Part Twelve: Departures, Arrivals and Decisions
Magdalena paced her room all the morning, and into the afternoon. Now she was doubting her wisdom in vowing to not gain position as a maid. If she did plan to pass herself off as a maid, she shouldn't have changed her clothes, but she also recognized that she didn't want to be a maid again.
The evening came. Her stomach growled and she placed a hand to it. She had to go down, and get something to eat. She quickly adjusted her hair and hurried down the stairs, forgoing the cloak. She felt men's gazes as she descended the stairs, and knew she couldn't dine here. The innkeeper, upon spying her, started. He looked around him, frantically trying to find someone in the crowded room. He didn't seem to spy them, and, with a look of disappointment on his face, started to a waitress. Magdalena reached him before he did, and his face fell.
"Buenos noches, Senorita Herrera," he stumbled, his gaze darting around her, seemingly beseeching someone to appear. This angered her. What on earth was wrong with the man?
"May I have some dinner brought to my room?" She asked him rather stiffly.
"Uh, in your room, senorita?"
"Si, my room!"
"But senorita, what is wrong with down here?" He spread his hands wide.
"I just wish to dine alone."
"But there are so many handsome young dons in Monterey now! You might catch their eye, if you dine down here."
"I wish to dine alone. I will be waiting in my room," she said firmly, and made her way back up the stairs.
Diego came out of his room for dinner and hurried down the stairs to the innkeeper.
"Well, senor, where is the mysterious lady?" He asked.
"You just missed her!" He exclaimed. "She insisted on eating in her room! I tried to delay her, but," he shrugged.
"Do you think it is so urgent I must speak to her tonight?"
"I suppose not. You just enjoy your dinner." He walked swiftly away.
Diego shrugged and sat down. He planned to leave in the morning, and leave Monterey far behind him.
Magdalena decided while eating her dinner to leave the next morning, early. She had questioned the waitress who had brought the tray when the coach for Los Angeles would leave, and was told it was the next morning. She'd go to Los Angeles and tell her father the whole tale. He may not believe her, but he might still accept her again. She left the tray outside her door and painstakingly removed her dress. It looked like she'd be sleeping in a corset.
Living with Constancia, Dulce had always grudgingly helped her, as she would have helped Dulce, if Dulce wore a corset. But now there was no one. She supposed she could ask a maid, but felt reluctant to do so, and simply prepared for her early departure the next day, and slipped into bed.
She awoke early, and dressed as swiftly as possible, pulled the cloak tight and went downstairs. The innkeeper was there, and she approached him.
"The horse I came with, would you send him to the Viceroy's daughter, with, uh, Miranda's compliments?"
"Si." He paused. "You leave now?"
"Si, on the coach to Los Angeles."
"I wish you a good trip. Vaya con Dios."
"Gracias." She told him, and he smiled faintly as she slipped outdoors to wait for the coach.
"I just spoke with the innkeeper. The coach to Los Angeles left this morning. I was thinking we could ride to catch up with them; give the driver extra protection against banditos. Should we do that? You would gain company to travel with." Bernardo shrugged. "Well then, we will join up with them. Finish packing, so we can have time to do so."
Magdalena boarded the coach without incident. There were three other passengers—a mother and daughter called Juliana and Isabelle, and a man. None were very talkative; Magdalena only caught the mother and daughters' names from overhearing their conversation. The man seemed sullen, disappointed, as though he hadn't wished to leave Monterey.
Magdalena relaxed against the seat, trying to block out her surroundings. She kept her hands tightly clenched around the cloak's fastenings, and kept her face cast down, so the hood would not slip. They had been riding awhile when the coach slowly rolled to a stop; they were being hailed. Magdalena shrunk down in her seat, and listened carefully.
"Buenos dias!" The rider called. "If I may, I will ride alongside, me and my manservant, to give you extra protection, and gain companionship for ourselves." The voice was so familiar, but Magdalena barely dared to believe her ears. She leaned forward to look through the window and jumped back as though burned. Diego de la Vega was outside, astride Torcedor, unless she was much mistaken.
"Si, I will accept your offer, and gladly!" The driver told Diego."Gracias."
"No, no, my thanks to you. I do not like traveling alone." Diego returned. The coach resumed its steady pace. Magdalena's heart seemed to beat twice as fast. It was thumping so frantically she pressed her hand to her chest to try and still it. Oh, she couldn't let Diego see her! She had no idea what she 'knew' of her current circumstances. He may think very harshly of her.
She felt sudden anger at the thought that he might. Why should he? Did he know what she had done? Did he know any of the whys? She needed to think this through. The coach made a few stops, to change horses. That was when the passengers had the opportunity to relieve themselves or eat. If she kept her head down at those times, Diego wouldn't recognize her. She might be a bit conspicuous in the cloak; more so if he caught a glimpse of the dress beneath it, but he would surely be too discreet to actively force her to reveal herself, and if he asked questions she could feign modesty, and shyness, and refuse to answer them. But young senoritas still didn't travel alone. Oh, curses! As long as Diego minded his own business, she would be fine, she finally deduced, and tried to stop her thoughts from returning to the subject.
