PART SIX
Bernardo puts his arm around Toni’s shoulders to comfort her. He was also staring at Diego with disappointment on his face because Diego didn’t seem to believe her. Bernardo squeezed her shoulder in affection and motioned to Diego to follow him. Once out of the sala, Bernardo signed, //She did not do this.// From Diego, “How can you be so sure?” Bernardo signed, //She wouldn’t have time to ride to town, steal the necklace, and get back to the hacienda in time for breakfast. The distance is too far.// Diego thought for a minute and then said, “Now that I think about it, you may be right. Do you think this is another trap for Zorro?” Bernardo nodded ‘yes’.
“Bernardo, I must find out where Toni rode this morning, then we will know if something is amiss.” Bernardo nodded his head in agreement. “We better get back to the sala before the Sergeant does,” implied Diego.
When they returned to the sala, his Father gave him a questioning glance. “Father, bare with me for a little while,” suggested Diego. He then looked at Toni with concern in his eyes. “Toni, where did you ride this morning?”
“I went to the lake. Why? What does that matter?” Bernardo and Diego exchanged glances that tell Alejandro that they must suspect evil doings.
Alejandro asked, “Why does that matter Diego?” Diego turned to his father and said, “Father, please I cannot tell you now!” Then Sergeant Garcia returned to the sala and informed Diego they were finished searching the house and that they didn’t find anything, yet.
“Sergeant, Diego interjected, “Tell me this; what time did this theft take place?”
“Well, Don Diego, I personally do not know—only that the shopkeeper found the necklace missing around six o’clock this morning, when he went to the shop to take inventory.”
“Hmmm, I see,” Diego muttered. Sergeant Garcia then said, “I still need to search the Señorita’s saddlebags.
“Her saddlebags! Why?” Diego questioned.
Sergeant Garcia declared, “She could be hiding the necklace in them.”
Toni was so frightened she jumped up from the chair and protested, “Sergeant, how dare you insinuate…” Bernardo clamped his hand on her arm to silence her and shook his head ‘no’. She sat down again and remained silent.
Then Don Alejandro said, “Let us go to the stable and settle this matter.”
As Toni stood up, a wave of dizziness made her stagger a bit. Bernardo caught her elbow to steady her while they walked to the stable.
“Which horse is the Señorita’s,” asked Sergeant Garcia.
“The palomino that is still saddled.” Diego said.
“Corporal Reyes, search the saddlebags,” ordered Sergeant Garcia.
“Wait,” called Diego, “I’ll help with the search.”
Toni was standing beside Bernardo next to a hitching post. She was watching Diego as he checked one of the saddlebags. Diego’s expression turned hard as rocks when he discovered the necklace in the saddlebag. He pulled it out and held it above the horse in plain sight. Toni’s expression turned to alarm and fear. She had no idea how the necklace got in her saddlebag.
“Noooo,” she called out in fright as she grasped the hitching post. Then blackness overcame her and she slid down the pole to the floor. Bernardo suddenly became aware that Toni had fallen and knelt down to help her and discovered she had fainted.
Diego handed the necklace to Sergeant Garcia and went to help Toni. “Sergeant would you mind waiting at the house. As soon as I bring her around we will join you there. Alejandro spoke, “I’ll go with Sergeant Garcia and wait for you in the sala.”
Diego once again looked at Bernardo who was still shaking his head ‘no’. At that moment, Toni awakened and saw Diego at her side and called his name. He looked at her and helped her to her feet. “Are you all right, Toni?” Diego asked. Toni answered in an angry voice, “Under the circumstances, NO, I am not all right.” Diego grasped her tightly by the shoulders and stared into her eyes. Toni tried to look away but he wouldn’t let her.
“Toni, look at me.”
“Why should I, you don’t want to believe me!”
Diego strongly said, “But I do believe you.” She turned to look at him and said, “Diego, I don’t know how that necklace got in my saddlebag.”
“As I just said, I do believe you. Bernardo is right, you couldn’t have made it to town and back to the hacienda before breakfast, especially from the lake. Right now there is nothing to do except go peaceably with Sergeant Garcia. Father and I will be there to talk to Capitan Monastario as soon as we can. Let’s go back to the house where the Sergeant is waiting. Are you sure you are all right.”
“Yes, I will do as you ask. I haven’t any other choice.”
Diego almost slipped his tongue when he mumbled “Yes you do.” Meaning Zorro.
“What was that you said,” asked Toni.
“I didn’t say anything.” Diego answered. Toni caught his meaning and looked at him with a slight smile and thought he almost gave himself away.
When they returned to the house, Sergeant Garcia was waiting. “Ah, Don Diego, I trust the Señorita is okay.”
“Yes, Sergeant, she is fine and she will go with you without any trouble.”
“Gracias. We had better head back to the cuartel.” Sergeant Garcia then proceeded to tie Toni’s hands behind her back. “Sergeant is that necessary,” Diego said angrily.
