The gust of wind blew the door open and Diego leaped to his feet to wrestle it closed. Turning, he saw that the wind had even further chilled her.
"Here." He doffed his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders, mentally chastising himself for not doing so earlier. A very uncomfortable moment followed. Rarely did he get the chance to stand this close to her as himself. Nervousness consumed him.
"Well, Goodnight, Victoria." And once again he settled down on the makeshift pallet and turned his back to her.
"Diego?" It was now or never. "Diego," she put a hand down to jostle him. "Talk to me." He looked up into pleading eyes. Eyes he couldn't resist. Every bone in his body cried, "Here lies danger!"
"Talk? Now? But we really should be-"
"It's still early. It only got dark this early because of the storm. You can't be that tired!" She wasn't going to be put off that easily tonight.
He sat up, avoiding her eyes. Then he noticed that the fire had died down and got up to add more wood. "What do you want to talk about?" He smiled, staring into the fire.
"You."
"Me? That's not …what about me?"
"Tell me how you can be two different people like that. Today, you were nothing like your usual self. You were passionate."
"Oh, you mean 'not boring' as usual?" He teased. He knew it had not been a good idea to bring her. Today's speech had been too important. Much too important to give it as Diego. He had interspersed a lot of Zorro into it.
"Diego, stop that! Look at me!" His eyes flitted up at hers. "No! I want you to really look at me!" She knelt down beside him and he drew back from her despite himself. It took several seconds before he could meet her gaze. "That's better. Now, talk to me. I want you to tell me about you. Tell me what moves you. What besides the appeal today could ever arouse you like that?" Her brown eyes bored into him. If she only knew how difficult it was to resist her. He had loved her all his life, it seemed.
"Victoria… I don't think… this is a subject …we should-"
"Why? Why not? Diego, you were so different today. You reminded me of…well, of someone else." She searched his face. "I could almost believe…" She grabbed his shoulders and as her hands slid down his arms, her voice trailed away. There was hard muscle here! Another surprise. She turned a confused stare to his eyes. Deep blue eyes. Blue eyes that held a confidence others only dreamed about. Blue eyes that had connected with her soul from behind a mask. "Diego?" Recognition slammed into her psyche.
"Yes. It's just me. Diego. But, I do believe, this is the first time you've ever really seen me." His voice was that of another's. Her mind reeled with the truth that had just revealed itself to her. For a moment, the room went dark and in the next, she felt his arms around her. Strong arms. She was in the embrace of the man she loved. She was in Zorro's arms.
"How can this be?" She asked weakly. "You …you…"
"Victoria, are you all right? You frightened me there for a minute." She pulled away and he saw a war going on behind her countenance. She wanted to be angry but she also wanted to be happy she had found out his secret at last. Whether she would kiss him or slap his face, he couldn't guess. Just in case, he caught her hands in his and brought each up, in turn, to his lips and placed a tender, loving kiss on each palm. "Disappointed, mi preciosa?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Disap…. OH!" She tried to pull her hands from his grasp, but he held them fast. "Let me go!" Her eyes burned with fire and her cheeks flamed. "How dare you-"
"Victoria, you do understand why-" he began as she struggled with him. This wasn't exactly how he'd planned to tell her someday, but it was too late now.
"Understand what! How you've made a fool of me all this time?" She shook her head from side to side, unbelieving the entire truth of the situation that was becoming so clear. "You did this-"
"I did this to protect you! I couldn't tell you. The knowledge you now have is dangerous. Very dangerous to you. Can't you see that?" He felt her relax and loosened the grip on her hands. "I'm sorry. I've wanted to tell you. Do you not think it's been difficult for me to see you every day and not be able to-"
"Ah! But you had the choice! You didn't allow me that!" She jerked her hands away and scrambled to her feet. She felt the jacket about her shoulders and with a jut of her chin, shrugged it off, letting it fall to the floor. "And don't think for a minute I plan to stay here with you! You lied to me! You lied-" but her voice broke as she tried to lash out at him with her tongue. The tears were threatening to flow and she had to get away from him. She backed away slowly toward the door, unable to voice any more of what she was feeling. Leaning back against the door, she saw such concern in his eyes, and she could bear it no longer. She turned and threw the door open, the hinges squealing in the night. And she ran out into the rain, oblivious to the storm, and grateful for the darkness.
"Victoria!" Diego was on his feet immediately when he saw what she meant to do. "Victoria!" But an instant of indecision let her get a good start.
She ran to the top of the cliff before collapsing to her knees. This wasn't fair. Zorro just couldn't be Diego! The betrayal was just that much worse that it was Diego, her best friend. It just couldn't be! She felt like she had lost the two most important people in her life. It just couldn't be!
All of a sudden, Diego was there. And she was in his arms, sobbing wildly, as the storm raged all around them. The waves splashed the rocks beneath the cliff and the spray added to the rain that pelted them. He let her cry. Long minutes passed and he just held her. But, as the brilliant lightning cut patterns in the sky, his scientific mind took over. "Victoria, we need to go back inside. The storm's getting worse and you're already soaked. Come." He spoke as Zorro would have, and she nodded and followed meekly. At least, the commanding tone still worked with her, he thought wryly. But it might just be a long night.
Once inside, he ushered her to a seat on the bench. She was quite docile now and it was hard to tell if the drops on her face were freshly shed tears of drops of rain. He stoked the fire and added another handful of wood. "Victoria, you need to get out of those clothes."
