Chapter 13
Diego spent an hour at the alcalde's office helping De Soto with a love poem for his new love. In all that time, he had asked the man many questions about the señora. From the answers forthcoming, Diego decided that this romance might indeed have a chance of a future.
When he left, the lights of the tavern were all extinguished. He made his way to the place he had left Tornado and sent the horse home alone. Walking slowly and thoughtfully toward the waiting Esperanza he had left tied near the plaza gates, Diego looked up at the night's stars with a renewed hope.
He had sensed a change in De Soto tonight. It would have been difficult to explain why he felt that way, but Diego was almost positive that Señora Ruiz had decided to seek that change in the man on purpose. Diego had come to know the señora well. He knew she was lonely. But he also knew there was no way she was merely playing with the alcalde's affections. No, she was serious. Diego smiled to himself. "Heaven help the alcalde!" He would be like soft clay in those strong, womanly hands.
Taking the two mile stretch to the hacienda at a slow pace, he hoped his father would be in bed when he finally arrived home. As he neared the front door, he could see he had hoped in vain. The front room lights were still lit. His night was still not done.
"Diego!" He heard the strident voice the minute he turned the knob.
"Yes, Father." He took a deep breath before he rounded the corner and entered the library. "You are still up?"
"Oh course I'm still up!" Alejandro threw the book he had been pretending to read down beside him on the sofa. "And how did it go with Victoria? You know I want to know everything!"
Diego smiled. "You didn't listen to Señora Sanchez's account?"
"Words of a dueña!" Memories of his own youth flooded back to him. "I know all too well how they can exaggerate."
"Pray tell? What would a dueña have exaggerated about in your case?" Diego asked, grinning as he sank down in a chair across from his father.
"We are not talking about me. We are talking about you, Son," He leaned forward in his chair. "Tell me you are still promised to each other!"
"Do you have so little faith in me you do not think I can keep a novia for a full night?"
"I know you so well, I think you might try to weasel out of an impending marriage. You have not exactly welcomed all the attention of the señoritas."
"Ahh," Diego said, "but those señoritas are not the one in question." Diego leveled an honest gaze at his father. "I have only ever wanted one."
"Victoria? You have pined after Victoria? I knew you liked the girl. You have always been good friends. But love, that's…then why —"
"You know why." Diego said simply, "Zorro,"
There was a long silence as the two looked at each other.
The conversation between the two men had not been just one of oral speech. Alejandro's thoughts swirled and settled into comprehension as he gazed at his usually incomprehensible son. The moment came when Diego would ordinarily have said or done something to allay his suspicions.
The moment came and went. Diego said nothing, but sat there quietly, his hands in his lap, fingers interlocked and still.
"Ah, Zorro," Alejandro finally said, drawing out the name in a long exhaled breath as he peered through narrowed eyes at his son. "Well, Son, you certainly can keep a secret."
"Yes, Sir." Diego held his gaze unwaveringly.
"You are so like your mother," Alejandro said proudly and a little sadly.
"I think I am very much like you too, Father."
"No, not in this. I would have told my own father. Iwould have —"
"Maybe I thought you might guess. It was easy enough to see."
"Easy? Easy!" Alejandro stood and shook his head, flailing his arms about him. He looked around at the walls as if expecting them to join him in his exasperation.
Diego also rose. "Father, it is late. We should both go to bed. We can talk about all this tomorrow. Victoria —"
"But we are not talking about Victoria now, are we?"
"We are not?" Diego pursed his lips into a mischievous smile.
"No, we are talking about," Alejandro pointed at his son, "your other secret."
"Hmm." Diego looked down at his boots uncomfortably. "Father, I —"
"Very well, Diego," Alejandro capitulated. "But tomorrow, on our way into town, I expect a full account of all this." He strode past his son. "Tomorrow."
"Yes, Father." Diego sighed and sank once more into the chair. As he heard his father's door down the hallway open and close, he looked up to see Felipe emerging from the fireplace. "You heard?" Diego asked quietly.
The boy nodded and his hands made a flurry of signs.
"Yes, I will tell him. Tomorrow… apparently. Well, actually, I think I just did. Let us say I will officially tell him tomorrow."
At Felipe's confused look and another set of hand signals, he continued. "No, I did not. But I am sure he began thinking along those lines tonight when he realized I was very willing to marry a woman promised to Zorro and she was willing to marry me. Others will be coming to that same conclusion too."
Felipe signed more questions.
"So you saw the whole thing?" Diego chuckled. "Yes, I am sure the entire pueblo saw and heard Señora Sanchez! What else could I do? Besides, it may be the best thing for all of us after all."
Felipe signed that he was worried.
"Yes, it is a problem." At more signs from the boy, Diego rose and caught the boy's hands in his own, effectively stopping the boy's worried tirade. "Felipe, we will find a solution. Tomorrow. Tonight, we both need a good night's sleep."