Chapter 12: Bien Venue.
A sudden movement, in the courtyard below, caught Joaquin's attention and he rushed to the window to see what was happening. A carriage, drawn by two horses and with its curtains drawn, was pulling up to the hacienda. It was not his parent's carriage; it was clearly one of the public ones of the city as it was not as elegant as would have been expected for a visitor to the de la Vega homestead. He watched as the footman opened the door and a woman stepped out. She curtsied to his fathers valet, and was led into the hacienda.
Rushing, as he knew there was no one else in the house to greet the unexpected guest, he put on something that would be presentable to the lady and waited frantically to be summoned down to her. Joaquin's valet appeared moments later and helped him into an evening coat and led him down to a drawing room where the woman was waiting.
"To what do I owe this pleasure, Senorita?" he asked as he laid eyes on her.
"I have come to speak with you," Angela said as she removed her bonnet, "it is very important," she said and lowered her eyes to the floor.
"That will be all," he said and waved the servants from the room. He waited a moment before he walked across the room and offered her a seat, "your grandmother does not know you are here, I presume."
"No," Angela whispered, "she has gone out for the evening, but I do not know where or when she will be back, so I must make this quick."
"What would happen if she found out you missing?" Joaquin asked not really wanting to know what horrors laid in store for the poor girl but very interested in a little flirtation.
"I do not wish to think of that," She whispered, "she'd most certainly wish to know how I got out and I am not ready at this point to let her know what other abilities and skills my father had bestowed upon me. It would drive her to worse things than she is already putting me through."
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"She locks me in my room when she leaves. I learned long ago how to pick locks, but she does not know that," she whispered again.
"You can't be serious. She treats you as a prisoner?" he asked as he began to pace the room.
"Yes," Angela answered, "she began locking me away when my father died. I think she feared that I was too wild and would disgrace the family or perhaps it is because she doesn't want me to know her true colours. I cannot say for certain."
"If people were to know what she does to you, it would be she who is the disgrace," Joaquin said angrily.
"It really doesn't matter now," she said as she stood and joined him, "I need to find someone and I do not know who else to turn to. I have not been able to meet anyone else since we have arrived and believe it is because of your station that I have been aloud to even associate and move freely around this house, Joaquin, please tell me I can trust you."
"You can," he said as he unconsciously took her hands, "who are you seeking?" he asked as he looked down into those eyes.
"I need to find a legend," she said nervously as she looked away, "a man who protects the people. I have only ever though of him as legend but now I fear I need his help, if he even exists."
"Can you not give me a name?" Joaquin asked knowing who she was looking for.
"Zorro," she whispered, "you must help me find a man called Zorro."
"Zorro?" he asked, his heart sinking, "why do you seek such a man."
"Because he works for justice and protects the people, or at least that is the legend," she said with more passion then he had ever hear in her voice, "I had heard the legend as a little girl from my father and only believed it to be a story, but now I hear of him constantly from the whisperings of the people. They say he is the protector of California. Is it true?" she asked.
"Yes," he answered.
"Then you know of him?" she asked, "Have you seen him?"
"I have," Joaquin said whispering now, "but you must be very careful when mentioning him. There are so many who could be listening in that could give away your whereabouts or the conversation we are having. Are you sure you want to be looking for him? Why are you so desperate to speak with such a man? People of statue believe him to be a menace."
"Do you believe he is a menace?" Angela asked as she looked deeply into his eyes for the first time, "if you say he is then I would forget about him and return to my solitude but if you believe he may be able to make right what is happening then I will listen and be grateful to you, Joaquin, and your advice."
"I do not believe all that the Don's and the nobility believe," Joaquin whispered, "because it is, almost always, the Don's that cause the poverty and corruption that the people suffer from. Zorro is the one and only person that will fight for the people."
"I knew I could trust you to help me," She said.
"But what have you to tell him if you have been locked away from the world," he asked.
"I dare not tell anyone but him," she said lowering her voice, "is he really real?" she asked again looking up into Joaquin's eyes, pleading with him.
"Of course he is," Joaquin answered.
"Thank heavens," she sighed as tears built in her eyes and she fell back onto the sofa.
"What trouble are you in that you are in need of a bandits help?" Joaquin asked as he sat down beside her.
"He is my only hope," she whispered as she squeezed his hands tighter, "please tell me where I can find him."
"It is not as easy as it may sound," Joaquin sighed, "he is not easily found, Senorita."
"No," she gasped as tears fell down her cheeks, "it cannot be this hard."
"Please," Joaquin said as he brushed the tears from off her cheek, "I will do all I can to help you find, Zorro."
"Thank you," she said, trying to smile, "I knew you were kind, I could see it in your eyes. I would be indebted to you."
"You would owe me nothing," Joaquin said gently.
"Where do I start?" she asked suddenly passionate again, "I can waist no time."
"All I know is this," Joaquin whispered, "you may be able to get a message to him."
"How?" she asked.
"When you go to confession, leave the message under the cushion of the confessional," he whispered, "he will find it there, but he will not go to it if there is anyone in the cathedral."
"But I must speak to him," she said raising her voice, "what if someone was to find my message?"
"No one will find it," Joaquin smiled, "it is honored as sacred to leave messages there for the protector of the people. When he finds it he will find you as well."
"Oh thank you," she said as tears filled her eyes once more, "you have been so wonderful and I am so sorry I had to burden you with this. Please I beg of you to tell no one," she whispered.
"You have my word," Joaquin whispered back.
"I must go," she said as she stood quickly, "I cannot get caught. Thank you again," she whispered in his ear as she kissed his cheek and fled from the room.
Joaquin followed her only as far as the foyer where he saw her, hastily, climb into the carriage and watched as it sped away into the setting sun.
