November 23rd (9)

Don Alejandro still wanted to keep asking questions. "I was thinking about where you could hide Zorro's possessions, and Victoria told me about a cave, I've been trying to find the exit your grandfather built, but I can't seem to trigger the fireplace mechanism. I think it's still stuck."

Diego shook his head. "It's not stuck, but when it opened by accident one day when the alcalde was here I decided to add a second mechanism, so that the fireplace panel only opens if you operate two levers at the same time, one with your hand and one with your foot."

Don Alejandro smiled, "That's clever, I guess that's just like you."

Somewhat later Diego ate some more and dozed for about half an hour, although the rest of the time he asked to be propped up in bed, so he could move arms and legs trying to start to unwind. It was already dusk when someone knocked on the door of the room he now shared with Victoria.

"Come in." he said, his voice already firmer.

Felipe walked through the door. He looked older, with broader backs due to the weeks he had been working on the ranch, and tanned skin from the sun. Victoria greeted him and left the room so they could talk alone.

"Please come closer." said Diego. The boy did so, albeit shyly.

"Look at me, please. Are you very angry with me?"

Felipe gestured, and Diego shook his head.

"Is that what you think? I disagree, it was my plan, and if it was a stupid plan and it went wrong it was my fault, not yours."

The boy gesticulated again, desperate.

"You had no way of stopping me, I'm older than you and much more stubborn."

Felipe smiled, albeit through tears and shook his head.

"Well, yes, my father has already told me, we can leave it at just as stubborn." Diego admitted, then pulled the boy's arm with what little strength he had to give him a hug.

Felipe soon pulled away, with the typical embarrassment of a teenager. "Thank you, Felipe, were you the one who pulled me out of the water?" the boy nodded, motioning around his own waist and then pulling his hand away from him.

"Did you tie yourself to the shore with a rope?"

He shook his head and made a gesture that was unmistakable.

"You tied yourself to Tornado's chair and he pulled us."

This time Felipe's answer was affirmative.

"Did you also take off that man's shirt and put on him my belt and boots?"

Felipe nodded again.

"You convinced everyone that Zorro was dead. I owe you my life more than once."

The boy rubbed his neck, somewhat embarrassed.

"Forgive me Felipe."

He shook his head, indicating something by signs.

"I don't agree with that, I stole part of your childhood and your youth, fighting a fight that wasn't yours to fight. I am responsible for you, not the other way around, so I need you to forgive me."

Felipe nodded his head reluctantly.

"And now you're going to stop working on the ranch like a madman, you're going to resume your studies, and first of all you're going to go take a bath and change your clothes, because you smell like a calf."

Felipe laughed and gesticulated.

"Your sense of smell has atrophied from spending so much time among the cattle. Believe me, you smell terrible. You haven't bathed for two months?" and in the face of more gestures from Felipe he added. "Olegario and Juanjo also have an atrophied sense of smell. Maria never lets them in the house, not even to carry the firewood from the kitchen, and if you don't bathe she's capable of throwing you out of here too."

Felipe finally agreed.

"You have to tell me if you know where Toronado is. My father says they think they've seen him in the hills."

Felipe nodded, and implied that he had let him free.

"So he is indeed in the hills?"

From Felipe Diego's gestures he knew that he was, but that he had not allowed anyone to approach him. He also told him that he would come over early in the mornings so he could see that he was all right.

"I'm glad you've been taking care of him. And I certainly agree with what you say, Toronado without a rider runs faster than any other horse, and he's too smart to be corralled. As soon as I recover we'll have to decide whether to set him free for good or capture him with some clever trick," he said, winking at Felipe, who this time smiled more sincerely.

Felipe left the room and shortly after, Victoria came back in.

"Felipe asked Maria if there was hot water to take a bath and Maria started praising the saints and saying that the fact that you woke up has brought us all kinds of blessings. Then she has told him that as soon as he finishes his bath she is going to cut his hair, and Felipe didn't seem very happy, to tell the truth."

Diego laughed, but then became serious again. "I'd like to know what's been going on in the village while I've been unconscious."

"At first we were all puzzled, not knowing whether Zorro was alive or dead. The alcalde suspected some trick, and sent men out on patrol. When the body washed up on the beach he could no longer go on saying Zorro was hiding, and days later declared him dead, appropriating the reward for his capture. I think there were some protests, but by then I was already here with you."

Victoria sat down next to Diego, who was watching her intently. "Later some bandit-like men arrived saying that they were responsible for the death of Zorro, and they claimed the reward. The alcalde confronted them, and they attacked the soldiers. The attackers were killed, and two men were wounded, one of them the alcalde who received a bullet in his left arm. Dr. Hernandez managed to save his arm, but now he can hardly move it. Unfortunately Private Estrada died two days later due to his wounds."

"He was a good boy, I remember teaching him to read."

"Yes he was. His mother was heartbroken. While the alcalde was convalescing they asked your father to take charge of running the garrison. It was hard to convince him, because he didn't want to leave your side, but in the end he agreed and managed to bring order. He didn't like some of the new outsiders who started coming into town, and he finally decided to arm and train the men on the ranch, so we could defend ourselves if anyone attacked us."

"Have there been any problems?"

"There have been some cattle rustling, but nothing serious. Felipe has been helping your father organize the men into patrols, and the rustlers seem to have figured out that it's easier to steal from other ranches, so some of the neighbors haven't been so lucky. At least two of those rustlers have been killed, but among the townspeople there have only been some minor injuries."

Diego couldn't suppress a yawn. "It's time for us to sleep." Victoria said as she saw him, and began to take off her clothes, to Diego's astonishment.

"Why are you looking at me like that? I'm your wife and I've been changing clothes here for a month and a half."

"Yes, but I was unconscious and it's the first time I've seen you."

"It's not the first time you've seen me naked, that's what got us in trouble."

"That's not true, you weren't taking off all your clothes, if I'd seen you naked I'd remember, it was more... about removing what was in the way."

"Yeah... or tearing it up, like that time in my bedroom." she said reminiscing.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have gone there to talk to you. It wasn't a good idea, the bed proved too tempting."

"Not that we did any better when we tried to avoid temptation by staying in the living room either."

"I guess the kitchen table was sturdier. What did you tell the girls in the morning?"

"That I tripped over the table on my way back from closing the door because I was distracted, and that it must have had woodworm judging by the way it broke."

Victoria continued to undress. "You may be right and you haven't seen me naked until now, but the thing is, I don't plan to go anywhere else, so get used to the idea."

"I wasn't complaining, the problem is that I can't do anything about it right now."

Victoria pulled on a nightgown and got under the covers. "I sleep on this side." she said curling up next to Diego after blowing out the candle on the bedside table.

"I've dreamed about this." he said hugging her. "Also of your hands, and your voice. Those dreams brought me back to your side."

Note: The original story ended here, but I've continued it a few more chapters because I have things left to tell.