Chapter 2
"Mendoza!" The shout was loud enough to be heard in the street. "Mendoza!" Sergeant Jaime Mendoza was all too used to the sound. He groaned inwardly and his shoulders fell for a moment before he gathered himself to attention and took off hurriedly to answer the summons.
"Sí, mi alcalde?"
"Mendoza, just what is this? And what is it doing in my desk?" Mendoza could practically see smoke coming from the Alcalde's ears. He reached forward to take the offensive sheet of paper offered to him and looked at it quickly.
"Well, Sir, this is a poem written by Don Diego de la Vega."
Exasperation and anger warred for first place on the Alcalde's countenance. "Poem! Hah! Why, it doesn't even rhyme!" He lowered his voice into a deadly threatening tone. "I ask you once more, what is this … drivel doing on my desk?" His steel-blue eyes bored into Mendoza.
"Well, Sir, that would be… you see…""Spit it out, Sergeant!"
Mendoza's words came out all in a rush. "Don't you remember? When Emissary Resindo was in charge, he ordered me to obtain a sample of Don Diego's handwriting. I…er…stole that from the de la Vega hacienda, Sir."
"Oh, yes, yes. I do remember, but—" He caught himself and stared at the parchment in his hand. "Hmm. Handwriting." The Alcalde's face darkened as the wheels of his mind turned and a plan began to form behind his narrowed eyes. "Handwriting! That's it!"
"That's what, Sir?"
De Soto looked us as if he were surprised to see the Sergeant still standing there. "What? Oh, nothing, Sergeant. It is nothing. You may go." With a wave, he dismissed his right hand lancer.
Thoroughly confused, Mendoza clicked his heels together, said "Sí, Alcalde" and spun around to run from the room. He had forgotten that loathsome task he had done for Resindo and he had not liked being reminded of it. Resindo had used that sample of Don Diego's writing to forge a note he had hoped would drive a wedge between Don Diego and his father, Don Alejandro. The plot had not worked, thankfully, but now, it appeared as if the Alcalde might be up to something else.
"I hope Don Diego can rewrite his poem," he muttered to himself. "I don't think he will ever get it back again."
De Soto leaned on the desk and stared at the paper before him, not thinking about the poem written there at all. No, he was intent on the possibilities it had brought to his mind. Stuffing the paper back into the desk drawer, he began to rifle through the others there. Finally, he found the one he sought. "Yes, here it is! A note from Zorro," he said aloud, a note of triumph in his voice. He knew he had a few other samples of Zorro's handwriting tucked away in his bound volume of papers that detailed the crimes of the outlaw. He took a quill and began writing furiously, unable to contain his laughter at the thought of his scheme to capture the man who had been the thorn in his side ever since he'd come to this little backwater pueblo.
Within the hour, a lone lancer set out for Monterey with a sealed message safely tucked in his saddlebag.
Victoria was frazzled. Everything that could go wrong that morning had. The tavern was the busiest it had been in months and the customers seemed terribly difficult to please.
Diego had been watching her surreptitiously for the better part of an hour from his seat at a table near the door. It was more of an involuntary move on his part than anything else when he stood, walked toward her determinedly, firmly grasped her by the shoulders and led her through the curtains and into the kitchen.
"Diego, what do you think you're doing! I have customers!"
"And you are also about to explode in their faces!" he admonished with a laugh. "I think you need a break! Come!" He untied the apron from around her waist, ignoring her sputtering protests, then he opened the back door and gently shoved her through it. "It is a beautiful day. I think you should see it!"
"Oh, Diego, this is sweet, but I really need to—"
"—Stop and smell some beautiful flowers, walk in a garden, drink in the intoxicating fragrance of a wonderful spring day?" He led her around the tavern and into the street. "Come with me. I know just the spot!"
"Well, you're in a fine mood! Of course, you don't have to —-"
"And neither do you. Consider yourself kidnapped for an hour or two. Teresa can manage quite well without you for a bit." He still held her hand as he steered her down the side of the street and toward the church. "The garden Padre Benitez has been toiling over is at its peak right now, and I'm sure he would love to have visitors come and admire the fruits of his labors."
"Well, I would like to see his garden. It's true." She looked up at the handsome caballero. "And there is something I would like to talk to you about."
"Oh? And that is…?"
"There's a rumor going around about you." She said it playfully, trying to make light of her own interest. She'd been gathering her courage for weeks to ask him about it. "A very interesting rumor."
"A rumor? Really! And what rumor is that?"
"Well, someone was telling me that you've heard from Safira again. Is it true?"
