With a loud bang, Victoria put the jugs on the table: "Here you are, Señores."

In the last two days the woman was very tenses and taciturn. The guests she served the wine were inebriated and though it was before midday, so her anger about these men was a natural thing. But such a gruff behavior was not like Victoria.

"What's the matter with her, Diego? Do you know?" asked Don Alejandro. Both men were sitting at their usual table while eating the excellent dishes from the kitchen.

The young Vega knew why, but he was too cautious to say anything. "I don't know. I'll talk to her, please excuse me for a while"

Quickly, he went to the kitchen. The owner of the tavern had started to clean the dishes. He sensed that she was nervous and strained.

"Victoria, what's bothering you? Can I help you?" he asked innocently.

"No, Diego". She was terse because Zorro hat asked her to do that to everyone.

"But something has to depress you or make you angry. What is it?"

"No, it is nothing. Really."

"Is it something about Zorro?" he went on.

For a short time, she was scared because he was right, but she calmed down again. "Why do you think that?"

"You don't tell what's wrong as if it were a secret. And when it is a secret, it has to be something about Zorro"

She turned away from him and continued to wash to dishes. Although he knew why, he felt rejected and was hurt by her reaction. "Victoria..."

She continued ignoring him.

"Victoria, please listen. We are friends. If you are in trouble, you can tell me."

He sighed because she continued ignoring him. He had an impulse to take her in his arms and to comfort her. It was hard to resist. Why everything always appeared to be so complicated?

"Listen – it doesn't matter what it is. I'm here to help you, I will always be here. I'll support you."

There was only the sound of the rattling crockery.

"Please let me help you. What's wrong with you? I will keep silence if is it necessary, I won't talk about it in the pueblo. I swear it to you. But talk to me – please."

Finally, she stopped ignoring him and turned around. He saw that she was desperate.

"Oh, Diego. I gave my promise to Zorro. And I do not know if I can go through this. And I am such a bad actor."

Diego came close on her, and she leaned towards him, depressed. It took his whole self-control not to cradle her. He only put his hands on her shoulders waiting for to calm down.

Embarrassed, she distanced herself from him. "I think I…"

At this moment Don Alejandro entered the room. "Victoria, I am sorry, but your guests are asking for you," he apologized. He looked at Diego and Victoria thoughtfully, nodded and then he went back to the seating area.

"Will you come for dinner at the hacienda this evening?" Diego asked. "We can talk about everything without interruptions. All right?"

"Si, Diego, thank you". She took a deep breath and sighed silently.

Both left the kitchen – Victoria to serve the guests, - and Diego to return to his father.

"And did you talk? What's bothering her?" Alejandro wanted to know.

"We didn't really talk. She will come this evening and have a dinner with us. I hope I can help her then."

"That sounds good. I'm always happy when she is visiting us" Alejandro smiled.

Diego didn't answer. He just thought that everything appeared to be more difficult than he had expected. He hoped "Diego" could give her the help she needed.

And he was also was afraid. What if she rejected the man behind the mask? What was he to do then?

-zzzzzz-

Diego was in his room when he heard his father's voice: "Diego, Victoria is here."

He threw his book on the bed. He pretended reading it if someone entered his room. And, to be honest, to divert himself. But he couldn't read it. He was not able to concentrate to the book. He hoped he would say the right words to her.

He put on a smile, thinking to himself "Be pleasant but don't show what you're really feeling" before leaving his room to greet their guest.

"Victoria, what a great pleasure to see you. Come, Maria has prepared a dinner. Diego will be coming soon" he heard his Father say. "Ah, there you are, my son. Now we can start, can't we?"

"Of course. Good evening Victoria."

"Good evening Diego. Thank you for the invitation."

The dinner was taken in a pleasant atmosphere. Despite the nice surrounding, it was clearly that the woman was strained and exhausted. She was polite and answered to all questions, but she didn't ask anything and only ate little from the delicious food. And she only took a sip of the glass of wine.

The men noticed without comment. Instead, Alejandro said," You both should take a walk in the garden you won't be disturbed there. You seem to have some worries, Victoria, but I'm sure Diego can help you."

