Diego ran his fingers through his hair, noticing the ink smears too late – now his hair was probably stained. He shook his head, and put down the quill pen. If only life would calm down…he might just be able to run this newspaper.

Glancing out the window, he noticed that the sun was setting. He hadn't even written a sentence of editorial. He scrunched up the paper, and threw it against the wall.

Isabella crossed the plaza towards the office. He opened the door, and ordered her to sit, as he took the large basket she carried.

"Don't say anything."

Zzz

Isabella sat on the chair obediently, and turned curious eyes to Diego's face. For the first time in a long time, she felt like bursting into peals of laughter. She put a hand to her mouth, and glanced at the floor.

"Are you laughing at me?" Diego said with irritation, before he thought about what he was saying. "Are you really laughing at me?" He repeated softer and more intrigued.

Isabella sighed, and her smile was amazing. Diego sighed, and smiled as well. If he wasn't so in love with Victoria…Oh well…Francisco always knew how to pick beautiful and intelligent women to fall in love with. He should have expected no less of Francisco's wife to be both.

"It's alright. I must look amazing…" Diego said softly. "As you know, men have their pride…"

"I have never noticed yours before, Diego. It makes it funnier," Isabella said taking deep breaths to stop herself from even giggling. "Even in this gloom, I notice a clear smudge across your nose."

She stood, and made her way over to him. Tipping a little water on a handkerchief, she stood on tiptoes to wipe away at the smear. Their eyes met, and then her eyes dropped to his lips. She bit her lip, and the laughter in her eyes was replaced with sorrow.

Without thinking, he reached out and held her. She sighed and leant her head on his chest.

"I miss him. I miss him so much, Diego. No one holds me anymore. Not like this," she whispered. He stroked her hair, and realised he should not be holding her at all. Isabella needed him, though.

He kissed the top of her hair lightly, and released her reluctantly. She sighed again, and sat turning her face away.

"I am embarrassed now…" She murmured, and her face flushed as she said it. She placed a hand to her cheek and smiled ruefully.

"Don't be, Isabella."

She glanced towards the basket. "There is a whole chicken in there. And some madeira. Francisco said it was your favourite wine. We were going to invite you to our hacienda the week after…"

"I can't eat a whole chicken on my own," Diego said softly. "Why don't you stay here and join me?"

"My reputation? Your reputation?"

Diego smiled. "No one expects me to be anything romantic."

"They don't know much about you," Isabella said softly. "I know you are."

"You do?"

"I've seen the way you look at Victoria. I know what a man in love looks like. I heard about Destara and I've seen the way he looks at her. I've seen the way you look at him…"

"It's very complicated."

"She belongs to Zorro," she murmured.

"Yes."

There was a silence for a few moments.

"Zorro is a noble man…" Diego said, more to break the silence than anything else.

"I wouldn't know. I have not met the man," Isabella said. "From what I hear he is noble and heroic – like a figure out of literature."

Diego crossed the room to light the lamp. Light flickered into the room, and he lit another one.

Isabella giggled suddenly, and Diego glanced down a little. He chuckled as well.

"I suppose I am in my full glory now."

"It will take more than a dab of a handkerchief to clean those marks away."

She couldn't resist the impulse to try to clean it off his handsome face, coming over to him again. He moved to get another chair, and moved it to where she could sit and clean him up.

"Thank you, Diego," she murmured. He wasn't sure if she was glad of the chance to sit down, or the fact that the distance between them was more platonic. He was glad of both.

"What will happen if Zorro confronts Destara for that kiss?" Isabella murmured.

"Zorro is very calm and controlled. He always has been in the past."

"Has anyone tried to kiss her before?"

"She has almost married someone before," he answered.

"Not really what I said, Diego. Has anyone else kissed her?"

Diego glanced at her eyes, still subjecting his face to the wash. "I don't know."

"A man's jealousy betrays him sometimes," she murmured. "I have read literature. I know, it's not the same thing."

"Great literature survives because of its connection to real emotion…"

"Men in books react badly to someone else kissing their beloved. Think of Shakespeare…"

"Shakespeare is a great one for overwhelming tragedy," Diego said with a smile. "You think Zorro is one of Shakespeare's heroes?"

She laughed a little. "He reminds me of one…All I know about him is he defends the helpless and rights wrongs, like some hero from Greek legend."

"You read Greek legends?"

"My father was a scholar. A little like you, I suppose."

"And so are you."

She smiled. "No. I just enjoy reading. My thinking is not the greatest. If it was, I could think my way out of this desire for a husband. Surely you manage it."

Diego stiffened. If Isabella noticed, she ignored it. She went over to the basket that Diego had placed on the large table where he usually planned the layout of the paper.

"The chicken is still warm, Diego. If you want you can break it up for us."

"Of course," he replied, arranging portions on two plates also found in the basket. There was bread and a vegetable stew as well, and suddenly he was very hungry.

"You are very kind to think of me," Diego said, with genuine curiosity.

"I know how scholars can get with food."

He smiled.

There was a soft knock on the door of the office. Diego lifted an eyebrow and walked over to open the door.

Victoria stood there with a basket of her own. She glanced inside, and noticed Isabella and her basket. Diego closed the door a little, and realised Victoria was upset.

"Victoria," he said, following her as she turned and walked quickly away. "Don't go."

"You obviously were in the middle of something, Diego. Don't let me interrupt." Victoria seemed to be wiping her eyes a little.

"Are you alright, Victoria? You're not…crying?" Diego said with disbelief.

"No. I'm not crying. A…a piece of dust…it must have gotten in my eye."

Diego wanted to sweep her into his arms and demand why she was crying, but he resisted. Would he ever understand women, he thought, as he stepped back and watched her run to the tavern. She had left her basket behind. Something told Diego just to leave it for another time.