Silence fell over the patio, then the sounds of the buggy leaving, seemed to startle the men into a sense of awareness again. The heat of the day was beginning to become oppressive. Diego moved around, distracted by geraniums for a few moments, aware of the confused frown on his father's face. A few tiny birds chirping interrupted the silence.

Each waited for each other to speak first. Diego needed somewhere quiet to consider outcomes and strategies around the issues that Patricio had brought up, in case anyone seriously considered them. He sighed, realising that his father needed to talk.

Zzz

"I am concerned about you," Alejandro said slowly.

"Father…I…"

"No, don't run off… I need to speak with you over many issues, young man."

Diego sighed a little. "You honestly think that I am Zorro?"

"No, the man is obviously struggling with reality. Don't throw quips at me, Diego. I don't wish to deal with nonsense today, but reality."

Diego gazed at his father's face and nodded. "Shall we go to the library? It's often cooler in there," Diego said, trying to steer his father somewhere more comfortable.

Alejandro felt steered a little, and wondered about the move. There was no harm in retiring to the library to get out of the heat. That was a sensible move – why did he feel manipulated?

"What seems to be troubling you?" Diego said, as they both sat in the library.

Alejandro frowned a little. He felt a little patronised and he didn't like it. "You are making a name for yourself…"

"What do you mean?"

"The pueblo is talking about you and Isabella. The whole town knows that you were eating together in the newspaper office…alone…"

"Hardly a crime. It's not as if I would seduce the lady, Father…"

"It's not right…if you are courting you need a chaperone, and if you are not, then why the hell are you being so ill mannered!"

Diego startled at the strange rise in his father's voice, and the fact that a curse word had entered the conversation was not the best sign either.

"I am aware of her position. I am aware of mine. We did nothing to be ashamed of," Diego said calmly. "All she did was bring me food. Victoria did the same…"

"Another thing," Alejandro said, taking a deep breath. He wasn't going to apologise for swearing but he was going to try not to do it again. "Victoria. Someone said you stole a kiss the other day…"

Diego laughed in surprise. It took a few moments to stop. "Stole a kiss? A kiss?"

"Compose yourself… I'm to understand that is an exaggeration?" Alejandro said, sighing at his ridiculous son.

"An exaggeration? An outright misunderstanding!"

"What happened?"

"You don't trust me anyway. Why should I even talk to you?" Diego folded his arms against his chest, and frowned like a little boy.

"Your side of the story, let's say," Alejandro said, choosing to ignore the sulking.

"It was Destara who stole the kiss. I rescued Victoria, or who knows what the man would have done?" Diego rose and paced the room, and his father watched him puzzled.

Alejandro contemplated his son and his reaction to the gossip. The laughter had seemed triggered by shock, and had an undercurrent of incredibility. There had also been something in his eyes…an element of pain.

"I'm sorry, Diego. I am worried about you. You are behaving very oddly lately."

"How so?"

"I know about the bank robbers. I think you are hunting down information in the middle of the night. You weren't in your bed until after midnight, but no one knows what you are doing. I went through your desk at the office-"

"You had no right to do that…"

"Listen, let me finish… You will get yourself killed, and you are obviously not thinking straight about your life right now. You need stability and an anchor. You need to get married."

"I don't need to get married. Isabella is fine, her reputation is fine. Victoria is fine, no stolen kisses from Diego de la Vega this week."

"What about Patrice?"

"What about Patrice? She is responsible for caring for her father, and we all saw what his health is like today. She obviously is putting that first for the moment."

"You could marry the girl and help her care for Don Patricio. At least it would not be dull… I would think it would be nice to be confused with Zorro every now and then."

"I am not interested in marriage," Diego said. Alejandro flinched at the steel in his son's voice. Diego's eyes glittered with icy rage, much like his mother's when she had lost her temper.

"Diego…"

"Leave me alone, Father. Stay out of my way," Diego said, storming off through the front door. The slam was worthy of one of Alejandro's.

Zzz

Diego chose Dulcinea from the stables, alarming the head groom.

"Patron, Esperanza is ready for you," he said, trying to convince his young employer. "Dulcinea…is in a bad mood today."

"She's always in a bad mood, Martinez."

"Please, Don Diego. Your father's horse…"

"My father's horse is a lot faster than mine. I need to get somewhere in a hurry."

Martinez crossed himself frantically. "Your father…"

"I take full responsibility for my actions. I'm not a child, Martinez."

Martinez watched as the caballero mounted the wildest horse in the de la Vega stables expertly, and immediately had full control of the horse. He stepped back in alarm, as Diego urged the mare into a gallop, and watched in bewilderment as the man rushed out of the stables and across the plain. Soon he was out of sight.

"Where did he learn to ride like that?" Martinez murmured.

Zzz

"Where is Dulcinea?" Alejandro asked, as Martinez glanced at the floor.

"Senor, Don Diego has her."

"Diego? How long ago?" Alejandro asked, immediately concerned for his son's safety. "We may need a search party."

"Dulcinea will return to the stables if there is an accident…"

"When there is an accident, you mean. Stupid, stupid boy. What is he playing at?" Alejandro said to himself.

"What other horses are available?"

"The only one who could match Dulcinea would be Esperanza, Senor. I'll saddle her, and I'll join you. Don Diego seemed very upset."

"You should have stopped him. He's not thinking clearly. It's amazing that Dulcinea hasn't lost her rider yet."

"It's been a few hours," Martinez said, nodding.

"A few hours?" Alejandro stared out at the plains where Diego must surely be riding, and shook his head.

"He said he was in a hurry to get somewhere…"

"Did he? That boy is a complete pest at the moment," Alejandro murmured, mostly to himself, as the other man went to saddle two horses. Alejandro was one of the best trackers in California. He would track his son, and catch up with him before nightfall. It wasn't as if Diego was a competent rider. He wouldn't outride him, surely? Dulcinea was fast, but only as fast as her rider would ride her.