Chapter 22. Unexpected discussions.

There were still a few guests in the tavern finishing the wine Don Alejandro had brought to the party. Doña Carmen decided to leave, and don Alejandro offered to accompany her home.

"Don't bother, Don Alejandro, it´s right here."

"I insist. Una dama must be properly escorted."

"How many times do I have to tell you I'm not una dama?"

"Saying it a thousand times won't make it true. I will always consider you mi dama."

She stopped to look at him. "I knew it would come to this."

"Sorry, I don't understand you."

"You're going to make me an offer. The answer is no. I don't want to end up like Cecilia."

Don Alejandro was completely baffled. "Who?"

"The woman who usually sits in the last pew of the church. Has not come to the wedding, no one has invited her."

"Don Honorio's mistress?"

"You don't even know her name. She's invisible to you, and to most of the people. Only Padre Benitez talks to her. Well, and Victoria, who won't let anyone tell her who she can and can't talk to and treats her nicely when she meets her at the mission orphanage."

"What does she have to do with you? One moment. You think I want you to be my mistress?"

"Isn't that why you wanted to come with me?" she said as she started to walk again.

"Cielos, no, I wanted to come with you because I enjoy your company, and to propose that you be my wife."

She looked at him in surprise. "You can't be serious. What would the others say?"

"What are they going to say? You can marry anyone you want, you're a widow."

"What about the rumors about me?"

"I don't care what the people who believe those rumors think."

"What about your son? Don't you care about his opinion either?"

"You think I need his approval?" She looked at him again in disbelief. "All right, you got me. His opinion matters to me, but he's fine with it." At her glance he added. "Ask him yourself."

They arrived at doña Carmen's house. "Aren't you going to ask me if you can come in?" she said defiantly.

"No, you're an honest woman, so I'll follow my son's example and wait until we're married. I'll court you properly, and if you´ll have me, padre Benitez will read the banns and we'll be married in full view of everyone. I'm sure Victoria and Diego will offer to join us on our dates."

"I can't do something like that, it would be a farce. I don't deserve it. I've done terrible things."

"It won't be a big deal. Have you done something you wouldn't have done with your husband if you'd had one?"

"No, I wasn't that kind of..."

"Then I don't care what happened. I still want to marry you."

"Por el amor de Dios! Are you always so stubborn?"

"I'd say yes, it's part of La Vega's character. I thought Diego got away with it, but in the end it turned out he didn't."

She looked up at him with sadness.

"Please tell me what's tormenting you like this," he said softly.

"I had a daughter. I let them take her away and I'll never know what became of her."

He took her hand gently. "I'm so sorry, Carmen. But I've also suffered the loss of people I loved, and I think it's worth it to go on and try to be happy. You can't change the past, but you can learn from it. Think about it. Take all the time you need."

"I'm not going to change my mind."

"You didn´t say you don't love me, so I'll try to convince you. And if I don't find a way on my own, I'll go to Victoria and Diego, I'm sure the three of us will come up with some crazy plan. You know we're all mad." he kissed her hand goodbye.

zzZzz

Diego asked the cook for a tray of dinner, to be shared by Victoria in their room. Shortly after, he got up from the table and, somewhat hesitantly, said to her: "I've been thinking about going out, I have to solve an important matter."

"Are you going out today?" Victoria asked a little surprised.

"I have something to talk about with the alcalde. I won't be long, I promise. And we can continue to discuss what those women in the village told you."

"Can't it wait until tomorrow?"

"The alcalde was behaving strangely today, I think it's a good time to get some information out of him. Besides, Zorro is not supposed to have anything else to do tonight."

"That makes sense, but please be careful."

"I will." He said kissing her before heading for the library.

zzZzz

It took him only a few minutes to get to Los Angeles and he left Tornado behind. The square was deserted, there were no longer any soldiers guarding the tavern. He surrounded the garrison building, and from the street he saw that there was still light in the alcalde´s office. He slipped through the roofs, and from above he saw the alcalde sitting there with a glass in his hand. He came down from the roof, letting himself fall almost noiselessly.

"Buenas noches, señor alcalde."

Curiously, the mayor did not react as usual, just looked at him and waved his hand slightly. "At last you appear, Zorro, though late. She has married de la Vega. The whole town was there, celebrating." Zorro didn't answer. "Have you come to toast their happiness? Have a drink." he said, raising his glass and drinking."

Diego had noticed his glazed eyes and his slurred speech. "I think you had enough to drink for both of us."

"Maybe you´re right, but I just had a really weird day today. That woman married de la Vega. I thought she wouldn't accept someone with such little character, but you should have heard him today, if I hadn't seen with my own eyes that he was there when you entered the tavern I would have thought he was Zorro."

"Did you ever think I was Diego de la Vega?"

