Chapter 4:
The evening came fast, it was time for Victoria to leave again. She needed to ensure that Zorro knew that he was on the right path when he arrived here.
"I don't know what to do Elena, I need to leave a sign for Zorro to know that he is on the right track," Victoria whispered.
Elena sighed and looked around. When she noticed the little comb in her hair, "That's it, do you think he would recognize something that belonged to you?"
Victoria shrugged, "depends on what you mean."
Elena pointed towards the little comb in her hair. Victoria smiled at Elena, "You are right Elena. He should recognize this. It has been a gift and he put a little sign on the inside."
The young tavern owner took the comb out of her hair and showed the inside. There was a carved heart with a Z. Probably done by his hand, "He should be able to recognize this but where do we put it so that he would find it but the other won't?"
Elena was really risking her life here, they couldn't be saved but Victoria could. She didn't want the girl to experience the heart pain she had that the family that seemed so close at the time was now so far away.
"Give it to me I have an idea." Elena smiled, taking the comb from Victoria, Elena hoped it would work. She placed the comb on the nightstand beside the bed, with a piece of rope around it. There was rope everywhere in the room so that wouldn't be something special for the bandits.
"Come on, it's time to leave. Lucia, you are riding with Paolo. Victoria will ride with Lorenzo now." Eduardo yelled, "We will leave in ten minutes."
Diego had a long trip coming back from Santa Paula, he was back an evening earlier than he thought he would be. He was looking forward to going to the tavern this afternoon but first things first, he needed to show his father what a prized animal he brought with him.
The young Don had done good business and had bought a new stallion for their new herd of mares. The stallion was a dark brown Andalusian with black manes and a black tail.
Spirit wise he reminded him of a certain black stallion, whom he had found running in the wild and, whom he had earned his respect by saving the life of his newborn son. He had delivered the stallion to one of the vaquero's before entering the hacienda. He was glad to be home.
"Father? Father are you in here?" Diego yelled through the hacienda, obviously, Felipe had heard him. The young servant appeared from behind the secret door in the library with worry and shock on his face. He didn't know how Diego was going to react to this note. No, that wasn't true he knew exactly how he was going to react to this.
"Felipe, what's wrong?" Diego asked, to see the young man who was like a son to him.
Felipe sighed and gave Diego the letter Toronado had given him. Normally he would go after Diego but it was late when he had arrived from the pueblo. He would have made the trip today but he was glad that he had decided against it.
Zorro,
If you read this that means that my letter has reached you. Toronado found me. I am in great danger, someone has bought me and will force me to marry him. Please, find me before that happens, I will stall it as long as possible, please hurry. I don't know who is behind this. Toronado knows where they are holding me this moment.
Forever yours
Victoria.
Diego was reading the note when he turned hot and cold, his Victoria was kidnapped, "How did you receive the note?" Diego asked
"What note?" Don Alejandro asked, coming from outside.
"Father!" Diego said startled hiding the note in his pants. Don Alejandro knew his son well enough that he was hiding something from him.
"Don't lie to me, Diego De La Vega. What note can be so bad that you need to hide it?" Don Alejandro said.
Diego looked Felipe, who just shrugged. Felipe didn't have any idea this time either so he just nodded. It was not only Diego's story to tell.
"Father, I think you need to sit down for this." Diego sighed before he took the note out of his pocket, perhaps his father knew more and could actually help with information. There was no time to bribe the good sergeant with a meal.
Don Alejandro took place in the chair, confused, "What have you done now, Diego?"
Diego sighed and gave the note Victoria had written to the old Don, clearly, his father hadn't been in the pueblo either.
"What are you doing with a note for Zorro?" Don Alejandro asked.
Don Alejandro looked at his son in the eyes, but what he found wasn't the coward he was so used to by now, but his real son. He saw that look many times when a black-masked defender fought for the people of their little pueblo. He saw the eyes of a man who was beyond pissed.
He couldn't believe it that he never saw this before but before he could react, Sergeant Mendoza entered the library. Diego quickly took the note and put it away in his pocket. Don Alejandro was in awe how quickly Diego changed from the fighter he had seen to the coward of the pueblo.
"Don Alejandro, please, senorita Victoria is missing!" The sergeant said, not knowing what else to do, "The alcalde thinks that she ran away with Zorro so he doesn't want to look for her. Could you talk to him please."
Don Alejandro swallowed, he knew it wasn't true because clearly, Zorro was right under their noses, he wouldn't do anything to bring his son in danger though.
"I can't believe that sergeant, Victoria wouldn't do that without letting me know." Don Alejandro said. How did Diego do this all these years? They were going to have a long talk when Victoria would be safe again but for now, he needed to lead the sergeant out of here so that Diego could do what he could do best.
