The Secret of Zorro Tornado's Crown Chapter Twelve by Ella Christian @ 1999-2003 Contact author at EllaChristian@aol.com Chapter Twelve Tornado’s Crown “Oh, saints in heaven!” Clementia exclaimed. The dozen Zorros continued to shout and wave their swords furiously until the cuartel gate slowly began to open. “That looks like Don Alejandro!” Rufino shouted, pointing at one of the Zorros, the one with the white beard seated on a brown mare that looked suspiciously like Princessa. “And there is another Zorro on Sirocco!” He waved, jumping up and down. “Don Carlos! Don Carlos!” he cried. “That looks like Uncle Francisco’s gelding,” Consuelo said, pointing at another of the Zorros astride the numerous prancing horses. “No, Rufino!” Elizabeth said, grabbing her young brother-in-law before he could race across the plaza to get closer to the action. “Stay here!” “But I want to see what happens!” he shouted, pulling away from her and running as far as the well. He climbed up onto it and stood on its edge, watching what happened next. The commandante himself emerged, and looked around to see the chorus of Zorros standing before him. Lancers emerged as well, opening the gate fully. “We are here for Don Diego,” one of the Zorros said sternly. “And what if instead I arrrrrrrest all of you?” Vilaro asked. “I do not care if there is one Zorro or ten, I have enough lancers to take all of you and throw you into the jail with Don Diego!” A Zorro pulled his sword, another pulled out his pistol. “You will not take us without a fight!” another of them exclaimed. “I think that is Don Miguel!” Clementia whispered loudly. “Oh, I believe it is!” Doña Corinna said, sounding rather proud of her husband. “They all look rather handsome, as Zorro,” Consuelo observed. “They look ridiculous!” Clementia replied. “I think they are only trying to help Diego,” Elizabeth said, feeling deeply moved. She now suspected that Phantom was hidden nearby, handled by the watchful Bernardo, and that before long the real Zorro would be on his back. “I wonder if Demetrio is there,” Clementia said, looking hard at the cluster of riders in black. “Surely not, he is in the military!” Rosaria said. “But my Juan, he is there,” she added proudly. “You knew about this?!” Elizabeth asked. “We helped make the costumes,” she nodded. “But Don Alejandro made us promise not to say a word,” she added. Why did he not tell me? Elizabeth wondered. Usually Alejandro had his reasons for doing things. She looked back at the crowd of Zorros at the gate, still arguing with Vilaro. The costumes were clearly makeshift, a black shirt here, a dark blanket transformed into a cape there....but what they lacked in the elegance of the original they more than made up for in solidarity and determination. “You will all brrrrreak this up immediately or I shall thrrrrrrow all of you into the cell beside Don Diego’s!” Vilaro shouted at them all, sticking to his point. Elizabeth squinted, an idea forming in her mind. She looked around to see that the crowd had drifted slightly to the side of the wide open cuartel gate. “Clementia,” she said, grabbing her friend’s arm. “What?” “I am going to try to see Diego!” Elizabeth said. “Keep my aunts occupied!” “Elizabeth!” Clementia whispered furiously, pulling her aside. “You cannot get past all those lancers and all those...Zorros!” “Si, I can if I slip through the little door beside the gate, look, it is open,” Elizabeth said, nodding in the direction of the gate. Clementia looked, and indeed the usually-locked door was swung open, left that way by one of the lancers who emerged when the fracas began. She could see that Elizabeth was determined. “Make him take his shirt off!” she said. “It will solve everything! Diego will get out and all the Zorros can go home, including mine!” “Demetrio is on the ground beside the commandante!” Elizabeth replied, pointing at the crowd. Indeed the good sergeant had emerged from the cuartel and was standing with Vilaro. “Well he would be on one of the horses if he could!” Clementia exclaimed. “And my father is there! I see his horse!” Elizabeth waved at her to go back to the group on the porch, which Clementia did. Then Elizabeth slipped out of sight, around a corner to work her way across the back of the plaza and alongside the cuartel wall, hoping to slip past the commotion and into the garrison yard. Perhaps she could encounter Bernardo along the way, for he surely had Phantom tethered nearby. * * * * * * Diego was lying on his back staring at the dark ceiling of the jail cell when the ruckus in the plaza began. He heard the shouts and sat up, wincing as the ache of his arm kicked in. He saw the lancers racing towards the cuartel gate, and then watched as Vilaro charged out of his office, also heading to the opening gate. He got to his feet and stepped to the front of the cell, grabbing the bars as he had so many times for the last three days, wondering what was happening now. The hollering continued. Beyond the open gate he could see a crowd of horsemen waving weapons as Vilaro. He realized there were what appeared to be capes flowing off the riders. “Oh, no,” he said aloud. “Surely not....” So this is what you were up to, he thought, remembering his father’s counsel not to do anything. Alejandro, probably abetted by Carlos, had concocted an act of such brazen solidarity amongst the dons that Vilaro would have to back down. Diego tried to count how many riders were out there; he could see at least seven and knew there had to be more. He banged his head against the bars, wishing he could kick himself. He should have seen this coming. He shook his head, groaning. “Diego!” he heard a voice. He looked up to see the last person he expected, that being his wife, scurrying towards the jail cell. “Elizabeth go home!” he exclaimed, looking to see if any lancers had seen her slip in. She got to the cell and tried to reach in, leaning her face up to try to kiss him. Her palm reached the side of his face and she felt the heavy stubble of his emerging beard. “Liz!” he whispered loudly, not lowering his head to meet her lips. He squeezed her hands in what she immediately knew was not a tender, welcoming grip. “Go home! There is great danger here!” “Are you all right?” she asked him, half hurt and half anxious, and thoroughly not caring what was going on behind her. “Yes of course I am, I have done nothing but sit here for three days!” he answered. “Your arm?” she whispered. “It is fine!” he said indignantly, feeling rising anger at her recklessness. As usual, she had no idea what she had walked into. “Where are the keys, I will let you out,” she said. “Reyes has them!” Diego snapped, nodding in the direction of the gate. “Elizabeth, please! They will come back here any second!” “I wanted to see you,” she told him miserably. “You must go!” he said to her sternly. “Go!” At that