The Secret of Zorro
This Is Your Family
Chapters  Eight and Nine
by Ella Christian @1999-2002
Contact author at EllaChristian@aol.com

Chapter Eight
Saints and Sinners

"Juan!  Rosaria!"  Conchita exclaimed, nearly dropping her tureen of soup.

"Shhhh, shhhhh!"  Rosaria held her fingers to her lips.  The three of them stood there in the dark passageway staring at one another.

"What are you doing here, the Capitan...er, Lieuten...Vilaro is looking for you!  He is here!" Conchita hissed, nodding her head at the ceiling.

"Si, si, we know that," Juan answered, his wife nodding in agreement.

"Then why are you here?!" Conchita whispered fiercely.  She looked down at her soup.  "I must serve this or it will grow cold and Don Alejandro will shame me."

"We will go to the kitchen and wait," Rosaria said.  "We can help with the next course."  

"Are there any soldiers in there?" Juan asked.

"They would not dare enter my kitchen!" Conchita huffed. "Don Alejandro sent all of them outside the front gate, except for Vilaro.  He is upstairs, indisposed, after his encounter with El Zorro!"   She then marched away, carrying the soup towards the patio.  She felt great annoyance, for she had already sacrificed some of her soup to Lieutenant Vilaro.  She had never forgiven him for the mess he made at Rancho Verbena during Clementia's wedding reception, and had been greatly put out upon learning he was back in Los Angeles, now as a Mexican officer.   

When she stepped into the patio, over a dozen members of the family plus their guests were seated at tables that were set to the side near the fig tree, leaving room for dancing. For the de la Vegas, this qualified as a rather small party.  The Cahuengas, including Lupe, were present, as were Francisco and Leonara Bocca, Clementia, Consuelo, and two of the younger dons of the pueblo, Esteban Rojas and Jose Filimeņo.  Both men were several years older than Diego, and both were in search of wives.  Both had attempted to court Consuelo without success but neither had given up hope that in her reduced circumstances she might give in and marry one of them. Conchita considered both of them ridiculous. Three musicians were seated near the gate, playing guitars and a fiddle.  Esperanza was still awake and presently sitting in Don Alejandro's lap, enjoying all of the attention that her birthday was assuring her.  She had already been showered with greetings, kisses, and little presents.  Her father was on his father's right, and her mother was next to her father, and on the other side of her Papito was her Chocho, so she felt happily surrounded by the people she knew best.  As Conchita set the soup tureen in front of Alejandro, Esperanza gave a merry squeal that made everyone laugh.  Conchita shook her head and returned to the kitchen. Then she remembered Juan and Rosaria had shown up, and quickened her pace.

"I think it is high time to give you your birthday present!" Alejandro laughed, seeing the soup arrive.  He nodded at the vaquero, Cesaro, who was standing near the gateway to the stables.  Elizabeth looked at Diego but her husband was watching Esperanza, his back to her.  She looked at the gateway and as she had suspected earlier, what emerged was Cesaro leading the little golden brown pony she had discovered earlier that day in the stable.  

"Look Esperanza, look," Alejandro said, standing and holding her up.  "Do you see the pony?"

Esperanza looked around, saw where the attention was going, and then saw the pony. She looked surprised, and turned her head to her grandfather, puzzled.  "Papatah," she said.

"No, muchacha, look at the pony," Alejandro said, again pointing her head in the direction of the small horse.  

Elizabeth noted that the pony was again waggling its lips and snorting.  She looked again at Diego, who was gazing at the pony looking somewhat perturbed.

"Is this her birthday present?" Doņa Corinna asked, half standing up so she could see the short animal across the patio.

"It looks like a big dog," Consuelo said to her cousin. She was sitting beside Clementia and across from the de la Vegas. She was wearing a very low-cut dress that made Elizabeth bristle and made Don Esteban and Don Juan grow pale with desire.

Clementia gave Consuelo a "for shame" glance, as she was in earshot of Don Alejandro.

"Well, it is the smallest pony I have ever seen!" Consuelo whispered loudly.

Sergeant Garcia, who was standing in the gateway to the road, trying to supervise the lancers and at least slightly enjoy the party, ventured into the patio and went to the pony.  The pony looked up at him and snorted.  He patted its forelock lightly.

"Nice pony," he said to it.  "Good pony."  He looked at Cesar.  "Does he have a name?"

Cesar shrugged.  "It is a she," he replied.

"I am sorry I mixed you up," the Sergeant said quietly to the she-pony.  The pony shook her head and waggled her lips again.

Alejandro rose and carried Esperanza over.  "Look at this, Ranza, you have your own pony now," he told her.

"Oh, this is a pony for Esperanza!" Sergeant Garcia said.  He eyed the baby.  "It is almost too small for you," he told her.

Finally, after taking all this in, Diego looked at his wife.

"Did you know he was going to do this?" she asked under her breath.

"I certainly did not!" he replied tightly, keeping his eyes on his father and his daughter while they inspected Esperanza's new four-legged present.  He then nudged her elbow, indicating they should get up.  "We are going to have to make the best of it," he said to her quietly.

She nodded slightly as they got up and walked over to Alejandro, Esperanza and the pony.

"My goodness, sweetheart, what do you think of this special present from Papito?" Elizabeth asked her daughter.

Esperanza looked at her mother and back at the pony. She pointed at the pony.  Then she yawned.

"She is getting sleepy," Elizabeth said to Alejandro.  

"Oh, she is still so wide awake," he began.  Then to his dismay, Esperanza reached for her mother.  The baby yawned again, pulling at her ear.  The whole family knew that the ear-pulling meant that if she was not put down very quickly, they would have a cranky and squalling child on their hands.  He handed her over to Elizabeth.  

"I will take you upstairs, and tomorrow we can visit the pony again," Elizabeth told her.  She turned Esperanza to the guests still seated at the table.  "Can you wave bye bye to everyone, Esperanza?  Lift up your hand and wave," she encouraged.

Esperanza wriggled slightly and saw her father over her mother's shoulder.  He grinned at her and made a little wave.  She grinned and waved back, and then waved at everyone else in their seats.

This brought on a series of "ah's" and "aw's" which caused Esperanza to shove her forehead into her mother's shoulder shyly.  She pulled at her ear again.

"I need to take her upstairs now," Elizabeth said softly.  "Give Papito a kiss," she told her daughter.  Alejandro put his face before the baby and she made a small kiss on his cheek.  "Good girl," Elizabeth said.  "Wave to Chocho, sweetheart," she said as she carried her towards the stairs. "Can we stop to give him a kiss?"  However, Esperanza laid her head on Elizabeth's shoulder and shut her eyes.  "Oh, Ranza, no kiss for my Daddy or yours?" Elizabeth asked her softly, patting her back.  She felt the baby sigh heavily.

"She will be asleep by the time Elizabeth is on the fifth step," Doņa Leonara remarked as everyone resettled in their seats. 

Alejandro took his seat again immediately, but Diego remained with Cesar, Sergeant Garcia and the pony.  "When did my father get this animal?" Diego asked Cesar.

"He sent me to San Juan Capistrano three days ago and told me to get this pony from Rancho Verbena," Cesar replied.  "I got back this afternoon."

"Rancho Verbena?" Diego repeated.  He glanced at Sergeant Garcia but said nothing.

Garcia cleared his throat. "I need to return to the lancers," he said.  "To make sure they are still.... prepared," he added.  He took several steps backwards and then turned and disappeared out the gate and into the dark roadway where the other men stood.

"Take the pony back to its stall," Diego told the vaquero.  He looked down at it.  It was, he had to admit to himself, quite adorable.  He sighed, looking over at his father.  

******

Esperanza's day was so active that the baby never woke up when her mother put her down in her bed a few minutes later.  Elizabeth stroked her back gently for a little while.  Then she left, finding Maria waiting outside the room.  "Keep an eye on her," she told her servant.  "She will probably sleep right through, but listen for her just in case."

