Chapter 37

Several evenings later...

"Thank you for inviting us, Senor de la Vega," Don Esteban stated, "you have a splendid hacienda, Senor."

"Please call me, Alejandro. Diego and I are glad to have you in our home during your stay in the pueblo," he said as he sipped a glass of wine, "Rafael speaks highly of you."

"He is a fine young man, Alejandro. I would have loved to have him as a son-in-law. I heard that he is seeing someone, Don Alejandro."

"Lolita seems like a nice young woman, Don Esteban but it is early stages yet. I am certain that she and Rafael are good friends."

"For now, Alejandro but I don't think that he will make the same mistake twice..."

The old don look at the caballero in surprise. He certainly is unafraid to speak his mind but them so am I...Indeed.

The Garden...

Margaria frowned darkly as she watched Rafael and her parents interact. At least they could have taken my side, she thought.

"Can I get you another glass of wine, Senorita," Miguel said interrupting her thoughts.

"No, thank you, Miguel. I will make do with these hour d'oeurves."

ZZZ

"Margarita doesn't seem to be enjoying herself, Diego," Victoria said as she sipped her glass of wine.

"The night is young, Victoria. Perhaps she will but I doubt it. She and Rafael are being civil. Thank goodness, my father kept the party small..."

"Your father loves a grand celebration. I am surprised that he didn't invite more people."

"According to Mendoza, Margarita had a little run in today with Marisol de la Cruz at the mission the other day. Thankfully, they have managed to avoid each other all night."

Victoria knew that gossiping was one of the sergeant's favorite pastimes. And they say that women like to gossip. Men are just as bad...Honestly, Victoria thought.

"Through Emilia, of course but you know how news travels in this do you think that Zorro got some of his information," he whispered. "

"Diego de la Vega," she said pretending to be affronted, "Is that why you always had lunch with Mendoza?"

"Partly and...because I enjoy his company and consider him to be one of my closest friends..."

"You are such an enigma, Senor de la Vega!"

"You wouldn't have me any other way, Senorita Escalante!"

The de la Vega garden...

"Aren't you having a good time, Margarita," Rafael smirked as he bit into his hour d'oeurve, "Uncle Alejandro knows how to throw a good party. Don't you think?"

"Everything is just fine. Where is Lolita? I would have thought that she would be here tonight."

"Lolita is too much of a lady and too thoughtful to come here tonight. She didn't want to upset anyone with her presence here. After all, this party is to welcome your parents."

"How thoughtful of her. The perfect lady...I suppose there will be wedding bells in the near future."

"Lolita and I are getting along well not that it is any of your concern but I am not going to rush into anything. I already made that mistake once before," he confessed.

"I have been too busy working at the mission to even think about such a thing, Rafael de la Vega! Am I about to get a lecture from you, too? I have heard enough from my parents...even Padre Benitez," she sniffed.

"Doesn't that tell you something? Does a rock have to fall on you to realize what everyone else already knows!"

"I don't see how any of this is your concern! Why don't you concern yourself about your dear little Lolita?"

"Are you ever going to grow up, Margarita? I don't know why I bother," Rafael said as he headed back into the house, "I thought that I was in love with you once...You'll never change!"

A few minutes later...

"Senorita de Madeira. I almost didn't recognize you without your Indian attire," she scoffed, "I surprised that you took an evening off from your work at the mission."

This evening is going from bad to worse, Margarita bristled at Marisol's thoughtless comments. Of all the arrogant presumptions...Who does she think she is..."This party is to welcome my parents to Los Angeles...Don Alejandro is known for his hospitality."

"That is true. Senor de la Vega is also known for his charitable work...his willingness to help the unfortunate and the unprivileged," she said aloud. Your being here proves that point...Even if you are a supposedly a lady...A lady who works for a living...How positively uncivilized...

You are treading on dangerous ground, Marisol. "Don Alejandro is a gentleman...I am a gentleman's daughter...I have every right to be here!"

"How can you say that? You are working in the mission like a common servant. Everyone knows that!"

"Is that so," Margarita replied tightly, The young woman watched as Miguel neared with glasses of punch on a silver tray. "Miguel, may I have a glass of punch, por favor? I am positively parched. Gracias."

"I suppose one would be thirsty after a hard day's work," Marisol laughed, "I know next to nothing about such things."

"Since I am a common servant as you so elegantly put it. Why don't you allow me to serve you? Why don't you have a glass of punch on me?" Marisol screamed as Margarita poured a glass of punch down the front of her elegant dress...

ZZZ

"What was that," Victoria wondered, "it sounded like it came from the garden, Diego."

"Rafael, have you by any chance seen Margarita in the last few minutes," he smirked as he looked around the room, "I don't see Marisol anywhere either."

"She was out in the garden. You don't suppose..."

"We had better get out there before they kill each other," the tall caballero replied.