"Well, yes, I have." That was the last question in the world he had expected from her. "She wrote to me. She and her husband have decided to settle just north of Monterey." He glanced at her. "I fail to see what that has to do with anything."
But Victoria ignored his statement. "Her husband? Oh." She paused. "Well, that is…and what of the 'other woman' in you life? What's happening on that front? Have you made any progress with her?"
Diego smiled broadly. He hadn't realized Victoria had paid any attention to his declaration of another love when he had rejected Safira's overtures. Hope flared in his breast. "Hardly any, I am afraid. She barely knows I am alive."
"But, Diego, if you truly have feelings for this woman, you should let her know!"
"Yes, I will. Someday." He let out a large sigh. "I fear I am just not the romantic type. It is difficult to know just how to go about impressing a young lady." He wondered at her sudden interest in his love life, but thought this just might be the opportunity he had been looking for to broach a certain subject with her. .
"Well, maybe I could help you! Why don't you practice with me?" She whirled on him with excitement. "I can tell you just what a woman wants from her suitor." She flashed him a triumphant smile. "Yes, this will be fun!"
"Fun!" Diego looked at her narrowly with a slightly amused look on his face. "Are you sure it is just not a way to make fun of me?"
"No, no, of course not. Diego, I'm serious. It's high time you did something about this. You can't just go on forever pining after her from afar! No, it's a good idea. We're friends, aren't we?" She squeezed his arm lightly.
"Yes, we are." He let out another exaggerated sigh. "So what would be your first suggestion?" His face brightened.
"Well." She bit her lip as she thought. "First off, women love to be greeted by their suitors with a kiss of the hand. I hardly ever see you do that."
"Hand kissing, hmm?" He stopped walking, causing her to turn back to him. "Like this?" He grabbed her hand rather clumsily and bent over it, giving it a quick swipe with his lips.
"No, no, no!" She giggled. "Haven't you seen Zorro do it?" A dreamy look washed over her face briefly. "He does it smoothly. He bends slightly and raises my hand to his lips and kisses it so tenderly and slowly. Now, try it again!"
Diego stood there for a moment thoughtfully before he continued, "All right." Then he reached for her hand and executed the kiss flawlessly. For a moment, it took her aback, for Zorro could not have done better. Then her excitement overcame her. He just might be willing to take some instruction from her!
"Yes, yes that's it! See how much more impressive that is!" She was beaming at him now.
"Yes." He chuckled and made an expressive bow indicating his desire for her to continue on the path. "Maybe there is hope for me after all."
They arrived at the church and he opened the gate leading into the small, secluded courtyard that had been transformed into a luscious garden by Padre Benitez. The scents of many flowers assailed their nostrils immediately and they looked at each other as they drank in the fragrance. "See, almost everything is in bloom today!" He gestured toward a bench under a flowering young tree. She walked to the bench but she did not sit. She was absorbing the beauty around her.
"Oh, this is beautiful. Thank you, Diego. I didn't know how much I did need a break from the tavern. Was I so very unpleasant?"
"No, but your mood was disintegrating before my eyes. I do not like to see you that way." He stood there with his hands clasped behind his back, smiling so sweetly at her that she was reminded again of just how handsome her dear friend was.
"But we have gotten away from our subject! Now, back to your lessons!" She laughed and then looked up at him with a sideways glance. "Have you ever kissed her?"
"Kissed her!" Of course not! Victoria, she would be scandalized! And I am not sure I would know where to even begin." He was smiling and staring at his boots.
"Well, let's begin here!" She reached for his left hand. "When Zorro kisses me, he puts his hand on my waist like this." Reaching for his other hand, she continued, "And he sometimes touches my face with his other hand, like this." She turned his hand palm up and leaned her face into it and closed her eyes. "See how romantic this is?"
A few seconds passed before Diego realized just how much faster his breathing had become. Immediately, he pulled his hands away and stepped back from her slightly. Her eyes flew open at the move and she said, "Diego, what's wrong?"
"Victoria, I am not sure these 'lessons' are a good idea. I—"
"Nonsense, Diego. Now, again! There's no reason to be so shy. You are just going to have to get over such shyness to ever make any headway with a girl." She shook a finger at him playfully. "Do you really want to get the girl or don't you?" Without waiting for his answer, she reached out to put
his left hand to her waist again and looked at him encouragingly.
A look of mischief crept into Diego's eyes at the challenge. He placed his right hand along the side of her face as before and asked, "And what does Zorro do next?"
"He bends over and kisses me softly, very softly, on the lips." She raised her face to him expectantly.