"Si, Doņa Elizabeth," Maria said.  She sat down on her chair outside Esperanza's room, assuring herself of a view of the dinner while being very near her young charge.

On making her way back downstairs, Elizabeth saw that the supper was in progress but that both Diego and Alejandro were not at the table.  She looked around, but the pony was gone and they were nowhere to be seen.  She frowned, and watched the scene for a moment, torn between feeling she should entertain their guests and wondering what had become of the two men.   Her father, sitting in the middle of the table, began telling one of his stories. Everyone leaned in to listen.  Seeing everyone being entertained, Elizabeth stayed in the shadows.  She walked quietly under the overhanging balcony to the sala windows, where she could see her husband and his father talking.  Unable to hear them, she could tell that they were deep in conversation.  At first it was Diego doing the talking.  He still looked perturbed. Elizabeth imagined he was confronting his father about his decision to bestow a pony on Esperanza without discussing it with her parents.  

Finally Diego stopped talking and Alejandro gave a short answer.  Diego looked down, apparently not liking the reply but unwilling to make an even greater issue of whatever they were discussing.  For a moment nothing happened, and Alejandro started to turn for the door.  Then Diego spoke again.  His father stopped cold.  He turned around and looked at Diego. Then the conversation resumed, quietly, intensely.  Alejandro spoke at some length, calmly, at one point waving his hand towards the west.  As he continued, he raised his shoulders in a sad shrug.  Then they were silent again.  Elizabeth knew that they had to be talking about Rufino.  Finally Diego said something, and Alejandro replied.  At that point, Elizabeth saw a look of utter shock come over her husband's face.  Whatever Alejandro had said stunned him.  He spoke again, briefly.  Alejandro nodded and then said more.  Diego sat down, still stunned.  He spoke again, though not at length.  Alejandro nodded slowly, said one more thing, and then turned and walked to the door.  Elizabeth stood there for a moment longer, watching Diego.  He was still in a state of astonishment at whatever his father had said.  She wanted to go to him. 

"Doņa Elizabeth, aren't you going to eat?" a voice shook her back into the immediate surroundings.  She jerked around to see Lupe Cahuenga standing near her.

"Oh, Lupe, I...yes, of course I am," Elizabeth said to the girl.  She had turned 17 that March, and was transforming into a beautiful young woman before the very eyes of everyone in the pueblo.   Don Miguel was already putting feelers out up and down the coast in search of an appropriate husband for her.

"Don Diego did not seem very happy about the pony for Esperanza," she commented.

"Well, it did come as a surprise to us, but it was a very generous thing for Don Alejandro to do," Elizabeth said.  

"He loves Esperanza very much," Lupe said.

"Indeed," Elizabeth agreed.  "She is a lucky little girl, to have two grandpapas who make over her so."

Lupe's eyes sparkled.  "Don Diego loves her so much, too," she said.  The girl looked down demurely.  "And he loves you, too, I know."

Elizabeth smiled again.  Lupe's crush on Diego was famous in the pueblo. It amused Elizabeth that she was still so smitten at her age.  She took Lupe's hand.  "You will find a wonderful husband one day, Lupe, and he will love you very much," she said reassuringly.

Lupe nodded and smiled shyly.  Elizabeth squeezed her hand.  "Come back to the table with me," she said.  "Sit with Diego, he will enjoy your company."  Along with feeling generous, Elizabeth felt a surge of devilment at this suggestion, for she knew it would vex Consuelo to see Lupe seated between Diego and Alejandro.  

Lupe perked up at Elizabeth's suggestion and followed her to the table, where she took the seat Elizabeth suggested.  Elizabeth glanced over to see Consuelo stiffen.  She suppressed a smile, and took her own place between Don Juan and Don Esteban.  A few moments later, Don Alejandro returned to the table and sat down.  He immediately began talking with Lupe, ignoring Don Carlos's story.    

The dinner then proceeded as the musicians played.  Elizabeth ate and made conversation with the young dons, watching for Diego to return.  Time passed and he did not.  

******

In Conchita's kitchen, a flurry of activity was underway.  Juan and Rosaria, unable to resist helping, pitched in with the rest of the staff in continuing to lay out food on trays and finish cooking various courses for the extended meal.  Their presence caused repeated stirs as each servant returned to the kitchen to discover them there, so they re-explained their arrival over and over, shushing those who walked in and keeping the door closed lest any wandering lancer notice their presence.  Conchita was especially wound up between her worry over a successful meal and smooth operations in her kitchen, and keeping the Bottegas' arrival a secret.  She alternately waved her spatula in the air giving directions and sat on a chair outside the kitchen door fanning herself and swearing that this household was becoming too complicated for her simple temperament.  "Lancers!  Mexicans!  El Zorro racing through my kitchen!  Escapees from the cuartel!  How can I be expected to cook!" she exclaimed to no one.  

It was as she was making this pronouncement that Bernardo turned a corner and stopped in front of her, smiling broadly.  He pointed at the door and opened his hands, to indicate that he could take something out if she wished.

Conchita leaped in front of the door and held her hands out, refusing him entry.  "No, no, no!' she said to him, shaking her head vigorously.  She shooed at him to go back to the patio. 

He frowned, looking at her in puzzlement.

"No!" she said again, shaking her head.  

He shrugged and turned back. However, instead of going to the kitchen, he went to the sala.  There, he found Diego still sitting on the piano bench, looking up at the portrait of his mother.  

Diego started when Bernardo entered, and pulled himself out of his thoughts.  "What is it?" he asked.

Bernardo waved in the direction of the kitchen, and then gestured Conchita in front of the door with her arms fiercely folded, banning his entry.  Then he gestured Juan's moustache and Rosaria's apron, his long-time gesture for her which Diego recognized immediately.  

"Oh, they are here," Diego said, getting up.

Bernardo nodded, and then gave Diego a quizzical look.  He pointed upstairs and then made his grumpy face, which he used to describe Vilaro.

"Do not worry," Diego said dismissively.  "I told them to come."

Bernardo frowned, holding his hands up in a gesture of bewilderment.  He made the "Z" in the air questioningly.

"If everything goes according to the plan, they will be able to stay in Los Angeles," Diego told him.  "And it will not require any intercession on Zorro's part."

Now Bernardo was even more puzzled.

Diego smiled.  "It is a mystery, eh?" he asked.  He heard a chorus of laughter from outside.  "I suppose I should go out and join the guests," he said.

Bernardo nodded.  They walked to the door together, and on opening it found Roberto Vilaro in full uniform standing before them.

"Ah, Lieutenant," Diego said, bowing.  "Are you going to join the party?"

Vilaro stepped in.  "I have just managed to avoid it," he answered.  He peered through the library door. Everything was more or less picked up and back in order, though Alejandro's huge globe was relegated in its shards to a corner. "I suppose the lancers have cleaned up the chaos that Zorro created earlier," he said.  
"It was more Bernardo and our other servants than your lancers," Diego replied.  "You will owe my father a new globe, the one that was shattered was precious to him."

"Tell him to send the bill to El Zorro," Vilaro snapped, looking around.  "I am going to tell the lancers to do another sweep of this house, de la Vega.  I will instruct them not to disrupt your gathering."

Diego frowned, holding up his hand.  "You have been in this hacienda all afternoon and into the evening.  You have found nothing suspicious.  There is no reason for another search," he said.  "It will upset my father greatly to see more uniforms passing through at this time."  Vilaro opened his mouth and Diego, uncharacteristically, interrupted.  "This is ridiculous!" he said, stepping forward.  Bernardo grabbed his arm. 

Vilaro's hand went to his sword hilt.  "Do not trifle with me, de la Vega.  I will not rest until I take that man back to Mexico."

"Do not draw your sword again in this house, seņor," Diego said flatly.  "We have had enough damage for one day."

"You will have more damage if you do not hand over that fugitive and his wife," Vilaro hissed, his hand still on the sword.  

Bernardo pulled at Diego to give it up and go on outside.  Diego shrugged him off, his eyes remaining on Vilaro.  "You will excuse me," he said.

