ZZZ

Elder de la Vega tried to concentrate at his house-keeping accounts. But the overheard conversation didn't get from his mind. Since he got to known how little attention he paid for his son, he has heard his name now everywhere.

It was remarkable that many servants and peons usually were talking about him with respect and sentiment. But in the voice of Miguel and that driver was something more, something like pride and knowledge. They talked about his strength and intelligence. And about a letter that didn't come.

Letter? Diego said something about letters. Don Alejandro got out of his room and looked for the letters that Diego was writing. After a while he found them. First was to 'De la Vega's Orchard Santa Jose'. This was that didn't come.

The second one was to Don Ricardo de Gambler. Don Alejandro looked astonish. What could Diego want from this horse handler? Before he could rack his brain a servant came to the room.

"Patron, don Ricardo de Gambler arrived." He announced. Behind his back stood the man.

"Good day, don Alejandro." He greeted one of his best seller. "I'm sorry I come unannounced but I was in the neighborhood and decided to come along."

"I was just thinking about you." Don Alejandro show his guest a to take a seat.

"To be honest I was waiting for a letter from don Diego. Last time I met him I asked him to write when he exactly knew, how much horses have you to sale this year. Maybe he forgot, even if it unusual strange for him. I know he always kept his word." Explained don Ricardo taking a glass of wine.

"I think it's my fault. I have forgotten to send the letter. I have found it exactly when you entered the hacienda." Don Alejandro took the blame from his son. "I think this is it." He gave the letter to horse handler and the man opened it immediately. He began to read and smiled.

"Your son is a smart man. Can I see them?" He asked. Don Alejandro wasn't certain. De la Vega's pasture was very large and to find the right horse there couldn't be easy. Before he could answered he saw Miguel smiling.

"We are ready, patron." He simply said, as if don Alejandro asked him.

They rode to the cottage. There was about twenty of four year old fouls. At one of them sit smiling Felipe.

Meantime don Ricardo with Felipe's help appreciate the horses, don Alejandro asked Miguel.

"When have you time to prepare that?"

"Don Diego choose the horses three weeks ago. Like always, he said we should be prepared." Miguel simple declared.

After a few hours don Alejandro and don Ricardo made a deal.

"I must admit this boy, Felipe, is extraordinarily good rider." He said before he left.

"It's no wonder. Don Diego is his master and teacher." Answered Miguel with a bright and proud smile.

ZZZ

It was almost dinner and don Alejandro sent Felipe to change clothes. He himself went to look at the last letter.

It wasn't closed yet and don Alejandro couldn't stop his curiosity. He opened it and began to read.
He read one third when he finally understood to whom is it addressed. The governor. And from tone of this letter it wasn't the first or second one.

Diego had obviously answered at some previous letter and lead a discussion with the governor. He wrote about the law, taxes, need of new road to San Jose and many other things. He made suggestions, speak about possible solutions for problems about – it seams - governor ask his opinion.

He wrote a lot about troubles in Los Angeles. Even about Zorro's work, in very calm, reasonable way, without a cheers or degrades of his job. What make wonder don Alejandro was the friendly manner of the whole letter, jokes and hidden meaning of few sentences.

It was as if Diego was writing to Padre Benitez and not the most powerful man in all California.

ZZZ

Felipe tried to got don Alejandro attention. Finally he get it.

'Senorita Victoria would like to go tomorrow to visit Diego. Can I drive with her?'

"Of course. She shouldn't travel alone." Don Alejandro answered immediately. He wanted to ask something, but didn't.

'I'm sure Diego would be glad if you will come too.' Felipe sign.

"Are you sure? Our last talk wasn't very... nice. I think he can be angry at me." He said and Felipe began hasty to sign. Seeing that elder don couldn't understand him he slowed down.

'He is unhappy that you could be angry at him now. He will be back in few days and he want come to ask you for forgiveness for his behavior, he said.'

Don Alejandro was astonish. He was the one who had wronged Diego. Diego only made exactly what he said him to do.

"It's I who should ask him for forgiveness. I haven't paid attention for whole work he made. Even if, you must admit, he made great part of it behind my back."

'You don't even know how great part.' Felipe signed with big, mischievous smile.

