Believe it or not, but when I started this story the main part of this chapter was supposed to be chapter 3 or 4. It has become chapter 16 instead. I am doing something wrong. ;)

Then, it is honest to be said in the beginning I just wanted a simple funny story, about the episode in the mill. Diego and Victoria having to face some small bumps in the road (see next 4?chapters). Get them married as soon as possible and done.

That was until I discovered as Victoria and Diego were talking both needed some time, and so I started to entwine more episodes from the series in my story. The only reason why Diego needed more time was because I wanted Don Alejandro to swing at the chandelier and dress up as Zorro. :)
Looking back on it, I think it has been for the better. Giving them a more equally based relationship. Diego now knows, Victoria really does love him. But she will not approve with everything he does.
Next chapters will have not much to do with the series. And all come out of my mind. After that jumping to the last four episodes with I have altered.

.

Chapter 16

Diego took the long way home. Enjoying the happy feeling he had a little longer. Not have to worry yet about how to tell his father, he was engaged now and his son being Zorro. It was hard to predict how his father was going to response, to both confesses.
He smiled, Victoria would be standing beside him and his father would approve of his choice once he found out it was a marriage out of love. So better first tell he was Zorro.

When he returned to the hacienda handing Esperanza over to the care of Manuel. Entering the hacienda by the backdoor. Seeing his father in the corridor being followed by Felipe, both looked relieved to see him.

"Diego! Glad to see you. There has been burglars in the hacienda."

Burglars, Diego's brain starting to work full speed. "Is anyone hurt? Has someone seen anything?"

"I have not yet been able to ask. Running into you first on my way to the kitchen." catching up with his son. Placing a hand on his shoulder guiding Diego in the direction of the kitchen. Who was looking over his shoulder to Felipe, trying to see or the boy wanted to tell him something. This was not the case." Only one thing is missing. Look, at what I found in the garden." On his fathers hand was the small box Diego had been carrying in his pocket for the last month.

"Your mothers ring! Of all the things they could have taken, they only took her ring! I can't understand why. It was in the vault and the money in it and the other jewellery were in it too."
Diego stopped, he had to tell his father the ring wasn't stolen.

Suddenly his father sounding suspicious. "Or do you know anything about it? The ring was intent to be the engagement ring for your bride."

Victoria had the ring, he better tell his father. The old man wouldn't rest until he knew the truth. And what was one less day?

"I do, I am engaged since this afternoon. I it was me who took it from the vault."

Before Diego could go on his father raised in anger. "You are engaged! And to whom don't mind me asking? Don't you think I should have, at least know you started courting someone? I am still your father in case you have forgotten. Did you meet her in Santa Barbara? I demand an explanation, Diego, now!"

Having said all this the man was out of breath. Don Alejandro was angry his son had not trusted him. And he had hoped Diego and Victoria coming closer together had a chance.

"Sorry father you're right. But let me assure you, the woman I have chosen you can approve of, and I intend to do what you have asked me to do for so many times.
Get married as soon as possible and give you your long wished grandchildren and an heir."

Don Alejandro had regained his breath his anger had not become less.

"Married! " He yelled. "You mean to tell me there is even one woman willing to marry you, a boneless man and accept him as her husband! So, what reason does she have except for your money and title!
I will never give my consent for that kind of marriage, grandchildren or not! You hear me!"

Then he silenced like he suddenly could think of only one reason his son was in a hurry to get married. "You haven't been dishonouring a woman I trust?"

"Father!" Diego had a hard time, his father really believe he could do something like that?

"No father I have not. But I am going to marry. I love her and she loves me. She is coming to dinner tomorrow. Now as you excuse me I need to speak to Inez in the kitchen. To tell her we're going to have a guest."

Ignoring his father, Diego walked away signing Felipe to follow him hearing his father start to yell again. "Tomorrow! You can not court a woman only three weeks and introduce me to her after you have got engaged! I do not want her in my house, you hear! And you will not have my consent!"

As fast as possible Diego told Felipe about him and Victoria were engaged now. Felipe signed that he was pleased. He had been worried the last couple of weeks, and now he congratulated Diego

"Thank you amigo"

By then his father caught up on them. "Tell me, who is this woman? I demand to know her name! Do I know her?"

Turning to his father. "Don't you think you had to ask me this first? Before starting to make false assumptions?"

His father was counting till ten. Diego could tell. The old don calming down a little.

Diego went. "But now you ask. Yes you do." He made a decision if he wanted his plan to work he needed his father. And all this behaviour couldn't good for the old don's heart.

"Come father I need you to show something" Diego walked over to the library being followed by his father.
Standing next to the fireplace, Diego pulled the lever when his father entered the library, revealing the entrance of the cave.

"A secret door" he heard his father say. "Well I never knew..."

Diego entered the cave, his father following him down the stairs. Seeing the laboratory, Toronado and the rack with Zorro's swords and clothes. "I'll be dammed. Diego, what is this?"

"This... father, is Zorro's cave... It is my cave."

" You ...you ...have been helping Zorro?" his father stuttered surprised, trying to come up with a believable reason what Diego was doing in Zorro's cave.