Vilaro pulled his sword and held the point at Diego's throat.  Diego stopped short, his eyes on the sword blade.  

"They are here, aren't they?" Vilaro asked.

"I have not seen them here this evening," Diego replied honestly.  "Though if they were here, they would be welcome."  He cleared his throat and Vilaro slowly lowered his sword.  

"You will accompany me outside to greet your guests, de la Vega," he said.  "In fact I do not want you out of my sight for the rest of the evening."

Bernardo glanced up at Diego, alarmed.  When Vilaro's sword came out of its scabbard, he instantly assumed that Zorro would need to re-assert himself in the proceedings.  That would be impossible if Diego had to stay in Vilaro's presence all evening.

Diego bowed cooperatively, showing no concern.  He gestured in the direction of the patio, and the two men proceeded towards the door.  Bernardo followed, wondering what was going to happen next.  Somewhat oddly, Diego stopped at the door, stepping behind Vilaro, waiting for Bernardo to go in front of both of them and open the door.  When the servant did so, and put his hand on the latch, he heard a heavy bang and turned around.  Vilaro was crumpling to the floor, having been knocked out by the vase Diego had just applied to his head.  Bernardo looked at his master, shocked.

Diego shrugged.  "He seems to be the military officer most in need of being knocked out over and over," he said.  "Sooner or later it will go to his head."  He winked at Bernardo.  "Just leave him there.  I shall have to go upstairs and change clothes after all. We shall blame El Zorro for hitting both him and me in the head!  But we will try to do this quietly.  I would prefer not to have Zorro interrupting the party and once again appearing at the de la Vega hacienda."

Bernardo nodded with a smile, and watched his master head for the opening into the secret passage.  Diego looked about, and then disappeared into the tall cabinet.

******

Conchita continued alternately to fan herself and direct the traffic and cooking in the kitchen.  The party was now on its fourth course of food.  The guests were becoming comfortable thanks to the excellent wine always served at Rancho de la Vega.   

"I should be serving this myself!" Juan Bottega complained, as he handed another pair of bottles of red wine to Mendocino, Conchita's primary bottle-server and bottle-washer. He was also rumored to be her husband, though no one in the household had ever had the nerve to verify this directly with either of the individuals involved.  The hubbub in the kitchen was great, as servants scurried in and out with new demands from the guests and new directions from Conchita.  

Rosaria was occupied with re-cycling the dishes as they came back for each course.  It was her job at the Tavern so she had no difficulty transferring it to the de la Vega kitchen.  Her efficiency rivaled Conchita's, though she carefully deferred to the kitchen's undisputed leader in all culinary and clean-up matters. She was placing a new stack of dishes into one of the teenagers' hands for drying when Elizabeth appeared in the doorway.  Rosaria spied her and nearly dropped the dishes as Elizabeth gasped.

"What are you doing here?" Elizabeth asked.  She saw Juan and her eyes widened yet again.  "You are both here!" she exclaimed.  "This is the last place you should be!"

"What are you doing in my kitchen!" Conchita cried, marching up to Elizabeth.

Elizabeth eyed her back.  "I believe this is the de la Vega kitchen, and I am a de la Vega!" she answered tartly.  

This did nothing to deflate Conchita, whose territorialism in the kitchen had no rival.  "You will leave!" she stated, pointing at the door.  

"I am looking for Diego!" Elizabeth replied.

"He is not here!" Conchita snapped back.  Her eyebrows rose.  "When did you start looking for him in the kitchen?" she asked.  "He has not spent time here since he was a little boy trying to steal cookies and learned better of it!"  She waved a spoon at Elizabeth.  "You should learn this lesson!"

Elizabeth put her hands on her hips, ignoring Conchita.  "Juan, Rosaria, you must leave, you are not safe here, Vilaro is after you and he is right here in the hacienda!"

"El Zorro told us to come here," Rosaria said.  "He said we may have to give away my santos but he thinks we can remain in Los Angeles."

"Zorro?" Elizabeth said.  "Is he here too?"  She looked around.  "He has been here once already today, though I did not see him."

Juan nodded.  "He found us in our hiding place and told us to come, and bring the santos, for we might need to make a trade."

"I will not give them up unless I absolutely must," Rosaria announced.  

Elizabeth took a deep breath, unsure what to do.  When more time passed at supper and Diego did not reappear, she had gotten up to start looking for him.  She had simply taken the inner passage to get into the house, thus avoiding some of the guests, a route that took her by the kitchen.   She had hardly anticipated the scene that now greeted her.  What on earth is he up to? she wondered.  

At this point, another door into the kitchen opened, and Lieutenant Vilaro stepped through.  He looked somewhat disheveled and definitely annoyed.  His hands were behind his back.  And behind him, stepping into the kitchen was El Zorro, his sword drawn and pointed into Vilaro's back.

It was only Rosaria's speedy reaction time that prevented young Estella from dropping the plates she had just been handed on seeing Zorro appear.  Having averted a noisy disaster, Rosaria took the plates and put them down on the counter.  Everyone looked around, no one knowing what to say.  Then Vilaro spied Juan Bottega.  

"You are here!" he exclaimed.  "I knew it! I knew the de la Vegas were...."

He stopped, feeling Zorro's swordpoint dig slightly deeper into his coat.  "I daresay you can hardly blame the de la Vegas, given the damage I just did to Don Diego's head," he said.  

Elizabeth started.

"Your husband is all right, Seņora," Zorro told her across the room.  "I apologize, but when I came on both of them in your sala, I had to act on both of them."  He stepped into the middle of the kitchen, still keeping his sword pointed at Vilaro.  "Here is the arrangement, commandante.  I have brought you to your prey, and your prey to you.  But we will determine Seņor Bottega's fate on fair ground, not by dragging him and his wife into the jail and then hauling them off to Mexico against their will.  Since you are his jailer, you will also be his opponent.  In a duel."  Everyone gasped, for they all knew that, poor a swordsman as Vilaro was, Juan Bottega was no match for him.  Zorro ignored this, continuing.  "You will duel with him until Don Alejandro de la Vega declares a winner in a fair fight.  If you win, you may take the Bottegas wherever you wish.  I will not interfere.  And..." he went to the chair beyond Rosaria and picked up her bag of saints, "to sweeten your victory, you shall have these."  He held the bag open, and everyone, including Vilaro, got a glimpse of several hand-carved virgins and saints, several of them jewel-encrusted, in the bag.  "A pretty prize, eh?" Zorro said, yanking the string on the bag shut.  He put them back on the chair.  He looked around at everyone.  "Now, of course, if Juan Bottega wins, you must leave him to his own choice about where he wishes to live his life.  He may decide to remain in Los Angeles and keep the Tavern."  Zorro went back to Vilaro, holding his swordpoint at the man's neck, very close to Vilaro had earlier pointed his own sword at Diego.  "And if he wins, you will respect his decision, and you will not report to the Mexican authorities that you found him at all.  Am I understood, commandante?"

Vilaro gulped.  Of everyone in the room, only he and Zorro knew the reputation of Colonel Juan Esposito with a sword.  If Vilaro refused to duel, he would have to let Esposito go.  If he engaged, his ability to win depended solely on how badly out of shape Esposito had become during his fat years as Juan Bottega.  

"I shall take up your challenge," Vilaro answered.  

"Excellent!" El Zorro smiled.  He glanced over at Elizabeth.  "Seņora, would you kindly ask Don Alejandro to join us?  He can accompany these men to your patio for their...encounter."

Elizabeth nodded and hurried out into the night air, going straight for Alejandro.  She shook his elbow.  "You must come with me," she told him.

He looked at her, a bit annoyed.  "What? Where?"

"No, you must come with me," she repeated. She leaned down and whispered in his ear, "Zorro is here and he wishes you to come!"

At that Alejandro got up immediately, excused himself, and followed Elizabeth to the kitchen.   The sight that greeted him took him by surprise. 

