Anna walked down the road from the hacienda to the pueblo. Two miles had never seemed so far. She carried a basket over the crook of her arm and casually swung her other arm at her side. The sea breeze blew her skirt and apron to the side. She didn’t walk too quickly, wanting Marta, on her weekly run to the market, to overtake her.
“Anna!” she heard a voice call. She stopped and turned around. Marta was running toward her, holding her skirt in her hand. “Anna! Where have you been! Are you alright? Everyone had been looking for you!”
The girl smiled, “Yes, I’m fine.”
Marta’s eyes were wide. “Well, you may not be for long. The alcalde has a warrant for you. He says you are a spy! He wants to arrest you!”
“Really? Why would he think that?”
“I don’t know! Is it true?”
“I’m sure it’s all a big misunderstanding.” Anna said, skirting the question.
“Good!” Marta exclaimed naively. “You will come back to the hacienda then, won’t you?” She looped her arm through Anna’s, and they began walking down the road again.
“I don’t know.”
“Oh, I hope so. I’ve missed having you to talk with. You’re such a good listener.”
Anna inwardly cringed. She had been looking for someone to walk with her into town so she wouldn’t be so conspicuous by herself, but she had forgotten about the other girl’s tendency to prattle.
Marta began by explaining everyone’s reaction to Anna’s sudden departure from the dinner party. Apparently, it had been scandalous and fueled the gossip circles for days.
“When Felipe ran after you like that,” Marta continued, Anna perking up at the mention of his name, “I wondered if he was fond of you.” Anna found herself beginning to blush. “But then I remembered how silly an idea that was!”
Anna looked over at her, “What do you mean?”
“Everyone knows that he is dead gone on Maria Hernandez,” Marta explained. Anna looked forward again.
“Oh?”
“Oh, yes. In fact,” Marta stopped, and leaned forward to whisper to Anna. Apparently, this was a juicy tidbit of gossip. “I think they are going to get married!”
Anna’s stomach lurched. “Really? What makes you say that?”
“Well,” Marta walked slowly forward, her arm still hooked through Anna’s, “at the last fiesta in town. I saw them in back of the tavern. They thought they were alone, but I saw them. You know what? He kissed her! But that’s not the best of it! She didn’t slap him! It looked like she enjoyed it! Can you believe it? Everyone says that she will marry Don Alonzo, but I don’t think so. I know what I saw, and I just know that she and Felipe are going to be married. Imagine! Felipe as Don over the Doctor’s hacienda!”
“But that can’t be! They are of different classes. Felipe could never marry a lady of that high a social rank.”
“Oh, don’t be so sure. The de la Vega’s can make things happen. They are some of the most powerful caballeros in Alta California. And Felipe is more than just a servant; he’s more like Diego’s brother or son. Besides, the doctor is not one of the richest caballeros in the area. They are in different classes, but I wouldn’t say that the difference was all that big.”
“He’s a deaf-mute. How could he run a hacienda?”
“Look at all he does for Don Diego! He’s very capable and accomplished. And he’s always reading those law books! Everyone knows he’s going to be a lawyer someday.”
“Yes.” Anna said softly. She knew that, too, from one of her many discussions with Felipe.
“And Maria always sits next to him at Mass. And remember the fiesta at the hacienda to welcome the Martinez family? She practically threw herself at him. I thought her behavior was perfectly scandalous! But, all in all, they are definitely going to married!”
The girls heard a wagon rumble up behind them. Anna closed her eyes, knowing who it was.
“Speaking of him,” Marta whispered in the other girl’s ear. She turned back, letting go of Anna’s arm. She waved in the direction of the wagon.
Felipe waved back and pulled the horse to a stop. He grinned at the girls. Marta smiled back; Anna stood behind her, aloof.
“Can we have a ride to the pueblo?” Marta asked. Felipe nodded and jumped down to help the girls up onto the wagon seat. After much shuffling, everyone was set. Marta sat in the middle, much to Felipe’s chagrin, and Anna on the outside. With a flick of the reins, they were off on their way to town.
Marta continued to prattle on and on about nothing in particular. Felipe was thankful that she thought he was deaf. He didn’t have to listen to a word she said. He kept looking over at Anna, who was not listening either. He saw that she was hesitating to make eye contact with him. Felipe thought it strange, but decided that she was most likely nervous about going to town and her probable arrest. After all, he was nervous, too.
As the pueblo came into view on the horizon, Felipe and Anna sat up straighter and peered at the buildings. They were looking for the sign that Zorro had the papers. Anna’s heart beat quickly; her knuckles white on the side of the wagon—her get-away back to the hacienda if necessary. Soon she could see the tavern. Then the window. Yes! There it was! The black ribbon tied to the open tavern window. Zorro had the papers!
