Chapter 4

It was already late morning when they emerged from their room for breakfast. "I think I need to take care of Zorro today," Alejandro heard Diego say as he saw him enter the dining room together with Victoria.

"I need some more things from the tavern, so I will go to the pueblo too." Victoria said.

"You will stay here, Victoria. You can go to the tavern later," Diego told her.

"The fact that we are married doesn't mean you can tell me if I can go to the pueblo or not," Victoria raised her voice.

"I want you to be safe here!" Diego said, determined.

"I'm as safe in the pueblo as here. You can't expect me to stay at home when I don't know if you'll return safely or not." Victoria made her point.

Alejandro sighed, fearing for another noisy discussion and some broken dishes, he hastened his step to meet them. "Please, Victoria, Diego, this is the first day of your marriage. There is no reason for you to fight."

"It will be safer for me if I'm not distracted by your lovely presence." Diego took her hand and kissed it, looking her deep into the eyes, not regarding his father's surprised look. "Please! Only this time."

"Just promise me that you'll be careful, Diego." Victoria gave in.

"I promise, querida. I'll return as soon as possible and I'll go with you to the pueblo afterwards." Holding both of her hands, he kissed her cheek tenderly.

"The waiting will kill me." Victoria couldn't hide her concern.

Alejandro continued to be surprised and confused. What had changed Diego into the romantic lover overnight? And Victoria wasn't the least surprised about the way he behaved towards her suddenly. It was as if she was used to it. But there was only one man who had courted her like that and that was Zorro. Did it mean that Diego..?

"Can you please tell me what is going on? Diego? Victoria?" Alejandro addressed them.

"You haven't told him, Diego?" Victoria asked.

"What haven't you told me, Diego?" Alejandro took a guess. "Are you Zorro, Diego?"

Now it was Diego who looked surprised. "How did you know?"

"The exchanges between you and your wife!" Alejandro looked at them. "No one who sees the two of you together will believe that this is a marriage of convenience. It puzzled me how you got so close so suddenly. And the way you kissed Victoria's hand was too familiar for everyone who has seen her and Zorro together."

"We'll work on it," Diego said and after a look from Victoria, he added, "of course only in public."

"So what are you plans for today? You mentioned Zorro earlier?" Alejandro asked.

"Zorro will find out about Victoria's marriage today and then he will disappear." Diego explained.

"There will be no more Zorro, Diego?" Alejandro was surprised. "Are you able to give him up so easily?"

"Zorro was created to get you and Victoria out of prison without fearing any retribution from the alcalde. Victoria will be at my side and out of reach of the alcalde while we travel to Venezuela, so there's only you left. We will be gone for about 3 months. Do you think you can stay out of trouble for the time we're away?" Diego asked him.

Alejandro suddenly felt like a boy again who was asked by his parents if he would manage for some time on his own. Only it was his son who was asking him and he realized the burden Diego had carried over the years. While he and Victoria had stepped in front to resist the alcalde's plans, it had been Diego who had taken care of their safety. He felt ashamed that he had relied so much on Zorro, never caring for the risk for his own life when it was actually Zorro's life that had been at stake. The life of his only son as he knew now.

"Of course, son. I will manage and be careful while you are away. I won't put my life in danger, you need not worry for me." Alejandro swallowed. He needed to take some of the burden from Diego's shoulder, so that he would not feel torn between his self-imposed obligation for the pueblo and his new life as husband. "The caballeros will have to learn to rely on their unity instead of the actions of a single man."

"Thank you, Father." Diego was relieved. He knew he could trust his father's word.

Z Z Z

After they had finished their breakfast, Diego went to his cave to dress as Zorro while Alejandro and Victoria prudently waited until he was finished before they entered cave too. Leaving them in Felipe's company to explain everything, he hoped they would be distracted enough by exploring the things he had stored in the cave that they wouldn't worry too much while he was away.

