Author's Notes: Wow, 21 reviews for two chapters. I've never had such a strong response to one of my stories before. Thank you all for reviewing. I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint.
Also, I'm glad that Ramone seems particularly in character as he's been so much fun to write (much more fun than De Soto, in point of fact). It's an unfortunate fact that most of my stories are set too late to use him, and I was glad to have an excuse to use him here.
Chapter 3
"She gives me hot and cold fever"
"What is going on here?" Don Alejandro asked in deceptively mild tones.
Startled by the interruption, Diego pulled back but didn't quite release his hold on Victoria, who didn't even seem remotely embarrassed to be caught kissing in her kitchen.
"Umm, Father..." Diego tried to find the words to explain the unexplainable, finally letting go of Victoria only to have her grab his hand.
"Yes, son," Alejandro said, his eyes never leaving the pair of them. "I know I raised you better than to take advantage of a lady, so I'm hoping there's a good explanation of why you were kissing Victoria like that."
Diego wished there were, but he couldn't think of a single one that didn't make him sound like a complete cad. "I don't..."
Victoria broke in. "It wasn't Diego's fault. I kissed him."
"You, Victoria?" Alejandro asked surprised. "Why?"
She tightened the grip on his hand as she replied, "Because he kept insisting that I couldn't love him even though he said he loved me."
But it's true, Diego thought, though at the moment he didn't dare say anything, not with his father still glaring at him.
However, at Victoria's words, a gleam appeared in Alejandro's eye that Diego knew did not bode well for him. "Diego, did you tell Victoria you loved her?"
"Well, yes, but..." Diego didn't make it any farther before his father interrupted him.
"Victoria, did you say you loved my son?" he asked.
Looking unabashed, Victoria said, "Yes, I did."
Alejandro looked Diego in the eyes. "Now, son, that said, I hope you had matrimony on your mind when you told her that, because I don't expect any son of mine to trifle with a lady's affections."
"Of course, I want to marry her, Father," Diego blurted out, wishing he could somehow manage to stop himself. "It's just that she can't possibly want to marry me."
"Stop saying that, Diego," Victoria snapped. "I love you, and you are being ridiculous."
"So you want to marry Diego as well?" Alejandro asked, a smile starting to break out..
"Certainly. I love him, Don Alejandro, even if he's being stubborn about it," Victoria replied, sincerity in every word.
Alejandro's smile grew broader; Diego nearly groaned. This was getting worse. Diego knew that Alejandro already loved Victoria like a daughter, and he'd been trying since Diego had gotten home to get him to show an interest in marrying anyone. Diego could practically hear his father's words before he spoke them.
"In that case, Diego, I suggest we go over and talk to Padre Benites about getting the banns read," Alejandro said.
"But, Father, you don't understand..." Diego protested. Was he the only one who realized that Victoria had clearly lost her mind?
"What don't I understand? This may be unexpected, but I'm delighted. What is your problem?" Alejandro's eyes narrowed. "Is there some reason you can't get married? Some impediment that would prevent it?"
Only Zorro, Diego thought, but he understood what his father was asking, and since he did want to marry Victoria some day when it was safe and she was in her right senses, he told the truth. "No, of course not. But what I've been trying to say is that the alcalde slipped us both a love potion left behind by Dr. Henry Wayne, so whatever she says she's feeling... it's not real, and this isn't right."
"We're back to that again," Victoria said, in irritation. "You're the one who keeps saying that the potions don't work. My feelings are as real as yours are, Diego de la Vega."
"But they are a lot more sudden," Diego contended. "How am I supposed to believe in a love that appears right after you've drunk something that's supposed to make you fall in love?" He knew his feelings were real enough, but Victoria had made it clear too often that he couldn't compare with Zorro for him to believe in this sudden declaration.
"Diego," Alejandro interrupted, "I don't know what's going on. But I will not have you compromising Victoria's reputation. That was not an innocent kiss that I saw. You say you love her; she says she loves you. The banns will need to be read over the next three Sundays. I doubt any love potion would last that long. So we're going over to talk to Padre Benites right now."
"But, Don Alejandro, if Diego doesn't really want to marry me..." Victoria tried to say.
"He says he does, and since you're willing as well, I don't see any reason why we should delay matters more than necessary," Alejandro said firmly before softening slightly. "It's for the best under the circumstances, but I couldn't be happier to have you join the family."
Victoria closed her mouth and looked at Diego with a mildly inquiring expression. Diego smiled wryly, knowing any further protests were useless. His father was right about one thing. It was unlikely any potion could last a month, but even if it were possible, he should find the solution well before then. He hoped.
Right now he had the nightmarish vision of Victoria demanding an annulment on the grounds of either coercion or the inability to properly give consent. And then there was the whole question of Zorro. What could he do about that? The danger still existed; the reasons why he'd never dared to court her as himself still existed. He could only see disaster coming from this, if he could even dream of trying to get back to the former status quo.
