Chapter 63 – The incompetent carpenters

In the morning, Private Márquez replaced Corporal Sepúlveda to watch Esteban. By then, Felipe had returned from the hacienda and sneaked into Diego's room again, using the front door, undetected. The youngster was pleased to see Diego had rested quite comfortably that night and he was feeling a bit better, although still quite weak, not able to stand up yet.

When Pedro and Pablo returned to resume their work on the first floor, Pedro stopped by that door, discretely using the secret knock they had all agreed in advance, so Felipe would open the door, that was latched inside. Pedro got in then, pretending to collect some of the materials left in there.

"Good morning, Don Diego. How are you doing?" he said in a low voice.

"I am doing quite well, under the circumstances. Thank you, Pedro," Diego answered, also keeping his voice down.

"So, what excuses would you use now… Zorro? Ha! I knew it was you!" Pedro said with a wide grin, pointing at him. "I knew it!"

"Yes. No more excuses: I confess, I am the one," Diego said, grinning back. "You know, I found it amazing that you could see so clearly I could be Zorro when my own father, for example, didn't have a clue. But, I couldn't let you know it was me back then, sorry. I had to deny everything, to everybody."

"No worries. I understand that, and I am so glad your father trusted me with this task now, because this way I can help you, and repay you the favour of finding my daughter."

"That was nothing. There is nothing to repay."

"Of course there is. Now, I must go, because we should get on with repairing the chandelier this morning. I hope this goes as planned, because otherwise you'll hate me."

"What are you doing?"

"You'll see. I must go. Good to see you doing so well, Boss."

"What is he talking about? What are they up to now?" Diego said after Pedro left. Felipe shrugged his shoulders, because he didn't have a clue either. "And why will I hate him? For what?"

ZZZ

"How long do you think before it falls?" Pedro said, looking at the people in the ground floor from above, leaning on the badly refitted banister rail. It was a busy market day, and the tavern had a lot of customers already, buzzing all over that space below them.

"With this plaster, not fixing the screws to the beams? Give it a couple of minutes, if that," Pablo said, letting go of the safety rope still holding onto the bulky chandelier.

They had lifted the chandelier with the help of a pulley and fixed it back to the ceiling, but the screws they used weren't appropriate for the job, as they could not hold such heavy weight for long.

While they fixed it, Victoria had placed some safety barriers on the ground below, and now she was removing them, taking her time, looking up to the chandelier briefly every few seconds. She stopped once to look at Pablo, who nodded slightly at her, and then she carried on removing the blockage to free more space for the customers, until, all of a sudden, the large, heavy structure got free of the weak anchors, breaking the plaster, and dropped down to the ground for the second time. Victoria got out of the way just in time, jumping to a side, and the chandelier missed her for a few inches only, crashing on the floor, beside her. Everybody in the tavern stopped what they were doing, shocked, relieved to see the heavy chandelier had not fallen on anybody this time, missing Victoria. However, she remained in the ground, complaining about her arm.

"Dios mío, Victoria. Are you all right?" Don Alejandro said, kneeling at her side.

"No. My arm! It hurts!"

"Somebody get the doctor!" he shouted.

"Martínez, get the doctor! Rápido!" Mendoza cried, also kneeling by Victoria. "Señorita, how are you? Please, let me help you."

They got her up and helped her to a chair, where she carried on complaining about her arm, holding it bent over her abdomen. Pedro and Pablo ran downstairs to apologize for the accident, but she didn't want to listen to their excuses.

"You are the most incompetent carpenters I have ever seen! You nearly killed me! And you probably gave me a broken arm! How will I be able to work with a fractured arm?"

"I am so sorry, Señorita. It looks like the plaster was damaged and it could not hold onto the…" Pedro started.

"Don't you dare blaming my plaster!" she interrupted again, hysterically. "My plaster is fine! So fine, I may end up wearing some in my arm!"

Doctor Hernández arrived and confirmed Victoria's fear: her right arm was broken above the wrist.

"I'm sorry, Señorita Escalante, but I must put your arm in a cast. You won't be able to work until it heals."

"For how long?"

"At least four weeks, probably six."

"Are you crazy? I can't close the tavern for six weeks!"

"You must rest if you want this bone healing right. If it heals badly, you won't be able to use your arm properly ever again."

"All right. Everybody out! The tavern is closed!" Don Alejandro shouted. "Señorita Escalante is badly hurt. And this place is not safe, so, get out!"

There was a collective loud moan at the tavern then, but everybody started to make their way out, with most customers wishing Victoria a prompt recovery as they passed by.

When he saw all the customers leaving the tavern, the alcalde came in, charging, demanding to know what was going on.