"Ah, Seņor de la Vega," Zorro said, bowing slightly, though keeping his sword at Vilaro's neck.  "I shall let you lead from here, in making certain that a proper duel is fought.  Your commandante will explain!"  With that he whirled around, his cape flipping up and nearly knocking several plates off the counter, and bounded out of the room through the door from which he had entered.  Once again Rosaria managed to keep the shivering plates from tumbling to the floor and shattering.  

Alejandro looked around, bewildered.  "What am I supposed to do?" he asked.

"Why did he leave?" Elizabeth asked.

"Who knows why El Zorro comes or goes," Juan Bottega said, stepping forward.  He looked at Alejandro.  "We have agreed to a duel, to determine my fate," he said.

"But Juan, you are no swordsman," Alejandro said.

"I shall take my chances," Bottega replied.  

Rosaria smiled to herself.

******

Fifteen minutes later, after Juan had gone with Alejandro to the de la Vega weapons room and chosen himself a sword, the three men came out onto the patio, followed by Rosaria, Elizabeth and most of the kitchen staff.  Murmuring began when Juan appeared, for everyone knew he and Rosaria had escaped from the cuartel earlier that day.  

"Why are they carrying swords?" Consuelo asked her cousin.

Clementia shrugged, "How would I know?  I didn't know Juan was here."

Sergeant Garcia, hearing all the noise, emerged through the gateway and was astonished to see Juan Bottega standing there with a sword.

"Should I arrest this man?" he asked Vilaro.

"No, you idiot, I am going to duel him!" Vilaro answered.

"Duel him?" Garcia repeated.  "But.... he does not duel!"

Corporal Reyes appeared behind Garcia, nodding his head in agreement.

Vilaro rolled his eyes.  He looked around at everyone.  "I am forced into a duel!" he exclaimed, "By El Zorro, who has in his cowardly way disappeared!"

"Do not be so certain of that, commandante!" came a voice from the wall surrounding the patio.  Everyone looked up to see Zorro standing there, his sword drawn. They all gasped.  "I expect you to keep your agreement regarding the outcome of this duel!" he called down to them all. "Your commandante has agreed to free Juan Bottega if Juan can win the duel!" he announced.  "If Vilaro wins, Juan will go with him back to Mexico."

"And I shall have those santos!" Vilaro snarled, looking over in Rosaria's direction.  

She clutched her bag to her heart.

"Seņor de la Vega will act as Juan's second," Zorro said to them all.  He looked down at Sergeant Garcia.  "And you, Sergeant, shall act as Vilaro's second."

"Me?" Garcia pointed at himself.  "But I...." he gulped, seeing the bandito's determination was unswayable, and went over to stand by Vilaro.

"Does that mean that if they get hurt, Don Alejandro will have to duel your Sergeant?" Lupe asked Clementia.

"I don't think so..." Clementia said, suddenly feeling quite hot and fanning herself.

"Good luck, muchachos!" Zorro called down to the swordsmen.  

Juan Bottega lifted his sword in a salute to Zorro, which the masked man returned.  Then he whirled around, and jumped into what appeared to be thin air.  Moments later they heard the pounding of hooves.

"Should I try to catch him?" Corporal Reyes asked.

"Try and catch the wind," Sergeant Garcia sighed.  

Vilaro lifted his sword, facing Juan Bottega.  Juan saluted his opponent crisply, and the men squared off.
Vilaro thrust his sword first, and Juan deftly dodged it.  He took another thrust, parrying it. Then another, and another.  Clearly Vilaro was testing where Juan's weaknesses were, and he was not finding any. Everyone watching stepped back, astonished.  Juan Bottega had a talent no one knew about. 

"When did he learn to fence?" Corporal Reyes asked Sergeant Garcia.  

Garcia shrugged.  The duel picked up energy, as the men began to move around the open space, widening their area of attack and retreat.  Juan thrust his sword and clipped off a button of Vilaro's jacket with a grin.

"He is very good!" Don Francisco remarked to Don Carlos.

"Si," Carlos agreed.  

Vilaro increased his rate of attack, hoping to overwhelm his opponent on sheer will.  Juan simply held himself back, an amused look on his face as Vilaro's desperation began to show.  With a quick coupe, he clipped off another button of the officer's jacket.  Vilaro looked down at it and growled.

Elizabeth, watching from near the sala door, felt Diego's hand at her back.  "What is happening?" he asked her.

She pointed and looked up at him.  "You can see, we are having a duel!"

He smiled at her, nodding.  "I hope the best man wins!" he replied.

"It looks as if he will," Elizabeth said.

The cat-and-mouse game continued for a few minutes, then suddenly Juan Bottega exploded into the world class fencer that he once was.  In two blinding moves, he advanced on Vilaro, whacked his sword out of his hand, and leveled him to the ground, his sword at his neck.  Everyone gasped, it happened so fast.  Sergeant Garcia later claimed he had blinked and missed it.

"Do you yield, seņor?" Bottega asked.

Vilaro groaned from his place flat on his back on the de la Vega patio.  His career in the Mexican army was now in ruins.  "I yield," he answered, giving in to his total defeat.

Rosaria nearly dropped her saints, throwing her arms around Conchita in happy relief.  "We can stay here!" she exclaimed.

Everyone cheered, the men going to Juan.  Sergeant Garcia helped Vilaro to his feet.  "I suppose you will have to find someone else to take to Mexico City now," he said, trying to dust Vilaro's jacket off.

"Here are your buttons," Corporal Reyes said, offering Vilaro the buttons that had been sacrificed to the sword.

Vilaro shoved them away.  "Save them for the next commandante!" he exclaimed, sheathing his sword.  He looked over at Juan.  "They will find you another way," he said fiercely.  "Iturbide will come for you himself, or he will send Santa Ana!"

Everyone froze, hearing those names.  

"Santa Ana?" Carlos said. 

Juan Bottega looked around at all of them.  "Do not worry, my friends," he said.  "If Santa Ana comes, I will serve him a meal at the Tavern he will never forget."

Vilaro growled, knowing what no one else standing there knew.  That Juan Esposito had trained Santa Ana.  That Juan Esposito was the mastermind behind the Mexican military discipline that led to independence.  That Juan Esposito had been his own teacher once, long ago, in the Spanish army.  He sighed, shaking his head, and looked at his opponent.  "I shall leave you to your fate in Los Angeles," he said.  Then he did something that surprised everyone, including Juan. He offered his hand.  Juan took it, and the men shook.  "I have failed as an officer in two armies, thanks to El Zorro," Vilaro quietly said.  

Juan disagreed, equally quietly.  "Your discipline was always excellent.  But you were never any good with a sword," he smiled. 

They let go of one another's hands, Vilaro stepping back and resuming his haughty posture.  He looked at Garcia, Reyes and the other lancers.  "We shall return to the pueblo," he said.  Then without a word to anyone else, he departed, the lancers following.  Garcia turned around and waved at Clementia as he passed through the gateway and into the night.

"Can we finish our supper now?" Don Francisco demanded.  

Diego stepped forward.  "I think we have had the main excitement for the evening, so yes, let us continue with our meal."  He lifted his wine glass.  "I propose a toast, to Juan and Rosaria...may they be in our Tavern for many years to come, serving good wine, good food, and a few surprises!"

Everyone joined in the toast, and the party resumed.

****** 

Lupe Cahuenga stepped up into the buggy with a hand from Diego.  Smiling shyly at him, she waved as her father nudged his horses homeward.  The last of the guests departing, Diego was alone with the Bottegas at the hacienda gate.  They had stayed and helped Conchita as they had promised.  Diego smiled at Juan, patting his shoulder.  "I believe you and Rosaria can safely go home now, Juan," he said.  "You won fair and square, and some of the best families in Los Angeles witnessed it.  Vilaro will have to solve his problem some other way."

Juan grinned at the young man.  "Si, it is his problem now.  Perhaps he should take the next ship to Peru instead.  It would be a better choice than facing Iturbide without me!   Thank you, Don Diego, for your help.  It is really El Zorro we must thank, if ever he comes to the Tavern again."