Anna leaned back into her seat, relieved. Everything was going exactly as planned. Even so, her thoughts were muddled. Did Felipe really love her? It seemed from what Marta said that his heart lay elsewhere. But what about all their many moments together? And was she in love with him? Anna had never been in love before. If only her mother was alive and here to tell her what to do!
The three rolled into the pueblo. In the small group, Anna had yet to be identified. Felipe stopped in front of the tavern. He helped Marta out of the wagon and went to the other side to help Anna. His hands were strong on her waist as he lifted her out of the wagon and set her on her feet. Felipe smiled at her, his hands remaining on her waist. Anna didn’t know how to respond. She gave a little smile and reached for her basket, slipping out of his grasp. Before Marta could catch her and convince her to walk around the market, Anna ducked into the alley and walked to the back of the tavern. She failed to notice a lancer walking quickly to the alcalde’s office.
Victoria was at the back of the tavern emptying dirty dishwater onto the ground when Anna came around the corner.
“Anna!” she exclaimed, putting down the bucket and walking over to the girl. They embraced quickly and Victoria held the girl out at arm’s length. “Are you alright?”
Anna nodded. “Yes, I am.”
“The alcalde is looking for you. Come inside before anyone sees you.” Victoria said, pulling her into the kitchen.
“I’m sure I don’t have much time,” Anna said. ”Victoria, may I ask you a question?”
“Of course.”
“Do you love Zorro?”
“Yes, very much. When his fight against tyranny is over, we will be married.”
Anna smiled. “That’s wonderful,” she said; then her smile faded as she asked. “How did you know you loved him? I mean, how did you know you were in love?”
Victoria looked at Anna. “Is this about Felipe?”
The girl blushed. “Yes. I think I love him. I mean, I thought I loved him. I mean, I thought he loved me, and, well, Marta said that he was in love with Maria Hernandez and that they were going to be married.”
Victoria rolled her eyes. “Marta is a busybody who needs to mind her own business. She talks entirely too much about things she knows nothing of. Anna, Felipe and Maria have been friends a long time; they grew up together. Yes, they—“
The curtains parted. The alcalde stood in the doorway, his sword drawn and pointed at Anna’s throat.
“Anna Rebecca Baker, you are under arrest on charges of international espionage and jail breaking.”
“Alcalde!” Victoria objected.
“Silence, Senorita, or I will charge you with aiding and abetting a fugitive. Come here,” he commanded Anna. She obeyed, and he lashed her hands together. Sheathing his sword, he took her elbow, dragged her through the tavern and into the plaza. The tavern patrons followed; Michael Hartwell ran out onto the porch, as well.
“Mendoza!” DeSoto bellowed.
“Si, mi alcalde,” Mendoza said, hurrying towards them. A crowd was beginning to gather and gawk at the alcalde and his captive. DeSoto truly enjoyed the audience.
“I have captured a threat to the safety of this pueblo.”
“Senorita Baker?”
“No, Sergeant, a spy, a British spy,” he said, emphasizing the words for all to hear.
“Not so, alcalde!” a voice called from the roof of the tavern porch. Zorro leapt down into the plaza.
“Zorro! Lancers!” DeSoto flung Anna at a wide-eyed private, who held her bound hands tightly, grateful to not have to challenge Zorro. Lancers swarmed from the cuartel, bumbling over themselves to get into the plaza. Zorro picked up one of the benches on the porch of the tavern and overran five of them. He used his bullwhip to knock two lancers together; they fell unconscious to the ground. Soon, only the alcalde and the private still stood. DeSoto and Zorro circled each other.
Felipe edged his way over to Anna. He wanted to be close to her, to protect her if he could.
DeSoto lunged on the offensive and was easily deflected by Zorro’s sword. The masked man played the game for a few minutes, then easily disarmed the alcalde.
Making sure all eyes were on him, Zorro unrolled the paper, held it up high, and addressed the crowd. “You all know that Miss Baker came to our pueblo in the service of Eduardo Martinez. This paper releases her from all service to Spain and prevents her from being charged with crimes of espionage. It has been filed with the territorial governor, bears his seal, and is in full effect. Alcalde, you cannot arrest this girl on these charges.” He placed his sword at the alcalde’s throat. “Release her.”
DeSoto leered at Zorro but ordered, “Do as he says.”
The private, all too glad to obey Zorro’s orders, immediately let go of Anna and stepped away. Felipe was right by her side and began to untie her hands. He looked down at her and saw the sadness in her eyes. He could not understand why; little did he know that her heart was breaking.
Zorro slashed a “Z” on DeSoto’s vest and whistled for Toronado. He mounted his stallion and winked at Senorita Victoria.
“Take care of this.” he said, tossing her the scroll. With a nod, he turned Toronado and galloped out of the pueblo.
