AN: This chapter is mostly old material, except for a part at the end. Hope you enjoy it, anyway!
ZZZ
Three weeks passed since the arrival of the new doctor, three weeks in which Jessie Kent had been the main topic of conversation in the pueblo. Most people took a liking to her, as the young woman treated all her patients with the utmost care and respect, only rarely accepting compensation for her services, and only from people who could afford it. Having convinced the young De la Vega to be her partner, and proving one of Zorro's most astute allies also helped her gain the people's trust.
Not everyone felt the same, though. The Alcalde, for one, was increasingly annoyed and, at the same time, feeling quite vulnerable in front of the young woman. Victoria was still unsure how to feel about her, especially since she did not particularly appreciate the attention the De la Vega heir was paying her, but certainly appreciated the help she was providing to the man she loved. Mendoza and most of the lancers were intimidated by her even if she always tried to be as kind and gentle as possible in treating them.
As for Diego himself, the caballero was happy to have finally found someone in the pueblo who appreciated knowledge as much as he did and with whom he could have endless, but fascinating discussions about many of the subjects he was interested in. He was also rather amused to see the woman he loved jealous because of his unmasked self.
"Is it just me or those two are really getting along, Victoria?" Don Alejandro asked one Friday morning at entering the tavern and seeing his son, sat at a table, caught up in a conversation with Jessie.
Victoria glanced between the two and the old don.
"What can they have to talk about so much?" She wondered. "Every time they have a meal here together they stop paying attention to anyone else!"
"Well, Victoria, they are both young, unmarried... they may be trying to know each other a little better. I, for one, am quite happy to see Diego finally interested in a woman! You know, he has actually spent more time learning medicine since he's been helping the doctor than he has painting recently?" Added the old don, making Victoria wonder why he thought Diego acting differently was a good thing. "And I'm not saying he hadn't been studying the field quite intensely even before her arrival, nor that he is no longer fiddling with his… hobbies. But I have to admit I am happy to see him actually dedicated to something that gives him the chance to truly help people."
"I really don't see what he sees in her!" Victoria muttered, unable to restrain a sudden burst of jealousy.
"She is quite smart, Señorita, or so everybody says!" Mendoza answered at hearing her comment and failing to really understand it. He had just entered the tavern with the Alcalde, and headed straight for the bar. "I think Don Diego has finally found someone in this pueblo who can challenge him at an intellectual level!"
"Intellectual! Ha!" De Soto cut in. "What would those two have to challenge each other about?" He asked as he suddenly became upset. "Come, Sergeant, we have work to do!"
"But, Alcalde, we just came in for lunch!" Mendoza reminded him.
"I have lost my appetite, Sergeant. Let's go!" The Alcalde ordered.
"But... Alcalde... my appetite is quite intact!" Mendoza protested as he regretfully followed him out.
"I think he really dislikes the new doctor!" Don Alejandro remarked to Victoria as De Soto left the tavern.
As he exited to the plaza, annoyed, the Alcalde stumbled on a rock and fell rather awkwardly, fracturing his leg. His screams of pain made everyone exit the tavern. Diego and Jessie kneeled next to him to examine the damages.
"How in the world did you manage to break your leg on the plain ground?" Jessie inquired with a chuckle after feeling the bone through De Soto's pants.
"This is no laughing matter, Señorita! I am in serious pain!" Ignacio replied.
"We should take him to the office." Diego suggested. "Could you have some lancers transport him there, Sergeant?" He added, addressing Mendoza.
As they arrived, Jessie put on a white apron and started bossing Diego around as she usually did in the office.
"Cut his pants off!" Jessie asked.
"Cut my pants off? Why?" De Soto protested as Diego submitted, rather amused.
The petite lady in front of him had been causing more embarrassment to De Soto in a couple of weeks than Zorro had managed in years, and he was happy to encourage her.
"I can't treat the leg through the pants, can I?" She answered. "Hurry, Diego!"
Diego cut off the pants on the Alcalde's left leg then, at Jessie's signal, he gave him some ether to sniff, and De Soto fell asleep on the table.
Jessie put the bone back in place, sutured the wound and bandaged the leg with two long splints, as Diego assisted her. When all was done, she asked the Sergeant to bring a nightshirt for the Alcalde and proceeded to cut off the pants from his other leg.
ZZZ
The Alcalde woke up a few hours later in one of the beds installed in the second room, where the doctor's living quarters were. He was, in fact, separated by her own bed by nothing more than a curtain.
"Where am I?" He asked.
"In my chamber." Jessie answered. "Since I hardly think your men are capable of taking care of you, I shall do it myself."
"Take care of me? Wh...What do you mean?" De Soto inquired rather panicked.
"Obviously, a broken leg requires some taking care of. You won't be able to move much for a month, or it might break again. Or the bones can move and you would end up with a very strangely-shaped leg, Alcalde. So I will make sure you have everything you need right here!" She answered with a smile.
