Chapter Three

A/N: Where we have more of a focus on Dulce, and Diego recites poetry.

It was more than expected. The next day found Rosarita tending Dulce's sore hand.

"I told you to stop running around with those boys," she scolded. Dulce had again woke her up, very early this time. It seemed she had snuck out, at dawn, when her compadres summoned her. She had returned, not much later, and woken Rosarita to tend her hand.

"Papa told me I could, I asked him before leaving. And I didn't mean to get hurt," she explained earnestly. "The plan was to jump over the big rock, you know, the one at the corner of the north pasture?"

Rosarita groaned. "Tell me you didn't," she pleaded.

"I thought you didn't like lies," Dulce said innocently, but Rosarita could see the mischief lurking in the back of her sister's eyes.

"I don't, so you had better not done it to begin with!"

"You could say I didn't," Dulce began. "Because I didn't make it. I couldn't even get on top. I jumped. then I fell, then I cut my hand."

"And you came to me, instead of Mama," Rosarita said. "And why is that?"

"Because if you can still try to hit Don Diego, I can be friends with these boys. And we never hit each other!" Dulce said fervently.

"Well, that's one thing to their credit," Rosarita muttered. "Do you really intend to keep it a secret from Mama?"

"Nooooo," Dulce said slowly. "But I'd like to tell her myself, when the time is right."

Rosarita looked into her sister's green eyes, eyes that had surprised them all. None of their family had had green eyes before now, and friends and strangers never failed to comment on her sister's striking color.

Sometimes Domingo joked, and said his father was Irish, but everyone knew that wasn't true.

"Tell her yourself then," Rosarita agreed. "And know that you can come to me anytime, even when I am fast asleep and dreaming!"

Dulce's eyes lit up at her sister's promise. "You know that I will!" She chortled, and darted from the room.

Rosarita threw a pillow after her, noticed the sun coming through the window, and decided there was no reason not to get up at this hour. She might even bump into Diego.

She didn't meet Diego, but she met his servant, Bernardo, on the stairs. Smiles were exchanged, Rosarita noted that Bernardo was looking rather serene, and she shrugged before continuing down.

Don Alejandro sat on the patio, reading a letter he'd just written.

"Hello, Don Alejandro. Buenos dias," Rosarita said.

"Buenos dias, Rosarita," Alejandro said.

"This switches our roles," Rosarita said. "Now I am the hostess."

Alejandro chuckled. "Si. Just let me finish this letter."

"Of course," Rosarita said. "Who do you write to, if I may ask?"

"Ignacio Torres, to tell him of your father's herd," Alejandro said. "And others. I have been away from Los Angeles for the longest period in fifteen years."

Rosarita smiled, sat down across from him and waited for him to finish. The morning was bright, and wet with dew. She reached a hand out to sole rose bush that was on the patio, and the petals were still damp. They had opened, though, bright orange roses. She considered picking one, then withdrew her hand.

Across from her, Alejandro was shaking the letter to dry the ink, then folded it closed. "I think that is all I need to write this morning," he said cheerfully. "This is a beautiful, peaceful morning. I hate to waste it. The mornings just were not like this when we were staying at the inn in Monterey."

Rosarita smiled. "Visitors often say how peaceful they found our rancho. We take great pride in the early mornings."

"Your father inherited, or did he buy it when you moved to be close to your grandmother?" Alejandro asked.

"Inherited," Rosarita said. "But the hacienda hadn't been lived in for years when we moved here. The vaqueros tended the land, but the house had been empty since Grandmama had to move into Monterey."

"Were there cobwebs and ghosts awaiting you?" Alejandro asked.

"No, but there was a family of squirrels in the master bedroom," she said, and they both laughed. "There was quite an array of animals leaving in or near the house. I think there was even a fox, as strange as it sounds."

"Where was he?" Alejandro asked.

"He was staying just outside the wall of the patio," she mused. "He never went inside, that I would know of. But we'd hear him at night."

Alejandro was silent for a moment, then Rosarita heard steps, looked around and saw Diego coming through the gate.

How interesting. We were just speaking of a fox that stayed outside the patio.

"Diego," Alejandro greeted. "You are up early. I didn't realize that."

