Hello, all! I know I'm a bit late this week, but I haven't been feeling the greatest. Feeling much better today, though.
So, now that Olivia has told them everything, I think it's fine that she learned a bit more about Diego. how about you?
Thank you all and I hope you enjoy.
Linny
Chapter Twenty-Eight
After lunch, Olivia returned to her room to change into her riding attire before meeting up with Diego in the sala. It felt good to see her so comfortable in his home. He could get used to it.
"All set?" She nodded. After her visit from Doña Dorotea, she had become more reserved, sinking back into herself. There was something more about this morning that had set her on edge. He knew there was more that she wasn't telling him. She had so much bottled up inside, it didn't surprise him. And he didn't expect her to just come out and tell him everything. The fact that she had trusted him enough to tell her what she had was enough for the moment. If she felt inclined to tell him more at a later time, then he would accept that. "Good, let's go."
He stood up from the chair he had been waiting in, but instead of heading to the door that would take them to the stables, he approached the door to the library.
"Um, I thought we were going riding?" She looked puzzled and a bit disheartened as he opened the door for her. His father had given her a tour of the house before dinner the night before, so she knew where the door led.
"We are. There's something I want to show you first." He chuckled at how she looked when she was confused—a crease formed between her brows as if she was trying to solve a very difficult puzzle—while she continued to stand there and stare at him for a moment. She was hesitating. "If this is going to work, Olivia, you're going to have to trust me."
"I do," she told him and she even seemed surprised by how convincing that sounded.
"Come on, then," he gently urged.
"Very well," she conceded.
Once she was inside, Diego approached the bookshelf. The servants usually stayed out of the library unless his father was working at the desk or it needed tidying up, so that was why he had chosen this room. Too many prying eyes everywhere else. "This is an old house and it carries a great many secrets." He twisted the ornate sconce on the wall and gave the bookshelf a push. He watched in amusement at her reaction.
Her eyes went wide in surprise, her jaw dropping slightly in awe. "A secret passage? Very clever." She peered inside the dim passageway but didn't step inside. "Where does it lead?"
"Passages go all throughout the house and grounds of the hacienda. Each bedroom has access, along with the sala and the library." He held out a hand for her to take. "Come with me." She didn't hesitate to take his hand and followed him willingly inside. He led her down a passageway that opened up into a spiral staircase.
"We're in the center of the house, now. But, through the passages, it's best to remain quiet so as not to alert the servants." He reached to grab a lantern hanging on the wall. It was already lit and shining brightly.
"They don't know of this?"
He shook his head. "Only Bernardo, my father, and I know about it. And now you, of course." He still held onto her hand, but it didn't seem as though she minded. With a smile, he tugged at it and led her down the stairs.
"But, why share it with me?" she questioned softly as she followed him without resistance.
"You know all of my other secrets. I figured one more wouldn't hurt." He was putting his trust in her and hoped she would allow herself to do the same. She said that she did but he could tell that there was something still holding her back.
She didn't respond but continued to allow him to lead her down the stairs and into the tunnel. She jumped at the sudden thundering sound of hoofbeats above them. He heard her gasp in surprise as her grip on his hand tightened.
He laughed softly at her. "It's alright. We're underneath the stables, now." He no longer needed to whisper. "It's not much farther."
He led her down the tunnel until it opened up into a cave. It was empty, except for the few supplies they kept there and an ample supply of grain and hay.
"This is usually where Tornado stays." He glanced at her, wondering what she thought of it all.
Her grip eased, but she still hadn't let go of his hand. "You really have all of his figured out, don't you?"
He merely shrugged. "It's what I've had to do to protect my home."
"I still don't understand why you wanted to show me this."
"This wasn't my end goal. It was merely to give you a glimpse into the life of Zorro. I arranged a surprise for you and it's just outside there." He motioned to the vines covering the cave entrance.
"For me?" she seemed surprised.
He gave her arm another gentle tug and led her out into the canyon beyond the cave. Two horses were tied up outside. One black and one gray.
"Oh!" She rushed over to the mare with excitement, her arm instantly going around the animal's neck. The horse nickered at her mistress and nuzzled her nose against her cheek. "How did you get her here? Wraith doesn't usually like strangers."
So, Wraith was her name, eh? Quite the fitting moniker. "Luckily, Emily was able to assist with that task. She brought her in last night and Tornado has agreed to be an absolute gentleman while she's here." He patted the stallion on his flanks and slipped him a carrot of praise. "I thought you might want her nearby if la Sombra ever needed to ride."
"La Sombra?" she questioned.
"The Shadow. It's what the soldiers have been calling you. Sergeant Garcia told me it was your idea."