He didn't have time to consider further as his father took his arm and practically dragged him from the kitchen. Victoria followed them, looking more content than she had a right to. Diego couldn't help but notice the alcalde had moved to sit near the kitchen, and from the smug smile on his face, he was positive that the man had heard every word spoken in the kitchen. Diego could only thank whatever fates there were that he had managed not to blurt out anything incriminating. But he longed to wipe that grin off his face with a punch.
However, that would have to wait. Right now, his father had a firm grip on him, and there was nothing to do but go with him to the church and speak with Padre Benites who too didn't see anything wrong with Victoria's sudden declaration of feelings for him, especially since Diego couldn't deny that he wanted to marry her as well and had for some time.
Diego felt like he had tumbled into some strange faerie realm where all the normal rules had been upended, and he couldn't help but tell the truth about his feelings even when it was not in his best interests to do so. However, he couldn't help but wonder at Padre Benites and his father so easily believing Victoria's declaration of love. Had he been the only one who'd noticed her general contempt for him when compared to Zorro's heroism? Or were they all relieved to see her accept an ordinary man rather than pine away for a bandit? Or just eager to get him married? Diego felt more befuddled than ever.
Victoria didn't help things by assuring the padre that she'd been fighting her feelings for some time, and that her sudden realization wasn't as sudden as Diego knew it had to be. She seemed happy though irritated with him. Honestly, how could anyone believe this was a rational choice when they couldn't even stop fighting about it? But his father seemed pleased though annoyed with his reluctance. The worst seemed to be Padre Benites, who despite it all was agreeable about publishing the banns and willing to marry the two of them in a month's time.
After everything was settled, Alejandro wanted to return to the tavern to celebrate, but Diego wanted to talk to the padre alone for a few minutes. He hoped that somehow he could get someone other than himself to see sense about this.
Reluctantly agreeing to leave with Alejandro, Victoria said, "Diego, no matter how sudden this seems, it's not. I do love you, and I think I have for some time."
Sighing, he said, "I wish it were true."
"It is," she insisted. "And I expect you back at the tavern when you're done."
Acquiescing, Diego then went to sit on a bench while the padre sat beside him.
"What is it that troubles you, my son?"
Diego couldn't help it. "Am I the only one that finds this impossible to believe? I know that under normal circumstances, I'm close to the last man Victoria would consider marrying. She can't possibly be in her right mind. Surely, you don't believe she's really capable of giving consent at this moment."
Padre Benites sighed. "I'm marrying the two of you in a month not today. You both have time to change your minds, but I do believe that you are both sincere and capable of understanding and consenting to marriage, no matter how sudden or strange the circumstances. I also think you think too little of yourself. And perhaps, you too have been a little blind when it comes to Señorita Escalante." As Diego remained silent, the priest, added, "Why is it only her feelings you disbelieve? You shared the same drink, yet you aren't worried about your own declarations of a love that you've apparently taken great pains to hide. Why is that?"
Diego had a hard time looking at the priest. How could he answer that, yet somehow he had to try to make him understand. "I've known I loved her for some time, but how could I say anything when everyone knows Zorro's the man she cares about, and I'm just her clumsy friend."
"So Zorro has kept you silent," the priest said. "Fear and doubt about how she might react, has also kept you silent."
Diego couldn't help but agree but the way the man phrased it suddenly made him very nervous. It sounded like Padre Benites understood more than Diego wanted him to. This was getting worse all the time.
As Diego remained silent, Padre Benites asked another question. "Have you considered that her feelings for Zorro are the ones that are based on fantasy rather than the ones she feels for you?"
"What?" Diego asked, surprised. If nothing else, he believed in her feelings for Zorro even if he doubted they would ever extend to him, especially if she found out he'd been deceiving her for so long.
Sighing again, Benites said, "Zorro is a brave man, noble, adventurous, fighting for justice, as well as courteous, but he's gone almost as quickly as he arrives. Unless he is less of a gentleman than he seems to be, Señorita Escalante has at most spent a few minutes at a time with him. She can know very little of the man. Love is more than a passing flirtation or even an admiration of virtues. She has spent far more time with you than with Zorro, and I've seen the two of you together. Though you seem to have overlooked it, her attention to you has always rivaled her attention to Zorro."
Diego hadn't thought about things that way. It was true that he hadn't had much time with her as Zorro, but he hadn't really thought about what it might mean as he did spend a lot of time with her as himself. They were friends, but he'd heard her talk about Zorro too often to readily believe that her feelings for his alter ego were not real. "I hadn't considered that."