"Not exactly, you see… I am Zorro."

"You are Zorro? Don't be ridiculous! Have you bumped your head or something? You can't be Zorro. You lack the skills, and you always avoid danger…"

Diego was silent. Hoped his father could let it sink in. Slowly his father started to understand what Diego had been saying.

"How can you be Zorro?"

Diego pulled a mask from the clothing rack and tied it around his head. His fathers eye getting bigger than saucers.

"You are…?"

"Zorro? I assure you I am. "

"But... who taught you to fight like that? You can barely hold a sword." Alejandro still stuttering "and the tracking and all those fighting skills and… and."

Finally, the don accepted with his brains what his eyes were trying to tell. "Unless..." coming to a conclusion "that it was all just an act, so people wouldn't find out." Alejandro concluded. "But how did you find this cave?"

Diego explaining, "This place was build by your grandfather in case of an Indian attack. It is an old escape route. I read about it in one of his journals. You know there is a lot…."

Alejandro still amazed "You can learn by reading a book" his father finished one of his son much used sentences.

At that moment the don remembered what it had been this all started with. "But I still don't understand what this all has to you with you getting married? And why are you telling me now?"

"Victoria" Diego explained "She found out I am Zorro some weeks ago. And we love each other, and we want to marry."

" But... but Zorro broke up with Victoria? He wrote to her, he met a different woman?"

"That was all just an act to fool the alcalde. Zorro and she broke up, so Diego, and she can get married."

His father then grab Diego by his shoulders. "If that is the case, let me congratulate you. I could not have asked for a better daughter than Victoria. I always hoped the two of you would end up together. That was till Zorro swung her of her feet. You have my consent to marry her over... eight months."

Diego looked shocked. "Eight months!? No way, we planned to get married this month".

"No son, eight months not a day sooner."

"Why wait? We have waited for too long already."

"Yes, but that was your own fault, not mine. We don't want people to know you are Zorro or worse if Victoria gets pregnant soon after marriage, people might think she married you because she is carrying Zorro's child.
So, eight months of waiting will prevent such gossip"

"I do not care what people think. Besides, she and Zorro broke up over two months ago."

"Yes, and you better be grateful for that, or I had insisted on waiting a year."

Unbelievable, his father could not think he was going to wait almost a year before he married her.

"Father, I think I have come up with a convincing plan. One that should make it believable for everyone, Victoria and Diego to wed soon. Within the week after we start working it out.
And as for your other concern. I promise you, there is no way possible Victoria is pregnant at this moment from Zorro or Diego's child.
Besides, most women don't get pregnant right after marriage, and we will try to be careful the first month after our marriage."

Alejandro's breath out some air. "I have also been, just married once son." His wish for Diego to become happy and him meeting his grandchildren weighted heavy "All right, three months before you can marry. And three months I want you to be careful."

"One month for both, and only as Victoria agrees to it. That is my final offer, or I marry her without your consent."

Alejandro thought about it for some time. "All right then, but only because the two of you already broke up. And the first time Zorro rides he is going to wish Victoria all the best in marriage."

Diego relieved he had won this battle agreed happily.

Don Alejandro started to walk around the cave. "Now, show me this cave and tell me all about Zorro. By the way, this looks exactly like in my dream. Remember I told you about it. Even all the instruments and that kite on the wall…" pointing at the mentioned item. "In my dream the entrance to this cave… it was also in the fireplace..."
Facing his son again.
"Diego, my dream… it was a dream, wasn't it?"

Diego placing his hand on his fathers shoulder, walking over to the desk, to gently push his father in the mahogany chair. "Well father, I think you might better sit down."

.

The next day after a delicious dinner and the house staff was getting the rest of the day off, Alejandro, Felipe sat in the chairs in the library. Diego and Victoria together on the sofa. All having a glass of fine wine in their hands even Diego who normally rarely drunk.
Diego had just explained his plan and was excusing himself to Victoria. "If you have a better idea I love to hear it. But I can not think if one."

Victoria shocked her head "I can not. And I want to marry you as soon as possible. As this is what it takes, then this is what we shall do." she stated.

Don Alejandro smiled at her. "It is nice finally seeing that ring on a woman's finger again. It has been Felicia's engagement ring also."

By request of him, Victoria had placed the ring around her finger before they sat down.
"If you want, there is a matching pair of earrings and bracelets to go with it." Alejandro suddenly seemed having trouble controlling his emotions as his voice started to shake. "The earrings, I gave to Felicia the day Diego was born.
The bracelets... she has never worn, because... the day I wanted to give her that was also the day..."

Victoria got up, placed her hand on the hand of the old Don. He was almost never mentioning his wife dying in childbirth all those years ago. "Thank you, Don Alejandro, if you permit me, I will wear them with pride on special gatherings"

The old don sounding a bit sentimental. "That will be nice." Using his other hand to tap hers.

"Now Diego, you stay here or go wherever you want to go. For I need to speak to Victoria."

"About what may I ask" Diego felt the need to protect Victoria against his father.

"No you may not, just stay here and leave us alone."
"Father please" Diego fearing his father may do something he wasn't going to like.

