It had been raining for most of the previous two days and nights, and the sun was just coming out from behind the clouds when news reached the pueblo that a sumptuous, white-and-golden carriage pulled by eight white horses, made its way towards the former De la Vega Hacienda.

"It was accompanied by a small army of servants on horseback, all dressed in strange-looking, colored clothes unlike any I have ever seen," a don recounted for his friends, who were sitting at one of the tavern's tables. "And, that was not all!" he continued. "Behind it came some ten wagons, all filled with barrels, coffers, and I don't even know what else. It was the most magnificent sight!"

"That's nothing!" another man said. "I heard that the first transport of the count's things arrived several weeks ago when Don Rafael arrived. They said there were 40 wagons in that caravan!"

"Thirty at the most," another contradicted.

"Thirty is still a lot," another man said.

By then, rumors already abounded in the territory about the new owner of the De la Vega lands, seeing how several people who had seen the works done to the house and the gardens were already praising the man nobody yet knew.

"We should go and introduce ourselves as soon as possible," one of the dons said.

"If we do, we risk seeming rude. And then what?" another wondered.

"True. The best thing is to just let him come to us… or send us invitations to visit him," yet another suggested.

ZZZ

Around the same time as the dons were trying to decide whether to barge in on the count or just wait to be summoned (they expected a very rich count might do precisely that if he wanted to meet his new neighbors), the man's carriage stopped before his hacienda. It was 11 a.m. sharp.

A doorman placed two mobile stairs in front of the carriage, and then opened the door for the count to step out.

The household staff, including Rafael and Don Alejandro, were all there, waiting anxiously (for the most part), to see the man. As he emerged, they all stared at the good-looking, tall man with blue eyes and fair skin glancing back at them. He was wearing a long, red-and-gold kaftan tied at the waist with a golden sash. His black hair reached his shoulders while most of his face was hidden behind a mustache that continued with a v-shaped beard, his facial hair making him seem a man in his early 30s.

"Good morning," the newcomer politely addressed everyone, and they saluted in turn.

"Welcome home, Your Excellency," his mayordomo addressed him as soon as he stepped out of the carriage. "Please allow me to introduce to you Don Alejandro de la Vega, the ranch manager, and former owner of your property."

The count headed for the man who was his father, wondering if he would recognize him. Eight years had passed since they had last seen each other – at least, since they had last seen each other without him wearing a mask over half his face. The older man's hair was almost completely grey now, and he had acquired quite a few wrinkles. Diego had seen him and talked to him before, as the abbot, yet, for some reason, now that he was looking at him, he could hardly prevent himself from embracing the old man, though he well knew he could not. Not yet.

"It is an honor to make your acquaintance, Your Excellency!" Don Alejandro said, extending his hand.

"That would have to do for now," Diego thought as he offered his hand in return. "My honor, Señor." He replied as a brown-skinned boy, about 14 in age, followed him out of the carriage.

"And who might this young man be?" Don Alejandro asked noticing him.

The count turned as if trying to see who the don was referring to. "Oh… This is Fariz, my valet. I bought him in a slave market in Stamboul. He does not understand Spanish, but he does seem to have an instinct for knowing exactly what I want and when to prevent others from disturbing me from my musings. Besides, I do know some words in the language he spoke before he was taken from his people, and I managed to teach him some signs to use for us to understand each other."

The boy smiled at him and, heading towards a tray one of the servants was holding, brought his master a glass of fresh orange juice.

"Case in point…" the count uttered accepting the glass. "Gracias, Fariz…" he said as he drank a little.

"So… you have slaves?" Don Alejandro uttered, a hint of rage in his voice.

"Not exactly. I did buy many of my servants as slaves, but I have freed them the moment they became mine to free. The ones who accompanied me here, Fariz included, did so of their own volition, and are paid, rather generously, for their services."

Don Alejandro smiled at hearing that, deciding right then and there that he liked the count.

"Please, allow me to escort you inside, Your Excellency," Rafael offered.

The count smiled politely and nodded his agreement. "I hope you will join me for lunch, Don Alejandro. There is much I wish to discuss with you," he said before following his man into the house.

"I will be happy to," the elderly man agreed.

The count glanced at Fariz, then headed inside the house with Rafael.

Don Alejandro watched the boy indicating by signs to the other servants that two coffers should be unloaded and taken to the count's room, then remained to study that pantomime a short while, before dismissing the household staff and following the two younger men inside. He found the count in the library, studying the books there.

"Rafael, I don't remember some of these volumes," he was saying.

"That's because they used to belong to my library, Señor," Don Alejandro explained.