"Very early, father," Diego said. "Buenos dias, Rosarita."

She nodded. "Where did you go, Diego?"

"The ocean," Diego said simply. "Seeing the water calmed me."

No one asked the question of why he'd need to be calmed, and even Diego seemed to regret the words.

Above them, footsteps heralded Vincente's entrance. "Buenos dias," he called. "Don Alejandro, my father asks if you'd like to ride with him today, as he looks over the rancho."

Alejandro exchanged glances with Diego, and they both smiled. "I think I'd like that," he said. "Where is your father?"

"He has already left," Vincente said. "He went straight to the stables. If you'd like to join him, he'll be in the north pasture for the next few hours."

"I should go prepare for that," Alejandro said. "Diego, do you think you could see to getting these letters mailed?"

"I could do that," Vincente interrupted. "I'd love to go into Monterey."

Rosarita nodded. "Vincente lives for trips to Monterey."

"Just let me finish up, then," Alejandro said.

Rosarita stood up. "Well, I'll leave you to that." She smiled at the table, and walked to the sala, hoping that she'd find Dulce in the garden.

Diego was waiting for her, after lunch. "I thought we could go for a walk," he said. "I'd like to get a real tour of your rancho."

"Who'd go with us?" Rosarita said. "I'd love to go, but Amelia has duties right now and Vincente is still in Monterey."

"What about Dulce?"

"Alone, she could not be a suitable chaperone," Rosarita said. "Maybe my mother would..."

"You could ask her," Diego said. "Here she comes now."

"Mama," Rosarita said, turning around to see Ana-Carmen coming from the sala. "Would you chaperone us? Diego wants a tour of the rancho."

Ana-Carmen's face lit up. "Of course! And I can bring Dulce, also. You will be walking?"

"Si," Diego said. "We have done our riding."

Ana-Carmen gathered up her skirts. "I will change to something better. Wait, just a few minutes. Rosarita, could you find Dulce?"

"Of course, mama," Rosarita said, and started to the sala. "Do you want to come with me, Diego?"

He smiled and headed forward. She slipped her hand through his and pulled him with her into the sala. "Where are you going to look?" Diego asked. "Does she have a special hiding place?"

"As a matter of fact, she does," Rosarita said. "But I don't think she will be there right now. I'm just going to the kitchen. Right now is usually when she harasses our cook into giving her something sweet."

"She is called Dulce," Diego said. "I suppose the name suits her well."

"Too well," Rosarita told him. "Come on."

Dulce was in the kitchen, and Rosarita gasped when she saw her. "Dulce! What happened?"

For around one of the child's brilliant green eyes was a ring of black and green. "She just came to me like this!" Monique said, her voice full of panic.

"It was my fault," Dulce said. "It wasn't the boys'. I did it."

"Why does that ring so false?" Rosarita asked, flying forward. "Dulce!"

"It doesn't hurt much anymore," Dulce said. "Not very much."

Diego stepped forward. "Dulce, you have to tell us what happened."

Dulce shook her head.

"If you ever want to see those boys again, you must say," Rosarita demanded.

Dulce pulled away from them. "It's none of your business," she cried, angry at last. "And I will not tell you!"

With that, she fled the kitchen. Rosarita made to run after her, but Diego grabbed her by the arm at the last second. "Maybe now is not the time to talk to her," he said gently.

Rosarita yanked her arm away from him and ran back to the patio. Ana-Carmen was just coming down the stairs, and she immediately halted when she saw Rosarita. "What has happened?"

"Dulce has a black eye," Rosarita explained. "And she won't say how she got it."

Dulce refused to even speak to her mother about it, and in the end Amelia was left to watch her while she napped, for the child was exhausted.

Ana-Carmen, bearing a parasol, walked steadily along with Diego and Rosarita, her face set. "The picnic will be in two days," she said. "I've arranged everything, even a day off for most of the servants."

"Don Domingo will be able to come?"

"Si, he can miss one day," Ana-Carmen said. "It's not quite that busy right now."

Diego surveyed the land, turning on the spot with his hand shading his eyes. "You have a beautiful rancho."

