The truth will out (1)
The red liquid swirled in the glass, as my father gently leant the dark bottle over the small goblets.
"This was an exceptional vintage, one of the best we had as far as I remember," he said with a smile, "I have kept it for some special occasion, like, let's say, the baptism of my grandchild – and believe me, Sergeant, these bottles had more than enough time to mature – but now I would like to hear your opinion about it," he handed the glass to Sergeant Garcia.
The sergeant took it a bit shyly, obviously abashed by such special treatment. My father was always polite toward him, but never so cordial as today. The poor sergeant suspected that my father had rather low opinion about his competency and skills. And, unfortunately, he was right – until last week.
I coughed to hide a chuckle. Who would say that Sergeant Garcia will finally get my father's appreciation by the behavior absolutely unfitting to the King's lancer? Yet after I told my father how far the sergeant was ready to go to save el Zorro – or rather, to save me - he advanced quite rapidly at the list of the favorite guests in our hacienda. Something told me that from now on Sergeant Garcia can always count for the best wine from my father's cellar.
After the first sip of wine, the sergeant seemed to forget his confusion, closing his eyes and beaming with delight. Yet, the shadow of worry I noticed in his face when he came to the hacienda soon reappeared, so I discreetly winked to my father.
"Just exquisite," he sighed finishing his glass, "well, if you forgive me, Sergeant, I will leave you and Diego alone. I have some business at the rancho to attend to."
Even when my father left, the sergeant was reluctant to start the conversation. He even didn't finish his first glass, only swirled it slowly, absently admiring the deep color of the liquid. It was obvious that something heavy lay on his heart.
"So, my dear Sergeant, what's new at the pueblo?" I asked casually to encourage him, "How's the capitán? I haven't seen him for two days, exactly since his… performance at the tavern."
"He is very busy now… chasing the Fox," explained the sergeant with a sigh, "yesterday it was close… Zorro appeared near Professor Altamirano's camp – there were plenty of people from the pueblo helping the workers to move to your land," the sergeant added raising his sight on me and I confirmed:
"True, yesterday they finally relocated their camp to our rancho and are to start building that famous machine of the professor… My father and I are going to visit them after the siesta."
The sergeant nodded and continued his tale:
"Anyway, it is hard to say what Zorro intended to do. Some say he wanted to speak to people, but he didn't manage as the capitán appeared with the lancers and almost got him. They chased him the whole night through the mountains, the sun was quite high when they finally returned. Empty-handed, but – it was close…"
I almost chuckled once again. Peraza must be quite tired today. You see now, Magistrado, it is not such an easy piece of work… And I never needed the whole night to lose the pursuit…..
Well, as for now, the point is that he didn't manage to speak with the people and praise Altamirano's invention yet…
"But you, Sergeant, didn't ride with the capitán last night?" I observed taking the bottle. I wanted to pour him more wine but he showed me that his glass is still half-full. Really, my father would be offended if he saw it… Let's get over with it. "So, my friend, why are you seeming to be so... despondent?"
The sergeant sat for a moment in silence and finally raised his head, looked into my eyes and confessed:
"It is about you, Don Diego."
"About me?..."
"Yes, I came here to apologize to you," he finally finished.
During the years of our acquaintance, Sergeant Garcia came many times to the hacienda to apologize me. Like when he helped the Eagle's agents to set a trap for me… or like when he stunned me to prevent my duel with Avilá – that, by the way, almost cost my father's life… Always when he realized that he got me into troubles, at first he usually avoided me, but then, sooner or later, he infallibly came, with that solemn, yet pitiful expression…
And I was always very quick to reconcile with him. Even if I was still a bit angry, I tried not to show it, keeping in mind, that the day will come when I will have to apologize to Sergeant Garcia… I hope that for all his mistakes I forgave him, he will forgive me my one deception.
So when he came today to unburden his soul, I only smiled as friendly as usual:
"Apologize? For what? Don't worry, just tell me all about it, Sergeant."
