Chapter 3

Both Victoria and Alejandro planned to wait until it had become clear why Mendoza got called to the alcalde so suddenly.
Victoria had joined the don at the table and sat tensely, waiting for what was to come. Since the coachman of the stagecoach was also still in the little office, no one could guess what it all meant.

The don looked at her and remarked casually. "Today, I ran into Don Emilio. He told me that his daughter-in-law is pregnant with her third child."

"That's good news," Victoria uttered, distracted by the closed door at the other side of the plaza, waiting for it to open.

"His son is the same age as Diego. I believe Esteban is three months older. They grew up together."

Victoria furrowed her brow.
It was only last week that she had made an extremely remarkable discovery.

Don Alejandro muttered, without managing to suppress a jealous undertone in his voice. "The eldest is almost four years old and so cute. I saw her yesterday in the plaza with her mother. A smart little girl, you know. Can wrap anyone around her finger." Alejandro heaved a disappointed sigh. "It will be a while before I become a grandfather. Diego prefers to sit with his nose in the books. As far as I know, he has never shown any interest in a woman. It's just frustrating. I'm not getting any younger, Victoria."

Victoria knew about the don's desire to become a grandfather and see his son happily married. The whole pueblo knew about it. It happened regularly that the don hinted that he thought it was high time his son started a family of his own.
She also knew that Diego found the social occasions organized by his father in the hope of achieving this goal extremely annoying. Victoria gave a compassionate look. She did understand why don Alejandro had such feelings. She, too, had a desire for children. And just like for don Alejandro, it did not look like her wish could come true anytime soon.
She tried to reassure the old don. "It will surely come. Besides, I can tell you that both in the past and right now, there is a woman don Diego is more interested in."

Alejandro's mouth fell open in surprise. "What do you say?"

"That Diego does have an interest in women. He told me he is in love."

Alejandro began to sputter. "I don't know anything about such a thing. How do you know?"

Hurriedly, Victoria began to tell the don what she knew. "One of the revolutionaries was a woman Diego knew from his time in Spain. She was his fiancée."

"HIS FIANCÉE!" Shouted don Alejandro loud enough that everyone else in the tavern looked up.
Alejandro muffled his voice and asked Victoria penetratingly. "Diego was engaged? He never said or wrote anything about that. How? When? To who?"

Victoria sat a little closer to don Alejandro and lowered her voice to a whisper. "I don't know the details of it, either. I do know that she left Diego at the altar. Soon after, he had to go back to California. They met again last week and talked together. Zafira, that's her name, married Joaquin Correna."

Don Alejandro leaned against the back of his chair in amazement. His son used to be engaged? Diego had released very little about his time in Spain after his return. Except for the various studies he was taking, he had been reserved about what he had done during that time when Diego was not taking lectures. Except that he liked to spend his time in the library and visit some relatives.
Alejandro took a brief moment to let this new information about what had happened in Spain sink in. Eager to find out every little detail, he uttered. "What else do you know about this Zafira,"

"No more than you already know. Zafira and those men were disguised as circus performers. Her husband got injured during a fight with the lancers. He needed medical care, so they sought help from Diego. Zafira knew she could trust him. Diego took care of Correna's gunshot wound as best he could. I arrived just in time to warn them that the lancers were on their way to arrest them. It was thanks to Zorro they managed to escape."

Yes, this last bit Diego had also told him. His son had only conveniently forgotten to mention to him that the woman in question had almost been his daughter-in-law.
"Was she pretty?"

"Very pretty. And, I think, also kind.

Alejandro remembered that Victoria had not only mentioned a woman in the past but also one in the present. The present held more of his interest. Since this was about the current situation. "Victoria, you said there at this moment Diego is in love with a woman. Do you know who?"

"No, I don't " Victoria had to confess. "I only know because Correna at the hacienda insisted that Zafira should stay with Diego. He even said he knew Zafira still loved Diego more than him. Zafira then confessed that she had no objection to staying. Don Diego, he..., he then told Zafira there was another woman in his heart and declined her offer."

Don Alejandro, meanwhile, was on the edge of his seat with curiosity.
"He did? And he didn't say who she is?"

"No." Her voice faltered for a moment. Victoria desperately wanted to know who this woman was. Yet every time she thought about the possibility of Diego being in love, there was an inexplicable stab in her heart. Or inexplicably, not quite. She did know that she thought Diego was a handsome man. And she was definitely not the only one in the pueblo to think such a thing. It reassured her moderately. "I did ask, but Diego wouldn't say anything. All I know is that the woman he is in love with is herself in love with another man. He also said he planned to tell her one day."

