Happy Sunday, all. Thank you for your understanding for my absence. I am feeling much better now.

I think it's time we get to know Olivia a bit.

Enjoy!

Linny

Chapter Nine

The morning had come all too early for Diego. Rolling over in his bed, he stared up at the ceiling. It had been nearly dawn when Bernardo had finished telling him and his father everything he'd heard in the alleyway. Zorro had not gotten to ride and did not meet with the Lieutenant as he had wanted to do.

It could wait, though, he'd decided as Bernardo had unloaded everything else on them.

There was a new threat in Los Angeles. But, what was their purpose? What did they hope to achieve? And what did Olivia Walker have to do with any of it?

These were all questions he needed answers to. But, that would have to wait until later. He'd promised the señorita that he would introduce her to Don Tomas this morning and if he didn't get himself up and ready, he was going to be late.

He and Bernardo were going to have to keep a watchful eye over the Americana and her maid. With Lieutenant Allende's men out there, her life was in danger. If only Bernardo had seen the other man's face, it might have made things easier.

But, they would just have to keep their wits about them to keep both women safe.

Sighing as he sat up in bed, Diego swung his legs over the side and buried his tired face in his hands. He'd only gotten a few hours of sleep—two or three at most. He was mentally and physically exhausted, yet he knew he could not rest. Not with this new threat to his home.

He saw that Bernardo had laid him out his favorite tan suit and a white shirt. It was the perfect outfit for traveling over the rough and dusty California terrain. It was old and well-worn, yet it didn't take away from his appearance as a gentleman.

Getting to his feet, he shuffled over to the washbasin and poured some water from the full jug. The water was cool and refreshing; just what he needed to help clear his foggy mind. As he washed his face, he thought about the day ahead of him.

He'd been excited to spend the day with Señorita Walker. He wanted to learn more about her; find out what her life was like back home and what the drive inside of her was that convinced her to travel all the way to California on her own.

But, Bernardo's discovery the night before now cast a dark shadow over the day. Knowing that there was someone out there who wanted to take her life was all Diego could think about now. He knew he would constantly find himself looking over his shoulder to see if they were being followed. He would be worrying more about her safety than he would be enjoying the day.

He had considered canceling, but then he remembered the excited sparkle in her eye the morning before and knew he couldn't do it. Acting differently now would make her suspicious and make her realize that something was wrong.

Drying his face, Diego stripped out of his sleeping gown and began to dress. As he secured his crimson banda around his waist, he began working on knotting the matching cravat. He didn't like not knowing. He needed answers. But, unfortunately, that would have to wait until later.

Glancing at his appearance in the mirror, he noted the dark circles under his eyes and the pallid coloring in his cheeks. He would have to come up with an explanation for his lack of sleep, he was sure, but he could worry about that later. Smoothing back his hair, he reached for his hat. When he was satisfied with how he looked, he left the room and went in search of his manservant.

"Buenos días, señorita," Diego smiled at her in his usual, genial manner. He made certain his features didn't belay the worry he was feeling deep within his chest and hoped he didn't look as exhausted as he felt.

"Good morning, Diego," she greeted him, warmly. "It is a beautiful day for a ride, isn't it?"

"The beauty of the day is only rivaled by your own beauty, señorita." He spoke the truth. For even in a simple cream-colored blouse and cranberry red skirt, she looked ravishing. Her dark hair was tied back in a loose, windswept braid that was held together with a ribbon that matched her skirt. The few days she had already spent in the California sun had already begun to give her pale skin a healthy golden glow. And it was almost as if she would light up whenever she saw him. Her eyes sparkled and her lips were already curling up at the corners.

"You look quite dashing, yourself," she told him with a rosy blush dusting her cheeks.

He felt himself smile in response. Both for the words of her admiration and that she didn't seem to notice his mental state this morning. "Come, the carriage is just this way," he ushered her and Emily toward the two-seated surrey being pulled by four large horses. They stopped as a scream pierced through the quiet morning.

