Chavez stood. “Stay and enjoy the wine and fruit while you talk with your grandmother.” He held his hand out to his wife and assisted her to stand. “Crista will visit with you later to see how you’re doing.” With that Chavez escorted his wife out of the room and to his study.
As soon as the door closed, she asked, “The padre is the one who visited you?”
“From Vilia’s description I would say he is,” Chavez confirmed.
“I don’t understand why a padre would visit with Vega.”
“I doubt he’s a padre,” Chavez said, the urge overpowering to hug his wife and never let her go. though he worried he’d crush her if he did.
Crista was all too aware of the tension that ran through her husband. His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides and the muscles in his neck were taut no doubt from anger.
“Who can this man be who threatens your claim to this ranch and has visited with Vega and has given him money?” she asked, possibilities stirring in her head.
“I don’t know,” Chavez admitted frustrated that he’d been caught unaware. He had always thought ahead to possibilities and what he could do to avoid problems. He believed there might be someone who would challenge his claim to the Edgardo inheritance, but after all the documents had been filed and with Dona Maria’s family filing no objections, he had thought it done. That this man came from out of nowhere troubled him and that he spoke to Vega disturbed him even more.
“Could it be information he sought from Vega?” Crista asked, wondering aloud.
Chavez said what Crista didn’t want to voice. “Or did he pay Vega to see me dead.”
Crista went to her husband and poked him in the chest. “You will work with the other ranch owners to stop Vega. You will not—definitely not—go after Vega as Diablo.”
His hand suddenly swallowed her poking finger and he pulled her close against him. “I may dress like the privileged ranchers, speak in their cultured tones, but make no mistake the devil still lurks inside of me.”
He didn’t have to tell her that. She saw the devil there at times and it frightened her. She feared someone else seeing the devil there as well.
“We will have a good life here on this ranch—our home. We will raise a large brood of children here, make wonderful memories, grow old together, and be buried together in the small family cemetery. But that future is in question while Vega lives and the only one who can truly kill the man is—”
“Diablo,” she whispered, knowing in her heart he was right.
Chavez cupped his wife’s face gently in his hands. “You also know the time has come for what else must be done.”
She nodded feeling tears coming on. “Diablo must die.”
Chapter 29
Crista lay naked beside her husband in bed, her breathing labored from their lovemaking. He had woken her with intimate touches and what started out gentle turned more demanding. Now lying here beside him, their hands entwined, she understood why they had made love as if it was the last time. Her husband would leave soon to deal with Vega.
It had been two weeks since Vilia had shown up at the Cesare ranch. She had done well since then, working in the house gardens. She had a way with flowers, creating lovely arrangements for the house. Lana praised her skill, her talent, and that she worked hard and without complaint. She was adjusting well. Alma smiled all the time now, having her granddaughter home and safe with her.
Her husband turned on his side, releasing her hand to rest his gently on her stomach that had a slight rise to it, one that was undetectable to the eye unless naked. “I look forward to seeing you grow round with our child. I wanted to believe I would have a family one day. I planned for it as best I could, but I had my doubts.” He kissed her cheek. “Knowing our child nestles safely inside you fills me with more joy than you’ll ever know.”
She placed her hand tenderly against his cheek. “I never thought I would ever say this, but I’m glad Diablo took me captive.”
Chavez laughed. “It was you who took Diablo captive.”
She smiled. “And he stole my heart.”
“Neither of us stood a chance.” He kissed her lips softly, then rested his brow to hers.
“You’re leaving soon, aren’t you?” she asked, taking hold of his arm as if somehow she could stop him.
“I’ll be leaving directly after the meeting at your parents’ house today. I’m going to inform the ranchers that I have to go meet with someone who can provide information on Diablo’s whereabouts and that I’ll be gone for a few days. You will remain with your parents. I’d rather you stay there, then on your own here.”
“I feel closer to you here, not there,” she argued, though knew it was futile. Her husband would have his way on this.
He brushed a strand of hair off her brow. “I need to know you’re safe or I will worry about you and be far too distracted to do what must be done. Esteban will keep you safe. You will do this for me, Crista.”
The task he set out to do was difficult enough without her adding to his worry. “I’ll do as you say.”
“I love you,” he said and brushed his lips over hers before leaving the bed.
A chill ran through her. She disliked that she got the sense he was saying good-bye. She got out of bed and when she went to walk a pain grabbed at her scarred leg and she tumbled back down on the bed.
She wasn’t surprised to find herself lifted up in her husband’s arms and placed gently on the bed, pillows bunched behind her and the blanket tucked over her.
“You have been climbing the ladders in the orange grove far too often as well as working in the kitchen garden,” he accused, hands on his hips as he glared down at her.
“A pain that warns me to go easy, nothing more,” she said, having felt a discomfort in her leg last night and reminding herself to go slow.
He went and got her robe and helped her into it. “I will have breakfast brought to you. You will rest your leg until we leave for the meeting.”