moment, new shouts rose up in the plaza, a number of men and a few women yelling, “Zorro! Zorro!” Diego shut his eyes and leaned his forehead against the jail bars for a moment again. “I do not believe this,” he muttered. Elizabeth turned around to see the astonishing sight of El Zorro. He was in his full costume and astride the gallant Phantom, arriving at a full gallop. He tore through the crowd at the gate, passed the other Zorros, and rode into the cuartel. He leaped off the horse and raced for the jail cell. Lancers followed, as did Vilaro. The commandante was drawing his sword. Behind them all came the other Zorros, mostly on foot. “Get out of the way!” Diego cried, reaching through the bars and yanking Elizabeth away from the door. Elizabeth was so dumbfounded that all she could do was stare, her mouth half open, at the sight of El Zorro in action while Diego stood behind bars. It was dark out, but truly whoever this man was looked for all the world like the Zorro she knew – tall, commanding, a small mustache above his lip, the mask perfectly placed and covering dark, sparkling eyes. “Thank you, Señor!” Zorro cried, drawing his pistol and taking aim at the jail cell lock. “I am not as famous for the accuracy of my shot as I am for the efficiency of my sword!” Then the pistol fired and the jail door fell open. Diego stepped out into the garrison yard to see Vilaro and the lancers coming towards them. “Use my horse!” Zorro urged him, waving at Phantom. “And kindly take your señora, I will have my hands full here for the moment.” Diego grabbed Elizabeth’s hand and dragged her to the horse. He boosted her up onto the stallion and then jumped on himself. While he was doing that, Zorro faced several lancers with his sword, disposed of them rapidly by knocking their weapons from their hands, and then found himself face to face with Vilaro. For a moment, everything in the garrison yard was still. Looking sideways, Zorro saw Diego still sitting on the horse, Elizabeth behind him. He flashed his bright smile and saluted. “Gracias, Señor Zorro!” Diego called to him. Zorro laughed merrily and then jumped forward, starting the duel with the commandante. Phantom neighed loudly and rose up on his hind legs, then dropped back to all fours and raced out of the garrison yard, carrying Diego de la Vega to his freedom. The duel was spectacular but brief, for Vilaro once again demonstrated his ineptitude with his sword in allowing El Zorro to pin him to the edge of the horse trough, knock the sword from his hand, and shove him into the water most unceremoniously. Zorro saluted with a laugh, then raced up the stairs, hauled himself onto the roof, and with another laugh and a wave, disappeared across the roof and out of sight on the far side of the cuartel walls. A cheer rose up amongst the other Zorros and the townspeople who had watched the proceedings. Pulling his own hat and mask off, Alejandro de la Vega planted himself in front of the soaked commandante where he sat in the trough. “I do not believe you have any more need to see my son’s arm,” he said. “You have just seen him in plain sight with Zorro.” “With a lot of them!” Carlos Matteo chimed in, joining them and pulling his own hat and mask off. “Never have I seen so many Zorros!” Sergeant Garcia said, offering a hand to help Vilaro out of the trough. “I always thought there was only one, but now he has multiplied!” Vilaro shook himself off after regaining his footing. He looked up to where the surprise Zorro had disappeared across the roof. “And did you arrange his visit, too, Don Alejandro?” he snarled. Alejandro grinned. “I can only say that I wish I had!” he answered. Vilaro shook his arms again. “This accurrrrrrrrsed pueblo!” he shouted. Then he walked towards his office, once again defeated but also, he knew, no longer faced with the problem of what to do with Diego. Everyone headed back for the plaza once it was clear that the commandante was not going to chase after Zorro. Alejandro offered to buy a round of drinks for the other Zorros at the Tavern, including the Sergeant in his generosity. “I wondered if he would appear one night, to rescue Don Diego,” Garcia said as they walked towards the Tavern. “And I must say, Zorro did quite well with his sword, given the shot he took only a few nights ago.” “He certainly did,” Alejandro agreed. Under his breath, he let out a sigh of relief. His plan had not entirely worked, but it did not matter. He wondered, who on earth, and how on earth, the man behind the mask had done what he did, and how it he appeared on the mighty Phantom. * * * * * * * It was not until they were close to four miles out of town, more than half-way home and very much alone at a rocky place on the road, that Diego pulled Phantom to a stop. His heart was pounding and his arm hurt. Elizabeth’s arms were wrapped around him tightly as they galloped, but once they stopped, she let go. Then he felt her forehead lean into the center of his upper back. “Diego,” she said weakly. He reached around and took her hand. He lifted it to his face and kissed her palm. He held it to his lips, smelling the skin on her wrist and realizing how much he had missed her. “Diego, who was that?” she asked. “Do you want to get off for a moment?” he asked her. He felt her nod into his back. He dismounted and lifted her off the horse, then walked the animal to a place behind the rock. Even Phantom seemed out of breath. “I think we all need a moment to clear our heads,” Diego said. He looked at his wife, who was standing before him, her head lowered. “Elizabeth,” he said. “What got into you?” He reached for her and pulled her against him, his hand pressing her head into his shoulder gently. She started crying, mostly from relief. “I just wanted to see you, I wanted to know you were all right, I thought I could get the keys....” she blubbered. “It is all right, we are almost home,” he said to her, holding her closer. “But darling that was reckless, you could have been hurt.” “I was not thinking about anything like that,” she wept, overcome with relief of being with him again and feeling his arms around her. She continued to cry briefly, and then realized something. “You stink,” she said into his shirt. He laughed. “Si, I think I should, I have not taken my shirt off, much less had a bath, since the last time I saw you!” She took a deep breath, trying to pull herself together, and then looked up at him and wrinkled her nose. Her hands coming to his face. “This I do not like, either,” she said, rubbing her hand on his scruffy cheeks. “Oh? Then I suppose it is a good thing I have not tried to kiss you?” he teased. “Perhaps you would like to trade me in for that other Zorro?” Her arms came up around his neck and she hugged him fiercely, and kissing his cheek. Then she said, “ow, no,” and then kissed both his cheeks again. “Though I am