"Señorita, this is highly inappropriate! A single woman...my needs..." He tried to protest
"How many times do I have to tell you I am a doctor?" She asked. "Now, is there anything you need? Food? Water? Do you need to go to the bathroom?"
"I can find my own way to the latrine, Doctor, no need for your assistance!" De Soto replied.
"You, Señor Alcalde, will not move from that bed! If you need it, I will bring you a chamber pot and I will help you use it!" She informed him.
"Help... Help me use it? Señorita!" He protested, ever more amazed at the woman's ideas.
"Alcalde! I am a Doctor before being a Señorita. I assure you, there is no part of the male anatomy I have not seen and studied in great detail, thus I very much doubt that you have anything special to show me!" Jessie told him, ending the discussion by leaving De Soto livid.
ZZZ
The next day, Sergeant Mendoza was sent to the De la Vega Hacienda with an urgent message from the Alcalde for Diego to visit him.
"Good afternoon, Ignacio!" Diego greeted at entering the room. "The Sergeant said you asked for me?"
"Don Diego! Thank God you are here!" De Soto uttered with enthusiasm as he entered the room. "Only you can save me from this dreadful woman! Please, you must convince her to let me return to the garrison! I tried to speak to Mendoza about it, but he is more afraid of her than he is of me!"
"Well, Ignacio," Diego replied with a smile, "I regret to say that I cannot be of much help, either! But, do not worry, Alcalde! You are in good hands! Doctor Kent is a trained physician, and she will make sure you will be on your feet in no time!"
"But, Diego," De Soto made a last try, "she is a woman! An unmarried, dreadful woman who won't listen to reason! It is certainly not decent to... "
"I am so sorry, Ignacio, but I have to agree with her on this! Keeping you here is most certainly the best we can do for you!" Diego stopped his rambling, laughing on the inside at the man's visible anguish.
"De Soto looked at him and thought to himself that the caballero, being a weakling, was probably just as intimidated by Jessie as the Sergeant and the other men in town.
"Thank you for nothing, Diego!" He said as he sank into the bed and turned his head away, inviting his former colleague to leave.
A few days later, the Alcalde and Jessie were sharing a dinner Victoria had made for them. Jessie was not much of a cook, so the tavern was her only source of nourishment.
"So... Alcalde... do you play cards?" She asked all of a sudden.
"Cards?" De Soto wondered if he had heard right.
"Yes. I feel rather bored today, and it is only 7. Let's play Veintiuno*!" She replied.
"A lady playing Veintiuno?" He asked again.
"All my colleagues at the University were playing, so I had to learn. It was hard enough to be accepted as a woman, so beating them at cards helped..." She explained. "After they got over themselves…"
"I can assure you no woman can beat me, Señorita!" The Alcalde answered her challenge, sure this was his opportunity to put her in her place.
"Why don't we test that statement, then? Here!"
As she said that, she took out a deck of cards which she mixed with the dexterity of a professional player, impressing De Soto, who soon realized he stood no chance against her. He was mad at first because he was being bested by a woman. By that woman! Then, he slowly started to admire her skill, and soon ended up admiring her.
ZZZ
The days soon entered a strange routine for De Soto, who started feeling rather lucky for having broken his leg, since it gave him the opportunity to spend some time being fuss over by Jessie.
Another evening, after he lost all of the ten card games they played together, she asked him:
"Why did you become Alcalde, Ignacio de Soto?"
"What? Why? Well, I am a military man. It was an obvious step in my career. Besides, this pueblo needed me!" He assured her
"But you are no good at it! You make up laws that only serve your interests, you arrest innocents instead of guilty men and, from what I hear, the only time you ever got a commendation for your work here was not even for something you did." She continued questioning.
"Señorita!" He tried to defend himself. "You may have seen me at my most vulnerable, but I don't allow you to judge my actions!"
"I am not. All I wanted to point out is that, since you are not exactly made for the job, perhaps you would be happier doing something else!" She concluded.
"I can assure you I am very happy with my position. And when I catch..."
"Zorro... yes, I know all about your obsession with the man. I don't understand it, though! Tell me, why is it that you want him so badly?" She asked.
"Why? Because the man is a public menace! He has attacked my men more times than I can count, he can incite riots, he meddles with army equipment, he contradicts my orders, he breaks into my safe and steals the money... the man knows no limits!" He replied, annoyance in his voice.
"But he also saved your men's lives – and yours, from what I've heard - rescued innocents before you mistakenly executed them, never keeps any money he takes from you, returns the money stolen by bandits, catches criminals and brings them to justice. Frankly, Alcalde, the man seems to be much better at your job than you are!" She remarked, determined to torture him a little longer.
"Was De la Vega who told you all this nonsense? I always knew his family must be in league with that masked menace, and I assure you that you are seriously misinformed!" The Alcalde replied with indignation.