"You should," Padre Benites said. "You have always been very important to Señorita Escalante. You may feel the frustration she's shown towards you is an indication of indifference, but if she really were indifferent, she wouldn't care that you weren't living up to her expectations."
"But still, this is too sudden," Diego said. It hadn't been that long ago when she'd been criticizing his ineffectiveness to Zorro. Victoria's feelings couldn't switch that quickly.
"That doesn't mean it's not real," Padre Benites said. "Perhaps all the two of you needed was an excuse to say what was in your hearts. Don't be so quick to dismiss her feelings as being less real than your own." Padre Benites was watching him closely. "I think you should look on this as more of a blessing than a curse, and well, you have a month to discover if it's the illusion you want to think it is or the truth it could be."
Diego bowed his head; he still knew there were difficulties above and beyond his certainty that Victoria couldn't love him, but he couldn't say that, even if it seemed the priest suspected what those difficulties were. However, he knew there was no other argument he could make for the time being, so with a resigned sigh, he said, "I will try."
"That is all I ask," the priest said. "This isn't as bad as you insist on believing it is."
~Z~Z~Z~
Still trying to figure out how to extract both himself and Victoria from the mess Ramone had gotten them into, Diego entered the tavern hesitantly and regretted it as the alcalde slid up to him, the smirk on his face even larger than usual if possible.
"It looks like congratulations are in order, Don Diego," he said. "Or is it condolences?"
Using every ounce of will power to not knock the man down, Diego said through barely clenched teeth, "Alcalde, I think you might need some condolences once Zorro finds out what you've done."
"Oh, but I rather suspect he might be more interested in the man who's now going to be marrying Señorita Escalante," Ramone said with an oily smile.
Diego forced a smile to his face and a mild tone to his voice. "But, Alcalde, I can't help but believe that Zorro would feel it beneath him to attack a defenseless man like me, whose only crime is having loved the señorita silently until now. However, I don't think he would have any difficulty taking his wrath out on you. After all, you're the one who played matchmaker."
"By mistake," Ramone said.
"Do you think he'll believe that?" Diego retorted, starting to have fun as Ramone's smirk began to vanish. He didn't even mind that he couldn't hide his feelings for Victoria. "That on my own I'd have ever been so bold as to declare my love for her? You probably should have thought this through a bit better." Diego's smile grew more genuine as Ramone's faltered. Patting him patronizingly on the shoulder, he continued, "Don't worry, Alcalde. Zorro does seem to be a man of honor; he probably won't take this all that badly. But then again..." He let his words trail off significantly.
Ramone looked thoroughly anxious now but in an effort to get in the last word, said, "Much as I'm enjoying this chat, Don Diego, I do have duties." His smirk was back in place, though it appeared forced. "I must say that this may all be worthwhile to see a pacifist marry a termagant. I don't think you'll have a peaceful day."
He turned and walked out the door before Diego could say a word which was probably for the best, as his temper was getting the best of him— again. Before he could do anything, Victoria was there, throwing her arms around his neck. He caught her and held her gently for a moment, letting himself enjoy the embrace before releasing her.
"I heard that," she said, smiling at him in a way that both warmed him and caused him pain, since he still didn't know how long it would be before she came to her senses. "I thought he was about to choke, pompous idiot. He deserves to worry, even if he's the reason we're happy."
Diego looked at her. "Aren't you concerned with how Zorro will react to the news?"
At the mention of the name, Victoria frowned slightly, but took hold of Diego's hand before she answered. "No, not really," she said. "To be honest, I think he'll be relieved to hear it."
"Relieved?" Diego exclaimed. He didn't expect that. "Why do you think that?"
Victoria looked surprised for a moment as she tightened her grip on his hand. "Oh, that's right, you were at home with your sore ankle. It's just that after Zorro took care of Thackery, before the alcalde reneged his offered pardon, he seemed to have forgotten his promise to me, and in fact, he even seemed relieved that the alcalde wasn't going to keep his side of the bargain. So I don't think this is going to cause him much pain."
"You don't really believe that, do you?" Diego asked, suppressing a groan as he recalled that conversation. He hadn't really meant her to take it that way, but he'd already realized that there was no way that Ramone was going to keep his bargain. Would his attempts at teasing always end up backfiring on him?
"I don't know what to think," Victoria said. "But I'm sure Zorro will be fine, though I do like seeing our alcalde worried. He deserves that." She smiled up at Diego. "I think our future's more important, if you're willing to believe me when I tell you how I feel."
Still doubtful but not in the mood for another argument, at least not until he'd thought of a way to fix this, Diego kissed her hand and before he had a chance to say anything else his father came over to drag them into his celebration of their engagement.
TBC
Thursday: Chapter 4 - "Then she leaves me in a cool, cool sweat"
Once again, thanks for all the feedback. I am always grateful for any response I get.