He spread his hands a bit helplessly, shaking his head.
"It sounds now so stupid… Don Diego, for many weeks I thought you are el Zorro," he stopped for a moment and looked at me unsurely, so I smiled a bit wider and let him continue. "Until that moment when we saw him riding in front of the tavern, I thought – I was sure – you are that bandit, Don Diego. I am sorry. I feel like such a fool now…" he sighed once again and lowered his head.
I knew we will have this conversation. I knew what I have to say. Even if I would prefer… well doesn't matter.
"There is nothing to apologize for, Sergeant," I said just as many times before, with well-trained smile. "Well, I did notice that you behaved rather strange sometimes, but…"
"I just didn't want the capitán to catch you," muttered the sergeant so quietly I hardly heard him, correcting himself after the second in his usual voice:
"I mean Zorro. I mean, I didn't want him to catch you, when I thought you are Zorro. Well, it doesn't mean I want him to catch you now, only that now you are not Zorro, so… Of course you have never been, but I just…" he got lost completely and didn't finish, only waved his hand. "I am just sorry. You may feel offended, Don Diego, but I had to tell you."
"I am not offended, Sergeant. In fact it is rather… You know, you thought I am Zorro… and you risked quite a lot to help him. It is very… Well, you should rather be – I meant you could rather feel… well, cheated," I finished clumsily, a little irritated with my sudden loss of words.
"Cheated?" the sergeant looked at me so surprised as if I have just said something very stupid. "But you are my friend, Don Diego! If you were Zorro, it would mean that he is my friend too!"
I had to cough again, though this time I wasn't masking the laughter. This time… I simply must still have some problems with my throat since that fire.
"I am sure that he is, my dear Sergeant. Whoever he may be, I am sure that he is your friend too."
Sergeant Garcia smiled unsurely but seemed to be rather unconvinced.
"Something still is bothering you, Sergeant?" I inquired.
"It is only that… Now it all has no sense. With Zorro being some strange man… I got used to the idea that he is you, Don Diego," he sighed shaking his head. "Now I feel as if I… just didn't know him. Like starting the puzzle from the beginning."
"I am sorry, Sergeant. I cannot help being the man I am," I said honestly, but then, as I really felt sorry for him, I promised: "One day, Sergeant, one day all puzzles will be solved."
But the sergeant didn't feel consoled, still deep in his musing:
"I am only an old fool, Don Diego…" he repeated and, after a moment, shook his head as if he was still struggling with some persistent thought. "And yet this all would be so simple… It would explain so much… All of your luck, Don Diego, when it comes to fighting, all of your absences… Oh, I am sorry, Don Diego," he reflected himself. "I just wanted to say that it would be rather logical… had it not been for that rider two days ago…"
"Zorro," I corrected him.
"Zorro," he agreed sadly.
For a moment we sat in silence and I wanted once again to reach for the bottle, when I noticed that he still didn't finish his wine.
"Something else, Sergeant?" I sighed a bit weary. My glass was so very empty…
"Nothing important," he started with hesitation. "I just wanted to ask you – on that day in the tavern, what did the capitán want from your hand?"
"Oh, this?" I casually showed him my hand with a few still visible scratches. "I tried to train Rosa's horse – that white one – and he threw me just on the fence. I will better leave it to Benito. But really, I do not know why Capitán Barcelo asked me about it. I think he was just drunk."
The sergeant nodded a few times with pensiveness.
"I believe so. He must be rather ashamed now, it will be best not to remind him about it."
"It will be the best," I nodded too.
We didn't say anything else and we didn't even exchange glances. Yet, the sergeant, unexpectedly heartened, finally emptied his glass and I gladly refilled it.
Now I dealt with the bottle quite quickly.
As soon as I bade farewell to the sergeant and returned to the library, the doors to cupboard slowly opened and Rosa's face appeared at the exit from the secret passage.