Diego laughed.  "I feel sure he will be back, he seems to like your chandelier!"

Juan joined him in laughter.  "He is welcome to it!"  He then took his wife's arm.  "Come, dear, let's go home."

"Si, let's," Rosaria agreed, clutching her bag of santos.   She was clearly relieved that they had survived the night and were still in her safekeeping.  "Goodnight, Don Diego," she said.  The two headed out the gate and disappeared into the night.

Diego watched them go, and felt in his jacket pocket for a cigar.  What a night, he thought.  He turned around and looked at the patio, which still showed the remnants of the party.  Mendocino walked into the middle of it, looked around, and shrugged at Diego.  

"We will have it all done by morning," he assured Diego.

Diego nodded.  He looked at his cigar, and felt for a match.  Then he looked up at the balcony, to see that the candles were out in his bedroom, Elizabeth had retired.  He took a deep breath, and looked at his cigar again.  Then he looked back up at the darkened bedroom window.  He tucked the cigar back into his jacket, and headed for the stairs.  It was at the top, turning to go to his room, that his father's bedroom door opened.  Alejandro, wearing his evening robe, saw his son, and summoned him in.  

******

As he had on so many nights for close to two years, Diego got into his bed in darkness, to find it already warm.  He reached for his beloved, knowing he was going to wake her up.  At times he still felt amazed that someone else was there, someone who still made his heart pound and caused all his blood to rush to the center of his body. As his arms encircled her slowly and gently, he smiled, for she was wearing nothing. He loved the feel of her silky skin against him. He felt, more than heard, her sigh in response to his embrace.  He pulled her against his chest tightly and pressed his hand against the back of her head, holding it against the hollow between his shoulder and his collarbone. He felt overwhelmed with the sense of how precious she was to him, how blessed he was to have her.  His hand slid down her side and pressed against her lower back, pulling her close so that they were nestled tightly against each other.  Elizabeth's lips nuzzled his collarbone, her arms coming around his chest and shoulders.  

"You are not still mad at me," Elizabeth whispered to him, continuing to nuzzle his collarbone.  His warmth engulfed her. She felt instantly safe and desired, wrapped so tightly in his arms.

"I am still dismayed with your impulsiveness, but not with the rest of you," he replied with a chuckle. He leaned over and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "No hurry tonight.  We can sleep until we wake up."

"You always wake up at dawn!" she snorted.

"I don't believe I will in the morning," he whispered, "but if I do, I will stay right here with you.  It has been far too long since I woke you up with kisses instead of a bringing you a little girl who needed to nurse."

She leaned back far enough to look into his face.  "Do you promise?" she asked.  "Even if Juan Bottega is thrown back in jail at midnight?"

He half-laughed, with a groan. "Darling do not make me give you promises I may have to break!" He kissed her again.  "Juan is safe at home in his own bed by now and I do not think he will need to be rescued, at least not until at least noon tomorrow."

She giggled, kissing his collarbone and neck, and continuing to snuggle against him. "It was good to see El Zorro tonight," she murmured.

"Be still," he told her.  Then he began kissing her.  As his lips covered hers she felt the warm pressure of his tongue insisting her mouth open.  She felt a stirring deep in her center.  He was teasing her a little with the kissing, coaxing her mouth open yet keeping his tongue mostly to himself.  She opened her mouth more, but then realized that something else was happening.  He was actually kissing her.  He was kissing her slowly and without using his tongue in her mouth, just kissing her deeply, kissing her with his heart and not simply as a step towards their bonding.  

"Diego..." she said softly.  "What is it?"

He lifted himself up on one elbow, looking into her face. His fingers came to her cheek.  "I love you, Elizabeth," he said. "You are...you are the most maddening, most wonderful, most amazing woman, you do not cease to surprise me, and you are always here keeping my bed warm...always here..." he kissed her again deeply.  Then he said, "I talked with my father tonight and after that I went to see Phantom and I did a foolish thing."

She frowned.  "What?"

"I put his bridle on him and I got on his back and rode him up to the standing rock and back.  As fast as I could make him go."

"You what?" she asked.  "You mean you rode him...as Diego?"

"Si," Diego laughed ruefully.  "I did not even put a saddle on him. I just bridled him and rode him out of the cave and out of the canyon and into the night.  If I had run into anyone I don't know how I would have explained why I was riding Zorro's horse bareback!"

"But what made you do such a thing?" Elizabeth asked, sitting up.  "What a foolish risk to take!"

"No, no, stay here," he chuckled, pulling her back into his arms.  "Stay here, stay here," he soothed her. He kissed her neck several times, whispering, "Stay right here with me, stay here...."

She settled against him again, but she wanted answers.  "Tell me why you did that," she said.  "You have never done anything like that."

"I had to do something," he told her, keeping his face in her neck.  "I had to clear my head, I...I realized tonight how lonely my father has been, how many years he has spent isolated and without the comfort of a good woman...of any woman!  It made me forgive his indiscretion. I cannot judge him for what led to the birth of Rufino.  He is only human.  And it made me believe I am the luckiest man alive, to have you."

Elizabeth remained quiet, listening, thinking about Rufino. "That does not explain why you had to go out on the white horse," she said.

"I had to ride fast, darling, and he is the fastest horse on Rancho de la Vega."

Elizabeth smiled.  "Perhaps," she said.

"Oh, now!" he snorted.  "You cannot believe that Blanca can outrun Phantom!"

"Not right now," Elizabeth giggled.

"Riding him is like riding the wind, darling, I cannot describe it any other way.  I needed the wind tonight." He paused for a moment.  "And now I need you."

"Well you have me!" she laughed, pressing her nose into his shoulder.  "You have had me and had me and had me!"

He laughed too.  "I don't think I have had you enough, then!"

"Then have me again, and again," she laughed.   

He covered her mouth with his again, kissing her deeply, now pressing his tongue into her mouth, and trying not to laugh. "This is a serious business, having you!" he chuckled.

"Si, I expect you to take me, seriously!" she continued her laughing.

"Then take you I shall, seņora, for in this matter I am a serious fellow!"

They continued to snuggle, laugh and kiss each other. 

Some time later, they lay in one another's arms, drowsy.  It took Diego no time at all to fall asleep.  Elizabeth lay there for a while, reflecting on the day and thoroughly enjoying being in her beloved's arms.  She still felt an ache in her heart when she thought about Rufino, who was sleeping tonight in the mission in a room with other children, clueless as to the identity of his important father.  She thought about her own Esperanza, sleeping angelically in the next room, the happy owner of a new doll and a tiny, funny-looking pony.  A year ago, Elizabeth remembered, she had lain in this very bed giving birth to the little girl in the next room.  She could not remember much of that day; after the gypsies were vanquished there was pain and then darkness. But before the darkness she still remembered the tiny cry of her newborn daughter and how crinkled up and alive she had looked when Elizabeth first saw her.  She teared up again, nudging her head into Diego's shoulder, knowing how close she had come to death.  The year had held its sorrow, surely, but she was here.  And the family had grown, if in ways she had hardly expected.   Perhaps it would grow again, given the lovemaking they had just done.  It was as she started thinking about how much she wanted to give Diego a son that she finally fell asleep, her ear close to the heart of her sleeping mate.

Chapter Nine
Rufino's Choice

The next morning, Diego woke up first but, keeping his promise, stayed in bed until Elizabeth stirred.  He lay on his side for a while watching her sleep, and then scooted closer to her and pulled her into his arms.  She sighed softly and continued to sleep for a little while, but then yawned and began running her fingertips up the inside of his arm.

"That feels nice," he said softly. He kissed her face twice.

"Mmmmmm," she answered.  She snuggled closer.  "You are so warm."

"There are some things I need to tell you," he said to her.  "It was impossible last night, with everything that was going on."  He kissed her forehead.  "And we had other priorities."

"Si," she giggled.  Then she said, "I am glad Juan and Rosaria can stay here." 

