Caray, Caray!

Esme hides Renzo under her skirt [I’m sure he liked that!] to help him escape from Pizarro and his men. Renzo tells her about the failed plan to try and contact and then rescue Sara Kali. Renzo tells Esme that Miguel was captured. Esme tells Renzo that since she is Montero’s wife, she may be able to help Miguel. She tells Renzo that Montero might exact reprisals against the gypsy camp. Renzo seems to be surprised that Esme would betray her husband. Esme says that she has gypsy blood and will do whatever is necessary to free her mother.

Back in the prison, Sara Kali tells the old guy prisoner her story: once upon a time women were barred from inheriting the Spanish throne. However, this law was repealed. Sara’s mother became the heir to the Spanish throne but some men at the court were against her succeeding the throne and tried to kill her many times. Sara and her mother ran away to the gypsies to escape the assassins. Sara’s mother died defending the gypsies. Sara decided to make a claim the Spanish throne now held by her cousin. To get back into court circles, she married Fernando but when he found out about her plans, he put her in the mask and locked her up. [Why didn’t he kill her?] The old guy pretends that he believes her but really he thinks that the mask has driven her insane.

Maria Pia is running around in the woods looking for NN. Suddenly, she is grabbed from behind by a guy in a sombrero with a bandanna tied across his face. He drags her off. Meanwhile, the chubby nun-wannabee finds NN sitting under a tree and NN says that she was saved by an angel – a black angel. Chubby foolishly mentions how saintly Marie Pia is and NN runs off shrieking into the bushes.

Montero sends the cutest one of his guard to find Esme and bring her to him to sign some papers. Pizarro comes in and tells Montero about the gypsies and their plot. Montero and Pizarro don’t know what prisoner the gypsies were trying to communicate with. Pizarro is torturing Miguel on a rack to find this out. Montero and Pizarro guess that the message was intended for Sara Kali. Pizarro offers to go and destroy the gypsy camp but Montero fears interference from the Marquesa. Montero tells Pizarro to torture Miguel to death if necessary to get the information.

Esme drops Renzo off. In spite of the fact that he is being chased by soldiers and the whole gypsy camp is in danger, he has to take time to tell Esmeralda that he loves her even though he knows she doesn’t love him.

After the opening credits run, we see Zorro attack a convoy of soldiers that is apparently carrying money. [They carefully don’t show how Zorro could get close enough to a soldier to get his whip around the soldier’s legs without the rest of the soldiers apparently being able to see or stop him. Hey, it’s Zorro.] Although he incapacitates most of the soldiers, two of them ride after him.

Back in her carriage, Esme is recalling her last conversation with Diego. Up rides Zorro. He tries to make nice but Esme is dismissive. She continues on her way and Zorro is just standing around considering her attitude. All of a sudden, the two soldiers appear.

Alejandro and Almudena tell the Marquesa what happened with Diego and MA. The Marquesa is upset that that cad Montero has won again.

Montero finds Esme and chides her for not signing the annulment papers. Esme tells Montero that she is afraid of what Montero will do to Diego when the Marquesa leaves town. Montero says that she is right to be concerned. This business with the Marquesa has been the biggest humiliation of his career and once the Marquesa leaves town, Montero is going to reassert his power over the Governor, the de la Vegas and everyone else. Esme says, in that case, she refuses to sign the annulment papers and will stay married to Montero.

Sister Carola (the chubby nun-wannabee) returns to the church and tells Father Tomas that she found and then lost NN and has Maria Pia returned. Father Tomas says no, MP has not returned and they are concerned about what has happened to her.

Cut to Maria Pia tied up and blindfolded in a barn. In comes Fernando and tells her that he won’t let her become a nun. She tells him that he can’t make her love him by force and he responds that he won’t try. His men just won’t let her leave. If he can’t have her, God won’t have her either.

Diego returns to his perpetually moonlit Zorro cave. He tells Bernardo that this was one of Zorro’s most spectacular appearances but all he can do is think about Esme. Why didn’t he read her letter before he spoke to her? There is only one thing that he can do - go with his father to ask for MA’s hand in marriage.

