Chapter 14 – Interrupted

"So, feed him only half of the usual amount of hay, and only a small amount of grain. He shouldn't eat too much while he is not moving about or he could have problems with his hooves later on," Diego said to Felipe through the bars that evening. "If the splint is dry, leave it as it is. I'll check it later when the alcalde let us out of here."

The youngster nodded and headed to the door to leave the jail, followed by Mendoza.

"Sergeant, are we going to get any food tonight? We have been here since lunch time, with no food or water," Diego said before they went through the door.

"I'm sorry, Don Diego. I'll see what I can do," Mendoza said.

"I can't believe it. The alcalde is going to keep us here all night, isn't he?" Don Alejandro said, fuming. "And starving!"

"I'm afraid so. I think you better get comfy on that bench, Father. This might take a while."

Diego looked at his cousin then. He was lying on his bench, the closets to the other cell, and Victoria was at the other side, watching him rest. They looked pretty cosy there, whispering through the bars and giggling from time to time, and Diego hated seeing them so close. Was she falling in love with him already?

ZZZ

Shortly after Felipe left, another visitor was allowed in. When he saw her, Esteban sat up on the bench and grabbed the crutches.

"Excuse me, Victoria."

He took his time to drag himself to the cell door to talk to the woman waiting at the other side. When he got there, she got her hands through the bars to touch his face, with a very concerned expression, nearly crying overdramatically.

"Oh, my hero, are you alright? I'm so worried about you."

"Sonia, what are you doing here? What a pleasant surprise," he said, looking back at Victoria with the corner of his eye. Satisfied, he whispered then: "You have done a superb job here, thank you. But I think that's enough."

"Really? Great, what a relief, because my boyfriend Marcus is getting quite jealous now for all the attention I give you," she whispered back.

"Is he? Sorry about that. I think we can finish this charade now." He talked then in a loud tone again, for everybody to hear. "I'm fine, thank you. Don't worry."

"I am so glad you are all right, my dear hero, but I have to go. We have an extra performance tonight. People's curiosity has been spurred with all the gossip, and we are fully booked now."

"Good. Use the safety net this time, please."

"Yes, of course. Never again without the net!" she said, laughing. "Take care now. Good bye."

"Adiós, Sonia."

Esteban limped back to his bench, delighted to see the obvious jealousy and anger on Victoria's face. He wasn't expecting that visit from the trapeze artist at all, but she had been very keen on her role of "grateful damsel in distress", and that visit had certainly been a good idea to spur Victoria's jealousy.

"She just wanted to see me, to check that I am all right," he said, sitting back on the bench.

"Did she?" Victoria said. Esteban enjoyed the furious twinkle in her eyes. It was priceless!

ZZZ

"Señorita Escalante, you are free to go," the alcalde said the next morning, opening her cell's door. "I'm afraid I may have a civil revolt in my hands if you don't go back to the tavern to cook dinner today."

"What about them?" she said pointing at the De la Vegas.

"Their cooking skills are not required at this time, señorita, so they will stay a bit longer. That will teach them to be civilized and not take part in public brawls."

"Public brawls? You are unbelievable, alcalde. Talk about self-defence, more likely! That man provoked my nephew," Don Alejandro said pointing at Manuel Contreras, "and he has continued to be a pain all night with his nonsense. He's complaining about the race, accusing the entire pueblo of rigging it, and that should concern you more than anyone else."

"Yes. I should have a chat with him in a moment, after the señorita leaves."

"Don't worry about us, Victoria. Just leave. We'll be all right," Esteban said.

"All right," she said, stepping out of the cell. "But this is an abuse, alcalde. Zorro will not tolerate it."

"Zorro has tolerated it just fine. Where was he last night? Too busy enjoying the verbena and the fiesta to rescue you, perhaps?" Ramón said with his sardonic smile, but then his face turned stern quickly. "Don't you dare mentioning that outlaw's name, or I will change my mind and you'll stay here for a full week!"

"Victoria, leave it. Just go, please," Diego said. It had been a long night sleeping on the uncomfortable bench, and everybody was tired. He knew how upset Victoria was because her masked hero had not raised to the occasion, but there was nothing he could do about it right then to make her feel better.

"I'll see you all at the tavern later. Take care." She huffed and left the jail walking in front of the alcalde with her head held high, looking offended.

"Mendoza, take that man to my office," Ramón said after she left, pointing at the jockey.

ZZZ

The alcalde kept the De la Vegas in jail for another full day. However, he released the professional jockey and the other riders under the condition they would never return to the pueblo to take part in a horse race. By the time Diego got free they had left the pueblo, going in different directions. He wanted to chase them as Zorro, but he thought it was pointless, so he got back home with the others to rest, and tried to forget about them.

That night he got the black gear on, saddled Toronado, and went to the pueblo to visit Victoria to tell her the reason why he could not rescue her from jail. He was determined to tell her his secret now before it was too late, before she could fall in love with Esteban. He had a lump on his throat, dreading the thought she could reject Diego, but he had been delaying that moment for too long, and the time had finally come.

