Diego woke almost as soon as his father settled him in a cart with blankets.
"How do you feel?" Alejandro asked with concern.
Diego considered himself for a moment. His stomach was still cramping painfully, and he could barely think straight. He cleared his throat, aware of a certain tightness. A wave of nausea came over him.
"It's alright, Diego."
"Could have been….poisoned…" He murmured. He thought quickly. "Probably need to empty the stomach properly."
Victoria rushed over to the cart, very concerned. "Is he alright?"
"He will be. Is the doctor still here?" Alejandro asked.
"Yes, Alejandro. I am here," Hernandez answered. He placed the black bag on the cart beside Diego and peered at him with concern. He took hold of his wrist and felt the pulse for a few minutes.
"We should use the stomach pump, Alejandro. If it is poison, we need to act quickly."
"And if it isn't, Hernandez? What harm could it do him?"
"No harm, none that can't be rectified quickly. If it is poison, he'd be dead without treatment."
"Do what needs to be done, Hernandez. I won't lose my son."
Zzz
A few days later, Diego was feeling his normal self once more. Victoria smiled as he ventured out of his bedroom, with a finger to his lips at the first light of dawn.
"And here I was thinking you normally slept til noon, Diego," she whispered. "Are you sure you feel alright?"
He nodded.
He led her outside to the patio where he sat down again, stretching his long legs out in front of him.
"Oh I see, you are lazy."
"Sick of bed, to tell you the truth. Any luck on finding your quarry, Victoria?"
"What?" She was startled. He raised an eyebrow. "Oh yes. Zorro."
"It is what this whole party and competition is about, isn't it?"
"Yes. You were poisoned, Diego. Maybe it is time to stop. Maybe Zorro poisoned you."
"I really don't think it was poison. I must have eaten something that disagreed with me. Felipe tells me that quite a few young men were feeling unwell that day. In fact, I shouldn't be surprised if everyone was feeling ill. The wine could have spoiled. It happens…"
"But Zorro…if he was threatened?"
"You don't really think very highly of him, do you?"
"What?"
"If he meant me harm, nothing is stopping him approaching me with a sword and striking me down. He doesn't have to kill me to warn me off. Poison is underhanded and speaks of weakness, not strength. They do say it is a women's weapon."
"A women's weapon?" She flared up slightly as he expected she would. "Men could use it just as easily."
"They are not smart enough," Diego said with a shrug. "Women do not have the benefit of physical strength so they tend to use their intelligence a lot more. The female tends to be deadlier than the male."
"Oh," she responded, a little subdued.
"What's next on the agenda?" Diego said.
"Another ball, and then the duels. Sword play. I don't think your father expects you to participate."
"Well. Most of the other competitors are recovering from their stomach problems, so we all have the same disadvantage."
"I don't think that's what it is. I think he wants you to rest in bed for a few more days."
"I have rested far too long already," Diego said, shifting himself into a standing position. "We should go and check on the tavern, see how Pilar is getting on without you. You must have been so bored watching over me for the last few days. I will see if the Sergeant has received any mail for me."
"The mail came yesterday," Victoria said and bit her lip thoughtfully. "What will your father say when you ask him?"
"I am not asking," he said. "Esperanza is in the stables, and I can find you a decent mount while we are getting Esperanza saddled. Father probably won't even notice we are gone. We aren't going for very long."
"He'll be angry, Diego."
"He's always angry about something these days," Diego said, walking fast enough towards the stables that Victoria had to run to keep up with his long strides.
"This is not like you, Diego," she said, slightly out of breath. "Please slow down."
He obeyed, immediately shortening his pace and slowing his speed. "Sorry. I just feel so hemmed in, restless."
"The tavern for lunch and then we will head back immediately after," she said.
"Of course," Diego said.
Diego spoke softly to Juan, the head groom, who brought out a spritely little bay mare for Victoria to ride. He saddled Esperanza while a groom did the bay.
"What's her name, Diego?" Victoria asked, after mounting and turning the mare towards the road.
"What?"
"The mare," Victoria said. "Who did you think I meant?"
"Apollina," Diego answered. "She's frisky, remember to stay in charge."
"I do know how to ride," Victoria said crossly.
Zzz
They tethered the horses at the tavern. Victoria decided to go around the back and greet Pilar in the kitchens. She knocked on the door, which opened at the slightest amount of pressure.
Pilar was sobbing into her hands at the kitchen table.
"Pilar, what has happened?" Victoria said, dashing forward, and wrapping her friend into a hug. "Are you alright?"
"Awful, awful," Pilar murmured.
Diego appeared at the kitchen curtain. Victoria startled for a moment, his head came to the same level in height as Zorro's did when he paused there. In just the same movement as Zorro, he entered the room cautiously.
"The tavern is a mess, Victoria. Some of the benches are smashed, and one of the tables as well. Most of the wine bottles have been shattered."
"I am so sorry, Victoria. So sorry."
"If bandits raided us, Pilar, how could you stop them?" Victoria asked, gently rubbing her friend's shoulders. "My little game is at fault here. This is my tavern. I have been trying to discover who Zorro is, and distracting him from his duties in the pueblo."
"No one's fault. I refuse to see that," Diego said firmly. "The bandits are to blame and no one else. Besides, Zorro can't be everywhere at once. There are all sorts of crimes being committed every day and every night."
"It's not just the tavern. The chickens…"
"The chickens?" Diego asked.
"The chickens…they are sick….half have already died. So suddenly, so horribly. Don Diego, why would they do that to the chickens?"
"There are many illnesses that chickens can catch," Diego began.
"You are being stupid now. They were obviously poisoned, as you were." Victoria folded her arms and glared at him.
"There is a way to test that theory, but I will need to take the chickens to do experiments on. Ideally one dead, and one alive."
Victoria threw up her hands in exasperation. "Of course, Diego."
"You don't think Zorro has done this to punish you for looking for him, do you, Victoria?"
"Of course he hasn't," Diego said with some steel in his voice. He turned and stomped off towards the chicken coop.