

As his son fumbled for a reply, Alejandro reached for one of the remaining chicken legs and sat back again, watching the two with relish. "Better than the theater," he mumbled under his breath.

"I…she… no, I did not 'let' her kiss me. It was merely being polite to —"

But Victoria was having none of that. "Polite!" she growled and leaned over closer to him so he could feel her fury. "Do you know how many times you have left me standing in the middle of the street with nothing more than a wave?"

Diego opened his mouth to respond, but she was not finished. "You've lied to me for years. How do I know that you weren't laughing at me as well? Leading me on with one face and acting like a simpering coward with the other."

She shook her head and her dark curls bounced back and forth, capturing his attention away from her words. He had to concentrate to reply calmly, "It was necessary. You know that." He spread his arms out wide as he tried to explain. "I had to protect you and —"

"Protect me! Oh, you have protected me, all right. I have been shot, kidnapped, held at knifepoint and…and put in jail more times than I can count! All because of you! Just being known as 'Zorro's woman' has carried plenty of danger with it, but there's been precious few moments when I have felt the benefits of it! You were never there when I just needed someone to…to…" Victoria ran out of breath for her tirade as she searched for just the right words to use as ammunition to throw at him.

As he watched her inhale deeply, and before she could begin another barrage, Diego leaned forward on both knees and caught her in a firm embrace. Her mouth was open as his came down upon her with a forcefulness that surprised her.

The kiss seemed to last forever to the watching Alejandro, who had finally lost interest in his chicken leg. He tossed it aside and smiled to himself, for no one else was paying any attention to him. He leaned back and observed proudly, "My son, a man of action."

There was another kiss and then another that again lasted an uncomfortably long time, at least for Alejandro. He shifted his position. He cleared his throat. But the kiss continued. Finally, Alejandro broke out laughing and the two drew apart reluctantly, both of them flashing him a rather irritated glare. Then they, too, dissolved into laughter, as they both realized from their labored breathing a break might just be good for both of them.

"Now, I think we should get back to discussing what the two of you are going to do."

"Do?" Diego reached for Victoria's hand and pulled her over closer to settle them both back against the tree trunk. "Victoria took care of that. She and Zorro had a fight and now she's going to marry me." He looked down at her and the two shared a modest little kiss this time.

"But the alcalde may think that is all a little too convenient, don't you think?" Alejandro steepled his fingers together and looked upwards. "Maybe Zorro should be there when Señorita Espinoza is shipped back to Spain. Maybe she will lash out just one more time and give Victoria one more reason to be mad at you, eh?"

"Father, I don't think Zorro needs to —"

"What's the matter," Victoria said quickly, "afraid she'll say something that I might not know yet?"

"No," Diego said patiently, "I just don't think Zorro needs any more slights to his character in front of the pueblo." He gave her a slight squeeze and kissed her forehead. "He still must remain a hero to them, even if —"

"Even if he is a rake and a philanderer," she said with a satisfied smile.

"Philanderer! You're coming up with a lot of unflattering terms for someone who really did nothing wrong —"

"You let her kiss you!" she hissed at him and fire shone in her eyes anew.

"Excuse me, Father. There seems to be only one way to handle her when she gets like this," Diego explained calmly. Then he gathered her up once more in his arms for another smoldering kiss.

Alejandro just sighed contentedly and reached for another piece of chicken. "I think that room next to the drawing room will make a nice nursery. The old one will never be big enough at this rate," he mused aloud as he chewed.