"Like this?" Diego bent down and placed a tender kiss on her lips. Her eyes closed as their lips met. For one long moment, her world stood still. Then suddenly, she could feel his breath on her face as he whispered, "And what does he do next?"
She leaned slightly into his arms for support. What was setting off an alarm in her head? This was so …familiar. 'But I've never kissed Diego before!' she thought while trying to find the words to answer him. "He…um...kisses me…again…"
"Like this?" His lips came down harder on hers this time and as her lips parted, his tongue teased its way inside her open mouth. Surprise on her part turned quickly into pleasure. She had never dreamed that kissing Diego would be so …so wonderful! The kiss deepened and her hands slipped into his hair even against her own will. A long minute later, Diego pulled apart from her, supporting her as she swayed on her feet.
"Was that better?" Grinning down at her as she opened her eyes, he recognized the amazement registered there.
She let out a long breath and began to speak as a loud crash sounded off to their left. It had come from inside the church. They both turned their heads quickly at the sound, but it was Diego who moved first. He ran to the side door and tried opening it, but it wouldn't budge.
"It seems to be blocked. Victoria, I'm going around to the front." And with that, he was out of her sight before she could even recover her thoughts.
What had just happened? She looked about her at the beautiful flowers and the patterned stone patio and tried to draw herself back to their reality. Feeling a little faint, she sat slowly down on the stone bench. To say that Diego's kiss had surprised her would be an understatement. It had all but overwhelmed her. How did he learn to kiss like that?
It reminded her…No! That was impossible. She just couldn't even allow herself to think that! But it was very curious. Diego had never shown the slightest interest in any of the girls in the pueblo. He was always the complete gentleman. When she had first learned of his history with Safira, it had surprised her. Then, when he had admitted to another woman in his life, well, she had been stunned. Diego de la Vega! Of all people! Diego? Worshiping after some woman who was unattainable? It was a ludicrous thought. Why, Diego was one of the best catches in the whole of California. He was tall, dark and handsome and rich beyond belief. True, he was a little boring… Boring! She caught herself at that thought. She wasn't exactly thinking of him as "boring" at the moment, now, was she?
She stood at the sound of Diego coming from around the corner of the building. "No one has been hurt. One of those huge candelabra fell across the doorway and was holding it shut. I think there may have been an intruder inside." Diego was clearly concerned. "Padre Benitez says there does not seem to be anything missing, but someone made a mess. I am going to go and help him straighten things. Do you want to …stay here for a few minutes ….or I could walk you back …"
"Yes, I think I'd like to stay here. You go and help the Padre. Or, maybe I should help too?"
"No you don't! I kidnapped you so I could get you to relax for a few minutes, not work. You stay here and I will be back before you know it." He turned to go and then stopped mid-stride a few feet away. She saw him take a deep breath before he turned back to her. Slowly, he stepped back toward her, bent forward, and in one smooth move, took her hand and kissed it with all the elegance of the most formal caballero. As he released her hand, she saw a devilish smile spread across his face before he once more turned and left her.
Sinking back down onto the bench, she stared at the space he had just vacated. What had gotten into the man! Her thoughts were bouncing around wildly. She had never known Diego to be so…well, so rash! She had really expected him to balk at the whole idea of 'lessons' in how to romance his lady friend. But he hadn't. He had almost seemed eager.
She reached for a blossom from the rose bush next to her and sniffed at it absently. It momentarily reminded her of the garden at the de la Vega hacienda. Zorro had kissed her there for the first time, and she smiled at the memory. Someday she would marry Zorro and her life would be complete. But Diego was drifting. He needed to get settled and she was going to help him. Perhaps it wasn't going to be such an impossible job after all. He either had some experience or else he was a very fast learner! But there was something bothering her in the back of her mind, a restlessness that just would not be denied. When he had kissed her… well…she had enjoyed it! Wasn't that being disloyal to Zorro? "No, of course not!" she said aloud, and the sound of her own voice surprised her.
"Did you say something?" Diego had returned, and just behind him, Padre Benitez stood watching the two of them with those wise old eyes of his.
"Victoria! I am so glad you and Diego decided to pay a visit to my little spot of heaven. Is it not a glorious example of God's love for us?"
"Yes, Padre, it is," Diego agreed. "I can only imagine how hard you have worked to make this desert bloom."
"Yes, we've had a bit more rain this year and much cooler weather, and it really shows. I have been so fortunate. My friends have been sending me seeds from their gardens from all over. This is the first year I've had such success. Now I must get back to my students. We're doing fractions today!" He wrinkled his nose at them. "I think my students may be praying that I've forgotten with all this excitement."
"At least they would be praying, Padre." Diego chuckled.