“Don Diego it is the rule. I cannot bring a prisoner into the cuartel unbound.”
“As you wish Sergeant, but tell the Commandante he can expect a visit from us as soon as we can get to the pueblo.” Toni was then whisked through the gate and placed on the extra horse the Sergeant had brought along. As the soldiers start to move away form the gate, Toni turned in the saddle as much as possible, looked back at Diego with tears running down her face and shakily exclaimed, “I Love You.” Diego watched the group disappear out of sight.
Then Diego, Alejandro, and Bernardo retreat back to the patio. Alejandro had been quiet during most of the proceedings, and now exclaimed, “Diego, yesterday, I tried to put my concerns about that young lady aside. I can see now that maybe my concerns were right.”
“No, Father! You are not right.” Diego said harshly. He finally rejects his Father’s words.
“But Son, you can see what just happened.”
“Father, consider this; I don’t believe Toni is guilty of such a crime. It seems to Bernardo and I that this is another one of Monastario’s sinister plots to catch Zorro.”
“How can you be sure of that?”
“Bernardo pointed out that Toni would not have time to ride to the pueblo, steal the necklace, and be back at the hacienda in time for breakfast especially from the lake. It is too long a ride. Even on Amigo who is almost as fast as Tornado—there just wouldn’t be time.”
“Diego, I hope you are right and I am wrong. I do want to trust her. I can see how much hurt this incident is causing you. I have noticed a troubled expression on your face for the past month. If you are right about this being a trap for Zorro and this situation is settled, and if you really do love her, then tell her you love her and do it with my blessing.”
Diego looked at his Father with shock in his eyes. “Father, Thank You.” Then Diego hugged him with affection. Bernardo watched this scene between father and son and was joyful at the outcome.
“Father, we must get to the pueblo and sort out this problem.”
“Yes, Alejandro said, we best get there as quick as possible.”
When they arrived in the pueblo they were startled to see the townspeople milling around the cuartel gates. The people had watched Sergeant Garcia escort the Americano Señorita into the cuartel. Of course Capitan Monastario had made it a point earlier in the day to spread the story about the Americano Señorita stealing the necklace. This was part of his plan to catch Zorro.
When Diego, Alejandro, and Bernardo approached the gates of the cuartel the people started shouting at them with unkind words.
“It looks as though the whole pueblo knows about this jewel theft,” said his Father. “I think it best you go in alone. I’ll stay here with Bernardo in case there is trouble.”
Diego looks around in anger, “Yes Father, you are right. I’ll be back as quick as possible.” On that note, Diego dismounted, approached the gates, and told the guard he would like to speak to the Commandante. He was allowed to enter but before going to the Commandante’s office he saw Toni in one of the cells. He quickly rushed to her. “Diego, I’m so frightened,” she said.
“Trust me, sweetheart, this problem will be solved one way or another.” He then reached through the bars, drew her face close to them and kissed her.” He quickly turned and moved to the Commandante’s office. The orderly announced that Diego would like to see the Commandante. “Show him in,” ordered Monastario.
“Don Diego, what can I do for you.”
“You can drop this false charge against Señorita Austin, that’s what you can do.”
“No, I can’t Don Diego. The evidence was plainly found, and, by you I might add.”
“That is true, but I feel that necklace was planted.”
“Oh you do, do you,” yelled the Commandante. Regardless, she stays where she is and that is that.”
“This is absurd Commandante,” Diego said as he slams his fist on the desk. Monastario flinched and said, “Now if you don’t mind I have a lot of paperwork to finish or would you like to be put in a cell, too.” Diego turned and stomped out of the office in a fit of rage.
Meanwhile, Bernardo had gone to the tavern to observe what he could. He heard two scruffy looking men, who were sitting in the corner, boasting to each other how easy it was to put the necklace into the Señorita’s saddlebags. “Yes,” said the first one, “It was too easy since the Señorita was leaning against the tree at the lake and didn’t even see us.”
The second said, “But we almost were spotted when her horse nickered. Good thing those rocks were there.”
The first said, “Well, we have done our duty for the Commandante and we are now free.”
The second one said, “I didn’t know he was going to accuse the Señorita of stealing it. He must be plotting something big. He did say something about a trap for Zorro.
Bernardo finished his drink and paid his bill. He left the Tavern and looked for Diego. He found Diego in a foul mood when he returned to the cuartel gates. He motioned to Diego that he had news. Diego looked at him with a troublesome look on his face. They left the gates to find someplace private to talk. Bernardo hurriedly started signing.
Diego said, “Bernardo slow down—tell me again.” Bernardo managed to tell Diego about the two men in the tavern. Diego finally understood and remarked, “Ah, Bernardo, we were right. This is another one of Monastario’s plots to capture Zorro. Well, my friend, we will just have to spoil that trap.
Table of Contents
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
Part Seven