"Si, though it was inevitable, once they all agreed to the duel," Diego chuckled.  "Telling Juan Esposito to duel Vilaro would be like...telling me I had to duel a jackass!"

They both giggled.  

"I pity the jackass," Elizabeth said.

"Si, and we all saw what a jackass Vilaro was last night," Diego laughed.  "Though I think those two men knew one another, given the way they shook hands at the end." He shrugged.  "Perhaps we will never know the whole story."

They settled into quiet again, lying in one another's arms.  "I saw you had a conversation with your father last night," Elizabeth told him.  "I did not mean to....well, I suppose I did mean to stare into the window, but I could not hear you."

Diego nodded.  "Si, we talked.  Then, and after everyone left last night, before I came to bed."

"What did he tell you, about Rufino?"  Elizabeth asked.

"That is what I must talk with you about," Diego said.  "He is going to bring Rufino here this afternoon, to tell him who his father is.  We want your father to be here too, as Rufino knows him so well.  It may help, for him to be around people he is comfortable with."

Elizabeth nodded.  "Will Alejandro acknowledge him, and move him here to the Rancho?"

"My father wants to allow Rufino to choose."

Elizabeth sat up, looking at him. "But he is only a little boy!  How can he know what is best?"

Diego pulled her back into his arms.  "Stay calm, darling," he said.  "I believe my father is right in this.  Rufino is barely eight years old and most of his life has been at the mission.  We should not force him to leave his friends if he does not wish to.  We must allow him to adjust to this news at his own pace."

Elizabeth lay there, deeply torn but seeing the wisdom of this decision. 

"Sweetheart, there is something else," Diego said.

"What?"

"My father told me last night who Rufino's mother is.  She is someone that I knew all the time of my growing up."

Elizabeth looked at him, feeling some fear.  

"His mother was an Indian woman named Light Breeze.  She was Windhawk's older sister."

Elizabeth's eyes widened.  "Windhawk?" she repeated.  "You....you have a brother who is Windhawk's...nephew?"

Diego sighed.  "Si.  It explains so much.  We had a falling out before I left for Spain, but when I came back he distanced himself completely.  I could not understand why the disagreement we had had was so important, so many years later.  Now I know that is not why he cut me off."

"But...are you sure he knows?"

Diego paused.  "I am certain of it."

"How?"

He looked into her eyes.  "Instinct," he answered.  

******

It was late afternoon when Padre Felipe led Rufino into the sala.  Elizabeth and Diego were already there, Diego sitting at the piano bench playing something for his wife.  Carlos Matteo was also standing near the fireplace, a glass of wine in his hand.  He looked pensive.  Diego finished his piece and, when Elizabeth nudged him, turned around to see Rufino standing there with the priest.

"Ah, Rufino," he said.  "Please come in.  My father will be here shortly and we will have a conversation with you."

"Have I done something wrong?" the boy asked, uncharacteristically timid.  "I did not mean to take quite so many of the candies in the piņata, but Esperanza is so little, I did not think she would mind..."

"No, no, Rufino, this has nothing to do with the piņata," Elizabeth assured him.  "Please come in, come, Padre, you can both sit if you wish."

Rufino walked in tentatively, and headed for the chair nearest Don Carlos. "I do not understand why I am here," he said to Elizabeth's father conspiratorially.

"Be patient," Carlos answered.  

Everyone was quiet for a long moment.

"Padre Felipe told me that Juan Bottega and Rosaria will stay in Los Angeles after all," Rufino said.  "He said that El Zorro persuaded the Commandante!"

"Si," Diego agreed. 

"Did he persuade him with his sword?" Rufino asked, sliding to the edge of his seat.

Alejandro walked into the room, and looked around.  When he saw Rufino he cleared his throat.  Then he looked around at the four adults.  "Well, I am sorry to be a little late."  He cleared his throat again.  "Thank you for coming to see me, Rufino."

"I did not have a choice," the boy answered.  "Padre brought me."  He paused, and then added, "But I like it here.  Mostly."

"Well that is good," Alejandro said, managing to overlook the boy's cheeky response.  "We have something important to talk with you about, Rufino.  Something that you have a right to know."  He looked around at the adults again.  Elizabeth's face was impassive.  Diego looked intent and a little sad.  Padre Felipe was relaxed, but Alejandro could sense his concern.  Carlos Matteo was still leaning against the mantle, near Rufino's chair, his affection for the boy evident as he waited.  Alejandro took a deep breath.  He then took a chair in his hand and pulled it over close to the boy, facing him.  He looked into his face and his heart began to pound.  "Rufino," he said.  "Do you remember your mother at all?"

Rufino frowned.  "My mother?"

"Si, your mother.  She died, when you were very small.  Do you remember her?"

The boy thought for a moment.  "I remember a lady.  She had long hair.  She slept beside me.  Sometimes she sang to me. But then she went away and I lived in the mission after that."

Elizabeth put her hand over her mouth, holding herself back from bursting into tears.

"Do you remember where you lived with her?  With the long-haired lady?"

Again Rufino thought.  "It was far from here," he finally answered.

"Si, it was," Alejandro agreed.  "It was up in the mountains in an Indian village.  She was there when you were born, and she stayed there with you until it was time for her to bring you to Padre Felipe."

"I do not understand why I did not stay in the village," the boy said quietly.  "If that was where I was born."

Alejandro took another deep breath.  "Your mother wanted you to grow up here in the pueblo, because she wanted you to grow up near your father," he said.

"My father?" Rufino repeated.  "But..." he looked at Padre Felipe.  "I am an orphan," he said, his voice becoming very small.  "Padre Felipe has told me this."

The priest stepped forward.  "I told you you were an orphan because it is what I believed," he said to the boy. 

Rufino looked around at all of them.  "I have a father?"  His eyes rested on Diego.  "Is it you, Don Diego?" he asked.

"No!" Diego said, a little too vigorously.  Elizabeth put her hand on his shoulder.

"No, Rufino, it is not Diego," Alejandro said quickly.  "I am your father.  And we are, all of us in this room, your family.  This is your family.  Rancho de la Vega is your home, if you want it."

Rufino sat there, his mouth falling open slightly.  He stared at Alejandro, and then looked around at everyone else.  Then he looked at Alejandro again.  "How can you be my father?"  he asked.

"Eight years ago, Rufino, after Diego left to study at the university in Madrid, I..." he searched vainly for the words.  "Your mother became a companion to me for a time.  She lived here on Rancho de la Vega and we...."

Rufino cocked his head curiously at Alejandro.

"We were companions," Alejandro said lamely.  "And then she decided she wanted to return to live in the Indian village in the hills, and I told her if that is what she wanted to do, I would make sure she got there safely.  I did not know that she had you.  I did not know you were born, I did not know you existed.  When you arrived at the mission, I did not know she was the woman who brought you there." His voice trembled slightly.  "Truly I did not know."  

Padre Felipe spoke.  "When your mother brought you here, Rufino, she was very, very sick.  She left you with me and she told me that you should grow up among the people from your father's world.  I assumed she was speaking of a soldier who had returned to Spain."

Rufino's eyes returned to rest on Alejandro de la Vega.  He stared for a long time, and then said, "I look like you."

"Si, Rufino, you do," Alejandro agreed.  "As you grow older, you look more and more like me.  That is how we began to realize what had happened.  It was Doņa Elizabeth who saw it first, and then Diego, and they came to me and told me.  And I realized who your mother was, when talked with Padre Felipe this morning and he described her to me.  Then I knew.  And that is why we have brought you here."

"I am an Indian and a de la Vega," Rufino stated, looking up at Carlos Matteo.

"That sums it up," Carlos said back to him.

Rufino looked around at all of them again, still somewhat shocked but demonstrating the quick-wittedness they already knew ran deep in his veins.  His eyes rested on Diego.  "I am related to you, Don Diego," he said.

"Si, he is your half-brother," Alejandro said.  "And Doņa Elizabeth is your sister-in-law."

Rufino looked at Elizabeth.  "And Esperanza?" he asked.

"She is your niece," Elizabeth told him, "being your brother's child."

