AN: The first half of this chapter is an extract from A Carol for De Soto. The second is completely new material.
ZZZ
The delicious odors of Maria's food engulfed the hacienda. When, to everyone's surprise, the Alcalde and Sergeant Mendoza arrived, Don Alejandro, Diego, Felipe, Victoria, Padre Benitez, Don Rodrigo and Dona Catalina (Don Alejandro's cousin and his wife from Santa Barbara, who had arrived that very morning to spend the holidays in Los Angeles) were just about to sit down and enjoy their lunch.
"Sergeant! Alcalde!" Diego greeted at seeing them. "I thought you would not be able to make it!"
"Change of plans, Don Diego!" De Soto replied. "Turns out we were not as busy at the cuartel as I had previously thought… especially since the bandits I wanted Mendoza to look for were just delivered to the jail this morning." He decided to say in order to justify his previous actions. "And I am also given to understand Zorro prefers to spend this Christmas indoors, rather than disturbing the peace."
"Really? And how do you know that, Ignacio?" Diego asked wondering as to the meaning of the Alcalde's words.
"Let's just say I have my sources!" He answered, missing the fleeting frown on Diego's face. "Plus, he already made an appearance in town last night. Aren't you going to invite us in?"
"Yes, of course! Please come in! You arrived just in time. We were about to sit down for lunch!" Diego informed them, opening the door wide for the two men to enter.
"Alcalde De Soto! Sergeant!" Don Alejandro exclaimed at seeing the men. "We were not expecting to see you here, but you are most welcomed, Senores! Please, come in! Eliodor! Maria! Please set the table for two more guests!"
"Si patron!" Eliodor replied and rushed to bring two more chairs while the De la Vega cook took care of the extra plates, glasses and silverware.
The conversations over lunch focused mainly on the situation in Spain and in the colonies, many of which were declaring their independence. The topic then shifted to some plans the padre had for the Mission and the school. Finally, it shifted again to Zorro and his latest antics, among which capturing the criminals plundering the farmers East of the pueblo and uncovering a plot to poison the main water supply.
"Tell me, Diego," the Alcalde asked as they were finishing their deserts, "what is your opinion of our masked friend? I don't think I have ever heard you express it!"
"I wasn't aware you considered him a friend, Alcalde!" Diego replied instead.
"It is just a figure of speech! Of course that bandit is not my friend!" The Alcalde clarified.
"He is not a bandit, either!" Victoria interjected.
"Senorita, I understand you are, for some reason, in love with him and that he promised to reveal his identity to you when he would no longer put you in danger – although, I wouldn't count on that day ever coming - but the man has a price on his head for a reason!" De Soto replied.
How does he know that? Was he listening in to our conversation last night? I must be more careful in visiting her! Diego wondered and counseled himself.
"Of course, there is a reason for that, Alcalde!" Victoria replied, annoyed. "Even more than one: standing up for the people, saving those in need and not putting up with tyranny! Those are the reasons!"
"Perhaps...Perhaps we can discuss these matters at another time?" Diego felt the need to intervene sensing the Alcalde might soon decide to arrest Victoria. "It is Christmas, and Zorro is a rather controversial character. I am sure we each have a different opinion of him and his actions. How about we change the subject towards something more pleasant?"
"That is an excellent idea, Son! You know, Rodrigo was just telling me that the parents of his daughter's friend, Maria-Antonia de Murieta - is it?- have just bought a hacienda near Los Angeles."
"That is indeed so, Alejandro! Maria Antonia is a beautiful young senorita, Diego!" His uncle, Don Rodrigo was happy to inform him. "It will be my pleasure to introduce the two of you! You might...help her adapt to the pueblo, nephew! Make her feel at home!"
"And before you protest, Diego, as I see you are about to do, I just want to mention there is no pressure, Son! But God knows I have not given up hope of getting those grandchildren, however thin my patience may be right now!" Don Alejandro added, making everyone at the table chuckle at seeing Diego's embarrassed look.
"Yes, indeed!" The Alcalde tried to join in the conversation. "Tell me, Diego, during our time in Madrid I heard a rumor about you being in love with someone from California. What happened with the senorita in question? How come you did not marry her yet?"
She is sitting right in front of you, Ignacio, and has no idea that she is engaged to me because your actions force me to live a double life. How in the world do you know about her, anyway? I only told Emmanuel, and I would bet my life he told no one, least of all you!" Diego thought yet said nothing out loud, trying to think of some answer that made sense and was not a complete lie.
