Chapter 7

Zorro had left a note on Victoria's pillow shortly after she had opened for the day, in which he asked her to meet him on the beach near the De la Vaga's ranch during siesta. She was curious as she saddled her horse and rode in the direction of the ranch. She knew it was a very secluded area but she would be safe with Zorro. Unless they finally gave into their desires and make love on the sand. She giggled at the thought. Somehow she didn't think that Zorro would want that, she knew that she didn't want sand in her clothes.

Zorro watched Victoria ride onto the beach from a small hill. He wanted to make sure that she wasn't followed. He waited several minutes and when he was confident that no-one followed, he urged Toronado down onto the beach. As he trotted towards Victoria, his heart was pounding hard within his chest, his throat was dry and he felt ill at the thought of revealing his identity after all these years.

Victoria turned and watched Zorro ride up to her, her own heart beating fast. She loved watching the ease of his horsemanship and chuckled as Zorro vaulted out of the saddle, she knew that he liked to show off his skills.

"Querida." he said as he bowed and kissed her hand, his moustache tickled her skin. His blue eyes sparkled with amusement. He had noticed her frank appraisal of him and it gave him a wonderful thrill. "Thank you for coming mi preciosa." he pulled her into a quick embrace, his lips gently touching hers.

But when Victoria tried to deepen the kiss, Zorro pulled back but he hated seeing the disappointed look in her eyes, so he kissed her again. The passion flared between them again but before they were too carried away with their desires, he pulled back once more.

It was then that Victoria noticed how serious Zorro's expression was. "What's wrong Zorro?" she asked as he placed his hat on the saddle horn and removed his gloves and put them in his saddlebag.

"Nothing is wrong querida." he replied, taking her hands in his. "In fact, everything could be perfect. It all depends on you." he said rather mysteriously.

"On me, I don't understand." Victoria was a little worried, she had never seen Zorro this serious before but he also seemed anxious and excited at the same time.

Zorro squeezed her hands, took a deep breath. "What is the one thing that you have always wished for? Something that you have wanted to know for a long time." He gazed deep into her brown eyes, silently urging her to understand him.

Victoria couldn't pull herself out of those piercing blue eyes, she felt as though she was drowning in his love. Then realisation hit. "You mean...you...you will..." She couldn't finish the sentence.

Zorro saw her struggle with her words. "Si, you have wanted to know who I am and you shall."

She gasped, her heart pounding. "Today...you will remove your mask now?" her voice trembled.

He nodded.

"But why now Zorro, I mean there's still injustice in the area."

"I know mi preciosa but there are a couple of reasons for unmasking now. I had planned to tell you anyway, on your birthday in three weeks."

Victoria was stunned. "On my birthday!"

He nodded. "Si, it would have been my gift to you."

She squeezed his hands tight, her heart was pounding hard. "What has happened for you to tell me now, today?"

He sighed. "Come let's walk." he needed time to gather his thoughts. He took her hand and they walked along the soft sand. He knew that Victoria needed some time to recover from the first of several shocks he was about to give her. He just hoped that she would understand his deception and accept him as himself, he didn't know what he would do if she rejected him.

Victoria was astounded, her heart was pounding so loud, she thought that Zorro must hear it. She had often dreamt of this moment but never really thought that it would actually come true after all these years, that he would finally unmask for her. If she was truthful to herself, she never believed that he would ever unmask, that he would never get over his fear. Then she giggled as she realised that she was walking hand in hand with the man she loved. They never had a chance to do the things that a normal courting couple would do.

Zorro glanced down at her, a little puzzled by her laughter.

Victoria explained. "We're holding hands like a courting couple and walking along a beach. It's very romantic."

He chuckled and squeezed her hand.

They walked in silence for awhile. Victoria was letting him have the time he needed to finally open up to her. She knew it must be hard for him to give up his secret after all these years and he must be nervous, anxious and perhaps afraid about unmasking just as much as she was.

They stopped and gazed out over the calm blue ocean, the heat of the warm sun seemed to make the water shimmer, the waves crashed gently on the soft golden sand. In the distance they heard the cries of several sea birds as they circled above, waiting for any fish foolish enough to swim too close to the surface before diving down into the clear water and swooping away with their catch. It created a peaceful and a somewhat romantic setting for his unmasking. He hadn't intended that way, he had only thought about the privacy the beach gave them.

Zorro gave a small sigh and finally turned to look at the woman he has loved for so long.

Victoria gently prodded. "You said there were a couple of reasons."

He nodded, his stomach was in knots, he felt ill, he was sweating under his black shirt, but he had to go on. There was no turning back now, even if he wanted to. "Querida I..."

