Chapter 8

The next weeks Victoria saw Diego at her tavern every day, but he mostly came to attend Maria to show her the pueblo or spend some time with her. He hardly paid attention to Victoria anymore, preferring to sit at Sergeant Mendoza's table than talk with Victoria, while waiting often for Maria.

She began to realize that she had lost his friendship and he had distanced himself from her in a way she never would have anticipated.

Added to the loss of their friendship, was a twinge of jealousy at seeing him court another woman. She took a closer look at Diego than the years before and couldn't fail to notice what a handsome man he was with his tall lean figure and his striking blue eyes.

One morning, she was able to catch him alone while he was waiting on the porch for Maria to come out of the tavern.

"Diego, please, can we talk? Can you tell me why we're no longer friends?"

Diego looked at her, unable to say anything. How could he tell her that he loved her too much and that he could no longer pretend to be only a brotherly friend when he knew she'd never love him? That he wanted to have her in his arms and that it took all his control not to show his feelings in her presence?

Diego turned away without a word, but she had seen the hurt in his eyes. Whatever it was that was standing between them had hurt him and he wasn't able to forget.

She needed to make him see that she cared for him and that she wouldn't give up on him, making amends for whatever she had done.

Z Z Z

In a subtle way, she began to give Diego special treatment, noticed by many of the customers, except Diego - who didn't seem to care, when he was the only one to matter to her. Whenever he came to the tavern, she made sure he was instantly served or his glass was refilled without him having to ask for it.

Though she still tried to figure out who Zorro was, Diego began to occupy more and more of her thoughts and slowly she began to admit her feelings for him. She wanted him to smile at her and to give her the compliments he was giving Maria. Why had she never realized before that she loved him?

Z Z Z

While Diego was having lunch with Mendoza, he tried to avoid looking in Victoria's direction. It was obvious that she was having a hard time and he felt guilty for the way he treated her, but he couldn't help himself though it was tearing him apart. To stay away from her and plan his future without her was the only way he knew to distract himself from the hurt he felt inside.

Everything was already arranged. He had bought a ring today and tomorrow night he would ask Maria for her hand at their engagement party at the tavern. He had talked to Don Pedro, who had given his consent to his daughter's marriage and from Maria's attitude, he knew she would say yes.

Having lost his appetite he shoved his plate away from him.

"Is something wrong, Don Diego? It's the third time this week you haven't touched your food at all, but the tamales are especially delicious today." Mendoza looked at him, concerned.

"Do you want to switch plates again? Help yourself, Mendoza, I'm not hungry anymore."

"Thank you, Don Diego. That's gracious of you." Eagerly, Mendoza exchanged his plate with Diego's untouched tamales. "It's not healthy for a man to skip meals and you haven't looked too good recently. Is it because of Señorita Maria? I'm your friend Don Diego, you can trust me."

"That's kind of you, Mendoza. I appreciate your offer, but from time to time a man has to make some decisions even if they don't come easy. There's nothing you can help me with."

Diego rose from his chair and crossed the room to meet Maria and her father, who were just coming down the stairs. Complimenting Maria on her dress, he offered her his arm to lead her out of the tavern followed by Don Pedro.

Victoria admired the elegant dress of Señorita Maria and compared with her own she knew she couldn't compete, making herself feel bad. When had Diego ever complimented her dress or offered her his arm for a walk?

"You have a beautiful dress too, Señorita Victoria," Mendoza tried to cheer her up.

"Do I detect a hint of envy of Señorita Maria, Señorita Victoria?" The alcalde smirked when he overheard the compliment. "Is it because of her dress or because of the attention Don Diego pays her? Have you changed your mind about him after Zorro dropped you? Why is it that women are only interested in a man when they can't have him?"

The words of the alcalde hit too close to the mark. "This is not your business at all, alcalde and it's time for you to leave, because I'm closing for siesta now." Victoria snapped at him angrily. The alcalde didn't stop smiling at her triumphantly, but left the tavern as he was told.

"They do look good together, but I don't think Don Diego will be happy with that woman," Mendoza remarked when he noticed her staring at Diego and Maria, who could be seen standing at the plaza through the open tavern doors.

"Why do you think that Mendoza?" Victoria asked, a little bit embarrassed that she had been caught staring after Diego.

"How can a man be happy who has lost his appetite?" Mendoza asked, concerned.

"What do you mean by that?" Victoria was surprised by his statement.

"Don Diego, he always liked your food, because he knows that it's the best in the area. Not even the de la Vega cook can compete with you," Mendoza couldn't miss the chance to praise her cooking, "but recently he never touches it."

"But, wasn't his plate always empty when I cleaned up his table?"

"Oh, I don't mind switching plates with him. One never knows when the next meal is coming." Mendoza patted his stomach.

"Maybe his upcoming engagement has made him lose his appetite. It has that effect on some men." Victoria added a little snippy, angry about them changing plates and deceiving her.

"You may believe that, but I'm sure, she's not the right one for him. Have you seen him smile recently?"

"Isn't he smiling all the time at the señorita, Mendoza?"

