The Adventurers (17 page)

As was the custom, I kissed her hand. "Amparo," I said gravely.

"Dax." She smiled. "It was good of you to come."

We said the same things each week and now we waited for la duena'& customary words. They came right on schedule. "I shall leave you children to your play."

Amparo nodded. We waited until the old woman closed the door behind her, then turned to each other, grinning. In a moment we were at the window looking down.

Sure enough, la duena came out the side entrance. Fat Cat was waiting there, his uniform cap in his hand, and together they turned and hurried to la duena's small apartment in the servants' building.

Amparo burst out laughing. "She waits all week for your visit."

"Not mine," I replied dryly.

She laughed again and turned to me. "Shall we watch them?"

I shook my head. I didn't feel like it today. Sometimes we would run into Amparo's bedroom, where from one window we could look down through a skylight just over the bed in la duena's room. It was dull. They always did the same thing. I couldn't understand why Fat Cat didn't get as bored with it as we did at watching them.

"What do you want to do then?"

"I don't know." I stood at the window looking out.

"You're not much fun."

I looked around at her. Amparo at nine was growing into a more beautiful child each time I saw her. And well aware of it. But she was alone too much. She was not allowed outside the walls of the palace. Not even to attend school. Tutors and teachers were brought in.

Every afternoon selected and approved playmates were allowed to visit. Senor Moncada's two daughters, now at a private school in Curatu, came once a week; other children of the local aristocratas and politicos also had their turn. Once a month there was a party which we all attended.

Beyond that Amparo lived in a world completely peopled by adults. There were times when I felt she was much older than I. She seemed to know so much more about what went on in the world. She was always filled with tiny malicious bits of gossip about people.

She went now to the couch and sat down. "What did the monsenor say to you?"

I looked at her in surprise. "How did you know he sent for me?"

She laughed. "La dueha. I heard her say that if it weren't for your father you would have been sent down."

"Where did she hear that?"

"From one of Papa's aides. Papa always asks for your school report."

El Presidente had many more important things on his mind than my marks at school. Why this interest in me?

"Papa thinks of you often. He says that if my brothers had lived they would have been like you." She looked down at her hands, and a wistful note came into her voice. "Sometimes I wish I had been a boy. Then maybe Papa wouldn't feel so badly."

"He would rather have you than any of them," I said.

Her face brightened. "Do you really think so?"

"Of course."

"I'm going to be very smart, he'll see. I'll be able to do as much as any boy."

"I'm sure you will," I answered. It was always safe to agree with Amparo. That way we didn't get into any arguments.

"When are you leaving for Paris?"

This time I was really surprised. "Paris?"

"You're going to Paris," she said positively. "I heard my father say so. Your father is going there on a trade mission. Los Estados Unidos, and Great Britain refuse to send their ships to trade with us. We must find new markets for our products or we will not survive. France seems most logical."

"Perhaps my father is going without me."

She shook her head. "No. He will be gone for several years. Besides, I heard Papa say that he will arrange for you to attend a school there."

"It's funny he never said anything to me."

"It was only settled this morning," she said. "I heard them talking at breakfast."

I thought of the French freighter I had seen at the docks. I wondered if we might be sailing on her. I walked to the window and looked out toward the port. I couldn't see her at the pier. She must already have gone.

Amparo came and stood beside me. "Shall we go outside for a walk?"

"If you like." We went downstairs and out her private entrance, which opened onto a small garden. As we came out of the building two soldiers fell in behind us just out of earshot. We went through the iron gate and strolled down the path toward the administration building. Soldiers snapped to attention and saluted as we passed.

A car had pulled up in front of the "little palace," as the guest house was now called. A man got out and hurried into the building. I couldn't see his face. "Who was that?"

Amparo shrugged. "I have seen him several times. I think he is the manager of La Cora."

I knew who La Cora was. She was the latest in a series of residents of the little palace. El Presidente liked to have things brought to him.

"I don't think he will be going there much longer," Amparo said suddenly.

