This situation gives me food for thought. Diego just got married and is already ready to run off after a young lady. Let's see if it turns out that the alcalde was right and he is a womanizer.
Chapter 20. I don't like rushing.
Victoria was surprised at how fast Felipe could drive. Don Alejandro was holding tightly to the carriage while Diego simply looked thoughtful.
They arrived at the hacienda leaving behind a cloud of dust. Felipe waited just long enough for them to get out and rushed to the stable to leave the carriage there. He jumped down when one of the men came over to help him.
Meanwhile Don Alejandro had separated from Diego and Victoria. Seeing his foreman he shouted to him. "Ernesto, prepare a posse of men. They have kidnapped a young lady and we must go to town to participate in the search."
The man only said "Sí señor." and immediately left to get the men.
Diego and Victoria entered the hacienda and walked across the room to the library. He barely paused for a moment to press the fireplace mechanism and entered the passageway, while Victoria followed him out of inertia even though she didn't quite know what she was doing there.
Diego began to check the weapons he wanted to take with him, the whip, the saber, two daggers, and also a coil of rope to put on Tornado's saddle. While Victoria heard noise coming from the passageway and saw Felipe run in and head straight for the stable to start saddling the horse.
Diego took off his shirt and pants to change clothes, oblivious to the fact that Victoria's mouth had just dropped open at the sight of him.
Victoria couldn't enjoy the view for more than a few moments, because he nimbly pulled on his pants. It was as he turned around to grab the shirt from the rack that he saw the appreciative look of his brand new wife, who had the shirt in her hand and was debating whether to give it to him or hide it somewhere else. Diego stood there for a moment not knowing what to do, but then shrugged, after all they were already married, and he hoped she would end up seeing him in even less clothing afterwards.
"You don't know how sorry I am to have to leave now." he said as he put on the shirt she finally gave him.(1)
"I understand, I'm very worried about Marina too, but come as soon as possible." she said helping him fasten the buttons of his shirt.
Diego kissed her briefly. "I assure you I'll be back as soon as I can."
"I'll be waiting for you, then I want you to do that same thing again more slowly. I don't like rushing." she whispered blushing.
He smiled regretting again having to leave. He put on his mask and galloped off without looking back, because he was sure if he thought twice he wouldn't leave.
Victoria watched him leave through the passageway up the hill and then turned to Felipe. "So what do we do now?"
Felipe shrugged and pointed to the archway that led into the library. He used the peephole to check if anyone was in the room, and when he saw that it was empty he opened the panel using the chandelier. She motioned for Victoria to go through first.
Victoria had visited the hacienda several times since she had been engaged to Diego, so she knew which rooms they would be occupying. In the hallway she passed Don Alejandro, who had also changed his clothes but had logically needed more time. Victoria thought it must be difficult to undress and re-dress faster than Diego.
"I'm going out with the men." he reported, then added in a quieter voice. "We'll help Zorro as much as we can."
"I'll stay in our bedroom. Everyone will think he's there with me."
"Good idea, in any case I don't think anyone will come to interrupt newlyweds." said Don Alejandro without stopping to think that Felipe was in front of him. The boy could not help a chuckle. Victoria blushed. "I'd better go." added Don Alejandro as a farewell.
Zorro rode straight into town, where he hoped the others had not yet covered the tracks. When he reached the plaza he saw that in the distance, from the side of the hacienda, a group of men on horseback, led by his father, was approaching. Soldiers on horseback also came out from the courtyard of the armory, and he was surprised to see the alcalde in the plaza even though he was wounded.
"Alto Zorro." said the alcalde when he saw him.
He decided to play at misdirection.
"Now I don't have time for nonsense, I heard that Victoria has been kidnapped right under your nose and that of the entire garrison."
The alcalde looked at him in surprise.
"No, señora. de la Vega," said the alcalde clearly marking Victoria's marital status. "is already in her new home with her new husband. They have kidnapped my fiancée, señorita Ortiz de Casqueta."
"But haven't they interrupted the wedding of Don Diego and Victoria?" he said pretending to be confused.
"Yes, but in reality they did not come looking for the owner of the tavern, but for the sister of the count." said the alcalde with derision, satisfied to see that Zorro was wrong.
"And they thought that Don Diego was marrying that other woman? That doesn't make sense, isn't her son yours, alcalde?"
"Yes, it was clearly a misunderstanding."
"Then señorita Escalante has indeed married the insipid guy." said Zorro with a tone of disdain. Don Alejandro, who had just arrived, had to make an effort not to laugh.
"That's right." said the alcalde, glad to give Zorro some bad news. "And now I don't have time to arrest you. I must go find the young lady."
"Your fiancée."
"Indeed."
"Yeah. Well, there sure are weddings around here lately. Maybe I should congratulate you both, or at least you, I'm not so sure about her."
The alcalde looked at him with a blank look on his face, and Zorro continued talking as if it were nothing. "Well it is already rare that they kidnap another woman, usually if they kidnap someone they take Victoria, I mean señora de la Vega." he added also marking the last part of the sentence. "Fine by me, now if she needs to be rescued let her husband do it, that's what he's there for." He stared at the mayor for a moment. "It seems the rumors today don't seem to be right, I also heard that you had been shot in the heart."
"I was, but it was only a flesh wound." said the alcalde holding his hand to the wound.
"Wow, lucky you." said Zorro trying to look disappointed.
"Did you want to see me dead?"
Zorro pretended he had to think about it. "Not really, in that case I would have killed you myself. But I thought you were in a hurry. If the lady is in danger I offer you my cooperation in exchange for a truce."
"I don't need your help."
"Sure, because you have expert trackers to follow the trail of those who have taken her." said Zorro looking towards the soldiers who with their usual efficiency had not yet finished getting on their horses.
The alcalde looked furious, but he couldn't refute that logic. "All right, you have my word. I won't try to arrest you until the lady is safe as long as you are cooperating with us."
"Agreed, but if you don't mind I would prefer to have Don Alejandro's men around rather than the soldiers."
"As you wish." said the alcalde.
Zorro approached Don Alejandro, who very seriously said to him. "You are welcome to collaborate in the search for the señorita, but I warn you not to make comments about my son and daughter-in-law."
Zorro held his gaze. He was finding it strange, but also amusing that for once Zorro was jealous of Diego and not the other way around. "Of course don Alejandro. Forgive my words earlier. I meant no disrespect to your family."
Don Alejandro nodded with an expression that he hoped looked very serious and dignified. As the last of the soldiers climbed onto their horses, finally.
"Did anyone see which way they went?" asked Zooro in general.
One of the soldiers pointed to the exit between the church and the smithy.
"Then let's go there." said Zorro directing Toronado that way.
Note
(1) I imagined the typical scene with Victoria debating with herself whether to give Diego her shirt or take off the pants he had just put on. There was a tiny angel on her right shoulder, a version of Victoria with her hair down and a white tunic, and little demon on her left, also her but dressed in black leather, with her hair up, lots of makeup and high heeled boots. Actually all three agreed that the clothes had to be removed, what they were arguing about was whether to do it immediately or wait for him to rescue the other girl. I'm going to make a version with my Playmobil to see how it looks. If you are in the Facebook forum New World Zorro Fanfiction you can see it there.