Chapter 2

Two days later, Don Alejandro and Felipe drove their wagon into Los Angeles, to pick up some supplies for the ranch and afterwards they decided to stay in town for lunch.

As they entered the tavern, Victoria came up to them, with a worried look on her lovely face, "Don Alejandro, what has happened?" she asked concernedly, as she watched the older man walk with a limp.

He shrugged with a small smile, "Oh, it's nothing, I just came off my horse the other day and sprained my ankle." he replied.

"Well, thank goodness that you didn't hurt yourself too badly." she said with relief. She looked around curiously, "Is Diego not coming?"

Don Alejandro shook his head, "No. I sent him to Santa Barbara to purchase a new bull for us at the sales. He left two days ago and he'll probably be away for another week or so."

"Oh, I wondered why I hadn't seen him lately," she couldn't quite keep the disappointment from her voice, "What can I get you two gentlemen today?" she asked.

"Do you have any of that delicious albondigas soup of yours?" Don Alejandro asked.

Victoria beamed at the compliment, "Si, I just made a fresh pot this morning." she confirmed.

Don Alejandro smiled warmly, "Good, good, we'll have a bowl each and two glasses of orange juice as well, if you have any."

She nodded, "Si, I do. I won't be long." she replied before she turned and walked back to the kitchen.

As they made their way over to an empty table, Sergeant Mendoza came through the open doors.

"Sergeant, come, join us." Don Alejandro called out.

"Muchas gracias, Don Alejandro." he smiled warmly, as he crossed over to them and sat down, "I haven't seen you in town for a couple of days, I guess you have been busy with your ranch?"

Don Alejandro nodded. "Si, we have -"

"Mail from Santa Barbara!" interrupted a dusty rider, who entered the tavern. He handed over a satchel, containing several bundles of letters and small parcels, to a smiling Mendoza before he turned and left, bound for the next pueblo.

As Mendoza opened the bag and handed out the mail to the eager crowd, Victoria emerged from the kitchen with Don Alejandro's and Felipe's lunches.

"Ah Senorita Victoria, a letter for you." Mendoza said with a smile his face, as he came up to her.

Victoria smiled warmly, as she placed the bowls in front of the two men, "Gracias Sergeant." she said, as she took the letter from his hand and immediately recognised her brother's handwriting. She eagerly opened the letter, quickly scanned it and let out a squeal of delight.

"Good news, is it?" Don Alejandro asked, with a smile on his face at her obvious happiness.

"It's Francisco, he's finally getting married to Rebecca and he's asked me to attend the wedding." she replied, pleased that her eldest brother had finally found someone to love.

"Oh that's wonderful Victoria, you must go. Isn't he stationed in Monterey?" Don Alejandro asked.

She nodded, "Si, he is but the wedding will be at Santa Barbara, where her family is," Her face dropped, as she read the date of the ceremony, "But it's in four days time. Dios, what will I do, there's no time to arrange management of the tavern." she said sadly, as she sat down beside him. She just didn't know what to do.

Don Alejandro reached out and gently touched her arm in support, "Victoria, the Sergeant and I will look after the tavern for you, won't we Mendoza?"

Mendoza had returned to the table, after he had finished delivering the mail to the citizens who were in the tavern. The rest of the mail would be held with the shopkeeper, for delivery to the outlying farms.

"Of course we will, Senorita." he smiled, as he remembered with fondness of the brash young officer, he had met several years ago.

Victoria felt tears well in her eyes at the generous offer; she really wanted to go to her brother's wedding, "Muchas gracias, it's very kind of you both but are you sure? I mean I don't want to make extra work for you."

Don Alejandro patted her hand, "Of course we're sure, it will be a pleasure to look after the tavern for you," he confirmed, "Now there is a stage for Santa Barbara arriving here tomorrow and it will get you to there on time."

Victoria nodded thoughtfully, "Si, I think I will take the stage."

Don Alejandro was pleased that she had decided to travel by the stage and not go off riding by herself, as she had done once before; it was too dangerous for a woman to ride alone, "You should stay for a week or two." he suggested.

She shook her head, "As much as I would like too, I can't leave the tavern for that long." she replied.

"Nonsense, when was the last time you had a holiday?" he asked.

Victoria thought about it and shrugged, "I don't recall." Then she smiled, "You know, perhaps I will stay longer, maybe even a week. It would nice to have a holiday, to have some time away from the tavern."

Don Alejandro beamed, as he patted her hand once more, "Good, good. You may even meet up with Diego while you're there."

She smiled once more at the thought of seeing Diego. She didn't want to think too much about her eagerness to see him, except to admit that even in these last two days, she had missed his company. She enjoyed his almost daily visits to her tavern; it gave her a feeling of comfort, knowing that he was there, at his favourite table. It was almost like having an old pair of shoes that she couldn't part with, "Si, perhaps he would like to come to the wedding too."

Don Alejandro nodded, "He would like that, they are around the same age and often played together as children."

One of her customers called out, "Senorita?"

"Excuse me, Don Alejandro." Victoria said as she moved away, her mind already working on what she would take with her.