"What!" She turned an incredulous face to him. He couldn't be serious.
"Victoria, you are drenched and it's cold. I am not going to let you catch your death-"
"As if you'd care!" She looked back at the fire, trying to ignore him.
"You know I care." He said quietly. Picking up the discarded jacket, he said "Here, at least this is still dry and so are the blankets. I assure you, I will be a gentleman. But you must get out of those clothes."
"Oh, you're always a gentleman, a caballero through and through!" She took the jacket from him, casting him a sullen look. She knew he was right, but oh, how she did not want to do anything he said right now!
"Tell me when you're finished." He turned around slowly to stare at the walls and she began slowly to undress. The mistake of his actions, he realized almost immediately. For the image of her disrobing was cast by the fire in the shadows on the wall. He watched mesmerized by the display, trying to calm his rising blood. A long night, indeed.
"I'm finished."
"So might I be." He mumbled under his breath. And he turned around slowly to see her sitting on the floor wrapped in one of the blankets.
"So there is." He took a deep breath and began unbuttoning his shirt. He watched her, excited to see she was watching him. With only a hint of embarrassment, he pulled off the wet shirt. She swallowed hard as she took in the muscled chest and arms. Pleased with the effect, he sat down beside her and reached for the remaining blanket. "Much better. Are you getting warm?"
"Oh, yes, quite warm." She licked her lips. "But aren't you going to …to…?" She indicated what she meant with a nod of her head.
"I think not. There's enough temptation in this room right now without my shedding any more clothes." He smiled and finally she gave a quiet laugh.
"I'm sorry. This is my fault. I shouldn't have run out like that."
"No, you shouldn't have. But, if you hadn't, it might not be quite as cozy in here right now."
"It is that." She giggled.
"I'm sorry too, Victoria. I never meant to hurt you. You must know that."
"I do." Then she looked over at him again, taking in his handsome profile as it shown in the firelight. "But this is going to take some getting used to. I'm not sure who you are anymore."
"I'm a wanted criminal, Victoria, that's who I am. And you will have to remember that. You've made a major discovery tonight. I'm not exaggerating the danger knowing this puts you in."
"I know. I just don't know how I'm going to be able to look at you-"
"Precisely. You're going to have to treat Diego as you always have. The only time we'll be able to be open with each other will be when we are sure we are completely alone. Victoria, not even my father knows my secret."
"He doesn't?" She was stunned. She realized then how complicated his life must be. Having to deceive his own father in his own home.
"Felipe does, of course. I don't think I could have managed without his help, but no one else knows. It must remain that way for now. Are you up to this?"
"I would never give you away." She promised solemnly.
"I know. Not intentionally. But you must be very careful. The Alcalde watches you for clues about me. I've seen him studying you. I'll try not to be present when he is in the tavern for awhile, at least, until you are more comfortable with the charade."
"And what's going to happen with us? Do we remain just friends?" She braced herself for his reply.
"Well, we need to discuss that. I know that being courted by Diego de la Vega doesn't have quite the impressiveness of being courted by Zorro. But perhaps in time, we could manage a slow diversion of your affections from one to the other. As long as Zorro is needed, that may be the only way for us to have a future together." He reached out for her hand. "Do you think you could accept me the way I have always made myself known to you? I know that there are times that I am forced to act very foolish, very inept. It may be quite a feat to pretend to …"
"To love such a man?" She chuckled. "Yes, you are very good at looking …" She stopped. No, the time was past for issuing even the tiniest insult to Diego. She made a silent promise to herself to remember that. "But Diego has always been a very nice, kind man. A wonderful friend. At times, he's quite adorable, even lovable. I've often thought that if it hadn't been for Zorro…" She smiled up at him.
"If it hadn't been for Zorro, I would have married you soon after I came back from Spain. You filled my thoughts on the voyage home. Wondering about that pretty young girl I grew up with in the pueblo kept me from being too upset over…" He stopped, realizing he had almost told her about his having been left at the altar by a girl in Spain. Much too complicated to go into that now, so he continued on another vein. "over being called home before my studies were complete."
"I suppose I wouldn't have had any say in the matter?" She asked with mock indignation.
"None whatsoever!" He laughed and put his arm around her, careful not to dislodge any portion of her blanket. "I could have convinced you easily." He bent his head down and gave her a long, slow kiss.
When their lips parted, she heaved a heavy sigh. "Yes, you could have." And she raised her lips once more to his in expectation.
"No. This is not a good idea." He placed a final light peck of a kiss on her lips. "We need to get some sleep. I don't want to have to spend a week doing 'Hail Mary's' for the good Padre because of tonight. We'll continue this discussion when we are both …more appropriately clothed." She giggled as he indicated the space he had laid out before just behind them as hers. He moved back and patted the saddlebag he had placed there as her pillow. Then he stood and moved around the low bench to lie back down on his own side. He pulled the blanket around his shoulders and turned his back to her just as he'd done before. "Good night, Victoria." And once again he feigned sleep.
She smiled in anticipation of the rest of her life with this man. It might take a while, but there was more hope in her heart right now than there had been in such a long time. She pulled the blanket close and lay back against the makeshift pillow.
"Goodnight, Diego." And she let a bubble of laughter escape her lips as she had to add, "Goodnight, Zorro!"
"Goodnight, Querida." Zorro said in that voice just a shade deeper than Diego's.
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