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This chapter is dedicated with special gratitude to PuebloDeLosAngeles, who delighted Zorro fans everywhere by posting New World Zorro eps on YouTube; to Kathy Green who told me they were there; and to my brother, Jerry, who gave me the idea for a key part of the story, and whose input made this story better than it otherwise would have been. Enjoy!

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Crouched outside the wall of the cuartel, Felipe looked down at Don Alejandro's pistol and grinned as he heard the commotion in the courtyard. It sounded like he'd bought enough time for Diego and the others to sneak into the Alcalde's office, and from there into the secret passageway. He listened a few more moments, then arose noiselessly, tucked the pistol inside his belt, and walked back toward the church.

Although the fire was out, the acrid smell still hung in the air. The tavern looked somehow eerie and unfamiliar with the gaping hole in its side. Felipe's brow creased as he thought of Victoria inside the church with Lopez. Felipe adored Victoria, and not only because Diego loved her. Victoria had always been kind to him and never treated him like he was stupid because (as she supposed) he couldn't hear. It just seemed so unfair that something so bad had happened to someone so good and kind. Victoria was, in fact, the closest thing Felipe had to a mother since his own mother had been killed many years before.

All was quiet, so Felipe slipped into the shadows of the tavern to watch the church unobserved. He leaned back against the wall and exhaled slowly. For now, all he could do was wait.

 

The three men made their way cautiously through the dank, pitch-black tunnel with the padre in the lead. Alejandro followed with his hand on the padre's shoulder, and Diego came next with his hand on his father's shoulder. Diego drew comfort from the simple contact, feeling a sense of strength and solidarity from the other two men. He was not in this alone.

Gradually the padre slowed his pace, knowing he must be close to the stairs. "Ah," he said, as his toes bumped the bottom stair. "The stairs are right ahead of us, my sons."

"And now what?" questioned Alejandro, as they came to a stop. He suspected Diego had been formulating a plan as they'd walked silently through the tunnel and waited for his son to speak.

But the padre continued. "The stairs lead up to the supply room in the vestibule. The tunnel entrance is behind some shelves. Once we get into the supply room, I should go out and determine the situation. If I can do it without being seen, so much the better. But even if I am caught, it should not give your presence away."

Diego had to admit the padre's proposal made sense, and he admired the padre's bravery. Not only that, but it would give him a chance to change into Zorro's costume without the padre there. But another part of him resisted: he could hardly bear not knowing what was happening with Victoria a moment longer.

Then again, as far as the padre knew, he was simply with Don Diego de la Vega and his father. So the padre would probably be expecting Diego to hang back.

"What do you think, son?" Alejandro asked.

Diego hesitated. "Padre, are you sure? We don't know what Lopez might be capable of."

"My sons, I believe this is the best way. Come along—we've no time to lose." And with that, the padre started up the stairs. Silently, the other two men followed.

 

It had taken some time, but Victoria was gratified when one of the knots came undone. She felt another one further up the rope, and set to work on it. Her fingers were growing colder in the chill air, and she tried to warm them as best she could by rubbing them against each other. But it didn't help much, and the cold seemed to increase the tension she felt.

Stretching her hands, she began digging at the knot again. Her mind turned to Diego; she knew he must be working on a plan. Until it became apparent what that was, focusing on him was a welcome distraction. In her mind, she began reviewing various interactions they'd had, seeing them from a fresh perspective—like the moments leading up to their first kiss. She'd been at the de la Vega hacienda, recovering from a gunshot wound. Finally strong enough to move about, she had gone out onto the veranda to enjoy the evening air. After a few moments, she'd been startled—and delighted—to see Zorro there. Moments later she'd been startled again—and quite a bit less delighted—when Zorro suggested she might want to marry someone like Diego. Diego! At the time she'd felt a sinking feeling inside, wondering if Zorro's feelings had changed. It became clear soon enough that they hadn't, of course, as he'd returned her kiss warmly. Now she smiled at the humor of the situation, and she understood even more the love Diego had for her.

Then there was the time right after their secret engagement that Diego had been chatting with her in the tavern. He'd told her she looked happier than a lamb in a meadow and asked the reason why. She recalled how he had even tried to tease the secret out of her: "We're friends! You can tell me." Part of her was playfully indignant, now that she realized Diego had been testing her, but part of her was very glad she had shown him she could be trusted.

