Chapter 2
Diego was unusually quiet on the ride back to the hacienda. Felipe finally rode up next to him and pulled up on the reigns of his horse effectively stopping them in the middle of the road.
"Felipe! What are you doing?" He watched the boy sign. "Talk to you? About what, amigo?"
Felipe glared at him.
"There's nothing to say, Felipe. I can't let my father give me fencing lessons. I can't pretend to be clumsy forever. My style is bound to start showing eventually, no matter how hard I try to lose."
You're afraid, Felipe signed.
"Yes, I'm afraid I'll react instinctively and he'll see my true skill." Diego watched as Felipe signed some more. "What are we going to do? I don't have a clue amigo. We'll have to think of something."
Felipe smiled and gestured. You've faked an injury before.
"I know I've faked an injury before, Felipe, but I don't think he'll believe a sprained ankle again."
Why not a broken arm?
"A broken arm?"
Felipe nodded.
"You know, as much of an inconvenience as it would be when I'm Diego, it could solve the problem. Broken bones can take months to heal. However, my father would certainly make me see Dr. Hernandez. Still, it's worth further thought…You're right though, of course, Felipe. We'll make it work somehow."
Felipe nodded encouragingly.
"Come on. I want to check on that magnesium experiment before supper." They started back to the hacienda. "You know I was going to wait a few days before asking you, but what do you think about the two of us going on a fishing trip for a few days at least? I thought perhaps we could bring the telescope and the practice rapiers and give you those extra fencing lessons you've been asking for lately. What do you think?"
Felipe gave him a broad smile and nodded enthusiastically. Then he made a few quick gestures Diego understood even though Felipe still had the reigns in his hand.
"Yes, I'm sure Maria would pack us some tamales if we asked. Felipe…would you mind if we left tonight?"
Felipe's knowing smile spread across his face and he shook his head 'no.' He gestured some more. You just don't want to deal with Father.
Diego chuckled. "I'm not sure I'll be able to be in the hacienda tonight for a minute longer than I absolutely have to. I might end up saying something to my father we'll both regret." He paused thoughtfully and grimaced. "He certainly tried my patience this afternoon. Why don't you start packing for us as soon as we get home, and I'll clean up in the cave and make sure Tornado has enough food for the time we'll be gone."
If they hadn't been so distracted by their conversation, they might have noticed the three men following them on horseback.
ZZZ
Paco, Luiz, and Jose hid in the brush not far from the hacienda and settled in to wait.
"If he hasn't gone by the time it gets dark, we'll go back to the tavern and come back in the morning."
"Bueno. I was going to punch you myself if you made me spend the night on this hard ground."
ZZZ
Thankfully, Diego hadn't seen his father by the time he and Felipe were ready to leave. He wandered into the kitchen to find Maria.
"Buenos tardes, patron."
"Hola, Maria. Have you seen my father?"
"Si, he rode out to the north pasture with Miguel. He said he'd be back before supper." She eyed him suspiciously. "You're not leaving before supper, are you Don Diego?"
Diego gave her a guilty smile. "Felipe and I are going on a fishing trip. We'll be gone for some time."
"It will be dark soon, patron," she informed him, the worry evident in her voice.
"Indeed! We're taking my telescope for an astronomy lesson."
"Not without supper, you're not." Before Diego could protest, she grabbed a saddlebag that she kept stored in the pantry for occasions just such as these and started to pack enough food to feed an army. Of course, feeding Diego and Felipe was like feeding an army, but it didn't bother her one bit. The De la Vegas had always been good to her, and she enjoyed cooking for them. She never took for granted the fact that they could afford the best fruits, vegetables, spices and meat and Maria loved to exercise her skill on fancy dishes. Once she'd packed all the dry food and leftovers that she had, including tamales to Diego's delight, she turned to the fire and removed half the chicken she had cooking over it. "Now this isn't quite finished yet." She wrapped it carefully in a clean cloth. "But cook it over the fire for another half-hour and it should be just fine." Maria handed Diego the full bag.
"Gracias, Maria. Would you please-"
"Going to make me tell him you're leaving, are you?" She uncharacteristically interrupted him.
Diego just smiled. Maria had been like a second mother to him growing up, and he wagered she knew him better than his father did. "Indeed I am. Hasta luego." He tried to turn to leave but found a gentle hand on his forearm holding him back.
"Don Diego, I take it your father's bad mood this afternoon was in fact directed at you?" Maria watched him carefully and noticed his shoulders slump. He nodded. "His bark is worse than his bite, patron."
"I used to think so."
"Whatever the trouble, running will not help."
"In this case, I'm afraid it's the only thing that can." He smiled at her and put his hand on her shoulder. "I appreciate the concern, Maria, really. It means a great deal to me that you care so much about my family. Please tell my father I don't know how long we'll be gone."