"Maybe I'm not the most observant person in this pueblo, but even I can see the difference between a real smile and a fake one. And when Don Diego is smiling it no longer reaches his eyes as it should if he were truly happy."

Victoria picked up the dishes and put them near the sink in the kitchen, unconsciously staring at them for minutes while she was thinking about her conversation with Mendoza.

Was it true what he had said? Why was Diego planning to marry Maria if he wasn't happy about it, or didn't love her?

Z Z Z

In the evening, Don Alejandro followed nearly the same line of thoughts as Victoria while he was playing a game of chess with his son.

"Diego, I need to ask you something."

"Yes, Father," Diego replied absentmindedly, his concentration directed at the game in front of him.

"Why do you want to marry Maria?"

Diego looked at his father at this unexpected question. "Why shouldn't I? She is nice, beautiful and rich enough not to marry me for my money."

"You talk about it as if you were evaluating a horse and not the woman you want to marry."

"What do you want from me, Father? For years you have been nagging me to get married and when I finally present you a bride, you raise objections."

"I know Diego, but I'm concerned for you. I want you to be as happy with your wife as I was with your mother. And how can you be happy with her when you don't love her? If you did, you wouldn't simply describe her as nice and beautiful. So why do you want to marry her? Has something happened between Maria and you that requires a marriage?"

"Father!" Diego was shocked at the implication in his father's words. "I haven't taken advantage of Maria. I never would go that far with a woman I'm not married to. Not even with..," Diego swallowed, unable to say Victoria's name and revealing too much, before he continued. "You should know me that well. It never went beyond a kiss on the hand."

"Then why do you want to marry someone you don't love? You sometimes look so sad when you think you're unobserved. Won't you talk about it, Diego? I'm your father, I love you and I want to help you."

Alejandro had hoped to reach out to Diego, but instead, Diego put on a blank face, erecting a wall around his feelings.

"I'm going to marry Maria and you should be happy about the prospect of having the grandchildren you always wanted. If I love her or not is no concern of yours." Angrily, Diego rose from the table, the game forgotten. Alejandro sighed. Like his mother, Diego could be so stubborn sometimes, even if he knew he was wrong.

"Of course your love life is not my business, but everything that involves money is my concern. I haven't worked my whole life to see my money thrown away."

"What are you talking about father?" Diego asked him suspiciously. "Don Pedro's hacienda may not be as large as ours, but he is a wealthy man."

"That's where you're wrong, Diego. While you were busy courting Maria, I took the time to make some inquiries about Don Pedro through my friends in Monterey. Don Pedro may have a large hacienda, but it seems his luck has run out. A few months ago, after an earthquake, one of his major wells that is needed to supply his cattle with water has started to run dry. Without it he can't sustain his herds anymore and he has already started to sell part of of his cattle. If he can't get access to a new water supply by digging new wells, which is very costly, he is ruined. But, if he is able to marry off his daughter to a wealthy caballero such as you, he may be able to save himself by borrowing from his new relatives. My friends are quite sure that's the reason he recalled his daughter from Spain. I hate to tell you that, but you might be set up by him."

"I'm pretty sure that Maria has no part in it and that she is unaware of her father's plotting. The man is desperate and I can understand his reasons. It won't change my decision about marrying her."

"I hope you know what you're doing, son." Alejandro said more to himself than to Diego who had already left for his room. Though he had pretended as if he hadn't noticed, Alejandro was well aware of Diego's slip. So, Diego had or had had a secret romance. Who'd have guessed that! Who was that woman and was she the reason for Diego's strange behavior lately? Alejandro shook his head, Diego was always good for a surprise. He only wished his son would open up and trust him with his heart's affairs, and all the other things he didn't care to explain, such as the need for a second horse on his way back from Monterey.

Z Z Z

Diego was angry about his father questioning his intention to get married. Why did he raise objections now after all these years he had been nagging him about grandchildren? Why did he have to defend himself against everyone? Even Felipe was cross with him after their earlier discussion in the cave.

"Felipe, I'm going to ask Maria tomorrow at the party if she wants to marry me. I have already asked her father and he has agreed to the marriage."

'Why do you want to marry her?' Felipe had gesticulated, agitatedly.

"Because I don't want to wait anymore to start a family."

'But you love Victoria!'

"Victoria is in love with a legend! She'll never take the Diego I have pretended to be."

'What about Zorro after you marry Maria? Will you tell her?'

"I haven't decided yet. Maybe I'll give up Zorro."

'You can't do that. The pueblo needs him.'

"But, can't you see that I want to have something for myself, Felipe, after all these years I have been fighting for them?"

'With someone like Maria?' Felipe's disagreement was all too clear. 'She is only two years older than me! How can I have someone as my stepmother who is so close to my age?'

"Is this what it's about Felipe?" They had never argued so heavily. "I will still love you and you must not be afraid."

'It's not about me, but about you and Maria. She is too young for you!'

"It's my decision, Felipe and you'll see it'll work out."

Felipe hadn't been convinced and had left the cave frustrated.

Z Z Z

Why did everything go wrong in his life lately? Diego thought before he went to sleep.