Chapter 10

Two months later Francisco arrived at the de la Vega hacienda with several lancers to ask his brother-in-law a favour.

"Francisco, come in, come in." Diego ushered him into the library, where he had been playing a game of chess with Felipe.

The young man had been home for five days now and Diego hadn't seen much of his elder son. Felipe had taken some time to see his young senorita and from all accounts, the pair had become inseparable. They had been corresponding all this time and their friendship was deepening into something more. The young couple knew that Felipe still had a long way to go with his studies, but she was willing to wait for him. They were young and had their entire lives ahead of them.

"Diego, I need your help with tracking down these cattle thieves that have been plaguing us the last several weeks."

He frowned slightly. "Francisco, I would like nothing better than to help you but Victoria is due any day now and I don't want to leave her."

"You should go Diego." Victoria's voice came from behind the men. They turned around to watch her slowly walk into the room, her hand on her swollen stomach.

"Victoria, you should be resting." Diego said worriedly.

Francisco kissed her cheek. "Diego's right, sister. You look a little..."

"Don't you dare say it Francisco. I know what I look like." she smiled at their concern. "I couldn't get comfortable. Now what's this about the thieves?"

Francisco frowned slightly. "Last night they robbed the Gomez place and took at least fifteen head of cattle."

Victoria gasped. "That's terrible."

Diego frowned. "But Gomez is only a small rancher, that almost half his herd."

Francisco nodded. "More like a third. The thieves have become more brazen recently, stealing in greater numbers."

"Si, we have lost about twenty head ourselves over the last month."

"You must go Diego." Victoria said firmly.

"But..."

She shook her head. "No buts." she placed her hand on his arm. "I know you are that you are worried but our baby may not come for another couple of days."

Francisco saw him waver. "You are our best hope Diego, my men have looked everywhere we can think of and outside of the local Indians, you are the best tracker."

"Besides you haven't left the hacienda in days, you need to get out and take Felipe with you." Victoria added.

Diego raised an eyebrow. "Felipe?"

Victoria chuckled. "You both have too much energy just to sit and play chess for days on end. Go out and have some fun."

Felipe choked at the guilty look on his father's face. He knew that his father had always enjoyed the thrill of using his skills to track down bandits and so it seemed that Victoria knew it as well.

Diego turned and glared at his son and Felipe quickly made his face neutral as possible but he couldn't entirely hide his amusement. Diego back turned to the others and saw their amusement on their faces. He ran his fingers through his hair; he did want to help Francisco, the cattle thieves were stealing more often, stealing the livelihoods of the ranchers.

"Diego, your father is around, so is Maria and Elizabeth is coming over for lunch, so I won't be alone." she squeezed his arm.

He sighed. "Okay, we'll go but if anything..."

"Shhh, nothing will happen. Now go!"

"Are you ordering me out of my own home?" he exclaimed, with a hint of a smile on his lips.

Victoria too held back her amusement but she couldn't hide it from her sparkling eye.s "Yes, now go."

Diego allowed himself to be pushed towards the door. "Well I guess I'm going then, Francisco."

Francisco chuckled. "It sure looks like it to me."

"It certainly does." Felipe added as he moved towards the door where his father and uncle stood.

Diego shook his head and grinned, it would be good to get outside and do something other than waiting. He took his wife's hand and raised it to his lips. "I promise that I won't be too long, querida." he whispered before kissing her soft skin and gently placed his hand on her stomach.

"Go find those thieves." she gave him another gentle shove.

Two hours after Diego left, Victoria started her contractions. She was sitting with Elizabeth in the library, chatting away, when she grabbed her sister-in-law's arm as a sharp pain jolted her.

"Victoria! Is it...?"

She shook her head. "No, it's just a pain in my back. I'm okay. Rebecca has grown since the last time I saw her."

Elizabeth smiled warmly at the thought of her daughter. "But you only saw her last week."

She nodded and smiled. "Yes, but babies grow fast don't they."

"Si they do. I can't believe that she will be six months old next week...Victoria!" she exclaimed as the hand on her arm tightened once more and saw the blood rush from her face. "Right, lets get you to bed."

Victoria shook her head. "It's okay Eliza...arhhh." she couldn't keep from crying out as another spasm hit her. "Perhaps you are right." she whispered as Elizabeth helped her up, it was then that she felt her waters break. She smiled weakly. "I think you better get the doctor."

Elizabeth's eyes widened. "Is it time?"

"Oh very much so, you best get father and Maria..."

"But first I will get you to bed." Elizabeth said firmly as she gently helped Victoria to her room.

Victoria giggled. "Just wait until Diego hears about this..."

Alcalde Escalante with Diego and Felipe along with five lancers arrived at the Gomez's ranch to begin their search for the cattle thieves. "Ah Senor Gomez, I'm sorry to hear about what happened last night. Are you and your family okay?" Diego said as he dismounted.

"Si Don Diego, we are fine and that is the most important thing isn't it." he replied stoically as they shook hands.

Diego nodded. "Si it is. The Alcalde said that you lost about fifteen head..."

