December 21st

Victoria met Diego in the dining room. He had already finished breakfast and was having another coffee. When she came in he put the newspaper down on the table and got up to give her a kiss on the cheek and set her chair down. "Buenos días, preciosa" he said to her with a smile.

"Buenos días. You don't need to do that. I can sit by myself."

"But I want to, it doesn't cost anything to be nice."

"Why didn't you wake me up? I wanted to say goodbye to your father before he left."

"You were so pretty in your sleep that I didn't dare wake you. Besides you've been looking a little tired lately and I thought you'd better get some more sleep."

"And whose fault is it that I am so tired?" she said, raising her eyebrows.

"In my opinion your godmother, who gave you a lot of interesting ideas."

"Caramba, you are so cheeky!" she said laughing.

"Are you well enough to go to the tavern?"

"Of course I am. Besides I've decided I'm going to tell them today."

"Really, or is it going to happen like last week, or the week before?"

"I have to tell Pilar and Alicia about the baby before everyone notices. It's already starting to show."

"You're absolutely right, do you know how you're going to tell them?"

"Well, I'll tell them that you and I... that Zorro..." she covered her face with her hands. "I have no idea what I'm going to tell them. I'm sure they'll be suspicious."

"That's inevitable, but it´s possible that nothing will happen, because people are talking more and more about Zorro as if he were some kind of saint. They've even hung the cape in the side chapel of the church as they would with a relic, it gives me chills every time I see it. The other day there was a señora lighting a candle. The thing is, maybe they will not believe he put you on the spot."

"Because they don't know him like I do." she said grimacing at Diego, "but then, they have to believe it was you who put me in a compromising situation."

"And they'll be right."

"Yes, but how do I explain my behavior when we buried the fake Zorro?"

"I think it's best if you don't give explanations, they're going to believe the most absurd things anyway."

"For example?"

"Felipe heard the other day the alcalde say that Zorro was a murderer, and that when you showed interest in me he tried to kill me. What I don't quite understand is how he justifies that I survived and not Zorro. He must have some justification for that, but the truth is that his logic escapes me."

"That man is a vermin. How can he say that?"

"Better he should believe that than suspect the truth."

"You're right about that, but I still don't know what to do. I'd need some female advice."

"Funny you should say that."

"Why?"

"Because I think I've discovered the reason for my father's recent fondness for going to Santa Paula. This morning he told Maria that when he returns in two days he is bringing a guest to spend the holidays with us. Maria told him she will set up the room down the hall, which is more feminine. You're going to have someone to talk to about these things."

"He invited Gertru?" Victoria asked in astonishment.

"That's what he told me when I asked him. I'll finally be able to thank her for the information she gave you. I think that special care accelerated my recovery remarkably. Dr. Hernandez asked me what kind of exercises I had been doing, and I had to give him the runaround."

Victoria's cheeks flushed a little.

"I'm losing effect. Three weeks ago you were turning completely red."

"I'll end up immune to your comments." she said without stopping buttering a piece of toast.

"We'll see, I love a challenge."

Note:

Thanks for your kind reviews. Toronado is handsome and quite smart, better than some people, it´s nice to write about him.