Alejandro slapped the table with a hand. Several people in the tavern were startled by the sound.
"Victoria, this is great news!"

"You think so? Actually, I think it is a bit sad. Diego has feelings for someone who is in love with someone else. He doesn't even dare tell her."

Alejandro had begun to forge a plan to find out who the woman could be. "I have to find out who she is. That son of mine doesn't know squat about women. Maybe she is acting this way to make Diego jealous, or she is unaware that Diego is in love with her. Anyway, if I know who it is, I can help him. And if she knows Diego is in love with her, she can make a choice. And at least Diego will know if there is hope for him."

"And what if it's hopeless?" Victoria asked. "What if she is indeed in love with another man and has no interest in Diego?"

"Nonsense. Many women in Los Angeles hope to catch his eye. Victoria, even when you are right, it will be a good thing. He will know what's on her mind. When she does love him back, he can propose, and they can get married. When she doesn't love him back, Diego can try to move on with his life. He can start looking for a woman for whom he can also develop feelings, and she does reciprocate them. It is always better to know the truth. Than to hope for something that will never be. Who do you think it is?"
Alejandro let his eyes wander around the tavern as if expecting someone to be walking around at that very moment holding a big sign that she was his son's, secret love.

"No idea," Victoria confessed. "Over the past few days, I tried to observe him whenever I've had the chance. I'm curious as well. But I haven't noticed anyone Diego seems to have more interest in than anyone else. And, as you know, he comes to the tavern almost daily."

Alejandro thought about his son's behaviour in the past. The information Victoria had given him was unexpected and new. Maybe when thinking about it, he remembered something that could be a clue.
"What about your helpers? It could be one of them?" The don suggested while pondering.

Now it was Victoria's turn to look astonished. "I don't think so. Alicia and Maria are both married, Sophia just turned fifteen, and Pilar is engaged."

"Victoria, just because someone is married doesn't mean you can't fall in love with them." Alejandro sounded passionate while he continued. "Love is something intangible. It is unexplainable and irrepressible. It can't be tamed and is much less understood."

Victoria remained a lot more realistic about the matter. So she gave don Alejandro the arguments why, as far as she was concerned, all her helpers were off. "Still, It isn't Alicia nor Maria. After all, Diego said the woman was in love with another man. He didn't say she had made promises to this man. Besides, he also plans to tell her of his feelings someday. Diego has too much honour to declare his love to a married woman. Sophia is only fifteen. Diego doesn't seem like the man to fall in love with such a young child."

"You do indeed have a point there." Alejandro agreed with her, looking disappointed. "That leaves Pilar. She is engaged, But not yet married."

Victoria said. "Surely he would have told her. If the person you love is about to marry someone else, you try to prevent that. Don't you think? If necessary, by telling her how you feel. Pilar has been engaged for almost five months and is getting married in a fortnight. The last Sunday, the padre read the banns for the first time. No, I don't believe it is Pilar."

"Still, it seems logical to me if we have to look for a woman living nearby," Alejandro said thoughtfully.
Alejandro cried. "Maybe señorita Juanita. At my last party, he danced with her."

Victoria chuckled sneeringly. "You don't mean Juanita Sagarminaga, do you?" She asked in disbelief.

"Why not? She's quite pretty."

"Yes, but she makes it abundantly clear she wouldn't object should Diego start to woo her. So, that being the case, Diego has no reason to think she's in love with someone else."

"Again, you have a point." Alejandro sunk into thought. As he let a few other names pass his mind and dismissed them all on the spot, an older memory resurfaced."Now that I think about it..., The day Diego returned, there was one woman, after which he inquired the minute he walked into the hacienda. I almost had to force him to have lunch and change out of his travelling clothes to have a bath first. Otherwise, I think he would have gone straight to the pueblo to see her."

"Who do you mean? Does she still live in Los Angeles? Is she married?"

Alejandro glanced at Victoria, wanted to say something and then shook his head warily. "But if she is the woman my son is in love with, then I think it is, indeed, a hopeless situation."

"Ah, please, don Alejandro. You can tell me." Victoria was burning with curiosity. It seemed like the old don had at least a vague superstition about who the mystery woman could be. Eagerly, she asked the don. "Who is she?"

The attention of everyone within earshot of the cuartel got distracted by the sound of a loud trumpet. Victoria turned to look up. During the entangled conversation with the don, she had completely forgotten what they were actually waiting for. That was to hear what news the coachman of the stagecoach had brought the alcalde. And at the sight of the twelve lancers lined up in the plaza. De Soto stood on the edge of the fountain and had a rather self-satisfied look on his face. His whole attitude did not bode well for the people of Los Angeles.

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