CHAPTER SIX

Diego and Victoria were still embracing as Don Miguel descended the tavern's staircase. He stared at the couple gloomily.

His desire for revenge had left him empty. He knew now the de la Vega lad did not murder his son. The evidence clearly pointed to someone else, in all likelihood some poor girl Alonzo had raped. Would there be another bastard the boy had left behind? Don Miguel had learned of four of them in Spain. That embarrassment and his son's peculiarity had forced him to sell most of his business enterprises there and seek opportunities elsewhere.

He had just wanted to find a quiet little town to settle down in and grow old peacefully while keeping Alonzo out of trouble. Montoya rued the day he stepped foot in the pueblo de Los Angeles. As soon as he spoke with the Alcalde, he would leave it forever.

"I am checking out, Señorita," he announced, causing Diego and Victoria to slowly draw apart. He placed his room key on the bar along with a large pile of bills. He looked remorsefully at Diego.

"I am sorry, Don Diego," he apologized, not only for himself but for his son. "I am on my way to speak with de Soto on your son's behalf. I know he is innocent of the arson charges. I believe he is innocent of Alonzo's murder as well."

"Gracias, Don Miguel," a stunned Diego replied. He looked at Victoria who was also surprised. "I am truly sorry for the loss of your son. I can understand why you would want to avenge him."

"'Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord,'" quoted Montoya. "I learned that the hard way." He moved past them on his way out the door. "Adios."

"I need to see Felipe," stated Diego. Victoria nodded and they also headed to the garrison, hand in hand, passing by the almost completed construction of the gallows in the middle of the plaza.

Z Z Z

"Visitors to see you, mi Alcalde," Mendoza announced to de Soto who was sitting at his desk. The commandante glared at his subordinate.

"I'm very busy, Sergeant," he stated peevishly. "What do they want?"

"She said she wanted to see you personally, Sir," the portly soldier replied.

"She?" queried the alcalde. Was it Margarita? They had not parted on the best of terms. Perhaps she was here to give him another chance. "Show her in, Mendoza."

But it was not his ladylove who entered his office but a familiar looking young woman and a lad a few years younger. Recognition dawned on him as he remembered the girl working at the tavern. "What do you want?" he questioned impatiently, staring balefully at the shabbily dressed siblings.

"I killed Don Alonzo Montoya," Marta declared without preamble. Her voice was a monotone as she recited the rest of her confession. "I met him walking down by the river. He asked me my name and told me I was pretty. The next thing I knew, he pushed me onto the ground and he raped me. His knife fell out of his boot and he didn't know I had picked it up. I just wanted him to stop hurting me so I stabbed him."

De Soto's expression was incredulous. "You expect me to believe such a preposterous tale? Don Alonzo's murderer is in my jail awaiting his execution," he checked his watch, " in less than an hour."

Mendoza nervously poked his head into the office. "Don Miguel to see you, Alcalde."

"Tell him I will be just a minute," de Soto advised before turning his attention to the young woman standing in front him. But before he could tell her to take her outrageous lie and get out, Montoya bullied his way inside.

"I am leaving Los Angeles, Alcalde," he asserted forcefully. "But before I go, I must tell you it was my son who started the fires around town. He has. . .had a fascination with fire. . . These aren't the first acts of arson he committed. It was one of the reasons we left Spain. So you can rescind your tax and leave the merchants in peace."

"But Don Miguel," Ignacio pleaded as he jumped from his chair. "What about your revenge? After all, your son died here, you should exact your retribution upon the citizens who allowed it to happen. So what if he set a few fires? I'm sure they were accidents."

"No, they were no accidents," said the other man. "He deliberately set them. Like I said, he gained some kind of pleasure from watching the flames. I have made donations to the people whose property he damaged with his reckless obsession." He turned to go.

"But, Señor Montoya. . ." De Soto rose to his feet, as if he was hoping to physically prevent him from leaving.

"You are Señor Montoya?" Marta asked, cutting off the alcalde's tirade.

Don Miguel spun back around. "Yes."

She drew out something from her skirt pocket. "Do you recognize this?" She held up a dagger.

"Si, that was Alonzo's," replied the don as she handed it to him. "His grandfather gave it to my son for his eighteenth birthday, right before he passed away." He eyed her curiously. "How did you get it?"

"She was telling me some absurd fable about murdering your son," de Soto said with a chuckle. "Loco, isn't it. We both know who the real killer is."

"Do we, Alcalde?" questioned Montoya sarcastically. He spoke gently to Marta. "Tell me what happened."

She repeated her story once again, this time though, her voice cracked a little. When she had finished, Don Miguel leaned over de Soto's desk and glared into his face. "I think she is telling the truth. She has no reason to lie. And why else would she have Alonzo's knife? If you insist on hanging de la Vega, you will be killing an innocent man."

The fury the alcalde saw in the other man's eyes made him realize it would be expedient for him to change his mind. "Very well," he acquiesced ungraciously. "Mendoza!"

The stout sergeant practically fell into the room as he had been eavesdropping at the door. His smile threatened to split his face as he saluted. "Si, mi Alcalde."

"Release de la Vega," de Soto hissed. He plopped back down into his chair, utterly defeated.

Padre Benitez was only about halfway though his ritual when Mendoza burst into the jail. "Good news," he declared, searching for the key that unlocked the cell door. "Felipe has been acquitted!"

