Chapter 8

Victoria was pacing impatiently, shaking not only from the chill of the cave but from nervousness as well. She could hear the heated voices coming from the other side of the wall and closed her eyes briefly to breathe a simple prayer for Alejandro's safety. A shiver raced down her spine and she trembled, rubbing her bare arms.

Spotting Diego's jacket hanging on the rack before her, she reached out and touched it, sliding her fingers down the smooth material. She lifted it from the hook and buried her face into it, steadfastly forcing back tears. Things just seemed to be getting worse. De Soto would re-arrest her, and Diego, if they were seen again. And de Soto had threatened to take the hacienda from Alejandro.

She pulled the jacket over her shoulders and wrapped it around her. The fresh, unmistakable scent clinging to it calmed her but not enough to stop the pacing. When she turned around to walk in the other direction, she stopped suddenly.

Felipe's mouth fell open and his eyes widened in shock.

"Felipe!" Victoria went to him at once and pulled him into her arms for a hug. "Diego told me to wait here but I'm so worried, I don't know where he went!"

Felipe risked a look at the rack and exhaled a deep breath when he noticed Zorro's clothes were gone and Diego's hung in their place. The ever-observant mute also noticed that she wore Diego's jacket over her shoulders and his questioning gaze burned into her bright eyes.

"Yes. I know. He told me." Victoria smiled lovingly. "He told me to explain everything to you. I don't like the idea of him out there alone. What can we do to help him? We have to help him. He can't do this alone."

Felipe grinned wryly. Now he knew why Diego had really hesitated to tell Victoria the truth. She nattered like hen trapped inside its coop by a very hungry and dangerous predator.

Zorro crept slowly into the window, pleased that he'd not encountered a single lancer. He chuckled silently at the reason he knew he wouldn't be interrupted in his task. De Soto must have taken every conscious man to the hacienda, thinking that weakling Diego would run home to daddy after breaking out of jail. Zorro easily picked the lock and slipped inside de Soto's office.

There has to be something going on that we don't know about. De Soto was in a terribly rotten mood tonight. Zorro thought as he began to search through the office for something, anything, that he could use to persuade the alcalde to leave Victoria alone. Simple threats would no longer suffice. The alcalde knew that Zorro wouldn't take a life.

A letter postmarked from Madrid caught his eye and he carefully looked at the return address. It wasn't unusual that the alcalde would receive letters from Madrid but it was curious that he'd received a letter postmarked with the same return address.

Zorro's eyes narrowed and he stuffed the letter into his sash and vaulted through the window just as a lancer opened the door. The masked man pressed himself against the wall as the lancer curiously stuck his head out the window. After securing and locking it once again, the lancer continued with his rounds.

Zorro made his way towards the tavern, where he would be able to sneak into Victoria's room, light a candle and read the letter in peace.

The tavern had no one staying overnight so Zorro didn't need to worry about disturbing anyone. He chose, however, to light a candle downstairs in the kitchen, where no flickering light would be noticed by anyone still awake at this hour.

Slowly, Zorro removed the letter from its envelope and began to scan the parchment. The masked man's eyes widened as he carefully read and re-read the words. His mouth dropped open in astonishment and he heaved a huge, deep breath. He snuffed out the candle and crept back to the alcalde's quarters. He would confront the alcalde in his own room, to save him some manner of embarrassment.

Zorro didn't have long to wait and he pressed himself against the wall as the alcalde entered his quarters. De Soto removed his sword belt and tossed it into a nearby chair, muttering angrily with each step.

"Now what could have possibly put you in such a bad mood?" Zorro stepped out of the shadows and grinned.

"Zorro!" de Soto rushed for his discarded sword and the masked man made no move to stop him.

"We've been through this, Alcalde. The last time, things didn't go too well for you." Zorro's casual stance mocked de Soto and he snarled angrily.

"I've had lessons since that day, Zorro." De Soto drew his blade and lunged at the masked man.

"As much as I enjoy our swordplay, I truly am not in the mood this evening." With a quick flick of his wrist, he forced the alcalde's blade downward and snapped it out of his hands.

De Soto stared at the man, fury coloring his cheeks.