He looked down, sighed once more, he never thought it would be so hard to tell Victoria the truth. His fear of her rejection was so strong, it was almost overwhelmed him. He had to fight down a sudden urge to flee, to run away from his fears but he would not do that to her, she deserved to know the truth, regardless of any anxiety on his part. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths in an effort to control his racing heart.

Once he was calm enough, he looked up and gazed straight into Victoria's eyes, saw her love and her understanding. She knew how hard it was for him and it gave him the confidence to continue. "You may have noticed that our recent meetings have been more...intense lately."

She nodded as a slight blush rose over her face at the memories of those desire filled kisses and caresses.

Zorro continued, his voice became huskier with the strong emotions he was feeling. "Well...I am finding it hard to leave with just a couple of kisses." He whispered, his eyes never leaving hers. "I don't think I can leave you like that any more Victoria. I no longer want just kisses."

She lowered her eyes, her face burned deep red at the implications of Zorro's words.

He knew she was embarrassed by his forthright words and kissed the top of her head. "I'm sorry Victoria, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable." he said as he gently raised her face.

"It's okay...It's just that I...I feel the same way Zorro. I too want more." Victoria admitted.

Zorro nodded. "I know querida. We have waited a long time and if it wasn't for this mask, I would have courted you and we would have been married years ago." He kissed her forehead before continuing. "I want us to be married before we make love and in order to do that, I have to remove this mask. This is why I had planned to reveal my true identity on your birthday."

Victoria thought this through. "Something has changed, hasn't it, that you need to tell me now and not in three week's time?"

Dios, she was quick. She was one smart lady, he thought. "Si, something has changed in the last couple of days. Something that will affect our future together."

She was alarmed by his tone, it was even more serious than before. "Dios, you're not dying are you?" Her hand went to her throat, in horror.

"Oh Victoria nothing like that." he pulled her into his arms and held her tight. "I'm sorry if I frightened you, it wasn't my intention." he whispered as he pulled back from her. He gently caressed her face with his hand. "You have given up so much of your life to wait for me, querida."

"I willingly chose to do so Zorro. And I would do so again, if given the chance." she gazed lovingly into his eyes.

"I know but now I must ask if you could give up another part of your life."

She saw sadness and regret in Zorro's eyes. What is going on, she wondered. "Give up what...?"

He placed his fingers lightly against her soft lips. "Please don't say anything until I have said this." Zorro took a deep breath "Victoria, I am leaving the area..." But before he could continue, Victoria whimpered. "Shh, mi preciosa, please hear me out."

Victoria shuddered, she felt a crushing blow as though she fallen from a great height and in that second she saw her life with the man she loved, disappear. She never thought he would leave her, she always thought that they had a future together but when Zorro pressed his fingers against her lips again, it brought her attention back to his words.

He knew it would be hard for her to stay silent the moment he said he was leaving. "Querida, I am leaving the area, but I want you to come with me. Would you be willing to give up your tavern, your life here and come with me as my wife? We can marry in the pueblo. Or we can marry when we get to our destination."

He saw the shock and confusion on Victoria's beautiful face. "But...but leave Los Angeles? I don't understand."

Zorro placed his fingers once more on her lips. "You will understand everything Victoria when I remove my mask."

Victoria's lower lip started to tremble. What he was asking of her was enormous, he wanted her to leave the only home she knew, to leave the tavern and her friends and go who knows where. Would she do that for him, could she do it? He did say they would be married. Would that be enough for her? She felt tears welling in her eyes. Zorro saw her trembling, tears in her eyes and he pulled her back into his embrace. He gently rocked her, murmured his love and pressed gentle kisses to her hair, giving her all his love, his own eyes bright with unshed tears.

Soon she stopped trembling and once again she felt safe in his strong arms, his words of love warmed her heart. Then she remembered his last words. That she would understand everything when he unmasked. He felt the change in her and he gently pulled back so that they see each other. Victoria saw the love shining in his eyes before he kissed her lips softly.

"I love you Victoria."

"No matter what I decide. Will you be back?"

Zorro paused and then nodded. "Si but it will be some time before I return. If you decide not to come with me, I will still love you. I will always love you."

She gently ran her fingers over his moustache. "I love you Zorro. You said that I would understand everything if you removed your mask."

He nodded. "Si, you will. I just hope you are not too angry with me over this deception."

"I won't be, I promise. Please show me who you are."

Zorro swallowed nervously as he took a step back from her. He looked around the beach and the hills beyond. He saw no-one. He returned his gaze to Victoria and locked his piercing blue eyes onto her soft brown eyes. 'Dios, please let Victoria accept me as I am' he wished fervently.

