The Girl who loved Fencing

2

Many weeks passed. María was afraid of revealing to her father what she knew. How would he react? Did her mother know that Diego de La Vega was Zorro? She decided to approach her father first.

One afternoon when she came in from riding she overheard her parents talking.

"Diego, you cannot ride again. You have to consider your family and your health. This is too dangerous for you. You might not come back next time."

"Sofía, I have to help these people. Capitán Romero is increasing the taxes, and those of us who own land are having a hard time keeping up, to say nothing of the poor people who cannot pay them at all. They need me now more than ever."

"You cannot do this alone. You need help. You are not as young as you used to be. If you ride again you—"

"Sofía, do not worry about me. I will be fine."

"Diego, please. There has to be someone else."

"Who else is there? There is no one else. I am the only one who can do it."

"How about Bernardo? Could he not he help?"

"He could. He has helped me in the past, but Bernardo is not as skilled a swordsman as I am. It would be dangerous for him."

"It is dangerous for you too." She walked away, annoyed with him.

That night Bernardo entered the cave through the study's passage and found Tornado gone. He checked the wardrobe and found it empty. He returned to the study somewhat puzzled. Diego was surprised at his quick return.

"Is something wrong, Bernardo?" Bernardo had been Diego's servant for nearly twenty-three years. He was mute, and they had developed their own sign language in order to communicate. Diego was the only one who knew that Bernardo could hear. Most people thought that he was deaf and unable to speak.

"What? Tornado is gone?" Diego waited patiently as Bernardo signed what he had discovered.

"The clothes are gone too? Where did they go?"

Bernardo looked innocent and confused.

"Who could have taken them?"

The servant shrugged his shoulders.

"I do not know either. I always lock the wardrobe. Did you see the key?"

Bernardo shook his head.

"I do not understand this. No one knows anything about the cave, Zorro and Tornado except you and Sofía. I cannot think of anyone else who could have taken them."

Just then Sofía walked into the room.

"What is going on?"

"Bernardo just informed me that Zorro's clothes are not inside the wardrobe. Tornado is also missing. Is this the way you have decided to make me stay home?"

"What are you talking about, Diego?"

"You did not want me to go out, so you removed my clothes and hid the horse?"

"I did no such thing!" Sofía said angrily.

"You did not do this?" he asked a little confused.

"Absolutely not!"

"Then who knows about the secret cave and Zorro?"

"Only the three of us," she answered.

At that moment, Diego began to think about the last few days and some of his conversations with other people. Who could have discovered his secret cave? Who would be bold enough to wear the Zorro clothes and ride his great horse, Tornado? Suddenly, he realized who it was.

"Where is María?"

"I do not know. She is not in her room," Sofía said.

Before dawn the next morning, María tiptoed up the stairs and entered the study. Her father was sitting with a book in his hand, but he was not reading. Their eyes met.

"Buenos días, daughter."

"Father. Good morning."

"Have a nice ride?"

"You know where I have been?"

"It took me a while to figure it out, but yes, I know. Bernardo informed me that Tornado and the Zorro clothes were gone. When your mother made it clear to me that she had nothing to do with their disappearance, and then told me you were not in your room, I knew that you had to be the guilty one."

"But –"

"Why did you do it?"

"I overheard you talking with mother recently. She said that you should not ride again as Zorro. I wanted to help."

"This is not something you can do. You must not do this again."

"But father-"

"No. This is final. I will not permit my daughter to ride as Zorro. It is time for bed. We'll talk some more later."

The next morning when Diego was in the cantina he heard several people talking about the events of the last evening.

"Did you see Zorro last night? He was as cunning as ever!"

"Yes, I saw. He was excellent as usual," said another.

"Did you see the way he fought with a sword? The way he swept it back and forth as he fought two men at the same time! He was so daring, so brave. I am glad that he is on my side and not a villain."

"Yes it was amazing. I have never seen Zorro do anything like that before."

"It has been many years since I have seen such from him."

"He was amazing. He is my hero," said a young girl who carried in a tray of wine.

When Diego heard their words, he was speechless. He could not believe it. It had been many years since he had heard the people brag about him that way. He was still unhappy about the idea of his precious little girl doing this man's work. But now he had to think about the skill she must have shown. He would have to think about the possibility of María as Zorro. It was too farfetched for him to even imagine. This would take some time.

Late one evening Diego and Bernardo were alone in the courtyard. Diego told him what he had overheard at the cantina regarding the Zorro.

"What do you think of my little girl?"

Bernardo smiled and pretended to be engaged in a sword fight.

"It is one thing to take fencing lessons at a fine school in Spain. It is quite another to engage in a sword fight with skilled soldiers and desperados. I do not like this, Bernardo."

Bernardo nodded and then pointed directly at Diego. His hands suggested that father and daughter engage in a sword-fighting exhibition.

"That might work. I have not seen her fight; maybe I should see what she can do. Maybe I should see what she can do against me."

Bernardo nodded in agreement.