The Bandido's wife

Twenty-four - A Victory of Sorts

t had been a strange week for Alise. Diego had decided to punish her, by locking her in her room for the following three days after their confrontation, and in that time, she had been more concerned about Marie, and what would become of her and Carlotta, than her own wellbeing.

When the servant brought her food, they refused to answer her questions, in fear of what Diego might do to them. But on the fourth day, she found the door had been left unlocked after they had brought her breakfast. And then Carlotta had appeared, falling at her mistress's feet crying and begging her to forgive her for letting Diego know she was with child. Alise had assured her she was forgiven, and had understood the young girl's motives, and she was not angry with her.

It was Carlotta who informed her that Marie was still staying in the servant's quarter's, and had not been returned to Pedro. As it turned out, Pedro had decided he did not want her back, declaring he didn't need her and a wailing brat, and had already ensconced another woman in his life, who had been his mistress, when he was with Marie. Since this had occurred, it seemed Diego had lost all interest in Marie's fate as well.

She also discovered that Diego had decided he would sleep into her father's room from now on. This she viewed with a mixture of emotions. She hated the fact that he had taken over her father's bedroom, but at the same time, relieved and a little triumphant, realising it meant he no longer wanted to share a bed with her.

In fact, he seemed to be going out of his way to not be around her or come near her, which also suited her fine.

But then, she also discovered he still had the servants and his men watching her more closely, and she was informed by one of his men that she was not allowed to leave the confines of the ranch, nor was she allowed to ride her horses. She decided it was a small price to pay, and worth it, if it meant he was leaving her alone. Although she had to admit to herself, that she was still a little taken aback that her venting feelings about having his child, should have shocked and disturbed him so, that it had made him take such actions.

Surely, he had not really believed that she had somehow accepted him over the last few months, and would have been be happy with her circumstances, just because she had not been so vocal with her defiance lately?

She had not lied when she had told him, that if he had gone ahead and whipped or beaten her, and she lost the child because of it, she would not feel any regret. Perhaps he was right, in assuming her reckless behaviour in going to rescue Marie, had also been her way of attracting his anger, so she was uncaring if were to punish her in some physical manner, knowing it might end up hurting him more than her if she lost the child.

Although, at the time, her main concern had been about Marie, whatever happened after that, she didn't really care. So, it had not been her first motivation, but if he wanted to believe that, and it meant it kept him away, she was not going to correct his thinking.

It was the first time she had witnessed him act like he cared about anything other than himself.

But then, she supposed he saw this child as a way to cement his new found status of respectability, and claim a bloodline stake on the future of the ranch he had stolen from her father, which made her only resent it more.

She found herself having to recall Padre's Mendez words, to remember whether she like it or not, her blood would also be running through the child, so her father's legacy would live on in some form

After being allowed to leave her room she went to find Marie in the servant's quarters, who looked more than relieved to see her.

"Oh, Senora, I have been so worried about you," she exclaimed as she lay her sleeping son in the nearby make shift crib which originally had been a wooden crate of sorts.

"As I was for you," Alise returned hugging Marie briefly "I am just so glad you are still here, that is the main thing" she then smiled

"I know. I still can't believe it myself, I felt sure Pedro would be here to drag me back, but I think the humiliation of you holding a gun on him, has put him off having any more dealings with me, in case you should return" she mused dryly

"Well then everything worked out for the best, it seems both our husbands have seen fit to abandon us one way or the other, which suits me just fine"! Alise replied

"So, you are indeed with child?" Marie then asked needing to hear the confirmation from Alise's own lips

Alise just nodded, her expression darkening a little again "I wish it was not so, but it seems I have no choice but to have Diego's child" she admitted stiffly "How did you deal with it when you found you were having Pedro's child, you could not have been happy either" she then realised with a small frown

"A woman in my circumstances, I found I had to accept it and try and make the best of it, what else could I do?" Marie replied fatalistically.

I have been fighting against Diego every day since he forced me to marry him, I find it harder to accept my condition with any peace of mind" Alise admitted.

"You cannot take your hatred of Diego out on the child" Marie warned her looking a little distressed, "even though Pedro was not a good man, when I look at my son, I don't see the ugliness, just the beauty and the blessings" she turned to smile fondly at her son still asleep across the room

"Padre Mendez told me the same thing" Alise admitted with a sigh, as she rested her hand on her stomach, perhaps I will feel differently when it is born, but right now I am finding it hard"

"Then I am glad I am going to be here with you, to help you" Marie replied

"I am happy too," Alise smiled, reaching out to squeeze Marie's hand, "So, I guess one good thing came out of it" she said, sounding a little more optimistic

*****************************

It was almost a week later, after her release from her bedroom, that Akise first set eyes on Diego since their stormy confrontation. She was leaving the Villa to go pay another visit to Marie, and noticed him standing to a small group of his men a few yards away, it made her stop uncertainly in her tracks as his eyes met hers for a moment, and she wondered if he would come over and say anything to her, and she found her heart was thudding in her ears rather loudly, awaiting some sort of confrontation.

But his expression remained impassive, and he then turned his attention back the men around him, as if her presence was of no importance or concern to him anymore.

Gathering her wits about her again, she hurriedly walked away, realising he seemed intent to go on blanking her. Although she was relieved this was the case, even a little triumphant that she had finally dealt him a stinging blow that made him intent on ignoring her presence, a little part of her was also a little irked by his new dismissive attitude towards her, like she was nothing.

Perhaps, it stung her pride, that he of all people, a nobody, a lowly bandit, thought he could look down on her, and treat her with that sort of contempt, after all that he had put her through. So, was it any wonder it filled her with a certain resentment.

As she walked with a more determined step, she shook of this irritation, reminding herself she had gained more than she hoped for, even if she still had to carry his child  After all she had spoiled his chance to revel in the moment, or see the smug smile on his face if he had found out under other circumstances, and that alone was worth it, thinking on this, brought a small satisfaction to her lips and she felt better again.

**************************************************

A.N.

This chapter is pretty short, as it is just a  kind of transitional part of the story where I wanted to show that the relationship between Diego and Alise is changing after the events and fallout  from the previous one:)