"I will try and talk to the Alcalde, Sergeant." Don Alejandro said leading Mendoza away, signing behind his back for Diego to leave. Diego smiled, waiting until his father and Mendoza were out of sight.
Felipe tapped Diego on the shoulder, there was something he didn't know.
"What is it, Felipe?" Diego asked as gentle as possible. He knew that Felipe wouldn't stall if it wasn't important.
Felipe signed as fast as possible.
"I know we are in a hurry Felipe but still, even I don't understand you when you sign that fast," Diego responded.
Felipe sighed deeply and started again only this time he would move much slower, Diego repeating everything to see if he understood it correctly.
" There was a man in town... Someone who knew me from Madrid an old friend. He tried to win Victoria over but it didn't work. Did you hear a name, Felipe?" Diego asked curiously. He didn't have many friends but if he wrote Victoria could be in bigger trouble than he thought.
Felipe nodded and took a paper. Writing the name Diego feared would be, 'Don Domingo'.
"Don Domingo always gets what he wants. I have no time to explain fully but when I proposed to Zafira, Domingo was furious, he almost forced her but he failed. If that's the case, he is back for revenge. I don't know how he knew about Victoria but I need to be quick before he forces her."
Felipe made a sign of a Z in the air but to his confusion, Diego shook his head "Diego will ride this time but Zorro will be riding with me just to be sure. Disguise Toronado with the white forelock and the spare gear. If I am right Zorro won't be necessary because badly enough Domingo saw me fight Sir Kendall many times. I think it's time Victoria knows it too."
Felipe signed his worries fearing that Diego had lost his mind and was playing with his life.
"Don't worry, Felipe. I am not loco. That's why Zorro will be riding with me. If I somehow can't catch them alone it will be Zorro who will fight denying everything the man says. Take an unknown sword if you will. If I am forced to fight as Diego it's best that nobody recognizes it." Diego smiled, "Now come one we have a woman to save." Diego said, his voice now cold as ice. Nobody took Victoria away from him.
Don Alejandro swallowed and walked into the Alcalde's office.
"What can I do for you, Don Alejandro," Desoto said in a fake polite tone. He hated the De La Vega's but he also knew Don Alejandro's influence in Madrid.
"Sergeant Mendoza says you are not planning to look for senorita Escalante?" The old don asked curiously.
Desoto sighed, "I think the good sergeant needs to learn when to shut up about military business." the Alcalde groaned.
The old don shook his head "Not this time, senor Alcalde. Victoria wouldn't leave without letting me know. Not even if it's with Zorro."
Desoto sighed, "Why wouldn't she? Maybe she is ashamed that Zorro seduced her?"
Don Alejandro swallowed finding his easier when he didn't know the truth but Diego counted on him, "If that was Zorro's plan he would have done it sooner. You know before the bounty on his head got so big or before he got a reputation. No, senor. I dare to say Zorro wouldn't do that not to the woman he loves so dearly."
Desoto grinned, "It's like you know him."
Alejandro shook his head, "I know him as well as any other citizen of this pueblo. He always acts like an honorable man. That's all I know. You know very well nobody knows who he is. You can choose Alcade, or you form a search party or I will speak to the government." Alejandro said hoping that Diego was well on his way by now. He hated that he was about to endanger the life of his only son but he needed Mendoza out of the hacienda and this was the only way. Not trying to convince him would be even more dangerous because they could find out what the old Don was hiding.
"Alright, Sergeant forms a search party immediately and start looking for the senorita and bring in Zorro while you're at it," Desoto said with a sigh dismissing them both.
"Si Mi Alcalde." The good Sergeant saluted before running outside ordering the one below him to mount their horses
The old don nodded to the Alcalde before leaving the office himself. His world upside down. His respect for his son had grown with every second. The burden had carried on his shoulders all this time. Hearing about Zorro's heroic deeds as Diego and to be seen as a disappointment all the time.
Don Alejandro was glad Mendoza was leading the search. He couldn't find Zorro even if he would stand next to him.
" How had Diego managed to do this all those years. I can't be mad at him for keeping this from me but I will ask him if his stallion could do some secret breeding work when he wasn't carrying his master to safety." Don Alejandro thought, shaking his head while he was on his way back to the hacienda.
He knew that his stallion stretched his legs himself when Diego was out of town. Going back to the spot where he once ran free until he took the job on him to help his master with defending the people. So in fact Toronado was still half the wild horse he once was. Diego trusted his stallion with his life so he did nothing to steer his horse, he trusted that the horse would bring him to the place where he had found Victoria.
"I am on my way Querida. Please, hold on." Diego whispered.
TBC