"You have heard?" I asked looking around to check if no servants were in the view.
"This house is just made to eavesdropping," she admitted with delighted smile, reaching for my hand when I helped her to get out of the hidden corridor.
For a moment I wanted to warn her to be cautious with the passages, as the exits on the first floor were rather narrow and in her present condition she might… ehm… actually get stuck in them… but luckily my Guardian Angel was awake and I bit my tongue in time.
"The picture of Peraza spending the night on horseback in the mountains, chased by lancers, is just delicious," she smiled very content. "I guess he didn't think it over too precisely."
"On the contrary, he did," I shook my head. "He must have fallen on this idea much earlier, wondering what to do if the Fox refuses his proposal, if his blackmail fails... He made preparations," I reminded her, pointing at my hair. "After he heard from me that Zorro was most probably dead, though no one could state it for sure, it was a perfect moment to start his show… but he was ready to play the role of the Fox, even with the real one alive… I wonder if it wasn't the pressure of his gloomy companion that made him so desperate?"
"Oh, whatever," said Rosa, her face changed with anger, "companion or not, it was Peraza, who intended to cheat people to support Altamirano's invention. In your name! Oh, for the first time I regret that lancers are so bad at shooting!" she swore quietly.
"Don't forget he is my alibi. It is good the Barcelo didn't catch him, if he did, he would guess it was not the real Zorro riding through the plaza two days ago," I warned her.
"Yes, yes, it is good Barcelo didn't catch him, but nice he chased him so effectively. Anyway, next time we may not have so much luck. Either this rascal will get caught, or he will manage to use Zorro's recognition to lure the peons. That is why the sooner you do something with our adventurous magistrado, the better."
All right, to be honest, my gratitude for Peraza quickly faded and I was simply boiling with fury on the very same thought of this man trying to misuse people's faith in my alter persona to serve his plans.
However, direct confrontation with him now would mean awaking the storm around me that lately calmed down a little. The storm that Rosa was exactly in the middle of.
"That is what I have to discuss with you, Rosita. Each time the paths of me and Damián cross, you pay for it. I wouldn't like to endanger you further, even if it would mean that…"
"Me?" she looked at me and something very dark glittered in her eyes, "That man offended me too many times. He tried to arrest me and treated me like an idiot, then he accused me of adultery and blackmailed me. Diego, if you don't see on your own it is the highest time for you to do something with him, let me explain that it is!"
Well, it seems that her opinion is rather unambiguous. I love her ability to present the situation from the point of view that is so… convenient for me. I regained my humor and looked at her with mischief:
"My dear, aren't your expectations toward me a bit too high? Don't forget you married a pacifistic scholar."
"My pacifistic scholar may go tonight to his room and read some of his tedious books for the whole evening. I will not disturb him," she replied with the same roughish smile that must have appeared on my face.
So, if Magistrado Peraza planned an early sleep this evening, I will have to disappoint him…
Before the interesting night encounter, I had a rather uninteresting visit in Altamirano's new camp ahead of me. At first, my father and I planned to welcome him on our rancho alone, but to our surprise, just as we were to leave, at the hacienda appeared Carmelita in the company of Corporal Reyes.
"If it will not cause too much troubles, Senores, I would like to go with you and see how the professor is setting about to his work. I was always very interested in… geology," she recited with rather unhappy and disgusted face.
"We will be delighted with your company, my dear," replied my father although he couldn't help raising high his eyebrows after that surprising declaration.
Her presence changed our plans a little and Rosa decided to go with us also, to accompany Carmelita. It required taking a carriage, so it took a while to harness the horses. In the moment of commotion I pulled Corporal Reyes aside:
"The senorita is interested in geology?..." I asked him quietly.
Corporal Reyes was a man with a gift of speaking little, but always to the point.
"The capitán wants to keep an eye on Rivera," he explained with his usual tired expression, "but he doesn't want Rivera to know that he keeps an eye on him."
