Chapter 11

Augusta was exhausted when Alejandro rode her back to the pueblo. Alejandro had not wanted to leave her alone. Her eyes were still red from crying, and she had a headache.
It took her some effort to convince the don to just give her some time on her own now.
Finally, he did what she had asked him. And left her at the plaza. Asking once more, or he needed to escort her into the tavern. She told him not to. Now she was looking at him until he had disappeared in the distance.

Instead of going to her room, Augusta went to the church. She felt empty and was tired, also too restless to sleep.
She had not wanted to happen. Never she had allowed her feelings to get the overhand. And now she had been crying for hours and still tears were burning behind her eyes.
How was it possible, for one person to produce so many tears in just hours?

The church was empty, and she went to the altar, lighting a candle.
She prayed for her son. Who only lived in her heart.
She lighted a second candle. This one was for an orphan boy, she had become to love. She prayed for him that one day, he would find the courage to tell the people who loved him that he wasn't deaf. Also, that on one day he would be able to talk.

Sitting there, with nothing more than her own thoughts.
She had feelings for Alejandro. More than she could ever tell. More than she believed herself capable of. But she could not do it to herself. If she was going to marry Alejandro it could only end in disaster.
She was just too broken to ever become happy again or make someone else happy. No matter how much she loved the man.

Perhaps it had helped to confront Alejandro with how great his son was. Even if Diego hadn't been Zorro, Alejandro should be proud of his son. Alejandro was only to open his eyes to see what was in front of him.
Having a son to be proud of. She had hated to see the disturbed relationship between father and son even if there was a reason for it.

It was already dark outside, when she went back to the tavern. The front door was already closed, so Augusta walked around the building. The back door was still open, and so she entered the kitchen.
She had not realized how hungry she was. Not having anything eaten since breakfast.

Victoria was in the main room cleaning tables and all the helpers had all gone home. Augusta felt she wasn't up to meet Victoria. The woman disliked her and was letting her know she did every single chance she had.

Augusta admired the tavern owner. Victoria had also been fifteen when childhood had ended. She was so much stronger than Augusta had even been. Running the tavern on her own. Turning it into a successful business. Augusta had not fought her father when he had told her to marry a man more than thirty-four years older.

"Buena noches señorita Escalante." She greeted the tavern owner.
Victoria looked up to see who it was.

It was that woman. She had noticed Augusta had not return from her outing with don Alejandro. Not knowing what was going on, she had been mad at the woman all day.
Now she saw how tired and perhaps upset Augusta looked, like she had a pretty hard day.
Feeling smuggled, so the outing had not gone well. Good for her.
"Señora Quinones." Victoria responded coldly.

"I suppose you do not have some left overs for me to eat." Indeed, the woman sounded upset very tired Victoria thought satisfied.
"I have already turned down the fire, so no, I am afraid not Señora"
"Anything will be fine, I do not mind if it is cold. As long as there aren't any chillies in it."
Augusta was just too tired and upset to start an argument with the woman in front of her.

Victoria was biting on her lip. She had been putting extra salt in Diego's food for some days now. Augusta's orders had been getting extra chilli's. The woman never giving a shrinkage and only ordering bread when she saw Victoria was the one doing the cooking.
"So you noticed?"
"It isn't hard to notice when someone is trying to give you food poisoning by putting chilli's in the food señorita."

Feeling a little guilty of what she had done Victoria decided to offer the woman some food.
"I have some left over stew, but it will be cold!"
"Thank you Señorita Escalante. That will be fine"

Victoria went into the kitchen and got a bowl of stew and a spoon. In the meantime Augusta had found a seat to sit.

"Gracias Señorita."
Trying to sound polite Victoria asked. "How was your outing with don Alejandro?"
Augusta really was not in the mood for polite chit-chat with Victoria.

"I actually do not want to talk about it."
Victoria felt she was glowing. So it really had gone bad. Maybe don Alejandro finally saw the woman for what she was and was no longer under her spell.

Having had only six spoonfuls of stew Augusta was not hungry any more. Feeling she was not able to swallow one more bite.
"I am sorry, señorita Escalante, I am full. Gracias for the stew. I' be of to my room."

Satisfied, Victoria believing that don Alejandro was safe for now. She also wanted to make sure Augusta was not going to try to turn her spell on don Diego again.
Augusta was halfway on the stairs when Victoria busted.
"Don Diego will never want you, you know! He has been in love with a woman for years. And doesn't look at other women twice." crossing her arms.

Augusta only sighed thinking, really Victoria? You want to do this to me now? I just want to go to my room. And have this day done with. So she was irritated responding, turning around to face the young woman.

"I know Señorita. Don Diego is in love with you, but you refuse to see him for the man he truly is."

Victoria's mouth fell open.

"Don Diego doesn't love me, where did you get an idea as ridiculous as that!"

"Señorita Victoria, the man worships the ground you walk on, and can not keep his eyes of you. I do not understand why, but the only reason he never looks at any women is because he only has eyes for you."

"You are wrong, don Diego told me himself he is in love with that other woman."

Augusta had seen how Zorro, Diego and Victoria were tight up in a very complicated relationship. And she had been forming her own plans for them. She simply lacked the energy for it now. It had been a very emotional day for her, and she just could not get herself to go down the stairs to have a talk with the hot-tempered tavern owner. So not very friendly she told the woman down the stairs the truth.

"Señorita Escalante, if you want, we can talk about this tomorrow. I am sorry, I really am not up for this tonight.

If you want to know who the woman is don Diego loves more than life itself..., I suggest you look in that mirror behind you!
Good night Señorita Escalante." Not giving Victoria one other look Augusta almost ran up the stairs closing the door behind her.

Amazed Victoria turned to the mirror hanging behind the counter. Like she was suspecting to see someone else in its reflection.

Diego was in love... with her?
What was it Diego had said that day?

"The fact is …uh… She's in love with another man..."
She had answered "perhaps you should tell her one- day."

"Oh… I will some day"

Had Diego been talking about her? Why had he never told her?

Because of Zorro. Diego had not told, because the woman he loved was in love with of another man. That man was Zorro.

Victoria needed to sit down. It was like out of nowhere pieces started to fall into the right places. And slowly she started to realize something.

That perhaps the Augusta women had been right...?