Diego had recovered rather fast. Two days after being stabbed, he was already walking in his room and, two more days after that, he was able to walk to the front of the hacienda. Victoria spent most of her time with him, during the day reading, feeding and helping him rest comfortably, and, during the night, sleeping in his bed, her head on his chest. She didn't dare more intimacy than that, not because he was injured, but because she was still married to Juan, at least until they'd be able to ask and receive an annulment of that ill-conceived marriage so that she might wed Diego instead.
The caballero hadn't been included in the planning of the attack on Monterey, and it was naturally assumed he'd remain at the hacienda, together with the two young women, the servants who were either of the fairer sex or too old to fight, and the man who had been wounded in the leg and was still limping rather badly.
Zafira had tried to convince the men to let her accompany them, but Juan forbade it, making her promise she would hide and wait for them to send word when it was safe to make the journey to Monterey.
Correna's men, who had been resentful of her – despite knowing the truth about her relationship with her former husband and considering her, too, sort of a leader – were grateful that Juan Ortiz had insisted that she remain, since, despite their resentments, they all loved the young widow and wanted to know she was safe.
Thus, as they left, the people who stayed back took their goodbyes, wishing them good fortune, and followed them to a nearby hill where they stood watching them head away until they were barely small spots on the horizon. When they could no longer see them, Diego and Victoria headed for their room, and the rest went on about their business. The servant women headed towards the kitchen to start cooking lunch, the men went to the stables or their quarters, and Zafira out into the field to pray for Juan and the people marching to fight the Governor.
"What are you in the mood for?" Diego asked as they stopped in the library on their way to his guestroom so that he might select a new book for her to read to him.
"Anything you choose will be fine with me." She answered with a smile.
"You seem in a particularly good mood!" He remarked, looking at her.
"Of course, I am. After they take Monterey, we'll be safe." Victoria told Diego. "We'll finally be able to marry and raise our children in peace, with no alcalde to fear, nor lancers trying to shoot or execute us. You, me, our child, Don Alejandro and Felipe will be a family."
"That is a beautiful dream." He answered as he turned to look at her with a smile.
"It's true!" She contradicted him. "They will succeed! I am certain of that!"
"And how are you so certain, my love?" He wondered.
"Because, for several days now, I've seen a white dove around the hacienda. White doves are a symbol of peace, aren't they? From the Bible! That means that the –"
"You've seen a white dove?" He interrupted her to confirm.
"Yes. I really did!" She answered, smiling, unable to understand the frown on his face.
The caballero remained deep in thought for a few moments, then hurriedly headed outside, ignoring the pain in his side.
"Diego, what are you doing?" Victoria inquired as she followed him to the stables where she worriedly watched him saddle a horse, then mount it.
"I need to go warn them. They have a traitor in their midst. They're most probably walking straight into an ambush!" Diego replied. "Take the others and hide in the cellars! If the lancers know to expect the attack, they probably also know about Don Alvaro's involvement. They might decide to send troops to this hacienda." He told the taverness before riding away.
Victoria watched him leave, then hurried to obey his commands, not for fear that something might happen to her and the others, but because it gave her something to do other than worry for the man she loved.
Diego rode hard, ignoring the throbbing of his still-healing knife wound, only hoping he'd reach Don Alvaro and his men in time. They had about an hour advance on him, but they were moving slower to save the horses. After some thirty minutes of galloping, as he felt his mount was getting tired, he guided him up a high hill in the hope he'd be able to see the rebels from there and, perhaps, be seen by them.
They were, indeed, just crossing a wide valley, less than ten minutes' ride away.
Diego was about to start signaling when he noticed, far on the horizon, another army positioned at the entrance of a small canyon towards which Don Alvaro's men were heading.
Given the urgency of the situation, he spurred his horse into an even faster gallop, barely giving him the chance to find his footing downhill. The men only noticed him by chance as one of the volunteers tried to get rid of a fly that wouldn't leave him in peace. He gave the alarm and the army stopped to wait for the caballero. He passed right by the volunteers, making his way towards the leaders.
"Don Diego! What happened?" Don Alvaro inquired as he stopped next to him.
"You're walking into a trap. Someone here has betrayed your plans!" The tall caballero stated without any introduction.
"Are you confessing to something, De la Vega?" One of Correna's men, who disliked Zafira's attachment to him, inquired.
"If I were a traitor, why would I warn you?" He asked instead of answering.
"Perhaps it's the sun or your head injury causing you to see things that aren't there!" Juan suggested. "We need to be on our way before anyone notices us and warns the Presidio!" He continued addressing Don Alvaro.
"If you do, you'll be dead in an hour! There are several army units waiting for you at the canyon. I saw them from the hill. You need to go back, or the fight will be lost before it has begun." Diego insisted.
The other don exchanged a worried glance with Luciano, then with Juan.
"If there was a trap, how would you have known to come after us?" Juan asked him.
Diego looked suspiciously towards his childhood friend at his words. "The dove. Victoria saw a white dove on the hacienda's grounds during the last few days. There are no doves in this part of California."
Oddly enough, that statement was all it took to convince Don Alvaro. "Fall back!" He ordered his men. "We return to the hacienda! Now!"
The men only stopped their gallop on the hill, from where they were able to confirm Diego's words. The lancers had been warned and were waiting for them. Had they stepped into that canyon, they would have easily fallen prey to their muskets, and the revolution would have ended before it began.
"We need to come up with a new plan!" Don Alvaro stated as they dismounted at the hacienda.
"First we need to find the traitor who would have led us to our deaths!" Luciano pointed out.
Not awaiting any more suggestions, Don Alvaro turned to address the men there. "Has anyone witnessed someone releasing a white dove?"
The men just exchanged worried glances and shrugged their shoulders.
"Señor…" A man shyly uttered.
"Did you see someone release a withe dove, Javier?" The haciendado questioned.
"No, Don Alvaro. But I did see Lieutenant Ortiz feeding one…"
At his words, the men all starred at Juan.
"You traitorous bastard!" Luciano uttered and pointed his gun at the officer.
"No!" Diego said as he forced him to lower the pistol, putting himself between Juan and his wannabe executioner. "He's more useful to you alive than dead!"
"He's right, Luciano!" Don Alvaro agreed. "Pedro, Mariano, escort the Lieutenant to the empty pantry at the back of the house and make sure he's tied up and guarded." He ordered.
"You're a fool, Diego! All I did was so that you and Victoria would be safe! The Governor and I had a deal! You two would have been pardoned. All you had to do was stay here until I sent word!" Juan muttered as he was being pulled off his horse and tied up.
"The lives of seventy people in exchange for ours? That would have been too high a price to pay for freedom, my friend!" Diego uttered, shaking his head in disappointment and fearing Victoria's reaction at finding out what had happened.
The Lieutenant was left in darkness as the two men locked the door and remained guard.
