A young Spaniard name Roberto greeted us. Eddie introduced me to him, telling the man I was his girlfriend and bodyguard. Roberto was courteous and charming, chatting amiably with me about Spain. On the ride to the Figaredo Estate in the black Rolls Royce, Roberto pointed things out, telling me some history of the area, more than happy to share his love and knowledge of his country with me.

What amused me was how silent Eddie had grown as he sat, glaring out the window, grunting a response to anything I might ask. He was jealous. Jealous of me talking to Roberto, and vice versa. I leaned against Eddie, tucking my hand between his mid-thighs. He had asked me to be polite to people, and that's exactly what I was doing.

Let it go, Dee. Just let it go, I told myself. You poor man. Don't you know by now how much I love you?

Eddie's body remained stiff with poorly concealed jealousy.

Soon enough, we turned onto a gravel drive lined with poplars. To either side lay a swath of perfectly manicured lawn and garden. Diligent gardeners buzzed about, trimming here, straightening up there, like bees out collecting pollen. Cool fountains bubbled cheerfully throughout the landscape. In front of us, the Figaredo villa, built from red streaked sandstone, reared up.

I took in a sharp breath. "Oh my good, sweet Gorshin! Roberto, this place is beautiful!"

"It is one of the prides of Spain! The Figaredo family has lived here for seven hundred years! Much of the estate is more easily accessible by horseback. Do you ride?"

"Me? Not in years, and never more than just a day trip for trail riding," I replied, trying to take in the beauty of the building.

"If Señor Nigma does not mind, I would be glad to show you around on horseback after lunch."

Señor Nigma gave a dissatisfied grunt, to which I replied with a gentle pinch of his thigh.

"I would love that, Roberto. I'm sure he wouldn't mind in the least, would you, Eddie?" Before he could say no, I said, "Then after lunch, so long as it's ok with Señor Figaredo."

Roberto brought the car to a stop at the front of the house. Servants immediately took our bags and swept into the house with them. After telling us that Señor Figaredo would see us at lunch in a half hour, Roberto excused himself to let his boss know we had arrived safely. A maid led us up the stairs and to our room. Benny and Trigger were placed in a room directly across the hall from Eddie and me.

"Isn't this fabulous, Eddie?" I sighed, swirling around the room with Tangram in my arms before falling onto the bed.

"Shh!" he snapped, walking slowly around the room with a little electronic device he had pulled from one of his bags.

"Shh? Why? What's that?"

He shot me a glare and silently finished his circuit of the room. Once he was finished, he tucked the device back from where he had taken it. "Bug scanner. Miguel may be my friend, but I never let down my guard." Cracking his neck and stretching his back, he added, "Now why don't you go do whatever little girly thing you need to do to freshen up so we can get down to lunch. And then you can go on your horseback ride with Roberto." The man's name came out with a sneer.

Girly... I suppressed the growl that threatened to come out of my throat. "You're jealous, Eddie. Admit it," I said, leaving Tangram to sprawl on the cool bed cover as I stormed over to Eddie.

Eyebrow raised, he looked down at me. "Jealous? Of what? Of whom?"

There was no tie around his neck for me to grab, so I squeezed myself between him and his suitcase, gripping his lapels. "Don't you play games with me Edward Nigma! Look me in the eye and tell me that you're not jealous I accepted Roberto's invitation for a tour!"

Grim faced, he stared at me, his eyes sliding down to my chest as he spoke. "I'm not jealous."

"My eyes are up here." I clicked my tongue at him. "You're terrible at lying to me, Eddie. But you're cute when you're jealous, so I'll let it go this time." I pulled him into a kiss, patting his bottom playfully. "And you know, all the girls in Arkham were chattering about who has the best butt among the men. They all think it's Nightwing. I think it's you."

Snorting and scowling, he looked grumpier than before. Ignoring his gruff mood, I chuckled, hugging him tight, and giving the lock of hair on his forehead a playful tug.

