Chapter 9

Victoria and Diego were married for more than two months now, but Alejandro had the impression that something was amiss. Both didn't appear as happy as they should be for newlyweds.

Victoria was working in the tavern, and Diego was concentrating more on his newspaper, driving with her to the pueblo every morning and taking her home in the evening. It appeared as if nothing had changed after their wedding, except for one thing - Zorro.

Zorro hadn't appeared at the wedding as the Alcalde and many others had hoped, and he hadn't been seen since. Victoria felt the changed attitude of the pueblo in the tavern as she served the tables as usual. The guests were less friendly to her when she served them, and she had to endure a few hateful looks from peasants in the market who were suffering under a new tax. Zorro hadn't made the Alcalde rescind it as he did before, and Diego hadn't found a way yet to evade it as he had the last times.

They blamed her for the disappearance of Zorro, and Victoria knew that they were right. It was market day and she did her shopping as usual, pretending everything was alright, but instead of returning to the tavern with her basket, she walked over to newspaper office.

"Victoria, I'm sorry I must have forgotten the time," Diego apologized. "I was wracking my brain for a solution to keep the farmers from paying the new sales tax, but there's not much we can do. Unless de Soto rescinds the tax himself or gets the an order from the governor telling him that's illegal, the farmers will have to pay. We can only ban de Soto from the tavern until then and have him eat the garrison food."

"Ban de Soto from the tavern?" Victoria asked. "I think that's a good idea. I never thought of that before. I always needed every customer in my tavern and couldn't afford to annoy my guests."

"But as my wife you don't depend on the money any longer," Diego smiled. "Are you already finished with your visit to the market? I wanted to join you and help you with the basket while shopping."

"It's alright, Diego. I started earlier, but I will wait for you next time," she assured him. In Diego's company the people were always nice, and he hadn't realized yet what was going on. She feared that he wouldn't be able to keep his promise to stop riding as Zorro much longer if he didn't find a way to help the people. Now that he had his magnificent horse at his disposal again, the temptation to ride as Zorro was greater than before.

"Is something wrong, Victoria?" Diego saw her unhappy face.

"No, I'm fine. It's only that I prefer your company," she faked a smile.

"You miss me that much?" he teased her. "Let me try to make you happy again." He drew her into his arms for a long and tender kiss.

"Better?" he smiled. "Come, I'll help you with your basket. Just give me a minute to lock everything." It took him a few minutes to close the windows and arrange everything in an orderly fashion. The office was an image of his personality where everything was in its place, and he was in control. The pencils were lined up vertically, and the papers were neatly stacked. After Diego had arranged everything to his satisfaction, he picked up her shopping basket and locked the door behind them.

"The basket is less heavy than usual," he stated. "It looks like you have forgotten half of your shopping."

"Maybe I was only waiting for you to carry it," she teased him.

"Well, I'm here now. You can finish your shopping."

In Diego's company she got the rest of the groceries, and the market-women were smiling at them, eager to please the young don who had helped them before.

Back at the tavern Diego carried the basket into the kitchen and stored a few items in the cool cellar, bringing up a few bottles of wine. From the kitchen Diego could hear Victoria cry out in the main room, and he rushed inside. The tavern was empty except for one unshaven, rough looking vaquero sitting at the table across the bar.

"Let me go!" Victoria tried to free herself from the grip of the vaquero to whom she had just served some wine. The man had put his large hand around both of her wrists and was drawing her down to him.

"Only if you grant me a kiss, señorita," the man leered at her.

"Nobody touches my wife!" Striding quickly to the table, Diego forcefully freed Victoria's wrists from the vaquero's grip.

"Your wife?" The vaquero eyed him mockingly. "If she were your wife she wouldn't be working here."

"She is my wife, and you will apologize to her," Diego retorted angrily.

"And if I don't?" the vaquero challenged him.

"Then I will make you!" Before the man had the time to figure out what Diego meant, he found his arm in an iron grip turned on his back. Diego was twisting the arm, and the pain made the vaquero sink to the floor.

"Apologize!" Diego demanded adding more force to his grip.

"I'm sorry, Señora," the vaquero said on his knees. Satisfied, Diego released him, shoving him to the side. "I suggest you leave until you have learned better manners," Diego said threateningly, and the man bolted out of the door, not bothering to pay for his drink.

"Are you all right, Victoria?" Diego said anxiously.

She nodded, rubbing her hurting wrists. "I'm fine, Diego," she assured him, taking a step toward him. Diego caught her in his arms as she fainted. Swooping her up in his arms he carried her to the quiet of the kitchen, lowering her onto a chair.

