Chapter 2

"I heard that I missed some excitement yesterday." Diego leaned against the bar, long fingers wrapped around a glass of juice. It was the first time he'd had a chance to speak with Victoria since his little discussion with de Soto. The Carnival had brought brisk business to the tavern and she had been busier than ever trying to serve every customer.

"Oh yes!" Victoria dropped her rag on the bar and removed her apron, smiling widely at the memory of the kiss more so than the brief show. But she didn't need to tell Diego about that. He would be more interested in the brief preview they'd received of the event this evening. "Zorro rode with Demetrio and his wife. It was magnificent! He was magnificent!"

Diego grinned into his glass, his eyes committing to memory Victoria's excited features as she recounted the events of the previous day.

"Well, I can't wait to see what the performers have in store for this evening. My father was raving about them when he returned home." Diego took out his timepiece and clicked it open. "It's nearly time." He smiled at Victoria as her last customer paid and hurried out the door. "My father is probably already there, saving seats for us."

"Oh!" Victoria smiled gratefully. "I was afraid I'd have to sit all the way in the back since I couldn't in good conscience close the tavern and turn away so much business!"

"Well, Señorita," Diego gallantly offered her his arm which she took with a bright smile, "if you will have me, I will escort you to the show."

Victoria smiled so prettily that Diego's heart thudded sharply against his chest.

They could hear the music as soon as they stepped out of the tavern. Victoria turned to lock the door quickly and sighed sadly as she noticed the great distance they would need to cross to get to the makeshift pavilion in time for the show to begin.

Diego noted her sad sigh and led her to Esperanza, who was tethered to the hitching post next to them.

"We'll make it." Wasting no time, Diego swung himself into the saddle without use of the stirrups.

Victoria didn't have time to consider this action unusual when the next thing he did was lift her quickly into his arms, balancing her body against his firm chest and remarkably solid thighs.

Victoria's eyes widened as he maneuvered Esperanza into a quick trot and then a short gallop across the plaza toward the end of town. They were there in a matter of moments and Victoria wasn't given any time to think as he swung down from behind her and lifted her from the saddle.

Diego slapped Esperanza on the backside and she trotted back toward the plaza. Victoria blinked and regarded her friend carefully as he took her arm, smiled handsomely at her and led her toward the front of the seating area where his father waited, holding two seats for them.

"I thought you'd never make it!" Alejandro whispered. "They're just about to start!"

Victoria was still staring at Diego when the stallions trotted out from behind the scrim that had been hung to hide them as well as their riders. Soon, even Diego's odd behavior was forgotten as the show began.

A guitar began to strum slowly as two majestic white stallions walked from either side of the makeshift stage. Demetrio appeared at the center of the stage as the stallions came to a stop beside him. From behind them, their handlers gently tapped their sides, urging the horses to face the audience and flank their master.

"The noblest conquest of man is to have gained the friendship of a horse." Demtrio said with a smile and raised his arms.

The strumming of the guitar deepened and was joined by another, the tune soothing as well as dramatic.

Diego leaned toward Victoria and whispered, " That quote is by Count de Buffon, a French naturalist."

Victoria scowled at him and pressed a finger to her lips as he grinned and leaned back in his seat.

"We are blessed to have been given the opportunity to work with these majestic creatures." Demetrio lifted himself between the stallions and held himself suspended above them on solid, well-muscled legs.

Victoria winced and couldn't imagine that pose was at all comfortable but he didn't remain in that position for very long. Very quickly, he pushed himself to his feet and was standing atop the horses, one foot resting on their very broad and solid backs. Demetrio gripped the reins and urged them into a slow trot. At the edge of the scrim, they turned in one fluid motion and another white stallion joined them, its rider pulling his steed to join the line.

"Estaban y Maximiliano!" Demetrio indicated the man who had just joined him.

This new man, too, rested one foot on his stallion and his other on one side of Demetrio's.

Once they reached the other side of the stage, another stallion joined them, his rider already standing atop the bare back of his mount.

"Alberto y Fortunato!" Demetrio exclaimed, introducing this new horse and rider.

Alberto stretched one leg to reach Demetrio's other horse and soon there was a line of four magnificent white stallions with three riders, standing atop their backs, trotting across the front of the audience.

Isabella sat bareback atop her mare at the center of the sandy stage and raised an arm in salute. "Demetrio y Califa y Isandro!"

The audience applauded as Esteban and Alberto returned to stand atop their own mounts and the three proceeded to weave complex patterns across the stage, their stallions trotting expertly around one another.

