The next morning, Diego was awoken by the sounds of a piano being expertly played. It was late in the morning and he was feeling the effects of his masked ride the evening before. The strangers' camp still eluded him, but he was determined to discover the men's business in Los Angeles.

In the light of morning, Diego was determined to discover who was playing the piano. He dressed and readied himself for the day, and headed straight for the instrument.

When he reached it, he wasn't surprised to see Lady Lilly seated and swaying to the music as she played. Her eyes were closed as if she wanted to absorb every note. Suddenly, her hands faltered a bit and she turned around on the stool.

"Don Diego! You startled me!" she said accusingly, but then started to laugh. "I hope I didn't wake you up."

"I've never been awoken more pleasantly. Your playing was lovely. I was just admiring it. I'm sorry I startled you." Diego returned.

"Thank you for the compliment." She smiled. "But I'm much more accomplished on the harp. Do you play?"

"Yes, I do," he answered.

"You two should play a duet!" Don Alejandro spoke from the doorway. "Now, that Diego's finally awake." He gave his son a disapproving glare. "But that will have to wait, Lady Lilly told me at breakfast how much she'd love to ride out to the pueblo today. Apparently, she's a very accomplished horsewoman. I'll go get Pumphrey." After a pointed glare at his son, he left the doorway.

Lilly was smiling expectantly at Diego, who almost blushed at his father's overt matchmaking.

"Well, piano, harp, and horses, I'm being to wonder what accomplishments you don't possess." He almost expected to offend, but the lady laughed.

"Needlepoint! I'm notoriously terrible at needlepoint," she leaned toward him conspiratorially and whispered. "Consequently I was the embarrassment of my governess." She nodded solemnly, and that was when Diego laughed.

***

Don Alejandro had gone to get Pumphrey, but the Englishman informed him that he expected a messenger to arrive with some important business that day. Someone had to stay with him, and Alejandro volunteered Felipe. So, in the end it was Diego, Don Alejandro, Lilly and Claire who rode out to the pueblo that day.

What they saw when they reached it was to Diego and his father a sickeningly familiar event. Soldiers were escorting a young farmer Diego recognized as Pedro Martinez. His crops had not been very successful this harvest. It didn't take very long for Diego's father to confront the Alcalde.

"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded.

"This farmer has not paid his taxes," De Soto spoke smugly. "Therefore he's going be flogged."

A crowd was gathering as De Soto spoke. Somehow Diego wasn't surprised to see the two strangers from the other night among them.

"You're going to flog this man over a few pesos?" the major said as if the idea were ridiculous.

"I must set an example to the others in this pueblo," De Soto's voice rose as if making an announcement. "Nonpayment of taxes will not be tolerated.

The Irishman seemed to be trying to get the major to back down, tugging on his arm and motioning for them to leave, but he might as well not have even been there for all the notice that the major gave him.

"You can't flog this man." Just like the confrontation with Juan, Diego noted the certainty in the man's voice. It was a statement of fact.

"I can't?" De Soto said. "Perhaps I could flog you in his place. Lancers, arrest this man!"

"NO!" the shout came from a wholly unexpected quarter. It was Lilly.

She pushed forward through the crowd to the scene and for once the Alcalde was at a loss for words.

"This is all a misunderstanding!" she declared.

"What?" almost every one of the interested parties said in unison.

"This man hasn't paid his taxes because of me." She pointed at Pedro and smiled apologetically to him as she continued. "Thank you so much for being kind enough to sell me some…" she seemed to be thinking. "…beans on credit. I do have the money now. Will five pounds do?" she reached into her reticule.

Pedro was dumbstruck and Diego was sure that he'd never set eyes on the lady before.

"Senorita, it's very kind of you to be interested in this man's plight, but who are you?" De Soto seemed to have found his voice.

"Oh, I'm Lady Lillian Pumphrey. You might have heard of my father Lord Pumphrey, he's on the Prime Minister's staff."

"Prime Minister? Of England?" De Soto seemed to be shaken now. The pomp and circumstance of Lilly's birth impressing him more than the show of strength that the major was using.

"I purchased the beans for my grandfather, he's the Marquess of Stallford, by the way," she was speaking confidently now, as if daring them to call her bluff. "My father is sending them off now by messenger. So…" she produced the money handing it to a once again speechless Alcalde. "…this flogging doesn't have to commence."

De Soto took the money and motioned for the lancers to let Pedro go.