"Why?"

"I think Papa is already getting bored with La Cora. He has had dinner with me almost every night this week." There was a faintly malicious sound of triumph in her voice.

I knew, of course, about the women who had come to the little palace in a steady procession. They stayed an average of six weeks, then disappeared. A few days later another would appear. Our Presidente was a man of diversified tastes. La Cora had lasted longer than most; she had been in residence almost two months. "I wonder what she looks like."

"She's not very pretty," Amparo replied disdainfully.

"I heard she was."

"I don't think so," Amparo answered. "She has big tetas. They're out to here." She held her hands out a foot in front of her chest.

"I like big tetas."

She looked down at herself. Her own breasts were just beginning to form. "I shall have big tetas," she said, "bigger than hers."

"I'm sure you will," I answered soothingly.

"Would you like to see her?"

"Yes."

Amparo toned and walked up to the entrance of the little palace. The soldier on duty saluted, then opened the door. We went into the house, where a majordomo greeted us.

Amparo looked down her nose at him. "I have come to call on La Cora."

The servant stood there hesitantly. I could see that he did not know what to do. Amparo, however, was used to having her own way. "I am not used to waiting!"

The majordomo bowed. "Of course, Princesa. If you will follow me?"

He led us to an apartamiento in the left wing of the building, and paused outside the door. Through it we could hear the faint murmur of voices. He knocked.

The voices fell silent. A moment later a woman called, "Who is it?"

"La princesa esta aqui."

"La princesa?"

"Si, senorita. She wishes to see you."

There was a quick murmur of voices again, and the door opened. A tall woman with large dark eyes and black hair gathered into a chignon stood in the doorway. She looked at Amparo, then stepped back. "I am honored, Princesa."

Amparo swept into the room as if it were her own. "I thought it might be nice if we had tea together."

The woman glanced at the man by the window fleetingly. I saw him nod impersonally. His face was thin and he wore a Vandyke beard. His eyes were very dark and glittered.

"It will be my pleasure, Princesa." La Cora clapped her hands, and the majordomo came to the door. "Tea, please, Juan."

Amparo said, "I would like to present my friend, Don Diogenes Alejandro Xenos."

La Cora curtsied, and I bowed. "My pleasure, senorita."

"May I present my manager, Senor Guardas?"

The manager bowed, his heels clicking audibly in the military fashion. "A su servicio." He straightened up and looked at La Cora. "I trust you can persuade his excellency to attend. I have arranged a special entertainment for tonight."

"He will attend."

Senor Guardas walked to the door. "I must now excuse myself. I have many pressing engagements."

Amparo nodded, and he bowed again as he went out the door. I watched until it had closed behind him. There was no doubt in my mind that he had once been a soldier. It showed in his carriage, the military cadence of his walk.

La Cora pulled her peignoir closer around her and touched her hair. "Had I known of your visit, Princesa, I would have made myself more presentable. If you could grant me a moment perhaps I could change into something more suitable?"

"Of course."

Amparo turned to me as soon as La Cora had left the room. "She does have big tetas, doesn't she?" she whispered.

I suddenly heard a voice through the open window. I walked over and looked out. I couldn't see who was speaking, for whoever it was directly beneath the window and hidden from my view. But the voice was oddly familiar.

"La bomba must be placed on the table exactly at midnight!"

The answering voice was indistinguishable. "It will be done, excelencia."

"See to it. There must be no blunders!"

There was a moment's silence, then two men came into view. One was the majordomo, the other Senor Guardas. The majordomo's hand came up in a half salute as Senor Guardas turned and hurried off. No wonder the voice had seemed familiar; I had heard it only a moment before. I turned to Amparo.

She was studying herself in the mirror. "Do you think my tetas will get to be as big as La Cora's?"

"I think so," I replied dryly.

She saw my face in the mirror. "What is puzzling you?"

"They must be having a big entertainment tonight," I said. "They're even having firecrackers on the table."

"Where did you hear that?"

