Chapter 18

Two days later Toronado was standing in front of the hacienda, completely tackled and saddled as if Zorro had just dismounted. Alarmed by servants, Diego came out of the front door of the hacienda.

"Patron," one of the stable hands addressed him. "Look, this is Toronado and he has a piece of paper attached to his saddle. Unfortunately, he doesn't let anyone approach him."

"He is a magnificent horse," Diego approached him and whistled slightly in admiration. Toronado instantly reared as if he didn't want him to get closer.

"What will you do with him, patron?" Manuel, the eldest vaquero, asked. "He doesn't let anyone get near him.

"Call my wife," Diego ordered a servant. "She may be the only one Toronado lets close enough because she has ridden on him before."

"Don't you think this is too dangerous for her?" the stable hand objected.

"Just do it and we will see!"

A few minutes Victoria joined him outside the hacienda. "That's Toronado! What is he doing here?" Confused, she looked from Diego to the stable hand and some vaqueros who had come to admire the stallion.

"I will need your help to find out," Diego explained with a blank face. "Since you have ridden on him before, you may be the only one he lets approach." Diego took Victoria by the hand and together they went over to Toronado. "Quiet, Toronado, everything is alright, we won't harm you. You know Victoria, don't you?" Diego said soothingly and the horse stood perfectly still as Victoria reached for the paper at the saddle.

"Brave horse," Diego patted Toronado with Victoria standing next to him.

"It worked," the stable hand said admiringly. "Toronado let you approach him together with your wife. I'd never thought of that."

"It must have been her scent!" Diego declared and the stable hand nodded in agreement.

"Read the letter, Victoria, please."

Victoria unfolded the paper and read aloud.

Dear Victoria and Dear Don Diego,

Please consider Toronado as a late wedding gift to you. I'm finally leaving the area and I can't take Toronado with me. I'm leaving him with both of you who will take well care of him. I wish you both all the luck and happiness for the future.

Z

"That's a great gift from Zorro," Diego smiled. "Will you accompany me, Victoria, when I take Toronado into the stables? I think your presence may calm him down." Victoria glared at him suspiciously and he knew she expected an explanation as soon as they were alone.

Diego took Toronado's reigns who allowed them to take him to the stables, followed in short distance by the stable hands and vaqueros who had gathered to admire the famous horse. Diego put Toronado in a separate stable that was part of a corral where the horse could run freely.

Z Z Z

Victoria had patiently waited until Diego had taken care of Toronado, but then she drew him to a quiet corner in the garden where they wouldn't be overheard.

"What is all this about, Diego? Why did you get Toronado out of his cave now? Why this fake letter from Zorro?"

"Toronado needs to be exercised and get out in the open. I can't keep him in the cave all the time if I don't ride him." Diego explained patiently.

"I understand that. But why now?" Then it dawned on her. "Don't tell me you have been riding him as Zorro all these past weeks! Did you do that? Diego de la Vega tell me the truth!"

Diego knew he was in serious trouble now and sighed. "I was careful and Toronado needed the exercise. Nobody saw me!"

"But you sneaked away secretly without telling me!" Victoria accused him.

"It's over now, I promised you. There won't be any more Zorro. Now I can ride Toronado openly without having to sneak away. I didn't want to worry you, Victoria. You know it isn't good for the child. Has it been kicking you again lately?" Diego tenderly stroked across her belly.

"He's doing it at lot," Victoria explained. She put his hand on the side of the stomach. "Can you feel it?" Diego smiled at her in wonder. "Yes, I feel the kick. How do you get any sleep?"

"I have heard it will get worse, so I'd better get used to it," Victoria smiled and Diego drew her into his arms to kiss her. "I love you, Querida."

Having witnessed how Diego had lead Toronado away, Ramon went in search of Diego and his sister. He found them kissing in the garden, too entangled to notice him. They both looked very happy and deeply in love and it made him think if it had been really a marriage of convenience as they made believe. He had seen Zorro and Victoria together at Devil's Fortress and now that they were standing so close, the similarities were obvious when he added Toronado to the equation. Grinning to himself and happy for his sister, he didn't disturb them. There was only one thing that puzzled him. If Diego was Zorro he wouldn't have shot himself. So who was it?

Z Z Z

Diego didn't have to wait long for the alcalde to come to the hacienda. A few hours later de Soto arrived with Mendoza and a few soldiers.

"Don Diego, it has come to my ears that you're harboring the stallion of that outlaw Zorro on your hacienda," de Soto stated. "Unless you want me to arrest you for conspiring with that outlaw, you will hand over the horse to me."

"De Soto, I'm far from conspiring with that outlaw. The horse was a parting gift to me and my wife from Zorro." Diego showed him the letter from Zorro.

After reading it, de Soto angrily handed it back. "I don't care if it was a gift to you or not. I want that horse!

"Mendoza, take your soldiers and escort Toronado to the pueblo!"

"Si, mi alcalde." Mendoza made a face and headed with his men to the corral containing Toronado, with Diego and de Soto following them.

The soldiers stopped at the fence, admiring the horse. As soon as one of them tried to grab the halter, Toronado reigned and started kicking with his hooves. One after the other the soldiers made a quick retreat, staying in safe distance.

"Alcalde, the horse won't let us near. We can't get him," Mendoza said apologetically.

"Nonsense, the horse is used to men. Don't be so stupid, Sergeant," de Soto said angrily. "Then I'll get him myself!" de Soto climbed over the fence and tried to get hold of Toronado but had to give up, too, if he didn't want to be hit by the hooves.

"That horse is like the devil," de Soto commented. "It's useless if it doesn't let anyone near!"

Toronado reared as Diego neared the fence and let out a small whistle. "Yes, he is magnificent, but I will get him used to me."

"And how will you manage that?" de Soto asked curiously.

Diego grinned and pulled something out of his pocket, approaching the fence. Toronado didn't back up but came closer instead. In one of his outstretched hands Diego held something white and in the other he held an apple. Toronado took the apple from Diego's hand and let Diego caress him.

"How did you do that?" de Soto said, surprised. "I thought Toronado lets only your wife close to him?"

Diego unfolded the white cloth he had held in his left hand. "This is a handkerchief from my wife and bears her scent. Toronado recognized it when I approached him." de Soto glared at him.

"Don't even think about it, de Soto. You won't get neither the handkerchief nor my wife!" Diego sneezed into the handkerchief. "It's useless for you now anyway. You could try some of the bath scents of my wife instead. She likes roses and lavender."

De Soto glared at him angrily, but he knew when he was beaten. "Keep that devilish horse. It's of no use anyway if Zorro has truly left."

"Mendoza, take your men and return to the pueblo immediately."

"Si, mi alcalde." Happy to get away from Toronado, Mendoza hastily gathered his men to accompany the alcalde back to the pueblo. Diego saw them grinning behind the alcalde's back, making signs of smelling in a handkerchief. By night the story would be all over the pueblo.