Blood and Honor by Griffin W. E. B

Author:Griffin, W. E. B. [Griffin, W. E. B.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: thriller, Historical, Adventure, War, WW II, Military, Marines
ISBN: 9780515121940
Amazon: 0515121940
Goodreads: 961748
Publisher: The Berkley Publising Group
Published: 1996-12-27T08:00:00+00:00

[TWO] Estancia San Pedro y San Pablo Near Pila, Buenos Aires Province 2010 11 April 1943

Humberto and Beatrice Duarte arrived twenty minutes after the Mallín family. By then Enrico Mallín had had two stiff drinks of whiskey.

It was a very long twenty minutes.

Once Enrico Mallín had inquired into the well-being of el Capitán Lauffer and his wife, little seemed available to talk about, at least that either he or his wife had to say to Cletus H. Frade, at least in front of Lauffer.

Sensing this, Lauffer raised an eyebrow and gave his head a tilt, asking Clete if he should leave the library. Clete placed his hands together as if in prayer and shook his head, meaning that he would very much prefer for Lauffer not to leave him alone with his father-in-law-to-be.

When Humberto came through the door, Clete felt an enormous sense of relief. That, however, did not last long.

With tears in his eyes, Humberto wrapped his arms around Clete and wetly kissed both his cheeks. Feeling another male’s stubble against his own made Clete uncomfortable.

‘‘God is good,’’ Humberto announced emotionally. ‘‘The Lord taketh away, and the Lord giveth. A new life! I will pray that it will be a son.’’

Dorotéa looked very uncomfortable.

The face of Roberto Lauffer, who was standing beside Clete, made it quite clear that he understood the meaning of the term ‘‘new life.’’

At the same moment, Enrico Mallín’s face made it quite clear that he did not regard the new life as a manifestation of the generosity of the Supreme Being. He allowed himself to be embraced by Humberto, then held out his glass to one of the maids for a refill.

‘‘I found those documents you were concerned about,’’ Clete said.

It took a long moment for understanding to register on Humberto’s face.

‘‘Oh, good,’’ he said finally.

Since he is anything but stupid, he must be drunk. I didn’t think that was aftershave I smelled when he kissed me. And that ‘‘God Is Good!’’ speech!

‘‘What documents are those?’’ Beatrice asked.

‘‘Some business dealings I have with von Wachtstein,’’ Humberto replied, ‘‘nothing to concern yourself about, my dear.’’

And he has a big mouth. My God!

‘‘Oh,’’ she said, and put the subject out of her mind.

As soon as she walked in, it was immediately apparent to Clete that Beatrice was again—still?—detached from reality, heavily dosed with what Humberto euphemistically called her medicine. The odds were remote that she would ever remember the exchange, Clete decided.

But Enrico Mallín and Roberto Lauffer both heard von Wachtstein’s name, and it caught their attention.

It soon became apparent that while Father Welner had apparently told both Humberto and Beatrice that Clete and Dorotéa were to be married, he apparently told them separately, and left Dorotéa’s pregnancy out of the version for Beatrice.

The minute the priest showed up, just before they were going into dinner, Beatrice went after him.

‘‘I don’t want to talk about it at dinner,’’ Beatrice said, ‘‘but I don’t want to hear one more word about a small wedding here, and in the next few weeks.

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