grateful to that other Zorro for showing up, whoever he was.” She looked up into his eyes. “He was very convincing.” Diego smiled and nodded. “Si,” he said. Elizabeth’s eyes widened. “You knew!” she exclaimed, looking into her beloved’s eyes. He continued smiling. “Then who was it?” Elizabeth asked. “Here you were plotting and planning and I was so upset and afraid about your arm....” she sighed. He lowered his head and gave her a long kiss on the lips. “My arm is fine,” he whispered. “It will be sore a while, but it is fine.” He kissed her again. He kissed her yet again. “How is Esperanza?” “She looked everywhere for you when we came home this afternoon,” Elizabeth answered. “Diego, who was that? And where has he gone?” He kept his hands on her shoulders, looking into her face and realizing suddenly how very much he had missed her company. “He is already out of the costume and gone, sweetheart,” he said. “Let us say that it was someone who felt he owed me a good turn.” “But how did you....” she started. He stopped her with another kiss. “Do not ask so many questions,” he laughed softly when he was done. “Let’s go home.” He squeezed her tightly for a moment longer, then let her down and gave a low whistle to Phantom. The horse came instantly. Diego patted his nose, as did Elizabeth. “You have had an interesting night,” Diego said to the horse. “Seeing all those Zorros, and giving a ride to one you are not used to, and then taking me and my pretty señora home....” “I have long wished these horses could talk,” Elizabeth said, as he helped her up onto the stallion. This time he mounted behind her, his arms coming around her, one holding her close and the other holding the reins, as they rode the rest of the short way home. Though she was still full of questions, Elizabeth asked not one. Instead she simply let her back rest on his strong chest and kept her hand over his where he held her close as they rode home. * * * * * * Their first task was to return the white horse to his canyon. Bernardo appeared as they were dismounting, from inside the cave, as if he were expecting Diego. He seemed surprised to see Elizabeth as well. “Where on earth have you been?” Elizabeth asked, sliding off the horse. Bernardo shrugged innocently and pointed at Diego. “Helping, no doubt,” Elizabeth said, knowing full well she would get no explanation from either of them. She looked at Diego. He took her gaze but said nothing, instead half-smiling and running his forefinger down her cheek. “Go upstairs, sweetheart,” he said. “Tell Maria to draw a hot bath for me. We will be busy down here for a little while.” Elizabeth sighed and nodded. She took his hand and squeezed it tightly, and then went upstairs. An hour later, he entered their bedroom looking and smelling considerably better, his hair combed, the stubble gone from his face. Elizabeth was sitting in the bed waiting for him, her hair tumbling down onto her shoulders. “I stopped in to see the baby,” he said, pulling the covers on his side of the bed back. He chuckled. “And she still recognizes me.” “Oh? She was awake?” “After I picked her up.” “Diego! You should not wake her!” Elizabeth scolded. “I am sorry, I could not resist, I had to see her pretty eyes. She blinked at me, smiled, and mumbled ‘Dahdee.’ She went right back to sleep as soon as I put her down. Elizabeth, she has grown. I cannot believe how much.” Elizabeth smiled up at him. “Si,” she said. “Every day.” He blew the candle out and took off his robe. “Re-light the candle, I want to see that arm,” Elizabeth said, reaching for him. He sat still for a moment, letting her touch his arm. “You have already re-bandaged it,” she murmured. “Si, Bernardo was very fussy with me. It is not bothering me much now. You can see it in the morning, though I do not think you will like it, it is still rather ugly.” She kissed the bandage lightly. Diego stroked her head gently. Then he slid under the covers, settling on his back and then taking his beloved into his arms, though being careful to keep her nestled on his good side. “I just want you to be all right,” she sighed. “In the last year you have been stabbed, poisoned, your horse was killed, and you have been shot. I have had enough of it.” “So have I,” he agreed. She pushed her nose into his collar bone and sniffed. “You do smell better,” she commented. He snorted. “I hope so! I have rarely enjoyed a bath as much as I did tonight.” He gave her a squeeze. “Speaking of horses, Father told me that yours has returned.” “Si,” she said. “Tethered to a stake in the garden. I wonder where she went and who brought her back. If I did not know better I would say that it was a Zorro-like thing, the way she appeared out of nowhere.” Diego was strangely silent. “Are you ever going to tell me who that was? On Phantom?” Elizabeth asked. For a moment he remained quiet. He had known all along that Elizabeth would want answers. “You have a blind spot when it comes to recognizing Zorro,” he said, more to himself than to her. She jerked up instantly. “That is not fair!” she exclaimed defensively. He tried to bring her back to his chest but she kept herself upright. “Liz, let’s not fight, we have not seen each other for several days,” he said softly, taking her hand in his. “Does it matter who it was?” “There are only a few people who know that you are Zorro,” she said. “And that was not Bernardo or Windha...” she stopped, her eyes widening in the pale light. “Oh,” she said. “Of course.” She shook her head. “Yes, I am blind at times,” she murmured. “I did not even recognize his voice.” Now he succeeded in pulling her back into his arms and holding her gently against him. “We are in a more complicated world now. Perhaps it needs an extra Zorro now and then,” he said to her. “No one is Zorro except you,” she said. They lay there for a little while in silence, for neither of them knew what else to say. Finally Diego spoke. “I have always felt that he would make a good Zorro, if he would only let his better judgment rule his impulses.” “Did your father know?” Diego chuckled softly. “No, actually, he would not tell me what he was up to and I would not tell him what I was arranging...so our extra Zorros more or less collided.” Elizabeth giggled too. “It was really quite a sight, darling; you missed the best of it from where you were sitting. Poor Vilaro. He was nearly trampled by Zorros. His worst nightmare.” “Oh, do not feel badly for that one,” Diego said. “He needed an out and we all managed to give it to him, though we were rather uncoordinated about it. He could not have kept me in much longer without worse consequences than a band of overage Zorros at his gate.” They were quiet again for a little while. “I wish the Mexicans would send us someone else,” Elizabeth sighed. “Mmmhmmmm,” Diego agreed. She lifted her head from his shoulder, to see that his eyes