"Let's not start this trip off any more on the wrong foot than it already has, Tiger. I'm just being amiable like you told me to." I leaned up to kiss him again, only to be cut off by a knock at the door, and the maid arriving to direct us back downstairs and to the dining hall.

Taking Tan's leash, I tucked my arm into Eddie's, and let him take me down to lunch. The place was filled far more than I expected. People wandered around, sipping wine as they slowly found their seats.

"Ah, Eduardo! There you are!" boomed a voice.

Eddie's body language changed as he turned to the source of the voice. A man of medium build, dark olive skin, and a thick bushy mustache stood before us. He wore a tailored brown tweed suit, and had a few very expensive looking rings on his fingers. But the man was very pleasant and cheerful looking, with deep creases around his eyes, mouth, and nose from smiling.

"Miguel! It's a pleasure to see you again!" The two shook hands. "May I introduce..."

"One of the most clever thieves in all of Gotham!" the man said with a conspiring wink. "You must be Dee Lemma, the lady who has stolen the heart of Gotham's most puzzling rogue! Señorita Lemma, I am Miguel Figaredo."

I winced at my full name being said, but had to laugh and smile at Miguel's comment. He took my hand, placing a light kiss on the back and smiling slyly at Eddie. Once more Eddie's body language changed and the hand he had placed over mine on his arm pressed more firmly down.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Señor Figaredo," I replied, giving Eddie's arm a reassuring squeeze. "But please, call me Dee, or Query."

"Very well, Dee, then you must call me Miguel." He waved us toward the table. "Please! You must be hungry after such a trip! Javier! Bring the lady some raw meat for her pet, would you?"

A servant gave a quick nod and hurried off.

Miguel sat us next to him for the meal. Eddie and Miguel chatted throughout the meal, leaving me to take in the trappings of the hall, as well as feed Tangram. The meal was nearly finished when Miguel addressed me.

"Please forgive my manners. I have not seen Edward in quite a while, and he always has such wonderful stories to tell of his adventures!"

"Eddie is a great storyteller, Miguel," I beamed with genuine pride. "And please, no worries about me. I've never been to Spain, so the decorations in your house are all new to me. I have enough keeping my eyes occupied, that I would probably make for poor conversation right now."

"Perhaps you would like a tour? Yes! You must have a tour!"

A grunt came from Eddie. Smiling pleasantly, I moved my hand that had been scratching Tangram's ear quite high on Eddie's inner thigh, applying just enough pressure to keep him quiet.

"If it is ok with you, Roberto has offered to give me a tour of your estate."

The smile nearly broke Miguel's face in half. "Bueno! Roberto is the perfect choice! He is the Estate recorder and always has his nose in one of the musty old record books. I should know more of the history of my own estate, but I am more interested in raising my bulls and making wine!" Jovially, he smacked the table as he turned to Eddie. "It is settled then! You will entertain me with more of your stories, while Dee is left in Roberto's more than capable hands!"

After lunch, I went up to the room to change, asking Eddie to take me so I wouldn't get lost. Before I could say a word to him in the privacy of the room, he left once more. Shaking my head, I changed. On the way down, I was lucky to run into the woman who had been assigned to our room as our maid. She more than happily offered to take me to the stable yard where I had agreed to meet Roberto.

"I hope it isn't an imposition if Tangram goes with us?" I asked as Roberto approached us.

Instead of answering immediately, he pulled the maid into his arms and kissed her warmly. Quickly, I turned my head, knowing just what a kiss like the one the maid was receiving could do to a girl.

"Excuse me. I just cannot help but greet my beautiful Maria with a kiss," Roberto explained.

"It's fine, Roberto. I can understand."

The maid blushed and excused herself.

"He shall be no problem, Dee," he said, half here, half watching Maria walk away, coyly looking over her shoulder.

"You serious about her?"

"We're to be married in two weeks!"

I couldn't help it. I started laughing just then.
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