September 17th (2)

Don Alejandro led Victoria to the dining room and they were almost silent while Maria served them coffee and toast. When the cook left, Don Alejandro turned to Victoria.

"Have you thought about what I told you?"

She nodded weakly. "I don't know if it's a good idea. Diego doesn't know what he's saying."

"You know him, and you know he is always willing to help, he would not leave you alone in this situation. If he lives, God willing, I hope you will learn to love each other as husband and wife. A friendship is a good start to a marriage."

"Precisely, I worry that someday he may regret it. He told me once that he loved a woman, but he didn't tell me whom."

Don Alejandro looked at her curiously. "You don't have an idea who she might be?"

"No, he only said she loved someone else."

"In any case if after all this time he hasn't done anything about it I don't think that matter had a solution."

"Perhaps you are right." she admitted.

"I know that your desire was to marry Zorro, and I suppose he gave you his word, or you would not be in this situation." said Don Alejandro trying to use a kind tone so that it would not sound like a reproach. She blushed.

"He told me we would get married someday, when he could take off his mask. He even gave me a ring."

"I didn't mean to judge you, I think what happened between you was inevitable after so long."

She looked at him in distress. "Don't think it was he who lost respect for me. It was me who..."

"You don't need to tell me anything. As I said, I can't hold it against either of you." don Alejandro looked at her sympathetically. "He was a great man, and he died helping Diego. I'm sure he would want the best for you. When your child is old enough to understand we can tell them the truth and make them proud of who their father was. (1)"

Felipe entered the room and gestured hurriedly.

"Please, slow down." said don Alejandro worriedly.

The boy grabbed don Alejandro by the hand, frustrated, and pulled him toward Diego's room. Victoria followed them. When they entered they saw that Diego was even paler, and that when he breathed he emitted a wheezing, agonizing sound. Don Alejandro ran towards the door and was heard shouting for a horse to be brought in.

Victoria and Felipe got Diego up and almost seated on the bed. That seemed to help very little. They waited in anguish until Don Alejandro returned with the doctor. After washing his hands in a basin brought to him by Maria, the doctor approached Diego. With a very tense expression, he listened to his breathing and turned to don Alejandro.

"He is more congested. I think it's time to call Father Benitez."

Don Alejandro closed his eyes at this last sentence and nodded slowly. "Thank you for coming doctor. I'm going into town to get the padre, but if you could stay a little longer, we still need you."

"I can't do anything more for him. Maybe if he makes it through the day today..."

"Please stay and I'll explain why when I bring the priest."

"All right, I'll stay."

Don Alejandro left the room and Felipe sat in the chair next to Diego. Victoria didn't know what to do, so she accompanied the doctor to the library where they waited until Father Benitez came in with Don Alejandro, carrying a bible and a prayer book. They went to Diego's room. Felipe got up to free the place next to him and stood in a corner.

Don Alejandro approached Victoria and looked at her pleadingly. "Victoria, this may be the only chance." he whispered to her.

She looked at Diego and saw that he seemed more agitated than before. He called out to her again.

"You're right, it's the only thing to do." she replied quietly to Don Alejandro.

Don Alejandro turned to the priest. "Father, you have to marry them."

The priest was surprised and said the first thing that came to his mind. "I can't do it, he's unconscious."

However, when they looked at Diego he had his eyes open and seemed to want to say something. Father Benitez put an ear to his lips and he whispered something that made the other man turn pale. He stood up and looked at Victoria.

"He says he gave you word of marriage, that he gave you a ring."

Victoria looked at them puzzled, because she was convinced she hadn't mentioned the ring in front of Diego, but she couldn't be sure. She replied in a breathy whisper, "That's true." She took out the ring that Zorro had given her so many months ago and that she now always wore with her and showed it. Don Alejandro held back an exclamation and sat down in the armchair behind him.

"What's wrong?" Father Benitez asked.

"It's just that... it was Diego's mother's favorite ring. I married her with it and I hadn't seen it in a long time because it reminded me so much of her that I decided to leave it in storage. I didn't know it was the onehe had given to Victoria," Don Alejandro answered, visibly moved.

The priest turned to the doctor, who was observing the scene without intervening. "Doctor, do you think he is lucid enough to receive the sacrament of marriage?"

"Although he is not in full use of his faculties I believe he understands enough to marry her. Moreover, he has whispered her name several times while I was attending him. I believe it is his will to make her his wife."

"There is something amiss. Forgive me, but it is a very serious matter. Has this man ever expressed his desire to marry her before any other witness?"

Felipe approached from the corner where he stood and made a few gestures. He pointed to Diego, then to Victoria, and thirdly to the ring.

"Felipe, can you testify that Diego wants to marry her?" asked Father Benitez very seriously.

Felipe approached the priest, took the hand in which he had the Bible pulling gently so that the book was in front of him and put his left hand on it. Then with his right hand he made a cross over his heart. His lips moved articulating the words "I swear."

Victoria looked at Don Alejandro, then at Felipe and knew that the day before she was right and that they had both told the truth. The body they had buried was not Zorro's, the ring had belonged to Don Alejandro's wife and Diego had long wanted to marry her.

Note:

(1) Is it correct to express the phrase in this way when it is not known whether the child will be a boy or a girl?