CHAPTER TWO
Senorita Anita Cabrillo got out of the carriage after a long and uncomfortable journey from San Pedro accompanied by two cowboys, who came to work on the de la Vega farm. She looked carefully around the plaza, trying to imagine where to start looking for her father, whose name she didn't even know. She sighed without being discouraged, when luckily for her, a rather fat military man approached the carriage.
''Buenos dias, Señor, my name is Anita Cabrillo. Could you help me?'' she asked politely.
''Buenas tardes, Señorita, my name is Sergeant Demetrius Lopez Garcia, acting comandante for this pueblo, how can I help you?''
She smiled brightly. ''Could you help me find my father?''
''Of course!'' Garcia exclaimed with a big smile that suddenly turn into a frown. ''What is your father´s name?''
''I don´t know,'' Anita replied.
''Sure… wait, what you mean you don´t know your father´s name?'' the sergeant asked, confused.
''Well, I suppose his surname is Cabrillo, just like mine, but I don´t know his name. My mother always said he was a rich man from Los Angeles, but she failed to tell me his name.''
''Alright, and where is your mother now?''
''She died, Sergeant, she died three years ago, I lived with an aunt in Salamanca, but then, I decided to come here and look for my father. I want to meet him.''
The sergeant thought about it for a moment. ''Strange, there´s no one with the surname Cabrillo in Los Angeles, ma'am.''
''That cannot be! My mother said he lives here!'' Anita exclaimed back.
In this meantime, Don Diego de la Vega and his servant, Bernardo, were coming to town, when upon seeing the commotion in the plaza, decided to stop and find out what was going on. Diego leaned against the carriage, watching the sergeant arguing with a young woman with dark hair in a brown traveling dress. As the two watched, Anita said something to the sergeant and shook a finger right in his face.
"She has spunk," Diego said under his breath to Bernardo. His friend grinned. "Perhaps I better intervene before the good sergeant loses an eye," he added. Clearing his throat, he stepped forward. "Perdon, Sergeant Garcia but…may I be of assistance?"
The sergeant looked relieved to see him. ''Don Diego, please, could you tell this girl there´s no Don Cabrillo in this town?''
"There must be!" Anita cut in. "My mother would not lie!"
"No one is saying that," Diego replied, holding up his hands placatingly. He looked at the young woman. "What is your name, senorita?"
"Anita Cabrillo."
Diego shrugged. ''I´m afraid the sergeant is right, Señorita, there´s no Don Cabrillo in town,'' said Diego. ''You know your father´s given name?"
''No." Anita looked down at her feet. "I mean, my mother never told me."
''I see… Sergeant, do you have a city record we can check?'' asked the Don.
Sergeant Garcia brightened. ''I suppose there might be, come with me, please.'' He started in the direction of the cuartel. Diego turned to Anita and gestured her forward. She looked at him for a moment, then followed Sergeant Garcia to his office. Diego followed behind, motioning for Bernardo to stay behind.
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With all his patience, Sergeant Garcia opened the large book of records and began to search for the name Cabrillo, but without success. "I am sorry, Senorita Cabrillo, but there is no record of anyone with the last name of Cabrillo in Los Angeles."
Diego saw the look of disappointment on Anita's face. Tears welled in the corner of her eyes. ''Oh no,'' she cried in her hands. ''Please Sergeant, I swear my father lives here.''
If this is an act, Diego thought, it is a good one. Something told him, though, that the girl was sincere. And so we have a mystery on our hands.
The sergeant, meanwhile, was trying futilely to comfort Anita. ''Oh, please don´t cry Miss, I don't want to see you cry. Let's see what we can do about it. I´m sure you will find your father.''
''And if I don't?'' Anita cried. "I came all this way to find my father, he is the only family I have left! If I cannot find him…" She began sobbing again.
''Then… well, we will have to send you back to Spain,'' Garcia said, only making Anita cry harder. "Oh no, not again."
An idea occurred to Diego. "Sergeant."' Diego decided to intervene. ''Let me take her to the de la Vega hacienda. We will be in charge of her, my father and I. And perhaps there she could tell me what all this is about. I'm sure there´s an explanation.'' He glanced at Anita out of the corner of his eye, then to Sergeant Garcia. Anita's crying grew into a wail.
''An excelente idea, Don Diego!" Garcia proclaimed with a smile. "Alright, you can go Senorita Cabrillo. I hope you find your father.'