"What happened?" Victoria blinked at him as he knelt in front of her chair. "What is so cold?" She felt something cool on her arms.

"You fainted," Diego explained. "I brought you to the kitchen and wrapped cool cloths around your wrists. I don't think there will be any marks left from the man's grip."

"Thank you, Diego, but I'm alright. I need to get working again." She wanted to get up, but Diego stopped her.

"No, I don't want you to work now. I will take you home, and you can relax a bit after we have lunch."

"That's not necessary. I'm feeling great, Diego. See!" To prove her point she kissed him passionately. When Diego responded by drawing her closer, she burst into tears.

"Shhhhh, Querida, you had a shock," he stroked her back comfortingly.

"I don't know why I'm crying, Diego. I should be used to it, shouldn't I? It's something that happens when you're working in a tavern, and it never bothered me before."

"Just because you work in a tavern doesn't mean you should take harassment from anyone," he said determinedly.

Suddenly, he looked at her critically as a new thought crossed his mind. "Are you pregnant, Victoria? It might explain why you fainted, and why you are more sensitive." Concerned, Diego looked at her carefully.

"It could be, we tried enough," she smiled dreamily. "I went to Doctor Hernandez earlier this morning, but he said it was too early to say," she said disappointed, "We have to wait a bit more to be sure."

"I would be very happy if you were expecting a child, Victoria," Diego smiled, kissing her tenderly. "I always wanted to have children with you, and I promise I will take good care of you. I'll get the cart ready, and we will talk about it at home, Querida." Assuring himself that she was alright for the moment, he went out to the backyard.

Victoria put the closed sign on and bolted the front door with a sigh. On one hand she was relieved to get home, and on the other hand she didn't want to close the tavern so shortly before lunch time.

If her helper hadn't gone home because of an emergency after Victoria had returned from her shopping, she could have kept the tavern open. She needed to make sure that a replacement was available for her helper in the future.

"There you are, Victoria," Diego crossed the tavern with long quick strides. "I was looking for you in the kitchen. Are you feeling better?"

"Yes, much better, Diego. I think I can continue working," she tried to persuade him.

"You need a break and rest," he said determined. "And we need to talk." With an arm around her shoulder, he led her to the backyard and helped her onto the cart.

Z Z Z

They drove silently to the hacienda, and Victoria began to get nervous. What did Diego want to talk about? She almost guessed it, but she hoped she was mistaken.

Her fears came true when Diego sat down next to her in the parlor, taking her hand. "I want you to stop working in the tavern, Victoria," Diego said, gently lifting her hand to his lips.

"Why? I know we never talked about it before we got married, but I like my work there. I want to be around people and not just stay here at the hacienda. I like to have something to do."

"There is enough to do at the hacienda, supervising the household. Maria, the cook, is doing a lot of the work my mother used to do, but it's not really her place, and she can't make all the decisions. I would like you to take over that part. Maria has told me more than once that she prefers to concentrate on the cooking and leave the managing to someone else."

"It's not so easy for me to give it up, Diego." Victoria objected.

"Please, Querida, let me explain. I know I am asking a lot of you, but try to understand me. You made me promise not to ride as Zorro anymore, but it was different with Zorro."

"What do you mean? Because I made you give up Zorro I should give up my work?"

"Yes and no." When she wanted to say something, he stopped her with his raised hand. "Let me explain! A few months ago there was that boarder who attacked you and nearly raped you before your other guests saved you."

Victoria paled in remembrance of the incident. "I remember," she whispered in a small voice. The memory still haunted her.

"Ever since that day I have reproached myself that I wasn't there to protect you. I had a bad feeling about the man, but I was too late to prevent the attack."

"Diego, I don't blame you, you can't be everywhere," she assured him, squeezing his hand.

"I tried to spend as much time as I could in the tavern to be there for you – to defend you if you needed me."

"I noticed that," she smiled. "You stayed many hours in that corner pretending to read."

"But now, it's different, Victoria."

"Why is it different? Because we are married? Because I might be pregnant? It's not even confirmed yet."

"No. That's not the reason. Since there is no more Zorro, as I promised, I can no longer protect you as him. We were lucky today. The tavern was empty, and there were no witnesses to my fight with the vaquero.

"It could have been worse. The vaquero could have drawn a sword on me in front of a tavern full of people. As Zorro I could always get my sword, fight for you and slip away again. As Diego, I'm unarmed, and I can't show my fighting skills, either. It's either watch helplessly or reveal myself as Zorro. "

"No, you can't do that," she exclaimed. "If the Alcalde finds out you're Zorro, he will hang you."

