The men rode up to the Customs House and dismounted. Throughout the plaza, booths were set up with goods on display as a Portuguese merchant ship had sailed into port that morning.

The men dismounted and Juan Pablo unlashed his cane from his saddle. Roman and Grisham wore their swords at their sides and all of the men were armed with pistols.

"Is your leg bothering you, amigo?" asked Roman.

"No. Why do you ask?" asked Juan Pablo.

"You are using your cane."

A grin came over Juan Pablo’s face. "The mark of a gentleman," he replied with a put on haughty tone.

The two men grinned.

The vaqueros wandered through the bazaar while Roman, Juan Pablo and Grisham went to the few of the permanent shops.

Their arrival had not gone unnoticed by two men who watched and then left. Roman and Juan Pablo looked over the different items, looking for a wedding gift for Marta, while Grisham perused the jewelry.

Roman finally found an ivory broach with a gold case and a gold chain. Juan Pablo was very secretive as he wandered away and made a purchase. He had the storekeeper wrap it in brown paper.

"What did you get?" asked Roman.

"You will see, at the proper time," replied Juan Pablo, with a grin.

Grisham purchased a gold lady's pocket watch with an ivory cameo on the outside of the cover.

As they left the shop and proceeded across the street, a voice sounded from behind them.

"Petroff, you thieving dog."

The three men turned to see a man in shabby clothes pointing a pistol at Roman.

"Do I know you?" asked Roman.

"You and that thief Fenner convinced my wife to run away with you," said the man, slurring his speech.

"I remember now. You were beating her with a stick. She should have left you long before we met."

"You bastard. Now, you will die," said the man as he cocked the musket and fired.

As the hammer fell and the spark flashed, Grisham pushed Roman out of the way. The lead ball struck and a man went down. The attacker drew a sword and rushed forward past the man with a cane. As the drunk rushed Roman, Juan Pablo released the catch on his cane and drew his sword. Juan Pablo’s sword caught the blade of the man’s weapon and smashed it down.

Roman’s right fist caught the man’s chin and he went down with a thud. Soldiers and others ran toward the sound of gunfire.

"What is going on here?" demanded a sergeant, as his men aimed their muskets at the four combatants.

"This man tried to kill us," replied Juan Pablo. "I am Don Juan Pablo Vallejo and these are my friends, Roman Petroff and Marcus Grisham," he said motioning to the two men.

"Juan Pablo," said Roman, as he nodded towards Grisham, who lay on the ground.

""Get a Doctor," Juan Pablo said to the sergeant.

The sergeant nodded to a private, who ran off. "Arrest that man," he said, pointing to the unconscious man on the ground.

Roman placed his arm under Grisham’s back and raised him to a sitting position. Grisham opened his eyes slowly as blood seeped down his shoulder.

"That was a dumb thing to do, taking a bullet meant for me," said Roman.

"Seemed the only thing I could do for the man who saved my life," replied Grisham.

The Doctor suddenly raced up and ripped Grisham’s shirt away. The hole in the left shoulder looked nasty. The Doctor looked at Roman.

"Take him to the Customs House. My office is next door."

Roman easily and carefully picked Grisham up in his arms and carried the wounded man to the office the Doctor had indicated.

"Will he be all right?" asked Juan Pablo, putting his hand on the Doctor's arm.

The doctor nodded. "I think so. So far, he has not lost much blood and the mini ball appears to have exited out the back. Hopefully there is no other damage."

A few hours later, Roman and Juan Pablo and a white-faced Grisham, with his arm in a sling, walked out of the Doctor’s office. The rest of the Vaqueros waited outside. They all mounted their ponies and walked them out of Monterey. Grisham rode a little ahead of the rest, Roman slightly back on the right, Juan Pablo on the left.

As they were leaving the deteriorating fortress walls, three men stepped out and challenged them.

"Grisham, you are a dead man," one said, raising his sword and slashing at the mounted man.

He sword arm was suddenly in the grasp of a very large hand, as Roman had urged his horse to the right of the attacker. The man dropped the sword and screamed as Roman lifted him so that his face and Roman’s were on the same level, his feet dangling three feet in the air.

"You leave us alone," snarled Roman, as he flung the hapless man into the road.

The group trotted past the writhing man who held his arm, as his friends rushed to help him.

When they were past, the group urged their horses into a gallop.

"You two sure know how to liven up a trip to the city," grinned Juan Pablo. "Now, onward to Santa Elena."

Epilogue

A week later, seven tired riders sat on their horses, on a hill overlooking the vineyards of the Elizandro-Alvarado haciendas.

"We are home," said one of the vaqueros.

"That we are, amigo," replied Juan Pablo. "In a short while, you will return to your wives and families. I know you all work for Señorita Alvarado, but I consider you amigos and I will always have a place for you on the Vallejo Hacienda, should you wish to come north."

"And give up working for the beautiful Señorita?" asked another vaquero.

Juan Pablo grinned. "You forget I am married to Señora Elena." He turned to Roman. "Soon, you will be married to a beautiful gitana. I wonder what kind of reception we will receive after being away all these months?"