Gomez sighed. "That's right, on the land bordering Don Emilio. We had done a head count yesterday in time for branding tomorrow but this morning, I had discovered them gone. My son and I searched the area but we couldn't find them. Are you and the Alcalde going to find them?"

Francisco spoke up. "We will certainly do our best Senor Gomez." he re-assured the other man.

"Gracias Alcalde."

The party of men rode out to the boundaries of Gomez and Don Emilio ranches. Diego frowned at the sight of the ground. "There are a lot of tracks covering each other. It will make it harder to find the correct one."

"But it's not impossible Diego?" Francisco called out from where he and his men stood apart from his brother-in-law.

Diego shrugged and smiled. "Maybe not, it will take some time though. If you could all stay where you are, I'll see if I can find the right tracks."

"Of course." Francisco confirmed.

For the next twenty minutes, the men chattered amongst themselves as they watched Diego explore the area. Several times, they thought he had found the trail but it had turned out to be only Gomez and his son's tracks. Francisco watched his brother-in-law with ever increasing respect as he saw Diego's single-mindedness pursuit of these bandits and knew now why neither de Soto nor Ramone had never caught Zorro. This determination almost bordered on obsession, most other men would have given up long before this. He would have made a great soldier, he reflected.

Diego sat up straight in his saddle. "Francisco, I believe I've found it." he called out and motioned the others to join him.

"How do you know it's the correct track?" Francisco asked.

Diego shrugged and grinned. "I don't believe that Senor Gomez would allow his horse to have a missing nail in his shoe."

Francisco raised an eyebrow in surprise. "You found that, in all this...this mess."

Diego chuckled. "In all this mess, you have to look for something out of the ordinary. There are plenty of cattle tracks, as you would assume, and many horses but this struck me..." he pointed down to a very good imprint of a hoof, that was missing a nail in the shoe.

Francisco snorted as he saw it. "I might have missed that."

Diego shook his head. "I doubt that, you've tracked bandits before."

"Si I have." he sighed. "Do you know which way they went?"

Diego nodded. "Si, I believe so."

"Well led on Diego."

For the next hour, Diego led them around the area. Now that they knew what to look for, it was reasonably easy to follow but as with any of these searches, a few surprises were thrown their way. The men stopped by a large area of rocky ground; they knew the thieves had come at least this far but now they had to search the entire area for the way through. The men were a little disgruntled by this delay but they used the time to eat some food while both Diego and Felipe searched for further signs of the bandits.

"Father, over here." Felipe called out.

Diego crossed over to his son and knelt down. "Si, you're right Felipe, they came this way. Good work son." he slapped the younger man on the back and stood up.

"Gracias father." he grinned as they mounted their horses and went back to the Alcalde and the lancers.

"I take it you found it Don Diego?" Sergeant Mendoza asked.

"It was Felipe who made the breakthrough." he grinned.

"That's wonderful Don Felipe. You take after your father. Please have some of our food." he replied as he held out a small container with some cooked chicken in it.

Felipe smiled warmly at the portly lancer. "Gracias Sergeant." as he took the container and passed it over to his father.

A short time later, they were on their way again. By this time, they had identified four individual horses, amongst the cattle that the thieves were driving towards the coast nut once again the men were stumped when they came to a sheer cliff.

Francisco frowned. "I don't understand, they wouldn't have driven the cattle over the edge, would they?"

Diego shook his head; he too was confused. "I can't imagine it. They wouldn't get much money for the cattle badly damaged by the fall."

"Did we miss something?" Felipe asked.

Diego sighed. "I'll go back and check but I don't believe we have."

As Diego rode away, Felipe frowned as his eyes swept the ground around him. He couldn't see anything out of the ordinary. He saw several cattle tracks and then something caught his eye, a couple of metres away. He dismounted and walked several paces to the area.

"Have you found something Felipe?" Francisco asked.

"I'm not sure uncle." he relied as he knelt down. There was a disturbance in the soil, as if the dirt was covering something. As he carefully brushed the dirt away, Diego arrived back.

"This is the correct route they took but I don't understand it. What's Felipe up to?"

Francisco shrugged. "I don't know."

"Father." Felipe called out.

Diego and Francisco dismounted and crossed over to where Felipe was kneeling. "What have you found?" Diego asked.

"A hole."

Francisco snorted. "A hole! This land is full of holes. What's so special about this one?"

Felipe chuckled. "Si that's true but this hole is as large as my fist, round and smooth. It looks like it could hold a post or a pole."

"Mmm." Diego uttered as he knelt down and inspected the hole. "Why is this here? What's its purpose?"

"Alcalde! Corporal Lopez has found something." Mendoza called out.

The three men crossed over to the Corporal and were startled by his discovery. Hidden under thick bushes, were several large, long thick poles, along with many coils of thick rope and amongst the rope were several large pulleys.

"What on earth?" Francisco muttered as he stared intently at the equipment. "You don't think that they would..."

"...Use this to lower the cattle down the cliff." Diego finished as he stared incredulously towards the edge.

"You can't be serious Diego. That's a long drop down to the beach and it would take more than the four men that we have been following."

"Si it would and it would take time to lower even one steer down the side. Perhaps that's why they have only taken ten or fifteen at any one time." he said thoughtfully.

