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"My sweet Senorita, behold this wondrous night!'
He gestured broadly, raising his eyes to the heavens and she joined him,as they sat together in the small garden, admiring the beauty of the starlit sky.
Then, with an elegant flourish, he dropped to one knee, gathered her hand lightly within his own.
"Yet all of this bejeweled majesty pales in comparison to the light in your lovely eyes."
At this, Mendoza made a small sound of appreciation.
"That was very good, Mi Alcalde! If I was a senorita, I would be very impressed!"
Sighing, Ramone rolled his eyes and rose from the ground to rejoin his companion on the bench as the watching older Don teased at his lips to hide his smile. Now more composed, Alejandro stepped forward from where he had been leaning against the trellis and inclined his head in the direction of the lady.
"I think we should ask the senorita, Sargeant."
As all eyes turned in her direction, Victoria shifted uncomfortably as Ramone, already slightly pouting, awaited his judgement.
"It was very nice."
Ramone's face fell and again the older Don hid a smile as Mendoza frowned in bewilderment at Victoria's proclamation.
"But such flowery words," she continued as Ramone's sulk deepened. "Can sometimes seem insincere, it is better to tell your lady of the feelings in your heart."
Ramone groaned and at last Alejandro lost his battle, chuckling aloud as he shook his head.
"It is not so easy a thing as it sounds, Senorita." the wise old Don declared as Ramone and Mendoza joined him in his amusement.
Indignant, Victoria's tone sharpened. "I do not understand why it is so difficult for men to speak their hearts!"
"Then you do it." Ramone challenged, and again all eyes turned to Victoria.
She would not allow herself to be bested.
"I am not afraid."
Seizing Ramone's hand none too gently, she gathered her skirts, and slid off the bench to the floor on a single knee, emulating his earlier posture.
Alejandro chuckled again and Ramone blustered indignantly, then endeavored to politely withdraw his appendage.
"Senorita, I must protest!"
"Please, Alcalde," Mendoza interjected. "You did promise."
‘That's right, you did." Alejandro confirmed Mendoza's statement, and sighing, Ramone relented.
"Very well." Then taunting, he added.
"You may tell me about the fiery passions I have stirred in your heart."
Fuming, Victoria narrowed her eyes and grit her teeth as the garden erupted in a second round of masculine amusement at her expense. Squeezing Ramone's hand with greater, and she hoped, very painful pressure, she set her jaw and her mind to the task.
She would not allow herself to be beaten.
Her lips parted, but, try as she would, the words would not come.
"See?" the wise old Don smiled at her predicament as Ramone smugly awaited her declarations of love.
Infuriated and relenting, she rose from the ground and returned to the bench as the triumphant Alejandro and Ramone gloated.
"It is not a fair example." she argued in her defense, then to Mendoza and glaring at Ramone, she added. "The words must be in your heart to speak them!"
"Ah," Ramone clutched at his chest, chuckling. "You wound me, senorita."
"Could you not pretend?" Mendoza asked innocently. "Please, senorita, it is very important."
"Of course she can," Ramone taunted again, "I did."
Victoria's eyes narrowed at the implication and Alejandro retreated to the trellis, again concealing a smile.
"I could never speak such words while looking at such a face."
This time, it was Ramone's eyes that narrowed as Victoria gloated. Then, regaining his dignity, he turned to Mendoza.
"That is why I addressed my comments to the sky."
Victoria made a sharp sound of outrage but before she could answer in retort, the tall figure of Diego appeared in the doorway.
"Sargeant," he began, stepped forward. "I believe I might have a solution."
"This is preposterous, Diego."
Ignoring Ramone's protests, the younger Don turned to Victoria and guiding her to where he had been standing, gestured into the shadows.
For a moment, she saw nothing, then her eyes began to adjust and the silhouette of a man emerged from the shadows behind the trellis. Utterly featureless, the figure could have been anyone, and at last, Victoria understood Diego's intentions.
"You see, Sargeant," the young Don explained, " the darkness has been many a man's best ally in his first confessions of love."
Then, to Victoria, he spoke earnestly and softly, his eyes staring deeply into hers.
"Imagine the man dearest to your heart stands there before you, and that he is longing
To hear your every word."
"I may be ill."
"Alcalde!" Victoria erupted, fuming at the man in the shadows, then looking back at Diego, she whispered. "I cannot do it."
Their eyes met again and she felt somehow much bolder. Stepping forward, she left Diego and the watching Alejandro and Mendoza in her wake.
Stepping through the trellis,it was as if she had entered another place. This small, sheltered part of the garden seemed somehow far away from the elegant courtyard behind her, and as she passed further into it, the figure before her became more distinct.
Imagine
She shut her eyes and then opened them quickly. The figure diffused, then resolved into a slender, masculine shape, reclined against the wall, his hand extended.
Her heart raced and her breath grew short as she imagined, and then felt, the cool leather of his glove.
His eyes twinkled behind his mask, as he smiled and bowed, gathering her hand within his gloves and gently pressing it to his lips.
"I have dreamed of this, I have dreamed of you."
A soft sound rose from the darkness, a cry of exclamation and the hand within hers trembled.
So many times, she had held him within her grasp, only to have him ripped away, yet now, he was utterly still, his breath short and tensed.
"Do not run. Be with me always."
His grip tightened, as it did each time in the moment before he released her, but this time, she would not let him go.
The words came in a fiery torrent and she felt them burning in his touch, his breath, their souls consumed the fire of his kiss.
"Madre de Dios! Senorita, that was even better than the Alcalde's!" Mendoza erupted heartily, then, he clapped Diego on the back, rousing the man from his stupefication. "You were right, Don Diego, what a difference a few shadows make!'
"And we must accept graciously accept our defeat." Alejandro added. "It would seem that the Senorita's advice was the best."
Ramone, emerging at last from the shadows, seemed to struggle to find his voice, then abandoned the effort and simply nodded.
Diego too, remained oddly silent, as Victoria, at last rejoining them, looked anything but victorious.