"Really, Alcalde?" Don Alejandro asked surprised. "Diego never told me about such a creature! Where is she, Son?"
Sitting right next to you, Father. Diego would have wanted to confess. "Father, you hardly imagine a woman would wait four years for a man to return from the other side of the world, do you? Moreover, I doubt she would even recognize me if she'd be looking directly at me right now!" Diego replied, trying his best to remain calm.
"But who was she?" Victoria pressured, gazing right at him.
You! Just you! And, in spite of a moment of weakness, always you! His heart silently answered for him. "What does it matter? Furthermore, I do believe I had suggested for us to find a pleasant topic of conversation!" Diego begged.
"How about your fencing classes, in that case?" De Soto asked, and the blood drained from Diego's face at hearing his words. "Why don't you tell us all about them?"
"Diego's fencing lessons?" Don Alejandro inquired as Diego was becoming certain his old schoolmate had somehow come upon the idea that he is Zorro and was just testing him.
"You took fencing lessons, Don Diego?" Mendoza also asked him.
"Yes, Sergeant!" Don Alejandro answered in his stead. "For all the good they did! When Diego left for Spain, I arranged for him to study with..."
"I barely had a skill for it, Sergeant!" Diego cut in, fully aware that Sir Kendall uttered, out loud, in front of the tavern, that he had been his best student and only the fact that Mendoza had no idea what he was teaching prevented both his lancer friend and Luis Ramon from realizing he and Zorro were one and the same.
"You are modest, Son!" Don Alejandro intervened. "I know how poor your skills were when you returned from Spain, but I saw you..."
"Father, do you truly want to dive into those memories?" Diego asked, hoping Don Alejandro would remember having promised to never again open the subject of his duel with Gilberto. "This is really not a cheerful topic! How about some Christmas carols instead? I could play the piano, and Victoria has a beautiful voice for singing!"
"That is a very good idea, Diego! As long as everyone sings with me!" Victoria agreed.
"Yes, well.. before... that… might I have a word in private, Don Diego?" De Soto requested.
"Of course, Alcalde!" Diego agreed, intent on finding out exactly what the man knew, and how much did he suspect. "Why don't we go to the library?"
"After you!" The Alcalde invited him.
"Well," Diego asked once they got there, making sure he was close to his father's ceremonial sword, "what is it you wanted to talk to me about?"
"I was wrong about you, Senor!" Ignacio proclaimed.
Wrong about me? Does he truly know I am Zorro? Diego wondered
"I have to admit you have more backbone than I thought you did, Don Diego!" De Soto continued.
He knows! The caballero was certain, his entire body tensing, readying itself to fight.
"I did remember that Christmas party you mentioned yesterday, and I may not like to admit it, but I believe I owe you an apology."
"An apology, Alcalde?" Diego asked, completely confused.
"Yes...You see, when I saw Rafaela talking to you that night, I thought you had been trying to court her. I admit I didn't like you much after that because of my mistaken impression of those events. I know now - don't ask me how - that you behaved like a true gentleman and...colleague… and turned down her advances! I mean, really, Diego, sore muscles from your fencing classes? My sister could have come up with a better excuse than that!
"And I know you see me as...a friend, probably even more so since I saved your life. I might not share that feeling, but I do understand why you harbor it! That is, however, no reason to sacrifice yourself to save me, do you understand?"
Less and less, but go on... Diego thought.
"I am perfectly able to take care of myself, Senor." De Soto continued, "so make sure you concentrate on...whatever you do, and leave me to fend for myself! You really mustn't sacrifice your life to save mine, are we understood? If you find out I decided to spring a trap for Zorro, just stay out of it! It is none of your business, and I don't need your interference!"
"Huh?" Was all Diego could utter, completely unable to follow De Soto's train of thoughts.
"Oh… and Don Diego, I do believe you should pick up a hobby, you know? Better your medical knowledge, for example! You are spending an awful amount of your time in the tavern when you should be more productive! A pillar of this community! Someone on who people can rely on!"
"I will consider your advice, Alcalde!" Was all Diego could tell him.
"Well, this being said," De Soto concluded, just as the rest of the guests were coming to sit in the room where the piano was, right next to the library "since I am not exactly fond of caroling, I believe it is time to take my leave. Sergeant, you are off duty today! Thank you for the invitation, Don Alejandro! Have a good afternoon Senores, Senoras!" He greeted and exited the hacienda, heading back to the pueblo.