The hours crawled by. There were two thankfully uneventful stops. Her fellow passengers remained silent. Diego spoke no more. You could hear the light clip-clop of Torcedor's hooves, but her rider remained silent. The coach rattled on, until it stopped for the night at a mission.
"There is no inn close by," the driver explained as he helped them out. "But there is no need for distress. The monks expect us. I always stop here." The padre was an older man, Padre Ramon. He came to greet them. "Come to the kitchen, you must be starved! There is a hot meal for you."
Diego was still by the horses. Magdalena walked past without his noticing her, and followed Padre Ramon as he led them to the kitchen. They passed a few monks on their way, who lowered their heads and stood still as they waited for them to pass. When they reached the kitchen, Diego had still not joined them. He must be tending to his horses, Magdalena thought. There was tea, beans with meat, rice and oranges. The oranges were sweet, but not quite as good as Inez's. Magdalena ate as swiftly as manners would allow, and finished just as Diego entered with Bernardo. He ducked his head to come through the doorway, and smiled as Padre Ramon greeted him. A servant had come to clear away the things, and that distracted her, and she missed Diego's quiet conversation with the Padre. Noticing she was done, Padre Ramon sent a servant bearing a candle with Magdalena to her room for the night.
The women's quarters were far away from the men's. Magdalena undressed quickly, wanting to be done before she was joined by Juliana and Isabelle. She was indeed in bed by the time they entered, and easily blocked out their quiet conversation, as tired as she was. They would be leaving early tomorrow. She slept uneasily, waking long before dawn, and taking care of all her needs before her companions awoke. She pulled the cloak on, but left the hood down, at least for a while. The sky got lighter. She heard the monks praying the Angelus. It was six o'clock. They were leaving at seven.
She left the room and made her way to the kitchen, happy that she could recall the way. When she got there, though, she pulled up short. Diego stood there, talking with the coach driver, Lopez was his name. Diego wore a light brown suit, and his tie was not on; it hung in his hand. His shirt was unbuttoned low enough to reveal a small patch of hair. Magdalena felt her cheeks grow warm watching him.
Lopez was speaking of the possible bandito attack, planning strategies with Diego. Lopez was a short, talkative man, friendly and kind. Diego's manner seemed very soft; he wasn't on guard at all. The conversation veered to past banditos.
"The most memorable one I ever encountered was a single man, but he was a crack shot, and never missed. I carried three rich passengers, whose own carriage had been derailed. This bandito came riding down from the hills, all in gray, his face covered. He shot, just once, and it cut the reins, tearing them from my hands. I pulled the brake and the horses stopped. I sat and waited for him, quaking in my boots. He rode right up and ordered the passengers out. It was a family, with a daughter. He leaned down and she took his hand and joined him on the horse, apologizing to her parents, but, I love him! she cried. They were away in a flash. We couldn't pursue them. I had to mend the reins. Her parents were furious, disowning her, but I was rejoicing. She was brave, to follow her heart like that. If I had children. I'd want them to be just like that bandito and his love. They knew what they wanted, and they took it." He smiled just thinking of it.
Diego was also smiling. "Such freedom must have felt wonderful to them. I wish I could feel such liberty."
"You are young, rich and handsome! What can you not do? What does your life lack?" Lopez exclaimed.
Diego shrugged. "I have many responsibilities; that is all. Sometimes I wish to be free of them."
But then Juliana and Isabelle came up behind Magdalena, looking taken aback to find her lurking in the hallway. She stepped back to let them go in front of her, listening for a moment as Lopez and Diego took their leave. She then walked in to breakfast, avoiding her companion's curious gazes. She left the hood down, keeping a sharp watch for Diego. He didn't reenter the kitchen. She raised her hood and kept her face downcast as she walked to the coach. The driver helped her in, then Juliana and Isabelle, and soon came the man, looking disheveled and sleepy still.
Diego came walking out, and though he looked thoughtful as he spoke with Padre Ramon, there was a swing in his step. He had put his tie on. He looked very handsome, and while as he continued to speak with the Padre a crease grew in his brow, he remained happy. She smiled and leaned back in her seat, pleased to see him no longer so tense as he had been in Los Angeles. Life must be going well for him. That was very good news for her.
The coach started, and Magdalena sighed. Even as happy as Diego was, she didn't dare approach him. Who knew how he would react to seeing her? Hatred from him would be agonizing but indifference even worse. What if he didn't even care? Didn't remember? What if those days had held no significance to him? They rode on. The man got off, and wasn't replaced. Magdalena fingered her purse, suddenly doubting the wisdom in going to Los Angeles. Her father wouldn't expect her. He might not even acknowledge her. Oh, she hoped he would believe her tale. The coach stopped suddenly, and Magdalena jounced forward, almost falling off her seat.
The driver came around and opened the door. "This is not a planned stop, but there are rumors of banditos up ahead—a man rode to warn us. I think it is best to stop for the night; there is an inn here. We'll start again tomorrow." A cautious feeling fell over the group. Diego wasn't smiling as he and Bernardo dismounted. Magdalena only briefly touched Lopez's hand as he helped her down. She didn't want to go to Los Angeles. She decided to steal away in the night, and try to buy a horse. She would ride somewhere, anywhere, but not Los Angeles.