"That is indeed good news," agreed the priest. He turned to the astounded Felipe. "My son, you are free."

He could not comprehend what they were saying to him. Even the sergeant opening the barred door did nothing to dispel the fog that had settled over him. Mendoza tugged on his arm, pulling him from the cell.

Dios mio! It was not a dream. Felipe glanced at the padre then the sergeant who were both grinning happily. One thought filled his head and he took off running, not seeing the people in the office as he pushed past them. Not even noticing the astonished Diego and Victoria as they were about to enter the cuartel.

Felipe threw open the door of the dressmaking shop. Not finding anyone in the front of the building, he headed toward the back where the Ortegas had their living quarters.

"Felipe!" the stunned Ana Maria cried out, clutching her dress to her bosom. She had been in the middle of dressing when the breathless young man rushed into her bedroom. "What happened? Did you escape? Wh..."

He interrupted her barrage of questions by kissing her long and hard. Her dress fell to the floor as she wrapped her arms around him. It was many minutes later before they drew apart and Felipe realized she was only wearing her chemise. They gazed at each other, both thinking of the night before and its implications now.

"Hola?" Diego's voice rang out from the entrance of the shop. Ana Maria then also noticed her lack of attire and shoved Felipe toward the door.

"Let me get dressed," she whispered. He nodded and stepped into the small hallway. Seconds later, the young woman emerged, demurely covered in a lavender dress.

"There you are," Diego said as the young couple walked into the storefront. Victoria was by his side. "Did he tell you he has been set free?"

"Why?" Ana Maria asked the question that was in Felipe's eyes as well.

"Marta Bautista has confessed to the murder," Victoria explained. "She is the one who he. . ."

Felipe and Ana Maria looked at each other in dismay. It was true the girl had caused a lot of trouble in their relationship, but they would not wish what happened to her on anyone.

It was a truly joyful group, however, who made their way to the tavern. Leonora and Mendoza joined them en route. They sobered a little as Don Miguel, Marta and her brother emerged from the garrison.

"We need to pray for her," Leonora stated solemnly. "And give thanks for Felipe's release as well."

They all nodded and turned toward the adobe church.

Z Z Z

Don Alejandro joined the celebration in progress at the tavern a short while later. Diego was glad to see the years melt away from his father's face. He had not been so wrapped up in his own despair that he had not noticed how frail the elder de la Vega had seemed the past week. It made him very aware of the older man's mortality.

And his own as well. Diego felt an urgent need to provide his father with those longed for grandchildren. Somehow, and soon, he vowed; he needed to convince the woman he desired to be the mother of those children to become his wife.

Mendoza informed them that Don Miguel had offered to marry Marta if it turned out that she was carrying his son's child. He needed an heir now that Alonzo was dead. The young woman had wanted to think it over, but deep down she knew she would accept the offer if she was pregnant. It was what she wanted after all, a rich husband who would take care of her. The fact he was nearly thirty years older than she was a bit unnerving but she could learn to tolerate it.

Diego shot a look at Felipe, who turned away guiltily. He realized his adopted father had somehow discovered what he and Ana Maria did last night. Diego drew him aside and made his son look him in the eye.

"We'll see what develops," was all the older man said. Felipe nodded, vowing the intimacy he and Ana Maria shared the previous evening would not be repeated until they were wed. Which might be sooner than planned if she was expecting his baby. A smile lit up her beautiful face as Ana Maria noticed his gaze upon her. Felipe could not stop himself from grinning broadly as he made his way toward her.

Diego turned around to find Victoria staring at him oddly. When she noticed his regard, she motioned for him to follow her into the kitchen. Once there, they stared at each other for several moments.

Then she said his name at the same time he said hers. They both laughed nervously, then he gallantly offered, "Ladies first."

"I am glad Felipe was found innocent," she said. "You were magnificent in court. You should have become a lawyer."

"Gracias." He sighed. "I do have a keen interest in the law, but I just dabble really. Besides, it would take time away from my other pursuits, my experiments, art, poetry. . ."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I think you use those things to cover up your true nature," she declared. "I've seen you lend a hand when work needs to be done. You're not the gentleman of leisure you want everyone to think you are."

He laughed, a bit nervously, she thought. "'A strong body makes the mind strong'. . .Thomas Jefferson," he quoted. Running his hand through his hair, he continued, "You've been a good friend this week. My father, Felipe, and I will never forget it."

Victoria closed her eyes. Friend. A month ago, the word wouldn't have bothered her. But now. . . How could she explain she thought she might be falling in love with him? Especially since it was obvious he only wanted friendship from her. He had admitted to Zafira he was in love with some mysterious woman who didn't love him back. And despite her growing feelings for Diego, she still loved Zorro. It was all a tangled hopeless mess that she didn't know how to remedy.

"Gracias," she finally said, shrugging as nonchalantly as she could. "I just did what I could to help. . .a friend."

Diego had the suspicion that was not what she had really wanted to say. And the 'friend' stung him more than he cared to admit. He ached to be so much more to her. To be her husband, her lover, the father of her children and yes, her friend too. He sighed.

"De nada," he replied. Their relationship had changed this past week. Despite what she had said, he sensed Victoria was starting to see him in a different light, perhaps even as a suitor. There were still barriers between them though, ones he didn't think would be swept away any time soon. But, oh, how he hoped he was wrong.

Z Z Z

FIN