She nodded. "And next time, senor, you might give me more than five minutes warning that you need a saddlebag full of food!"
Diego chuckled, but nodded his agreement. "Adios, Maria."
"Vaya con Dios, Don Diego."
ZZZ
Paco's gang couldn't believe their good luck. Not two hours after they'd arrived at the hacienda to await the return of their prey did Diego and Felipe ride away from the hacienda with what were obviously full saddlebags.
"This is going to be easier than I thought!"
"You still want to run them off the road?" Jose asked him.
"Look at those saddlebags," Ruiz responded instead. "They're obviously going to stop somewhere tonight. Let's wait until they do. By then it will be dark and we can surround them."
"Vamos muchachos!"
ZZZ
Felipe was putting the uncooked chicken from Maria on a hastily put together rotisserie over the low cooking fire at their campsite when Diego approached him to help.
"The telescope's all set up. I'm just glad the cloudy weather we had this morning seems to have disappeared. We should have a good night for star gazing." Diego watched the young man's gesture and his eyes light up. "Yes, and a good supper too." Diego pulled some tamales out of the bag of food and placed them on a flat stone near the fire to warm. "You know astronomers realized long ago that the same side of the moon is always facing the Earth."
Felipe's insightful response made Diego chuckle.
"Yes, Felipe, at the time they did think it partly because the Earth was flat. But we certainly know better now. I've been thinking of a way to possibly calculate the distance to the moon by measuring --"
Felipe watched in alarm as Diego stiffened and stopped talking. Before he could ask him what was wrong, three banditos jumped out from the bushes on all sides of their camp effectively surrounding them.
Diego didn't waste any time. Rushing the man closest to him, he delivered a crushing left hook to the man's jaw. Luiz dropped like a stone, dazed. Diego had already whirled around to deal with the next man when he heard the ominous sound of a pistol being cocked.
"Stop struggling, senor, or the boy dies," Paco threatened.
Diego froze. He turned slowly to see Felipe trapped in a secure headlock with Paco's gun trained at his head. He also noted, and much to his satisfaction, that Paco now had a black eye, courtesy of Felipe.
Diego recognized them as the men from the tavern that afternoon. "You're making a mistake, senor," he said in a steely voice.
Paco nodded at Jose and Luiz, who had finally regained his footing. They quickly tied Diego's hands tightly behind his back and forced him onto his knees. "You did say your name was Diego de la Vega didn't you?" Paco mocked him while strenghtening his grip on Felipe. Diego glared right back at him. Paco merely laughed. "Then there is no mistake."
"We brought no money or valuables with us," Diego informed him coolly.
"I think you underestimate your own value, senor."
Diego narrowed his eyes. "My father will never pay a ransom," Diego bluffed. He had no doubt his father would pay any amount demanded, but that was only after he'd scoured the countryside looking for his only son. "You've kidnapped the wrong man."
"You'd better hope he does, for your own sake." He gave Felipe a yank when he started to struggle. "Get the note!" He ordered his cronies.
Luiz reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. He walked over to Felipe and thrust it into the boy's hand. "Take that to the De la Vega hacienda, boy. And be quick about it."
Felipe looked at Diego uncertainly.
"He's deaf. Leave him alone."
Luiz laughed and grabbed Felipe's chin. "Deaf, eh? No wonder you're a servant then!"
"I said leave him alone!" Diego thundered, tugging uselessly against the ropes biting into his wrists. Jose punched him in the stomach, forcing him to cough and hunch over.
"That's enough out of you! Now where were we? Oh, yes." Jose pointed to the note. "Take it to the hacienda." He made a little house sign with his fingers. But to his surprise, Felipe shook his head no. "No? What do you mean no, you little-"
"Felipe," Diego's strained voice drifted across the campsite. Jose put an iron strong grip on Diego's upper arms. Diego winced as the bandito unconsciously aggravated his old wound. Felipe, bless his heart, remembered not to look at Diego until Jose and Luiz did. "Go home, Felipe."
Felipe shook his head again, refusing to leave Diego alone with the gang.
"It's all right. Go on."
Jose shoved Felipe in the direction of his horse, but he still didn't go. He turned to give Diego one more agonized look. He didn't know what to do. Should he return with Zorro's things? Should he tell Don Alejandro? He was counting on Diego to understand his hesitation, and thank goodness he did.
"Go home and tell Father, Felipe."
Felipe wasn't sure that was such a good idea, but he'd do what Diego told him. He nodded solemnly, wishing he were strong enough to do more and turned away. Receiving another threatening look from the leader, Felipe set his Pinto at a gallop and didn't stop until he reached the hacienda.