"It's what they call me back home." She patted the horse's nose and looked to Diego. "I believe you said something about a ride?"
He chuckled at her eagerness. "Yes, I believe I did." He climbed up into Tornado's saddle and waited for her to follow suit. "Follow me." Digging his heels into Tornado's sides, the black horse raced off.
The canyon opened up into a field where Tornado could really run and his master allowed him to choose his own pace. Diego leaned down against the animal's neck, to allow him to pick up more speed. The wind rushed through his hair and the thundering hoofbeats of his steed matched the thundering of his heart.
Diego glanced over his shoulder to see if Olivia had followed. She was close behind him, but her horse was not yet at speed. She kicked the mare to catch up to him and waved as she passed them by. He could hear her laughing as she led by half a length and then a whole.
She slowed a few moments later at the top of the nearest ridge and allowed him to catch up to her. "And here I thought this was only going to be a leisurely ride," she grinned. Her cheeks carried a rosy color and bits of her hair had come loose from her braid. Her eyes were wide with the thrill of a fast ride and her chest heaved from the exertion of keeping control of her steed.
"I didn't think you'd complain." He grinned as he took in the sight of her. Was this how she looked when her guard wasn't completely up?
"I wasn't."
"Well, come on, then. Let us enjoy the day."
They continued to ride until they discovered a small pond where the horses could drink and rest up for their journey back to the hacienda. The two of them took a seat on a fallen log someone had moved close to the shore many years before. It had been there as long as Diego could remember. Nature had begun to reclaim it as moss grew along the trunk and ivy had begun to snake its way along its length.
This moment had instantly transported him back to their first picnic together. It seemed like such a long time ago, now. As he looked at her, he wondered if she was thinking the same.
"Is this still part of your land?" she asked as she picked at a wildflower that grew along the water. She ran the soft petals between her fingers.
"Yes. I'd be honored to show it to you someday."
"I'd like that. But, I'm curious. You have all of this and yet you live the life of an outlaw. Why risk everything you have?"
"Because it's the right thing to do. I have so much and many don't. Everyone deserves to have a life they can make their own. If I can help with that, then I will." He hadn't always thought that. Growing up, he may have taken his wealth for granted. But, then he grew into a man and saw the world for what it really was. It was dark and sad and dangerous. He'd wanted to make things better for those who had so little.
"That's very noble. But, you can do all of that without a mask. What made you put it on?"
She'd told him what made her don the hood, so it was only fair that he tell her what led to him wearing the mask. "I was away at University when my father summoned me home. A tyrant of a Comandante had taken up post in Los Angeles and he ruled the district with an iron fist. He was also greedy for both money and power and took them both at every opportunity." He picked up a small, flat stone and rolled it between his fingers as he remembered that time of his life. The anger that would boil in his blood. The disappointment in his father's eyes. The need to do something for those who could do nothing.
"Our neighbor had been arrested for claims of treason that had been falsely made against him. My father had expected me to come home and help him fight." He tossed the rock toward the water and watched it skip over the surface.
"You didn't?"
"I couldn't. I couldn't let Monastario know why I'd returned home. So, Bernardo and I concocted a ruse. I would have forgone fighting and become a man of peace. Unfortunately, that meant lying to my father."
"Why didn't you tell him?"
"I needed my ruse to work. I needed everyone to think I was a disappointment to my father. He is a man of action, so I needed to not be. The Capitán and his men would have killed my father if he would rise up against him. He had eventually tried to. That was when I needed to become someone else. And Zorro was born."
"What a pair we make," she chuckled softly. "Whatever happened to him? This tyrant?"
"His hubris got the better of him. He'd discovered that I was Zorro and arrested me." Her puzzled expression made him quickly continue. "The Viceroy was making a surprise visit to the pueblo after my father and a few of the other landowners had complained to the Governor. Fortunately for me, I was well acquainted with Don Esteban and he allowed me a little experiment."
"I'm afraid to ask, but my curiosity is getting the better of me." She'd sat and listened intently to his tale. He'd noticed her begin to pick at the petals of the small yellow flower—a blazing star.
"Monastario had been so convinced that I was Zorro that he was blinded by it. So, he was asked to leave the room while I switched clothes with one of the lancers. He then identified that man as Zorro and his fate was sealed. The last I'd heard, he'd been stripped of his rank and was serving out his sentence in Mexico."
"And ever since then, you've been a man of the people?"
He nodded. "I have."
"It must be quite lonely to not allow yourself to show your true self."
"It can be. That's why when I find someone who I can be myself with, I'll try my hardest to never let her go." He focused on her, showing that she was the only one he'd ever truly been himself with.