"The chandelier fell off again, and Victoria was lucky to miss it, but jumping out of the way at the last moment she fell awkwardly and broke her arm," Don Alejandro said. "The doctor said she should rest for a few weeks, so, the tavern is closed for now."

"No way! Her other workers can keep it open!" Ramón shouted, angry because he had been considering options to trap Zorro and he needed the tavern open for that.

"Alcalde, you are crazy! If you had allowed me to keep the tavern closed while the chandelier and the banister got fixed, none of this would have happened!" Victoria said. "Of course I am going to close the tavern now! Among other things, for safety reasons! And because my arm bloody hurts! And it is your fault!"

"Your workers can keep the tavern open for you," Ramón insisted.

"They can't cook! And, how do you want me to cook with a broken arm?"

"That's true, mi alcalde," Mendoza said. "Pilar and Alicia can serve drinks and mind the tables, but nobody cooks like señorita Escalante."

"All right, all right! Close the tavern then, if you must," Ramón said, considering other ways to lure Zorro in. "But De la Vega stays here, guarded by my lancers."

"No, I am taking my son home," Don Alejandro said, frustrated because the plan was taking Diego home to safety at the same time as taking Esteban.

"Your son?" the alcalde said, lifting an eyebrow.

"I mean, my nephew," Don Alejandro said quickly, scolding himself. It looked like Diego was right: if he had known his secret, Diego wouldn't have lasted for a month wearing that mask if he could slip his tongue so badly at any occasion. "I said my son because that's what Esteban is becoming, another son, now that his father left and he's under my care. I didn't mean my son Diego, who should be on his way back from Monterey by now. He should arrive with the doctor's medicines soon."

"I see. Still, your nephew stays. For two days, and then I'll move him to jail. Two more days at the tavern should be enough rest for him."

"No. This is ridiculous. He is not going to stay here because you may try to touch his ribs again! I'm taking him home!"

"It will be tavern or jail for him! Your choice. Take it, or leave it!" Ramón barked.

"Fine! We chose the tavern then! That's a no brainer."

"I'll increase the guard on him then," the alcalde said, sending another soldier upstairs with private Márquez before he headed back to his office.

"Señorita, I'll go home now to get the plaster and the materials for the cast. Are you all right waiting here for a moment?" Doctor Hernández said.

"Yes, I'll be all right. Thank you, doctor. But, please, hurry up."

ZZZ

Doctor Hernández placed Victoria's arm in a bulky plaster cast, and then went upstairs to check on Esteban, with the same excuse of manipulating his ribs back in place.

"Good job the soldiers don't have a clue," the doctor said after they left the room.

"What's going on? Is Victoria all right?"

"Yes, she's fine, don't worry. How are you?"

"The same, still hurting when I breathe or move," he said touching his own side, dedicating a fresh howl to the soldiers that made the doctor chuckle. "Are you checking on Diego now?"

"No. I think we better don't risk opening that connecting door again. I'll use the other door when the tavern is empty and the soldiers are back with you here."

"Yeah, good plan. About the soldiers… can we use any sedatives on them? You know, the kind of stuff Lucía used in the wine to trick me into bed. With that, I didn't wake up until the next morning. I am asking you because I would like to talk to Diego a bit more, without the worry they are going to catch me in there."

"I don't know what Lucía used on you, but I'll see what I can do. At least my mix should give you a few hours, but the soldiers will not be unconscious, only heavily asleep."

"Yes, sleeping is fine, because nobody is going to disturb then to wake them up. Thanks."

Esteban carried on complaining loudly a little bit longer while the doctor re-adjusted the bandage over his ribs.

"Another thing I need: you still have some coca leaves, don't you? The ones you didn't let Diego have, because you wanted to keep them for an emergency."

"Yes."

"Well, I think this is an emergency."

"You don't need coca leaves for the ribs. What are you talking about?"

While Esteban talked to the doctor, telling him his plan, his expression changed from amused to a serious one.

"Are you sure about that? I can't see how this is going to work."

"If I stay here, sooner or later the alcalde will take me prisoner again, and this time Zorro can't help me, unfortunately, so I have to escape by my own means. And, even if the alcalde doesn't try to kill me, I shouldn't stay here, anyway, because more men from Madrid may try again. I may be endangering the whole family with my presence here."

"Yes, I understand that, but, where will you head for? Mexico?"

"No. The North. To the American States. Where nobody heard of me, or that Duke."

"That's a long journey. Your ribs will take a long time to heal, and you still suffer from seizures, remember?"

Esteban took a hand to his forehead, covering his eyes.

"Yes, I know that! But let me worry about it when the time comes. What I need to do now is to get out of here. Can you prepare that mix for me or not? The one you gave Zorro as a boost."

