Chapter 7

Diego had persuaded Victoria to delay their return to the pueblo to make sure that the tax collector had already left before they arrived.

It was already close to noon when Diego accompanied Victoria into the alcalde's office where Mendoza was bent over some paperwork, scratching his head constantly as he tried to make sense out of the figures.

"Buenos días, Señora, Don Diego," Mendoza greeted them. Then he remembered what had happened the day before and jumped up from his seat. "Um, Señora, It's good to see you, but I'm sorry that I have to arrest you again. The tax collector has left, but the law is the law. You must understand that."

"There's no need to arrest Victoria," Diego stepped forward. "I've come to solve that issue."

"No need? Why?" Mendoza asked, confused. "Was the tax collector wrong about the laws? Or have you brought me the signature of your husband, Señora?"

"Neither," Diego said. "It's about her marriage to Zorro. The marriage you witnessed isn't valid because Zorro didn't remove his mask during the ceremony."

"But I was sure it was a real marriage," Mendoza said confused, scratching his head.

Diego opened the book that he held in his hand and put it in front of Mendoza. "This is the Church law. It says here that the marriage is invalid." Diego pointed to a certain section of the page.

"It's in Latin, Don Diego," Mendoza said, trying to make sense of the words in front of him. "I can't read that."

"Yes, I'm sorry, Mendoza. I forgot that," Diego apologized.

"I can't read Latin either," Victoria added. "Not everyone is so well-educated as you. Diego."

"Then you must believe me what it says," Diego stated. He read aloud the Latin sentences and Mendoza and Victoria nodded.

"If you say so, Don Diego, then I believe you," Mendoza said. "Then it's Señorita Victoria again, as you aren't married."

"Yes, that's true," Victoria agreed, sounding unhappy.

"I wished it had been a real marriage, Señorita Victoria, after you already waited so long for Zorro," Mendoza said sympathetically.

"I wish so too," Victoria said somberly, "but maybe it's for the best. Zorro could never give me a home and a family."

"If you don't need me anymore," Diego tried to appear cheerful, "I have some work to do." Diego headed for the newspaper to leave his book in the office, before he went over to the church.

"Don Diego, what can I do for you?" Padre Benitez asked him, smiling. "Or did you come just for a talk about birds?"

"I wish it were just about the birds," Diego said, "but I need your help with a serious problem."

"Let's take a walk, my son. It often helps to see the world in a new perspective with the wonders of God's creation around me," the padre suggested, indicating the large garden of the mission. After they had walked a while, the padre prompted him to state his problem.

"It's about Victoria's marriage to Zorro," Diego started slowly.

"You mean your marriage to Victoria Escalante," the padre said calmly. "Don't look so surprised, Diego," the padre gave a small grin. "I figured it out shortly after I arrived at this pueblo, but you can be sure that your secret is safe with me.

"It makes it easier if I don't have to talk in riddles," Diego said, relieved, "but you know that this knowledge may put you in danger."

"I don't think so. I'm a priest and everyone knows that priests won't reveal what they know," the priest assured him. "So what are you going to do about your marriage? I heard that you didn't reveal your face to her during the wedding which puts you both in a difficult situation."

"Yes, I know, but I want to protect her. It was my main goal from the start to protect her and my father. That's why created Zorro at the beginning." It was a relief for Diego to talk openly and unburden his soul as he explained how he was forced to create the double role of Zorro and Diego after his return from Spain. At the end of his tale Diego recounted the events at Devil's fortress that led to the alcalde's death and his hasty wedding to Victoria.

"Do you regret getting married?" the padre asked when he had finished.

"No, I don't, but I don't see any way out of this situation," Diego said desperately. "I worked so hard to discourage any suspicion that I could be Zorro and now everything is falling apart. I want to be married to Victoria, but I don't know how. And today I made it even more complicated. She'll hate me for it."

"What did you do?" the padre asked, alarmed.

"As Diego, I told her that her marriage to Zorro is invalid, because Zorro didn't take off his mask," Diego confessed.

"But you know that it's not true, don't you? Why did you lie about it? Matrimony is a holy sacrament, and it's not something to lie about," the padre lectured him sternly.

In short words Diego explained the problem with the tax collector and that it was either Victoria's imprisonment or his death. "I couldn't let that happen and it was the only solution I could think of. I could convince Mendoza and Victoria because they can't read Latin," Diego explained.

"But you can't fool anyone who reads Latin, Don Diego," the padre warned him.

"Can you help me?" Diego asked desperately. "You're the authority on matters of the church. Everyone will believe you."

"If you're asking me to lie for you, the answer is no. Lying is a sin and I won't even consider it," the padre answered gravely. "And you should stop lying too."

"But what can I do? If Mendoza and Victoria find out that I lied she'll go back to prison. Or maybe it's easier if I just turn myself in. Then it's over for me and Victoria will be free again," Diego said miserably.

"Diego, you must never think that way. You have done so much good for the people here and you have still so much to live for," the padre told him.

"Please, Padre, I don't know what to do. I only want to protect the ones I love."

"I understand how difficult the situation is, and I will help you, but if I do that you must do something too," the padre said.

"I appreciate your help, just tell what you want me to do," Diego agreed.

"If someone asks me about the validity of your marriage, I will not lie, but if no one asks me directly, I won't say that you lied either. I'll say that I have to consult with the church law first which is not a lie and not bending the truth too much," the padre offered.

"Thank you, Padre," Diego said. "That will help a lot."

The padre wasn't finished."Here is what I want you to do. I want you to tell your father and your wife the truth about Zorro and the state of your marriage."

"But Padre, you know why I can't," Diego objected.

"If you want me to help you, you need to stop lying, my son," the padre said relentlessly.

"You leave me no choice," Diego said, subdued.

"Believe me, my son, it's for your own good. You need to stop lying to your family, and you need to stop now. Your wife and your father come to confession once a week, and if your wife asks me directly about her marriage, I will have to tell the truth, so don't wait too long," the padre said.

"It's not what I expected when I came here to ask for your help," Diego said unhappily.

"No, I know, but it's what you have to do," the padre said. "Have faith, my son. If she loves you, she will forgive you."