were closed and he was drifting to sleep. How exhausted you must be, she thought. Three nights in that stinky cell on that hard cot. She kissed his collar bone and then put her head back on his shoulder. She knew that sleep might not come to her right away, but having him home and asleep beside her was reason enough to stay right where she was. * * * * * * Diego slept deeply until dawn. He woke up slowly, his consciousness returning little by little. The first thing he sensed was warmth, and the softness all around him. He was on his back in his own bed. He could feel Elizabeth’s warmth; she was burrowed next to him, her hand resting on the center of his chest, the silky hair on her head nudged against his right arm. The ache in his left arm was the least since he’d been shot four days earlier. His eyes opened and he could see the pale beginnings of light creeping through the shutters. He took a breath and moved his head slowly, looking at Elizabeth’s head low on the pillow next to him. He lifted his left hand and rested it over hers where it was planted on his chest. She stirred slightly, snuggling closer to him. Then her hand moved as her entire arm came across his chest. “Are you awake, señora?” he asked softly. She made a sound that told him she was still mostly asleep. He smiled, stroking her arm where it rested across him. She lifted her head. “Did you sleep all right?” she asked, half-asleep, her hair falling into her face. She pushed it back so he could see her beautiful forehead and cheeks. “Si,” he said. “How is your arm?” “It is better.” “Good,” she sighed, resting her head on his chest. “I am still sleepy.” “We had a long sleep,” he teased her. “It is dawn. And we blew out the candle quite early last night.” “Mmmmm. You must be hungry. But we have so much sleep to catch up on.” “Si....” he agreed. “We have other things to catch up on, too.” Elizabeth lifted her head again and looked into his eyes. “When your arm is healed,” she said. “It feels pretty good right now,” he told her, his finger coming to her face. They could now see one another from the early morning light creeping through their shutters. She leaned over him, her face close to his. “How good?” she asked. A light tapping started on their door. They exchanged a frown and then Diego said, “Who is it?” Again the knocking occurred. “It has to be Bernardo,” Diego said, getting up and reaching for his robe. “Ow,” he said, as he put it on. “What can he want at this hour?” Elizabeth asked, also rising and reaching for her robe. The knocking repeated. Diego went to the door and opened it. Indeed, Bernardo stood there. “What?” Diego asked. Bernardo pointed in the direction of the barn and then at Diego and into the room, indicating Elizabeth. Then he pointed at the barn again. Diego’s eyes widened. “Blanca,” he said. Bernardo nodded. He pointed at the barn again. “Quickly, darling, put some clothes on,” Diego told his wife. He dismissed Bernardo and hurried to dress himself. “I believe Blanca must be in labor.” Elizabeth gasped and yanked open the wardrobe door, pulling at things and finally finding a house dress. They scurried around one another hurriedly, pulling on enough that they could then rush across the balcony, down the stairs, across the patio, to the barn, arriving finally at Blanca’s stall. Two vaqueros were on hand, and the mare was in the straw. “Is she all right so far?” Diego asked, stepping into the stall and leaning over to touch her. “Si, Don Diego, she will deliver any time,” came the reply. He checked her further and then looked at Elizabeth. “The foal is positioned right,” he said. The mare gave a heavy groan and then whinnied miserably. “I know how you feel,” Elizabeth told her, leaning over the fence to try to watch what was going to happen. The mare groaned again and waggled her legs, shifting her weight slightly in the straw. Then the miracle started. For as they stood there watching, the new life began to emerge. Diego leaned over and tried to steady Blanca with a few encouraging words, but his eyes barely left her where the foal was making its first appearance. It took only a short time for the wet, sticky, leggy little mass to end up lumped on the straw beside its mother. The birth finally completed when the placenta followed, and soon thereafter Diego stepped back, his eyes never leaving the new little animal on the ground, as Blanca pulled herself to her feet with a disagreeable snort. “Go to your baby, Blanca,” Elizabeth said, her eyes full of tears. “Clean up your baby.” The foal was still such a quivering mass of darkness and birth goop that they could not tell what color it was or if it was male or female. Diego came out of the stall and put his arm around Elizabeth. She could tell that he was shaking. She looked at him briefly and could see that he was containing himself desperately, eager to find out who was on the ground. She wiped the tears from her cheeks. “You can go,” she told the vaqueros, who looked quite tired. “We will stay here and make sure they bond.” Gratefully, the two men headed back for their quarters and a little bit of sleep. Diego and Elizabeth stayed and waited. Blanca, with another snort, leaned over and sniffed at the little thing in the straw. The foal tried to move and then lay still. Blanca shook her head and whinnied, backing away from it. Elizabeth tensed and Diego squeezed her. “Give her a minute,” he said softly. The foal made a little sound, lifting its head. It was still covered in all the goo. Blanca took a tentative step forward and sniffed at it again. Then she buried her nose in it. Then she gave it a lick. Then her huge pink tongue began licking it furiously, cleaning it up. She snuffled as she worked, cleaning the foal’s head and face, then its body, working her way down to its limbs. She kept nudging it as she licked. The foal wiggled and scrambled a little as this process continued, starting to unfold on the ground. It seemed to be nearly all legs, splayed everywhere in the straw. Diego kept shaking. Elizabeth kept his hand tightly in hers, and found herself in tears again as she watched the miraculous sight. It took Blanca close to 15 minutes before she seemed satisfied with her clean-up job, and then she started nudging her new offspring insistently. She managed, in her licking, to position herself between Diego and Elizabeth and the foal. They could therefore only partially see what was happening, though it was clear that mother wanted baby to get on its feet. Blanca kept snorting encouragement, and then stood back a little. For a few minutes the tiny foal struggled. Moving to the other side of the stall, and as the sun burst onto the horizon, Diego and Elizabeth saw the long, spindly legs reach out. Slowly the foal pushed itself off the ground until finally it stood, wobbly and looking very surprised, was on its feet. Elizabeth