She started when Lopez suddenly stood up and walked toward the side door of the church. "Don't wander off while I'm gone," he called over his shoulder, and she heard him laughing to himself.

"Where are you going?" she asked. Lopez didn't respond. She heard the door open, then close. She thought he must be taking care of personal business, looking for Zorro, or both. Zorro . . . frantically, she dug at the second knot with aching fingers. It held tight.

 

Lopez peered out into the darkness. The area looked deserted. Looking at the blackened tavern, he grinned. Capturing the young tavern keeper had been easier than he'd imagined. Now all he had to do was wait for that fool Zorro to show up, as he undoubtedly would.

It felt good to stretch his legs, and Lopez would have walked about had he not had a prisoner to guard. He grinned again. Best to relieve himself and get back. He walked quickly toward the back of the church, thinking about the bounty money that would soon be his. It was a tidy sum and he could live luxiously for quite a while. And perhaps he could even grow the reward with a few rigged poker games. Where should he go next: Monterrey? Santa Barbara? Maybe even to Baja California.

He disappeared behind the church, unaware of the young man stealthily making his way through the shadows of the tavern toward the unlocked side door of the church.

 

A menacing growl from the dog sent chills down Victoria's spine. She looked at the animal but it seemed oblivious to her, focused on something at the front of the chapel. Slowly it arose, senses alert, and started walking toward whatever had caught its attention. When it got to the curtain hiding the supply room, it barked twice.

"Who's there?" Victoria called tensely. She watched as the curtain was pulled slowly backwards, and dark form stepped out. The dog barked again, then began to growl. In the dimly lit room, she couldn't make out the face for a few moments, then relief washed over her as she realized who it was.

"Padre!" exclaimed Victoria. "How did you..."

"My daughter!" he responded, his eyes full of compassion. Cautiously he walked past the dog to Victoria. The dog followed, still growling, but it would apparently do nothing more without a command from his master. The padre immediately set about working on the knots near Victoria's wrists, and she relaxed gratefully.

"I am relieved you are ... well," he said. "But where is the man who took you captive?" he asked.

"He walked outside just a moment ago. But he'll be back any minute, I'm sure. He must have heard the dog." She tried not to grimace as the ropes tightened around her wrists with the padre's efforts. "Have you been in the supply room this whole time?" she asked.

"We should talk later," the padre responded, and Victoria nodded as he continued working at the knots.

 

Barking from within the church startled Lopez. Quickly he walked to the side of the church and saw a young man in light clothing moving rapidly toward the side door. Lopez recognized him: the boy with the darts! He raced to the door as the boy slipped inside and tried to close it. Throwing himself against it, Lopez felt resistance from the other side and pushed harder, grunting with the effort. He watched the opening grow wider.

Alerted by the sound of the scuffle, the padre walked quickly toward the side door in time to see it thrown open, knocking Felipe to the floor. Lopez immediately drew his gun. "What do you think you're doing?" he snarled. Felipe and the padre exchanged discouraged glances. "In there," Lopez said, nodding toward the chapel. Felipe arose from the ground and he and the padre walked inside.

"Oh, no," Victoria said under her breath. Making sure Felipe was looking directly at her so he could read her lips, she asked, "Felipe, are you all right?"

Felipe shrugged, frowning

"Enough," Lopez said. "Sit down. You, there," he said to the padre, pointing with his gun to the row in front of Victoria. "And you, there," he told Felipe, indicating the opposite pew. He whistled for the dog and gave a command in Spanish. The dog stood in the aisle next to Padre Benitez, a low growl in its throat. "I wouldn't try anything if I were you," Lopez smirked. "Lobo hasn't eaten for a while."

With the dog guarding the padre and his gun still trained on Felipe, Lopez pulled more rope out of his bag. Then he grabbed Felipe with one hand, set the gun down, and tied Felipe to the pew as he had Victoria. Then he tied up the padre too.

 

Within the supply room, Diego and Alejandro heard the dog bark not long after the padre exited.

"That's not good, Diego," Alejandro said warily.

"No, it's not," Deigo responded, removing the black clothing from his pouch. "I think I'll get changed."

"I still can't believe it, Diego," Alejandro said in a low voice, shaking his head, as his son donned the clothing of his alter-ego. "My son is Zorro."

Diego gave a half-hearted smile. "One thing is certain, Father—I'm glad you know, because I'm glad you're here tonight."