"What that suppose to mean?" Don Alejandro asked.

'Come with us, you will understand.' He simply answered.

ZZZ

From early morning they were on the way. Now they were close to the orchard. Like Felipe, who had been here a few times before said, first they saw green grass. Really green grass, not usual dried grass which rose in Los Angeles. Then they saw first trees. Their branch was twisted together and between them grows vegetables.

Felipe stopped the wagon few hundred meters before buildings.

'Look.' He show them the direction.

About ten men and a few children were trying to draw a root. They pulled several ropes and two of them pulled down large bars.

"Attention! Now together!" Called a clear, low but strong voice. A voice very easy to recognized for people on the wagon.

"Zorro?" Asked don Alejandro astonish. Victoria and Felipe only smiled in understanding.

The men were only in trousers and big sombreros. In time they pulled the rope it was light to see their every muscle. Sweat make them similar to antique athletes.

"One more time. Ready? Pull! Pull!" Don Alejandro identified the voice as from a very handsome and very good build man. Thought he couldn't see his face under the sombrero.

With difficulty, slowly the root got out of the soil. The men pulled it a few steps more. The leader looked at blue sky.

"All right. It was great job and I think we are finish for today."

"It's supper time!" Called one of the men.

"Not before you wash yourself!" A woman's voice answered from buildings. Everyone looked in that direction and saw the wagon. They stood still for few moments.

"All right. Everybody to pond. We have guests today." Called leader's voice with joy. They obeyed him.

He himself went to the wagon. Every step showed his strength, flexibility and self-confidence. They couldn't see his face, but now they could see his body, full of scars. It was obvious that this man has managed many fights already.

"Zorro." He heard don Alejandro saying it, and smiled a little.

"Welcome of De la Vega's Orchard." Before he could end the sentence Victoria runs into him. "I'm full of dust and sweat, querida." He warned her, but she ignored him and pull his head in order to place a sweet kiss upon his lips.

They stood in tight embrace until a seven year old boy didn't call out of his troth.

"Don Diego's fiance is here!"

They parted and the man, Diego, finally showed his face.

"Ramon, run to your mother and say her, we will have three guests for the supper after all." Then he looked at the man in wagon.

"Father?" He asked in concern. When elder de la Vega didn't answer, he was inside in one easy jump.

"Father? Are you alright? Say something." He grab his father both arms.

"It is true?" Finally don Alejandro was able to ask.

"Whatever you mean, I think - yes." He gave a short order one of the coming people and in few moments his father drunk wine from a glass.

"Don Alejandro, are you alright?" Asked Victoria.

"I think he is in shock. But he will be alright." Diego answered her.

"Are you really betrothed to Diego?" Don Alejandro finally was able to talk.

"Yes. Since two years."

"And you never said something?" He asked too astonish to be angry.

"I self didn't know that until last week." She answered with a small smile. "That is until I saw him while training at his home. I have then suddenly eyeopening. And you know, his home has an english name: 'Fox lair'. I haven't known further what is means..."

"It means 'Zorro's...'" Don Alejandro stopped. "You are... him."

"Yes, I am." He smiled and kissed Victoria second time.

"I come to ask for forgiveness a son, that work and do more then I even have noticed. And I find son that is much more then I have ever expected."

"I'm sorry father for being source of your anger and frustration. Sometimes I so badly wanted to tell you everything..." He said in a little voice.

"I have never really noticed you. If I had done, I would have discovered who you really are long ago. A responsible, caring man, who doesn't make things for show. Who works and fights in many arts at once." Don Alejandro told him with shame and in the same moment was tightly embraced from his son.

"Thank you. Now, come father. Table is ready for supper and everybody is waiting for us." He said and led Victoria and don Alejandro to one long table under the firmament. He sat his father on his right and his fiancé on his left side.

"Dear assembles. Let us thank God for our meal that we can eat with our fiends and family. Dear God thank you for my beautiful fiancé and my beloved father. Amen." He said with joy. They began to eat and after then the people began to sang.

Diego gently took his father in isolate place where they could undistributed talk, ask for forgiveness and then reunion. And then, with companion of Victoria and Felipe began the longest story about Zorro's adventures.

END