"Buenas tardes to you both, and feel free to pick a bouquet to take with you. There's a basket just by the gate. Diego. Victoria." He nodded to them both in turn and went back inside the church.
Diego walked over to the gate to retrieve the shallow basket. "Which are your favorites? The roses?" He began to reach for a rose when she put a hand up to stop him.
"No." Roses were for Zorro to give to her. She redirected his sight to their feet. "Look at these. Pansies! You hardly ever see them. Just look at the colors. Purples and blues, yellow and white. A small bouquet of those would be perfect."
"Hmm, pansies are supposed to stand for thoughts, aren't they?" He knelt down and began filling the basket with the blossoms.
"Are they?" She knelt beside him and also began picking a few of the small flowers.
He picked a perfect white face-like blossom. "A pansy for your thoughts, Señorita?" He smiled sweetly and held it out to her.
"My thoughts? Diego, I… well, I've been thinking….you should have a wife." She watched his face as he averted his eyes from her. "This girl, tell me more about her. I would want to know that she… well, that she… would be right for you."
Diego picked a few more flowers, pulling them out this time harshly, roots and all. "She is very right for me, but convincing you of that might be a problem." Standing up, he brushed the dirt from his hands. "How about some of those? They are quite lovely." He moved a few feet away and began picking some red poppies.
"Diego, you're changing the subject. Why do you always do that? You've developed quite a habit of it lately. And it's mostly when the subject veers too closely to you." She handed him a pansy. "Now, a pansy for your thoughts, Señor. And no hedging!" There was a familiar fire in her eyes when he turned to look in them.
"Very well. The lady in question is in love with another man. I find him a most formidable rival for her affections. She looks right past me." He saw her looking at him intently at the moment and added, "Mostly."
"Have you told her how you feel?"
He turned toward the courtyard wall to pick a rose from a climbing bush. "I have tried to on occasion—"
"Tried! But that's not good enough! Just who is she?" She was getting frustrated and hoped a direct question might startle him into telling her. "What's her name?"
"Victoria." His voice dropped so low, she would have had a hard time hearing any other name but her own.
"Oh, Diego, don't 'Victoria' me! I can't believe you won't tell me something so important to you…sometimes, you make me so …Hmmpf!" When she saw him break into a big grin, she turned away from him indignantly.
"You know I much preferred your 'lessons' to this kind of probing anyway. Why don't we get back to those? Now where were we?" He put down the basket as if in preparation to resume where they'd left off before they had been interrupted.
"We were talking! You know that's important too, to a woman. And right now, you're failing miserably at the subject."
"Yes, I agree. I do seem to always be having one conversation while my lady is having another. It is a problem." He smiled, and his eyes were twinkling.
"I don't understand how you can be so secretive about her. I have always confided in you. That's what good friends do," she said smugly.
"Wait just a minute. I seem to recall an occasion… yes…there was that time just after you sprained your ankle. I complimented you on how happy you looked. And you implied you had a secret and you didn't confide in me then." He shook a finger at her accusingly.
Memories of the time when Zorro had proposed to her flooded her mind. He was right. She had not told even Diego of that. Her best friend. And she had kept it from him. She searched for an excuse, but Diego was continuing.
"And yet you expect me to lay my soul bare and tell you everything! Now isn't that just like a woman!"
He was grinning broadly and she knew he was teasing her. It was so hard to be mad at Diego for very long. He always seemed to know just how far he could push her. How did he know her so well, when he was more of a mystery the more she found out about him? But she waved the thought aside. Bickering was getting them nowhere and it was Diego who needed help right now.
"All right. You've made your point. Maybe we both need to keep some secrets …secret. But we can still work on your…uh…technique. I'm sure it will help."
He moved toward her and placed a hand on her waist. She took a deep breath, but it seemed she only inhaled the scent of the flowers all around her. Feeling her own breathing quicken and seeing his right palm rise toward her face, she backed away from him.
"No!" she said, just a little too forcefully. "I'm sorry, but I can't…" What was wrong with her? Why was she so uncomfortable all of a sudden? This was just Diego, after all! "Well, I mean… I've been gone long enough. Teresa must be wondering where I've disappeared to. I really need to be getting back."
"I understand. Another time, then?" He offered her his arm to escort her back to the gate, and he could see her visible sigh of relief. Within minutes, the subject of their conversation had veered back to safer subjects than that of Diego's love life.
But whatever the topic of conversation was, her thoughts remained with the garden, the roses, and the feel of familiar hands on her waist, familiar lips on hers. Yet, it had not been Zorro she had just kissed; it had been Diego. Why were her emotions making a connection between the two? And why did that upset her so much?
