Sheridan laughed. “Then replace him with Hancock, but you cannot leave this country and remain president.”
Custer bristled. “Winfield Scott Hancock can go straight to fucking hell. He will never command a thing while I am president.”
Custer rose and stormed out of the room. He went directly up to his personal quarters to find that Libbie had beaten him there. She had been in an adjacent room and been listening to every word through a speaking tube held against the wall.
“Libbie, they want to destroy me,” he said as he pounded his fist on a dresser.
“Of course they do,” she said calmly. “Jealousy from insignificant others is the fate of all great men.” She sat down on a couch and he sat beside her. She smiled and pulled his head down to her lap where he could rest against her bosom.
“You will win, George. You will prevail against both Spain and the small minds who conspire against you. They can never stop us.”
* * *
Two nights later, Kendrick and Juana had a glass of brandy and another cigarillo in his room. As before, she was dressed in a nightgown while he had discretely put a robe over his underclothing. This time their meeting was far more cordial-she did not bring a pistol. It was a point they both found amusing. Salazar was still looking for rebels and would be gone for at least a week longer.
“What are you going to write about my husband?”
“The truth. I’m a reporter and I like to do that as often as possible.”
“Will you say that he is a monstrous maniac?”
“If that’s the truth, yes, and I am investigating that possibility. My readers in America are fascinated by the type of person who would massacre the innocent men on the Eldorado, and feel no qualms.” When she started to respond, he hushed her with a wave of his hand. “I know that Spain considers them to have been criminals and pirates, but they deserved a trial. Perhaps some or all could have been sentenced to jail and not executed. That would have been justice in accordance with established law. What your husband did was nothing short of murder. As a result of your husband’s actions, we now have a war between our two countries and people wonder why he did what he did.”
She took a deep drag of her cigarillo. “I could tell you but you would never print it.”
“Try me.”
“All right,” she said with a sigh. “Gilberto Salazar is not a truly brave man. He is inadequate and a coward with women and a man who hides those inadequacies with brutal acts. He’s never been in a real battle, only skirmishes with runaway slaves. He fears that he will fail in front of others in the event of a real fight. On a different level, he has never consummated our marriage, although he did try at first. For some reason, he’s afraid of me, perhaps he’s unable to perform with all women.”
Kendrick was shocked by her blunt admission. “Jesus. You’re right, though. I have no idea how my publishers would ever print this. Juana, are you telling me you’re still a virgin after being married to him for how long?”
“Ten years, and my so-called virginity is highly debatable. He did try for the first few months, but it turned out that his sword is small, blunt, and not made of good metal.”
Kendrick didn’t even try to stifle a grin, “But what about Helga?”
“Oh, I’m sure she satisfies him, but not in a way that I ever would with him. Besides, she’s more of an ornament than a true mistress. Now do you see why I am so bitter? I’ve wasted my youth on that fool just like he’s wasting his time trying to save Spain’s presence in a land that doesn’t want her. I cut my hair short because he likes it long and I keep myself thin because he wants his women more robust. It pleases me to anger him and everything he stands for.”
“Are you saying that you are a rebel?”
Juana smiled and this time it lit up her thin face. “Yes, and I’m proud of it. Since it’s widely assumed that you are a spy as well as a reporter, I propose to show you everything I can about Spain’s strengths and weaknesses around Havana. To help accomplish that, I propose we go riding around in Gilberto’s carriage and let you see everything.”
“That would be marvelous for several reasons, so, yes, I accept your kind offer.”
“Good. And I hope you have plans to leave this place before the war actually starts.”
“When I decided to come here, I believe I had two choices. One was to stay and write a journal about the war and publish it later. The second was to get out of here as soon as it became dangerous. I’m no coward, but I do think leaving discretely is the best option and, yes, I do have plans to do so.”
“Excellent.”
“But what will happen to you, Juana.”
She rose and walked to the doorway. “I can protect myself, although the next time I need to I’ll have the pistol cocked.”
* * *
“Morituri te salutant,” whispered Sarah as they joined the gaily dressed throng swarming into the White House.
“I am not a gladiator and this is not Rome,” Ryder said with a smile. However, if you like I will go up to General Custer and tell him that we who are about to die salute you.”
She playfully tapped him on the arm with her fan. “I keep forgetting you’re partly civilized.
The invitation to the White House had come as a surprise. The Custers had decided to invite just about anybody in congress and the government and all military personnel of significant rank to attend what was a grand going away party. As commander of a regiment Ryder qualified on the low end of the list of important people. He mentioned to Sarah that he thought it might be similar to the ball held by the British before they marched out to fight Napoleon at Waterloo. At least that battle ended well for the Brits, he thought. How would this coming campaign fare for the United States?
This was the first time inside the White House for either of them and each was dressed for the occasion. Sarah wore a gown of deep green that exposed her bare pink shoulders. The cut of the gown emphasized her trim figure and very slender waist. Ryder wore a dress blue uniform and, since he felt that many were staring at Sarah, thought that he was fairly inconspicuous. There were scores of colonels present and a fair number of generals, including Sheridan and Miles. His divisional commander, General Terry, looked exhausted and older than his actual late fifties and Ryder wondered if he was up to the coming task.
If there had been a receiving line to see the president, it had disintegrated into chaos. Thus, he was surprised when Libbie Custer stood smiling in front of them.
“It’s good to see you colonel. I believe the last time was somewhere near the Little Big Horn and I was thanking you for saving George’s life.”
Ryder remembered no such incident. He’d seen her at a distance before the wounded Custer was evacuated. He did not contradict her. He introduced Sarah to her and they chatted politely for a few seconds before Libbie wandered off.
“I can see why men fall in love with her,” Sarah said. “She is exquisitely lovely and has a splendid figure. That and she has a wry smile that is quite engaging. And to think she’s forty years old. Goodness,” she giggled, “am I ever being cattish and spiteful?”
“But did you notice her eyes? They were evaluating you, Sarah.”
“For what, I wonder?”
“Because I’m one of a diminishing number who know that Custer nearly destroyed the Seventh Cavalry and that it was not his brilliant idea that had me there with the machine guns. I think she wonders if you too are a potential threat to her husband.”
Sarah was about to respond when the subject of their discussion suddenly appeared before them. “Colonel Ryder,” Custer said genially. His eyes were red and his face was flushed. The president had been drinking. “I envy you and everyone who is going with you to Cuba. The old ladies in the government insist that that the United States cannot get along without my presence here in Washington. Utter nonsense if you ask me.”