Chapter 12
The next days they settled into a routine with Diego working as a vaquero during the day away from the mission only to return in the evening. After dinner, Victoria went over to his cell where they could spend the evening together, unobserved as they talked about the day and sleeping in each other's arms.
On the first night Diego hadn't answered all her questions while he had cared for her injuries, but now that she knew he was Zorro she got him to open up to her. Victoria asked him about the scars on his back and the others she had noticed on his upper body. Reluctantly at first, Diego told her about his adventures as Zorro. Victoria had heard about most of them, but she hadn't known about the injuries that he had hidden from her and everyone else in the pueblo.
Seeing the scars and hearing the full account of the events, she realized what pain he had gone through as Zorro and how many times he had been close to death. With tears in her eyes she listened as he told her about his whipping by the Indians and the incident with the rattlesnake and she felt even more ashamed about herself mocking him as Diego.
"Sebastián, I didn't know what you went through, and I feel so bad now," she said with tears in her eyes.
"It was part of my disguise, Victoria, that you shouldn't connect me to Zorro. If you were convinced, then the Alcalde would be convinced too. Don't think about it any longer."
"I can't forget that so easily. When I see your scars I realize how close I have been from losing you and I wouldn't have even known that it was you. It scares me to think about it." She stroked across his arm, feeling the scars under her fingers.
"I never wanted you to worry over me, Victoria. That's one reason why I never told you or my father."
"Somehow I can understand that, but it's different now. Don't keep me out of your life any longer. I want to know the real man and not the one you pretended to be. I need to know about your secret life as Zorro to get the whole picture."
"I will tell you what you want to know, Victoria. There will be no more pretending between us," Diego promised. Quite suddenly, he held her very tight and buried his face at her shoulder. "I need that very much," he whispered. "I need to be myself around you and be able to relax without having to pretend to be someone I'm not. I couldn't stand it any longer in the pueblo and that's why I left."
"No more pretending around me, Diego Sebastián Zorro. I love you for who you are no matter how you're disguising yourself," Victoria assured him, wrapping her arms around him.
Z~Z~Z
In the morning two days later when he was about to leave, Diego handed her a red cloth. "I got that for you yesterday, but I forgot to give it to you last night," he apologized.
"A gift for me? Thank you, Sebastián," she smiled, and when she unfolded it she noticed that it was a headscarf, "but why would I need a scarf?" Though Victoria was pleased that he had brought her a gift, she wasn't sure what to do with it.
"I want you to wear a scarf and cover your hair like most of the other women here." Diego explained.
"Why? I like to wear my hair open as it is and I don't like hiding it under a headscarf."
"You have beautiful hair, Victoria. Everyone can see that now after you have had a chance to take care of yourself again. You're the most beautiful woman I've ever met and I don't want the other men to be tempted too much, though I'm willing to fight them all." With open admiration he brushed through her hair with his hands, caressing her gently.
She stared at him with tears in her eyes. "How can you say that when I am covered with bruises all over my face and my body?"
"Because it's the truth. Those bruises are only temporary. You are beautiful, Victoria," he whispered. The tender kiss he gave her made her melt like wax in his arms and yearn for more. "I have to go now. Take care," he cupped her cheek with his hand and tenderly caressed her with his thumb.
After he had left, Victoria stared for a long time at the smooth red cloth in her hands. With a smile she fixed the headscarf over her hair before she went to meet with the other women for the daily work.
Z~Z~Z
When Diego came back in the evening, Victoria saw him smile when he spotted her wearing the scarf, acknowledging her with a slight bow of his head. The moment they were alone in Diego's room, he pulled it off to run his fingers through her hair and kiss her.
Z~Z~Z
If she had been free to leave and not kept as a prisoner, this could have been one of the happiest times in her life when she had finally found the man she loved. There was still the danger of being discovered and she had to bear the disdain of the other women. Every day she wished that it would be over and that Diego could alert the authorities in Monterey to free them all. She wanted nothing more than to go home to Los Angeles with Diego.