Not much later he rode into the pueblo and led Toronado to the back of one of the buildings. Using his whip as a rope he quickly climbed onto the roof to check the situation from above. The situation was exactly has he had expected. Most of the lancers were busy in the cuartel with their morning chores of taking care of their equipment and their horses. Without the lancers being aware of it, he quietly lowered the bolt of the gate in place with his whip. At the same time he had spanned a rope on the outside of the gate that was only a foot above the ground and easy to oversee.

After he had finished his preparations he leisurely went over to the tavern where Mendoza was still sipping his morning coffee and holding his head. Zorro tried not to grin too much. He could imagine how the sergeant felt to today after the amount of wine he had drunk the evening before at the wedding party.

"Buenos dias, Sergeant," Zorro saluted him.

"Zorro!" Mendoza sprung up from his feet and wanted to yell for his soldiers.

"Don't bother, Sergeant," Zorro had his saber already at Mendoza's chest. "You'd be dead before they as much as reached you."

"Dead?" Mendoza was taken aback. "You wouldn't hurt a friend, Zorro, would you?"

"I didn't come to hurt you, Mendoza. I only came for a talk."

"A talk? Well, I can do that." Mendoza was compelled by the sword to sit down again.

"Now, tell me about yesterday. I heard you were present at the wedding of Victoria and Don Diego yesterday?"

"Si, Zorro. I'm sorry for that. I know it must have upset you terribly."

"So it's true? Victoria has really married Don Diego?"

"Yes, but she didn't look very happy about it. I think she hoped you'd come for her."

"I only heard about it today. I never expected her to marry so suddenly."

"Don Diego insisted on an immediate marriage in his hope you wouldn't be able to appear in time." Mendoza explained.

"It was really clever of Don Diego. But if Victoria is married now, there is nothing to keep me in the pueblo."

"Then you're not going to challenge Don Diego? You're not angry at him?" Mendoza asked surprised.

"What would be the point? Victoria is another man's wife now and it would be murder to fight with Don Diego. Why should I make her a widow when she can be happy with him while I'm unable to give her what she wants?" Zorro lifted his sword from Mendoza's chest for the salute and Mendoza breathed, relieved.

"Adios, my friend. You can call your soldiers now." Quickly, Zorro climbed onto the tavern roof and out of sight of Mendoza. For a moment he lingered to check if his earlier preparations had the desired effect. From above he could see how the lancers emerged from the cuartel only to fall over the rope in front of the gate. Zorro chuckled at the chaos and whistled for Toronado who took him back to the cave.

Z Z Z

His father and Victoria were waiting anxiously for his return. As soon as he had dismounted Victoria was in his arms. "You're back! I never felt like this before. To know the man behind the mask makes a big difference. I'll never be calm again when you ride out as Zorro."

"How did it go, Diego?" Alejandro wanted to know.

"I'll tell you in a few minutes after I haven taken care of Toronado and changed. But there was no need to worry." Diego grinned.

Not much later, Diego told them about his conversation with Mendoza and the fun he had with the lancers in the pueblo. Alejandro and Victoria smiled, imagining the soldiers stumble over the rope. "I think that should take care of Zorro for the moment. It will explain why he has left the pueblo and no longer comes for Victoria. We can go to the pueblo now, Victoria, and get your things. I also need to take care of the newspaper for the time we're away."

Z Z Z

In the pueblo Mendoza greeted them with a happy face."Buenos Dias, Don Diego, Dona Victoria. You missed Zorro today."

"Zorro was here?" Diego feigned ignorance.

"Si, he asked me if you both were really married. And when I confirmed it, he left. I don't think Zorro will return." Mendoza's smile vanished and he took off his hat, scratching his head. "I will miss him in the pueblo. Of course, not the sewing, but Zorro was my friend."

Diego patted him on the shoulder. "Life will be much quieter without him, Mendoza. Just the right time to leave on a vacation when there's not much to report in the newspaper."

"I'll miss you too, Don Diego. Will you join me for lunch? These encounters with Zorro always leave me hungry."