"I wouldn't have it any other way, son. We will rescue her, Diego. Everything will work out. You'll see."

Diego started to reply when Alejandro interrupted him suddenly. "Shhhh—Diego, did you hear that?" Both men strained to hear from within the supply room. They heard voices, but couldn't distinguish the words.

"I'm going to go investiate," whispered Zorro, as he tied his mask in place and put the hat on his head. His father nodded. Grateful for his dark clothing, the masked man silently opened the supply room door, slipped out, and walked to the edge of the curtain. He stood there, trying to distinguish voices, but they were too faint. Then a whistle sounded clearly. Lopez must have called the dog, which was a good thing—it meant the dog would be distracted and might not sense his presence right away. But how long would that last?

Zorro removed his hat and carefully peered around the curtain. His heart lurched as he saw Victoria, apparently tied to the pew. Nearby were the padre and ... Felipe? Zorro hadn't expected that. His first impulse was to rush out and confront Lopez, but having three hostages increased the risk and the danger. His brow furrowed. Could he catch Felipe's eye and sign to him without attracting the attention of the dog? Cautiously, he looked out a little further. Fortunately, the dog seemed focused on the padre. But Felipe wasn't even looking his direction. He glanced at Victoria, who was watching Lopez. If he could catch her eye, she could get Felipe's attention. He stared at Victoria, willing her to look at him, slowly inching past the curtain so more of his head was visible.

He watched as she yawned and turned her head from side to side, as if trying to ease the tension in her neck and shoulders. It was then he saw her start almost imperceptibly, and he knew she had seen him. He exhaled slowly, then touched his fingers to his lips. She smiled ever so slightly at the unspoken message. Then he pointed at Felipe and back at himself. She seemed to understand he wanted Felipe to see him.

Victoria waited until Lopez was not looking directly at her, then she looked straight at Felipe. Catching his eye, she motioned with her eyes toward the shadowy figure half-hidden by the curtain. Felipe subtly let his gaze move in that direction and his eyes lightened as he realized who was there.

Knowing Felipe would have tried to work the ropes loose, Zorro made a sign to ask Felipe if he'd had any success. The negative look in Felipe's eyes was answer enough, and not surprising, considering Lopez was apparently not new at this type of thing. Zorro mouthed the words distinctly, "Back in five minutes," then vanished behind the curtain and returned to the supply room where Don Alejandro was waiting. "Father, things have become more complicated. Somehow Lopez has also taken the padre and Felipe hostage. We must find a way to make Lopez think Zorro is waiting outside the church." The conversation became quietly intense as the two men formulated their plan.

Finally Alejandro said, "That would work, son, but how am I going to get outside?"

"If Felipe or Victoria could distract Lopez, it would only take a split second for you to get from here to the side door. Let's see what we can do." The two men moved to the curtain that separated the supply room from the chapel. Zorro looked out once again and was gratified to see Victoria and Felipe watching for him. He subtly signed to Felipe, telling him they needed a distraction so Alejandro could get to the side door.

Zorro wasn't sure if Victoria would understand the gist of his request from his gestures. However, without the power of speech, there was little Felipe could do; it was up to her. Zorro and Felipe both looked at her questioningly to see if she understood. She nodded almost imperceptibly, then addressed Lopez. "Señor, surely there's no need for you to keep all three of us. Why don't you let this boy go?"

"Save your breath," Lopez muttered.

Undeterred, Victoria continued, "You would still have me and the padre..."

"Shut up!" Lopez shouted.

Victoria was already tense and exhausted, and the anger in his voice made it easy for her allow tears to come to the surface. Under the circumstances, she thought wryly, that would be as good a distraction as any. She began to cry, her sobs growing louder and louder. She hoped Diego would realize it wasn't real—well, for the most part.

The dog began to bark. "That's enough!" Lopez said angrily. With his attention focused on Victoria, he didn't see Don Alejandro dash from the curtain to the side door. But Felipe had seen him, and as Victoria quieted her tears, he gave her a slight nod to let her know the distraction had worked.

A few seconds passed, and suddenly there was a loud banging on the church door. "Lopez!" came Don Alejandro's voice. "Lopez, it's Zorro. I hear you're looking for me!"