felt Diego’s arm tighten around her. The foal looked up at them and gave them a little sound. Then it turned to its mother. “Oh,” Diego said softly. Then he sniffed. Elizabeth looked over to see that tears were in his eyes. “I have to find out,” he said to her. Letting go of her, he bent down to look at the foal’s underside. It was now right beside its mother, still wobbly, trying to find her teat. Diego stood up, putting his hand over his mouth and letting his tears flow. “Oh, Liz,” he said. “It is a colt. A black colt.” Elizabeth nodded, burying her face in his chest as they put their arms around each other. In that moment, all the loss of Tornado’s death overwhelmed them again, and at the same time they felt as if they were in a moment of rebirth. As they long suspected she might, Blanca brought a son of Tornado into the world. So they cried together, mourning Zorro’s great black stallion one last time, and at the same time feeling joy, as the morning light poured into the barn. * * * * * * Blanca’s new son proved to be adept at learning the art of nursing, keeping himself attached to his mother for a very long time once he was on his feet. Diego and Elizabeth waited for close to an hour, watching him as he ate, got another sturdy bath from his mother, and finally emerged into the morning light in the large stall. Though he was brand new and still a little messy, there was no doubt about his parentage. The shape of his head and his proportions, even with his coltishness, all reflected Tornado. “He is magnificent,” Diego murmured. “Si,” Elizabeth agreed. Her heart was so full of happiness that she thought it would burst. “I feel as if I have had another baby,” she laughed. Diego chuckled. He stepped towards the new horse but Blanca ground her teeth and snorted a serious warning, and he kept back. “I think she is as protective of her young as you are,” he said. “Just let them get to know each other for a while,” Elizabeth told him. “We can stay here outside the fence; I think Blanca will appreciate it.” The rancho was stirring and vaqueros were coming by to admire the new arrival. Alejandro appeared as the sun rose higher. “Bernardo told me you arrived home safely,” he said to Diego. Then he peered into the stall. “Look at that,” he laughed. “You got your black colt.” “He is Elizabeth’s black colt, but indeed he is black, there is no doubt where he came from.” Alejandro smiled at both of them. “Si,” he said. “What happened last night after the great rescue?” Diego asked his father. Alejandro rolled his eyes. He glanced around to make sure no vaqueros or servants were within earshot, and then asked, “Who on earth was that, riding Phantom? We went to the Tavern and had several rounds of drinks. Even Vilaro showed up eventually, after he dried off and changed uniforms. Do you know that Zorro shoved him into the horse trough?” he shook his head, remembering the scene with amusement. “To tell you the truth I think he was relieved to have you out of there, and relieved to have Zorro to blame for it.” “That is what I suspected,” Diego said. “Is he going to come after me again, now that I have had a decent night’s sleep in my own bed?” “I do not think so,” Alejandro said, at the same time Elizabeth commented, “He had better not.” “There is no real reason for him to come after you now,” Alejandro continued. “This was established clearly at the Tavern last night, thanks to Sergeant Garcia. He has seen you with Zorro, so he can no longer accuse you of being Zorro, and therefore he does not need to examine your arm. He seems willing to forgive you the punch, he had enough people last night pointing out that he had earned it among gentlemen. I think perhaps the alcohol helped.” “You got him drinking?” Diego asked. “Si, and he becomes jocular once he has had a few,” Alejandro said. “Juan Bottega knew this and helped us ply him with brandy.” He patted his son’s good shoulder. “Things have turned out all right.” Diego laughed, agreeing. “Now I am going back to see if there is some food on the patio, I am more than ready to eat,” Alejandro said. “Congratulations, Elizabeth, on your new horse.” “I am very happy, thank you,” she answered. “Oh, and we brought Cloud Dancer home for you last night,” Alejandro added, resting his hand briefly on Elizabeth’s arm. “Thank you,” she smiled. Diego looked at his beloved. She had listened to the men talking, but could not take her eyes from Blanca and the beautiful black colt in the stall. As his father departed, he moved behind her and put his arms on her shoulders. “I think we should go and have some breakfast,” he said softly in her ear. “I have not had a decent meal in days. We had no supper last night. They will be right here when we get back.” “I do not want to leave them yet,” Elizabeth murmured. “He is only an hour old.” “The vaqueros will be here darling,” Diego assured her. “And Blanca is looking very satisfied and healthy, she has taken to him. Look, he is nursing again already.” Elizabeth smiled, tearing up, as the colt nuzzled his way again to his mother’s teat. Blanca gave a great sigh and put her head in her feed box to munch while her new son ate. “We will come back right away,” Diego said. “But right now I think there is another little one who would like to see her parents.” Elizabeth turned to him. “Esperanza!” she said. “She has to be awake by now! Oh, Diego, she will love to see him!” “Let’s go eat first,” he said. He took her arm and then, keeping her hand in his, led her back to the hacienda. When they arrived on the patio, they were greeted with a wonderful surprise. Esperanza was awake and dressed, and sitting in her Aunt Lydia’s lap. Carlos and Bridget were seated as well, with Alejandro, as breakfast was being served. Rufino was seated between Alejandro and Carlos. “Perhaps now we can finish celebrating Elizabeth’s birthday,” Aunt Bridget beamed, seeing her niece and Diego arrive. “Don Diego, you were rescued by El Zorro,” Rufino announced with great approval. “Did you see him duel the commandante?” Elizabeth went to pick up Esperanza, who lit up on seeing her parents arrive. “Mah! Dah!” she cried out as her mother picked her up. She promptly pressed a tiny handful of eggs into Elizabeth’s cheek. “Oh, Ranzita, no,” Elizabeth laughed, pulling the eggs from her face and hair. She gave her daughter a big noisy kiss on the cheek. Then Diego took the baby. “Good morning, muchacha,” he said, rubbing his nose against hers. “Dahdee!” she nuzzled him back. “Dahdee!” “You missed him, didn’t you Esperanza?” Aunt Bridget asked. Diego sat down, keeping his daughter in his lap. “Oh, this food, how I have missed Conchita and her magic,” he sighed as a plate of steaming eggs and tortillas was placed before him. “When it comes to food, I feel as if I was gone for a year.” He took a mouthful and a look of bliss came over him. He