"This place is known for the banditos that haunt it," Lopez told Diego as he led Torcedor and Ocaso, Bernardo's horse, to the stables.
Lopez had an anxious look on his face as he watched Diego tend the horses. "It is most interesting, that you do this yourself, and sent your manservant on ahead to eat."
Diego shrugged. "Bernardo tended the horses last night, when I went ahead. We split the chores. It makes it easier on both of us."
Lopez smiled. "I wish I worked for you. Oh, but I need to speak with you. If we are visited by banditos in the night, it won't be the first time this inn has been held up. I want to keep watch. Will you help me?" He looked very uneasy, and his tone was pleading.
"Of course I will." Diego assured him, clapping him on the shoulder; he had finished with the horses, and now they started back to the inn. Lopez showed Diego the inn's layout, and he concentrated for a moment, thinking out positions. "And so will Bernardo. I will guard the staircase, you will watch the back entrance and Bernardo will be at the side, in the storeroom."
Lopez nodded eagerly. "Gracias, muchas gracias. Buenos noches. Let us pray no one comes, eh?"
"Buenos noches. And we certainly will." Diego told him. Lopez hurried off through the door to the back entrance. Bernardo looked questioningly at Diego. "I know you wanted to sleep, but this is more important. Lopez is a good man. It would not do for his passengers to be held up, especially when they are all women." Bernardo signed quickly and Diego responded.
"Of course the one in the black cloak is a woman. Can't you tell? No man has a figure like that." Bernardo signed again.
Diego flushed slightly. "You thought the cloak covered her too well? I confess to have given her extra watching. What? She was mysterious!" Bernardo didn't believe his master and Diego laughed softly. "Well, maybe the mystery was not the only thing that attracted me to her."
Bernardo made an hourglass with his hands and Diego shoved him. "You go on. We have work to do, and it doesn't involve Zorro." Bernardo hurried off to the store room, and Diego was left alone in the tavern. He made his way up the stairs to the landing. There was a small alcove there, which he slipped into. Someone coming up or down wouldn't see him until it was too late. It was the perfect hiding place. Now I just have to make sure I don't fall asleep.
The clock downstairs struck two. Magdalena stood up and crept to the door, turning the knob slowly, inching the door open as she did. All was silent now the cloak had stopped striking. Magdalena slipped through the opening and closed the door behind her. She started, very slowly, to the stairs, and tiptoed down them, taking time on each step to pause and listen for any sounds. She stepped lightly, so they wouldn't creak. She had almost reached the landing when she heard the smallest sound, just an exhalation of breath, but she stopped immediately, feeling glued to the step. There were no more sounds. She started down again.
Diego remained awake and thankfully alert, not dozing even once during the night. It was just after two when he heard very soft footsteps on the stairs, and he immediately shrunk back farther into the alcove, pressing himself tight against the wall. The footsteps were going down. He waited with baited breath, cursing himself when he let out a breath too loudly. The footsteps stopped, for a very long moment. Diego closed his eyes and concentrated. The footsteps started again. A dark figure swept past him, and he reached out to grab it's arm.
A sound that could only be described as a yelp came from the figure, and it jerked away from his grasp, suddenly running so swiftly it appeared to float down the rest of the stairs. Diego immediately pursued it, going from his hiding place the instant he had lost his grip on it. The figure had reached the bottom of the stairs. Diego vaulted over the railing to up, but it still darted past. With his right hand, he grabbed it's right arm almost violently, and the figure, with a gasp, swung around to face him. The hood had fallen with the sudden motion, and Diego found himself looking at the face of Magdalena Montes.
Emotions from those two days spent with her came flooding into him, overriding all sense. Without thinking at all, Diego pulled her closed and lowered his mouth to hers.
The first touch of her lips was like fire burning through him; the second like wine. He kissed her deeply, letting all sorts of emotions pervade the kiss, from anger to deep, deep longing for her.
The smallest sigh, almost a moan, came from her and her fingertips came to rest gently on his cheeks. The kiss gentled and Diego felt startlingly secure in her embrace.
He pulled away slowly, regretfully, resting his forehead on hers. Her breath was coming quickly, as was his. His heartbeat was frenetic, and didn't seem to want to slow.
Then memories came crashing in, of Francisco's stumbling sentence explaining where she had gone, and what she had done, and who with.
"Magdalena, my Magdalene, she has…eloped…with a…a man. I—that is—she had led me to believe she meant to—well, you must have heard the rumors! She made me think she would settle down and now she tells me she is marrying a strange man. And she gives no direction, gives me no way to follow her, and prevent her from this tragic mistake."
Random words from it tumbled through Diego's mind, eloped, a man, rumors, marrying, strange, no directions, tragic mistake. Diego pulled away. The moment ended.
A/N: I took the easy way out in Monterey, because I did first intend for Magdalena to see Diego while still there. But then the plot took a different direction and I decided that Monterey should just play a minor part for Diego.