"More beauty than product," Ana-Carmen said, rather deprecatingly, realized what she'd said and hurriedly changed the subject. "Diego, you said what kind of trouble the Verdugos were in, but you never said how they got out of it. Santos, it must have been very hard after Don Verdugo was taken. How did they manage?"

"There were many contributing factors," Diego said. "The army was no small one."

"Oh, just the army?" Ana-Carmen said, disappointed. "I could have sworn one of my friends mentioned Zorro. But speaking of the fox, what has he been up to lately? Rosarita came back from Los Angeles just filled with tales of him."

"He has been a rascal," Diego said. "That's is definite. Uh, he's not a subject Rosarita and I agree on, so maybe it is best not to mention him."

"Of course," Ana-Carmen said soothingly, turning to wink at Rosarita. "Rosarita also said you know some poetry now. Can you think of anything suitable for this moment? And you also write your own! Please, give us a sample."

Diego was tongue-tied, obviously struggling. Rosarita was about to say something when he cleared his throat. "This is one my compositions," he said. "But I usually sing it to the tune of an old ballad."

I bring all my songs to a flower
And lay all my dreams at her feet
I know that she an admirer
But he cannot be as in love as me
My dreams are dashed
She goes away
But I know I can win her
Another day

Diego finished, a faint blush on his cheeks. Ana-Carmen remained silent.

"That's lovely, Diego." Rosarita commented, for though the style had been plain and almost childish, he had spoken it in a tone of passion. The subject was near to his heart.

"And quite personal," Diego said. "But it has been dwelling in my mind for some time now. Here, let me try again. This one does not rhyme.

The man is a mystery
No one can deny that
But all admire him
Who ever see his figure

Yet they do not know him
No one can say they do
All love him
No one knows the truth."

Diego finished again. "That is about the outlaw Zorro," he said. "A poem I thought of one night when he rode close to my hacienda. He remains a mystery to all."

"I know something," Ana-Carmen said. "He shares your name, Diego."

"Oh, Garcilaso de la Vega?" Diego said.

Ana-Carmen cleared her throat. "This is a poem whose meaning is very personal to me."

More at times are better ears
pure wit and tongue almost mute,
Witnesses clean innocent mind,
eloquent curiosity.

I can not remove the pain
feel, if it at all
first I do not lose sense.

With you hand in hand
seek other pastures and other rivers,
other flowery and shady valleys,
where rest, and always I can see
before mine eyes,
without fear and dread of losing.

"Domingo introduced me to Garcilaso," she said slowly. "And that poem of his has stayed with me throughout my whole married life."

At dinner, Alejandro and Domingo were exuberant. The day had been good for them, and Alejandro had very much enjoyed seeing the rancho.

The mood for Ana-Carmen, Diego and Rosarita was quite different. Ana-Carmen had been very quiet after the walk, Diego had a fretful look of worry in his eyes, and Rosarita was still thinking of Dulce.

Vincente, Domingo and Alejandro carried the conversation, barely noticing their companions' silence. Midway through, Rosarita just couldn't stand it any longer and stood, causing all the men to jump up with her.

"May I go, mother?"

"Of course," Ana-Carmen answered distractedly. "I think I am done, also."

They left together, Ana-Carmen going to her room and Rosarita drifting on the patio.

The day had started out well. But the mood had changed very much, and Rosarita wasn't sure what to think of Diego, or her mother.

A/N: The first two poems are original, obviously only I could write something so bad. The first is a mix between the song he sings to Elena and his unresolved relationship with Anna Maria. She denies him as Diego, but he knows that as Zorro, he could capture her heart fully.

The second was random. But what else is a subject near and dear to Diego's heart? And I do think it fits his bookish side to write something about Zorro. Had he not been Zorro, I think the outlaw would have intrigued him anyway, perhaps even more so.

The third, as Diego said, is by Garcilaso de la Vega, and it is (very roughly) translated from the Spanish version found on wikipedia. I was looking around for a suitable poem, translated this via google, and knew I had to use it, if only for the first line of the third stanza.

With you hand in hand...

A Spanish poem written by a Spanish poet, and it was just so perfect for my series. On that note, I'm going to edit the first chapter of Hand in Hand to put it in. (Check it out.)