"Finally!" exclaimed Lopez under his breath. "Lobo, come." Lopez drew his gun and he and the dog exited the side door of the church. Quickly Zorro ran from behind the curtains and sliced the ropes that held the captives bound.

"Felipe, get Victoria back to the de la Vega hacienda. I must help Don Alejandro. Go!" Felipe and Victoria ran out the side door of the church. As Zorro followed them, he saw the padre was wisely heading back to the supply room.

Outside, Zorro ran to the front of the church, where he came upon Lopez holding Don Alejandro at gunpoint. Lopez' back was to him. "Where is he?" Lopez demanded angrily. "Do you think you can play games with me?!"

In a flash Zorro's sword was at Lopez' neck and he said in a low voice, "I'm right here, señor. Drop the gun." Just then, the dog barked sharply. "Ataquelo!" Lopez commanded. Teeth bared, the dog lunged at Zorro's sword arm. As Zorro moved to avoid the attack, Lopez twisted away and the dog circled to attack again. Deftly Zorro tossed his sword aside, then grabbed the cord of his cape to untie it, and threw it over the dog. As the dog snarled and struggled against the cloth, Zorro grabbed Lopez' arm and tried to knock the gun out of his hand.

But Lopez twisted away, then swung his leg to impact behind Zorro's knee, causing Zorro to lose his balance. Catching himself before he fell completely, he swung sideways and his fist caught Lopez in the stomach. As Lopez doubled over, Zorro again grabbed Lopez' arm holding the gun and slammed it against his knee. This time the gun dropped and he kicked it toward his father. Don Alejandro grabbed the gun and thundered, "Stop right there!"

But at that moment the dog found its way out of the cape and Lopez yelled again, "Ataquelo!" The dog was furious now and sprang at Zorro with its ears laid back. Zorro dodged aside as the dog landed, struggling to regain its footing. Lopez circled behind Zorro, putting him between Lopez and Don Alehandro's gun.

In the blink of an eye Zorro realized that with the dog free, fighting Lopez mano a mano had ceased to be an option. His father had Lopez' gun, but he couldn't use it as long as there was any danger of hitting his son. So Zorro did the only thing that seemed feasible under the circumstances: he ran.

Sprinting behind the church with the dog in hot pursuit, he looked back and saw the dog was gaining. He realized there was no time even to hoist himself up onto the church roof. He only dared run in a straight line, not veering to one side or the other. Soon they were past the boundary of the pueblo. He could hear the dog panting behind him, eager for the capture. Calling every last bit of strength he ran as fast as he could. But the dog started to close in and snapped viciously at Zorro's heel, almost tripping him. Zorro realized there was really no contest; in seconds, the dog would be doing more than snapping at his heels. "Dear Lord, I could use some help!"

An impression immediately came to his mind, which he followed: "Ataquelo!" he yelled out, mimicking Lopez. "Ataquelo!"  To his amazement, he watched as the animal redoubled its speed and tore past him, in pursuit of an imaginary prey.

Zorro slowed to a jog, then a walk. After he had caught his breath, he began to laugh out loud. He had always suspected the Good Lord had a sense of humor; now he was sure of it. "Thank You, Lord," he smiled. He had never meant it more.

Turning around, he hurried back to the pueblo to find his father still guarding Lopez with his own gun. Retrieving his sword and cape, Zorro approached Lopez. "Let's pay a little visit to the Alcalde, shall we?" Lopez' eyes smouldered with anger and Don Alejandro gestured toward the Alcalde's office. The three men started walking, Zorro and Don Alejandro behind Lopez, with Don Alejandro holding the gun at Lopez' back.

Zorro had thought they might need to wake someone at the cuartel, but the Alcalde's office light was still on. Zorro opened the door and motioned Lopez and his father inside. "After you, señores." Zorro followed them in and watched the Alcalde stiffen. But to his surprise, there were no threats. The Alcalde just looked at him warily.

"Alcalde," began Zorro, "We bring you the man responsible for setting fire to the tavern—and for holding several citizens of this pueblo hostage."

"Hostages?" inquired the Alcalde, frowning.

"Not to worry," interjected Alejandro. "Zorro here put an end to Lopez' little scheme. Señorita Escalante, Felipe, and Padre Benitez are no longer in danger."

