Times of despair
Disclaimer: This story was written solely for the enjoyment of other Zorro fans and is not intended to infringe on any copyrights held by Goodman/Rosen Productions, New World Television, Zorro Productions, the estate of Johnston McCulley or anyone else.
Chapter 1
When Diego rode back to the hacienda, he had never felt this miserable. He couldn't think of a time when everything had been so bad.
He remembered how it all had begun. The handsome stranger Hernando Gonzalez had arrived in Los Angeles some months before. He had stayed at the tavern as Victoria's boarding guest, first for a week, then he had extended his stay. As soon as he had arrived, he had started to court Victoria. At first she had rebuffed him, but he had not accepted it. Since he stayed in the tavern, he had always been around. He knew how to make himself useful and Victoria had started to accept his help. His constant presence made it also difficult for Zorro to meet Victoria alone what had put an additional strain on their relation.
It had been some weeks ago. Gonzalez had left town on some errand and had not returned when Zorro slipped into Victoria's kitchen.
"Victoria! I have missed you."
"Zorro, I need to talk to you." Surprised she had turned around and faced him. "There is something I need to tell you."
He had reached for her, but she had kept her distance. "Is something wrong?"
"Wait here, Zorro, I'll be back in a minute."
She had left the kitchen and had returned a few minutes later. She had approached him and had opened her right hand that she had closed before. In her hand had lain his mother's ring that he had given her when he asked to marry him.
"Take it back." She had dropped the ring in his black gloved hand.
Shocked he had looked at her. "Victoria, I don't understand. Why? What happened?"
"I'm tired of waiting. I need a man who is around and who is there for me. Hernando Gonzales is that man. He has asked me to marry him and I said yes."
"Victoria, I love you, please. After all these years you are going to leave me?"
"My decision is final. I think you'd better leave now."
She had turned around and had left him standing in the kitchen. He didn't know how he had gotten home that night. He had ridden across the country until dawn and then he had finally returned home. After he had taken care of Toronado, he had fallen onto his bed, dead tired but still unable to sleep. He had lain awake the whole morning and then sleep had finally overwhelmed him.
The next days had been a nightmare for him. He had told his father that he was sick and had stayed in bed most of the time. He had seen the concern in his fathers eyes who had thought for the first time that his son was sicker than would admit, but he couldn't talk to him. Felipe was the only one whom he had told the truth. Felipe had been shocked, but there had been nothing he could do.