Crista wanted to argue, to spend all the time she could with him, but she couldn’t chance her leg causing her a problem while at her parents’. Most of all, though, she had to make sure her leg got no worse in case Diablo should need her help.
Crista did her best to hide her worry while sitting with Rosa and her mother out on the terrace. She nibbled at the food and sipped sparingly at her lemonade, her stomach churning far too much to eat or drink much of anything. She couldn’t bear the thought of her husband leaving to deal with Vega. What if he never came back? What if it was discovered he was Diablo before he could prevent it?
As soon as her mother went into the house to see to an issue in the kitchen, Rosa said, “You worry for Diablo?”
“Is my concern that obvious?”
“Only because I know how you feel about the outlaw,” Rosa said, rubbing her rounded stomach.
Crista disliked telling lies but when she thought about it, what she was about to say actually wasn’t a lie. “Diablo and I could never be. I have a chance with Chavez to love and be loved and for the baby to have a good life. I don’t want to see Diablo harmed, but he is an outlaw.”
Rosa reached out and patted Crista’s arm. “I had no doubts you would see the wisdom of your decision to marry Chavez. He will give you a good life.”
“My secret—”
“Will never pass my lips,” Rosa said, easing her worry and winced as she rubbed her stomach again. “He woke me in the middle of the night restless and hasn’t stopped since. I think he grows tired of his confinement.”
They continued to talk and laugh, her mother returning and joining them, and Crista began to relax, though it didn’t last. Worry returned as soon as Esteban, her father, and her husband joined them on the terrace.
“Don Navarro will be going away for a few days and Crista will be staying with us until his return,” her father said with a broad smile, showing how pleased he was to have his daughter home if only for a while.
“You must eat before yo
u leave,” Dona Valerianna said, pointing to a chair beside Crista.
“I’m afraid I must leave right away,” Chavez said and held his hand out to his wife.
Crista hurried out of her seat to take hold of his hand, clinging tightly to it, not wanting to let him go.
“Oh goodness!” Rosa said, her hand grabbing her stomach. Her husband was at her side in an instant, his face creased with worry. “I think it’s time.”
Esteban had his wife up in his arms in a flash.
“Follow me,” Valerianna ordered. “The birthing room has been prepared and is ready for Rosa.”
Crista had to smile. She had never seen her brother pale or look so fearful. He had dealt with ruthless outlaws, but it appeared that one small baby would be his undoing.
Her father smiled as well. “I should go see to Esteban.”
Crista looked up at her husband and didn’t try to keep the tears from gathering in her eyes. “You are not gone yet and already my heart hurts.” She poked him in the chest. “I’ll have your word that you will return to me.”
His hand swallowed not only her finger, but her whole hand and he brought it to rest against his chest. “My heart aches leaving you as well, but part of it remains with you—always.” He brought his lips to hers, the kiss soft yet somehow so intimate that it sent a shiver of passion through Crista. “I give you my word, mi amor, I will return home to you. I must return home to you since I find I don’t want to live life without you.”
They kissed, a kiss that spoke of promises and passion they would share, but not just now.
Crista lingered in his arms, her head on his chest, holding tight, fearing the moment she would have to let him go, fearing she might never see him again.
“You will obey me on this, Crista, and stay safe here with your family,” he whispered in her ear.
She shut her eyes a moment before lifting her head and looking at him, knowing who she would see.
Diablo.
Her tears fell then and she kissed his cheek. “You have my heart always.”
They both knew she was bidding Diablo farewell. What she hadn’t known was how painful it would be. How much her heart felt as if it shattered into millions of pieces. With more strength than she thought she had, she lowered her head, stepped out of his arms, and turned away, letting him go.
She wiped at her eyes, not wanting anyone to see that she’d been crying. The best thing she could do was keep herself busy so that she couldn’t think and couldn’t worry. She would, however, pray every minute she could that her husband would return home to her unharmed.
Crista asked one of the servants where the birthing room was and went to see how she could help. She was surprised at what she heard when she entered the room.
“What do you mean the woman who delivers the babies is not here? Where is she? Go get her?” Esteban demanded.
The servant kept her head bowed. “Gloria asked and was granted permission to go to her sister who was due to deliver her baby any day. It will take a day to reach her and a day for her to return.”
“Who gave the order?” Esteban demanded ready to strangle the person.
“I did,” Rosa said. “The baby wasn’t due for two weeks and Gloria’s sister needed her.”
“Madre?” Esteban said, turning pleading eyes on his mother.
“I may have given birth but I never helped in delivering a baby,” Valerianna confessed.
Crista stepped forward, rolling up the sleeves of her blouse. “I can deliver the baby.”
Valerianna stared at her daughter in shock. “How would you know how to deliver a baby?”
“There are many things I learned in Spain that would surprise you, Madre. One day I will tell you.”
“How many babies have you delivered?” Esteban asked his face taut with worry.
Crista tilted her head and thought a moment before she responded. “I attended about eight births, helped in nine, and delivered twelve on my own.”
Esteban stared at his sister, his mouth agape, before finally asking, “All went well?”
