Chapter 7 Wedding plans

In the afternoon the gossip was all over the pueblo. Don Diego had been seen leaving the tavern in the morning after he had spent the night with Victoria. Nobody would have believed the story only at the word of the alcalde, but Mendoza had to admit that he had left Victoria in Don Diego's care and together with the talk of the two vaqueros who the alcalde had set free again and explicitly encouraged to repeat their story, there seemed to be no doubt what had happened.

Victoria was horrified when she was confronted with the accusations since she couldn't remember anything from last night and with her headache she only wished to return to her bed. She only knew that she woke up in her bed with a terrible headache fully clothed and covered with a sheet.

The sneer look of the alcalde didn't improve her mood either. All her attempts to defend her and Diego's reputation were in vain because nobody wanted to believe her when all evidence spoke against them.

Don Alejandro was furious when he returned to the hacienda after he learned the news in the pueblo. Angry as Diego had never seen him before, he stormed into the library where he found his son playing the piano.

Ignorant of the events in the pueblo Diego wasn't prepared for the rage his father directed at him.

"Haven't you got something to tell me, Diego? I'm just coming from the pueblo and after what I heard, I'm truly disappointed of you. I always thought you knew how to behave as a de la Vega. But now you have not only ruined your reputation but Victoria's as well. How could you do this to me!"

Alejandro went on some more until he was finally at the end of his tirade.

"Father, please tell me what this is all about," Diego interrupted him who wanted to get to the bottom of it.

"I don't think I need to tell you what we are talking about. You spent the last night with Victoria in her tavern. Just don't deny it. You were seen leaving in the morning by worst of all our alcalde."

"Father, you can't sincerely believe that I dishonored Victoria. Yesterday I helped her to get rid of some nasty fellows and then I fell asleep in a chair. I swear you that nothing happened between us."

Alejandro believed his son, but nonetheless their reputation was compromised. And this was a good chance as any to get his son finally married.

"What happened or not does not really matter anymore. Unless you marry Victoria, her reputation is ruined and that is something I can't let happen. I already spoke with the padre today. You will marry Victoria in three days."

"What?" Diego was totally stunned. He couldn't believe what was happening. "You can't arrange my wedding without talking to me first."

"I can and I have." There was no stopping his father. "You will not dishonor our name. I expect you to marry Victoria on Friday. I have already told Victoria the same. Tomorrow you will propose to her in the tavern."

Diego had risen and went to the door.

"Where are you going, Diego?" Alejandro intercepted him.

"I'm riding to the pueblo to talk to Victoria."

"There is already enough talk about the two of you. You need not kindle the gossip anymore. Until you are properly married, I don't want to see you two together without chaperone."

"Don't you think you are overacting, Father?"

"Just give me your word that you will not meet Victoria alone, Diego."

Diego was choked by the events and he needed time to think about the implications, but he knew his father needed to be placated.

"I promise." Diego sighed heavily. Now he was committed without being able to resolve everything with Victoria before the wedding.

The plans had been set in motion and there was no stopping of it. Try as she might Victoria couldn't refuse to marry Diego. Since his father wouldn't let them talk alone, they couldn't even talk about it without supervision.

The next day there was a public and not very romantic proposal from Diego in the tavern in front of everybody.

Diego had simply taken Victoria's hand and asked her to marry her and she had said 'Yes' as expected.

It was followed by loud clapping from all present and congratulations from their friends who tried to ignore the forced smile on their faces.

The time until the wedding day went by quickly and was filled with preparations leaving neither Victoria nor Diego hardly any time on their own and even less together.

Why had he only made this stupid promise not to be alone with Victoria until the wedding? Diego wished he could tell Victoria before the wedding about Zorro, but he couldn't do it with anybody else listening. She would have to find out on their wedding day and God help him if she rejected him then.

The days seemed to be the most horrible in their lives. Diego had never been this nervous now that his greatest nightmare probably came true and Victoria would reject him at the altar because she was only in love with Zorro and not with Diego or she hated him for lying to her or..

The reasons he could think of for Victoria not to marry him were enough for sleepless nights. It would be worst of all if she involuntarily revealed his identity to the gathered community including the alcalde and reject him at the same time.

Victoria wasn't sleeping well either. This forced wedding came all too sudden and she didn't know what to do. After Diego had caught her from the fall from the stairs, he had looked at her as if he wanted to kiss her and in that moment she had wished it too. But then he had distanced himself again and his rebuff later at The Guardian had hurt her more than anything. She didn't know what to make of him. In one moment he cared for her and then he rejected her and in the evening he had been there for her once more although her memories were blurred from that night.

She wished there had been an opportunity to talk with him in private before the wedding. She needed to know what kind of feelings he had toward her. Was it love or hate or just brotherly affection? Did he feel as trapped as she or did he agree with the wedding? He had proposed to her quite unromantically in the tavern and from his reserved way she hadn't been able to discern his attitude.

And what about her own feelings? Diego hardly touched her or looked her in the eyes, but his surprisingly strong hands had felt so good on her arms. Why was she suddenly so attracted to him when she only loved Zorro?Why did she feel so torn? There was only one man she wanted to marry and that was Zorro. How could she marry someone else even if it was her good friend Diego? She wished Zorro would come and do something to prevent the wedding, but she knew that he wouldn't. Not when she was about to marry Diego whom he once had proposed himself as a suitable husband for her. "Oh Zorro, please come back to me," she cried into her pillow. "Zorro, I love you so."