Chapter 7

Victoria had been busy making the necessary preparations for the opening of her tavern.
She was pouring a pot of coffee when Zorro had appeared out of nowhere into her kitchen.
Her heart had made the jump it always did as soon as she caught sight of her lover.

"Victoria," Zorro murmured.

She had thrown herself into his strong arms, and half a second later, she had felt his mouth burning against her lips.

He looked tired. He had probably been busy all night. It would not surprise her at all if the lancers later found the group of criminals who had been searched for yesterday somewhere just outside the village. Almost all the men in the pueblo had spent hours yesterday trying to catch the robbers of the stagecoach. Only after dark had they returned without result. Victoria did not doubt that Zorro had succeeded.
"I am glad you have come to see me." His presence on a moment, she wasn't expecting it, was a pleasant surprise.
Now that she was looking at him more closely, Victoria noticed that Zorro was radiating a kind of downheartedness.
"Is something the matter?" she asked, worried.

"I just needed to see you." He looked at her. The intense look he gave went straight to her heart, somehow it hurt her.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Better not. Victoria, will you hold me?"

She wanted nothing more than that. Victoria wrapped her arms around his shoulders. And Zorro embraced her with such force that all the air got squeezed out of her body.
She felt his body heat through her clothes.
The strength with which she got pressed against his chest was painful, and a cry escaped her.

It brought Zorro back to the present. "I'm sorry."

"Doesn't matter. Are you sure you don't want to talk about it? I'm a good listener."

"I know you are." He swept a stray lock of hair out of her face. "I only needed to see you for a moment."

She smiled, the thought of Zorro needing her made her heart glow.
"Would you like some coffee? It looks like you could use some. The tavern is still closed." Victoria suggested in the hope to pursue him to stay a little longer.

Zorro seemed to be in doubt. The smell of freshly brewed coffee made him change his mind.
Zorro sat down at the large worktable, and Victoria filled a cup.

"Do you have milk or sugar in it?" She didn't even know how Zorro drank his coffee, Victoria thought to herself. She knew from almost every man in a ten-mile radius how he preferred to drink his coffee.

"Just a little milk, please."

Victoria added a splash of milk to the brew and set the cup down in front of him.
It was not how she knew Zorro. His shoulders hung down, and he looked so defeated. Victoria put a hand on his forearm. "Is there really nothing I can do to help you?"

Zorro took a sip of coffee. "Smile at me." He pleaded.

Victoria smiled, although actually, she wanted to whimper. Zorro seemed so human at the moment. Gone was the confident hero who was afraid of nothing or nobody. Beside her sat a hurt man who tried to hide his emotions and needed someone to comfort him. "If you tell me what's going on, I might be able to help you." She tried again.

Zorro shook his head. "Too much risk."
In one big gulp, he threw his coffee down his throat.
"I have to go. Victoria, your enchanting smile, I carry it with me in my heart, everywhere I go."
His lips stroked her cheek for a soft kiss. Victoria felt a tear burning but smiled bravely.
If Zorro needed to see her smile, then she would smile indefinitely.

As quickly as he had come, Zorro was gone again.

"Be careful!" Victoria called into a deserted kitchen, hoping he had heard her.

.

Zorro had not been the only one today in need of a moment of comfort. Shortly after siesta, don Alejandro and don Diego had strolled into the otherwise empty tavern.
Apparently, the two men had had a fight.

Diego followed his father and said. "How many times do I have to say I'm sorry?"

"Diego, I had only asked you to tell Manuel the cattle in the west could be moved to another field. You refused to go along with our search for those criminals. You would think something that simple, even you could do it and be of some use, would not be so much to ask."

Without asking the men, Victoria placed two cups of coffee near them. She knew how they both drank their coffee.
Don Alejandro with three big dollops of sugar. And Diego with a splash of milk. It was the same as Zorro, she thought. How could two men have so much in common, have so many differences, at the same time?

Alejandro stopped swearing at his son for a moment. "Gracias, señorita." After this, he resumed his cannonade against his son.
"But NO, only this morning I found out that the one thing I asked you to do you did not do. While half the pueblo was looking for those bandits who had robbed the stagecoach and I had asked you to do one little thing, you preferred to go fishing. FISHING, I ask you!
And then you also had the nerve to lie on your bed until well afternoon."
The don stopped for a moment to catch his breath.

Diego let his shoulders slump. Sometimes it seemed as if he wanted to defend himself, only to change his mind again.

"How do you think you'll ever find a wife if you keep behaving like this?"

Victoria couldn't stand it. Diego was her friend and couldn't help being the way he was.
"I think most women would consider themselves lucky to have a husband like don Diego." she bit out to Alejandro.

"Victoria, you can't be serious." stammered Alejandro.

"Diego is honest, gallant and helpful. Those are qualities any woman appreciate."

Alejandro began to lose his temper. "He's also lazy, slothful and nonchalant! That could cost you your life in these territories." Angrily, he slammed his fist hard on the table.

"Father." Stammered Diego, startled by the outburst.

The old don had had it.
With a smack, he put his cup down on the table and got up. "But sooner or later, he is bound to find out." then he stomped out of the tavern.

"I'm sorry you had to witness this, Victoria." Diego apologized before his father had reached the small staircase by the porch.

"No need to apologize. Your father is not an easy man." Full of pity, Victoria looked at Diego. "You know he loves you, right?"

"Yes, I know. I love him too. It's just..., difficult at times."

"Diego, don't let him turn you into someone you can't be. You're fine just the way you are."
Victoria put her hand on his forearm for a moment. "Your father could be a bit prouder of you."

Diego swallowed for a moment.
"Thank you."

"You're welcome." Victoria didn't know how to act now that she had made physical contact. As if she had burned herself on a hot plate, she quickly withdrew her hand. "Well, shall I pour you another cup of coffee?"

"Please. Um, Victoria, did you mean what you said?"

"About what?"

"About what you said, that there are women out there who would accept me for a husband."

"Of course, I was serious. Diego, you are a good friend. And I know you make a fine husband." A strange silence fell. Diego interested in women? There was something new.
"That is for the right woman, of course." Victoria stammered hastily, breaking the silence.
Bravely, she tried to smile. Her jaw was almost cramped.

"Of course." Diego agreed.

Victoria and Diego looked at each other. Both were speechless until Victoria was the first to move again.
In her haste to have something to do, she knocked over the empty cup Alejandro had been drinking out.

Diego raising to, his feet. "I think I'll go and try to talk to my father. He's hopefully cooled down a bit.

"Yeah, you do that. Good luck, and remember, don't try to be someone you are not."

Hurriedly, Diego walked out of the tavern while Victoria tried to calm her heart as blood was racing through her body.

.

By midnight, Victoria walked into her bedroom, a smile crept across her lips. In the middle of her pillow was a red rose. Attached to it was a black satin ribbon with a small note.

Thank you, Z.

She pressed the rose to her cheek and then sniffed the flower, being at the height of its perfection.
Zorro, how much she loved him.