"Diego? No, not at all." Jessie told him. "Actually, come to think about it, I don't believe I ever talked about Zorro with Diego, which is rather strange since it is the only subject anyone else in this pueblo wants to discuss..."
"Well, in that case, I may say my esteem for De la Vega has just increased." De Soto stated. "Zorro!" He puffed. "I, for one, cannot understand the people's fascination with a bandit!"
"He is no ordinary bandit, Alcalde. Even you know that!" She answered. "Tell me, is it true he rescued you from being executed by a Spanish Emissary?"
"Well, yes... but I would have hardly needed any rescue, had Zorro not put my leadership of this pueblo in a precarious position with his chaotic behavior!" He replied.
"You seem very sure of that. Have you ever considered you might be wrong?" Jessie wondered.
"Wrong? About what, Señorita?" He asked.
"About you. And about Zorro."
"Of course not!" He protested
"Perhaps you should! Good night, Ignacio!" She wished him a she headed for her bed.
"Yes... Good night, Doctor!"
De Soto frowned as he lay in bed staring at the ceiling and, for, perhaps, the first time, actually really started questioning himself and his actions. It was a strange feeling she was awakening in him, one he didn't understand quite well, yet. He didn't despise her as he believed he should, considering her behavior towards him. He didn't resent her for always defeating him or for all the humiliation she had caused him thus far. Instead, there was something about Jessie Kent that made Ignacio de Soto yearn for her approval, even if he could not reason, at that point, why did the opinion of the most exasperating woman he had ever known mattered so much to him. It was also why he couldn't make sense of his own inclination to do whatever she wanted him to do, instead of just put her in jail or in the stocks as he would have done, had it been Victoria or anyone else instead of her.
She again opened the subject a few days later, when De Soto confessed to her that Zorro had saved him several other times, risking his own life in the process. He also told her about the time he had been enslaved by that horrible Don Octavio, and how the masked outlaw saved him then, as well.
Jessie listened and, once more, asked him why he wanted to capture Zorro under such circumstances.
"Do you have any idea how many times that fiend has humiliated me?" He asked.
"How many times, and what did you do to deserve it?" She wondered.
"Nothing! All I want, all I ever wanted was what's best for Los Angeles."
"We both know that's not true, Alcalde. All you want is fame and glory. All he wants is what's best for the people. How many other men do you know to risk their lives helping those who want to kill them? He always seems to do the right thing, no matter what the circumstances, while you seem determined to do the opposite." She replied.
"Well… I am his opposite!" He pointed out before even realizing what he was saying. "I was appointed here by the King. I am an official, and he is an outlaw."
"An outlaw you seem to need, or God knows what kind of damage you might have done already! If you would have executed any of those men you have wrongfully accused over time, do you think there wouldn't have been consequences? Ignacio, from all I've learned so far since I've been here, Zorro has been your greatest ally, not your enemy. You just seem trapped in a strange game of cat and mouse, except the mouse is the one chasing the cat."
"Are you calling me a mouse?" De Soto asked enraged.
"Well… You are. You are the King Mouse around here. The cat could eat you and all the little mice you command, but, chooses not to. And, instead of being grateful for that, you try to capture it because you think other king mice will appreciate you more if you do. You're not doing it because you fear the cat might change its mind and resolve to end you all, as, I repeat, it could. You do not really fear Zorro, because you know by now that he has a conscience, and will always choose to save you and your men rather than harm you. So all you want is to execute a good person for the glory such deed would bring you. And you know that the your chances of actually capturing him are pretty slim. What you don't seem to consider is that if you, by some miracle, do capture him, you might still find that the result is not what you expect. The governor might assume all credit; the people might finally revolt; who knows, you might even find that you didn't want Zorro dead, after all." Jessie told him.
He denied her words then, unhappy about the point she was making, but, later, as he went over that discussion, he had to admit to himself that it might be true. Perhaps he was too caught up in a game of wits he always seemed to lose, and hadn't properly considered the consequences of winning. In his dreams, after capturing the masked menace, he was deemed a hero, the King himself showering him with titles, money and recognition. But what if that would not come to pass?
When he went to talk to Padre Benitez, after he had shot the Emissary, the Padre did his best to guide him towards a more selfless behavior, but that was not in his nature. He had overcome too much to achieve all he had achieved. He should have been born rich and have a carefree life, just like Diego, but his mother had been disinherited and he was born and grew up in poverty. Everything he had achieved, he achieved without any help from anyone. Furthermore, none of that would have been possible if he was selfless.
All that selfishness had, however, brought him to Los Angeles, where he was, for all intends and purposes, rather stuck. And, if Jessie was right, if there was no glory awaiting him after capturing Zorro, what was the point in fighting him, after all? Why was he still fighting him after all the masked man had done to help him and his men?
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*Veintiuno = 21/Blackjack. My original version of this dialogue mentioned Poker, but further research pointed out the game was not yet invented in 1821, when the action in this story takes place, so I went with a game which existed since the days of Cervantes.