The following day Victoria had packed her bags, joined the midday stagecoach to Santa Barbara, and wished she had a way to let Zorro know that she would be away for a week or so. Then she giggled to herself; he probably already knew. He seemed to know everything that happened in the pueblo and she had often wondered how he always managed to be there, when he was needed the most. Perhaps he had some help; after all, she helped him whenever she could, so maybe others did the same.

While Victoria started her journey north, Diego was walking down to the cattle yards. He had arrived in Santa Barbara the day before but it had been too late for anything, other than to book into his lodgings. He was staying in a well-respected tavern, near the centre of the bustling township, and he was given one of their best rooms, on the first floor, away from the noise of the streets below.

As he reached the cattle yards, he inspected several potential bulls that he might buy for the ranch. He asked the owners about their pedigrees and prices but he made no final decision, until the following day at the sales. He found that he had some free time on his hands, so he decided to visit his tailor for his much-needed black trousers and other suits. Afterwards he paid his respects to the de la Rosas and their widowed daughter, Selena.


Victoria arrived at the bustling town two days after she left Los Angeles and as she stepped down from the stage, she heard her name called out.

She looked around and cried out, "Ramon!" Without regard for where she was, she raced into her brother's arms and hugged him tight. They hadn't seen each other, since the time they retrieved their father out of the hell hole that was Devils Fortress, almost two years ago.

"How did you know that I would be on this stage?" she asked curiously.

Ramon chuckled, as the driver removed her luggage from the top of the coach, "Well I didn't, I just hoped that you would be on this particular one." he admitted.

She giggled, "What would you have done if I wasn't on it?"

He shrugged, "I have no idea, I guess I would've come back when the next stage was due and hope that you would be on it." He stopped, as he leant over and picked up her bags. "Come, let's go."

"Where are we going?" she asked curiously, as they walked down the footpath.

"To Señora Garza's home. Rebecca's mother has offered us rooms." he replied with a smile.

"Have you seen Francisco? How is he?" she asked eagerly.

He laughed, "Just wait and see."

She nudged him, "Tell me."

"Well…he's somewhat...nervous." he replied, with a smirk on his face. He had seen his brother, over the last couple of days and he couldn't believe how nervous he was. Sometimes Francisco would have a silly smile on his face, which made Ramon laugh, for he knew where his elder brother's thoughts must be.

She chuckled at the image of her steadfast brother, all nervous about his wedding, "I guess I would be too, if I was getting married in two days."

Ramon looked at his sister curiously, "Perhaps we will be celebrating your wedding soon."

To his amazement, he saw a blush creep over her face, "Perhaps." she replied softly.

But before he could question her more about a certain masked man, Ramon stopped in front of a modest hacienda, "We're here." he said, as he opened the small gate, in the white fence and allowed his sister to enter first.


Later that evening, the three siblings caught up with each other, at a tavern for dinner, close by the barracks where Francisco was billeted.

"So Victoria, when can we expect your own wedding to come about?" Francisco asked, echoing his brother's earlier question.

Victoria found herself blushing once again, "It's...not that simple."

Ramon nodded, "I guess it would hard being courted by someone like him."

They kept their voices low, they didn't want to be overheard talking about Zorro.

She sighed, "Si, it is and it is a very strange courtship at that." she admitted. It wasn't the courtship that she had dreamt about, when she was a young girl; a courtship where she would be wooed, with flowers and romantic dinners and picnics by the river. But she knew that she wouldn't change it for anything.

"You love him, don't you sister?" Francisco asked kindly.

She nodded and smiled softly, "Si, and he loves me. It's just that if we do marry, his life would be over."

Ramon frowned, "Why?"

She looked down at the table and played with the edge of the cloth, "Any man who marries me, becomes a suspect of being...him...and then he would be arrested and...well..." She replied softly, as she finally put into words what she had known, ever since their former Alcalde had put a price on Zorro's head. It was hard to accept that the man she loved, was a wanted criminal in the eyes of the law.

The two brothers looked at each other in shock; it was something they never really thought long and hard, on what it meant for their sister and the man she loved. If Zorro was captured, he would be executed and possibly Victoria as well, all because of her feelings and very public support for him.

"Madre de dios." Ramon whispered.

"But how can you be together then?" Francisco asked.

She shrugged, "We're still trying to work that out."

Francisco reached out and touched her hand in support, "Do you know who he is?" he asked curiously.

Victoria shook her head, "No, I don't."

"What! You mean that after all these years, he hasn't told you?" Ramon said incredulously.

She blushed again and looked down at the table once more, "No, he hasn't." she replied quietly.

"And you haven't tried to work it out yourself? Surely you would have some idea of his identity?" Francisco asked. What was wrong with his sister, he wondered. She had been so curious when they were children, she would often sneak away from the kitchen to follow them when they were playing in the fields, wanting to know where they were going, what they were doing. What has caused this natural curiosity to change into an almost a sense of apathy about the man she professed to love?

She shook her head, embarrassed by their questions, "Well...no."

"Why not, I mean if it was me, I would want to know." Ramon said, somewhat heatedly.

