Chapter 29: Very Bad News
This is not possible. Raquel thought staring at the young De la Vega. And then, she turned to her husband to gauge his reaction. This latter was smiling with satisfaction.
"You knew it?" She blew bemused.
"Would you have believed me if I had told you?" He questioned.
Raquel felt herself reddening; effectively the truth was so improbable.
Constancia observed her father, which was displaying a great calm, and she understood that this one must know the Fox's identity since a while.
The viceroy was observing Monastario and was surprised by his reaction. The former capitán was right since a while but didn't seem to be so surprised by this reveal; certainly less than his niece who was crying of emotion, no doubt because of Diego's proposal. But if you took a closer look, Constancia was also on the verge of tears.
"No, Don Diego, don't pass yourself off as Zorro... Zorro is too much... No." The sergeant whined.
Diego, who was tenderly kissing his ladylove, smiled as he heard the sergeant's comment. He stood up and helped Salena to do the same before turning toward Garcia.
"Sergeant, it would be better that I don't take the habit to end in your arms." He said by taking off the bandage around his head and disclosing the mark that the shot left on him.
This supplementary evidence, and Diego's words, confused his mind... He staggered and leant on the tree next to him.
"I would have preferred that you really hit your head." He moaned.
"Take some wine, it will do you well." The young don said by taking a glass on the tray that Crescencia was bringing.
"Gracias, Don Diego." The latter said by catching the drink.
"Señor Monastario, you should take example." Don Alejandro came to whisper to him while Cresencia froze in the middle of the yard in front of her patrón's outfit.
"I beg your pardon." He astonished.
Smiling, Don Alejandro discreetly indicated him Señorita De Santa Anna by giving him a drink.
"You weren't alone in the patio." He slipped before going closer to his son, leaving Enrique looking dazed and red of confusion.
Isabella noticed it.
"What do you have, Uncle?"
"I... Nothing." He stammered by looking toward Angela who was remaining silent and as surprised as the others.
Don Donatio was watching Diego with a puzzled eye. The last time he saw Zorro being unmasked, it turned out finally that the young De la Vega wasn't Zorro. Was it again a hoax?
"Diego De la Vega!" The governor exclaimed once he retrieved the use of the word.
Leonar was trying to distinguish the Fox's features on Diego, and she should recognize that his silhouette could effectively match him. But what about his fighting ways?
"When's the wedding ceremony?" Felipe asked, at his side.
"I have to discuss it with Salena and my father, Padre." Diego explained by smiling.
"Is Zorro counting on being part of the guests?" He asked mischievous.
"Who knows..."
"Don Diego, in two weeks I will organize a little festival in Los Angeles with some activities, including a fencing tournament. Would you be willing to participate as yourself?" The capitán interrogated.
The young don remained silent.
"I doubt that the citizens bet on Don Diego's victory."
"That's well the purpose of the game, Sergeant." Alejandro said, as he understood where Toledano was getting at.
"Diego, in two weeks you will recover enough if you wisely rest at the hacienda." Avila intervened.
"He will need serious opponents." Monastario slipped with a sparkling look.
"Of course." Toledano asserted. "However, Don Diego, during this festival, plan to have a scarf around your head... Everyone saw Zorro being wounded yesterday in the end of the afternoon."
"And how do we justify Diego's absence to the pueblo during the next two weeks?" The sergeant asked.
"Diego was injured when he wanted to go to the pueblo the day before yesterday, it should be sufficient. Otherwise, let's keep on passing him for dead. After all, we weren't here anymore when Doctor Avila certified the contrary." Toledano suggested cunningly.
"Señores, Señoritas, I ask you simply one thing. For the moment, keep for yourself the Fox's identity."
"Cresencia." Alejandro called by seeing her still frozen in the middle of the yard.
"Si... Si, Patrón." She stammered by coming closer to him.
"Don't be afraid, my dear." He said cheerfully. "Keep the secret, you also, I beg you, and take a drink, it will do well to you."
