Honor Bound (Honor Bound 1)
Page 242
[SEVEN]
Estancia San Pedro y San Pablo
Near Pila, Buenos Aires Province
1615 22 December 1942
El Coronel Jorge Guillermo Frade was sitting on the verandah of the ranch house with Señora Carzino-Cormano and her daughters, when Clete drove up in the Horche.
When he saw Clete at the wheel, he quickly stood up and went inside the house.
Señora Carzino-Cormano, shaking her head sadly, moved off the porch and up to Clete and kissed his cheek.
“Are you all right?” she asked. “You weren’t seriously injured?”
“I’m fine.”
“Your father wasn’t expecting you. You and he had words?”
“Yes,” Clete said simply. “We did. I’m here for Señora Pellano’s funeral.”
“And you stay angry, don’t you, like him? Is that why you drove his car here…you know how he is about that damned automobile…to make him angry?”
“My car is at the Duartes’, and when I telephoned to ask about it, there was no answer. I had the Old Man’s car, so I drove it.”
“‘The Old Man’? Is that what you call him? To his face, I hope not.”
They smiled at each other.
“Is there a hotel, or somewhere else I can stay?”
“Where? The hotel in Pila is…” She raised her hands helplessly. “You’re determined to go to the funeral?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Good for you,” she said, and turned to Enrico. “Enrico, put Señor Cletus’s things in my car. He will be staying at my estancia for the night.”
“Mi Teniente,” Enrico asked uncomfortably, “may I have an hour?”
“I don’t understand, Enrico,” Claudia said.
“I would like an hour with my family, Señora,” Enrico said.
“Señor Cletus is going to my estancia, Enrico. Not you.”
“With respect, Señora, where el Teniente goes, I go.”
“I will speak to el Coronel about that, Enrico. It will be all right with him.”
“With respect,
Señora, this has nothing to do with el Coronel.”
She stuck her tongue in her cheek thoughtfully.
“Very well, Enrico,” she said. “You go to your family. Take all the time you need. When you are finished, Señor Cletus will be here on the verandah, and then you can drive him and the señoritas to my home.”
“Gracias, Señora,” Enrico said.