Chapter 5

Why can you not or refuse to see me for who I am? Am I playing my part too well?

Victoria was shaking on her legs, and she tried with all she had in her to break the eye contact. No, this had to be a lie. Diego was babbling nonsense.
She would have known instantly if it was true. Diego was her best friend. She knows him. Diego can not be…, So Diego thought he was Zorro?
But what if it was true, then…, then…, was Zorro…, don…, Diego?

I better hurry. Everyone expects Zorro to make his appearance. I love to dance a little longer. Hold you in my arms all evening. But Diego has to go home with a headache.

After the final tones of the music had fainted away. The applause was there to thank the musicians for their playing. And by it, the spell that seemed to have lasted for hours was broken.
Diego, his thoughts still echoed in her head. It was impossible. She would have known.
Victoria felt light-headed. She was unable to think clearly and did not feel her legs any more. She clung desperately to the only object in the room that seemed to give her some support. It didn't help.
Everything started spinning around her. Blood raced through her head. Her temples began to throb, and no matter how hard Victoria tried, her lungs refused to fill with oxygen.
Victoria uttered. "You, you…," Once more, Victoria made a futile attempt to remain conscious.
The name Diego flashed through her mind one last time before surrendering and sinking unconscious in the young don, his arms.

.

Slowly, Victoria became aware of her surroundings. She was in her bedroom. How did she get here? The last thing she remembered was dancing with don Diego.
He had looked at her, and without realizing it, Diego had revealed his deepest secret to her. What was it he had been thinking? At the moment, it felt like the secret Diego had confessed was hidden under a thick, impenetrable fog. As hard as she tried, Victoria no longer remember which thoughts had upset her so much. Her throat felt like the sand of the desert. She was thirsty. Victoria tried to open her eyes, to get up to get a glass of water.
Only then did she realize she wasn't alone in her bedroom. The door was open, and a tall figure sat on the chair next to her bed. It was don Diego.

Suddenly she knew everything again. It was as if someone had lit a candle in her head that gave brighter light than the sun.
Victoria was sure what Diego had told her was true. Somewhere deep inside her, she had always known. Hearing his confession had frightened her at first. But now, it didn't surprise her in the least. Who else but her dearest friend could be Zorro.
Yes, the don Diego he had shown over the years couldn't possibly be Zorro. However, the man she loved dearly could be none other than Diego.
Why had she denied the truth for so long? Why had she never looked into his eyes before? Eyes were the mirrors of the soul, and the moment she'd looked into his eyes, she'd looked straight into his heart and felt the truth without hearing his words. They had only confirmed what her heart already knew, and her mind had always refused to believe.

Diego had noticed Victoria was awake. He leaned over and looked at her worried. "Victoria, are you awake? How are you feeling?"

"What time is it?" Her question made no sense, but it was of the utmost importance to her. She had not heard his inner voice. Surely he was thinking something. Desperately, Victoria tried to make eye contact.

"Victoria, how are you feeling? You suddenly fainted." The tone in his voice spoke of tremendous concern.

Victoria was uttering again the words of what was at the moment on her mind the most. "What time is it?"

Diego raised an eyebrow. "It's after midnight. Doctor Hernandez examined you. He thinks you passed out from fatigue."

Diego was pale and worried. "Your helpers are doing some last cleaning and chores. Father and Felipe are helping."

Victoria heard some soft buzz from below in the background.
After midnight, her eyes found his. She saw what she never wanted to see. All the love he felt for her and had managed to hide so successfully.
"Diego, everything is perfect. I think doctor Hernandez is right. I have indeed been a bit too busy with the preparations for the Christmas ball in recent days."

"Victoria."

"Diego, I…," Victoria noticed the door was wide open. How was she supposed to let Diego know she found out without risking anyone hearing them? No, it had to wait for a while.
She had been waiting for so many years. What a difference a few hours or days would make. Blissfully, she smiled, and she knew the two of them would work things out in time. "Can you, please, get me some water? I am thirsty."

.

After all, was done, and everyone who was still present in the tavern had made sure the local tavern owner was doing fine, Pilar closed the tavern. And everyone went home.

The alcalde had been waiting for hours at the entrance gate to hear horses hooves and woke up with a jolt. Instinctively, he pulled the rope, and there was a scream and a dull thud. Finally!
"Zorro, you are arrested!"

The next thing de Soto heard was a lot of cursing, and when he finally managed to light the oil lamp, he had taken it with him. He saw how don Diego wiped the dust from his suit, and don Alejandro was complaining about which complete idiot had come up with the ridiculous idea to stretch a rope. There could have been deaths.

Two lancers came running, and don Diego struggled to calm the old don's emotions sufficiently. It then took several minutes to find Esperanza. Don Diego, his horse again. Which, fortunately, was so well-trained that she reacted to the sound of clacking the tongue.

After don Alejandro asked his son for the umpteenth time to make sure no harm had come to his son. And he had guaranteed the alcalde, the last word was about it was not spoken, the three men continued on their way home.
Diego and Felipe were the only once to notice De Soto was foaming with rage because once again his scheme had failed.

.

After everyone had left the tavern and Victoria had recovered from the initial shock, she crawled out of bed. She let herself fall beside the bed and pulled out from under the box in which she kept the many presents Zorro or, uh, Diego had given her over the years.

The mask he had left in the de la Vega garden after their first kiss. A small ivory statue of some goddess he said reminded him of her, an elegant dagger, dried roses, wooden carvings, a copper vase with his mark that had contained roses. And a fan trimmed in delicate lace that she had always suspected had been made in Europe. And hadn't Don Diego travelled to France a few years back to learn about wine and buy wine stocks?

Coincidence? Victoria no longer thought so.

Did she love Diego? Sure, he was her best friend. She was very fond of him. He had his way of touching her heart, but did she see herself married to Diego? How many times had she hoped that the oh-so-considerable, calm Diego would have a little more pepper up his bud? And now he turned out to be the man with whom she was, hopelessly, madly, completely in love.
And yes, Zorro wasn't the only man who had the ability to make her heart beat faster. She had denied herself to see the truth long enough. Stupidly, ignoring any clue presented to her on a silver platter because it would be too good to be true. The only man she loved, the only man she ever hoped to marry and, the only man she knew and refused to admit out of self-preservation as a possible Zorro were the same.

After a restless night, Victoria awoke hours before sunrise.
Full of anticipation, she allowed herself a bath with the fragrant lavender soap that she cherished with great care. Victoria curled her hair and pulled the ribbons of her corset around her waist just a little tighter than usual.
She had already pressed her prettiest dress last week and polished her shoes to a shine. Victoria hesitated for a moment, then picked up a gold hairpin also, a present from Zorro that she had worn regularly at parties, and pulled her hair up.
Her mother's gold earrings and necklace with a small ruby completed the outfit.
Satisfied by the result, Victoria looked in the mirror.

For a final touch, she sprinkled some rose perfume on her neck and her wrists.
Perfect.

Immediately after the siesta, Victoria put her horse before the cart and wrapped a scarf around her shoulders.
Excitement flourished through her body.
Soon she had everything she wished for.

.

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