I had not seen either Extepan or Maxixca since my return from the north, but that evening Chicomeztli came to my suite and told me that Extepan wished to see me at my convenience.
I went directly to his quarters. Mia admitted me with her usual silent poise. She wore an earth-red wraparound skirt with a feather-fan design. An elaborate necklace of polished seashell matched her earrings. I don’t think I had ever seen her look more beautiful.
She took me through into Extepan’s office. He was sitting at his desk, poring over some papers. He immediately rose.
‘Catherine. Forgive me for not being here to greet you on your return. I have had many arrangements to make for the cihuacoatl’s visit.’
He spoke in English, motioning me to the sofa near the balcony window. Outside, late evening sunlight, thick with midges, drenched banks of honeysuckle and cerulean bougainvillaea.
He sat opposite me in a Regency armchair, unbuttoning the jacket of his uniform. I declined his offer of drinks, and Mia silently withdrew.
‘I must first thank you for the very detailed nature of your reports,’ he said. ‘Your journey around the country has been a most fruitful one.’
The urgent needs are for adequate food and clean drinking water. Medicines are also in short supply almost everywhere.’
He nodded vigorously. ‘We are already moving on these matters. Before winter comes we shall ensure that repairs to water mains are complete and reserves of food provided in strategic areas.’
I was unconvinced by these vague assurances. ‘I hope you will. Promises are easily made.’
‘I was pleased to discover that there appear to have been relatively few abuses on the part of our armies.’
‘Either that, or people are too frightened to say anything.’
He smiled.
‘Does that amuse you?’ I asked.
‘No, no. It’s not that. It’s your… combative nature.’
‘This wasn’t just a diversion for me. I expect to see something done.’
‘It will be, I assure you. I was merely trying to say that it is good to have you back.’
‘Really?’ I said suspiciously.
‘It is useful to keep busy when one suffers a loss. I remember when my mother was assassinated. I loved her deeply, and it was as though my world had ended. One of my father’s staff brought the news to me. My father was campaigning in Indo-China at the time, and I did not see him for six months. So I threw myself into my studies. My tutors were astonished with my progress. I was a brilliant, heartbroken six-year-old.’
I was unprepared for these private revelations, and unsure what to say. Above us, Dona Maria Mendizabel looked out from her portrait, beyond all human claims. From all I knew of her, she had been an inattentive mother, being absent on diplomatic missions overseas during much of his brief childhood. I wondered how much he had romanticized her loss. And yet the situation must have been difficult for him when Motecuhzoma had subsequently taken Maxixca’s mother as his principal wife. Maxixca, already four years old, had been an illegitimate child until Doña Maria’s death, since all subsidiary wives had been relegated to the status of courtesans while she was empress. Perhaps Extepan had become even more of an outsider in the aftermath; perhaps he had suffered even more keenly the resentment of the rest of the family. I felt a certain sympathy for him, but at the same time I disliked the parallels he seemed to be drawing with my situation.
‘My husband was killed defending his country,’ I said. ‘For that alone, I’ll always remember him with honour and affection.’
‘And love?’
‘Of course. That goes without saying.’
He gave me a long, appraising stare, and I wondered what he was thinking. Often, when we talked, I felt that there was a hidden agenda on his part, as if our conversations were really about something else. He resembled his mother very strongly, and only then did it dawn on me that Extepan was in fact a Spanish name, a Nahuatl version of Esteban.
‘To other matters,’ he said abruptly. ‘We are expecting the cihuacoatl to arrive tomorrow.’
‘Ah. I suppose it’s futile for me to enquire as to the purpose of his visit?’
‘I’ve been given few details. But it is not uncommon for Tetzahuitl to make such journeys.’
‘To newly occupied territories.’
He looked serious. ‘Hardly newly occupied. But if you wish.’
‘I’ll be on my best behaviour.’
‘I shall be grateful for that. I have already spoken much of you in my communications with Tenochtitlan.’
‘I gather you went there in March.’
‘My father wished to see me.’ He did not elaborate. ‘I’ve spoken highly of you, Catherine. You may find this difficult to believe, but you are one of the few people I feel I can speak candidly to. And even trust.’
‘Don’t make that mistake. I’ve nothing against you personally. As far as I know, you’ve treated us all fairly. But you’re still my enemy. I still intend to fight you in every way I can.’
He was not ruffled by this. His brown-rimmed eyes regarded me calmly.
‘I expected you to say no less.’ He sounded almost rueful. ‘You speak your mind, and so I am able to understand your position. There is a basis for trust in that, yes?’
‘Since you’re so fond of me,’ I said, ‘I’d like to ask a favour.’
‘By all means.’
‘I want to set up a complaints centre. An office or bureau that will undertake to investigate citizens’ grievances about any matters arising from the occupation.’
Extepan mulled this over. ‘That is a wide brief.’
‘It must be completely free of Aztec control. I would report directly to you.’
‘You would take charge of this… office?’
‘I think it might give people confidence to express legitimate concerns, without fear of reprisal.’
‘Very well.’
‘You agree?’
‘It sounds like an excellent idea. For security reasons, you will have to be based somewhere close by, and I would have to insist that at least one member of my staff is present at all times to ensure that the office is not being used as a cover for less… desirable activities. But otherwise I can see no obstacles to such an arrangement.’
I barely hid my surprise. I had not imagined he would agree so easily, if at all.
‘There is one small condition.’
I might have known. I was already shaking my head, but he said, ‘I simply want you and your sister to be present when the cihuacoatl arrives.’
I was silent.
‘I promise you we can edit your presence from any news footage, if you so wish.’
‘I’d prefer you to say I was forced to attend.’
He did not rise to this. Will you agree?’
‘Only if you give the complaints centre full publicity and make it plain that this was my price for being there.’
He considered for a moment. ‘That should be possible. Of course, we shall phrase it more diplomatically than that. Now, was there anything else?’
I could think of nothing. I shook my head.
‘Then I must press on with the arrangements for the cihuacoatl’s visit.’
He led me to the door of his office. When he opened it, Mia was standing directly outside.
Three
The ship was a sleek ultra-highspeed carrier with slashed-back wings and a raised delta tail. A humid wind blew in across Heathrow as it came in from the west with a fierce whine, decelerating rapidly down the main runway, tiny support vehicles chasing it at a safe distance, bathed in the brilliant golden radiance of its wings.