Victoria's heart was pounding, her palms clammy, her stomach in knots, she had to swallow several times to moisten her dry mouth. She couldn't believe that in a second she would finally know who he really was, after all this time. She watched as he slowly reached behind his head with hands that shook and untied the knots. With their eyes locked, he gradually lowered the mask that had kept them apart for almost five years.

"Madre de Dios." she whispered as she looked into the face of her best friend Diego De la Vaga. Her legs buckled under her and she sank down onto the sand.

"Victoria." Diego cried out as he sat on his knees in front of her. He watched in fear at the emotions of disbelief, shock, hurt, anger crossed her face. He held onto her hands, waiting for the outburst that surely must come. He was trembling, never before had he felt as vulnerable as he watched Victoria struggle with this revelation, one that would change their lives forever.

Victoria's mind was in a whirl as all the pieces came together. Of how Zorro first appeared just after Diego returned from Spain, of how she never saw Zorro and Diego together at any one time. Of Diego's sudden departure, whenever trouble was brewing. Of his strange behaviour that day when he first came into her tavern and he had almost challenged the remembered the fire in his eyes but then he seemed to change almost overnight, then Zorro appeared and she never gave Diego another thought as she had been swept away by the dashing Zorro. Of the looks of longing that she occasionally saw in his eyes but which disappeared so fast that she wasn't sure if she had seen it. And of why she had feelings for both men.

"Madre de Dios." she whispered again as she stared into those vivid blue eyes, not believing that she had never put the two of them together. She saw the same love in Diego's eyes that she always saw from Zorro and could no longer deny the evidence sitting in front of her.

Diego was Zorro.

As she gazed into his eyes, Victoria was surprised to see something like fear cross his face. Then she remembered when he proposed to her, he told her that his greatest fear would be that she wouldn't love the man under the mask, that she would only love the legend. But she did love the man under the mask.

Diego was getting more anxious as time went on and Victoria still hadn't said anything. Then it happened.

With a sudden outburst of anger, Victoria pushed against him, knocking him backwards. "Madre de Dios, you made me think I was in love with two men, when all this time it was just you." she yelled.

Diego's heart broke as he sat back up, she was going to reject him after all. "Victoria...I..."

But her anger died as suddenly as it appeared. Slowly Victoria's hand moved to touch his face, smoothing his moustache. She moved her fingers lightly over his cheeks and up into his hair, something she had always wanted to do.

Diego held his breath.

"Now I know why I love both Zorro and Diego. You are the same man. I thought I was betraying my love for Zorro with my love for you." she whispered as tears of happiness flowed down her face.

Diego let go of the breath he had been holding, he couldn't believe the love that was shining out of her eyes. He gently wiped away her tears. "I'm so sorry Victoria, I never meant for the deception to go on as long as it has..."

"Shhh, I know Diego. You were protecting us." She placed her fingers against his lips. "I love you Diego." she whispered, her voice unsteady. "I think I always have."

"Oh querida." he whispered back, he was ecstatic, she's accepting me as me, he realised. "I love you Victoria."

It was their first kiss without the mask and both were a little nervous, a little hesitant. They laughed self-consciously when they bumped noses, as though they had never kissed before.

Diego held her face gently and softly brushed his lips against hers. "Querida." he whispered before kissing her again. It was slow and lingering, his lips danced sensuously over hers. He couldn't get enough of her warm soft lips. Victoria felt a hot thrill rush through her body at his breathtakingly slow kiss and she melted into his arms.

Diego pulled back, both panted as they gazed into each others eyes, seeing the love for each other. "Querida, I love you with all my being. My life would be meaningless without you. Zorro has already asked you this but Victoria, will you marry me?"

Her eyes filled with tears again, a large smile appeared on her face. "Si, Diego I will."

Their third kiss deepened into their customary passion filled embrace. They held each other tight as their lips parted and their tongues curled together. Victoria unbuttoned his shirt and slipped her hands inside, as Diego's hands moved around her back. He moaned as her warm hands slowly caressed his bare skin. He came back to his senses and pulled away from her soft body. He knew if he didn't stop, he would make Victoria his wife in every way, right there on the sand. "Not here Preciosa." his breathing laboured.

Somehow her blouse had been pushed down her shoulders, which gave his passion filled eyes a generous view of her soft curves. He couldn't take his eyes away from the breathtaking sight. He almost reached out to touch her but he stopped himself. He knew if he touched her now, he would not be able to stop from making love to her.