Esme tells Almudena that she is not going to go through with the annulment of her marriage to Montero. Almudena says she is crazy – Montero is an evil bastard and he will exercise his rights to consummate the marriage. Esme says that he won’t touch her – because she is preggers with Diego’s baby! [Why she is so sure Montero wouldn’t do something precisely to harm the baby of his enemy, I don’t know.] Almudena is impactada. She doesn’t seem to be at all concerned that Esme has been screwing Diego without being married.

Cut to Fernando who is crushed that MA supposedly gave up her precious chastity to Diego in his house. He acknowledges that he left that part of his daughters’ upbringing to his sister. [Judging by her reaction to Esme’s pregnancy, Almudena did a pretty bad job on that score.] MA pleads with him to forgive her and promises to be a faithful, loyal wife to Diego and give her father lots of grandkids. Fernando does not seem moved.

Montero explains to the Marquesa that he tried to do what he was supposed to by annulling his marriage to Esme but she won’t sign the papers and so he is off the hook. The Marquesa tells him not to press his luck.

Sergeant Garcia tells Montero that Zorro attacked the convoy and stole the tax money. Montero orders that Garcia place a spy among the poor people to whom Zorro will be distributing the stolen money.

Father Tomas organizes a search party for Maria Pia and NN. The Cardinal tells him that he is going to write to the Vatican and recommend that the internado not be made into a convent. Father Tomas chews out the Cardinal about the sacrifices that the women have made to help the poor. Back in her barn, Maria Pia refuses to eat.

Alejandro and Diego come to the Governor’s house to do the right thing and have Diego ask for MA’s hand in marriage. For some reason, Olmos has a bright red wig on. Diego apologizes to MA for what happened and offers to restore her honor at the altar. MA accepts and Olmos is crushed but nobody is looking at him, of course.

For some reason, Almudena has to drag Esme to the incompetent barber surgeon to get a recommendation on a woman to examine Esme and confirm her pregnancy. [Why couldn’t she have asked Dolores about a midwife?] The doctor recommends the native healer – Eagle Feather.

Back at the Governor’s house, the engaged couple go off to set a date for the wedding and Fernando tells Alejandro that they used to be friends but now he feels that Alejandro doesn’t approve of him. Alejandro admits that he does not understand some of Fernando’s actions such as letting Montero torture Diego in prison and murdering Indians when he was a soldier. Fernando responds that his low opinion of Indians results from seeing his parents skinned alive by a band of Indians who attacked their hacienda when he was a child.

In the parlor, Diego tells MA that he is sure that she drugged his champagne but he has no proof. He is also sure that he never touched her.

Fernando tells Alejandro that this horrible experience caused him to attack Indians with extreme brutality. Maria Pia found out about it, refused to marry him and became a nun-wannabee. Fernando tells Alejandro that he will not permit Maria Pia to become a nun.

Eagle Feather does her examination, which involves touching Esme’s hand and her stomach through her dress and announces [I think – the broadcast went off for a second or two] that Esme is preggers and will have a boy.

Diego and MA exchange insults but MA tells Diego that Esme has refused the annulment of her marriage with Montero and suggests that the reason is that Esme and Montero have given each other pleasure. Of course, Diego believes this even though he just accused MA of lying to get him in a compromising situation.

Esme tells Almudena that she is going to free her mother with the help of the gypsies and then go to Spain and have her baby. Almudena says she is in danger from Montero exercising his marital rights. This time, Esme tells Almudena that she will refuse and if Montero discovers that she is preggers, she will flee. [Ten minutes ago, she told Almudena that Montero wouldn’t touch her if she was pregnant.] Almudena says that that the Marquesa will have to find a solution to Esme’s problem.

Uh oh. Cut to the Marquesa bidding Dolores farewell. Apparently, she is leaving without saying goodbye to her hosts but she has left them a gift.

Diego confronts his father about the annulment and Alejandro confirms that the Marquesa arranged it and subsequently Esme refused to go along. Alejandro tells Diego that MA has stayed with Montero because Diego broke her heart. Diego is impactado that he came so close to getting Esme only to lose her again.

In spite of being horribly tortured, Miguel has not revealed the name of the prisoner he and his buddies are trying to free.

His servant tells Fernando that Maria Pia won’t eat. Fernando tells himself that we will see which will last longer – her love for God or his love for her.

Esme is babbling about her child when Diego rides up. Almudena says that it is now or never to speak to Diego.
The credits roll.

Labels: Zorro