My Cherie Amour

CHAPTER TEN

"I did not think there was an appropriate time to seek out my husband," Maria-Teresa spoke for the group in her soft-spoken manner. One had to literally strain to hear her. "Since you would not come home to Spain, I came here to you."

As if that explained everything. Turning to face her, Diego had to fight to stay on his best behavior. His dear wife had no great desire to see him anymore than he had to see her.

"We are no longer married, my dear. And how is your father?"

She had the grace to blush and looked down at her hands which were firmly clasped together in her lap. He could have sworn her ever-present duena cracked a faint smile. But that would be impossible. The sour faced woman did not laugh or even deign to smile. Surely if she did so, her face would shatter in a thousand little pieces.

"Señor," de Gálvez began only to be cut off by Diego at his most haughty.

"You may call me Señor Duque, Vizconde. Or do you prefer Governor?"

The governor quickly looked to Maria-Teresa, but finding no support there, he quickly switched tactics.

"Excuse me, I meant no disrespect."

Diego inclined his head and waved for the governor to continue.

"I would never dream to interfere with your personal affairs, but on this matter I felt I have no choice but to step in."

"I would tread wearily if I were you," Diego responded softly, lightly caressing the sword at his side.

In any other situation Diego might have been impressed by the man's bravado. At the current time, however, he was in no mood to be charitable. With Cherie and the puppy upstairs, some maniac woman looking to do God knows what to his lover and mother of his unborn child, and now his singular cause of the worse two years of his entire life (no doubt at the behest of the king) sitting in his home, he had enough on his plate. Impatiently he drummed his fingers against the mantle, the only visible sign of emotion he would allow. The governor swallowed harshly and plowed straight ahead.

"Your lovely wife and Madame Bonnet here have brought to my attention you have been living openly with a disreputable woman. While I must admit I have no authority to generally get involved with my subjects personal affairs, Señora Maria-Teresa and Madame Bonnet..."

Before any of them was aware of what happened, the sword that had previously hung on Diego's hip was pressed against the governors Adam's apple. A visible tick showed prominently on Diego's jaw as he had to fight to control the urge to slice the pompous idiot's throat from ear to ear.

"First of all de Gálvez, Maria-Teresa is no wife of mine. Second, you allowed the daughter of the king to be influenced by a woman has just escaped from a mental asylum. And third, you invade my home, insult me and insult my rank," Diego's voice was barely above a whisper, but fury emanated clearly from every word. "Nothing concerning my life is of any consequence to you. Not ever. You may think you have the king's ear, but I can guarantee you by the time the pieces of your body make it back to Spain; he will be cursing your name. I promise you, if you ever place you nose into my business, darken my doorstep, or even think about sullying the princesa's ears with the sound or your voice, I might have to feed to creatures of the swamp with your carcass, then have you family's lands and titles confiscated by the crown and have you sons impressed upon my ship. ¿Entiende?"

To emphasize his point, Diego nicked the governor's throat just enough to cause a small trickle of blood to trickle down his throat. The governor stumbled to his feet and practically ran out of the room with his secretary trying to hide a suspicious wet spot on his breeches, right on his heels.