years since my country was occupied by French troops. Do you know about our history with the French?”
“A little. I believe a European prince, Maximilian, was placed on the Mexican throne due to the machinations of Napoléon the Third and a group of Mexican leaders.”
“Yes, and while the emperor was disposed of by a firing squad, the taste for French cuisine, at least by the more affluent of our citizens, remained.”
Helpless, I throw up my hands in surrender. “And I have already developed a fond taste for corn tortillas with beans, cheese, and peppers.”
They all laugh.
“Don’t feel bad, Nellie,” Don Antonio says, “beans and corn are the basic foods of most of my countrymen, but frankly, it is the food of the common people. Those with a higher level of lifestyle dine more frequently on meat and potatoes with baked bread. You’ll find tortillas and beans in the marketplace rather than in restaurants.”
My mind is spinning about the story of the golden disk of the sun god all the way through a Mexican dessert—a creamy, rich orange-scented custard with a golden syrupy topping of caramelized sugar. I can’t wait to get back to my journal and jot down the whole tale. But before I send it in, I will get one of those treasure maps Don Antonio mentioned, so I can include it in my story.
However, there is one more potential story I hope the diplomat will contribute to.
“Don Antonio, do you know who the people in the private car at the end of the train are? A porter told me that they are people of importance.”
He pauses for a second, just enough to tell me he knows something but is not going to reveal it.
“Not really. Unfortunately, being a consul general of Mexico does not make me privy to everything.”
“Really?” This comment comes from Gertrude, heavily seasoned with doubt.
“Yes, my dear, contrary to your belief, I am not kept in the loop of everything. And, of course, there are matters I am duty-bound to keep secret.”
“Are we talking about that millionaire horse buff, Frederic Gebhard, and his lady, Lily Langtry?” Roger asks.
“Lily Langtry!” comes from both Gertrude and me.
“I can’t believe it.” I turn to Gertrude.
“Wouldn’t that be fabulous?” Her face shows the same excitement as is on mine. “She’s so beautiful, not to mention her clothes—they’re stunning. And what a life she leads—famous actress, mistress to Edward, Prince of Wales … well, was—”
“What happened?” I ask.
“Sarah Bernhardt, another famous actress, came along and whisked him away. Gossip is that Prince Edward was getting tired of Lily spending his money and one night at a dinner party, Edward said to her, ‘I’ve spent enough on you to build a battleship,’ whereupon she tartly replied, ‘And you’ve spent enough in me to float one.’”
“Gertrude! Shame on you,” Don Antonio snaps.
“Well, it’s true; at least that’s the gossip. And people say that she doesn’t worry about what people think of her, not even our future king. She says and does as she pleases.”
“How do you know it’s them?” I ask Roger.
“Their trip to Mexico was in all the New York gossip columns, even though they tried to keep it hush-hush. But it’s hard to keep the whereabouts of a couple of their magnitude secret, though no one knows why they’re visiting Mexico. There was speculation that it’s to acquire some prize horse, that being his passion.”
“And Lily’s,” Gertrude adds. “She’s became quite involved in the sport of Thoroughbred horse racing.”
“Interesting.” Don Antonio dabs his napkin to his lips to hide a grin before taking another sip of his champagne.
I can tell by his pretense at lacking interest that he knew all along who the occupants in the private railcar are. Her visiting Mexico would cause a sensation that he could not afford to ignore.
My mind is already wondering how I can devise a way to meet them.
16
Something Roger said
“A little. I believe a European prince, Maximilian, was placed on the Mexican throne due to the machinations of Napoléon the Third and a group of Mexican leaders.”
“Yes, and while the emperor was disposed of by a firing squad, the taste for French cuisine, at least by the more affluent of our citizens, remained.”
Helpless, I throw up my hands in surrender. “And I have already developed a fond taste for corn tortillas with beans, cheese, and peppers.”
They all laugh.
“Don’t feel bad, Nellie,” Don Antonio says, “beans and corn are the basic foods of most of my countrymen, but frankly, it is the food of the common people. Those with a higher level of lifestyle dine more frequently on meat and potatoes with baked bread. You’ll find tortillas and beans in the marketplace rather than in restaurants.”
My mind is spinning about the story of the golden disk of the sun god all the way through a Mexican dessert—a creamy, rich orange-scented custard with a golden syrupy topping of caramelized sugar. I can’t wait to get back to my journal and jot down the whole tale. But before I send it in, I will get one of those treasure maps Don Antonio mentioned, so I can include it in my story.
However, there is one more potential story I hope the diplomat will contribute to.
“Don Antonio, do you know who the people in the private car at the end of the train are? A porter told me that they are people of importance.”
He pauses for a second, just enough to tell me he knows something but is not going to reveal it.
“Not really. Unfortunately, being a consul general of Mexico does not make me privy to everything.”
“Really?” This comment comes from Gertrude, heavily seasoned with doubt.
“Yes, my dear, contrary to your belief, I am not kept in the loop of everything. And, of course, there are matters I am duty-bound to keep secret.”
“Are we talking about that millionaire horse buff, Frederic Gebhard, and his lady, Lily Langtry?” Roger asks.
“Lily Langtry!” comes from both Gertrude and me.
“I can’t believe it.” I turn to Gertrude.
“Wouldn’t that be fabulous?” Her face shows the same excitement as is on mine. “She’s so beautiful, not to mention her clothes—they’re stunning. And what a life she leads—famous actress, mistress to Edward, Prince of Wales … well, was—”
“What happened?” I ask.
“Sarah Bernhardt, another famous actress, came along and whisked him away. Gossip is that Prince Edward was getting tired of Lily spending his money and one night at a dinner party, Edward said to her, ‘I’ve spent enough on you to build a battleship,’ whereupon she tartly replied, ‘And you’ve spent enough in me to float one.’”
“Gertrude! Shame on you,” Don Antonio snaps.
“Well, it’s true; at least that’s the gossip. And people say that she doesn’t worry about what people think of her, not even our future king. She says and does as she pleases.”
“How do you know it’s them?” I ask Roger.
“Their trip to Mexico was in all the New York gossip columns, even though they tried to keep it hush-hush. But it’s hard to keep the whereabouts of a couple of their magnitude secret, though no one knows why they’re visiting Mexico. There was speculation that it’s to acquire some prize horse, that being his passion.”
“And Lily’s,” Gertrude adds. “She’s became quite involved in the sport of Thoroughbred horse racing.”
“Interesting.” Don Antonio dabs his napkin to his lips to hide a grin before taking another sip of his champagne.
I can tell by his pretense at lacking interest that he knew all along who the occupants in the private railcar are. Her visiting Mexico would cause a sensation that he could not afford to ignore.
My mind is already wondering how I can devise a way to meet them.
16
Something Roger said
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