Outside of the stables, they all saw two men fighting to reign in a horse. She was up on her hind legs, her front kicking out at the man in front of her.

"Blasted beast!" the stableman cursed as he was knocked off balance and sent to the ground. "Hold her!" he ordered the other man.

"I am trying!" But, the man holding the reigns was losing his battle with the animal as well.

"She is so beautiful," Olivia said in awe.

Diego could only agree. It was beautiful. It was a dark gray with small white patches—almost like starbursts—all over. She was small in stature; he could only compare her size to Tornado in similarity. Slender, yet he could sense the power her slight form held. This was no workhorse, but one fit for riding.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Olivia take a step forward, but he stopped her when she took another. "I wouldn't get too close. She could be dangerous."

Her lips parted as if to argue, but she stopped herself and allowed him to lead her toward the carriage. Bernardo and Emily were already seated in the back while Diego offered his services to assist her in climbing aboard. Her smile of gratitude was all he needed as a response. And, as he circled around to the other side, he noted how her gaze drifted back over to the mare.

The creature had returned to all four hooves but was still agitated by the two men handling her. "I'll be glad to be rid of this one," the second man—a coachman—commented gruffly as he brushed the dirt from his clothes. "Nothing but trouble since I picked her up in San Diego."

"Let us get her into the stables," the stableman said as he wiped the sweat from his brow with a handkerchief.

"If you ask me, it is not worth the six months of advance pay," the coacherro told the other man as they struggled to get the horse to cooperate.

"What a pity," Olivia spoke softly. "The poor thing probably just wants to run."

"She seems like she still has a bit of wildness left in her," Diego commented as he settled into his seat and took the reins in hand.

Olivia settled in beside him as he steered the carriage onto the road. "I would pay a great deal of money for a horse like that."

"She has a bit too much spirit for my liking," he commented, retaining his cover that he was more of a man of books than action.

She shook her head. "Oh, not me. There is nothing better than riding like the wind over a vast field, your hair flying loose behind you with the beauty of nature all around you." She paused at Diego's chuckle, blushing with embarrassment at her musings. "You find that amusing, Diego?"

"Forgive me, it is just... you are not like the Spanish gentlewomen of California. They would be appalled at the slightest bit of dirt on their skirts."

"Well, I was raised around horses most of my life," she informed him.

"So were a great deal of them, yet that still doesn't change things." As they reached the outskirts of the city limits Diego allowed the horses to speed up a bit. It was another beautiful day and the scenery was quite lovely.

Along with the company.

"Are you enjoying your stay in California?" he asked after a few moments of companionable silence.

"Yes. I am. Even more so than I had expected. It is so beautiful here and the people are very kind. If I'm not certain, I may just fall in love with California."

Diego grinned. He enjoyed hearing her say those things. "What is your home like?"

"Virginia? Oh, it is nothing compared to this, but it is home. It is the most beautiful in the winter after a fresh snowfall, though. Every tree branch is blanketed with a fresh dusting of white. And, for just a short while, the world is silent and still."

"Your words paint a lovely picture. You must miss it."

"I do, but more than that, I miss my family. I have been working on a letter to send to my brothers about my experiences here. They would want to know every detail and I would enjoy telling them."

"What is your family like?"

She shook her head. "There isn't really much to tell."

"I can hardly believe that. I am an only child, myself, so I expect you and your bothers would be quite close."

One side of her mouth quirked up in the hint of a smile, yet there was sadness behind her eyes. "Yes, quite. It had to be that way after our parents died."

"I am very sorry to hear that. My mother is gone from this world as well."

"I am sorry."

"She became very ill when I was just a boy. And we are quite isolated from the rest of the world. The doctor did all he could with his limited supplies, but she succumbed to her illness." Diego thought about his mother a great deal. He wondered what she would think of him turning outlaw for the sake of California. His father had once told him that she would be proud and, deep down, Diego hoped that that was the truth.