She averted his gaze and dropped the stem she'd been holding. He noticed how it was now bare of both leaves and petals. "We should probably head back." She brushed her hands against her skirt and rose to her feet.
Diego cursed to himself. They'd been getting along fine and he'd had to ruin it. He got to his feet and turned to see her patting Tornado's neck. "I'm sorry," he apologized as he came up behind her. "I shouldn't have said anything."
"It's alright, Diego. I'm glad that you feel that you can trust me." She glanced toward him but kept her hands busy by scratching the black horse's ears. Tornado seemed to be loving the attention she was giving him.
He was glad of that as well. He only wished she would allow herself to be cared for. "Do you remember that woman I told you about?" He reached out to touch Wraith. She shied away at first but then decided that he was trustworthy.
"The one you thought you were in love with?" A shadow of something passed over her features. Was that a hint of jealousy?
He nodded. "That's the one."
"You told me that she loved someone else."
His laugh was sardonic as he thought about it. "I did. She was in love with Zorro."
Her gaze shot toward him in surprise. Her expression quickly shifted to confusion. "But, you are Zorro."
"She didn't know."
Realization of why he was telling her this slowly began to appear. "And she never had an inkling?"
He shook his head. "No. I suppose some women are more observant than others." His smile was warm as he looked at her.
"When her life mirrors yours, I suppose it would be more obvious." Her brow furrowed as she looked at him. "So, you never told her?"
"Almost. Zorro had been offered amnesty from the Governor, but only if he would ride out into the middle of town and unmask himself."
"But, that would mean that you would not be Zorro anymore. Wouldn't it?"
"Correct." She was excellent at putting the pieces together.
"Considering Zorro still rides and you haven't married this particular señorita and had a swarm of little Diegos, I'm guessing you didn't go through with it."
"I almost did. I was ready to end the charade and finally put Zorro behind me." He often wondered what his life would be like if he had gone through with it. Living the life of a caballero full time. Parties. Business deals. It was a scenario that just didn't seem to fit.
"What changed your mind?"
"My father convinced me not to. He told me that California still needed me and if she truly loved me, then she would understand."
"Do you still think he was right?"
It was a question he had asked himself far too many times. "For a long time, I didn't. I thought she had been my match, but over time I realized the truth. Would she have loved me if I had been Zorro? Perhaps. But, I would never truly know for certain."
"You would be constantly second-guessing yourself. You would be unsure if she was only with you because of him or if it was you she really loved."
It was like she was seeing into his soul and it was a relief to get all of this off of his chest. He had never even told his father about any of these thoughts. "I can't tell you how good it feels to find someone who understands."
Her smile was soft as she looked up at him. Her eyes were sparkling in the sunlight. "Well, it's her loss anyway. Because, the way I see it, I like Diego plenty." She reached up and tenderly touched his cheek.
"And I like you, Olivia. Very much." He reached out to pull her closer and he was pleased when she allowed it. He rested his hands on her hips and just held her.
"You're a good friend, Diego."
It was like the entirety of the pond had been dumped over his head. Friend. She'd called him a friend. He closed his eyes and stood there, cold and bereft. "I'm beginning to hate that word."
"What's wrong with being friends?"
He shook his head and offered her a reassuring smile. "Nothing. Come, let's return to the hacienda. Zorro has an appointment with our illustrious Comandante tonight." He helped her into her saddle before climbing into his own.
"Oh, what about?"
He thought about deflecting her question, but he knew that wouldn't go over very well. "Do you remember the cabaña where we were held?"
They began their journey back to the hacienda, keeping a slow pace so they could continue their conversation. "I don't think I'll ever forget."
He nodded in agreement before responding. The mere sight of it had been nightmare-inducing for him. He could only imagine what it would be like for her. "A man was discovered there this morning. It was where Sergeant Garcia and Corporal Reyes were before they stopped by."
"I'm guessing he wasn't just hiding out there." Her face paled slightly.
"No. He's dead. I went to talk to Ramon about it and he was having a difficult day. He told me he needed to talk to Zorro so that is what is going to happen."
"Well, if that's the case, let's get you back so that meeting can occur."
He looked at her in disbelief. "I admit, I was expecting some sort of protest."
"Ramon's a good man, but if he's requesting Zorro's assistance, then he should get it. Don't worry. I'll be good and remain at the hacienda."
He chuckled. "And here I was thinking you would like to join me. But, if you insist..." he trailed off and dug his heels into Tornado's sides to push him forward.
Over his shoulder, he heard her give a squeak of surprise before she caught up with him. "Well, it would be rude to turn down such an invitation."