The Alcalde paused. "Very well," he said. There was another pause. Zorro tensed, fully expecting a call to the lancers; he knew he must be ready to escape. But to his complete shock, the Alcalde simply said, "Thank you," then continued: "Don Alejandro, if you would be so good as to assist me in escorting Señor Lopez to his cell..." The Alcalde took a large ring of keys from his desk. Don Alejandro and Zorro exchanged glances, unsure what to think.

"Of course, Alcalde," Don Alejandro responded. The Alcalde led the way to the jail. Suddenly Lopez forcefully struck the Alcalde, who crumpled to the floor. Then he turned to strike Don Alejandro. But Zorro was too fast for him. A quick blow took Lopez to the floor as well.

"Desperate men will do foolish things," Zorro remarked, shaking his head. Taking the keys from the unconscious Alcalde, he unlocked the cell and dragged Lopez inside, then exited, locking the cell door. Don Alejandro knelt by the alcalde. "Alcalde? Alcalde?" The Alcalde groaned, then tried to sit up and groaned again. "Let's get you to your quarters." Don Alejandro and Zorro helped the Alcalde to his feet.

"No, thank you. I'm all right," said the Alcalde, shaking his head.

"Are you sure?" asked Don Alejandro.

"I'll be fine," the Alcalde reiterated.

"Then I will be on my way," Zorro said. "I'm sure the former hostages will be happy to give you any additional information you need regarding Lopez' crimes." Zorro looked at the Alcalde and held his gaze for a moment, until the Alcalde looked down. "Gracias, Alcalde." Zorro turned and in less than a split second had vanished through the closest window.

"I will be on my way as well, sir," Don Alejandro said. "Thank you, and I bid you good night."

The Alcalde nodded, and Don Alejandro turned and left the building, walking back to where they had left the horses tied by the church. Not surprisingly, he found only one horse there. Zorro—Diego—must have gone ahead, which was just as well, in case the Alcalde tried to follow them. Don Alejandro wasn't quite sure what to make of the Alcalde's behavior. It was definitely an unusual ending to a very unusual night.

 

Close to the hacienda, Alejandro caught up with Zorro. It seemed strange to see him on a horse other than Toronado. "Son, you were magnificent tonight."

"Thank you, father—but your help was invaluable." Zorro sensed his father's modest smile in the darkness.

"We do make a good team," said Alejandro, as they reined in their horses and dismounted.

"Fa... Don Alejandro, I don't think we'd better talk with Victoria and Felipe together while I am Zorro. It would be too easy for one of us to slip and say something we didn't intend to say."

"I agree, son," responded Alejandro. Exactly my point, thought Zorro, smiling, upon hearing the word son. He ducked behind some bushes by the hacienda and soon emerged as Don Diego. Together the two men went through the front door. Walking into the salon, they came upon Felipe, idly fingering a piece from the chess board, and Victoria, who was pacing the floor. "Victoria!" exclaimed Diego. Without even thinking about it, he opened his arms and she ran to him. "Victoria," he repeated, "I'm so glad you're safe! Father told me Zorro rescued you."

"Indeed he did," smiled Victoria, looking up at him. Diego started to pull back, but when Victoria showed no signs of letting go, Diego tightened his arms around her again, and instinctively kissed her lightly on the top of her head. For a few moments he held her, savoring the knowledge that she was there and safe. Then he became aware that his father and Felipe were both grinning at him.

"Why don't we sit down?" Diego suggested, a little awkwardly, releasing his hold on Victoria. This time she let go as well and sat down in one of the chairs near the fireplace, as Diego sat opposite her, avoiding her eyes—he didn't trust himself to look at her just yet.

"Don Alejandro," began Victoria, "Tell us what happened! We heard your voice from inside the church, saying you were Zorro." She grinned, clearly enjoying reliving the ruse.

"Yes!" exclaimed Don Alejandro. "What an adventure. Well, Zorro and I found each other outside the church." Certainly accurate, thought Diego, though he hadn't been Zorro when his father found him. His two worlds were starting to get a little too close for comfort. "He decided Lopez needed to be distracted, and I was able to assist. Zorro took care of the rest." Diego was grateful his father chose not to elaborate.

"And where is Lopez now?" Victoria enquired.

"I don't think he'll be bothering us for some time to come," Diego interjected. "Zorro and my father delivered him to the Alcalde and he's safely behind bars."

"We owe our lives to Zorro," Victoria said emphatically. Don Alejandro nodded and smiled. Absent were the usual comments about Diego hanging back or questions about where he was during all the excitement. They continued talking for some time, processing the events of the evening.