"So he asked the senorita to go so that you could enter the camp as her escort, Corporal?" I asked knowingly and Reyes melancholically nodded.
I smiled. Barcelo was in form again… He might be chasing after Zorro with all his strengths, but he neither forgot nor neglected his suspicions concerning Oscar Rivera…
"Well, Corporal, good luck with your job," I patted his shoulder and headed for the carriage, already waiting in front of the gate.
As we arrived at the new location of Altamirano's camp, I could see that Oscar Rivera and his workers didn't loaf. On the small meadow stood three tents – one of them, visibly larger, must have belonged to Professor Altamirano. All their supplies of wood and steel laid aside and in a distance of a few yards from the camp, just behind the small rocks, began the construction of some machine, resembling the sketches the professor showed me during our first encounter. Rivera and the workers – my old acquaintances, Jaimé and Chaco among them – were bustling around it and Professor Altamirano sat by the small table in front of his tent. All in all, the whole scene looked very professional.
I wasn't misled for a second.
When they saw us, the professor and Oscar Rivera immediately left their activities and approached us.
"Welcome, Senores. I hope you are comfortable here? Do you need anything?" my father greeted him politely. It did cost me a lot to persuade him to be polite toward Rivera…
"No, Senor de la Vega. We are provided with everything," Professor Altamirano bowed to him.
I helped the ladies to get out of the carriage. When Carmelita saw Rivera, she stiffened with fear, so I gently headed her for my father and she immediately grabbed his arm, half hiding herself behind his back. Barcelo should have thought a little, before sending her to meet the man who almost killed before her eyes the boy she was so sweet on…
In the meantime, Corporal Reyes dismounted and stood aside, leaning on his musket and seeming to be drowsing. Bernardo sat on the ground near him, plotting a little bouquet from the wild flowers. Being honest, they both looked right now like the pair of harmless idiots. And yet something told me nothing in the camp will escape their attention…
I smiled to my thoughts and joined the conversation.
"It took you quite a while to choose the location and relocate the camp," I noticed innocently, yet watchfully observing the professor's reaction. "Do you think that now the works are going to proceed faster?"
I noticed the confusion in his face, but before he managed to utter the word, Rivera replied for him:
"Do not wonder that it took us some time, Senor de la Vega. These materials are heavy, we wanted to make as sure as possible, that after the one transport we will not have to move them again very far."
Carmelita, hearing his voice, clung to my father's arm as the scared child, yet Rivera didn't pay attention to her, not tearing his eyes from me. He tried to speak humbly, but he couldn't hide the malice shadow in his eyes.
Real wolf in sheep's clothes he is… He might pretend to be the assistant, but from the way the professor stepped aside, when he started to speak, it was obvious he is afraid of him.
And I knew he was lying. They visited the rancho only once or twice since I have given them my map. They didn't examine the soil, they didn't look for the suitable place, they only played for time… until their third friend in my black disguise manages to raise the hopes of simple people so high, that neither the facts not the logic will count anymore.
"And you think that it is the right location? If someone asked me, I would say it is the last place to dig a well," asked my father with doubt in his voice.
"Well, we will not be able to say for sure until we build the machine," replied the professor with hesitation. "Maybe here, maybe somewhere in the neighborhood…"
"But definitely not in the place you would expect it to be, Don Alejandro. That is exactly the value of this invention," we heard the voice of Damián Peraza, who has just arrived to the camp from the opposite side and now greeted our small gathering.
"Buenos Dias, Senoras, Senores, both the professor and I are honored with your visit."
Well, well, how poorly we look today… Magistrado did his best to keep his usual composed and self-confident pose, but there were dark shadows under his eyes and when he was getting off the horseback, I noticed that he winked slightly when the stiffened muscles refused to obey.
"Heavy day, Magstrado?" I asked carelessly.
"Some of us actually do something," he spat angrily, but then reminded himself that politeness will serve him better and turned to Carmelita:
"Senorita? It is a pleasurable surprise to see you here, but what a pity that your uncle didn't come with you."
