A review that I also have to translate, I love it. Fortunately I know an online translator that works very well. I also love the other reviews, those that I understand just by reading them.

To the guest reader who sends me their good wishes: Ačiū už komentarą ir gerus jausmus. Aš taip pat linkiu jums linksmų Kalėdų ir tikiuosi, kad interneto vertėjas yra geras ir aš nerašau nesąmonių. ;)

Chapter 18. Preparations.

Victoria woke up at dawn and dressed in her usual clothes. When she went down to the kitchen she found that Pilar was already there and was looking at her somewhat astonished. "What are you doing up so early? You should get some more sleep, today is going to be a long day."

"There are a lot of things to do."

"But we'll do them. You only have to worry about making yourself pretty today, we'll take care of the rest."

The new girl, Manuela, was coming through the kitchen door at that moment. At the sight of them she was startled.

"Don't tell me I'm late." she said to Pilar.

"No, I just got here too. Victoria should be sleeping, but she's a restless ass and there's not going to be any way to get her not to work today."

Manuela smiled, and Victoria couldn't help but smile too.

At 10 a.m. Pilar convinced Victoria to go up to her room to get ready.

"I don't need two hours to get dressed!" she protested.

"Alicia has filled the bathtub, Marina gave me some soap yesterday that smells really good, and she's coming in a little while with one of her maids who is the one who always does her hair so she can fix your hair."

"I'm going to put it up like I always do at parties."

Pilar shook her head. "It's a special day, and you're going to look spectacular."

"Fine, I'm going upstairs to take that bath."

"I'll give you fifteen minutes."

"Since when did you become so bossy?" laughed Victoria.

"Since you made me manager of the tavern, come on, get upstairs already."

Victoria walked into her room. There was a bathtub taking up almost all the available space. She undressed with some trepidation.

Exactly fifteen minutes later there was a knock at the door.

"Victoria. May I come in?" asked Pilar.

"Go ahead, I'm already drying off."

Pilar came in and closed the door immediately. She saw Victoria's clothes on the bed. She approached curiously.

"So this is the famous corset." she said picking up the garment to examine it. It was made in two-colored fabric, pink and white, and had embroidery and bows, something the corsets Victoria usually wore did not have.

"Put that down, you gossip." said Victoria.

"It has two loops on it. Do you think he'll know how to get you off?"

"I'm not going to comment." said Victoria very seriously, though holding back a smile.

"Spoilsport." said Pilar with a pout.

Victoria put on her underwear, a camisole and petticoats, but did not yet put on her dress. Pilar and Alicia emptied the tub and took it away. A short time later there was another knock at the door.

"I'm Marina, I'm here with my maid Paloma, may we come in?"

"Come in." said Victoria.

Behind Marina came in an older woman looking very good-humored. Victoria was surprised to see her. "I don't think I know you." she said a little disoriented.

"I arrived late yesterday, the Count sent a message saying that Doña Marina would be here for more days than initially planned and he ordered two footmen, the laundress and me to come and attend to the young lady and her uncles."

Victoria was surprised that Marina needed so many people at her service, but made no comment.

"Have you been working for the family for long?" she asked her as she sat down in front of her dressing table.

"Yes señorita, I was hired by Doña Marina's late grandmother. Then I was her mother's personal maid, and when Doña Marina's maid married and went to live in Jalisco she asked me to come into her service, because after her mother's death I took care of the guests."

"My mother always said she was the best maid she had ever seen. I have told her several times that she can retire whenever she wants, but she insists on continuing to work."

"I will go with you wherever you go." said the lady with conviction.

Victoria was surprised by so much affection between the young lady and the maid.

Finally Victoria was ready, so the maid withdrew, satisfied with her work. "The young lady has beautiful hair." she commented. Victoria tried to smile, but she was getting nervous and there were still 20 minutes before the ceremony was to begin.

"Don Alejandro will be here in 10 minutes." said Victoria.

"We can wait downstairs." said Marina.

"No, it's crowded downstairs, I'd rather stay here."

"Would you prefer us to go out?"

"No, stay with me, see if I get distracted."

Pilar poured her a glass of water from a pitcher on a small table.

"I don't know why you're so nervous, I'm sure the groom will show up."

"Sometimes grooms don't show up?" asked Marina in surprise. After all, her problem was the excessive enthusiasm of her suitors to marry her as soon as possible.

"Oh, yes, and sometimes when they're already at the church they change their minds and run off. My grandmother was born in Toboso, a village in Castile. There when the bride and groom enter the church some neighbors lock it from the outside, so no one can escape without at least giving explanations."

Victoria and Marina burst out laughing.

"I'm sure Diego won't run away." said Victoria. "But I can't help but get the feeling that something bad is going to happen."

"It will be a quiet wedding, Diego is a very sensible man. It's not like you're going to marry Zorro." said Pilar.

Victoria looked away so Pilar wouldn't suspect anything, but she kept thinking about what she had just said. "Wait a minute. Victoria?"

Victoria continued to dissemble, but Pilar knew her too well. Startled, she glanced sideways at Marina, who noticed the tension in the other two women but didn't know what was going on.

"Is something wrong?" asked the lady.

"No, it´s just me, I'm a little crazy. As my grandmother used to say, my head is full of marbles. I can't think of anything but nonsense. Don Diego and Zorro couldn't be more different," said Pilar with a lot of conviction, perhaps a little too much.

Victoria could only nod, and Marina shrugged. "I haven't seen that famous Zorro more than glancingly."

"Marina. would you do us a favor? Can you go downstairs and send a servant to let us know as soon as Don Alejandro arrives?" asked Pilar.

"Sure. I'll see you now."

Marina walked out the door and Pilar turned to Victoria. "I've told you before. I'm not going to comment." said Victoria.

"But it's him. How long have you known?"

"Please stop making things up."

"It has to be recent, or else you'd have been married a long time ago."

"Come on, let it go."

"All right, just one question, and I swear on my mother's life I won't talk about this to anyone ever." Victoria stared at her friend, dreading what she was going to say. "When you made that mark on Don Diego's neck, what color was he wearing?"

"You're impossible." said Victoria.

"Come on, tell me." said Pilar looking at her pleadingly.

Victoria looked at her with concern and Pilar became very serious, which was very unlike her. "I admit I love gossip and I've been teasing you about this whole thing, but you're my friend, and I would never harm you or purposely endanger your husband just for my own amusement. It's just that...I feel sorry for Zorro, after what he has done for everyone that he has to give you up seems very sad to me, and that you have to resign yourself to marrying another man because you can't have the one you want, and that Don Diego, who looks at you as if you were the only woman on earth, that he has to settle for a woman who has loved with all her heart another man."

"I think you read too many romance novels."

Pilar made a disappointed face. "Maybe so, but I'd like to think that a love like the one you and Zorro had doesn't end like that."

Victoria sighed, and finally whispered just one sentence. "He was wearing black."

"Yes!" said Pilar excitedly.

"You promised."

"And I'll keep my promise, I swear."

"You'd better. You haven't talked about this with anyone else?"

"I told Alicia that I thought your breakup with Zorro was strange, but she told me it was nonsense, that this is real life and it is logical for you to be sensible."

"Well, let her keep thinking that."

"Really, Victoria, I won't betray you."

Victoria sighed, even more nervous than before.