"Mendoza, you're always hungry, Zorro or no Zorro," Victoria threw in. "Aren't you still full from the party last night?"

"Well," Mendoza smiled apologetically. "A man has to keep his shape."

"Because it's you, Mendoza, I'll make some special tamales. I think it will be the last time I'm going to cook here." Victoria was overcome with sadness.

"The last time?" Mendoza was alarmed.

"Haven't you heard?" Diego asked, surprised. "We'll pick up Victoria's niece in Venezuela and I don't think Victoria will have much time for cooking and working in the tavern after we have returned."

"Si, I heard about your trip," Mendoza said, "but I had thought you'd come back to the tavern! Where will I eat then?" He looked horrified.

"You can take over the tavern from me," Victoria offered. "As my manager. Then I'll know that it'll be in good hands."

"Me?" Mendoza couldn't hide his surprise. "Managing your tavern?"

"I'll give you time until the end of the week to tell me your decision!" Victoria told him. "But then I must have your answer."

"I'll need to think about it, Dona Victoria. I like being soldier, but to be in the tavern the whole day and try those wonderful recipes..." Longingly, he looked at the tavern like a child who was forbidden to touch the cake.

Diego left the sergeant outside on the porch as he went inside with Victoria. Immediately all attention was drawn to the newlyweds and they were congratulated by those who only heard the news that day.

Both kept up the impression that it was only a marriage of convenience, never standing close to each other. Victoria was unhappy about it and the missing smile on her face added to the gossip.

"Will you come over to the office when you're ready, Victoria?" Diego didn't look like a happy bridegroom either. Victoria was already surrounded by her helpers who wanted to draw her into the kitchen and she only nodded in his direction. "I'll come as soon as I can, Diego."

Diego didn't need to wait long for Victoria to come to his office. As soon as she arrived, Diego locked the door behind her. "Shouldn't we keep the door open?" Victoria asked, surprised.

"As long as we keep quiet, they will believe we have left." Diego grinned, drawing Victoria to him.

"We should leave soon," she smiled.

"But not before I get the chance to kiss you here in my office," Diego wouldn't stop kissing her. "I always wanted that. To have you here in my arms."

"Remember this is supposed to be a marriage of convenience?" Victoria reminded him.

"Remember we're not here?" Diego closed her mouth.

After their breathing had calmed down again, they returned to the tavern, claiming they had taken a walk in the missions garden because they had to discuss something. The word 'discuss' resulted in raised eyebrows as the gossip about their noisy discussion from yesterday had made the rounds. Victoria's helpers feared for the dishes, and politely asked if they were finished with their discussion or if they'd rather take another walk.

Victoria packed her personal belongings from the tavern to have them transported by some servants to the de la Vega hacienda, making clear that she was going to live there until they went on their journey to Venezuela.

The next days kept them very busy with their preparations for the journey and they were hardly seen in the pueblo. Alejandro didn't tell anyone that he hadn't seen them much either, as they were spending most of their time in their room. He was very sure that there would be children's laughter filling the hacienda soon and not only from Victoria's niece. Though he felt sorry for Ramon's death, it had lead to something good, making him very happy.

Mendoza agreed to use some of his accumulated time off from the army in order to take over the tavern for the time of their absence. It would allow him to think over his decision and enable him to return to the army.

With the good wishes from their family and friends Diego and Victoria embarked on the ship that would take them south a week later, promising to write and to return as soon as possible.

End of part 1.

tbc in part 2.

A/N: I know the story is not really completed at this point, but I have to think about the further adventures before I can keep on writing. I decided that it made no sense to hold back this part of the story when there wasn't going to be any change. I don't expect too many readers for the following chapters either, as the interesting things as the revelations and the wedding already took place. It will also depend on the feedback how motivated I am to write the sequel. So for the moment I'm concentrating on a new story that I hope to finish soon. Then there's also the challenge from Diana that I want to participate in. So you'll get something new from me in the near future.

Thanks go to Marla for her beta reading and her valuable input.