"But this man still tried to interfere in pueblo business," he motioned to Wright.

"Yes, he did, but that was only because Major Wright knew that it was my failure to pay the farmer that caused him to be behind in his taxes," she seemed satisfied that she had solved the problem neatly, but the Alcalde didn't seem convinced.

"Now that that misunderstanding is cleared up perhaps I could trouble you to show me something of this lovely pueblo." She turned her deep blue eyes up at him, and De Soto seemed to see her for the first time. The other men were completely forgotten as he took her arm and started to give her a tour of everything he governed, Claire following silently behind.

Diego noticed a look of almost complete contempt cross Major Wright's face as he watched the couple for a moment and turned his back in disgust.

Lilly had referred to him by name. How did she know him? And how well?

***

Not long after, Victoria approached Don Alejandro.

"Who is that?" she asked him as she motioned to Lilly. She was amused and impressed at how quickly and easily the girl had had the alcalde eating out of her little hand.

"That's Lady Lillian Pumphrey, she and her father are staying at the hacienda." Don Alejandro smiled looking over at Diego. The younger caballero was ostensibly talking to Pedro, but he kept looking at Lilly with a pensive frown. Victoria looked over too, but she wasn't smiling.

"I think I can tell YOU, Victoria," Don Alejandro said with no small amount of satisfaction in his voice. "That this time I think I have found JUST the girl to interest Diego. I'll bet I'll have grandbabies by this time next year." He walked over to join his son.

Victoria looked over at Diego again. Was he really interested in Lady Lillian? She looked at the girl. She was beautiful certainly. If you liked a fragile kind of woman who looked like she'd break as soon as a strong wind came through. Would that kind of woman appeal to Diego? Victoria wasn't sure. She realized she had no idea what kind of a woman WOULD appeal to him. But no, surely not! The girl was far too young. Why, she couldn't be more than 19! On the other hand, couples married with greater age differences every day. Victoria frowned as Diego and his father waved goodbye to Pedro and walked straight over to the lady and De Soto.

***

"…and this is my office," De Soto motioned toward the building which housed his office.

Diego and his father approached the couple as Lilly made the appropriate noises to indicate that she was sufficiently impressed. She smiled at Diego and Don Alejandro as they neared. Claire was, as usual, standing behind her mistress and looking down at the ground.

"Thank you so much for the tour, alcalde…" she was interrupted.

"Ignacio, please." De Soto smiled at her and Diego was certain that she'd made another conquest.

"Ignacio," she said, smiling back. "Thank you, but…" she was interrupted again, this time by Alejandro.

"But it's time this young lady had some lunch."

And with that she headed over to the tavern with the de la Vega men to have lunch. Don Alejandro not incredibly discreetly walked behind with Claire so the two could talk.

"That was brave of you to save Pedro from a flogging." Diego said to her as soon as the alcalde was out of earshot.

"It was nothing, anyone would have done as much." Lilly said quietly.

"And how do you know Major Wright?" She looked at him surprised. He added, "You called him by name."

"Oh, yes," she laughed a little as if she had forgotten what she had said. "Of course I know him; everyone in London does. You might even have heard of him. The man's a veritable legend. He rose from the ranks to officer and went on to save the king's colors, capture one of Boney's eagles and be personally recognized by the George IV. He's the talk of the Ton"

Diego thought he remembered hearing about such a man. It certainly was an accomplishment to "rise from the ranks" and be promoted in the army based on merit alone, and not buy your commission like most officers did. The capture of the eagle he was certain he'd heard about, though he couldn't recall the particulars. Only a handful of the Imperial Eagles, which Bonaparte's troops carried, had been captured and only one so far by the British. That the man was a legend could be no surprise.

"I wonder what he's doing in California," Diego mused.

"Perhaps, he thinks Bonaparte will invade," Lilly spoke with eyes wide and then smiled. Diego couldn't stop himself from laughing at her absurdity.

More than one person watched the exchange unhappily.

NOTES: Warning dramatic liberties taken with history in the above. The actual first British soldier to actually take an eagle was Sgt Patrick Masterson (according to wikipedia). But I like to think Major Wright is tough enough to have done it.

Thanks so much to all the people who have so far read/reviewed/favorited this story. It's my first attempt and I'm really enjoying it, and I hope you are too. I do have most of it mapped out and it shouldn't be too long until all is revealed.

-Cheers-

Jude