Chapter 3
Victoria was just climbing on weary legs up the stairs. She yawned loudly as she opened the door to her bedroom and then gasped when she saw the familiar silhouette standing at her small window, looking out into the night.
"Zorro!" she exclaimed excitedly.
When he turned, she launched herself into his arms, hugging him tightly.
"It has been too long, Querida," he said as his lips claimed hers for an all too brief kiss. Against his better judgment, glancing around the darkness of her bedroom, he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her close.
"I was tired," Victoria's voice was muffled by his shirt, and when she looked up at him, her eyes were bright, "but I suddenly find myself wide awake."
He chuckled and pressed his lips to her cheek. "I wanted to see you. It's been too long."
She struggled to hide the disappointment in her eyes and failed, "I know."
"Ah, my love," his bare hand cupped her cheek, his thumb caressing the soft skin. "One day."
Victoria nodded sadly and wondered why it was growing more difficult to shake the longing she felt whenever she saw her masked man. She couldn't even bring herself to encourage him and his mission to protect the people of the pueblo from the unjust alcalde.
He felt her longing and disappointment in her stance, in the tenseness of her shoulders and sought to assure her. "What can I do?"
Somewhere, a familiar ka ka sounded in the distance.
Zorro ignored it, his attention solely focused on his lady.
"Marry me," Victoria said quietly, without thinking.
"There is nothing I would rather do more," he answered from the heart, brushing his lips against hers.
But her arms tightened around his neck, fingering the black hair poking from beneath the mask. Her mouth clung to his almost desperately and he found himself lost in the sensations her closeness created.
A crash outside drew them quickly apart, "I must go." Zorro pressed his fingers to Victoria's lips to silence her protest. "If I was caught here, you would be in greater danger."
Victoria nodded sadly and Zorro's heart broke at her disappointment. That was two people he loved most in this world that he'd disappointed today. First he crushed his father's belief that he was having some sordid affair in Santa Barbara, and now he'd disappointed the woman he loved by visiting for only a few precious moments.
"I will come tomorrow," he whispered without thinking, unable to think of anything else to turn her make her smile.
It worked and her eyes brightened at the thought. "Be careful," she whispered as he turned from her, carefully opened the window and lifted himself through it.
But something snapped beneath Zorro's hands as he slipped through the window. The unmistakable sound of splintering wood echoed around their ears, loud as a dozen cannon's firing into the plaza.
Shattered pieces of the windowsill fell into Victoria's room while she stared at the masked man's back. She could hear his annoyed and shocked grunt as he pushed himself through the window amidst the wood crumbling around him.
If not for the horror she felt that he might be caught, she would have laughed herself silly at the image of her infallible hero stumbling out of her window.
She rushed to the window as soon as she heard the musket fire. They had seen him! She squinted in the darkness, searching for the familiar black form. But the darkness had swallowed him and he was gone.
Ignacio De Soto stomped into the tavern the next morning just as Victoria had poured Diego's customary morning juice. He smiled warmly at Victoria and thanked her.
As she turned from him, de Soto barred her way. "What were you doing with that menace in your room last night, hmm, Señorita?"
"What?" Victoria glared at the alcalde.
Diego's eyes flashed with anger at the alcalde's accusation.
"Oh, you heard me," de Soto smirked down at Victoria and then raised his head to make sure the entire tavern heard his next words. "Consorting with a wanted criminal in your room in the middle of the night. Why, I'm surprised you're not already carrying his child!"
Diego pushed himself to his feet, eyes narrowed in disgusted anger. That de Soto had the gall to make such an accusation enraged him beyond measure.
Victoria raised her hand and slammed it against de Soto's cheek, hissing. "How dare you!" she swung again, with blinding speed, just as Diego pushed between the two of them.
Diego's head jerked to the side as her hand impacted solidly with his cheek.
Victoria gasped as Diego blinked in disbelief, his hand flying to his face.
"Dios!" Victoria's anger vanished instantly as her hand flew to his cheek, brushing softly against his skin. "Diego, I'm so sorry!"
De Soto glared at the woman, angry that her first strike had hit him, but quickly being replaced by an amused smirk that her second had hit her weak-willed caballero friend. He let her fawn over Diego for a few moments, amused that the caballero didn't milk her attention for all it was worth. Instead, the man only had an angry glare for de Soto himself.
"Victoria, I'm fine, really." Diego glared at de Soto as Victoria fussed with his cheek.
"I can't believe I did that," Victoria poked and prodded at his cheek, but Diego wasn't paying any attention. "Diego! Look at me."
"If you ever disparage Victoria's reputation like that again, Ignacio –"
At the familiar tone, Victoria stopped fussing and regarded her friend with a curious stare.
But de Soto only laughed, "You'll do what? Go home and get papa?"
Diego looked as if he was going to strike de Soto and Victoria slid her hand around his arm, glancing down at the flex of tense muscle she felt beneath her hand, "Diego, please."
De Soto laughed yet again, finding it ironic that the woman who had struck him first was now begging her friend not to strike him again. Wise move on her part, or there would be two people in his jail instead of one. He stepped around Diego and grabbed Victoria's arm, "You are under arrest."