Victoria was fascinated by the display and even Diego had to admit that the performers had a talent nearly unmatched. Diego couldn't help but cast sidelong glances at Victoria, memorizing every gasp, every sweet, concerned smile.

Soon, five magnificent stallions trotted before them, their heads held high, their legs marching in perfect unison.

The guitar strummed a low, haunting melody and was soon overshadowed by an unmistakable female voice that began a slow, romantic dirge. Another woman held batons and from the end of each trailed a colorful band of material. She twirled the batons swiftly, creating a mesmerizing pattern in the air.

The stallions bent low, sidestepped and bowed through the colorful bands that whirled around them. They stepped to a familiar, elegant courtly dance that Diego, Alejandro and a few others recognized.

Suddenly the riders came to a stop and faced the audience.

"Since we do not have that excellent volunteer from last eve, we need another to help us with a few tasks!" Demetrio smiled down at Victoria, remembering the masked man had paid her special attention. "A man who can sit a horse well, would be best, and a woman, but I already have chosen her. Are there any men among you who wish to be a part of our show!"

Demetrio leapt off his mounts and stopped in front of Victoria, holding out a hand in invitation. "My lady, would you do me the honor of assisting us this evening?"

Diego smiled sidelong at Victoria as she glanced nervously at the large, imposing stallions. When she turned pleading eyes on her friend, she said to Demetrio, "Only if Diego volunteers as well!"

Diego groaned and leaned away. No, this would not do. He could not sit atop one of those magnificent stallions and pretend not to know what he was doing. He needed to convince her that this was not a good idea. But one quick look at her glowing face and he realized that such an attempt would probably be futile. He had to try anyway.

"Victoria, that is not a good-"

"Excellent idea!" Alejandro exclaimed, clasping his son on the back. "Diego is an excellent rider." He turned to Demetrio. "Why, I think he could ride before he could walk!"

"Most excellent!" Demetrio nodded to his wife, who dismounted her mare and came to take Diego's hand. "If you will join me."

He turned annoyed eyes on Victoria who simply smiled conspiratorially, shrugged, and then let herself be led away by Demetrio.

Victoria was lifted onto Califa's back as Demetrio swung himself up behind her, reining the large stallion over to where a mare by the name of Preciosa was standing beside Diego, nuzzling the caballero's hand.

"Heh," de Soto chuckled and leaned toward Mendoza, who was sitting on the other side of Alejandro. "He still gets to ride a mare!"

Victoria smiled down at Diego as he whispered to the mare, rubbing her nose and neck so that she could get used to man who would in a moment be on her back.

"No tossing me off now, Preciosa, all right?" Diego rubbed the mare's snout. "I like my bones to remain in one piece." Diego's voice dropped to a slow, deliberate and very recognizable whisper. "Si, Preciosa, I know, you don't want to throw me. It will be quite painful if you do."

Victoria stared at her friend as he grasped the glimmering white mane and pulled himself onto her back. Those words, why did they sound so familiar? And watching Diego vault effortlessly onto the mare's back, like another had done so often. Victoria's eyes flashed and she inhaled sharply as she watched Diego expertly take hold of the braided halter and lead Preciosa to stand beside Califa. It wasn't the word; it was the inflection of the word! Another had used that same word, in that exact same tone and accent as he called her his preciosa yesterday! No, it couldn't be possible. Victoria gaped at Diego's back as a new woman, Sofia, climbed up behind him, dropped one hand to his shoulder and waved to the crowd.

Any further contemplation was driven from her mind as Demetrio turned over the reins to Victoria and turned around, his back pressed against her. "Lean back against me," Demetrio instructed and Victoria complied rather nervously. "We will counterbalance one another well."

At Demetrio's instruction, Victoria urged Califa into a trot beside Preciosa, following a pre-determined line set in the sand.

As they fell into a rhythm, Sofia began to contort and bend behind Diego culminating in a handstand that vaulted her onto the back of Califa, who trotted beside. Demetrio assisted her once she reached Califa's back, ensuring that she did not bend or flex too far in one direction.

Victoria's eyes widened when Sofia attempted to return to her mount in the same way she had left it; via an aerobatic handstand that Diego noticed immediately was doomed to fail before she'd even made the attempt. Her hand slipped off Califa's smooth coat and only Diego's quick instinctive reflexes saved her from falling painfully off the stallion's back and onto her head. Demetrio noticed the slight mistake as well, but she had slipped just out of his reach.