Victoria stared at his chest. Most of the buttons on his black shirt were undone and although she knew he was strong, she had never thought he would be so well-defined with hard, rippling muscles. She wanted to remove his shirt altogether and run her hands over his broad chest, but she knew that if she did, they would end up together on the sand.

Diego smiled as he stood, helped Victoria to her feet and adjusted their clothes. She gasped as she remembered what they had been talking about before their passion had driven all thought from her mind. "Dios, you're going to Spain, you're taking the offer, aren't you?" her voice was shaking and this time it wasn't from desire.

He gently placed her hands on her shoulders and gazed into her eyes. "Yes I am..."

"But...But..." tears were welling in her eyes again.

Diego's heart went out to her, as he gently wiped her tears away. "I couldn't refuse Querida, it was too good to turn down." He took a breath. "Victoria, I want you to come with me."

"Go to Madrid with you?" she said incredulously.

Diego nodded. "Si, we can marry before we leave."

"But what about my tavern?" she asked.

"There are a couple of solutions. You could sell it or get a reliable person to manage until we get back, or perhaps one of your brothers could take over."

Victoria moved away from Diego. 'Dios, sell my tavern, my home, I couldn't. How could I sell my parents tavern? What am I going to do? Do I go with Diego to Spain? She had never thought about travelling to the old country. California was home, she had been born here and so had her parents. It's all she had ever thought about, all she cared about.

Diego watched her walk to the edge of the water and stared unseeing at the ocean. He came up behind her, placed his arms around her and pulled her back into his solid chest. "Querida, I know it's a big decision and I don't expect an answer right now..." He whispered.

"When...when do you need to know?" her voice shook.

He gently turned Victoria in his arms so he could look her in her eyes. "Only until Miguel and Margarite return."

Victoria gasped in shock. "But that's only four days from now. It's not enough time...oh Diego." She sobbed against his chest.

Diego gently rocked her, planting light kisses to her hair. "I'm sorry Victoria, I wish we had more time but I only decided last night myself." He gently raised her face to his, knowing what he is about to say, will be hard after all the shocks he has given her today. "There's no easy way to say this Victoria but..." He paused, took another deep breath then continued. "We don't have much time at all, I need to leave with Miguel in four, five days at most..."

Victoria stared at him, not fully comprehending. "What...you mean you will be leaving Los Angeles in four days? No...NO." She pushed him away and stumbled several paces along the beach.

"Victoria." he called out as he followed her. He reached her and pulled her back into his arms, he felt her strong shudders. "I'm so sorry querida, I wish we had more time, but if you still want to marry me, I would like to do so before we leave. I love you so much Victoria." He placed a soft kiss to her lips.

"What if I decide not to go to Spain with you." she whispered.

Diego had thought about this. "I would wait until I return and then we can be together. Whatever you decide is acceptable with me, mi preciosa." He kissed her forehead, hoping that this would not be an option, he didn't think he could wait another two years.

Victoria felt numb, there had been too many revelations today, to much to think about, to many decisions to make. She buried her face into his chest, as she held him tight. "Diego...I...I need time to think. Right now I...can't think." her voice was hoarse.

"I know Querida, I understand. I'll take you back to the tavern." he said softly.

Victoria moved away, watched as Diego removed the black silk mask from his sash and replaced it over his head and tied it with practised ease. Zorro was standing in front her but at the same time it was still Diego. Oh how could she have not have noticed the similarities between them, she wondered. He whistled for Toronado, who came trotting down the beach, with Victoria's horse following. He helped Victoria onto her horse, before climbing onto Toronado's saddle.

They rode back to the pueblo in silence, each lost in their thoughts. Zorro kept glancing at Victoria, he was concerned about her, she wasn't usually this quiet. But then she never had known Zorro's identity before let alone the possibility of going to Spain with him as his wife. He knew it was a lot to take in.

Victoria didn't want to think about it yet. She needed to time to digest everything, so she just let her mind wander to the sights of nature around her. She saw the beautiful wildflowers growing nearby, the birds singing, and the small animals scampering across the rocks, anything to take her mind away from the man riding beside her.

They stopped near outskirts on the pueblo. "Querida, you are always welcome at the hacienda at any time, if you need to talk..."

She nodded. "Gracias but I need to be alone for awhile. I hope you understand."

"I do." he reached out and gently caressed her face with his gloved hand.

Victoria leant over and gently kissed his lips. "What do I call you...Diego or Zorro..." she frowned.

He smiled. "When I'm dress like this, you need to call me Zorro unless we are alone, like we are now. I love you Victoria."

She smiled back. "I love you too Diego." They kissed again before she rode towards her tavern.

