Chapter 23
Victoria touched Diego's shoulder. What he needs now is a friend not my anger or my censure, she thought. The young woman couldn't find it in her heart to be angry with him right now. He is still grieving Sir Edmund's death…that along with his revealing his secret to her made him vulnerable and emotions were high enough as it is…"Luis Ramon will get what is coming to him, Diego…Don Eduardo will make sure of that. Sir Edmund would be proud of the man that you have become," the taverness stated, "you did your best…that is all that anyone could do…"
"My head says that is true but my heart says otherwise," he said sadly, "maybe, I should have encouraged him to leave…he might still be alive if I had…"
"What kind of life would he have had, Diego? Always looking over shoulder…wondering when someone would find him…arrest him or most probably kill him…No one including Zorro could have guessed what the alcalde had in mind that night…You cannot save everyone, Diego…"
"How arrogant of me to think that I could. I am just a man…I need someone to remind of that…you are a wise woman, Victoria Escalante," the caballero kissed her cheek gently, "I treasure your friendship and your wisdom even more than your beauty. You are beautiful on the outside and on the inside. Not one of the caballero's daughters can match that…"
"Words like that can turn a woman's head, Senor de la Vega," she smiled seeing the man behind the mask for the first time, "I don't mind hearing those words from Diego's lips."
The tall caballero moved closer to his lady and gazed steadily into her eyes. "Never doubt my sincerity, Victoria. Whether it was under a mask or not, my feelings for you have always been real. I want to get to know you and I want you to know the man who was underneath the mask. It will take some time if you are willing to give me the chance," Diego tilted Victoria's check and brushed her lips with a gentle kiss, "please…"
"Who are you, Diego de la Vega? Are you Zorro or a mix of Diego and Zorro," she sighed, "I don't know what to expect from you."
"You always said that I was unpredictable when we were growing up…I thought that that was one of the things that you loved most about me…"
"That Diego was always questioning…always learning….always into something…your father had his hands full," she laughed, "I am not sure that I could handle that Diego…"
"I was impetuous but you always knew just what to say…my mother said that I needed a woman who could handle the de la Vega temperament…"
"I would say that we are evenly matched, Diego. It is often said that I need a man who could handle my spirit," she returned, "it would definitely make things very interesting…"
"The question is can you accept the fact that I am who I claim to be," he said as he gathered her into his arms, "and that whatever I did was for love….love of my home….love for my father and most of all…love for you, Victoria."
"How can I say no to you," she sighed, "I am willing to give you the chance but…"
"But what," Diego interrupted.
"I expect you to be honest with me, Diego de la Vega. No evasions…no half-truths but complete honesty."
"I want to share who I am and what I am with you, Victoria. I only kept the secret because it was necessary…I will be honest with you," he smiled, "a relationship cannot thrive without it and I am determined to make it work, if you will give me the chance…"
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Don Alejandro turned the last pages of his book. I wonder how it is going, he thought, The two of them have been out there for some time. The caballero suspected that his son had finally revealed the truth about his identity and he wondered how Victoria had reacted to Diego's confession. They had returned from the garden and there were no broken bones…He suspected that Victoria had accepted the truth even though she probably had difficulty reconciling the different images of the men that she cared for. She could be a handful but she was also a caring, compassionate woman and the fact that Diego's masquerade had not gone on for years and years was a circumstance highly in the young man's favor. The older man looked up as Felipe came into the room… "Are they still out there, son?"
They were still talking when I left, he signed, but there are no broken bones…no yelling or screaming..
"That is good, Felipe. They are both spirited people. Why don't you join me for a game of chess?"
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"Your move, Felipe," Don Alejandro encouraged, "I don't know how you will get out of this one."
Felipe pondered his next move. What would Diego do if he were in this predicament?
"There you are son," Alejandro smiled as his son entered the room, "I hope that things went well tonight."
"They did, father. Victoria and I had a long talk and we have come to an understanding…"
"Evidently….no broken bones or bruises," the older man smirked, "Victoria can be… uh...very spirited and so can you…now that I know the true Diego. I should be grateful that the two of you are still in one piece…"
"Very funny, Father. We are both adults…you make us sound like two willful children…"
"When has a de la Vega man been anything else…she is an exceptional woman, son. You have chosen a woman worthy of our name…"
"Before you start posting the banns…there are still things to be resolved…Victoria is adjusting to the fact that I and Zorro are one and the same…there is still the matter of Luis Ramon."
"Eduardo is a man of his word. He will deal with the alcalde as he sees fit," Don Alejandro affirmed, 'then he will be out of our lives forever.'