the Night
Chapter 2
Alejandro sighed in frustration and threw the book on the table � he was not able to read it anyway, and there was no need to pretend like he was.
Suddenly Bernardo flew into the sala and started signing frantically to the elder de la Vega.
�Slow down, Bernardo. I do not understand what you are trying to say.�
Bernardo flung his hands upwards in a gesture of desperation and then grabbed the don by the sleeve of his jacket and pulled him into the secret passage.
Alejandro ran into the cave behind his manservant, expecting to see his son, only to find Tornado standing in the middle of the cave, tired and lathered, beating the ground impatiently with his hoof. Following Bernardo�s gesture, Alejandro noticed the bleeding cut on the stallion�s leg. De la Vega looked questioningly at the manservant: �How did this happen? Where is Zorro?� Bernardo merely shrugged his shoulders. The elder don felt the icy cold fingers of fear close firmly around his heart. He swallowed hard, trying to shake off the thoughts of the worst.
�We must go and look for him.�
Bernardo signed pointing to the outside.
�You are right. It is very dark. �Oh, by the Saints, I cannot bear to wait till morning!� Bernardo signed again. Alejandro nodded, agreeing, �Yes, take care of Tornado. I will try to wait.�
Having said that, the old man went off to the side and sat down onto the rock burying his head in his hands. Bernardo, no less worried than his master, sighed heavily and went to get some water and bandages for Tornado. This night promised to be a long one for all three of them.
***
�Well, where is he?� Capit�n Basques roared as the lancers� torches that lighted the slope of the mountain revealed nothing.
�I do not know, mi capit�n,� the young soldier mumbled in confusion. �I shot him and he fell right down there. I . . . I saw him. . . I do not understand��
�If he fell down there, then where is he NOW?! Ooooh, never mind! If you really shot him, he could not have gotten far. We will search the hills�turn every rock upside down until we find him.�
�Now, comandante?�
�Now! Move it!�
�S�, comandante.�
***
Darkness concealed the riders well enough to allow them to reach the inn unnoticed.
As soon as �tienne put his unconscious cargo onto the bed in their room, Annabelle whispered: �Bring some water and clean bandages, and see if you can find my medical kit in the luggage.� Seeing the puzzled look on the face of her servant, she added softly with a jeer: �Somehow, �tienne, I do not think that doctors here make house calls to wounded outlaws.�
The manservant shook his head disapprovingly and went to bring the requested items.
Annabelle sat on the bed next to the stranger, looking him over. Apart from the shoulder wound there were seemingly no others. With a help of a knife, she carefully removed the man�s shirt, revealing a multitude of cuts and bruises � the unavoidable traces of his encounter with the rocks. The stranger�s left hip was torn up by a big ugly cut. She just hoped that nothing serious was damaged. But for her to know for sure the man�s pants would have to follow the shirt.
She started cutting up his pants when she heard �tienne�s indignant �Madam!� ring above her ear. She turned to face her servant: �It will have to be done. Forget the rules of decency. They can be sacrificed to save a life. I�ll worry about the consequences later.�
Having said that, she motioned for �tienne to sit down on the other side of the bed and began to work. She had watched her father many times as he performed what the village folk used to call �the Miracles of Doctor James�; she even helped him out sometimes.
But now she would have to perform a miracle on her own � she only prayed she could do this right�.
***
The night was slowly and reluctantly giving up its stand over the pueblo, when Annabelle was finally finished. �tienne, who had assisted her as much as he could all through the night, had dozed off on the chair next to the bed, his head hanging down on his chest. And Annabelle herself was about ready to drop from fatigue. She looked at her patient, realizing suddenly that she had never even bothered to see his face. Slowly she removed his mask and bandana. She cocked her head slightly, looking at the man, and a soft satisfied smile touched her lips.