An hour later, the group set foot on the Alvarado hacienda and soon sat their horses in front of the Alvarado Hacienda.

Tessa, Josephine, Marta and a very large Elena walked onto the front veranda to see seven horsemen sitting quietly. All seven wore ponchos with one side flipped over their right shoulders.

"I wonder who these Vaqueros belong to?" asked Josephine, with a giggle.

"I want the big one," said Marta, as she walked up and stroked the big man’s leg.

Elena waddled up to Juan Pablo’s horse. "Who might you be, stranger?"

"Your humble servant, Señora, and the man who will make you a whole woman."

"I am not a whole woman?" asked Elena, rubbing her belly.

"You are half of a whole union, Señora. I am the other half," he replied, as he jumped off his horse, took Elena in his arms and kissed her deeply.

Suddenly, two horsemen raced up to the hacienda. One of the men jumped off his horse and raced to Josephine and hugged her.

Josephine kissed the man and then pushed him away. "Fenner, what took you so long?"

"We had things to do and it seemed safer to stay away until just before the wedding," said Fenner, with a sheepish grin.

"Well, it was quieter," she said, as she slapped his chest.

Another group of horsemen rode up, with Colonel Montoya in the lead.

"Señorita Alvarado," said Montoya.

"Colonel, what are you doing here?" asked Tessa.

" Looking for Captain Grisham. When will he return? I gave him to you for two months."

"Colonel, I am sorry. The drive took a little longer than expected. My vaqueros have just returned."

Montoya looked at the men, recognizing Roman and Juan Pablo. "Where is Grisham?"

"I don’t know. I haven’t had the time to ask that question. Like I said, they just arrived."

Tessa turned to Juan Pablo. "What happened to Captain Grisham?"

"Captain Grisham was shot in Monterey."

"Shot? You mean he is dead? Who? Why?" stammered Montoya.

"He took a bullet meant for me," replied Roman.

"You mean, he died a hero?" asked Tessa, shocked.

"No, he is very much alive," replied a vaquero, removing his sombrero and throwing off his poncho.

"Grisham. You look more like a vaquero than a Captain of the Guards," said Montoya.

"Gracias, Colonel. I take that as a compliment."

"How bad is the wound?" asked Tessa.

"I will be able to return to duty when Doctor Helm gives me a clean bill a health."

"Very well. Tomorrow, report to Doctor Helm," said Montoya.

"Colonel, you will be at the wedding, won’t you?" asked Tessa.

"Yes, I will. I wouldn’t miss it for the world. I am sure everyone will be there, even the Queen of Swords."

"Colonel, this is my home. You will behave," said Tessa sternly.

"You have my word as Comandante," he said, as he turned his horse and rode away.

"That’s what I am afraid of," said Tessa under her breath.

Moments later, Montoya turned around and rode back to where Tessa was standing.

"Forget something, Colonel?"

"As a matter of fact, I did. I forgot to ask you when the wedding was."

"Well, Ash Wednesday is February 16 and we wouldn't want the wedding during Lent, it will be held sometime after Easter."

"Gracias."

With that, the Colonel turned back around and rode off. Grisham mounted his horse and followed Montoya back to town. The vaqueros followed suit, heading back to their own homes. When everybody else had gone, Juan Pablo, Roman, Fenner, and Raphael led their horses to the corral and stripped them of their tack. That being done, the men started back for the house, but found their path blocked by Tessa.

"Hold it," yelled Tessa. "You men smell and I will not have you stinking up the casa. All of you, go take a bath."

Fenner sniffed his armpit. "I don’t know what you’re talking about. We don’t smell that bad." The other men spoke up in agreement. As they did, Marta, Elena, and Josephine came up behind Tessa, an evil glint in their eyes. Tessa, as soon as she saw them, beat a hasty retreat to the back porch. She watched as the other three closed in on the guys and shoved them in the large trough that, until that moment, the horses had been drinking from. Immediately after being dumped into the water, the guys yanked the girls in with them. Tessa stood on the porch, laughing, as she watched the water battle that ensued.

"Hi there."

Tessa whirled around to find Doctor Helm standing behind her.

"Robert, you scared me. I didn’t see you arrive. What are you doing here?"

"I was in the neighborhood. Thought I’d stop in and see you."

That remark earned him a rather skeptical look from Tessa. He held up his hands in defeat.

"Okay, so I had to ride for an hour or so to get into the neighborhood. Still, I’m here. So, what’s going on over there?" He pointed to the corral.

"The girls are giving the guys a bath. I think."

"That sounds like fun. What do you say we go inside and take one of our own." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and Tessa slapped him on the chest, laughing.

"Robert, you are absolutely incorrigible!"

"I know. But that’s what you love about me." Without warning, he hefted Tessa onto his shoulder and carried her inside, both of them laughing all the way.

Watch for the next exciting adventure, Tesoro - Episode #310, starting on December 29, 2002.

If you have missed any episodes, you will find them in the Season Three Archives section.