Chapter 26
The days in Monterey had passed quickly for Diego and Victoria, spending their time enjoying the sights and going to plays, musical concerts, and exhibitions.
A week after the viceroy's ship had left for Los Angeles, when they came down for dinner to the main room in the tavern, the servant told them that they had visitors waiting for them in the separate dining room.
Diego felt Victoria's tension as they followed the servant to the adjacent room. "Do you expect someone?" she asked anxiously. "Do you think it could be the viceroy's men?"
"Father? Felipe? What are you doing here?" Diego asked, surprised when they got sight of their visitors. "How did you get here?"
"Diego, Victoria, it's good to see you." Alejandro embraced his son and his daughter-in-law before it was Felipe's turn.
"Have a seat and let's have dinner." Alejandro pointed at the dinner table that was laid out for four. "I'll explain it all for you. We have been waiting for a some time now for you to come down from your room. When we came here the servants told us that you were staying here but had retired for siesta. After Felipe and I freshened up, we came down here to wait for you since we didn't want to disturb you."
After Diego and Victoria took their seats at the table opposite His father and Felipe, Alejandro recounted what had happened.
"Six days ago, an emissary of the viceroy arrived in Los Angeles, stating that he came to conduct an investigation about the alcalde and about Zorro. He demanded all journals from the alcaldes and had interrogations with soldiers and people from the pueblo."
"Did he interrogate you too?" Diego asked.
"Yes, he asked me to come to the alcalde's office where he had taken residence and then he told me how you saved the viceroy and asked for an investigation of De Soto's actions. Of course, I was very happy that the viceroy started the investigation of the misuse of office by the alcalde and his predecessor. Until he told me about Zorro." Alejandro wiped his forehand, showing his emotion. "The emissary told me right away that the viceroy knew the identity of Zorro and that he was my son. I can't tell you how shocked I was, Diego, and it was my only comfort that I already knew you were Zorro and didn't have to learn it from a stranger. I didn't know what to say when the emissary told me that he was also conducting an investigation about Zorro and that you weren't allowed to leave Monterey until he had returned with his report."
"Did the emissary finish his investigation? What was the result? And what about the alcalde?" Diego asked.
"The emissary interrogated several citizens from all classes and also the soldiers. Except for the few friends De Soto made, all supported the accusations against the alcalde and his predecessor. The emissary decided quickly that the alcalde should be removed and replaced him with Don Emilio Figueiras."
"He replaced him with your friend Don Emilio? Why him? And what did De Soto say in his defense?"
"Don Emilio volunteered. Now that he has handed over his hacienda to his son he has too much time on his hands," Don Alejandro explained.
"Did you volunteer too? I think you would make a good alcalde too." Victoria said.
"Thank you, Victoria," Alejandro said, pleased by her compliment, "but the emissary rejected my offer because of my relation to Zorro. Until the viceroy had decided about Zorro he didn't think it was appropriate to make the father of the fox alcalde."
"Don Emilio is a mild-mannered man who doesn't make his decisions based on his emotions," Diego stated. "He will make a fair alcalde and he has often listened to your advice, Father. You won't be without influence." Diego tried to smooth his father's disappointment, careful not to express his relief about the choice of alcalde too openly. "And what about De Soto? How did he take the news? Was there a trial?"
"De Soto hasn't returned from his trip to Mexico. It's generally assumed that he has been warned about the investigation and preferred to stay away instead of facing trial," Alejandro said. "The emissary wasn't pleased about the alcalde's unauthorized leave of office, staying away for so long on private business."
"Didn't De Soto explain his visits to Mexico with business meetings? At least he tried to improve his fencing with lessons from Pedro Diamante though he wasn't very successful," Diego grinned as he remembered the many encounters with De Soto as Zorro who had always defeated the alcalde easily.
"You can laugh now, Diego," his father said, "but if I had known that it was you behind the mask I wouldn't have had a quiet moment watching you fight the soldiers and the alcalde on your own."
"That's why I never told you, Father," Diego stated.
"And you were right to do so," Victoria said, depressed.
"I don't know why you say that, Victoria," Alejandro said, "but you need to tell me what is going on. I was surprised when I learned that you had left with Diego to Monterrey and the next thing I heard was that the viceroy knows that Diego is Zorro and was conducting an investigation about him. Can you explain that to me? How did that happen and what about your marriage? Are you still intent on having an annulment?"
"I can assure you, Father, that we didn't come here for an annulment," Diego said, putting an arm around Victoria. "We have sorted out our differences and will stay married."
"When Diego decided to come here to Monterey to talk to the viceroy, I asked him if I could join him and he agreed," Victoria explained.
"I can't say how happy I'm about this," Alejandro smiled. "I want you two to be happy together."
"What about Zorro?" Victoria asked anxiously. "What did the emissary decide on him?"
Alejandro's smile vanished as he became serious again. "I honestly don't know. The emissary told me that the decision was solely in the hand of the viceroy and that he couldn't give me any information on that before he had given the viceroy his report and heard his decision. I couldn't live with that so I decided to accept the emissary's offer to accompany him back to Monterey and Felipe wanted to come too. We wanted to see you just in case..you know." Alejandro's good mood had vanished with the thought of the future and what it may mean for Diego. "Maybe I can talk with the viceroy too. I knew Don Felix at the university before he rose up in the ranks and became viceroy."
Further thoughts were interrupted by the servants who brought their meals that the servants to the dining room. Turning the conversation to lighter topics, they evaded to talk about the outcome of the next day and talked about the last weeks and the events in Los Angeles instead. They sat a long time at the table, talking about good times and neither wanted the evening to end when they didn't know how the viceroy decided about Zorro based on the report of the emissary.
All that counted was that the family was spending the night together, enjoying each other's company making the best of it until it was time to retire.
A/N: one more chapter to go + Epilogue