"And the pianoforte?" the man asked as he ran his fingers over the keys.

"It was my wife's. My son was the last one to use it, years ago, so I am afraid it needs tuning…" the elderly caballero said.

"I will handle that, Your Excellency," his mayordomo hurriedly assured his master.

The count said nothing at that but signed to Rafael that he was ready to continue the tour.

"Your rooms are upstairs," the mayordomo said, indicating the staircase.

Don Alejandro glanced at them, then at the piano, sighed, and headed for the kitchen to see how Maria was advancing with the meal preparations. Instead of his cook, however, he found two of the newcomers in charge of the kitchen. The older woman was looking baffled at them, on the brink of crying.

"He will fire me, won't he, Don Alejandro?" she asked.

"I'm sure he won't…" he tried to console her. "But do not worry, Maria! Even if that happens, when I move from here – and I certainly will, if he fires anyone – I will still need you as my cook."

"You mean that, Don Alejandro?"

"The count's man was very generous to me. I have more than enough money left for a new hacienda. You have nothing to worry about," he assured her.

"God bless you, Don Alejandro!" the woman uttered with tears in her eyes as she slightly bowed at her former master and headed for the dining room to set the table.

ZZZ

"He didn't recognize me…" Diego uttered as soon as he and Emmanuel were behind closed doors and they could stop the pretense. "I only wear a fake beard and a wig, yet my own father looked me in the eyes and had no idea who I was…"

"Your disguise is quite good, my friend. Besides, it's been eight years since last your father saw you, and he believes his son is dead. You should be glad it all went according to our plan. Weren't you the one who told me your father was not very good with secrets?"

"Indeed… As far as I know, at least... Tell me, are the invitations ready?"

"I sent them already."

"You did make sure to also invite Victoria, of course."

"Yes. Don Alejandro insisted on it."

"Good." Diego smiled. "Now… What do we know about Gilberto's visit to San Diego?"

"We know plenty," Emmanuel answered. "We know that he visited the Presidio and one of the horse breeders in the area, from whom he bought two Andalusians. Most of his time in the tavern he spent trying his hand at seducing a young kitchen helper. As for the true reason for his trip, it was to meet with a man recently arrived from Spain – a certain Mauricio del Toro."

"Mauricio del Toro… The name sounds familiar…"Diego remarked.

"That's because we interviewed him while we were building our network of informers. He was intelligent and came highly recommended, but we both thought that something was off about him…"

"The weasel!" Diego remembered.

"Exactly," Emmanuel confirmed.

"He didn't seem trustworthy…"

"That is an understatement, as it turns out. Remember that viscount we found out to be Risendo's protector?"

"Castillo de Almansa?"

"Yes. Well, as it turns out, our weasel works for him, and has been in his employment for years already."

"I see… Though I do not remember him mentioning that in his interview."

Emmanuel shook his head. "That's because he did not. And for good reason. You see, the viscount has been investigating you… well, the count, I mean, since our arrival in Madrid. Del Toro brought Risendo the viscount's instructions to find a way to get close to you and investigate your activities here, the source of your fortune, and its true size. He is to report back to his protector on the issue in a couple of weeks."

"I see…" Diego said pensively. "Do we know the reason for the viscount's investigation?"

"I am not sure what his reasons were to investigate you at first. However, at present, it seems that he has information about rebels in California, and is looking into who might be financing them and why. From what Gabriel was able to piece together, it seems that he is suspicious of your reasons for coming here, and suspects you are involved in some sort of conspiracy against the Crown."

"I see… He's not very bright this viscount, is he?"

"I don't believe so, no… Certainly not if he doesn't realize you could have easily bought the entire territory had you intended that. Not to mention he supports Risendo…"

"Of course," Diego pointed out, "there's also the possibility that he is trying to get his hands on the count's fortune. An accusation of treason results in the confiscation of one's material possessions… The king might just make him a count should he return to Spain with such a fortune…"

Emmanuel nodded pensively. "You are right!" he said. "We need to be careful… More careful than we have been thus far... And you must stop riding as Zorro! If you are caught and unmasked…"

"They will realize Diego de la Vega is not dead. Not that Zorro and the count are one and the same. No, my friend, I can't stop riding as Zorro… Not only because the people need him, but also because I need him. I pretend to be not one but several people I am not, Emmanuel. I need Zorro to remind myself of who I truly am."

His friend nodded. "Very well… Just… Just be careful!" he said. "We came too long a way to fail now!" he warned.

Moments later, Felipe entered the cave through the back entrance, sweat dripping from his forehead, and started signing.