As Zorro rode Toronado back home, his heart was singing, he felt a great weight lift from his shoulders, a weight that he had been carrying for the last five years. Victoria truly loved him, and he was ecstatic. He had faced his greatest fears and found them to be without merit. And he somehow knew that Victoria would come with him to Madrid. He reached the cave, quickly changed clothes and went through the passageway into the library. He couldn't keep the large grin off his face. His father and Felipe turned the corner and saw Diego standing there in the middle of the room, grinning like a school boy.

Don Alejandro chuckled. "I take it that everything went smoothly with Victoria."

"Oh si, father, she loves me, she loves me." He gave his father a rare warm embrace. "You will be getting a daughter very soon father."

"That's wonderful Diego, I always thought of Victoria as a daughter and this will make it so."

Then Diego embrace Felipe. "And you will gain a mother."

Felipe grinned, he has never seen his father so happy before.

"What about Madrid, Diego, will she go with you?" Alejandro asked.

Diego's grin dropped a little. "Victoria hasn't said yes, but she hasn't said no. But I believe in my heart that she will come with me."

The rest of the afternoon and evening Victoria kept herself busy with her customers at the tavern but she knew she could no longer postpone her decision, no matter how much she wanted to. She closed the tavern early as she had no overnight guests and went to visit the padre.

"Father, please, I need your guidance." she whispered as she sat next to Father Benitez in the mission.

"What it is my child?" he asked kindly.

"I have a decision to make and I don't know what to do." she kept her gaze on the floor.

"What decision would that be?"

"I...I know who he is Padre." she admitted.

Father Benitez knew immediately who she was talking about. "Does that displease you my child?"

Victoria shook her head. "No, not at all, quite the opposite, I love him and he loves me. He has asked me to go away with him..." She saw the worried look on the Padre's face. "Father, we would be married before..."

Father Benitez nodded. "But you are not sure whether you want to go with him?"

Victoria nodded. "You see father, Los Angeles is my home, I was born in the tavern and I took over the tavern when my mother died, the furthest I have been away from here is to Monterey but he wants me to go to Spain."

Father Benitez nodded, he had always suspected that young Don Diego was the masked man and now with Victoria talking about travelling to Spain at the same as Don Diego received the offer to the University had all but confirmed his suspicions. "How long will you be away, would you ever come back here?" he asked.

Victoria nodded. "Si, it would be only a couple of years." she confirmed.

Father Benitez patted her hand. "My child, you must look into your heart to find the answers you are seeking." he paused then continued. "You already know what you want."

Victoria started to opened her mouth.

"But think about this Victoria, the tavern and your friends will still be here when you get back." With that, Father Benitez rose and left her there to ponder.

Victoria slowly rose and walked back to the tavern and thought about the padre's words. She entered her tavern and climbed the stairs to her room and sat quietly on her bed. She leant over, pulled out her jewel box and removed her engagement ring. She stared at the beautiful ring for a moment and found that she couldn't think in her room. She had no doubts that she was in love with Diego but was it enough? Victoria slipped the ring on her finger and went out on the balcony that overlooked the main taproom. What did the padre tell her, to look into her heart, Victoria reflected, well my heart belongs to Diego, there could be no-one else for her.

She slowly walked down the stairs. Could she wait for Diego to come back from Spain? Two years or more was a long time to be apart. What if Diego met someone else while he is in Madrid? She couldn't bear the thought of Diego with another woman. What if he met up with Isabella Martinez again, or someone like her? She shook her head, she didn't want to think about what could have happened if that incident had ended differently.

She had reached the bar, and unconsciously picked up a cloth and began wiping down the top as she considered her feelings. "No" she said aloud "We've been apart too long, I love him, I want to marry him and if that means going to Spain with him, then yes, I will go and go with a loving heart." She walked around the tables, pushing the seats closer to the tables. "What I am to do with the tavern?" She asked herself. "I won't sell it." she stated to the empty tavern. It was her parents dream to run the tavern and it had become her dream too.

And the idea of having a stranger come in to manage the tavern didn't sit well with her. Even though Diego and his father would make sure it would be a respectable gentleman, one that wouldn't steal from her, it still made her feel that she was being dishonourable to her parents somehow. That left her brothers.

Victoria had made her decision as she walked back up to her room. She sat at the small table and began writing to her brothers, asking, no telling them, that one of them had to come back to Los Angeles and run the tavern for she was to be married to Diego De la Vaga and they were to live in Madrid for the next two years.

With the letters finished, Victoria undressed and settled into bed. The padre was right, the tavern would always be here when they returned but there was no guarantee that Diego would return to her. She felt as though a large weight had been lifted from her shoulders and was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. She was still wearing her engagement ring.