"Just now. I heard La Cora's manager giving the instructions to the majordomo. He wanted la bomba placed on the table exactly at midnight. I wonder what sort of entertainment they are going to have?"

La Cora's voice came from the doorway. "It is actually only a simple little party for el Presidente and a few members of the cabinet. We honor the beginning of his third year as our leader and benefactor."

"Oh, then that must be the reason for la bomba at midnight."

La Cora laughed. "The way you say it makes it sound most ominous. Actually, it's to be molded of ice cream."

"That's a very clever idea," I said. "La bomba de helado."

La Cora looked over at Amparo. "You know how your father loves ice cream."

Just then the majordomo came into the room with the tea tray.

"I've changed my mind," Amparo said suddenly. "I've just remembered I have to be back at the residencia. Are you coming, Dax?"

I looked at La Cora apologetically, then hurried after Amparo, who was already disappearing down the hallway. I caught up to her just before she reached the front door. "What are you so angry about?" I asked, holding it open for her.

"I hate her!"

The two soldiers fell in behind us as we walked off toward the residencia. "Why?" I asked. "What has she ever done to you?"

Amparo looked at me coldly. "You're like all men. You see nothing but a big pair of tetas."

"That's not true."

"It is! I saw the way you were drooling You couldn't look anywhere else." "What did you expect me to do?" I asked. "There wasn't much else to look at."

Amparo stopped as we started up the walk to her private entrance. "You never looked at me like that."

"I will," I promised, "when you grow up."

"If you were a gentleman you would look at me that way now!"

I looked at her Then in spite of myself I had to laugh.

"What are you laughing at?"

"There's nothing to look at."

I saw her hand coming and I caught it just before it could slap me. "Why do you want to do that?"

Her eyes flashed angrily. "I hate you!" She pulled her hand away from mine and drew herself up haughtily. "I never want to. see you again!"

I shrugged and started down the walk,

"Dax!"

"Yes?"

She held out her hand. "You didn't kiss me good-bye."

CHAPTER 22

I felt a rough hand shaking my shoulder. I rolled away from it and burrowed back under the sheets. They were soft and warm. I didn't want to go to school I might even plead illness.

"Wake up, Dax!" Fat Cat's voice was harsh, urgent.

My subconscious identified the sound. I had heard it before. In the jungle, in the mountains It meant danger I sat up in bed, wide awake now. Night was still outside the windows "What is it?"

Fat Cat's face was tense "Your father wants to see you right away!"

I glanced out the window, then back at him. "Now?"

"Inmediatamente!"

I was out of the bed and dressing. I glanced at the clock; it was two in the morning. I felt a cold dread creep over me. I shivered as I buttoned my shirt. "He has been hurt! He is dying!"

Fat Cat remained grim and silent.

I stared at him as he handed me my jacket. "La bomba!"

I saw the surprise come into his face. I spoke again before he could. "La bomba de helado! Asesinato!"

He crossed himself quickly. "You knew?"

I grabbed his hand. "Is my father alive? Tell me!"

"He is alive. But we must hurry."

The chauffeur was behind the wheel of the big black Hudson, the motor racing. We got in silently and immediately we roared out the driveway toward the Palacio del Presidente. The guards waved us through without the usual identification.

I was out of the car and inside before Fat Cat was off the seat. The foyer was crowded with men. I saw el Presidente sitting in a chair in the corner. He was bare to the waist and a doctor was winding a bandage around the upper part of his chest. His face was white and drawn as he looked at me.

"Where is my father?"

He gestured toward La Cora's apartamiento. "In the bedroom."

Without another word I ran out the door toward the apartamiento. The first room was the living room, where Amparo and I had been earlier that day. Plaster and dust were everywhere. Half the far wall had been blown inward. I ran through what was left of the doorway to the dining room.

It was completely wrecked. The big windows and French doors were blasted open to the night. Tables and chairs everywhere were broken into fragments. The bodies of two men still lay on the floor but I didn't waste even a look at them.