"Victoria!" Diego was waving a hand before her eyes. "I don't think you have heard a word I have said. Where were you?" His eyes still held some hint of merriment.
"I suppose I was back at the garden. It was lovely, wasn't it?"
"Perhaps we could make this a regular escape then? I do find you working too hard these days for your own good. Teresa is perfectly capable—"
Diego felt a tug at his sleeve and turned to find a young boy. "Buenas tardes, niño! And what can I do for you?" He knelt down to the child's level.
"Por favor, Señor!" The child handed a folded note to him. Diego read it quickly and refolded it before slipping it into his pocket.
"And can you tell me who it was who gave you the note?" Diego said, withdrawing a few coins from another pocket to give to the boy.
"No, Señor, but he had a mustache!"
Diego laughed. "That does narrow it down. Mil gracias, little one!" He ruffled the boy's hair as he handed him the coins. The boy's face lit up instantly at his newfound wealth and he ran off to rejoin his friends.
"His family will probably be able to eat for a week with what you just gave him." The generosity of the de la Vega's always amazed her. "What was that all about?"
"Oh, just someone wanting a job as a vaquero," Diego lied smoothly. "I will take care of it later. Well, my lovely señorita, your kidnapping is almost over."
"I really enjoyed this afternoon, Diego."
"You sound surprised! Am I usually so boring?"
"Boring!" A pang of guilt stung at her heart. Had she not just been thinking that earlier? "Of course not, Diego. I just— Diego, you're doing it again! Why do you put yourself down like that?" Diego just bowed his head and she continued, "Do you really think I have so little regard for you?"
"I am not sure. I—"
"This kind of attitude is not going to help you win your lady!" He could be so exasperating at times. But she was determined to help him. "You should—"
"What kind of regard do you have for me then?" Diego had stepped directly in her path and was looking down at her with an inscrutable expression. It was clear he expected an answer.
"Well, I … I…like you. You know that, Diego. We've been friends since we were children. You…I mean, I…and there you go changing the subject again!"
"I did not!" he objected, but she batted him away and continued walking. They were nearing the back door of the tavern.
"We were talking about you and that - that woman that you refuse to identify for me, and you…you…"
"Oh yes, her. Well, it looks like that will have to wait for another day." He handed her the basket of flowers. "I give you back to Teresa and whatever work she has managed to save for you. I do need to take care of that vaquero. Until tomorrow, my lady." He bowed from the waist with a graceful flourish and again executed a perfect kiss of her hand. "Think up some more lessons for me." He grinned and left her.
She went through the door to be greeted by a huge stack of dirty dishes. Peeking through the curtain into the outer room, she was relieved to find that the customers had thinned out nicely. Siesta was beginning and, for her, that just meant a chance to catch up on her work before starting to prepare for the evening meal. Teresa came bustling into the room carrying yet more dishes.
"Señorita! There you are."
"Teresa, I'm sorry for deserting you earlier. I—"
"Oh, we did just fine, Señorita. I would have been worried, though, if I hadn't seen you leave with Don Diego. Did you have a nice walk?" Teresa was beginning to wash the pile of dishes in the large tin tub as she talked.
"Yes, it was very …pleasant." She thought back to the overpowering image of the garden, its sights and smells. "Here, I'll do that. You see to the remaining customers and we'll be done in no time." Victoria sighed as Teresa exited back out through the curtain. She wanted to be alone with her thoughts just now. This afternoon had been pleasant, but there was an element about it all that disturbed her. She needed to think this through by herself. Plunging her hands into the hot, soapy water, she began both tasks. Some of her best thinking was done during chores like this. So she scrubbed the bits of left-over food off dirty plates and thought of roses, pansies and the two men that mattered the most to her.
She only wished that Diego would just tell her who the girl was. She mentally went through the available women in the area and couldn't even begin to pick out one that would suit Diego. There were plenty of young señoritas that had set their caps for him, of course. The de la Vega name alone assured that, not to mention that nice, big de la Vega fortune. But she couldn't remember him displaying any interest in any particular one. The fact that he had been engaged to, and indeed almost married, Safira in Spain had been a total surprise to the whole pueblo. It had been in the de la Vega hacienda, that he had told Safira that there was another woman in his life now. Victoria had noticed at the time his glance in her direction. He probably had not wanted to admit that in her presence, and he had certainly been uncomfortable when she had first brought up the subject. But she was not going to let it die. If she were ever going to find happiness in the arms of Zorro, she first needed to make sure of Diego's future happiness. So she turned her thoughts to what lessons she would teach him tomorrow.