chewed and then said, “Rufino, I did not see much of the duel, for El Zorro lent me his stallion and it seemed I should leave while I had the chance, so I did.” “What was it like to ride Phantom?” the boy asked eagerly. “He is quite a horse!” Diego replied. “Strong, and very fast.” “You rode him too, Doña Elizabeth,” the boy said, turning to Elizabeth where she sat beside Diego. “Si, he gave us quite a ride,” Elizabeth confirmed. “It was very generous of Señor Zorro, to help Diego escape and to loan us the white horse.” “Did you give it back to him?” Rufino asked. “Did you meet him again?” Elizabeth looked to Diego, not knowing what to say. “Zorro’s horse is very wise,” Diego said to the boy. “He knows how to find his master, and how to find his way home.” “So you did not see Señor Zorro again last night?” the boy asked, clearly disappointed. “I saw him,” Elizabeth said. Diego looked at her. “El Zorro is never very far,” she smiled. “In fact I believe I heard him whistle, for his horse, from high on a hill above where we let Phantom go.” “Did he say anything to you?” Rufino asked. “When you gave him the horse?” “No, Rufino, but you know he is a man of few words,” Elizabeth told the boy. “Did he salute? The way he sometimes does after he has done a good deed?” Elizabeth now looked to her husband. “Si,” Diego answered. “It was dark, but I believe that he did.” Rufino grinned. “He is such a good Zorro!” he said, digging into his eggs. “When breakfast is finished, there is something in the barn for all of us to see,” Alejandro said. Carlos looked at his friend. “Something new, perhaps?” he asked. Alejandro smiled. “Oh!” Rufino cried, dropping his fork. “Has Blanca birthed her foal?!” Diego groaned. “Rufino, let me eat...” But the boy was on his feet and heading for the stable. “I’ll go,” Elizabeth said, getting up. “No, I will,” Carlos said, also getting up. “It is my turn,” Alejandro said. Diego sighed, looking at his daughter. “Would you like to see the new colt?” he asked her. “Dah!” the baby said, picking up a bite of eggs from his plate and putting it halfway in her mouth. Keeping Esperanza in his arms, Diego got up too, as did the aunts and everyone followed Rufino to the barn. They found him at Blanca’s stall. Chatterbox, nearby, nickered at the sight of the whole family trudging into the barn. Blanca eyed them. “She is learning your warning squint,” Diego chuckled to Elizabeth, seeing the mare’s look. “She had that from the moment I first saw her,” Elizabeth replied. Then she squinted. “I learned it from her.” The little black colt was behind her, but they could see his spindly legs, his tiny hooves disappearing into the deep straw. “Move, Blanca,” Rufino instructed. “Let us see him!” “Shhhh, Rufino, if you want to see him you will have to wait and you will have to be quiet,” Alejandro said. “Chatta!” Esperanza exclaimed, seeing her pony. “Shhhhh,” Diego said to her, kissing her dark curly head. Then they all waited. Once she was assured that no one was stepping into the stall, Blanca moved slightly, nudging at her new son in his corner. The colt snorted and took a few steps out. “He is black, Don Diego,” Rufino whispered excitedly. “Do you think it is true? That this is the son of Zorro’s first horse? The black one?” “It looks as if it is,” Diego answered his brother. “How beautiful he is,” Bridget said softly. “When was he born?” “Just this morning,” Elizabeth answered, feeling great pride. The colt ventured a few steps forward, sticking his neck out and looking curiously at the gathering of two-footed creatures on the other side of the fence. He eyed them all and gave a short, squeaky whinny. Blanca snorted and nipped at his flank. Then he raised his head and gave another squeaky cry. “Do you see our new colt, Ranza?” Elizabeth asked her daughter. Esperanza looked at the colt and her eyes lit up. She reached for him. “No, sweetheart, you cannot touch him yet, he is too new,” Diego told her gently. “But soon we will all be able to pet him, when his mother allows.” “Look, he has a white patch on his head,” Rufino said, pointing. “That must be from Blanca.” Everyone looked over and saw it, something that Diego and Elizabeth had missed earlier, when the colt was still all wet and brand new. Indeed, under his stubby forelock they could all see it, a long, horizontal streak of white at the very top of his forehead. “Why, you are right, Rufino,” Carlos said. “He is all black, except for that little white streak at the top of his face.” Elizabeth looked long and hard at the white spot on the colt’s forehead. Then she smiled, for suddenly she knew something that up to that moment she did not know. “Oh, yes,” she said softly to herself. Diego looked at her. So did the others. As if reading her mind, Rufino asked, “What will you call him, Doña Elizabeth?” Elizabeth looked at her husband, her eyes meeting his above the dark head of their pretty daughter. “I will call him Corona,” she said softly. “Corona?” Aunt Bridget repeated, grateful that most of the conversation that morning had been in English. Now, however, she and her sister were confronted with a Spanish word. “What does that mean?” “It means ‘crown,’” Diego replied softly, his voice full. He leaned over and gave his wife a sweet kiss on the lips. Esperanza, still tucked in her Daddy’s right arm, laughed. “Corona,” Rufino repeated, looking at the colt. “Hello, Corona. Welcome to Rancho de la Vega. You are the son of Tornado. That is Zorro’s great black horse. He died but you are here now.” He looked up at his family. Remembering Elizabeth’s aunts, he explained in English, “Do you see? He is Tornado’s crown.” * * * * * * It was siesta. The family remained together all morning; admiring the new colt and encouraging Diego to eat heartily once they were finally back on the patio. Elizabeth then took her aunts to her garden, bringing Esperanza along, so they could at last be introduced to the work she had done using the many books about gardening that they had mailed to her since her departure for California two and a half years ago. Even Lydia was impressed with her niece’s results, for this was a dry land and it was not always easy to grow delicate things. They climbed the hill together and sat on blankets, carefully laid out by Maria when they first went out, in the live oak grove. Esperanza toddled around and pulled weeds and wildflowers from the ground while they talked together. It was the first time since her aunts arrived that Elizabeth was not agitated about anything and could concentrate on being reunited with her mother’s sisters. They laughed a great deal, and the aunts told Esperanza stories about the grandmother she would never know. Elizabeth cried as she listened, feeling that her heart was overflowing with the good fortune of her family’s presence, with Diego’s safe return, with the arrival of