"What in the world was that all about, Diego?" Don Alejandro asked, having overheard the last part of the conversation.
"I don't know, Father! The man sometimes makes absolutely no sense to me!" Diego answered, doing his best to absorb the Alcalde's monologue and mentally pick out the elements that made some sense, in order to try to understand the rest.
Of course, Diego had no idea, at that point, about the fact that, after his nightly incursion into the past, present and future, during which he'd been given clear clues as to the real identity of his nemesis, De Soto had instead concluded that he would, soon enough, be in dire need of the De la Vega's medical knowledge. Making sure that the tall caballero would be alive and well to provide them he believed to be assuring his own survival. That was how the idea that he was Zorro never even crossed the Alcalde's mind.
On the other hand, Ignacio was hardly prepared to bury the hatchet anywhere but on his nemesis' head, so his ignorance came in useful at that point.
ZZZ
After a few carols, an extended piano recital by Diego and about an hour spent discussing regional politics, Mendoza took his leave, grateful for the invitation and informing Don Alejandro that he and some of the other lancers had decided to go to the orphanage and take some gifts to the children there.
"That is very generous of you, Sergeant!" Victoria stated at hearing him.
"It truly is." Diego confirmed. "I think I remember a time when we, too, were doing that. Father would put on this fake beard and a red coat and children believed him to be Santa. Do you remember?"
Don Alejandro smiled sadly at him. "Of course I do, Diego. I believe we have done that for about a decade, until your mother got ill."
"That's true! I remember we were all looking forward for you to come, Don Alejandro." Mendoza confirmed.
"You were? You were one of the children, Sergeant?" Don Alejandro wondered as if the idea only then crossed his mind.
"Si, Don Alejandro! I was in the orphanage here till I was 14 and then it got too crowded and the older children were transferred to another orphanage in San Diego. But I remember your visit on Christmas Eve used to be a tradition for us. In fact, Don Diego was the one who gave me the second Christmas present I had ever received!"
"I was?" Diego inquired, unable to remember at what his friend was referring, barely having vague memories of the orphan children and never having realized he had befriended Mendoza long before he had returned from Spain.
"Si, Don Diego! I think you were about six at the time. I was playing by myself in a corner, and you saw me there and brought me cookies, pudding and a big present which turned out to contain new boots. And you called me a Sergeant because my toy soldier was representing a sergeant!"
"I did that?"
"You said you wanted to be my friend! I think you were my very first friend, to be honest. But after that, all the other children wanted to befriend me, so I no longer had to play all by myself."
"Well… In that case, I am honored to be your very first friend, Sergeant!" Diego told him, still unable to recall what Mendoza was talking about.
"Me too, Don Diego!" The lancer concluded, and taking his goodbyes, exited with the intention to head towards the cuartel.
Felipe took the opportunity to also apologize and go to his room to have some rest and, as the sun came out in the afternoon, Diego decided to invite Victoria for a ride around the hacienda, leaving his father, uncle and aunt all by themselves to talk.
"So? Did you have a good Christmas?" Diego asked the taverness as soon as they were alone, walking towards the stables.
"Yes, Diego. It was quite enjoyable." She answered. "Although, I confess I didn't expect to have lunch with Ignacio de Soto. I wonder what made him change his mind."
"Who knows? I confess I understood rather little of my conversation with the man."
"Did you really do what Mendoza said? When you were a child?"
"I frankly don't remember." Diego answered honestly. "But it would, however, explain the friendliness Mendoza has shown me since I came back from Spain. I admit to have often wondered about his attitude…"
"That's true! I remember that, when you first arrived back you almost got into a duel with that Corporal, had Mendoza not stepped in! You were very brave to defend me like that, Diego!"
"Stupid rather than brave." He mocked himself.
"No… You were brave. The next thing you did was to almost challenge the Alcalde."
"Fortunately I was smart enough not to go through with that." Diego replied in an effort to reinforce her existing opinion of him.
"Yes!" She chuckled. "Zorro did a better job at that than you would have been able to!"
The next fifteen minutes they spent mostly in silence as they cantered towards a nearby lake. That ride, however, was most disconcerting to Victoria, who couldn't stop thinking about the magic woman's promise that she would spend her Christmas with Zorro. She had accepted Diego's suggestion to go for a ride with the only hope in mind that they might stumble upon the masked outlaw she loved on their way, but it was becoming increasingly obvious that she must have bumped her head or something because there was no way what she believed happened in the tavern actually did happen. After all, Victoria told herself, there's no such thing as magic!