"What I would like to discuss, as calmly as you are capable, of course, is this letter you just received from Madrid."

The older man gaped at his nemesis and made a lunge for the envelope. Zorro easily sidestepped the alcalde and smirked as the force of the man's movement sent him colliding into the wall.

"You read other people's mail!" de Soto glared incredulously at the masked man. "How deplorable."

"Normally I would frown on such things." Zorro agreed, " but in this case, I think I will be forgiven."

"Only when you're dead," de Soto seethed.

Zorro gave a casual, unconcerned shrug and grinned. "Now then," he approached de Soto, who stood waiting nervously. "The constant arrest of Señorita Escalante will stop, comprende? You will drop any and all charges levied against the lady as well as Diego de la Vega."

"Why should I?" de Soto growled, eyes narrowing in spite. If looks could kill, Zorro would have been burned to ashes by the alcalde's heated gaze.

"Alcalde." Zorro casually draped his sword on his shoulder and regarded de Soto with a long, withering stare. "Do you really wish to know what I will do with this little piece of incriminating evidence?"

De Soto remained silent.

"Surely you realize that should the information contained within this letter reach the king's ears, or even the governor's, you would be forcibly discharged and sent back to Spain in disgrace, or worse."

The fear that radiated through the man's frame was palpable. "You're an honorable man," de Soto held out his arms in surrender. "You wouldn't dare."

Zorro sheathed his sword and in one swift movement grasped the alcalde's jacket and pinned him against the wall. "Persecute any citizen of this pueblo again without just cause, and I will see to it this letter finds its way into the hands of the appropriate people."

"Is that all?" de Soto's eyes flared with anger, and a bit of disbelief. "Nothing else you demand? A pardon, perhaps?"

Zorro laughed. "Only this." He released the alcalde's collar and stepped away. "You will write to Madrid immediately and ask for a transfer. If one is not approved, you will resign your military commission and return to Spain."

De Soto stared incredulously.

"Your days of taxing and terrorizing this pueblo are finished." Zorro moved toward the door. "I suggest you begin composition of that letter, at once." As an afterthought, he added. "One other thing, Señor," he glanced over his shoulder and regarded the defeated man with a stern stare. "I work alone. Leave the señorita and her fiancée in peace."

When Zorro returned to the cave, he was met by two sets of anxious eyes. As soon as he'd dismounted Toronado, Victoria threw herself into his arms and kissed him with all the passion her slender body could muster.

Felipe held back, staring at the floor, a slow smile spreading across his face. Things were going to change around here now that Victoria knew his master's secret. He wasn't sure he would like sharing his secret knowledge with another, but Diego had waited long enough for the happiness he deserved.

"Dios, I was so worried!" Victoria wrapped her arms around Zorro's waist and his arms came down over her shoulders to embrace her tightly.

"I had an errand to attend to." Zorro smiled down at her. "Ignacio will not be bothering anyone in this pueblo ever again."

Victoria gasped and Felipe's eyes, wide as saucers,shot toward his friend.

"No, No." Zorro held up his hands as he led Victoria back to the main part of the cave. "I didn't kill him. We have come to an . . . understanding."

He removed the hat and the mask and draped them across the uppermost part of the clothing rack.

When he turned around to continue, he smiled warmly at Victoria, who was simply standing there, watching with an unreadable expression. Diego pulled off the black gloves and held out a hand to her, which she immediately stepped forward to take. He slowly drew her to him and gazed down at her, eyes bright with amusement.

"It - just - just . . . connected." She whispered, reaching up to trail smll fingers down his cheek. She fought back the urge to chuckle at the casual removal of the mask that had stood between them for so long.

"Are you disappointed?" he asked slowly, trying to hide the fear he could feel edging into his voice. He knew her answer, he hoped, but he needed to hear it from her lips at least once.

"Not at all." Victoria slid her hands around his neck. "I think I knew, deep down, whenI started to fall in love with you."

"Did you?" Diego gave her his most innocent expression.

"I didn't have the chance to admit it. I was trying to get up the nerve to talk to you about itin the tavern tonight but, we were arrested." She slid her fingers into his hair and tugged his head down to brush her lips against his. "I think I knew as soon as you demanded the alcalde leave me alone."