Corona, and with the delights of her little daughter’s toddling about among the huge, gnarly, shady trees. Finally Esperanza wore herself out and fell asleep on a blanket, signaling that it was time for a rest. “We should go back to Casa Matteo for our rest,” Lydia announced, pulling herself to her feet. “Elizabeth, perhaps you and Diego and Alejandro will come for supper there tonight?” “Si, that will be fine,” Elizabeth said, looking down on the hacienda below. “But I think I will stay here for siesta, Esperanza is already asleep, can you make your way back down the hill, aunts?” “Yes, of course,” Bridget answered, also getting up. “We will find Carlos and we will expect you this evening.” She leaned over and gave her niece a kiss on the head. “And I will tell Diego you are here, if I see him.” “Thank you,” Elizabeth smiled. She watched as the two Boston ladies picked their way back down the hill, following the narrow path that had lain in the grasses for so many years. Once they were safely disappeared into the hacienda walls, she turned her gaze to her daughter, who was sleeping soundly on the blanket. She brushed some hair away from the baby’s face. You are less and less a baby every day, and more and more a little girl, she thought. Esperanza’s hair was growing, dark silky curls were everywhere on her head and drifting around her tiny ears. She still had a round baby-ish face, but Elizabeth could see already that it would disappear in favor of the long cheekbones and high foreheads of the de la Vegas. But you got my nose, she thought, smiling. She leaned over her daughter, continuing to study her. She was getting longer and a little less chubby now, as her limbs grew and she used her legs to get around more. In just four days she was walking on her own most of the time, finding great delight in being able to go wherever she chose without crawling. Elizabeth sighed. She felt a little bereft for a moment, realizing that she did not have a baby anymore. I hope I will give you a brother one day, she thought. She considered the prospect of another newborn to cuddle and coo over. It made her smile. Then she felt a surge of anxiety, over how much she knew Diego wanted a son. He adored Esperanza, but without ever saying it, she knew he harbored a deep hope for a son one day. One day, she thought. “May I join you?” Diego’s voice came from behind her. She turned around to see him standing there, in a fresh shirt, cleanly shaved, and looking quite revived after his long morning meal. He was holding a pair of pillows. “Bridget told me you were taking your siesta up here in the shade.” He looked down at Esperanza. “I see who has started this trend.” Elizabeth patted the blanket beside her. “A family siesta,” she said. After handing her the pillows, he lowered himself to the ground and stretched out on his right side, Esperanza lying between them. Their conversation continued, barely above a whisper. “She wore herself out running around and picking flowers for her aunties,” Elizabeth said. “Si, I gather she only tripped on the roots a few times,” he chuckled. “It startles her to fall down, but then she realizes she is all right and manages to get back up. She loves to walk.” “She waited long enough to start. Now I suppose we will never be able to keep up with her.” Elizabeth reached across and touched his face. “I am so glad you are home,” she said. His hand came over hers. “So am I,” he answered. He glanced down at Esperanza and then said, “I believe I would like to re-arrange a little, if you do not mind.” Elizabeth smiled and shook her head that she did not mind. Diego got up and reached for another blanket, which he unfurled just beside the one that was already open. He motioned for Elizabeth, who got up. Bringing her pillow, she lay down beside him, Esperanza on the other blanket a few feet away. Diego settled onto his back, the pillow under his head, and reached for her. “Liz,” he said, giving her a squeeze. “Si, darling.” “The colt....Corona....he is so magnificent.” Elizabeth nodded. “And the name. It is perfect.” She nodded again. “Our last gift from your horse,” she said. “Perhaps,” Diego murmured. “And a gift from Phantom as well.” “What do you mean?” “I learned something I did not know, darling. When I was recruiting the extra Zorro.” “What is that?” she asked. “It is about Phantom.” “Phantom?” “Si. Do you remember that Benicio told me Monastario did not ride him for very long, when he returned to California? That someone else had him?” “I remember.” “I found out the story. He was kept on a farm in northern Mexico, where he was bred to several mares. One of the mares had a white filly that was traded to Joaquin Verdugo, who brought her to California and sold her over and over again and then stole her back, until finally he was caught at it in Monterey.” Elizabeth sat up, looking down into his eyes. “Blanca!’ she exclaimed. Diego nodded. “So...Blanca is the daughter of Phantom...which makes Corona, the son of Tornado and the grandson of Phantom,” she said, putting it all together. She stared at her husband, astonished. “How did...you find it all out?” “Benicio told me,” he said. “He would stop by the jail on the way to his visits with Vilaro, and when he offered to help....” he paused, shaking his head. “I was concerned about his riding Phantom and he laughed and told me it would not be a problem, he had ridden the horse many times. Then he told me everything.” “He is the one who taught Phantom all of his tricks!” Elizabeth exclaimed. Diego nodded. “He is actually quite fond of the horse. Perhaps one day I shall return him.” Elizabeth thought. “So Benicio is the one who bred and birthed Blanca,” she said. Diego nodded again. “He is a mystery, that one. But now I am in his debt, for he has done us another good deed, in getting me out of the jail.” “He stabs you one summer and saves you the next,” she said softly, confounded. “Do you think he was in on the plot with Joaquin?” Diego shrugged. “He said he traded the filly for a pair of horses that Joaquin had, including that sorrel he rides. He claimed he did not know what happened to her after that. I do not ever know what to believe from Benicio.” He stroked her head. “I only know that he has altered his relationship to El Zorro, since you came to the pueblo.” Elizabeth lay back down, snuggling next to him. She was overcome and wanted to disappear into the safety of Diego’s solid presence. She did not like what Diego was saying – though she knew from the way Benicio looked at her that it was true. Then she remembered the way he had looked at Lupe, the afternoon he had hauled her up out of the horse herd in the plaza. “Do not credit him with too much devotion to me,” she said. “What do you mean?” “You did not see the way he looked at Lupe Cahuenga, the day he arrived in the pueblo.” “Lupe?” Diego said. “Si.” She