Diego twisted painfully to catch the woman but she was small enough that it took very little effort to wrap one arm around her waist and pull her to sit in front of him. Ever the conscientious performer, she immediately planted her feet on Preciosa's back pushed herself aloft once more.

Diego gripped the halter and the horses' mane tightly but released the woman when she regained her feet and resumed her former position behind him.

Victoria's eyes widened and a collective breathless gasp echoed through the crowd.

Alejandro gaped as his son held his seat and pulled himself back onto the mare's back seemingly without much effort whatsoever. Proudly, he leaned over to the caballero seated closest to him, and whispered, "That's my son!"

Alejandro's pride soared further when he heard the whispers echoing through the crowd. A few caballeros seated close by clasped him on the shoulder and congratulated him on raising a fine son.

"I didn't know Don Diego could ride so well!"

"I can't believe he didn't fall!"

A caballero, who had witnessed Zorro's ride with the performers the day before, said rather loudly, "Why, that took as much talent as Zorro exhibited yesterday!"

The crowd cheered and Diego risked a glance over at the woman seated in Demetrio's arms. He knew instantly that the public's opinion of him had just changed. No mild-mannered, timid man could do what he'd just done. Victoria's hand was covering her mouth in stunned silence as she watched him and he found himself shifting uncomfortably beneath her heated gaze.

Two other stallions flanked them now and they turned to the crowd and bowed, in true equine elegance, their manes just brushing the dust covered ground.

The crowd cheered yet again as Demetrio dismounted and lifted Victoria from Califa's back. "An applause for your very own Señorita Escalante! Rarely does such beauty grace the backs of our magnificent animals!"

Victoria blushed at the praise and struggled to keep her eyes focused on the crowd ahead of her, instead of on the caballero who had dismounted his mare and moved to stand beside her.

Isabella raised Diego's hand and gave him an appreciative look. "And Don Diego. May all of your caballeros be so talented in horsemanship!" She turned and addressed him. "You would make an excellent addition to our show!"

The crowd cheered at this and Diego shook his head nervously before moving swiftly to re-take his seat, grateful to no longer have the eyes of every member of the audience trained on him.

Victoria moved a bit more slowly, smiling to the crowd, but now she couldn't take her eyes from Diego as she approached her own seat. He uncomfortably looked away from her as she sat beside him.

Alejandro leaned toward his son and clasped him on the back. "That was an excellent move, Diego. You saved that woman from a very painful collision with the ground."

Diego smiled nervously and answered quietly as the performers began another routine. "That fall would have killed her, Father. She'd have landed on her head and broken her neck. I did what anyone would have done to prevent such a thing."

"Well, it was a move worthy of Zorro, my son. I'm proud of you." Alejandro returned his attention to the performers, completely missing the nervous wince that passed across Diego's face. Such praise from his father was a rare thing indeed, but was it worth the cost of Zorro's identity?

Victoria, listening to their conversation closely, didn't miss the look, and she trembled with nervous excitement. Could it be? Every fiber in her being screamed at her to listen, to look more closely at her friend, but a shred of doubt still remained. She took a deep breath and reached over to cover Diego's hand with her own, an attempt to praise the man, if nothing else, for his heroism.

Diego's gaze slowly slid to their entwined hands before he looked into the lovely señorita's bright eyes. He swallowed nervously and tried to adopt his customary bland expression. He failed, miserably, when he saw the look radiating through her excited eyes.

"He's right, Diego." she whispered, squeezing his hand tightly. "It was a move worthy of Zorro." Her eyes searched his face for some sign of recognition and he unconsciously returned the gentle pressure of their entwined hands, sending a shiver of excitement through her slender frame. She felt abandoned when he finally tore his eyes from her lovely face to watch the elegant and majestic performers in front of them.

Victoria didn't remove her hand from his and simply turned her gaze to watch the stallions racing across the sandy stage bearing acrobatic riders hopping on and off - forwards and backwards. The performers gripped the snuggly fitting halters and dismounted and remounted from the horse's heads in perfect harmony, eliciting 'Ohs' and 'Ah's and frightened gasps from the crowd for their efforts.

The rest of their evening was spent with Victoria watching Diego carefully and Diego studiously averting his eyes from the beautiful woman studying him so intently. If he'd so much as looked at her, he'd have noticed the tears slipping silently down her cheeks. Their hands remained entwined, however, and this gave Diego hope that perhaps she would not reject the real man behind Zorro's mask as he had feared for so long.

As the music and the songs finished, the stallions and their riders each bowed in turn and then they formed a line and reared one at a time, showing off their magnificent strength and agility.