When he arrived at the tavern, he stood on Toronado's saddle to climb up her window, which was open in that warm, summer night. His shoulder hurt again when he grabbed the window frame and pulled himself up, passing quickly through the open gap to land softly inside her bedroom.

"Zorro!" she said, surprised. She had just retired to her room and was changing into her nightgown.

"I'm sorry! Sorry," he said quickly, embarrassed, turning on his back so she could finish covering her body.

"What are you doing here?" she said, grabbing a shawl to cover her naked shoulders and make herself decent.

"I wanted to see you. Can I turn now?"

As she didn't answer, he turned slowly to face her. She was standing in the middle of the room, with her arms crossed over her chest, covered by a colourful light shawl. Her usually sweet face looked now angry and unforgiven. Thanks to the alcalde and the two days he had stayed in jail, he would have a hard time to placate her fury.

"Now you show off," she said, bitter. "It is a bit late, don't you think?"

"I'm sorry, Victoria, but I cannot be everywhere at the same time. Only God can do that. I was out of town during the festivities, and I didn't know you had been taken to jail."

"Were you?" she said, angry, forgetting she had said the exact same words to Esteban to justify why Zorro had not helped them at the tavern when Diego got the black eye. Because only God could be everywhere at the same time. "Were you really out of town?" She tried to remember who in the pueblo was missing during the Virgen de Agosto. Nobody she could think of. Everybody attended mass.

"I know you are upset, but please, forgive me," he said, trying to reach her hands, but she hid them in the shawl folds, stepping back.

"Look, there is an important reason why I couldn't rescue you this time. You are going to be angry when you find out, very angry, I know, and that's one of the reasons why I had avoided telling you for a long, long time. Although, because you look so upset already, I don't think this is the best time to tell you."

"What is it? Tell me!"

The more he talked, the more upset she was, looking very troubled by his words. She was probably thinking about all the sinister, grim possibilities of what he was about to say.

"Because," he started, taking off the hat, leaving it on her bed, "of this." He was about to remove the mask to tell her his secret, to say the three words that have been locked in his throat for years —I am Zorro—, but before he could do that they got interrupted by a cry in the plaza.

"Zorro is at the tavern! I saw Toronado at the back!"

"Lancers, search the tavern!" the alcalde ordered.

Maldita sea! Not now! Zorro thought in dismay. It looked like they had been waiting for him to appear at the pueblo that night.

"I'm sorry, Victoria, but I have to go," he said while caressing her cheek with his black gloved hand.

"Wait! You didn't tell me whatever it is you want to tell me!"

"Another time." He grabbed the hat quickly and turned to the window to exit the same way he had come in, but he stopped by the window frame, hesitating. He then came back to hurriedly kiss Victoria goodbye. "I love you."

They heard footsteps approaching fast then, coming upstairs. Zorro disappeared through the window, climbing to the roof before the soldiers got into Victoria's room. When they did, she screamed pretending to be shocked, looking terribly offended by the intrusion.

"What are you doing here?! Get out of my room!"

"I'm sorry, señorita, but we are looking for Zorro. The alcalde said we should search all the rooms," Corporal Sepúlveda said.

"Do you see Zorro in here? Do you? Do you?"

"No, I don't, but…"

"Get out then!" she screamed. She was very upset by the whole situation, very angry because the soldiers had interrupted them, and now she didn't know what Zorro was about to tell her. Whatever it was, it was very important, because he looked so nervous. Was he already married, and that was the reason he was so unwilling to create a family with her? That thought got her so upset she kicked Sepúlveda out of her room, slamming the door behind him. She sat on a chair then, crying, but she got up again quickly to look at the window when she heard the soldiers shouting again.

"He is on the roof! Get him!"

She heard some gunshots, but in the dark she could not see the black figure calling for Toronado with that familiar whistle sound. Shortly after, she heard the noise of horse hooves galloping away from the pueblo, and then she saw the lancers getting on their horses to chase that ghost named Zorro.

ZZZ

Down at the cave, Diego removed Zorro's shirt to have a look at the wound in his right arm. It was a flesh wound above his elbow, a through-hole where the bullet had gone in an out without touching the bone. Cursing, he applied a clean cloth pressing on the wound to stop the bleeding. Maldito alcalde.

Once again, he had missed the chance to tell Victoria his secret. But now, looking at his injury, he had second thoughts about it. Even if she accepted him as Diego and he could marry her, what would happen to her if he was killed one day and the alcalde discovered it was him under the mask? She would probably be hanged for treason, and he could not bear that thought. Zorro had to disappear before Diego could marry her, but his job, the quest for justice, was not completed yet. Not while that cruel alcalde ruled the pueblo.

With great sorrow, he cried when he realized one more time he could not tell her. At least not yet, and probably not for a long time. While the tears ran down his cheeks, he decided the best thing would be courting her as Diego. But now, thanks to his cousin, his chances to get her interested in dull Diego were even slimmer than usual. And, now that Zorro had started to talk, she would be suspicious and worried about what his secret was, making matters worse.

He kicked a bucket in frustration then, startling Toronado. Why everything had to be so complicated for him? Why?

ZZZZZ