Chapter 9
Several days later, Victoria served the alcalde a bowl of albondigas soup. "Here you go, señor. Enjoy your meal."
De Soto muttered something unintelligible that he apparently thought passed for a gracías and patted out his napkin before tucking it into the collar of his uniform.
Victoria stiffened when she saw Diego standing in the doorway.
He walked in calmly, greeted some acquaintances, nodded to the alcalde, who ignored him and seated himself at one of the free tables.
Victoria's heartbeat was racing wild. The last time she had seen Diego was when they had said goodbye to each other in her stable after returning from the cave. She knew for the first time why. He had been busy riding as Zorro. She had not seen him for almost a week. Don Alejandro had told her Diego had been working on the rancho.
In the cave, Diego had promised her again to think about a solution for them to be together. And for the past few days, she had thought of nothing else. Victoria had gone to the church to light a candle and pray for help to make Diego come up with a plan and ask for his safety. Praying for Zorro's safety Victoria did all the time throughout the years. Ever since she discovered the man she loved was also her best friend and the man she had deeper feelings for, Victoria had so much more to fear for.
Victoria glared at the alcalde and knew she didn't do anything that might attract his attention. As casually as possible, she walked to the small table where Diego was sitting.
"Buenos días, don Diego. What will it be."
Her back was towards the alcalde, and Victoria scanned Diego's face looking for any sign that he was trying to make something clear to her.
"Señorita Escalante, Buenos días. Can I please have two lemonade and two servings of tamales? Felipe will be arriving shortly."
Victoria pondered groggily but couldn't think of anything to do that wouldn't attract the alcalde's attention. Diego gave her a nod and whispered. "Si, soon."
Relieved, Victoria let out the breath she had been unwittingly holding. Out loud, so she was sure de Soto could hear her too, Victoria said, "Of course, don Diego. Coming right up."
She hurriedly ran to the kitchen. Once there, Victoria noticed her knees were trembling.
Alicia was squatting, stirring in the pot filled with stew hanging above the fire. She asked her employer and friend. "Victoria, are you all right? You seem upset. Why don't you sit down for a while? We'll manage."
Trying to wave some coolness to herself with her hand, Victoria stammered. "No, everything is fine. It must be because of the heat."
Victoria allowed herself a minute to come to herself and went to work on the tamales.
When she returned to the lounge, Felipe had joined Diego at the table, together with sergeant Mendoza.
Did this mean Diego had, for now, no plans to speak to her separately? Victoria supposed there was nothing to do but trust that the cunning fox would outwit the roaring lion and wait for Diego to come to her.
By siesta time, Victoria noticed Felipe leaving the tavern again. Diego was not with him and was nowhere to be seen.
She closed the door and glanced up hopefully, searching for any movement. Perhaps Diego had hidden on the first floor as Zorro had often done. "Diego?" She cried out. There was no response.
She decided to go to the kitchen to clean up there before the evening rush began.
"Diego!" Exclaimed Victoria in surprise when he suddenly appeared in front of her as if from nowhere. Immediately she felt his strong arms wrapping around her waist, and immediately her lips parted naturally as his mouth claimed hers for a fiery kiss.
"I missed you," Diego murmured, simultaneously inhaling the sweet scent of her hair.
Victoria smiled blissfully and grumbled accusingly. "That's not my fault. You're the one who didn't show up for days."
"Mmm, I know. My father insisted I help him supervise and check fences. And Zorro was needed in the Indian camp."
Victoria eyed him with concern and widened the gap between their bodies slightly.
"Nothing to worry about. Zorro merely had to remind the alcalde that the Indians do have the right to live in the territory. It has given me time to think."
Curious, Victoria asked him. "Have you thought of something? I can hardly think of anything else."
"Yes, it may be risky, but I think the only other options are to wait until California is no longer part of Spain or de Soto chooses to leave on his own accord."
"Wait? Please no. Tell me, what have you thought of?"
Diego pulled Victoria along the curtain into the taproom to sit down at one of the tables.
"You probably not going to like it. But what do you think of this idea? You loudly proclaim that you are fed up with the uncertainty surrounding your relationship with Zorro and are eager to start a family?"
Victoria looked surprised. Could it actually be that simple? "Won't de Soto find that suspicious if I suddenly claim no longer to be interested in Zorro?"
Diego nodded. "That is also why I think we would be wise if you added that you have decided you want to move on with your life and put rational choices above the feelings of the heart."
"Rational choices?" Cried Victoria agitatedly. "You want me to imply I suddenly give up on the man I claim to love and choose Diego because it is the sensible thing?"
Diego embarrassedly nodded as he scratched the back of his neck. "Actually, yes. Knowing de Soto, his greed will allow him to understand your choice. I hope he will seek no other explanation than in heart you are selfish."
Victoria gasped. The famous Escalante's temper rose to want to firmly lecture Diego on how she thought about people who displayed this kind of behaviour.
Diego already raised his hands apologetically.
"Victoria, realize I am asking a lot of you. And I know you are nothing like that. I'm asking you to make a fool of yourself. To convince the outside world that you prefer a secure family life over waiting endlessly for a man who cannot offer you a future. Some will think you are a calculating woman. Think of it as a play."
"Mmm." Victoria sighed her disagreement but reluctantly agreed to give it a try. In the end, there was only one thing she wanted. And if this was the way to get married to Diego, so be it. "And what is Zorro going to do? Is he just to accept that Victoria doesn't want him anymore?"
