Diego walked into the tavern early the next day, determined to make an early start, but also wanting to spend time near the woman he loved. It was becoming a yearning that he could barely control. He had tried so hard to stay busy with distractions, with general busyness, with errands for his father. He had given in to his cravings this morning. It would have been faster to just set off to search for the lost children straight away.
Victoria was busy behind the bar. Not many people rose at dawn in the pueblo, not at this time of year. In winter people were still in bed, trying to convince themselves to get up and face the day.
"Buenas Dias, Victoria," Diego said, and smiled at her surprise. She almost dropped the cloth she held as she wiped the counter. The automatic smile that lit her eyes and her pretty lips filled him with a vague hope, and his heart raced for a moment.
"Buenas Dias, Don Diego. You are up and about earlier than most of the pueblo today."
"First time for everything," Diego said, trying to ignore the sting in his own words. "You may have heard we have a new friend at the hacienda."
"Someone was saying it was a little girl. Is she alright?"
"Yes, Maria is taking an interest in her, she's fine. Winding two gentlemen around her finger, and annoying Felipe without meaning to. She's a little angel."
"Where are her parents?"
"She tells us they are dead. She has a brother and sisters lost in the mountains, and my father's men have been looking without much luck."
"Poor children. It would be freezing in those mountains. It's been snowing there for some time."
"Well, Clara says their Uncle has been with them the whole time, but is too sick to help much. I am planning on looking for them after one of your magnificent breakfasts. I used to explore the mountains a lot as a youngster."
"And you never got lost?"
"I think the problem these days is that there is too much on my mind. I get distracted and lose my way. All those adult responsibilities and contemplations."
Victoria smiled. "I'll get some coffee brewing, and some eggs cooking. No one else has ventured out yet. Do you know how early you are?"
"I left the hacienda just before dawn," Diego said with a shrug. "My father is concerned about me lately, and I didn't want to discuss my plans at length. I'll talk to him later."
"Diego, that's not like you."
"Well, Victoria, I can't let those children freeze to death up there in the mountains. Not when I could find them with a bit of effort. We all need to work together these days. Zorro is not around to save us now."
Victoria drew in a breath, and Diego paled a little. That had been a little harsh and insensitive. He was going about this all wrong, and words were spilling out without much thought lately.
"I didn't mean to upset you, Victoria."
"It's just that absolutely no one has seen Zorro. No one. Not even a caballero or a vaquero. Not even from a distance. Not since that day when Risendo trapped him in the canyon. No one found a body, but…" Her voice broke off, and she walked hurriedly to the kitchen, ducking through the curtain.
"Surely he has sent a message to you?" Diego said, following her. She was upset, and tears were threatening in her dark eyes. Guilt struck him as hard as a fist to the gut, and he winced as she looked down to try to compose herself.
She shook her head.
"Maybe he was hurt, maybe he is waiting until he has healed. He is probably a proud man who doesn't want you to worry about fussing over him while he heals."
"I'm sure you are right. It's strange that no one has disappeared from the pueblo. I thought Zorro might have been a local man."
"You've been thinking about who he could be?"
"Yes, a woman likes to know who she is in love with," she said crossly. She snatched up a towel and turned, sniffing to hide her tears as she dried them.
"The man does not deserve your tears, I am sure."
"I love him. That is all I know. I love the man not the mask. He doesn't believe me. Maybe he's gone because he can't believe me."
"I'm sure he knows you love him. As much as he loves you."
"Can you help me, Diego? You are clever, perhaps you could find out who he is and if he is alive. And maybe get a message to him?"
"Of course. Do you mind if I stay in the kitchen with you? The empty tavern is lonely."
She smiled, and nodded to the table. "It's hardly a place for a wealthy gentleman to wait, but of course you are welcome in here."
"As soon as I find the children, I will give your problem all my attention. You don't deserve this fear. Maybe he is taking longer than usual to heal, and is waiting until he is strong enough to defend himself before risking a visit to you. Maybe he doesn't know how to get a message to you safely?"
"You are a good friend, Diego," she said, turning to her tasks at the stove. Soon the smell of coffee, toast and eggs filled the kitchen.
Yes, a good friend, Diego thought. Just a good friend. It was like he was helping someone else court his own fiancee. She still had his ring, he sometimes saw glimpses of it on a cord around her neck. If his father saw it, questions would be raised, but it was on a long cord. Diego only saw the ring flash when he dared to look when she leaned over carelessly. He was sure he blushed as he did so, but no one had commented on it.
Victoria had been leaning over carelessly for a while now, Diego remembered. He wondered why she was getting so thoughtless. She never seemed to be so careless around anyone else. He supposed she was comfortable around the de la Vega family, and didn't expect him of all people to be so attentive. He would have to ignore it from now on, telling her would only embarrass his friend. Yes, he would ignore it from now on.
She smelt like roses this morning, which suggested spring time and the warmth of a blush filled his face as he thought about it. He must be sitting too close to the stove. And the open fire at the hearth was producing a lot of heat as well. Victoria was attending to her cooking and didn't notice Diego's awkwardness.
He had dressed warmly for his search, a little too warmly for the kitchen. She served him at the table and sat with him, drinking her own coffee and nibbling on some toast.
"I could come with you to look for the children. How are you going to transport a sick man and several children on Esperanza all by yourself? You need a cart at the very least. You do so much for me, and I never do anything for you."
"The tavern?"
"It's winter time. Demand is not going to be large, and Pilar and Sofia can manage for a day or two. I'm worried about those children. That man could be dead by now, and then what would they do?"
"Well, I hope he isn't, but of course it's a possibility. Have you got some very warm clothes? It is freezing out there." He knew better than to argue with Victoria over helping others. It was always better to have her working with him than separately. He could keep an eye on her, and keep her from harm much easier than playing 'catch up' with her antics.
"I will gather a picnic and some blankets for everyone. If there was any way to keep the coffee warm I would bring that, or some soup, but I'm afraid I will have to wait until we return."
Diego nodded, and watched her race upstairs to organise her expedition. Part of him was resigned to her company, but part of him sang with happiness that she was coming with him. He considered the idea of perhaps investigating the possibility of transporting warmed liquid on a cold day, but regulated it to the back of his mind. It had potential.
He grabbed the coffee pot, and rinsed it in scalding water from the kettle that hung over the fire. Then he gathered the coffee, a small bag of sugar and some mugs. Maybe they could not transport hot coffee, but they could prepare it over a fire somewhere on the road. There were always ways to solve problems, if you kept your wits about you, Diego reminded himself, as he fetched some dry kindling and firewood to go with his supplies.