Rufino nodded.  He looked up at Carlos.  "How am I related to you, Don Carlos?" he asked.

"Well, I suppose I am..." Carlos frowned, thinking.  "I am not sure there is a title for it, but we are all in the family, Rufino, that is the important thing for you to remember."

Alejandro leaned closer to him.  "We know this is a lot for you to take in, Rufino.  You may need some time to think about what you want to do."

"What I want to do?" the boy repeated.

"Si, as I have said, you may come to live at Rancho de la Vega if you wish.  You are my son, and therefore this is your home.  If you wish to stay at the mission, you may do that.  You will always be welcome here.  And from now on I will care for you, I will buy your clothes and make sure your education is proper.  Diego can teach you how to ride like a true caballero, and we will show you how the Rancho operates, if you wish to learn those things.  It is up to you."

"Will you still teach me my English and Spanish lessons?" Rufino asked Carlos.

"Certainly!" Carlos replied.  "And do not think that I will spare you if you are forgetful, simply because you are a de la Vega!"

For the first time, Rufino smiled.  

Elizabeth now stepped forward.  "We want you to consider coming here, Rufino," she said to him gently.  "You would live here with Don Alejandro, and Diego, and me, and Esperanza, and be fully part of our family.  We would like to have you here with us very much.  If you want to come."

Rufino sat there, considering her invitation.  He liked Doņa Elizabeth, and he liked Don Diego.  He also loved his friends at the mission, especially Padre Felipe and Moneta.  He looked again at Don Alejandro.  He had always felt afraid of Don Diego's father.  He felt more at home with Don Carlos, who was funny and talked all the time and, despite a lot of scolding, never made him feel unwanted.

"If I do not live at the mission anymore, can I still play with my friends?" he asked.  "Especially Moneta?"

"Why yes, of course you can," Alejandro said to him. 

"And they will want to see you as often as they can," Padre Felipe added.  "Our school will be where you continue to study, Rufino, no matter where you live."

"And when you are old enough, I will send you to the university," Alejandro said.  "If you wish to go," he added.

A silence fell over all of them.  The adults could see that Rufino was slowly sorting through what he had just learned and what he wanted to do.  Diego, who had said nothing throughout the entire discussion with the boy, took Elizabeth's hand and put it to his lips.  Then he moved over slightly so that she could sit beside him on the piano bench.  He looked up at the portrait of his mother, hanging above the mantle of the fireplace, looking serenely down on all of them.

Rufino saw Diego's gaze and looked up at the portrait too.  "That is your mother, isn't it?" he asked.

"Si, that is my mother," Diego confirmed.

The boy looked at Alejandro.  "Is there a picture of my mother in Rancho de la Vega, too?" he asked.

Alejandro nearly jumped out of his seat, he was so flustered.  Managing to calm himself, he said, "No, Rufino.  I cared for your mother, but..." he looked up at the portrait.  "I knew her after my wife died," he explained. 

Rufino looked at him skeptically.   Then he slid back in his seat, continuing to think.

Everyone waited.  It seemed like an eternity.  No one wanted to push the boy; they had all agreed that the choice would be his.  They had not anticipated how he would decide, nor if he would do so quickly or over a long period of time.  Now, the next move was his, however long it took.

A good five minutes passed.  Then, without warning, Rufino stood up and walked over to Carlos Matteo where he waited by the fireplace.  He looked up at the portrait of Matilde de la Vega, and then, standing by Carlos, he looked at Alejandro.  "I want to live with Don Carlos," the boy said.  Then he looked at Carlos.  "You said you were my family too," he said.

Alejandro's eyes widened.  He stood up, opened his mouth, and then shut it again, utterly at a loss.  Helpless, he looked at Diego.

Elizabeth and Diego looked at each other, completely surprised.  Padre Felipe took a step back.  Elizabeth glanced at him, to see a look of amusement on his face.  She knew he had not prompted the boy at all about the news that was to come.  This was Rufino's imagination at work.  He is his brother's brother and his father's son, she thought to herself.  She looked to her father, who was clearly surprised but not unhappy with this turn of events.  It was lonely at Casa Matteo, and he had an enormous affection for this often-vexing little boy.

"Rufino, are you sure that is what you want?" Carlos asked him.  "You are a de la Vega, and it seems only right that you live here with your father and his family."

"I want to live at Casa Matteo with you," Rufino said firmly.  Then to emphasize his decision he took Carlos's hand and held on to it.

Alejandro de la Vega gulped mightily and gathered himself.   "If Casa Matteo is where you want to live, and if Don Carlos is willing to have you there, I have no objection," he said.  "But you must remember that you are a de la Vega, and you are my son.  We will look forward to seeing you here at the Rancho as often as you can visit, for we are all part of the same family."  He went to Rufino and knelt down, taking the boy by the shoulders and looking into his eyes.  "And I will visit you at Casa Matteo often, too.  And you will always have a home here at Rancho de la Vega, for the rest of your life.  I know that Diego will feel that way even after I am gone."

Rufino frowned.  "But you cannot go away too," he said.  

"I won't, at least not any time soon," Alejandro assured him.  Then, a little awkwardly, he pulled the boy into his arms and hugged him.  "I am sorry I did not know sooner, Rufino.  I cannot make that up to you, I can only do what is right now that I know."  He let go and looked again into the boy's dark brown eyes.  "As you grow older you will understand all of this a little more.  But right now..." he looked up at Carlos, and then back to Rufino, "...you must study your Spanish and your English, and begin to learn more fully about the world you belong to.  We will all help you with that."

"Si, Don Alejandro," he replied.

"And Rufino," Alejandro said. 

"Si?"

"If you wish, when you wish...you may call me Father."

The boy nodded, but said nothing.

Carlos patted his shoulder.  "Well," he said.  "I think we should go with Padre Felipe back to the mission to get some things for you, and then we will go to Casa Matteo.  I have three different rooms you might want to consider."

"I will have my own room?" Rufino asked.

"Oh, si, it is a big hacienda," Carlos answered.  He looked at Alejandro, who waved at him to go on, there was nothing more to say at present.  Carlos led Rufino towards the door.

"What if I want the room you are staying in?" Rufino asked, as they departed.

"I do not think you would like the view from my room," Carlos answered, as they exited, followed by Padre Felipe.

Diego, Elizabeth and Alejandro remained in the sala.  For a few moments no one said anything.  

"That did not go as I expected," Alejandro said quietly, humbled by the rejection he had just been handed.  
"We have always known he had imagination," Diego said. "And Father, he chose what he knew."  He paused, and then asked,  "Are you ever going to tell him, about his mother?  And that he still has relatives up in those hills?"

Alejandro sighed.  "I owe it to him, but not yet. In time I shall talk with Windhawk about it, Diego.  It was Light Breeze's wish that he grow up here in the pueblo.   Windhawk may not have agreed with his sister's decision but I believe he will respect it."  He shook his head.  "He must have known, all along, who Rufino's father was."

"I am sure he would have come and gotten Rufino as soon as she died, if he did not," Diego agreed.  "It does explain why he keeps an eye on the pueblo yet never comes here."  He shook his head.  "It explains so many things."

Alejandro sat back down, suddenly feeling very old.  "I will never, to my grave, understand why she did not tell me," he said.

Elizabeth held her response in her heart, saying nothing.

*****

The family supper was exceptionally quiet, and Alejandro retired immediately after the meal.  Diego excused himself to visit Phantom while Elizabeth oversaw Esperanza's bath. It was only after the house was silent, everyone else asleep, that the young de la Vegas found one another in the sala.  

"Let's walk to the garden," Elizabeth suggested.

Diego agreed.  They went through the patio and across the stableyard, stopping briefly to check on Blanca.  The young mare was heavier every day as the birth of her foal approached.  She nickered softly on seeing Elizabeth, and then went back to her hay. They walked on, and a few stalls down Diego stopped.

"Look at that," he said.

Elizabeth looked. "Alejandro's mare is gone," she said.