"I...I..." she couldn't answer, for she had no answer for them. Why should she have to defend her love for Zorro to her brothers? Why couldn't they just accept it and let her work it out herself?

Francisco looked thoughtfully at his youngest sibling, "Perhaps you don't want to know."

"What?" she looked up confused, "Of course I want to know."

Francisco kept talking as though she had not spoken, "Perhaps you enjoy the mystery too much, perhaps you are so thrilled of being singled out by this heroic figure that you are only enjoying the idea of romance without really committing yourself to a true relationship."

"What are you saying Francisco," she all but yelled at him, "That I don't love him."

Several customers turned around and looked in their direction.

"Keep your voice down Victoria, do you want us to get into trouble?" Ramon urged her.

Victoria looked around and saw the concerned glances that were being made in their direction, and she calmed down a little.

"I'm not saying that you don't love him." Francisco reassured her.

"Then what do you mean?" Ramon asked quickly before his sister's temper rose again.

Francisco sighed and reached for her hand, "Victoria, I'm just concerned that you are so caught up in this romantic figure of yours, that you've placed him on such a high pedestal, that he would be unreachable. That if you found out who he is, you may be disappointed to find that he is only a man, with a man's faults, with a man's limitations instead of some immortal being."

Victoria just stared at her eldest brother, as she remembered almost those exact same words that Zorro had spoken when he had proposed, that he was afraid that she only loved the legend, not the man, "Is that what you really think?" she asked softly. It was one thing for Zorro to say it but quite another to hear it from Francisco.

He nodded, "After five years of hero worship, I think you are afraid to find out that your champion is just like the rest of us."

As Victoria thought about his words, she saw her brothers exchanged a glance with each other and she had a sudden flash of insight, "Do you know who he is?"

When they didn't answer, "You do, don't you?" her voice rose slightly.

Francisco sighed, "Victoria, it's only a suspicion." He couldn't tell her that it was more than a suspicion; he was almost certain that he knew who Zorro was. It was just after his encounter with the masked bandit when he had reflected about the man his sister loved. There had been something familiar about him during that confrontation and he came to realise that the masked man had reminded him of his childhood friend Diego de la Vega. They were of the same age and had often played together along with Ramon. It was that same calm, self confidence that Diego had shown as a younger man, which showed in the masked bandit.

Victoria turned to Ramon, "And you Ramon, do you know?" she asked incredulously.

He shrugged, "I too, have suspicions but nothing I can prove." He remembered the time when Zorro had helped free their father from prison, which allowed them one last time with him. As they had prepared to storm the prison, he realised why the masked man, seemed so familiar. After all, the three of them had often played together as children, in games of storming castles, playing pirates and fighting against banditos and lancers.

"Madre de Dios. You must tell me." she pleaded, her heart pounded in her chest, at the thought that her brothers knew the identity of Zorro.

Francisco sighed and held her hand, "Victoria, it's not for us to say, I mean, we don't know for sure and if we are wrong...well we would be accusing an innocent man and from my understanding that is what he does. He protects the innocent."

She sighed, "I guess so but -"

Francisco interrupted, "I just hope that he is serious in his intentions and is not simply toying with you." He didn't think that Diego was that kind of man but one could never tell about someone from his higher station.

Victoria snorted, "Of course he is serious about me. We are -" she stopped herself from revealing her secret engagement.

"You are what?" Ramon asked curiously.

She shook her head, "It's nothing."

"Madre de Dios, he hasn't taken advantage of you, has he?" Francisco said, rather heatedly.

She blushed deeply at the implications of his words, "Of course not, we've never...We are not..." she couldn't finish her words, embarrassed by discussing such a personal subject with her brothers.

He patted her hand and tried to reassure her, "Then what is it?"

Victoria sighed, she had longed to shout aloud about her engagement to the man she loved but she couldn't. She had promised never to tell, not even to her brothers, "It's nothing."

Both Francisco and Ramon realised that she wasn't going to tell them.

"All right, keep your secrets, Victoria. But if he hurts you in anyway, he will have to deal with both of us." Francisco stated firmly, while Ramon nodded in agreement.

Victoria nodded, "I know but there is nothing to worry about," She had to change this dangerous subject to something less risky, "Do you know that Diego is here, in Santa Barbara too?"

Victoria missed the look that her two brothers gave each other, when they heard Diego's name. Understanding flowed between them, as they realised that each had the same suspicion about the identity of the masked bandit. Which in turn made them realise that they had stumbled across the truth; Diego de la Vega was indeed Zorro.

"Really, what is Don Diego doing here?" Ramon asked casually, pleased that his voice sounded normal to his ears.

"Well, Don Alejandro sprained his ankle several days ago and he sent Diego here to buy a new bull for the ranch. He would have arrived here about three, four days ago." she replied.

"Well, if you see him, he would be more than welcome to come to the wedding." Francisco's voice caught on his words.

Ramon and Victoria shared an amused glance.

"You really love her, don't you?" she asked warmly.

"Oh yes, I do. She is everything to me." his face softened, as he spoke of his love.