"Victoria, I'm having nightmares of something happening to you in the tavern. I have tried my best to keep my fears at bay, because I know how much the work there means to you. But I can't stand it any longer. Not after today.

"The possibility that you might be with child only adds to it, multiplying my concern for you. It's not only you but our unborn child that I have to protect now. And one thing is for sure – I'll never let anyone harm you, no matter what it takes. Please, stop working in the tavern. Do it for me?" Diego pleaded.

Victoria saw the concern in his eyes, and how much it worried him. "I'm sorry, Diego, I never knew how much it bothered you. I didn't realize when I made you promise to give up Zorro that I kept you from defending me, too. I don't know what to say, but if it means so much to you I will stay at the hacienda."

"Thank you, Victoria." Diego smiled at her, greatly relieved. "I know this isn't easy for you." Taking her in his arms, he kissed her tenderly.

Victoria put her head on his shoulder, crying silently. "It hurts," she whispered. "I feel empty without it. Except for you and Zorro, the tavern was the focus of my life in the last years. And now I don't know what to do."

"I know how that feels, Victoria. I miss riding as Zorro, the excitement, the danger, the satisfaction of helping people, and of course, being the acclaimed hero," Diego admitted.

"I'm only just now beginning to understand what you gave up for me, Diego," she whispered.

"It wasn't easy, but you're the most import person in my life, and I don't want to live without you, Querida." He kissed her again, tenderly.

"I love you, Diego," she whispered. "And I need you so much. Hold me, please. Hold me for a long time! You said something about resting earlier," she grinned at his surprised look, "care to join me until lunch?"

"You don't need to ask twice." Diego picked her up and carried her to their room, firmly locking the door.

Z Z Z

A few days later Alejandro encountered Victoria wandering aimlessly around the hacienda's garden.

"Ah, Victoria. Are you enjoying the nice weather?"

"Yes, I was admiring the roses in the garden," Victoria smiled a bit. "They are lovely. I always wanted to have roses, but I never had time for a garden in the tavern's backyard. The little space I had was needed for herbs for the kitchen and other vegetables."

"My late wife spent a lot of time in the garden. She liked to take care of the flowers, especially the roses. I'm happy that there is finally a woman in the house again who will take care of all these little things that were neglected since her death."

"Yes, I will try to do that. Now that I'm no longer working in the tavern I'll have time for it." She tried to sound happy about it.

"Are you missing your work in the tavern, Victoria?" Alejandro caught the longing in her voice.

"I will have to get used to staying at the hacienda instead of working in the tavern. It's so quiet and peaceful here." Victoria shrugged it off.

"Can I ask you a question, Victoria? Why did you give up your work if you miss it so much? I always thought you wanted to keep working until you had children? Was it Diego's idea? Did he demand that you to give it up?"

"It's true that Diego asked me to give up my work in the tavern, but he had his reasons," Victoria admitted.

"What reasons? He never objected about you working in the tavern. Why is it different now? Diego never cared for class or status before. Why did he ask you to give up something that is so important to you? It's not that I don't like you being here at the hacienda but I want you to be happy. And at the moment neither you nor Diego appear very happy to me. What is wrong,Victoria? I want to help!"

"You're right that I'm not very happy about it, and that I miss my work, but I understand why Diego no longer wants me to work in the tavern. I accept his wish. We both have to sacrifice something dear to us for this marriage, and it's not easy for either of us, but we will work it out. There is nothing you can do about it. Diego and I have to get used to the new situation, that's all. But thank you for your offer, Father."

"I'm there for you, if you want to talk, Victoria," Alejandro assured her. "I'm sure there is enough to do at the hacienda to keep you occupied. It will change too once you have children. Diego has started to work more at the hacienda as well. He loves to have you around."

He was about to leave when a question struck him. "You said you both had to give something up. I understand that you're giving up your work at the tavern. What did Diego give up? His experiments or his late night reading? What can be so important to him that it makes him so - I won't say unhappy – but rather, restless?"

"I'm sorry, Alejandro, but I can't tell you. It's quite personal, and it's not for me to discuss it with you."

"I'm sorry, Victoria, I didn't want to intrude on your privacy," he said embarrassed. "I won't ask again." Did Diego have a secret love affair? No, it couldn't be, as much as he was in love with Victoria. But what was it, he wondered.

Victoria noticed that Alejandro was still pondering about it when he left her.