He grinned against her mouth. "I'd been slipping for a while now."

She nodded in understanding. "You wanted me to guess."

He nodded, tightening his arms around her waist.

"I'm glad that I know - even if you didn't have the courage to tell me yourself." She trailed a finger down his cheek to his lips whenhe tried to speak. "I'm glad its- he'syou."

She could see the relief spread across his face and smiled lovingly as he pressed a kiss to the finger covering his mouth.

He crushed her to him then, kissing her with a passionate hunger that she had never before experienced, even with Zorro.

Felipe suddenly became very interested in a bare piece of wall. He shouldn't be watching such an intimate scene but he couldn't bring himself to leave the room. He wanted to hear what Zorro had done to the alcalde!

"You don't know what a relief it is to hear you say that," Diego admitted, reluctantly releasing her, but needing to brush his lips gently across hers once more. It was incredibly difficult to keep from touching her, even in the smallest way and he finally settled for resting his hand lightly at her waist as they moved toward the desk. He indicated that she sit and pulled the letter he'd stolen from de Soto out of his sash.

"What is that?" Victoria asked, her curiosity piqued.

"It's a letter from Madrid addressed to our esteemed alcalde." Diego gave it a disgusting look. "I found it in his office tonight. It appears he has been sending large sums of money to someone who aided him during his University days."

Victoria's eyes narrowed. Felipe looked at the letter and stepped closer.

"You mean – you mean a - "

"Bribe? Blackmail?" Diego finished for her. "Yes. That's exactly what it is."

Diego shook his head, remembering the day Ignacio de Soto arrived in Los Angeles. When Diego complimented the new commandant on his studies, and the excellent grades he'd obtained without so much as studying, de Soto had admitted with a laugh that he'd cheated. Of course, everyone thought it was a joke then.

"Apparently his admission that day in the plaza wasn't far from the truth."

"And he's been sending money all this time back to Spain to keep this man quiet?" Victoria asked, her eyes wide.

"Yes. That's why Ignacio was forever thinking up new ways to tax the citizens of Los Angeles. It wasn't to fill the King's coffers, and make himself look better to the bureaucrats in Madrid, but to pay his debt to this man who assured that he would pass University exams with flying colors."

"Dios," Victoria breathed.

"I've given him a choice." Diego continued. "He can do nothing, and Zorro will see to it that this letter reaches the governor's hands, or he can resign his commission and return to Spain."

Victoria stared at him in shock. "Do you think he will do it?"

"I think he's far more afraid of this blackmailer than he is of losing his commission. I think he will do it."

"Then we will have to break in a new alcalde." Victoria's face fell and Diego chuckled.

"Well, I don't know about that. Mexico has gained its independence from Spain. I imagine it is only a matter of time before they move into Alta California and claim it as their own."

Victoria stared at him hopefully. "Do you think so?"

"I don't think King Ferdinand has the military forces necessary to keep California under his authority any longer." Diego sat at the edge of the desk and continued. "It may be some time before we know to whom we belong."

Victoria stood quickly, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him lightly. "You belong to me, of course." She grinned mischievously at him as his hands slid to her waist.

He glanced uncomfortably in Felipe's direction and the mute made no effort to hide the huge smile spreading across his face. Diego winked at the boy who clearly understood the hint and swiftly vacated the area, clearly not wanting to witness another personal moment.

"I think tomorrow we'll need to tell my father that my indiscretion at the dinner party cannot possibly be corrected and we must be married as soon as possible." Diego's eyes sparkled and a devilish grin tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Yes, I think my reputation cannot be salvaged." Victoria leaned against his solid chest. "You will have to do the honorable thing and marry me."

"Such a difficult task," Diego joked, sliding his hands up her back and into her hair. "But I think I can manage." He tilted her head and kissed her, and all of the pent up desire and passion held so stringently in check for the last seven years rushed through his blood like a raging firestorm.

She gasped and wound her hands into his dark hair, returning the kiss with equal passion and excitement.

Toronado snorted from his stall behind them, irritated that his master had forgotten to remove his tack. But Diego was otherwise occupied and likely would be for several more hours.

THE END