Finally, Victoria yawned. She was exhausted, but she also hoped to give Zorro an opportunity to pay her a visit before the evening ended.

Don Alejandro took the hint. "What a night we've had!" he declared. "Thank the Good Lord it ended so well. Victoria, your room should be ready." It seemed an eternity ago that they had invited Victoria to stay at the hacienda for her safety, but it had really only been that afternoon. "Felipe, would you show Victoria to her room?" Felipe smiled shyly at Victoria, who stood and took his arm. "Gracias, Felipe." She gave a brief nod. "Buenos noches, señores."

Diego stifled a yawn, and reponded, "Buenos noches. I shall see you all in the morning." But instead of going to his room, he quietly walked through the kitchen and outside the door to retrieve Zorro's clothing from the bushes.

 

Just for a moment. I'll just rest for a moment. Victoria's intuition told her Zorro wouldn't be long in coming, but she could hardly keep her eyes open. The pillow felt heavenly as she put her head down.

It was only a few minutes later, but she didn't hear the tapping on her window. When there was no response, the window opened and the man in black slipped inside. "Victoria?" he said softly. Still no answer. Quiety, he took a coverlet from the chair by the side of the bed and placed it over her. For another moment, he stood looking at her, feeling deep gratitude that she was safe and part of his life. Then he bent down and gently kissed her. "Good night, my love." She stirred slightly, smiling in her sleep. Then he doused the lamp, and since his father knew his secret and the servants were all in bed, he left the guest room as he was and went to his own room.

 

Several days had passed. The tavern had just closed and Victoria was cleaning up when she heard a soft thud in the kitchen. Eagerly she threw back the striped curtain to see that Zorro had just dropped from the window. "I was hoping to see you!" she exclaimed. Zorro was silent—in fact, he seemed to be rooted to the floor where he stood. She paused a moment, then said, "Thank you from the bottom of my heart for risking your life to save me."

Zorro still said nothing, and Victoria saw he was struggling to maintain his composure. She smiled at him and took his hand. "Come—are you hungry? I have some delicious albondiga soup left over from dinner."

He nodded, clearing his throat. "That sounds particularly good. But before we eat..." Zorro pulled out a brown paper package and held it out to her.

"Oh! My sash!" exclaimed Victoria. "Gracias, Zorro." She unwrapped the sash and tied it around her waist, then reached up and kissed him. His arms tightened around her, and for a few moments they just held each other. Then, releasing him, Victoria took his hand again and led him to one of the dining tables. "Imagine," she said, "this will be our second chance to sit down and actually enjoy a meal together! Give me just a moment." She headed toward the kitchen.

Soon she was back with utinsels, glasses, and two bowls of soup. As she set them on the table, Zorro said, "The good sergeant once told me that what matters is not how a woman looks, but how a woman cooks."

Victoria laughed. "That sounds like something Mendoza would say."

"But in your case," Zorro continued, "both your cooking and your beauty are exquisite."

Who would have thought Diego de la Vega was such a romantic! Victoria thought to herself. Aloud she said, with a twinkle in her eye, "Oh, if you keep saying things like that, I may just have to keep cooking for you!" She sat down and Zorro reached for her hand before saying grace. Then they began to eat.

"I want to hear," Victoria ventured, "what happened after you rescued us. How did you outsmart Lopez?"

Zorro recounted to her the fight with Lopez, and how he had been forced to run from the dog. "I have always believed God answers prayers, but now I'm certain of it," he said. "Right after I prayed for help, the thought hit me: at this speed, he's not going to be following any scent; he'll just be chasing a moving object. So I urged him on to some supposed prey beyond me, and he took the bait!" Together they laughed until tears came to their eyes.

 

Back in her room several hours later, Victoria reflected with gratitude on the evening. She was falling more and more deeply in love with Diego. It was interesting to see how he was different with her as Zorro—he somehow seemed freer to be himself. Still, she was starting to see more and more similarities between the two sides of the man she loved.

She thought about the secret she was keeping from him. At one point in their conversation she'd been tempted to tell him she knew, but something held her back — she wasn't sure how he'd react. Still, there was something more that restrained her. She smiled, satisfied that the right time would reveal itself. Until then she would continue the charade, just like her beloved, the Fox.

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