"What for?" Diego and Victoria chorused.
"Striking a military official and consorting with the criminal Zorro."
Sergeant Mendoza, who had just walked into the tavern for lunch, stopped in his tracks, gawking at the scene before him. He winced and started to back out, hoping the alcalde hadn't seen him. He didn't want to have to arrest the señorita again. Zorro didn't like it when he did that.
Victoria rolled her eyes but Diego turned calm, considerate blue eyes on her. She found herself falling into them, until he spoke, "I'll go home and get my father. He'll know what to do. We'll get you out."
Victoria sighed in disappointment as de Soto dragged her out of her own tavern. She wasn't quite sure who she should be angrier at, de Soto for arresting her yet again, or Diego for showing no backbone.
"Haven't we been through this?" Victoria muttered as de Soto called for the sergeant.
"Mendoza!"
Mendoza had almost made it to the door and winced when he heard his name. He sighed dejectedly and raised his head to watch the alcalde dragging Victoria towards him. "Take her to a cell, and make sure there are two muskets aimed at her at all times."
Diego, listening to this exchanged came forward immediately. "Alcalde, what if the musket goes off unexpectedly? You can't point a loaded weapon at her at all times."
"Well, then I guess her lover would do wise to stay out of the way then, hmm?" de Soto smirked. "Because I will have her shot if he does not surrender by sundown." He turned to Mendoza. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go!"
Diego glared at de Soto's back and followed them only until he reached Esperanza. Mounting her quickly, he drove his heels into her sides. "I'm sorry, girl, but we must get home, and quickly."
"Well, are you coming?" Alejandro stared down at his son.
"I'm going to stay here and consult my law books, father," Diego answered without even looking up.
"What?" Alejandro was aghast.
Diego glared up at his father and Alejandro was taken aback by the fierce look in his son's intense gaze. "And what good will barging into his office do? Get us all arrested, that's what! No, I'm staying here and will bail you out of jail when you are arrested for treason yourself."
Alejandro was speechless. He stared at his son for a long moment before turning and walking away, unsure of what to say. He knew he had to do something. The de la Vegas always spoke out, even if it meant jail time.
Once Diego knew his father had left, he slipped into the cave. Felipe was waiting for him, a worried look in his eyes.
"Felipe, what choice do I have?" Diego began changing immediately. "I can't let de Soto hurt Victoria."
Felipe nodded slowly and pointed to the laboratory table.
"Yes, prepare some of the smaller vials. I'll take them and see if I can create a diversion, or at least knock out the two guards who have their muskets trained on Victoria." Diego fumbled with the buttons on his shirt and hissed in annoyance.
"You were right, I never should have gone to see her last night. Then she wouldn't be in this mess." Diego reached for his hat and turned toward Toronado but the chord tangled in the rack, toppling it over onto the stone floor with a loud crash.
Felipe rushed forward immediately but Diego pushed him away. He gritted his teeth in annoyance as he pulled the hat angrily from the rack.
A worried Felipe followed Zorro and Toronado to the cave entrance, watching with concern as the masked man galloped away.
Hawk-like eyes darted around the plaza as Zorro crept along the tavern roof, memorizing the position of each lancer. To his chagrin, the jail was amazingly well guarded and there was no way in without alerting more men than he wanted to fight in close quarters. And he wouldn't risk something happening to Victoria. With a heavy sigh, he slipped off the roof and onto Toronado's back. He would have to depend on the waning light and luck to get Victoria and himself out of this one.
As the sun set, Victoria was led out of the jail, hands bound behind her back. She stood proudly as she walked toward the gallows, refusing to allow fear to enter her eyes.
Alejandro pushed through the crowd to protest the hanging, but de Soto simply ignored him. Victoria could hear him muttering something about Diego and the law but her eyes turned, as did everyone else's, at the large black stallion thundering through the plaza.
"Release her, Alcalde!" the masked man ordered, pulling his stallion to a halt as every lancer in the plaza aimed their muskets in his direction.
Toronado snorted angrily and pawed at the ground. His ears flattened against his head, realizing the danger that lie before him.
"Zorro, no!" Victoria cried, hoping he had not come to surrender himself for her freedom.
"As much as I would enjoy hanging you, Zorro," de Soto stepped forward, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword, "it may just be easier to shoot you and unmask your dead body later."
"No!" Victoria wailed but was held back by a nervous Mendoza.
"No, Señorita Victoria. He would never forgive me if I let something happen to you."
Victoria cast a quick, curious glance at Mendoza, whose eyes were trained on the masked man who had once called him a friend.
"Then fire and get it over with, Ignacio!" the masked man encouraged.
"I think I will do just that," De Soto smirked and raised his hand. "Lancers . . . Fire!"
A loud screech above their heads disrupted the aim of a few lancers and their shots went wide. Toronado reared and the saddle cinch snapped beneath him, causing a wide-eyed Zorro to slide unceremoniously from the saddle.
TBC