Victoria herself looking a little scared for what the Old Don wanted from her.

"Stay Diego, I want to talk with my daughter and future daughter-in-law."
Just a little reassured by those words, Diego saw his father guiding Victoria out of the library.
"Victoria, will you please join me."

"Eh Don Alejandro" Victoria began sounding nervous.

As soon as they were out of hearing distance the old don smiled." First things first from now on, I will only listen to you if you call me father or Alejandro, no more Don for you are going to be family now."
He gently squeezed the hand. "You have always been like a daughter to me, and I can not tell you how pleased I am, it is going to be official soon. Come I have something I wish to show you."

Victoria followed him to his private chambers entering a modest salon. "Sit, my dear, sit. "
Alejandro pointed at the one of the two comforting looking chairs. Taking a seat in the opposite chair to which he was pointing.
"Now, don't feel offended. But what are you planning to wear on your wedding day?"

Victoria surprised by this question answered "I have not really thought about that. My Sunday dress I think.
Time is too short to get something else"

Alejandro nodding "I thought so. That stupid son of mine, does not think when it comes to his love for you.
May I offer you another dress? It is old and a little out of fashion I fear, but I always believed it to be a beautiful dress.
It was worn by Felicia on our wedding day and after her death... I just didn't know what to do with it, so I just kept it"
From his mouth was as soft sigh "I will be honoured if you would consider wearing it. May I show it to you?"

Victoria nodded as Alejandro stood up, walked out of the salon and returned shortly after with the most beautiful dress Victoria had ever seen. It was made from silk in a soft lilac colour.
The upper body and sleeves were decorated with very fine silver tread embroidery in the shape of roses.
The neckline was indeed a little higher, than fashionable nowadays but all of that was made up by the wide skirt with the top layer was made of fine gauze.

Diego's father could not really mean what he was saying?
"Don Alejandro, it is the most beautiful gown I have ever seen. You can't want me to wear this?"

She looked amazed at the old man who was just standing there with a large smile on his face.
"There you are 2 times wrong, my dear. You are to call me, father now. And there is nothing that would please me more, than you do me this honour. You like to try it on? It may need some alternations, but I hope that you and Inez can manage that in three weeks time"

This time Victoria could only nod. Taking over the dress from the old don. Who let her in his dressing room. And 20 minutes later Victoria was looking to herself in a mirror, hardly being able to recognize herself. Alejandro stood beside her looking at her with a strange voice fighting against tears he said.
"I was right, you look as beautiful as Felicia did in that dress" The dress was a little to long for her, but it seemed it needed only some small adjustments.
"If you want, the dress it is yours. Change it however you seem fit, for it not like it is going to be worn by any other woman than you my dear"

"Thank you, Don Alejandro" Victoria also having tears in her eyes.

Alejandro shaking his head. "For the last time, I will only be listening to you if you refer to me as father or Alejandro.
"Now, let me help you out of this dress and I go see where that fiancé of yours went to, and then I see to get you home.
I will do that myself, so we can take the dress with us to the tavern. Diego doesn't have to know about this. For he still deserves a bit of punishment for lying to us. so many years."

Now Victoria chuckled, "I was planning on spending the first six years of our marriage on that."

Alejandro chuckling back at her. "Well, that is your punishment. He also needs to withstand mine."

Shortly after they found Diego in the library playing some chess with Felipe. As soon as they walked in he stood up looking concerned at Victoria and suspicious at his father.
"All is well?" he asked.

The old Don replied "what do you think I did to her? Can't a father have a conversation with his daughter before her wedding? You may have had your secrets, we have ours and that's all you need to know.
Come Victoria, it is late, let me bring you back to the tavern."

Diego pleaded "please let me take her home"
"No son, it is a father's job to make sure his daughter gets home safe, so I will take Victoria.
And you go to your bed, for you have a long ride ahead of yourself in the morning all the way to San Diego and need to get up early."

Diego not understanding his father. "San Diego? What do I have to do there"

"You, my dear son have a wedding ring to purchase and if you are smart you also visited the notary, doing two jobs on the same day"

"Why do you want me to go to the notary?"

"To find out, and I hope you agree with me. How to keep the tavern on Victoria's name once the two of you are married.
This is the New World. And you should inform for the possibility for Victoria to keep full ownership of her inheriting."

"Father, I don't think Victoria likes being talked over as if she isn't here. And do you mind me and Victoria discussing this on our own? And when I sign the papers doing that it has to be after our marriage anyway. I already looked into it. And indeed it is Victoria's decision to make and not ours."

Diego had been looking at Victoria, and could tell the last word about this wasn't said. For now, she had only been looking angered at him and his father. Her eyes getting a little milder when he had finished.

.
On his way back to the hacienda, Alejandro couldn't contain the happiness showing on his face. His son finally engaged, and indeed to the most suitable woman in all of California.
If only my beloved was here with me to enjoy it. But I know, she is smiling down on us from Heaven.
Knowing his scamp of a son and his plans, Alejandro knew he was going to be quite an eventful month ahead of himself.

.

.