The young Vega looked his Father with surprise. Normally his father paid much heed to decency and proper behavior. Now, he asked his son to go to the garden with Victoria, alone?! This was very unusual for him to say something like that, but then Diego remembered Alejandro had asked him to court her. Maybe because of that his father was less strict on etiquette and wanted to help his son. And, not to forget, his father thought he was a gentleman.

Victoria was a little bit insecure while they were on their way to the garden. This place brought back memories of Zorro. But it wasn't him, only Diego who talked by her side.

Because she was silent he began, "Victoria, you said that Zorro demanded something from you. This seems to be difficult for you. Can I help you?"

"Alas, Diego," she sighed "I don't know if you can help me." And after a pause: "But I'm glad to talk to someone about this at least."

"What did he want?"

She hesitated, took a deep breath and continued: "Well – he wants me to split up with him, in the pueblo, in front of the people. I should say I am tired of waiting." She breathed out. Now she was relieved she had said t.

"You should break up from him?!" Diego seemed to be amazed. "Why?"

"He told me it is too dangerous. And I'll split up with from Zorro, but only from Zorro"

"Sorry, I don't understand?"

"He said it would be more credible if I would be telling this to the public. And…" she stopped.

"Please Victoria. Tell me all about it."

She looked at him with hesitation as she added: "Well, 'Zorro' will try to chance my mind, but finally he will accept my decision and in the end, he won't greet me anymore."

"Well – you both are performing a great drama, and nobody should recognize this. Then he has shown you his face? The face under the mask?"

She shook her head. "No, unfortunately not."

The young man gazed at her with a shocked expression. "That doesn't make sense."

"He promised to take care of me as the man he truly is. As the man without the mask."

Diego smiled at her. "But this is wonderful, isn't it? That's all you ever wanted, isn't it?"

She smiled too, but sadly. "He said I should be patient. Nobody would believe it and it would also be dangerous to break up with Zorro and to get together with another man in shortly after it. Especially, since I was loyal to Zorro for a long time. He thought it should take a few months until he can reveal his true identity."

"Did you want him to show you his face because you are too impatient to wait?!" he asked with a strange voice.

Victoria looked disgusted at her friend. "No. He just said it is too dangerous now. This is not the problem but…"

"What is it?"

"When I have given him up I won't be able to talk to him, it I'm not allowed to do this. That really hurts me. And this situation will last for a several months. What if he will forget me?" she answered anxiously.

"Listen. You are trusting him, aren't you?"

"Yes, Diego. I love him, and I trust him but..."

"You should really trust him. And accept the times it takes." He answered with a surprisingly steady voice. "You both have waited a long time, so it doesn't matter when it takes some more months. But this isn't the only problem, isn't it? You said you are a bad actor. Is that one reason for your despair?"

She nodded. She was astonished how he read her like an open book.

"Victoria" he approached her again and embraced her shoulders. He looked at her face seriously. "While I was studying in Spain I acted from time to time with other students we rehearsed a play for our teachers." He hesitated before he went on, "I have experience in acting, I know a lot of about this, believe me. We can both practice this."

She laughed without joy. "I know you mean well, but you ARE NOT Zorro. How could I practice this? You can put on a mask, but I won't be able to imagine you as Zorro. Because you ARE NOT Zorro!"

Diego kept silent. His expression was very strange and couldn't be read. At last he answered, „I would like to help you - please allow me to help you. At least let us try it."

She wanted to refuse but something in his voice prevented her from it. Was his voice sad and frustrated? She wasn't sure. That was why she agreed. „All right, Diego. We will try it."

Notice by the author:

Does Don Alejandro know the secret? Sometimes is seems to be. But when he knows, why doesn't he give a hint to Diego about this?

Sometimes authors can be cruel. Diego should help Victoria by playing act to be Zorro because she can prepare herself to the situation refusing Zorro. But if he plays act in a good way, she might recognize the truth. If he acts badly, he can't help her.

You will see this in the next chapters. Maybe it will take a while because I am going to Berlin at the end of October for one week and, so I have less time the next days. But the story will be continued.