Chapter 27

Victoria sipped her punch thoughtfully. The party was a success...Several of the guests had given her their sincere congratulations even though some in attendance did not approve of the engagement of two people from different classes in society...

"My congratulations to you for snaring the most eligible bachelor in the territory..You are a very fortunate woman, Victoria," Senora Espinosa sneered.

Leave it to the señora to make a happy event into a scheme on Victoria's part..."I did not snare him, Senora. I love Diego and he loves me."

"At first,I did not understand how you could fall out of love with Zorro so easily but...Diego is the most eligible bachelor in the territory and one of the wealthiest. You have made a good match for yourself."

"I have always had feelings for Diego. We will be happy together!

"I wonder why Zorro didn't challenge Diego for your hand? He bowed out rather quickly. Doesn't that seem strange to you?"

"Zorro would not interfere with my happiness."

"Well, Diego is fortunate to have secured your affections, Victoria. I hope the two of you will be happy together."

"Gracias. Now if you will excuse me. I have other guests to attend to…"

ZZZ

"Victoria, what was that woman doing? Stirring up trouble as usual," Aria frowned, "The woman is jealous because her daughter is not the one marrying him."

"She accused me of being after Diego's money…Some people are genuinely happy for us but I know that some people think that he is marrying beneath his station.."

"Anyone with eyes can see that you love each other. Diego has always loved you."

"Am I being disloyal to Zorro by marrying Diego?"

"Didn't you say that Zorro thought that you should have a husband? He even suggested that you marry Diego."

"He suggested it but it did not influence my decision to marry Diego. Sometimes, I wonder why Diego did not say something sooner…"

"It is not easy for any man to compete with a legend."

"When I was younger, I wanted to marry Diego. He was so handsome...so brave…so dashing…." Did I fall in love with Zorro because he reminded me of Diego?

"Traveler's tax? This is preposterous!"

"This is extortion, alcalde and you know it!"

"Stay out of it, de la Vega. This lady and I use the term loosely is a courtesan. Even a respected caballero like you knows what she did for a living. Our pueblo cannot condone having this type of woman living among us... no matter how beautiful she is…She is not fit to live in this pueblo regardless of what you believe…She is nothing but a high-priced…"

"Senorita Franco is under our protection."

"Spoken like the do-gooder that you are, Diego."

Victoria remembered how her fiancée had actually taken a stand for Aria… "Today, I saw a side of you that I have longed to see for a while but Aria can take care of herself…you had to be her knight in shining armor! You could have gotten yourself arrested or worse...I have never seen you stand up for any woman like you stood up for her."

"Are you sure, Victoria?"

"Diego sounds like Zorro. Maybe that is why you fell in love with him, Victoria."

I wonder if there is more to my fiancée than meets the eye...Do I know Diego as well as I think I do?

ZZZ

The de la Vega garden...

Victoria was genuinely happy but Diego seemed somewhat…She didn't know exactly how to describe it…When Diego was truly happy his blue eyes sparkled with merriment and tonight, his eyes did not have their usual sparkle. What would Diego have to be upset about? His father was happy about the engagement…Diego did not care about what society thought about their relationship…What could it possibly be? She couldn't put her finger on it...Zorro had not interfered with their relationship, in fact, he had encouraged her to marry Diego. "Zorro would be happy for you. Didn't you say that he thought that you should have a husband…That he even suggested that you marry Diego?" Why would a man in love with someone for years urge her to fall in love with another man…It was a little too noble…or was it? Zorro bowed out gracefully and Diego took his place. It was a little too convenient. You should have a husband. Someone like Diego, perhaps…. Someone like Diego…The words echoed in her mind...

"A night in jail would have done wonders for the two of you!"

"It certainly would have been more peaceful around here!"

"Is this Diego de la Vega showing some back bone?"

"Aren't you the one who is always challenging me to do more?"

"You, my beautiful spitfire are in need of a cooling down," Diego smirked. "In fact, I know just the place!"

"Maybe we should have let you two kill each other or better still be arrested by the good sergeant!"

If my suspicions were true then Diego is a better actor than I give him credit for...Zorro appeared right after Diego returned from Madrid...Zorro and the Diego I once knew are so similar...The man that I was searching for was right in front of my eyes and I did not see it. How could I have been so blind? Do I really know the real Diego de la Vega?