"Si, no... Gracias." She stuttered before taking a hold on herself and bringing a drink to each guest.
Diego looked around him at the reactions still visible of each. He guessed they were eager for answers, but he was feeling exhausted and let go of Salena's hand.
"I know that many of you are willing to hear some explanations, but I have the regret to inform you that your answers must wait."
"De la Vega?" Monastario interrogated by staring at him.
He found him pale... Diego wasn't at his best form. Enrique put then his glass between his niece's hands and then hurried to his side by seeing him tottering, catching him narrowly.
"Diego!" Alejandro and Salena exclaimed.
"We will have seen everything!" Don Donatio let slip as he still couldn't get over it. Not only that the young De la Vega turned out to really be Zorro, but also his old enemy had a curious reaction towards him.
"Gracias." Diego whispered as he held on tight to him.
"You overestimated your strength, De la Vega, you should lose this habit." Enrique sighed making him smile.
"Son?"
"I'm fine, Father, I just had a passing dizziness."
"You should go rest, Don Diego." Avila asserted.
"That's what I was counting to do, Doctor... Gracias, Señor Monastario." He said by letting go of him. "I wish you all a good end of evening. Please excuse me not to be able to stay longer with you." He saluted by signing to Bernardo to come.
...
Diego left and the discussion resumed around the festival to organize. Doña Isabella and Doña Salena excused themselves at their turn before going back in their bedrooms. Monastario was still thoughtful after what Alejandro suggested him. He didn't know the señorita enough to make such a proposal. Lost in his thought, he went away of the group, followed by Doña Angela who he hadn't seen. And so, when she called him out he was startled.
"I'm sorry to have scared you." She said with confusion.
"Don't worry, Señorita. What can I do for you?" He interrogated.
"This man, Señor De la Vega... Zorro... I don't understand how you can remain so calm by now knowing his secret."
"Don't be so sure, Señorita. It has been a long time since I learned it... Did you hear the story with El Diablo?"
"Si... This bandit seemed to be terrifying. But what is the connection?"
"During this case, what Don Diego omitted to tell and, I thank him for that, it's that on my part I tried to prove that he was the Fox. At that time, I was feeling a strong hostility towards him... But I had a brush with death and Zorro led me to the mission to be treated... I was then a wanted man."
"Dios." She whispered.
"He judged preferably to put me between God's hands rather than the ones of the lancers. During my convalescence, Don Diego came to see me... He wasn't alone. My niece, Doña Isabella De la Cruz, was with him. It was the beginning of a period of thought as for my past acts."
"Doña Isabella is your niece?"
"Si. Don Diego saved her from El Diablo's claws more than once and he nearly lost his life at each encounter... This is part of what opened my eyes as for my person." He confessed, thoughtful.
"I don't understand how a man as formidable as you, could have done so much harm." She whispered by tenderly laying a hand on his torso.
"Formidable? Don't exaggerate, Señorita."
"Call me Angela, Señor... And I don't exaggerate if I believe Señor De Granada."
"Then, call me Enrique, Angela." He retorted by covering her hand with his.
Suddenly, Monastario realized that they weren't alone and cleared his throat by taking a few steps back for distance.
"Please excuse me, these are not manners." He whispered by kissing her hand.
Angela realized the embarrassment in which she put him and reddened of confusion. However, malicious, she took benefit of the situation to steal him another kiss. Confused, but faster than her, he caught her arm as she was going to run away once again. Surprised, she turned to him. Monastario's look was saying a lot about his intentions.
To hell, tittle-tattle... He thought before bending to her to tenderly kissing her.
"It seems to me that I will have a second wedding ceremony to organize." Felipe whispered while Alejandro made signs to his guests to discreetly go back in the hacienda .
Although the event could be judged outrageous, the only one to be really shocked was the governor. Alejandro and the viceroy were still smiling. Leaving his friends discussing about it, Avila went to find Diego and Bernardo, giving one last recommendation to the manservant. Then, he went back to the sala where he noticed that Monastario and the señorita came back, keeping some distance between them. They knew that their behaviors were inappropriate; nonetheless, the feelings they felt for each other were well real, and they were conscious about that.