The men were silent for a time, each lost in their thoughts at the ingenuity of the thieves.

"Father, I have found another hole." Felipe called out. He was further back towards the bushes surrounding them.

Diego nodded. "There should be at least another two holes, perhaps even six holes to hold these poles and at regular spaces too no doubt, to spread the weight evenly. Francisco, these are not your average thieves."

Francisco nodded. "I am beginning to see that. I would image they would have some military training, possible Navy. Those pulleys look very similar to the ones they use to raise and lower the heavy sail cloths." he sighed and ran his fingers through his dark hair. "I am going to need more help with catching this gang. It's not only the men stealing the cattle but it's also the men on the beach below and the ship as well."

Diego nodded. "Will you be sending this to this to Monterey or go directly to Mexico City?"

"Monterey first, they will have to send reinforcements down, both soldiers and perhaps a navy ship as well. And I will have to post some men nearby to gather information about them; how many men, how often and so on. This is going to take time."

He turned around and saw their many bootprints in the dirt. "Can we cover our tracks here?" he asked. He was startled when Diego and Felipe exchanged a knowing glance. "What a stupid question, of course you can." he grinned and shook his head, he should have know the answer to that question before he even asked it.

"Well we can't do much more now." Francisco said as he placed his hand on his brother-in-law's shoulder. "Diego, I know you must be anxious to get back home and I won't keep you any longer. Who knows what my sister will do to me, if I kept you away."

He chuckled. "Si, I wouldn't want to know what she would do to both of us. Felipe and I will cover up our tracks here."

"I really do appreciate both your help with this." he said sincerely.

"De nada Francisco, anytime you need help, just ask."

"You might regret that." he grinned as he mounted his horse.

Diego grinned back. "Perhaps. Adios."

"Adios."

As the Alcalde and his lancers rode away, Diego and Felipe swept the area clean of their tracks.

When Diego and Felipe reached home, they found the hacienda in a state of excitement.

"Victoria." he whispered, his heart beating fast, as he leapt off his horse and ran inside, with Felipe following him.

Don Alejandro had heard the horses and met his son and grandson at the door.

"Victoria...is...she?" Diego panted.

Don Alejandro grabbed his son's arm, grinning. "Victoria went into labour soon after you left Diego. Come and sit down, son. It may be some time yet."

"I knew I shouldn't have left her." his voice shook with guilt.

"You couldn't have done anything Diego." he handed both Diego and Felipe a glass of wine, and then poured one for himself, to calm their nerves.

Over the next four hours, the three de la Vega men waited in silence in the library.

Don Alejandro tried to read, while Diego played chess with Felipe, who had won easily. Diego's mind was definitely not on the game, Felipe smiled. He too felt anxious, knowing that he is about to have another brother or sister, he couldn't image what his father was going through, when suddenly they heard a faint cry of a baby.

"Dios, I'm a father again." Diego said as they all stood up grinning and hugging each other.

A short time later Elizabeth entered the library with a large smile on her face. "Diego, you have a beautiful little daughter." she said to the waiting men.

"A girl!" was all Diego could say as he hugged his sister-in-law. "And Victoria how is she?"

"She's doing well, you can go and see them now."

Diego needed no more urging as he raced off towards their rooms.

He slowly opened the door and went inside. On their bed, he saw a tired but exhilarated Victoria, sitting up and cradling a small bundle in her arms. She smiled warmly when she saw him. "Diego come and say hello to your daughter, Rosita."

He sat on the bed, kissed Victoria's forehead and looked at their little girl, whom they had named after Victoria's love of roses. "Dios, she's as beautiful as her mother." he said softly as he put his arm around his wife's shoulders and gazed down in wonder at their precious baby. "I love you Victoria." he kissed her head again.

Victoria rested her head on his shoulders. "I love you too Diego."

There was a soft knock on the door and Don Alejandro called out. "Can we come in?"

"Of course father." Diego called out as he rose from the bed. His father came in carrying Edmund, followed by Felipe. Diego took his son from his grandfather's arms as Don Alejandro looked down with a big smile at Victoria and the small bundle in her arms.

"This is your granddaughter, father." Victoria said.

"Oh my." was all he could say as he looked down at little babe, with tears welling in his eyes. He leant over and kissed Victoria on her head.

Felipe was standing at the base of the bed, looking at his mother and new baby sister in wonder. "She's so small, father." he whispered as Diego stood beside him.

Diego chuckled as he put an arm around his son's shoulders. "She will grow soon enough."

Edmund was squirming in his father's arms, waiting to see this little thing in his mother's arms. "Papa, I want to see."

Diego carried his son and sat on the bed. "Edmund, this is your little sister."

Edmund looked intently at this new arrival and leaned forward gave his sister a light kiss on her head.

Diego and Victoria were surprised but pleased at his loving gesture.

Victoria gazed misty eyed around at the people she loved. Her husband, father, two sons and daughter, and with her voice full of love said. "This is our family."

THE END

A/N - I hope that you have all enjoyed reading the trilogy as I enjoyed writing it. I have a number of other stories that I will post in the near future