The crowd roared its approval, clapping as they rose to their feet, and Diego was suddenly very relieved that they had forgotten his earlier heroics of the evening.

Alejandro turned to his son and beamed. "I want one of those horses, Diego! I'm going to speak with Demetrio and see if he will sell me one."

Before Diego could answer, his father had left him standing alone and very close to Victoria. He trembled slightly when her fingers slid around his forearm and she stood on tiptoe to whisper into his ear, "Could we speak, privately Diego?"

He glanced down at her, worry reflected in his clear blue eyes but she smiled and wrapped her hand around his arm, squeezing it gently as if to allay his fear.

A few caballeros slapped Diego on the back, and Victoria released his arm, conscious of the gossip that would follow if someone noticed her touching him in such a manner. She carefully hid a grin as he accepted their praise for his earlier heroics with a resigned smile.

Don Alberto leaned between Diego and Victoria, watching Alejandro speak with Demetrio. "And what about you, Señorita, would you like one of those magnificent pieces of horseflesh as well?"

"Oh!" Victoria's eyes caught Diego's and he had to turn away as a smile crept across his face. Her eyes flared and her cheeks flushed. "Oh, Don Alberto, they are certainly beautiful animals." She shook her head at the thought of the cost they would command. "I could sell the tavern at the highest price and still not afford one."

Don Alberto laughed. "Sí. Don Alejandro is probably one of the few with that ability! Even I would be hard pressed to come up with the funds for such an animal." The wealthy caballero shook his head and approached Alejandro and Demetrio anyway, leaving Diego and Victoria standing relatively alone as the people brushed passed them to see the magnificent stallions.

Diego turned to her then, his eyes soft, and filled with an emotion Victoria had only ever seen in Zorro's eyes.

If she had any shred of doubt before now that her best friend was her masked man, it was driven from her mind as he leaned down and whispered, "Do you want one?"

Her eyes widened and she gaped at him, whispering quickly, "No, Diego!"

A devilish smile crept to the corner of his lips as he leaned closer to her, his breath hot on her ear as he whispered, "I will get you whatever you want."

Victoria's heart slammed into her chest as her love's voice whispered a familiar endearment into her ear. Her hand slid down his forearm and clutched his tightly, almost desperately, and she suddenly wished they were not surrounded by so many people.

"Why don't I take you back to the tavern," Diego said aloud, straightening and carefully prying her hand from his.

Her eyes flashed, not understanding, until she followed Diego's eyes as they indicated the alcalde watching them with a curious interest. "Oh!" She took a sudden step away from her friend and nodded.

"I don't think I can get to my father to tell him that we're leaving." Diego sighed, glancing at the throng of people that now surrounded his father and the surprisingly even-tempered horses. "I'm sure he'll figure it out when he turns around and we are nowhere to be found."

Diego placed his hand at the small of Victoria's back and turned her toward the direction of the pueblo. They blended into the crowd and were soon out of sight of the alcalde and the majority of the lancers.

They walked in silence all the way back to the tavern, but Victoria couldn't help but steal glances in Diego's direction throughout the entire trip.

Diego brushed his hand down Esperanza's neck as they passed the hitching rail. The mare had, just as her master wished, returned to her former spot after they'd ridden her over to the pavilion. "Good girl." Diego brushed his hand over the mare's nose as Victoria opened the tavern door and beckoned to him with a wave of her hand and a flash of her eyes.

Once inside the dimly lit tavern, Victoria slammed the door shut, bolted it and stalked to the kitchen, leaving Diego staring after her in confusion. Did he misinterpret her very obvious signals throughout the last half of the show? He shook his head and followed her, deciding that if she'd suddenly had a change of heart about her feelings towards him, he needed to know now rather than later.

"Victoria?" he called softly, forcing himself to stop the façade that was the Diego she knew and allow the man he really was to step through the curtain after her.

She stood just inside, waiting for him, her eyes misty, tears threatening to fall.

The sight melted his heart and he took another step forward, wanting nothing more than to gather her in his arms and kiss the tears away.

Victoria backed away and his heart plummeted into his stomach. So she couldn't accept him after all.

"I need to hear it, Diego," She said quietly, her voice shaking. "I need to hear it from your own lips."

Diego nodded in understanding. She recognized something about him tonight that caused her mind to make the connection between her friend and her masked love but she needed that final verbal affirmation. He took a step toward her and she continued to back up until she was pressed against the table.

"Why don't I show you first," he whispered, sliding his hands into her hair. He tilted her head up to meet his lips as they gently brushed against hers.

TBC