"He was on a pursuit after Zorro for the whole night… Now he and the lancers are resting in the cuartel," explained Carmelita in a tiny voice, not releasing the grasp on my father's hand.
Peraza didn't manage to hide the irritated grimace. Frustrating, isn't it? When the people who hunted you can calmly rest, and you have to go on with your daily routine, make up with your face and smile… Oh, well, with this smile I have gone too far. The magistrado rarely smiles.
"Oh, Professor, since we are already speaking about this… I heard that Zorro tried to disturb you yesterday while you were moving the camp?" I thought it will be interesting to pursue this thread a little.
"Disturb? No, Senor, I would rather say he tried to show us his support," once again Rivera spoke for the professor.
"Support? That outlaw?" my eyebrows went high with the indignation. "You should be careful, he is a very dangerous bandit. Oh, didn't you suffer from his impudence, Senor Rivera?" I observed innocently, not caring for an outraged gasp of Carmelita.
"That was a misunderstanding," mumbled Senor Rivera finally abashed, but I energetically shook my head.
"Who could say what such villain has in mind? I believe we should all beware."
"He is not an ordinary bandit, Don Diego!" exclaimed Carmelita not being able to keep quiet any longer, "He did a lot of good for all the pueblo… Don Alejandro, don't you agree?" she turned to my father with tears in her eyes, seeking his support.
"Well, to some extent…" my father was beginning to be an expert in the ambiguous remark concerning his attitude toward el Zorro.
"Even for the lancers…" we heard sleepy voice of Corporal Reyes from behind our back.
"It seems you are rather lonesome in your attitude toward that man, Don Diego," remarked maliciously Damián Peraza. "Of course we don't know yet the opinion of your wife. Dona Rosa, you are so quiet today. Would you share with us your judgment about the Fox?" he asked ironically, evidently seeking for some victim to wreck his frustration.
Rosa slowly moved her eyes on him, as if she for the first time acknowledged his existence, and the expression on her face clearly indicated that she was looking at something very disgusting.
"Of course I agree with my husband," she replied coldly.
"Of course," grinned Peraza not hiding the irony.
I was about to reply something very unpleasant when Carmelita, unaware of sudden tension that appeared between us, sobbed loudly:
"Zorro is not a bandit!"
"Senorita… do not forget that your uncle's mission is to catch and hang him…" tried to reason my father. "And, do not forget also that your uncle almost died in the fire during the fight with him."
"Oh, no, my uncle told me that el Zorro saved his life helping him to get out of the fire…" Carmelita quickly denied, swallowing the tears. "And when they spoke after that…"
"They spoke after they got out of the fire? The capitán saw Zorro after the fire? He survived it?" suddenly interrupted her Peraza, losing his composed disposition.
See, Magistrado, your situation is getting complicated. Now you not only have Capitán Barcelo on your tail… but also the real Zorro. And if I can make any assumptions about his attitude toward your initiative… he is rather irritated.
"Oh, well, he did. The capitán told it to the whole pueblo," I explained obliviously.
"I haven't heard it. I was busy," replied Peraza trying to compose himself.
Very important lesson, Magistrado. No matter how tired you are, you can never dismiss any gossip around you…
"Anyway, let's finish this idle conversation," waved a bit impatiently my father. "Professor, you wanted to show us your installment… If you please, tell us how you are going to proceed with your works…"
We moved slowly toward the strange construction behind the camp, the professor took his schemes and started to explain what he intends to do and why… I must admit that he drew my attention for a moment, till I suddenly realized that neither Rosa, nor Damián is with us… Of course, when he learnt that Zorro is still alive, she again became an important pawn in his play…
The professor has just finished to speak and waited for questions. My father sent me an expectative glance – I was sure that he stopped listening to Altamirano's lecture after the first minute. Schemes and graphs for the man of action!