"Yes. Isn't that ridiculous? When he admitted that he loved the tavern keeper, I became suspicious, and when he organized that dinner for her at the tavern, for a moment I was so sure... but as much as I provoked him, he didn't react. All I could do was get you two to break up and give him a chance. Por favor, she's got more character in her little finger than he has in his whole body."

Zorro looked at the alcalde, understanding at last. "Do you want her?"

"That damn potion (1). I don't think it worked, not anymore, but it made me see her in a different way. When Don Raimundo said that a well-known prostitute was staying at the tavern, and that it was possible that they were going to do business together, I thought I would have a chance to satisfy my desires," he drank from his glass again and continued. "So by ruining her source of income and her reputation I was trying to push her in the direction I was interested in. I thought that de la Vega was doing theater, and he would abandon her after seducing her, as I have seen many children of influential people do, but I underestimated what an idiot he can be, and he has married her, made her an honest woman, and saved her business. Now she's out of my reach, and I guess out of yours, too. Finally we have something in common. Or maybe you haven't given up on her?"

Diego didn't want to give him the satisfaction of reacting to his provocation. "From what I've heard, don Diego has already exposed you in front of everyone, so I'm not going to add anything else. I didn't come here to talk to you about my love life. I want you to know that there is a plot by corrupt officials to change the property titles of the estates in the area. The next logical step is to set fire to the notary's office to prevent the false documents from being compared to the originals."

He placed several documents on the table, and the alcalde looked at them with some curiosity.

"Where did you get all this?"

"I have my sources, I've been researching. Actually, I was surprised to find that you're not involved."

De Soto started reading the papers, and looked at him suspiciously. "Well, it's a good plan, but I have no interest in acquiring property in the middle of nowhere. I guess that's why I wasn't asked to participate. Why are you telling me this?"

"You're supposed to be the law here. I invite you to take the side of justice." He didn't add "for a change," but it was implied.

De Soto tufted his beard in a characteristic gesture "Discovering a plot would benefit me in my career. I could leave this town at once, and leave my successor the thankless task of trying to capture you."

"A good deed deserves a reward. If you get a promotion I hope you behave better than you do here." He left more papers on his desk. "With this you have all the necessary information, but be careful. A man has already died trying to discover those involved."

"What's in it for you?"

"Justice has always been my only goal."

"I don't believe you´re always that noble. If I can get the people involved prosecuted and get a promotion, you'll be rid of me, and if I get caught, someone else can do your dirty work for you. Very clever, but I understand, I wouldn't mind letting you out of my sight either."

De Soto was silent for a moment. "It is curious that you mention justice, because I have been thinking for so long about how to capture you that until recently I had not reflected on the consequences," Zorro looked at him without saying anything, but de Soto knew that he had captured his attention. "After Risendo's death, I received a letter from the governor that also mentioned the incident with Don Alejandro de la Vega. You know, when I tried to hang him for being Zorro (2). As if that old man could go around with a sword. I don't know how I could have confused him with Zorro and believed the fool Sepulveda when he told me he saw Tornado escape, when in fact he was just that don Alejandro´s pathetic lame horse."

"Excuse me, alcalde, but I don't have all night. If you're going to tell me anything about that letter, you'd better stop rambling."

"Sure, you're a very busy man. Well, you see, in the letter the Governor informed me that I am under investigation for the death of the emissary, and he also said that if I tried to execute an important citizen without a trial I would be court-martialed." He drank from his glass again. "So. Do you know what would happen if you were Diego de la Vega? Well, I couldn't just hang him, hang you, whatever. That man is related to the nobility."

He placed an elbow on the table and covered his face with his hand. "I would have to make a public trial. The whole town would testify on his behalf, naturally. He goes around being nice to everybody. He also runs the newspaper. Who knows what evidence he might have against me to justify his actions? I've suspected for years that at least you are his accomplice, although of course I've never been able to prove it, and now you show up with confidential documents, and I have no way of knowing which one of you has got them, but it wouldn't matter. As much as it frustrates me, it's better for everyone if don´t know who you are and we don't have to make that trial."

The alcalde raised his glass, looking Zorro in the eye. "To señor and señora de la Vega," he toasted mockingly and drank again.

Zorro turned to leave, and from the door he asked. "Aren't you going to call your soldiers?"

"Sure, we can do the same old routine. I stand up calling my soldiers and attack you with my sword, a knife or a gun that I have hidden under the table. Where did I leave it last time? It has to be here somewhere. Then you disarm me and make a nice Z on my jacket, or on the table, or anywhere else you can think of, and finally the soldiers come bumping into each other while I shout at them to catch you. And all that. For what? You would escape, as always," he said before finishing his drink in one gulp.

Notes:

(1) See episode 4 of season 4: Love Potion Number Nine.

(2) See episode 7 of season 4: Like Father, Like Son.