Chapter 2
"She drives me crazy"
The next day Diego walked into the tavern, still somewhat tired as he had been up quite late the evening before trying to determine what, if anything, Dr. Wayne had used in his strength potion. It definitely was more than water, but his best guess was that the main ingredient had been fennel with a possible hint of laurel. Certainly nothing to magically increase the good sergeant's strength.
Perhaps the power of suggestion and a table weakened by one too many fights in the tavern. Diego felt guilty about that since many of those fights had involved Zorro. It was also the reason he tended to overpay at the tavern as often as he could get away with it. He didn't like the thought of Victoria losing money because of any actions of his, even in defense of her or the pueblo.
Though he usually tried to keep from showing his feelings, Diego couldn't help the slight smile that came when he saw Victoria approach him. "Buenos días," he said briefly. He glanced around the room and felt annoyed when he saw Ramone sitting at his favorite table. Lowering his voice, he added, "I see our illustrious alcalde is here early."
"Yes, and I think he was hoping to see you," Victoria whispered, but before she could say another word Ramone's voice broke in.
"Buenos días, Don Diego, Señorita Escalante," Ramone said with a false cheerfulness that set Diego's teeth on edge. "Will you join me?"
Diego forced a smile to his lips as he greeted the man in return before saying, "You seem in good spirits, Alcalde."
"It's a pleasant day," Ramone said. "Señorita, I would like to apologize for last night's little disagreement. I was only thinking of the safety of the pueblo after Mendoza's display last night. I am sure you understand."
"Oh, I understand, Alcalde," Victoria said in biting tones. "Now I'm afraid I need to get back to work."
"Don't leave so soon," Ramone protested. "I was hoping you and Don Diego would have a drink with me, to show there's no hard feelings."
Victoria narrowed her eyes at him. Diego wondered what the man was up to. Surely he wasn't planning on poisoning them. Even he had to show some discretion.
Ramone smiled that crocodile smile of his as he looked around the mostly empty tavern. "Surely, a moment of your time is not too much to ask. I'm even willing to pay for the table Mendoza broke." Taking in the expressions on their faces, he added, "I'm docking his pay for it, of course."
Victoria turned towards Diego. Ramone was definitely up to something. Probably something to do with Dr. Wayne's potions. Diego wondered if Ramone was working up to asking his opinions on their efficacy which seemed unlikely, but even that wouldn't explain why he was so eager for Victoria's presence, unless he was trying to soften her up for some outrageous new scheme.
However, refusing him his apparently innocuous request wouldn't give Diego the information he was looking for. Shrugging slightly, Diego sat at the table as Ramone took two glasses off the tray Victoria held and poured lemonade from the pitcher that had been sitting in front of him.
"Now come, friends. I mean to make amends for my sergeant's clumsiness," he said, raising his glass.
Victoria finally sat after the alcalde actually put the money for both the damaged table and the drinks down in front of her, though she watched Ramone suspiciously as she slipped the money into her pocket.
Still wondering at the alcalde's apparent good humor, Diego reluctantly lifted his glass, continuing to have a vague idea about poisons or possibly one of the potions, so he kept an eye on the man. "I don't see where I fit in, but as long as you're making amends..." He glanced at Victoria who'd done the same, together they took a swallow of their drinks after Ramone drank from his glass first. The moment after he swallowed, Diego knew they'd made a mistake as he tasted something bitter that left a slight tingling sensation in its wake.
The alcalde's grin grew wider if that was at all possible. "Thank you. And now I suppose I ought to tell you that to make things up to you, I thought I'd add a little courage to your drinks."
"What?" Diego asked. He had been right about the idea of Ramone using the potions, but why would Ramone choose that particular one?
Ramone set an empty bottle in front of Diego. "As a favor to your father, he seems bothered by your timidity. I thought that as long as Dr. Wayne's formulas seemed to work, it would be a nice gesture on my part." Looking over at Victoria, he added, "I know you don't require any courage, Señorita, but I must admit to being curious about what it would do for the already brave."
Diego looked at the label. "Alcalde," he said in an angry tone, "this says 'love.'"
"What?" Victoria yelped, snatching the bottle from Diego, then read it aloud. "'Everlasting love shall bloom 'twixt the man and woman who partake this potion within each other's sight.' Why would you give Diego and me love potion?" She stared at Diego with a horrified expression that disheartened him completely.
"A mistake," Ramone said so smoothly Diego knew it was a lie. "After all, every one knows how attached Zorro is to you, Señorita. I would hardly want to raise his wrath by trying to shift your affections to someone like Don Diego, would I?"
Diego glared at the alcalde, realizing that was exactly his plan, which would be almost funny since he was Zorro yet had to spend most of his time pretending not to be in love with Victoria Escalante. He glanced at Victoria again, surprised to see her expression soften a little toward him before she got up from the table and ran to the kitchen.
"I don't know what you're expecting, Alcalde, but be assured I don't believe in Dr. Wayne's potions any more now than when Victoria found them," Diego said, grabbing the bottle that Victoria had left sitting on the table.
"Of course not, Don Diego, I was just testing them. I certainly wouldn't want to cause any trouble," Ramone said with the utmost insincerity.
Diego ignored him as he dropped the bottle into a pocket, too worried about what Victoria might be thinking to spend any more time with this malicious man. Hurrying to the kitchen he found her sitting on a bench by the wall, a hint of tears in her eyes. Nervously, he sat down next to her and touched her shoulder hesitantly before pulling away.
Trying to sound reassuring, he said, "Victoria, please don't worry. The alcalde's just trying to cause trouble. Despite what happened with Mendoza, I don't think the potions have any real power." Fighting an impulse to put his arms around her, Diego clenched his hands on his legs. He hoped she believed him; he couldn't stand to see her cry.