However, right now I didn't care for the professor's explanations. I looked around and, struck by the happy idea, pulled Carmelita a bit forward:
"Professor," I said politely, "the senorita is interested in geology. Would you be so kind and explain to her the composition of the soil and rocks here?"
Carmelita didn't dare to protest, but she scowled at me with real flares in her pretty eyes. A few minutes before I have offended her hero and now I have bound her for such torment… It seemed I have just made another enemy.
Altamirano, however, beamed evidently content that he found such gracious – and undemanding – audience and gladly started to speak. He spoke long and loud, with unction and deliberation; definitely it was a subject he preferred much more to his machine.
As soon as their attention was occupied I discreetly withdrew to search for my Rosa.
I noticed both her and Peraza behind the small rocks bordering us from the camp. Hidden by one of the stones, I listened for a moment to their conversation.
"Senora, your time is gone," said Peraza quietly, yet with threat in his voice.
"I just couldn't contact him. If I could, I would. I do not know what happened, maybe he was wounded or…" replied Rosa. She tried to seem anxious, but I knew her long enough to hear that she is simply furious. Peraza didn't, so he pushed her further:
"Try better, Senora. If you appreciate all you have now, your comfortable life, your patient, rich husband, if you care for the future of your child – try better…"
Mean small scoundrel. If I could, if I only could… unfortunately now I can only interrupt him.
"So, here you are?" I said lightly coming into their view. "What are you doing? Still discussing Zorro? Magistrado, you seem to have strange inclination to this subject."
Seeing me, Rosa immediately swirled toward me and clung to my arm, almost hiding herself a bit like Carmelita behind my father some time ago. The difference was that she didn't look at Peraza like a scared child. She looked at me and in her eyes was a clear plea: 'Can you kill this man for me, Diego? Slowly? Please?'
Unfortunately it had to wait. And I hate so much to refuse her!
"Speaking about inclinations…" started Peraza with rather impudent smile, obviously intending to scare her a bit more with malicious suggestions in my presence.
I believe that if he was aware of the pictures I had right now before my eyes, he would lose his smile.
"Magistrado, you know I do not like you and I know that this feeling is mutual. However, accept one honest advice from me: don't irritate my wife," I interrupted him quietly.
Of course Damián Peraza would never appreciate any advice from me. He laughed with amused, malicious sparks in his eyes:
"You are a funny man, de la Vega," and raised his hand to pat my shoulder.
Then, however, our eyes met for a moment and he unknowingly winced, slowly moving back his hand without touching me.
For a moment we stood in silence until Damián shrugged his shoulders, turned back and quickly strode toward the Altamirano's camp.
When he left us, Rosa whispered quickly:
"You have heard what that rascal said?"
I nodded and she sighed:
"If he talks to Barcelo… The capitán is intelligent and knows well both of us. It will renew and strengthen his suspicions… And I am afraid that one black rider won't be an alibi enough to scatter them."
I nodded again, she was right. Barcelo was the guest in our house so many times… He would never believe that Rosa could cheat me. And once he starts to doubt if the black rider I watched staying by his side two days ago was the real Fox…
I smiled to Rosa calmingly:
"We have already decided that I have to pay the visit to our magistrado. So I will."
"He will try to blackmail you too," she warned me.
"Let him do it. It is the high time to finish our story, one way or another," I concluded and we slowly went in search for my father and Carmelita.
Professor Altamirano was just explaining to our young friend usage of different instruments lying on the small table, unaware of the fact that the girl wriggles impatiently biting her nails. The high time to free her from that oppression…
My father stood aside, watching dubiously the beginning of the professor's machine. I passed the quick glance on the wood and steel bars that should be the first stage of the professor's apparatus. Well, as for now, it could be the rudiments of anything, from the big plough to some strange form of handmill. I only shook my head pointing my father that we can go. Whatever riddle the professor hides, I will sooner find its solution in Peraza's room than here.