Chapter 4

A Father's Joy

Felipe darted out of the hidden room as fast as he could.

Alejandro de la Vega looked up from where he had been reading. He glanced at the fire place, and then at them.

The baby began to fuss in Victoria's arms, and she carefully made her way over to the nearest chair.

"Victoria?" Alejandro began, and Felipe passed him a letter of his own. The boy stood back and gestured for them both to open the notes he had given them.

My dearest,

I am writing you this message, and when you read this I may well be dead, so this is a hard message to pen.

I love you, Victoria. I always have and I always will. All my promises I meant from the bottom of my heart, please forgive me for the deception that has already wasted many years of our lives. I should have told you in person, and now I realise that I never took the opportunity.

I wrote these notes, after one adventure nearly killed me, and I looked at you both in compassion and realised I was being selfish and cruel. The pueblo knows me as a coward, and it is true. I may be skilled with a sword, much more than I seem, but I am still a coward where it counts. Or I was.

Zorro has died, I am sorry for that. Diego has died with him. I am sorry for that. Try to forgive me in time. I lived without thinking of my death, and I am sorry, Victoria, for not thinking about our life together. Obviously my resolution to tell you, failed many times.

I love you, and I will always be with you. My spirit belongs with you, so how can I leave?

Diego de la Vega (aka El Zorro)

Victoria sobbed, and let the note fall to the floor. Alejandro was half way through his letter, which seemed a lot longer. He cast her a glance, to let her know she wasn't alone in her sorrow, his eyes frowning with concern when they realised that the baby lay on her lap. A baby with his son's eyes.

Zzz

Alejandro struggled to read the note in his hands. His son was Zorro, he could not believe it. Yet it was there, all in his fine handwriting. His son was dead? How could that have happened? How could he get away with it for so long, without his father knowing?

Victoria's note was short, especially compared to his. Diego had felt immense guilt and shame and his father's letter had stemmed from it. Alejandro glanced up at the ceiling to try and stop the tears from falling. Diego had no reason to be guilty or ashamed. Alejandro thought it was mainly his own fault that his son could not trust him with such a secret. Diego had been a mystery in life, but in death he had been so much a de la Vega. He should have seen it.

"He's not dead, Don Alejandro," Victoria murmured, glancing down at the sleeping baby again. "Zorro has turned into a baby."

Alejandro glanced at her with disbelief. "What did you say, Victoria?"

"I watched as he turned into a baby, Don Alejandro. Something in the water changed him," she murmured. "He has such beautiful eyes," she added. "And his hands and feet are so tiny."

Alejandro stared at her, and slowly got out of his chair. He stared down at the infant in Victoria's arms. He reached out to touch the child, and gently stroked his tiny cheek.

"Impossible."

"It's not my baby," she murmured with a strange laugh. "But perhaps he is now. Felipe showed me the birthmark, Don Alejandro. Does Diego have a birthmark?"

"A cross on his left thigh," he whispered to himself.

"He has that," she said.

Alejandro stared into her eyes, and back down at the baby.

"I could say that the baby is my cousin's. We are adopting him because there is no one else. Diego…if it is him, he needs his own father to care for him," Alejandro said quickly. "Victoria, everything will be alright. He is home where he belongs. How can I ever thank you?"

"Zorro takes care of me, senor. Diego takes care of me."

"Not anymore," Alejandro said softly. "Not now."

Zzzz

Victoria went into the kitchen, to explain about the motherless child and she helped them prepare some milk for him, in a small bottle with a soft teat. Diego's old nurse returned to look at the baby in person, but Alejandro was aware of her suspicious looks at Victoria.

Alejandro had placed the child on the floor with the cape blanket under him. Kneeling with the baby he saw what he had seen a long time ago, when Diego was around four months of age. His son was barely able to stay awake, and couldn't even roll over. He had been proud when he was first this age, but now he recognised enough to know that it was his son, and such awareness filled him with despair.

If they couldn't solve this, he would never see his adult son again. He may never even talk to him again. Somehow it felt lonelier than if he had died. Somehow it felt worse.

He knew where the baby things were, he had planned on getting them out years ago. Diego's children would have delighted in the toys and slept comfortably in the cradle. The nursery would have to be set up for his son all over again. Without Elena, how could his son grow into a childhood that he had blossomed in?

Victoria bustled in, with the bottle of warmed milk, and the baby waved his arms and legs with excitement. Alejandro wondered if it was Victoria that caused the reaction or if the baby was merely hungry and could smell the milk. He sighed, and picked up his infant son. Handing him to the lady, he noticed that the baby was considering him carefully with bright blue eyes. He found himself smiling at the baby, just as he had long ago.

Zzzz

Victoria took the child, and spread out the diaper that Maria handed her. Expertly she pinned it in place, and breathed a sigh of relief. One thing had been done for him.

She lifted him onto her lap and baby Diego drank thirstily from the bottle she held. The baby's eyes never left her face, and a tiny hand reached out to touch her hand. She positioned the baby more carefully, and he snuggled into the crook of her arm.

As he neared the last of the milk, he gazed at her sleepily, and she lifted him up to burp him. Maria gave her a cloth to catch any burped up milk, and she needed it. Then Victoria held the baby against her chest, and patted him gently and rhythmically until he dozed off again.

"Victoria, you are a natural mother," Alejandro murmured.

"He trusts me," she said softly. She wondered about her words for a moment. The baby certainly trusted her. But did the man? He had not told her the secret. Was he afraid of what she might have done? What she might have said?