“Señora, an unexpected pleasure to see you again. But I am afraid that you are in danger.”
“I…who are you? And what is happening? Are you with the soldiers?”
Gently but inexorably, he pulled her with him, ignoring her resistance. “Come, come, do not be afraid, for I will see that no harm comes to you.”
He spoke in the same flawless Castilian Spanish as before. It was incongruous. What was he doing out here, in this isolated village far from everything?
“No, I will not come with you!” She jerked free, taking him by surprise, so that he wheeled around and reached for her, his fingers a hard vice on her arm.
“You are being foolish, señora.”
“Hardly! I don’t know you at all, and I have no intention of going anywhere with you. My husband will be back soon, and he will see to it that I am kept safe. Now be so good as to release my arm.”
“Ah, I am afraid I cannot do that. And your husband has been unavoidably detained, I think, or he would already be here with you, is that not so? Don’t be foolish, Señora Alvarado. It will only make things worse.”
Trembling, Ginny managed to keep her voice steady as she asked again, “Who are you? You know my name, but I have not been told yours.”
He escorted her back to the posada, and she glimpsed the posadero’s face peering at them from the door as she was halted. Lanterns had been lit, and crimson and gold light illuminated a strong face, with defined mouth and high jutting cheekbones—the features of a criollo—one of the Spanish aristocrats.
“Many pardons,” he said with an exaggerated courtesy that grated on her temper. “Allow me to present myself to you. I am Rafael Luna de Gonzalez, Adjutant General to el presidente Lerdo de Tejada.”
“What do you want with me?”
“El presidente requests your presence in Mexico City, and I have come to escort you to him.”
20
It was happening to her again. Ginny sat stoically in the closed carriage that rocked over rutted roads leading to Mexico City. Luna had forced her to accompany him, and if he knew where Steve was—or if he was even still alive—he would not tell her. How infuriating that this should happen to her again!
“I will tell el presidente exactly how rude you have been,” she told Luna, who did not seem a bit bothered by the threat, “and he will see to it that you lose your commission in the army!”
He merely lifted a dark brow and smiled. “Such a fiery woman you are, señora. It is most remarkable that your passion has not faded with time.”
He knew things about her, even lovers from her past. He was subtle, casually mentioning Miguel Lopez, even Michel Remy, as if he knew them, when it was obvious he was only trying to intimidate her. She’d quickly learned that silence was the only way to deal with him, and she retreated behind a wall of indifference.
Today he had told her, they would reach Mexico City.
“It has been some time since you were last there, I understand.” He sat directly across from her in the black lacquered carriage, his long legs deliberately brushing against her knees. Occasionally, he allowed his knee to push her legs apart, suggestively subtle.
Ginny eyed him coldly and refused to rise to the bait.
“You are very lovely, Señora Alvarado,” Luna said, and smiled when she merely looked at him. “Can it be that you do not like me? But why? I have done nothing to you. I have been only courteous and respectful. Did you not have a room to yourself? I have not attempted to force my attentions upon you.”
Turning her head, she stared out the window. Her pointed silence should be enough to dissuade him, but it wasn’t.
“Tell me,” Luna said when the silence dragged on for a time, “when you were known as Madame du Plessis, did you also sleep with Maximilian? I had heard he was one of your conquests. But then, you seemed to prefer the lower caste to the more aristocratic lovers. It was said you were even once married to one of those dirty Juaristas, a half-breed mongrel like a mad dog.”
She faced him then, green eyes narrowed and sparkling with anger. “He has more nobility in his little finger than your entire family has ever possessed, I am certain. Please excuse me if I don’t care to continue talking to you. I feel quite nauseous suddenly. There seems to be a noisome stench in the carriage.”
Luna laughed, but behind the smile his black eyes glittered with fury and menace. Ginny stifled a sudden shudder. He would not dare harm her! She had already reminded him that her father-in-law was the very influential Don Francisco Alvarado, and that she was well-acquainted with both Sebastian Lerdo and Porfirio Díaz. They would definitely take it amiss should she be insulted.
By the time they reached Mexico City she had developed a loathing for the handsome officer.
It was obvious to her that Lerdo was losing control of the country; Mexico City showed all the signs of an imminent invasion. Troops were scattered and looting was rampant. Those loyal to Lerdo were taking what they could while they could, for once Díaz came into power, they would be lucky to escape with their lives.
This beautiful city was a sad reminder of the doomed emperor and his wife. Poor Maximiliano…he had not deserved to die for only doing his duty, but perhaps that could be said of every soldier, even those who were elected president of the country.
And what on earth could Lerdo want with her?
Luna offered no clues to the reason for her summons, save the implication that her father was involved. That would be one reason, of course; wasn’t he backing Lerdo in order to keep his Mexican properties? No doubt he had sent him money as well.
But Lerdo