Anita's crying ceased instantly as she stood up. "Gracias, Sergeant Garcia!" she said happily.
"But…." Garcia stared at her, dumbfounded. "How did she…she was just-"
Diego offered his hand to Anita and winked at her.
Outside, the two of them walked back to the de la Vega carriage. "I suppose I should properly introduce myself," Diego said. "I am Diego de la Vega, and this-" he gestured to Bernardo, "-is my manservant, Bernardo."
Bernardo gave her a jaunty wave and a smile, and Anita returned it with a grin. "It's nice to meet you," she told Bernardo.
"Bernardo can neither hear no speak," Diego told her. "But," he added, with a smile at Bernardo, "I think he understood your intentions just fine."
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The journey to the De La Vega farm was long but productive. Once they were alone, despite Bernardo's presence, Diego decided to ask Anita if she really didn't know her father's name and in response, the girl looked indignant.
''I told you the truth already, I don´t know his name!'' she snapped.
''Alright, I believe you!'' Diego frowned. ''The only information you have of him, is his surname?''
''Well, I suppose his surname is Cabrillo, because it's mine and my mother´s name…'' she started, but when she saw that Diego was dumbfounded, she continued quickly. ''But I do have something else… a brooch, my mother said he gave to her when she met him at the tavern she used to work in.''
''So, a brooch and a supposedly surname Cabrillo, plus, he is allegedly a rich man from Los Angeles?'' Diego noted. ''This is all the information you have?''
''I think so… please, Don Diego, believe in me!'' she said but before Diego could reply,
Bernardo made a sudden maneuver, taking them along another road, but almost knocking the passengers and suitcases out of the carriage.
''Hijo de p … perdon, I didn´t mean,'' Diego coughed, embarrassed that he'd almost sworn in front of a lady. ''Bernardo what happened?'' he asked and pretended to sign at the same time.
Bernardo pointed back behind them. With a free hand, he imitated riding a horse and held up two fingers.
"Two riders?" Diego confirmed, and Bernardo nodded. Then, he pretended to pull a bandana up over his mouth and nose. "And they were hiding their faces." His friend nodded again.
''What is it?'' Anita asked, watching the exchange curiously.
''Bernardo thinks he saw someone chasing us, that's why he made the maneuver, he wanted to lose those stalkers,'' Diego said quietly. He offered her a reassuring smile. "It was nothing, let's go home.'
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At the hacienda, Don Alejandro waited impatiently for his son to arrive. Diego had promised to come back with news of the employees they had asked for, and he was taking a lot longer than he promised he would. He hoped his son had not run into trouble that Zorro might need to handle later. Suddenly, before Alejandro was about to explode with worry, Diego arrived, together with Bernardo, and a younger girl.
''Dieguito,'' he said once the younger man approached. ''What happened, why did you take so long? And where are the vaqueros?''
''Dieguito?'' Anita asked, looking up at Diego, making the man blush as she giggled at the little boy nickname for such a man.
''It is his nickname for me, but he says it only when he is worried,'' replied Diego, running a hand awkwardly through his hair. ''Perdon Father, the vaqueros weren't there, or it was a mistake and they will arrive tomorrow, or we have been fooled.''
''Thank goodness we did not advance them their pay." Alejandro turned his attention to Anita, "And who might this lovely lady be?'' Don Alejandro asked with a smile. Anita returned the smile shyly.
''Oh, this Anita Cabrillo, she came to Los Angeles to find her father. She ran into some trouble with Sergeant Garcia, as she has no chaperone, so I offered to have her stay with us while she looks for him.'' Diego explained. ''Anita, this is my father, Don Alejandro de la Vega.''
"Bienvenidas a Los Angeles, Anita. i wish you luck in your quest. I hope we can be of some assistance.''
''Gracias, Don Alejandro,." She looked down at her feet. "I don't want to be a bother,"' she said softly.
Alejandro put a hand on her shoulder. ''Nonsense, you are most welcome,'' he said and called for the housekeeper. ''Crescencia, please, help Senorita Cabrillo settle in the guest room.''
Cresencia came into the sala from the kitchen and saw Anita standing there. "Please, senorita, if you would follow me?" She smiled, and nodded to the two de la Vegas as she led Anita from the room. Bernardo followed, lugging Anita's trunk.