Yet, she also had to admit to herself that she really didn't mind being in Diego's company. She found that she liked the bouncing of his black hair and his graceful riding style as he appeared to have somehow merged with his horse, so well was he able to anticipate every move Esperanza made. The caballero glanced at her as they were nearing the lake and that's when she saw it in his eyes. She was certain now. Diego de la Vega was in love with her. Was she the woman De Soto had mentioned? The woman in California Diego had been in love with while in Spain? But if he had been in love with her – which Don Alejandro, too, seemed to have suspected – why was he about to marry Zafira?
The answer was obvious, and it took her but a few moments to realize it.
While Diego was away she had been asked for her hand in marriage. The man was the son of one of Don Alejandro's friends, and the old don insisted that the marriage take place, explaining to her that she needed a husband to keep her safe. He was handsome and had his own properties, so, in everyone's opinion, he was a good match for her. At the time, though, nobody knew his real character, or she knew Don Alejandro wouldn't have even considered arranging a match with him.
Victoria was lucky, though. The night before the engagement was announced she had a dream. One she still remembered as one would a visit to the future. In that dream she had seen herself caught in a loveless marriage with an abusive man, her heart longing for another. She hadn't seen the face of the man she was in love with in that dream but he was tall and black-haired, so she had thought for about a year afterwards that it was Diego. At that point he was the only man she knew fitting the description. At least, until Zorro appeared, and it was clear to her who the man was.
The morning of her engagement, still shaken by that nightmare, she informed both her intended husband and Don Alejandro that she was not going through with it and wanted no one to arrange her marriage.
"Diego," she asked just to be sure. The caballero startled as suddenly awaken from a dream and glanced at her "did Don Alejandro write you that I almost married while you were in Spain?"
"Yes, he did, Victoria." He replied, turning his head away from her. "But a few weeks later I received another letter asking me to return and mentioning something about you changing your mind about that marriage."
"Wasn't that about the same time you almost married Zafira?"
Diego slightly bowed his head and watched her from the corner of his eye. "Yes… I do believe it was around that same time." He answered, and they continued their canter in silence.
She was right. He almost married that woman because he believed she had forsaken him. After all, she had promised to wait for him, had she not? That evening before he left, and on several other occasions before that? Of course, they were innocent promises made by a child to a young man she used to worship at that age. Diego had always been there for her, always her friend, her shoulder to cry on, her protector. How could she avoid falling for him? Or, at least, believing herself in love with him. She slightly laughed at the thought of the caballero protecting her… or anybody. Then frowned at remembering Don Alejandro boasting about his son who saved his life only two months earlier.
It always seemed strange to her that Zorro had not showed up at the hacienda that day Gilberto almost ended the lives of both his father and his twin brother. Normally, Zorro was the one to offer others his protection, not Diego. For about eight years, Zorro had been the one doing the fighting for everyone in the pueblo.
Eight years already? Time flies, doesn't it? She wondered remembering the first time she had seen her masked man, that evening when he let her and Don Alejandro out of prison. Diego was the first man they told about Zorro, and she disliked the way he had mocked their account of the masked man.
At that point she tried to remember Diego's face at seeing Zorro for the first time, but couldn't. She could remember the faces of the other people in the pueblo when he had come flying to save Don Alejandro and his tenants from the gallows but the tall caballero was not among those present in the plaza. Despite the fact that it was his father the one being hanged, he hadn't protested his arrest, nor had he gone to say goodbye to him. Diego was never there, she realized, now that her thoughts had drifted that way. He wasn't there when she was about to be hanged for a crime she didn't commit, when his father was about to be hanged as Zorro, when Mendoza was about to pay for his plan going wrong… He was never there!
Luckily Zorro had always been there for them. For Diego's friends and family, for his tenants and for everyone else in Los Angeles.
She found the contrast rather surprising. True, Diego famously despised any type of violence but he seemed to also instinctively sense it and always manage to disappear right on time. As if possessing the exact oppose instinct, Zorro always came charging in at any sign of danger.
Come to think about it… I've never seen Diego and Zorro in the same place. He always seems to miss him and Mendoza always has to recount his version of events for Diego. She considered as they finally stopped before the lake.