"Zorro will declare understanding of your wishes and accept that you want to move on with your life. He might even hint that he has always known that your expressions were more of admiration than actual true love."
"And Diego, what does he do? He's to say he's tired of his father's nagging. And so, he suddenly wants a woman who will accept him despite all his flaws?"
Diego shot into laughter, stretching out his arm to take her hand. "That's not even such a bad idea. It will be a slow process that will take a long time. But eventually, it will come down to don Diego and Victoria Escalante deciding to choose each other for lack of better."
"And you think de Soto will fall for that?"
"I hope so. Because losing you is the very last thing I want."
.
The next time Zorro rode into the pueblo, many eyebrows got raised. Not because the masked hero once again managed to overpower all the lancers. Nor because, to the alcalde's frustration, Zorro carved a neat Z in his new uniform. Nor that the alcalde was, once again, thwarted in his umpteenth evil scheme.
No, what caused this surprise was how coolly Victoria Escalante had reacted to Zorro's appearance.
The locals' astonishment grew even further when gossip spread that Victoria had shown the hero the door. She had seemingly told him she wanted to move on with her life and was not waiting for a man who could not promise her eternal fidelity.
After don Alejandro had loudly proclaimed in the tavern in a slightly overly urgent tone that he thought it was high time his son started seriously courting suitable women, the son in question had tried, with the redness of his cheeks, to silence the don. Something that everyone who knew the don knew was futile. Don Alejandro, however, was respected and known for never mincing his words. Needless to say, after that incident, none did their best to slow down new gossip.
A man and a woman were good friends, and both felt the time was right to start a family.
For most, the matter got settled.
Some said they had always known that don Diego would start making his advances on Victoria Escalante once she realized Zorro was not the kind of man ever to get married.
.
As it happens with most changes, this latest development quickly got accepted as an established fact. And two months later, there were only vague recollections that the tavern owner had once only had eyes for a man dressed in black.
And the fact that the most desirable bachelor in the territory was finally doing what his father expected of him only created joy.
De Soto was not in the least bit interested in anything other than his interests and how to catch a fox. He let it all happen without giving it too much thought.
When the time came that Diego believed it was safe to announce his engagement, something happened that demanded everyone's attention and made the upcoming wedding seem unimportant.
A group of poorly dressed soldiers passed under the entrance gate. One of the soldiers informed, acting alcalde Mendoza that Mexico had declared independence and alte California was no longer part of the Spanish colonies.
De Soto had left for Monterey five days earlier. Supposedly for tactical discussions, however, it now appeared to avoid ending up in the hands of the independence army that surely did not favour him. The first order issued by the commander was a pardon for Zorro for his opposition to the Spanish regime.
And another three weeks later, there was a big party at the tavern in honour of the brand new bride and groom.
Diego and Victoria had slipped out early after years of waiting for his day both longed to be alone as husband and wife.
.
It was so late it was almost early. Victoria lay curled up next to Diego. Her head rested on the broad chest of her hero, as of now, was also her husband.
With a blissful smile around her lips, she said. "Zafira was right. In the whole world, there is no better man than you. Not for me, anyway. Do you mind I'm secretly glad your engagement didn't work out?"
"No, it was not long after when I started to feel the same. I was on the ship returning to Los Angeles when I discovered my heart was less damaged than it should have been if I had truly loved her.
Victoria, please try to understand Zafira was a different kind of woman in Spain.
She was everything you were not. She was like an elegant rose. Beautiful, fragile. She appeared too delicate for this world."
Victoria was unsure she wanted to hear Diego speak over the feelings he once had for his former fiancee. Not even while she knew all too well how much he loved her. There still was a hint of jealousy when Victoria remembered not being Diego's, first love. She was the one who mentioned Zafira in the first place. So, Victoria was going to sit this one out. "That didn't seem like it when she was here," Victoria whispered.
"No, I suspect that the siege of Segovia, followed by her brother dying, made her harder. And in that, she differs from you."
Victoria raised her head off his chest. "How do you mean?"
"That, despite your mother's death and the responsibility you got because your brother and father joined the rebels. All these things could have made a hard, bitter, cold-hearted woman out of you. You are not like that. When I returned from Spain, you were even more beautiful than I remembered.
You are more like a lily in the desert. Beautiful in all its simplicity. Extremely rare. Seemingly fragile while, in reality, incredibly strong. A flower that blooms over and over and is more beautiful than before, despite the difficulty of survival in the desert. Despite all the adversity you faced in your life, always, you see the best in things.
I love you, Victoria. I can't tell you how much."
Victoria made eye contact. She was so lucky. Diego truly was the best man. She may not have been his first love. She was his true love.
"And I love you. "
Diego pulled her head closer to his, kissing her with all the love he felt.
The end.
.
.
The Hesperocallis is a plant native to California. Due to its appearance, it is better known as the desert lily.
I was keen to make the comparison. It was rather hard to find a suitable flower to compare Victoria to. American botany is not one of my common interests. Hesperocalis is not that rare at all. Searching for a suitable flower, I initially thought of the cactus flower that saved Zorro's life after Colonel Palomarez poisoned him. The named Nopalitos roseous blossom is not at all rare. If I remember correctly, in Spain, it got considered as weed. I suppose 'a man doesn't have to travel a hundred miles in the desert to find one'. A hundred feet is more like it. I imagine the crew having to get rid of many flowers to have just one left to use for the episode. (LOL)
I like to thank everyone for taking the trouble to leave a review and read it.
I really appreciate people actually reading the nonsense I write. ;););)