''Father, may we talk?'' Diego frowned and lead his father toward the secret room, so they could talk without anyone hearing.
''What is it Diego?'' the older man asked.
''We may have a problem. Father, the search for Anita's father is a bit more complicated than we think."
Alejandro nodded. "Si, I noticie. For one, there is no Senor Cabrillo anywhere in Los Angeles. If there were, we would know of him."
"Well, she just supposes Cabrillo is his surname, because it's her surname. Other than that, she doesn't know his name. She said all her mother told her was that he is a rich man from Los Angeles, and he gave her mother an heirloom she carries with her."
"That doesn't exactly narrow it down. Could she be lying?"
"I do not think so. She seems very sincere." He tapped his chin, thinking. "Could it be someone who has moved away Or, God forbid, someone who has died?"
Alejandro shook his head. "Diego, I have lived here my entire life, and I have never met anyone with that last name."
''Or maybe she is Canadian and just mistook the country,'' Diego joked, but seeing his father's look, he coughed. ''Perdon Father, maybe we should just keep a close eye on her.''
''That's better,'' the father nodded still staring at his son. ''Meanwhile, we have a guest in our house, let's behave our best.'' A thought occurred to him. "I do have one idea," Alejandro said. "Perhaps a visit to Padre Felipe at the mission might be in order."
"Of course!" Diego understood. "The church has been here longer than the pueblo. They would have older records of the area-births, deaths, marriages, and the like."
Bernardo had joined the conversation, and now, he waved to get the two men's attention. He pointed in the direction of the guest room, and his hands outlined a woman's shape. "Is Anita settled?" Diego asked him. Bernardo nodded. "Father thinks he has an idea on where to start looking for her father," Diego explained.
Bernardo's hands drew a quick cross in the air. "Si," Diego agreed. "Why don't you go get the carriage ready?" he instructed. "I will see if Anita would like to take a ride."
"I only pray Padre Felipe can point her in the right direction," Alejandro said. He shook his head in disbelief. "To come here all by herself…I do not know if it is madness or genius." He looked up at Diego. "Young people these days," he teased.
"Oh, si," Diego agreed. "Some of us cross oceans looking for missing fathers…some wear masks and fight tyranny by swordpoint." He shrugged. "It passes the time, anyway."
Alejandro rolled his eyes.
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Two sets of eyes kept their eye on the church door, waiting for the girl and the man she was with to exit. The man was the son of their employer…but they had found a much more lucrative, and quick, way to make money.
"I am so sorry, my child. The church has no records of a Cabrillo settling, marrying, or dying in this area." Padre Felipe put a hand on Anita's shoulder as her head dropped to her hands. He looked at Diego over the top of her head. "Is there any other information you have?"
"I'm afraid not," Diego said. The look of disappointment on Anita's face frustrated him.
Padre Felipe gave her a hug. "I hope you find what you are looking for, despite this setback," he told her. "I will pray for guidance for you."
Anita nodded. "Gracias, Padre," she said. "I do not mean to seem ungrateful."
"That is not what I see at all," the older man said. "I see a young, courageous woman who crossed an ocean to find her family. I believe God will help you see this journey through." He nodded to the two of them as Diego took Anita's arm and led her out of the church and back outside. Bernardo frowned at the dejected looks on their faces. Thinking quickly, he plucked a flower off a nearby bush and offered it to Anita. She gave him a sad smile, and a thank you.
Diego pointed. "Let's return home. It is nearly time for supper, and I think we could all use a good meal after today." He patted Anita's arm reassuringly. "Cresencia's cooking makes even the biggest problems seem small," he told her as the carriage lurched forward.
"Do you think he is really here, somewhere?" Anita asked him a few miles down the road. The question was so soft Diego had to lean in to hear her.
"I believe someone gave your mother that brooch," he replied. "And I believe that someone, if your mother says he is in Los Angeles, is here somewhere." He tilted her chin so she was looking at him. "And we will find him," Diego promised. "One way or another."
Suddenly, the carriage began to pick up speed, nearly throwing Diego on top of Anita. He struggled to right himself without being inappropriate. In annoyance, he said, "Bernardo, what-"
Bernardo jerked a thumb behind them, and Diego turned. His eyes widened. "Bernardo, go!" he yelled, pushing Bernardo's shoulder.
"Diego, what is it?" Anita cried.
He looked at her. "Get down," he instructed. "We're being followed."