raised her head again to look at him. “I think perhaps the other Zorro is more fickle than the one I know and love.” Diego hugged her against him. “Well, all I can say is, I am glad that this Zorro got to you first,” he said, kissing the top of her head. “So am I,” she sighed. And she let herself fall asleep in the warm afternoon air, listening to Diego’s heart beat softly beneath her ear. Diego lay there awake for a while, recalling the conversation with Benicio Bocca. “I am not doing this for you, Diego, he had said, after he told the story of Phantom. “Though I have always liked you. And I admire your courage, to veil yourself in the way that you do. It cannot be an easy thing, to live two lives.” “Then why will you take such a risk?” Diego asked. Bocca shrugged, smiling his slow smile. “Your señora would like to have you home,” he had said. * * * * * * The afternoon turned slowly into evening. After sleeping soundly out of doors for over an hour, Elizabeth and Diego took Esperanza, still worn out from her morning of play under the live oaks, down to the hacienda to finish her nap. The remainder of the afternoon they were apart, Diego catching up with his father on the status of things on the rancho, Elizabeth alternately tending to their daughter and hurrying to the barn for another awe-filled look at Corona. Blanca was still easily agitated over visitors and the vaqueros were learning not to go too close to the stall unless they were bringing food. Two were nipped at and one had a bruise on his thigh from a well-placed hoof. “She seems to need an endless supply of grain after giving birth,” one vaquero remarked to Elizabeth. “But we draw straws to see who has to go in there to bring it to her. You have a fierce mare, Doña Elizabeth.” “She is only trying to be a good mother,” Elizabeth sweetly replied. She could not stop gazing at Corona. He was beautifully proportioned and his hooves suggested that he would be a big horse one day. Though he mostly slept in the straw or took long feedings from his mother, Elizabeth caught him twice standing in the stall, looking about inquisitively and sniffing the air. Oh, you are indeed the son of Tornado, she thought. The family took a carriage to Casa Matteo for supper. The evening was festive, everyone in a good mood because of Diego’s safe return and the arrival of the new colt. At one point Aunt Lydia suggested that perhaps they would all want to stay there overnight and return to Rancho de la Vega in the morning, but this suggestion did not fly among the de la Vegas. “We have been here so much lately, Aunt,” Elizabeth explained. “It is better for us to be in our own house now.” They drove home in thick, damp darkness, for one of the late June fogs was rolling in from the sea. Rufino had decided to remain at Casa Matteo, a disappointment to Alejandro. He continued to hope for the day when the boy would decide to take up permanent residence at Rancho de la Vega, and talked about it quietly on the drive home. “It will happen, Father,” Diego assured him. “He is at the rancho more and more, feeling free to come and go.” “He may always come and go some,” Elizabeth remarked. “But Diego is right, he will come to stay with us more and more with time. It is inevitable. He is a de la Vega.” She glanced at her father-in-law. “His relationship with you is coming more easily now. I believe that is what will change it all in the end, as he becomes more comfortable with you.” Alejandro sighed. “He is very confounding.” “He is full of life,” Diego chuckled. “And he is very much his own person.” He looked down at Esperanza, who was fussing with Elizabeth’s buttons and trying not to fall asleep. “Just like you,” he told the baby. “I wonder where she got that,” Alejandro muttered, a smile in his voice. They got home in the damp air, Elizabeth taking Esperanza to her room with Maria, and Diego joining his father for a glass of sherry at the end of the evening. Finally Diego turned his thoughts to retiring, and went to his room to find it empty. He frowned. Bernardo knocked on the door to see if he needed anything. “Start a fire for us, will you?” Diego asked. “The room has a chill. I do not know where Elizabeth is.” Bernardo stepped in to start the fire, as Diego went back out onto the balcony. He went next door and opened Esperanza’s door, but the room was dark excepting the candle that always burned on the dresser across from her bed. Maria stepped into the room from her adjoining room. “Is everything all right, Don Diego?” she asked. “Si, I just thought perhaps Elizabeth was here,” he said. “No, she was here until Esperanza went to sleep, but then she left,” Maria replied. “Thank you,” Diego smiled. He went back out onto the balcony and thought for a moment. Then he realized where to go. He went down the stairs and across the patio, thought the gate and into the barn yard. Striding through it he went into the barn where he saw her standing by a lantern at the gate to Blanca’s stall. She was leaning on the door, peering into the stall. When he came up behind her and slipped his arms around her, drawing her against him, she started. “You are so silent!” she whispered, though her arms rested over his instantly as she relished his warmth all around her. “I knew you would be here,” he whispered into her ear. They stood there together, looking into the stall. Blanca was half asleep, her eyelids nearly shut, looking very peaceful. Corona was a shining black rumple of legs and nose and barrel, lying in the straw asleep. “He is the color of midnight,” Elizabeth said softly. “Si, he is so dark blue that he is black,” Diego agreed. He sighed softly into her ear. Elizabeth stroked his hand where it rested on her torso. “I had Bernardo light a fire for us, the room felt chilly,” he told her. “That is nice,” she murmured. “I suppose it is time to retire.” “Si,” he agreed. He lowered his head and kissed her bare neck gently. Elizabeth turned around and felt his hands slip to her waist. She put her arms around him. “How is that arm?” she asked. Diego smiled. He had won her attention away from the sleeping colt. “Better,” he answered. Their eyes met. “I think we should let Corona have his first night’s sleep without being under observation,” he said. “Even his mother has dozed off.” Elizabeth giggled. “Si,” she said. Diego put his right arm around her and they walked out into the grey, misty air, through the quiet barn yard and the patio, and up the stairs. When they crossed the threshold into their room, it was warm and inviting thanks to the little fire that Bernardo had built and started in their fireplace. “I am so glad you are home,” she sighed, leaning against him. “So am I,” he said, kissing his dear wife’s head. And so the young de la Vegas were reunited, after the strange few days between Elizabeth’s birthday and the arrival of Tornado’s crown.