She looked up at him with a watery smile. "Are you sure?" she asked, putting a hand over his.
Her touch was almost a caress, and he had a hard time concentrating on anything else. "Almost positive," he said, despite the fact he was feeling a little odd, almost tipsy. He tried to smile and speak lightly as she didn't seem at all reassured. "Is the thought of being in love with me so very terrible?" he asked, knowing it was a foolish thing to say and he had no real desire to hear the answer. Who wouldn't hate the thought of being made to fall in love against their will? Victoria certainly didn't care for Diego the way she did for Zorro. He hated being jealous of himself. It was so frustrating. His eyes fell to her lips; he wished he had the right to kiss her, but he doubted he ever would.
At his last words, Victoria smiled with a little more sincerity. "No," she said slowly as if suddenly realizing the truth of it. "It's not a terrible thought at all." She leaned closer to him as she spoke.
Diego was nonplused by her reaction and his own, which was to lean closer to her in return before he realized what he was doing and straightened up. He couldn't believe any of this was happening. Finally, he managed a choked, "You can't be serious."
Victoria looked up at him as if she were seeing him for the very first time. "Yes, I think I am." Her hand slid slowly up his arm to his shoulder as she spoke.
"Don't tease me, Victoria," he said. She couldn't possibly believe that potion was working on her, could she? No matter what he wished about her feelings, the idea of her believing she was in love with him because of some kind of potion made him feel sick. Despite the slightly intoxicated feeling he was experiencing, Diego knew the love he felt for her was all his own, uncoerced, even if he didn't dare tell her as either himself or Zorro. "This isn't funny. I don't believe any love potion could work the way that one is supposed to."
"I'm not teasing you, Diego," Victoria said, staring at him in a way that he'd only ever seen her look at him when he was wearing a mask. "I wouldn't want to do that. But I feel... it's like the first time we met again... you really are the most handsome man I know." Her hand moved up from his shoulder to his cheek in a light caress. "Are you saying you don't feel anything?"
He gulped slightly; this was getting out of hand. He couldn't tell her the truth, not yet. "Victoria, I... um... it's not as simple as..."
Victoria wasn't going to be sidetracked. "Diego," she said staring directly into his eyes, "what do you feel about me?'
She was definitely sitting too close to him for his own good, and Diego was starting to wonder if perhaps the potion had some kind of effect after all, as he found himself saying almost against his will, "I love you, Victoria, but that has nothing to do with any potion."
Victoria smiled brightly. "You love me?" She had slid closer to him; he hadn't thought that possible.
Wishing he could have kept his mouth shut but still incapable of backtracking, Diego stood up and said, "Of course, I love you. But you certainly don't love me." He backed away, needing to keep his distance from her. That was the only way to remain sensible.
"What makes you say that?" Victoria asked indignantly as she stood up to follow him. "I love you, too. I've been trying to tell you that."
"But that's not real," Diego insisted. It couldn't be. How many times had she made it clear he was a disappointment?
Victoria looked more indignant. "How can you say that you love me, and it's real, but when I say it, it's not?" she protested.
Diego was starting to lose his temper himself. He knew he was right, even as he wished he could stop himself from saying it. "Because I've loved you for years, not two minutes."
"What makes you think it's been two minutes?" Victoria demanded.
She was so beautiful, even when angry— especially when angry. There was a light in her eyes that sparked something in him, but Diego told himself to ignore it, as he shook his head.
"Perhaps because you've been pining for Zorro all this time," he said, pointing out the patently obvious.
"Don't be so certain of that," Victoria retorted. Then as if a thought had suddenly occurred to her. "Besides how can you say you've loved me for years when just last week you were off romancing some strange woman?"
"I was not romancing some strange woman," Diego insisted. "I was simply teasing you because you obviously expected me to say I was off doing something dull. I'd just gotten tired of being seen as some kind of hopeless bookworm without a man's feelings or desires."
Victoria's eyes narrowed and she took another step closer to him. "And what are your desires?"
Diego swallowed hard and stepped back to hit the counter, feeling oddly trapped by someone so much smaller than him. "Victoria... I... it's not like I could ever compete with the hero of the pueblo. You've made that very clear more times than I could count."
"That's not true..." Victoria said, grabbing his shirt. "You just make me so angry sometimes... I could..." She spluttered to a stop and then in a sudden motion pulled his head down to kiss him.
The moment her lips touched his, he was lost. All the arguments he'd been making, the reasons why this wasn't real, all faded into the background, as all he could think of was how soft her lips were, how intoxicating her kiss was, how she felt pressed against him, and all without a mask between them.
Vaguely, as he tightened his grip on her, Diego knew he should stop this, but for once, he couldn't make himself do the right thing. What was wrong with him? His head was muddled, Victoria was still kissing him, and he'd lost all sense of time before he was startled by the sound of his father's voice.
TBC
Wednesday: Chapter 3 - "She gives me hot and cold fever"
End Notes: I need to thank Ghetto Outlaw for his always excellent assistance as a beta reader.
Also, thank you for the kind reviews. I too agree that Ramone definitely "liked" Victoria. Not only did he name his horse for her, in his dream sequence in "An Explosive Situation," she started crying at the thought of him leaving and at the end told Zorro that she loved another while Ramone preened, making it obvious who he wanted her to swoon over.
I hope this chapter didn't disappoint. This is another of my quirky stories, and it's not very long. And I'm very grateful to any kind of feedback. It's the only way I know if what I'm doing is working or not. Until tomorrow then...