"It was a fire that had claimed the life of my parents. I was only ten years old. My parents had rushed into the stables to save the horses, making certain that they were all safe. My brothers and I had stood outside, watching as each horse ran to safety. Papa wanted to do one final sweep of the stable, checking to be certain that they hadn't forgotten one." She paused, her breath uneven as she exhaled. Diego glanced over to see that she was staring blankly off into the distance, her eyes glossed over with tears. "There was a loud crash as a support beam crumpled. The roof started to collapse. Mama and Papa were both still inside as, piece-by-piece, the structure continued to fall and burn until there was nothing left but ash."

"That is terrible. I am so sorry you had to witness such a travesty." While he had gotten time to say farewell to his mother, she hadn't been given such a luxury. He could only imagine what she had been feeling that day.

"Thank you, Diego. Forgive my emotions. You would think it was just yesterday when it happened. Not fifteen years ago."

"They were your parents, Olivia. Of course, you have a right to feel the way you do."

"My aunt would be less inclined to agree with you." She smiled her thanks to Bernardo who had produced a handkerchief from the inside of his jacket and offered it to her.

"Your aunt?"

"Yes, she is Mama's sister and didn't really approve of their marriage. Mama came from a wealthy family and Aunt Josephine always thought Papa to be beneath her. She'd decided that it wasn't proper for a young girl to be around animals with strange, gruff men running the yard. She thought I would be corrupted or some such nonsense." She rolled her eyes at the memory; completely unladylike, yet fitting to her character.

"What about your brothers? Surely, she wouldn't have separated you from them?"

"They're much older than I am, you see. My eldest brother, Will, is seven years older. He was prepared to not only rebuild the business but to take care of me if my aunt would not have stepped in. Samuel, my other brother, was fifteen at the time. He was old enough to join the workforce and was considered a lost cause by our aunt. Before I knew it, I was on a ship to England to be properly raised as a lady, far away from the only family I had left."

"I understand what that can feel like. I attended the University in Madrid for six years. A day did not go by that I did not miss my father. How long were you away?"

"Eight years. Aunt Josie had made certain that I had been taught everything about being a 'proper woman'. She made certain that my education was well-rounded and that I was as interesting and talented as every other woman coming out that year. She even tried to marry me off at one point." She seemed to shudder at the memory of the fellow that had been chosen for her. "He was a pompous jackass that was so enraptured in his own self that he barely even knew that I was in the room. As long as I looked pretty on his arm, that was all that mattered to him. And it didn't matter to my aunt because he was very wealthy and he was willing to take me off her hands."

"Seeing as though you are here in Los Angeles, I am guessing that everything didn't go as she had planned?"

"No," she chuckled. "When I turned him down, she then threw her hands up at me and decided that I was just as much of a lost cause as Samuel. She told me how she had wasted too much time, money, and energy on me. And that while I 'may fill out a dress quite nicely, I did not deserve to be in the same room' as her high-society bottom-feeders."

"She sounds—and forgive me for saying this—absolutely horrible."

"She is not a kind woman and it was truly abhorrent every moment I had to spend with her. There is one thing I am grateful for, though."

"Oh? And what is that?"

Olivia glanced over her shoulder at the slender blonde woman who smiled at her like she was a good friend. "Emily. She was brought on to be my maid and she became a close confidante and friend over the years."

"But, she is deaf..." Diego didn't completely understand. Yes, he did have Bernardo on his side. And the man had never been able to speak a word in his entire life but not being able to speak was very different from not being able to hear her mistress's orders.

"I would think you would understand better than most, Diego. What she lacks in hearing, she makes up for in many other ways. I swear, at times, it is almost as if she can read my mind."

Now Diego understood. He glanced behind his shoulder at Bernardo and grinned. That was certainly true. Bernardo knew Diego better than he knew himself. He was eternally grateful for his friendship and there was not enough money in the work with which he could repay him. "I think I understand, now, señorita."