"Si...he must have slipped out while you were tending to Esperanza and I was with Phantom," he mused.  "I imagine he needed the air.  Once in a while he does this and I realize where my need to do my thinking on the back of a horse comes from."

"I hope he is not out all night," Elizabeth murmured.  They continued their walk, beyond the paddock gate and into the darkness. 

"Do you want to know why Rufino chose my father?" Elizabeth asked, leaning into her husband's shoulder as they walked together arm-in-arm towards her garden.  The moonlight was shrouded by a cool mist.  The air was wet and heavy. 

"I suppose because he knows your father so much better," Diego answered.  "I think he is a little afraid of mine."

Elizabeth shook her head.  "It may be that he is a little afraid, but that would not stop Rufino.  No, I think it was two things."

"And they were?"

"I think that he knew that in Rancho de la Vega he would not be the chosen son, nor would he be the child who would most keep your father's attention.  He has seen Alejandro with Esperanza too many times."

"Hmmmm," Diego mused.  "So coming to Rancho de la Vega would not put him at the center of attention."

"Si," Elizabeth said.  "He is a smart boy.  He knows that he will become my father's fondest companion."

Diego chuckled ruefully.  "I hope they do not talk each other to death."

"He may decide to come here eventually," Elizabeth said, threading her fingers through his where his hand rested on her arm.

"And what is the other reason?" Diego asked.

Elizabeth stopped and looked at him. "The portrait," she said.

Diego frowned.  "Of my mother?"

"No," she said.  "Not the one that is there.  The one that is not."

Diego was silent for a moment.  "Ah," he said.

"Do not say anything of this to your father," she said.  "He will take a long time adjusting to this discovery.  He has a whole new relationship to build with a son he did not know he had."

"Si," Diego agreed.

She looked up at his handsome face.  "And you, Seņor Zorro," she said.  "It is not every day that a grown man discovers he has a much younger brother from a relationship he did not know his father had."

Diego sighed. "I wish...."

Elizabeth squeezed his hand.  "Diego," she interrupted.  "Do not spend a single moment blaming yourself.  You went to the University, just as both of your parents wanted you to.  You cannot take responsibility for decisions and actions your father made after you left."

He nodded, pulling her into his arms.  "I know," he agreed.  "And I do not blame myself.  I only regret that we did not discover it sooner, that we were not able to bring the boy into the family when he was much smaller."  He buried his nose in her hair, feeling the sense of relief that only Elizabeth gave him.

"We must trust that it is for the best that we know now, and trust that he had good care from his mother and then from the padres until we found him.  We do know those things.  He is rough around the edges but he has a good soul."

"Si."  He looked down at her.  Her eyes were midnight blue in the darkness and wet air.  He cupped her face in his hands, lowered his head, and gave her a long, sweet kiss.  "I would surely be a lost man without you, Anita Elizabeth," he said gently.

She snuggled into his strong arms, welcoming his warmth.  "Rufino may need more time to discover where home is," she told him.  "But he will find it out, just as I did."

Diego chuckled, hugging her tightly.  "It is chilly out here," he said.  "But I suspect Bernardo has built us a fire in our room, seņora.  Shall we go back to the hacienda and find out?"  He chuckled again. "If not, we will have to make a fire of our own."

Elizabeth giggled, letting him lead her towards their house.  

******

Across the arroyos, at Casa Matteo, Don Carlos was tucking Rufino into bed.

"I am not sure about this room," the boy told him.  "It is very....white."

"It is Elizabeth's old room!" Carlos replied.  "We can change the colors around if you wish.  We can paint the walls, and the furniture too, if you would like."  He pushed some dark hair away from the boy's brow.  "What is your favorite color, Rufino?"

"Blue.  No, brown.  But I like orange and yellow sometimes, too.  And gold. Oh, and dark blue, too, like the stripes on Sergeant Garcia's uniform."

Carlos smiled.  "Well, you continue to consider your favorites, and we will begin to think about how to change this room to suit you, all right?"

Rufino nodded.  "I have never slept in such a big bed before," he said, yawning.

"You will get used to it," Carlos smiled.  "Go to sleep, we will leave early in the morning so you do not miss your lessons with Brother Anselm."

"Sergeant Nephew," Rufino muttered, drifting off.

Carlos waited until he was sure the boy was asleep.  He touched his hair again lightly, and got up.  Going to the door, he pulled it part-way shut.  Then he walked silently downstairs.  One of his servants, a young half-breed woman named Desidera, appeared from the kitchen.  

"Do you need anything, Don Carlos?" she asked.

"No, Desidera, our new resident is sleeping soundly," he answered. "I think he has worn himself out unusually over the last two days and we will have to wake him up when the sun rises."

She smiled.  "He is a lucky boy, to have two fathers," she said softly.

"Two fathers?" Carlos said.  "Yes, I suppose in a way that is true."

"Si, one he did not know, and one that he chose."

Carlos smiled at her.  "I believe I deserve a cigar," he said, going to his box of Cubanos.  On impulse, he took two out, placing one in his pocket.  "You may retire, Desidera," he told her.  "I shall have my cigar and retire myself shortly."

She curtsied and disappeared down the hallway.  Carlos walked out into his patio, and lit his cigar.  From beyond the courtyard gate, he heard the quiet steps of a horse approaching.  

"Who on earth, at this hour?" he asked himself.  He walked to the gate, and stepping out he saw Alejandro de la Vega on his brown mare.   Alejandro rode up and simply sat there, looking down at his friend.

"Well, are you getting off or not?" Carlos finally asked.  

Alejandro dismounted and tied the mare's reins to the post by the gate.  

"He is sound asleep, in Elizabeth's room," Carlos said.  "He says he doesn't like all the white.  I asked his favorite color and got five different answers."

Alejandro shook his head, a short chuckle escaping him.  He looked at Carlos.  "Thank you," he said.  "Rufino managed to surprise us all, in more ways than one...but this will be a good home for him."

"You are all right with my letting him stay here for a while?  He will want to come and live with you, once the relationship develops."

"I cannot force him to suddenly become the son he did not know he was," Alejandro said.  "Nor can I turn myself into an instantly suitable father for an eight year-old I barely know. I am in your debt, my friend, for accepting this....situation."

Carlos smiled.  "My affection for Rufino goes back nearly to my arrival in the pueblo, Alejandro.  It is no burden to bring him here to Casa Matteo."  He pulled the second cigar out of his pocket.  "I think you deserve one of these even more than I do."

Alejandro smiled back, accepting the cigar.  Carlos lit a match for him and the two of them stood there in the darkness, their cigars burning bright in the wet night air.

"What was she like?  The girl?" Carlos asked.

At first Alejandro looked at him askance, but then he softened.  "She was beautiful, and quiet...and young," he answered softly.  "I was forty-four, Matilde had been dead for six years, Diego had left for Spain...she was widowed, married to a brave who was killed in a hunting incident....she came into the pueblo to learn more Spanish from the priests, even though her family opposed it..." he shook his head.  "I saw her and suddenly I was interested in being alive again. I asked her to come to the hacienda to help me with the household, but it was not long before...."  He paused.    "I do not know what else to say about her. It was her decision to go back to her people, after a year of living in the little house in the eucalyptus grove.  Now I wonder if she knew she was pregnant, and that is why she left.  I will never know."

Carlos puffed thoughtfully on his cigar, considering the story.  "You did not put anyone else in la casa chica, after she left?" he asked.

Alejandro shook his head. 

Carlos considered that.  Then he looked again to his friend.  "He is a very good boy, Alejandro."

"Si," Alejandro agreed.  "I think you know that better than I do at this point, but with time...." his voice trailed off.  "For him, and for the memory of his mother, I do not want to let him down."

"You won't," Carlos assured him.

The two men stood there for some time, enjoying their cigars and thinking their thoughts in the late night stillness.  And in the white room in the hacienda just beyond them, a little boy lay sleeping in a big bed, dreaming about a lady with long, dark hair leaning over him and singing a beautiful song he did not recognize.