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This chapter is short, but quite intense.

Chapter 4. Accusations.

Don Alejandro turned toward the door when he heard the knocking. "Who is it?" he asked somewhat sharply.

Victoria opened the door a crack. "It's me, I need to talk to Diego for a moment."

"All right, come in." said Don Alejandro not knowing how to ask her to leave so he could continue talking to his son, or rather yelling at him, although he himself realized he wasn't getting anywhere.

Victoria came in and closed the door behind her. Diego got up from the table when he saw her, and she walked over and stared at him, then moved a little further to observe him. His jaw, his eyes, and seeing the mark on his neck she knew. She tried to speak, but her throat was tight so she cleared her throat. Seeing her face, Diego suspected what was coming, but he couldn't think of any way to stop the impending explosion. He just stared at her like a rabbit at a rattlesnake about to strike.

"Victoria, are you all right? Would you like a glass of water?" offered Don Alejandro pouring her one and handing it to her.

Victoria looked at him not knowing what to say, so don Alejandro handed her the glass of water, and she took it mechanically. Then she turned to Diego. "You...you." she stammered pointing to his neck with her other hand.

Don Alejandro began to suspect something fishy was going on, and the first thing he remembered was what the alcalde had been saying. "Diego. Have you seduced Victoria?" he shouted.

"I have not seduced her." he affirmed with much conviction.

"What!" Victoria exclaimed indignantly, then threw the water in Diego's face. "What do you mean, no? What about last night? You rogue, you liar, you scoundrel! I can't believe it, how could I have been so blind?"

"Victoria, please calm down. That's not what I meant. Let me explain." said Diego as water trickled down his face and chest.

"Now you want to talk? After all this time? And all those times you've told me how beautiful I am and kissed my hand? And what about all the times you've snuck into the tavern to kiss me?"

"When have you done all that?" said Don Alejandro confused. "Diego. Are you having an affair with Victoria or not?"

"Not an affair," said Diego looking his father in the eye, "she is the woman I want to marry, and I did not seduce her, it was mutual." He turned again to Victoria, with a challenging look "Last night who wanted to seduce who, eh?" he said to her.

Don Alejandro also stared at her with wide eyes.

"Well, yes, but..." she said somewhat embarrassed.

"You must get married immediately," said Don Alejandro sharply. He didn't quite understand what was going on, but at least that much he could see clearly, besides, if out of that mess he could end up marrying Diego at once, well, all the better.

"I have no objection, father, if she still wants to." answered Diego challenging Victoria to answer.

"What do you mean if she still wants to, did you ask her?"

"Yes, I did."

"Then why hadn't you said anything to me?"

"Tell you? If I didn't even know it was him!" complained Victoria pointing at Diego.

Don Alejandro was turning very red and Diego was starting to worry that he was going to have a heart attack. "That doesn't make sense! How can you be engaged and not know who to!"

"Because he was wearing the mask when he asked me!" replied Victoria in an outraged, almost shouting voice.

Don Alejandro looked at Victoria and then at Diego, trying to make sense of it all.

"The mask... What mask? The one of Zorro?" Another idea made its way into his mind, and he shouted at Diego again. "You pretended to be Zorro to seduce her?" he said again failing in his deduction.

Diego and Victoria stood for a moment stunned looking at Don Alejandro, wondering how he could be so obtuse.

Victoria was the first to react. "He didn't pretend to be Zorro, he IS Zorro." she said at last pointing to Diego.

"That's right. And if we want to get married we will have to solve a small inconvenience first." said Diego, trying to appear more calm than he really felt.

"Which one?" asked Don Alejandro completely dumbfounded.

"We have to find a way for alcalde not to hang the three of us when he finds out. Well, probably all four of us if he decides to accuse Felipe as well." Diego shook some water out of his hair combing his hair with his hands. Then he looked at his father. "I can't marry Victoria without the alcalde getting suspicious and hanging me for being Zorro and you three for being accomplices." he said with the tone used to explain something obvious that hid his agitation and frustration.

Don Alejandro stared at Diego, then turned to Victoria, not knowing what to say. She decided to fill the glass in her hand with water again and give it to Don Alejandro.

"Thank you." said don Alejandro mechanically.

Diego looked at the glass in his father's hand suspiciously, hoping not to get a second shower.