“All but one,” she said truthfully. “The baby was stillborn.”
Esteban went to his sister and hugged her tight. “You will keep my wife safe.”
“I will,” Crista said, confident she could deliver the baby. “Now go and wait with our father. It might be a while and then again it might not.”
Esteban hesitated, a side glance catching a contorted look of pain on his wife’s face.
“You can’t do anything for her right now. Go and let your wife do what she needs to do,” Crista encouraged.
Esteban went to his wife and kissed her brow. “I won’t be far if you need me.”
Rosa nodded. “I am in good hands.”
Esteban gave his sister’s arm a squeeze, once again reminding her to take care with his wife and child.
Crista glanced at her mother who seemed not to know what to do. At that moment, she was grateful that Lucia and Ricardo had raised her and taught her things she would have never learned being the daughter of a powerful rancher. Strange how life worked the way it did. She had been blessed with two loving families and she was forever grateful.
“Madre, you can go with the men if you’d prefer,” Crista said.
Valerianna shook herself. “Absolutely not, I want to help deliver my first grandchild. Tell me what you need me to do.”
“We did it,” Valerianna smiled, strands of her dark hair falling in her face and her cheeks flushed red.
“We did. All of us together,” Rosa agreed, cradling her newborn son in her arms. “And it went so much easier than I expected.”
“It isn’t always that way, which I’m sure Crista can attest to having delivered so many babies,” Valerianna said, looking with pride at her daughter.
“I hope it’s that easy for me when my time comes,” Crista said.
Her mother turned wide eyes on her. “Is it possible you’re with child?”
Crista took the opportunity to at least put the thought in her mother’s mind. “I am late, but only by a day.”
Valerianna crossed her arms over her chest. “It would be wonderful if you were. Your children would grow up together like sisters and brothers.”
“I’d like that, so I will pray that it is so,” Rosa said with a knowing smile.
“I am so happy,” Valerianna said through tears. “My family is finally united and it is growing. We are blessed.”
“I better go relieve Esteban of his misery and let him know his wife is well and bring him to meet his son,” Crista said.
“I can’t wait for Esteban to meet him,” Rosa said beaming with joy.
“Then I better hurry.” Crista rushed out of the room and found Esteban with their father on the terrace. He rushed at her and she hurried her words out when she saw the worry heavy on his face. “You have a son and your wife does well.”
Esteban stood frozen for a moment, then as if the news finally struck him, he reached out, grabbed his sister, hugged her tight, then fled the room.
Her father laughed. “I know how he’s feeling. All went well then?”
“Easier than expected, thank goodness,” Crista said, her shoulders slumping as if the weight of it all finally fell away.
Her father slipped his arm around her. “You should rest. No one may have noticed, but I see that you limp slightly. Your leg pains you?”
“Only a little and a good night’s sleep will see it healed,” she assured him. “But you mustn’t linger with me. Go and meet your first grandchild.”
“Between you and Esteban, I believe your mother and I will have a slew of grandchildren and I couldn’t be happier. It is time this home is filled with children’s laughter.”
Crista went with her father and watched as everyone fussed over the newborn baby.
“Have you thought of a name yet?” Valerianna asked.
“Enrico Alejandro,” Rosa said proudly.
“My father’s and my name,” Alejandro s
aid and nodded, tears in his eyes. “Good strong names to carry on.”
They talked and admired the baby, then Crista ordered everyone except her brother to leave so Rosa could rest, having seen fatigue creep up on her.
“You look exhausted, Crista,” her mother said after they left the room. “Why don’t you go to your room and rest. I’ll have supper sent up to you.”
Her father encouraged her as well. “Your mother’s right. Go rest. You need it.”
Crista understood he was referring to her leg and while it ached some, it didn’t pain her greatly. Resting it this morning had helped, being on her leg these last few hours hadn’t helped. She did need to get off it. A good night’s sleep would probably clear away the last of the ache.
Her mother and father both hugged her and she went to her room feeling like she was truly home. It was the feeling she’d experienced when with Ricardo and Lucia and it helped a little with the ache of missing Chavez.
The knock on the door came late, just as she was dozing off, and Esteban entered before she could acknowledge his rap on the door.
“Father told me you were limping. I wanted to make sure you were all right,” Esteban said, sitting on the edge of the bed beside her.
“It’s feeling much better now that I’ve stayed off it,” she said, seeing worry for her in his eyes. “It had nothing to do with being on my feet while delivering your son. Chavez warned me to stay off the ladders in the orange grove.”
“And you didn’t listen.”
“The plump, sweet oranges are closer to the top where they get the most sun,” Crista explained as if her brother simply didn’t understand.
Esteban shook his head, not bothering to argue with her. “You told him what happened to your leg?”
“I did and he was upset that I went through such a horrendous ordeal, though very understanding, and warns me when I do too much. He is a good husband.”
“You are an exceptional sister, little one.”
“I’m not little anymore,” she said.
Diablo's Angel (Ranchero Trilogy Book 3) Page 26