"Yes. One dose left, that will last for about two hours only. And then what?"

"By then I will be miles away, and then I'll take it easy."

"I don't like this."

"If the alternative is a mockery of a trial and the gallows… look, I'll take my chances now."

"What about your tooth? I still have to extract the roots, or they will give you trouble."

"I am coping all right with the clove oil, thanks. Please, don't try to put me through the misery of tooth extraction now. I'll take the bottle of oil with me."

"All right, I won't bother you with that then. As I said, I don't like this, but I'll prepare the sedative for the soldiers now, and the coca leaves mix. I hope it works."

"Thank you."

After the doctor left, and the soldiers went back into the room, Esteban waited patiently for something to happen, making plans in the meantime.

ZZZ

After hearing all the commotion and Victoria's angry cries, not fully understanding what was going on, Diego's face lit up when Victoria walked into his room. But his happiness was short lived, frowning when he spotted the cast.

"What happened? Are you all right?"

"This? The chandelier," she said, mysteriously.

"I heard the noise. Did it fall on you?" Diego said, obviously worried.

"No, we got it right, don't worry. Perfect timing. I am fine, honestly," she said, moving her arm in all directions. "It's not fractured. This is part of the act to close the tavern and get rid of all the customers, so we can come in and out of here as we please. Otherwise, I didn't know when I would be able to do this," she said, reaching for his mouth for yet another tender kiss.

Felipe stood up then, and signed to Diego after Victoria let go of him.

"I think I better leave you on your own now. I'll go home until the afternoon."

"Thanks," Diego said, moving his lips without a sound, watching him go.

"How is your nose? I am so sorry about that. I still can't believe I hit you!" Victoria said, turning his face in between her hands to have a better look.

"You know, for a moment I thought you had damaged your hand badly when you punched me, and now you needed a cast," he joked, "but then I got worried because Pedro mentioned something could go wrong while fixing the chandelier. I am so glad you are graduating from acting school with honours today." He took her hands off his face then, kissing the tip of the fingers escaping the bulky plaster. "Where is the engagement ring? You said you would never take it off from now on."

"Oh, it's here, back on my neck," she said, pulling from the chain with the other hand. "As much as I would like to wear it on my finger, I couldn't risk people asking about it. Not yet. And even less, risk losing it in the plaster!"

"Good thinking. I was worried about what people could say. Look, I had plenty of time to think last night, and we shouldn't rush into anything."

"What do you mean? Back to square one? Back to hiding, and delay the wedding for ever? she said, quite upset."

"No, not necessarily hiding, no. Of course I want to marry you, but the fact you know Zorro's secret identity now doesn't change anything, does it? I still want to keep you safe as much as I did before. And I can't."

Victoria looked so disappointed she could cry again.

"My father said he'll help us finding a solution for this. Please, don't cry. Please." He pulled from her free arm, bringing her closer for another kiss, one so long, intimate and deep, it made him moan with frustration. "How will I stay away from you until we are married?" he whispered to her ear, and she laughed.

"You'll find a way, or your father will slap you again."

"Does he know we…?"

"Yes. I've never been so embarrassed in my life! He is so proper about this kind of thing, isn't he?"

"Yes. Very." Diego groaned then. "Well, I guess he'll give me hell about that at some point, because he didn't have time yesterday. You know, that I didn't behave like a caballero De la Vega and all that stuff, which I already know myself. It will be like beating a dead horse."

"Oh, poor you," she said, pinching his cheek. "Doctor Hernández said he will prepare a heavy sedative for the soldiers and then we can all come here with you while they sleep. At least now the tavern is officially closed, despite the alcalde, and we can keep you company."

"I bet he is very disappointed he hasn't lured Zorro in yet."

"I bet. But, let's not talk about him, and let's worry about the important stuff, because I don't know for how long I'll have you all to myself," she said, kissing him again. But this time, the exchange was short, because Don Alejandro came into the room.

"Victoria, what did I say about letting him breathe?"

Victoria pulled out, but she didn't move away from Diego, staying by his side, sitting on the bed.

"I am sorry Don Alejandro, but…"

"All right, all right. I understand. But, behave from now on, or I will have to chaperone you two twenty-four hours a day. And you, young man, I need an explanation on your improper behaviour," he said, pointing at Diego. "And don't worry about how long it takes to convince me you are only a man and you couldn't help it, because we'll have plenty of time. The lancers drank the tampered coffee already. They should fall asleep soon."

"That's good," Victoria said.

"So, what the hell were you thinking, Son? Didn't I tell you a thousand times how important it is to preserve a woman's reputation before marriage? What excuses do you want to use about it?"

There we go, Diego thought. God help me.

ZZZZZ