The evening ended just a few minutes after and the guests left for Los Angeles in spite of Don Alejandro's proposal to give them a room for the night.
...
The two following weeks passed at a crazy pace. The banns were published the day after Diego's proposal to Salena for a wedding which would take place two weeks later.
The rumor ran in Los Angeles that Don Diego was taken for Zorro and it was the reason of his assault. Everybody knew that if it was the case, he could have defended himself and gotten himself out easily, yet in this case... Don Diego had brushed with death and owed his life to Señor Monastario...
This latter came even closer of Señorita De Santa Anna during this lapse of time; and finally, he dared to propose to her. However, the answer of his beloved wasn't the one awaited... Yes, she wanted to marry him; nonetheless, he needed the consent of her brother who she was awaiting a letter since her freeing. Enrique briefly lost his smile, but immediately proved his advances by saying he would go to Mexico City if necessary. Angela had cried of emotion and that was how Isabella realized what was happening.
Although happy for her uncle, she experienced a hint of jealousy when she realized that she would lose him once again . Bernardo had unexpectedly discovered her sadness and tried to learn more. It was little Diego who explained him what he understood for the great surprise of Monastario who overheard the confession of his little nephew. Enrique went to find Isabella with Angela, he needed to clear things and it was with a great emotion that Isabella accepted the facts... By crying with joy.
The day before the wedding day, which coincided with the one of the festival, Diego went to find Bernardo. He had some doubts about the use of his right arm... Yes, he could move it freely. Yes, the pain had disappeared... But, he wasn't sure about the rest.
After some sparring of high rank, Diego felt a pain in his back and in his arm which didn't stop him to unarm Bernardo as usual.
On their side, Salena and Alejandro were ending a discussion.
"I'm not sure that it is a good idea, Doña Salena."
"Don Alejandro... I was taught a lot." She smiled. "Furthermore, I know to stop myself when it doesn't go well." She added mischievous.
"Very well... But stay careful. I will feel guilty if anything happens to you."
…
At the pueblo, the preparations for the festival, supposed to begin as soon as the wedding ceremony would be over, were nearly complete . After having gone to Monterey, the viceroy and the governor came back to Los Angeles. They didn't want in any case to miss the fencing tournament. But the news they brought to the capitán was hardly good. Indeed, the boat in charge of leading the prisoners back to Spain had been scuttled and sunk. A part of the crew managed to get out of it; however, it wasn't the case for all the prisoners whom some bodies were still not found. When Toledano asked about Señor De Otsoa, both men remained silent a moment.
"It's well there the problem." Don Esteban underlined... "No one seemed to know him and by pressing the searches, I learnt that he wasn't among the prisoners on board the boat."
"What do you mean?" Toledano exclaimed.
"What do I mean? Simply that this man is in nature. When we saw him at the hacienda, he was injured. As for how he escaped, I couldn't tell you. Is he still alive? I can't answer either... Capitán, hush this news to Diego until tomorrow. It is useless to trouble him with this for the moment."
"But he is in danger..."
"But he is in a state to defend himself, this time. We met Doctor Avila on the plaza, he asserted us never has he had a patient who recovered so quickly."
"And if we double the numbers of guards tomorrow, it will risk giving him a clue." The governor commented.
"Don't forget that Don Sebastián is known of all the citizens. He won't risk coming to Los Angeles without also being at his best form and having a plan in mind." Toledano argued.
"Or coming as another person..." Don Esteban added. "I'm sorry to have announced you this today, but it was imperative that you know it."
"Don't worry, Viceroy. It won't keep me from sleeping. I already have a lot to do to keep an eye on the sergeant to prevent him from speaking about Zorro." He joked. "Viceroy, Governor, I have to think of a strategy to adopt for tomorrow's ceremony and festival. If you will excuse me."
"Good evening, Capitán." They saluted him at their turn, leaving him lost in thought.
