Diego, her dashing hero, swiftly dismounted and helped Rosarita down. Despite the late hour, lights were still burning at the Villa hacienda. No doubt everyone was worried sick about them by now.

"If you would be so kind as to alert our dear Comandante that there's a bunch of bandits all tied up just for him near the old mine of El Camino Viejo?" he asked. Rosarita frowned, not sure she followed. "I would tell him myself, but he'd start chasing me. I'd have to lead him all the way there, which wouldn't be a bad idea, but then I would still have to come back, change clothes, and come back again as Diego."

"Oh, of course!" she laughed. She was starting to realize the complicated logistic of being two persons at once.

"And, Rosarita…" He pointed at his cape that she was still wearing.

With a grin, she handed it back and he made it fly over his shoulders. There was noise at the hacienda's door. Someone had spotted them, and people were coming out.

"I better go," he said quickly. "I'll see you in a moment."

He kissed her hand and got back in the saddle. With a brief salute, he disappeared into the night, just as the people from the hacienda surrounded her. Her aunt Rosa pulled her into a hug, while don Arturo, her uncle, bombarded her with questions. Behind them, don Alejandro and Diego's servant were anxiously watching the reunion, clearly conflicted between the joy and relief to see Rosarita, and the anguish that Diego was still missing. All the staff had stayed up as well. Apparently, the horses had found their way home and Bernardo had spotted them behind the de la Vega hacienda. Not finding either Diego or Rosarita with them, he had raised the alarm. Their disappearance had caused a great stir in the pueblo all afternoon. Rosarita could see on everyone's faces that it had been a trying day, as it had been for her. After all the emotions she had been through in a single day, all this sudden attention felt all a little too smothering. She needed calm and rest – and Diego.

"I'm alright, I'm alright," she assured them.

As Tia Rosa finally let go of her niece, Don Alejandro approached, his worry for his own son easily readable on his face. Rosarita suddenly realized she hadn't asked Diego if his father knew his secret. Surely, Diego wouldn't keep such a thing from his father?

"Zorro promised me that Diego was alright, too," she said, choosing her words carefully. "He's the one who informed him of my kidnapping. He was first knocked out and the bandidos left him there, but he must have woken up. Since the horses took off when we were attacked, I'm guessing he's on foot."

They sent a servant to the pueblo to go get the Comandante. Now that everything was over, Rosarita felt extremely tired. She wished she could go to bed, but she had to recount her day, how they got ambushed, how Diego was left on the side of the road while she was taken away, Zorro's rescue and finally the ride home. She was cautious not to give anything away regarding Diego. She downplayed his heroic effort to defend her just enough to make it sound like the inept but honorable Diego everyone knew.

She had to repeat it all again when the Comandante arrived. He was relieved to see her in one piece but wasn't pleased to hear Zorro had rescued her.

"For all we know, Zorro could have been in cahoots with those rascals," he groaned.

"Oh no, Capitán!" aunt Rosa intervened. "He would never kidnap a lady."

Rosarita refrained from smiling. She wouldn't have taken her aunt for one of Zorro's admirers, but it seemed the outlaw had conquered the heart of all the Angelenos. All but the Comandante. She informed the Captain of the location of the bandits and he reluctantly dispatched Sergeant Garcia and a couple of lancers to go and check if there really were bandits. Seeing her torn dress, the bruises on her wrists and her face, he didn't dare question her story, but he wasn't exactly happy to take directions from an outlaw.

Pressed by don Alejandro and don Arturo, he also sent Caporal Reyes to try and find Diego. Rosarita knew the brave soldier wouldn't find anyone, but she didn't dare say anything. Hopefully, Diego will come up with a good excuse.

She agreed to go lie down in her room on the condition that she would be informed as soon as Diego turned up. She tried to get some sleep, but she couldn't help but replay the events of the night in her mind. Oh, not so much the kidnapping, no. But her conversation with Diego. The kiss. The ride under the moonlight… Then, her thoughts moved to previous events. Everything took on a whole new perspective. She wondered how Diego managed to remain so calm and composed in the face of all the horrors Esteban was constantly pulling, pretending to be this meek and harmless dandy while he was likely boiling with anger inside. The more she thought about him, the more her affection for him grew. Of course, she would never ask him to let go of Zorro. It was too much an important part of him. It had always been, and always will be.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, she heard voices coming from the sala and she rushed back downstairs.

"Rosarita was taken!" she heard Diego shout in a panicked voice.

He was dirty and disheveled and the right side of his head was matted with dry blood. He looked so positively vulnerable and scared, she forgot for a moment it was all just a show.

"Diego," she called. "I'm here."

"Oh, Rosarita, what a relief! When I came to and you were nowhere to be found, I got so scared." His voice quivered slightly and she wasn't sure it was still just pretend.

His gaze was filled with genuine concern as he took in, under the bright light of the chandelier over them, her injuries and bruises.

"You're hurt…" he said softly, his fingers brushing her wrists, where the rope marks were clearly visible. "I'm so sorry."

"So are you!" He had convinced her earlier that he wasn't seriously hurt. She hadn't expected so much blood. Her eyes lingered on the wound. Upon contact with his skull, the bolas had opened a long gash at the border of his hairline. Blood had run down his temple all the way to his neck, ruining the collar of his shirt.

They both wanted to say more, but everyone was hovering over them. Diego was made to sit in a chair, offered water to drink and a cloth to clean his face. He played the part, looking convincingly distraught by his ordeal, reassuring his father, complaining about his ruined suit and the danger of the roads.

"I am exhausted," he whined. "I had to walk all the way back here."

Captain Esteban, who had had the decency to remain quiet until then, sat up and called him out.

"Señorita Cortez said you two were attacked on your way to the mission."

Diego sighed tiredly. "Sí…"

"And so you walked back."

"And it was such a great distance! I thought I'd never make it!"

"Didn't you see the soldiers out there?" Esteban asked. "I sent half a squadron looking for the two of you. I even sent back Corporal Reyes not half an hour ago."

"That was very considerate of you, Capitán! I'm afraid I might have gotten lost…"

"In your own backyard!"

Diego shrugged with fatalism, oblivious of his father's exasperated stare, while the comandante and uncle Arturo smiled indulgently at his helplessness. Rosarita felt offended on Diego's behalf and wondered how he could take all the mockeries and eyerolls with such grace and acceptance. It had to sting, secretly.

Unwilling to impose any further, don Alejandro asked his son if he was feeling well enough to ride. Understanding it was their cue to leave, Diego got up, not without glancing at Rosarita. She walked him to his horse and he turned to her as though he wanted to say something. He looked at his father and her family just behind her, and swallowed back whatever was on his mind. His eyes were talking for him, though – or so she felt – as he took her hand and brought it delicately to his lips.

"Buenas Noches, Rosarita. I will come by tomorrow to check on you," he said.

"I will be expecting your visit, then. Feel free to bring your guitar."

To be continued...