Diego rode into town the next day, around his normal time. Today he was not in a hurry to face his 'lessons' with Victoria, his heart and head struggling with the concept entirely. He should firmly cancel his classes, but his heart hurt just thinking about it. He was too invested in them.

A strange thought drifted through his mind. She had arranged with Diego to teach him courtship classes, but she had neglected to inform Zorro. That was an interesting slip, but he had abruptly left her, perhaps before she would have told him. Strange that part of him felt a twinge of jealousy, just a tug in the back of his head. She had promised to marry the masked man, and she was seeing another man in 'courtship lessons' which with any other man could lead to complications, social scandal at the very least.

Esperanza entered town at her usual lazy trot, and Diego shook his head, not remembering half the journey. He patted the mare affectionately, grateful she was well trained and in routine. She snorted at him softly and nuzzled his hand for a non-existent sugar cube. She pawed the ground impatient with his neglect, as he entered the tavern.

Victoria was busy, serving many new faces, travellers mostly. Diego glanced around at unfamiliar faces with a mixture of curiosity and concern. New faces could mean trouble. MacKay and his workers would be working for at least another week, as the local caballeros didn't pay more often than that, and most paid fortnightly. They would be very busy, Diego thought with satisfaction.

A few friends of his father raised their hands in greeting before continuing discussions at their tables. He was glad that they were preoccupied with their own tasks, some deep in conversation with business partners. Spring was a busy time for everyone.

Victoria was moving efficiently through her tavern, balancing orders elegantly on trays and smiling her usual smile. Nothing had happened to put her mood on edge, Diego noticed with relief. He had started to worry about not patrolling the last few days, but apparently his love was content. He caught her eye and smiled at her, and the way her eyes twinkled when she returned the smile put his heart into a rapid pulse. After it had skipped a beat, as usual.

She placed a glass of lemonade on the table beside his elbow after a few moments. "Siesta," she whispered. "I'll have no time before."

He nodded, before sipping his drink. It felt so clandestine that it made the whole idea twice as exciting. He wondered briefly what 'Zorro' should feel if he found out about their rendezvous but he put it from his mind. He wasn't acting as Zorro now, it wasn't that important.

He sighed softly, and drank his lemonade. Then he got up and left the tavern. Several eyes followed him, and feeling their attention, he realised that the usual clientele were used to him staying for a much longer time. He shivered a little, and quickened his pace towards his newspaper office.

Zzz

After a decidedly unproductive morning, Diego returned to the tavern for lunch. Felipe tagged along at his heels with his usual enthusiasm. Diego felt a little guilty with his plans for his protege, knowing he was happiest by his side during the day. There was no way he could stay with him for the courtship lessons. The brotherly teasing would be too annoying.

"Victoria, some of your albondigas soup, and a plate of tamales for Felipe, please," he said as Victoria hovered nearby. She nodded with her usual smile, her face a little pink from her busy day. "And a few coffees too."

"You're working through siesta, Don Diego?"

"Yes, the newspaper is due out the day after tomorrow, and I have neglected it. I helped my father with the estate yesterday, Don Alwar."

"Hmph," the older man said, less than impressed. He went back to his pile of paperwork with a frown.

Felipe gestured to Diego.

"I don't think that it is very charitable, Felipe," Diego murmured with a small smile. He was thinking the same about Alwar. He was slightly older than Alejandro and made it his business to know everything about everyone. He was a busybody, but it certainly wasn't wise to acknowledge it out loud. Diego was sure that Alwar didn't think much about him, in particular.

Felipe shrugged, and scanned the room with eager eyes. He was always quick to spot strangers in the tavern, but today there was no one different. His enthusiasm dimmed a little.

"Siesta will be in about half an hour. Will you rest in a room here, or make your way back to the hacienda?"

Felipe frowned and gestured.

"You can work through siesta but I am not. I have something I need to do."

Felipe raised his eyebrows, and gestured an obstructed "z".

Diego shook his head. "Not today."

Felipe stared hard at him, and Diego met his stare with a steady one of his own.

"I am entitled to my privacy from time to time, Felipe. This is a private matter."

Felipe frowned and didn't respond for a while.

As Victoria returned with the food and the coffees, the teenager recovered his spirits a little.

Felipe gestured a little hesitantly, and Diego smiled at him.

"I'm glad you are alright with my privacy issues, but I am sure you will understand when you feel the need for privacy."

Felipe shrugged, and began to munch on a tamale, while Diego ate his lunch. Victoria's albondigas soup was the best he'd ever tasted, even the de la Vega kitchen couldn't match it for flavour.

When Diego had finished his lunch, he ordered some more tamales for Felipe. He left the tavern to ensure that Esperanza was settled, determined to rectify the sugar cube issue from the morning.

"Don Diego," a familiar voice called. Diego handed over the sugar cube, and turned. It was Luke, Pablo's second in command at the hacienda. Esperanza crunched the cube and searched Diego's clothes for more, even though as a rule there was only ever one cube on offer.

"Luke, is everything alright at the hacienda?" Diego asked, a little uneasy.

"Of course. I am just picking up some supplies from the blacksmith. We have a blacksmith on staff, and he;ll be reshoeing the horses. They just needed some equipment restocked."

"Oh, that's alright then."

"We are certainly used to drama lately, aren't we?"

"Unfortunately yes," Diego said. "I'd like to practice riding. Would you be able to teach me a few lessons?"

"Sure," Luke said with a grin. They both knew his riding was at expert level, but the townspeople didn't. "Is daybreak tomorrow alright, Patron?"

"Perfect," Diego said, thinking about his newspaper. Most of the stories had been written, but the editorial and a few other issues needed fine tuning. "I'll look forward to it."

"Have a good siesta, Don Diego," Luke said, as he mounted his horse.

"Ride safe, Luke," Diego said, waving. He was starting to like that man.

Zzz

When he went back inside, the tavern was mostly empty, with a few tables slowly packing away their business papers, and the servers wiping down tables and sweeping the floor. Victoria was in the kitchen, Diego realised, as she wasn't in the main room.

He paused in the curtain, and was quickly waved inside the kitchen.

"We don't have all day, Diego."

He smiled. "No we don't, do we? Siesta will be over soon." Too soon in his opinion.