Читать книгу The Spaniard's Innocent Maiden - Greta Gilbert - Страница 3

Benicio’s heart hammered. The woman in white was so close to him, yet so completely out of his reach.

The newly elected alcalde of Vera Cruz, Alonso de Grado, stood and selected the woman in orange, bending to his knee and bowing, then escorting the young woman back to the table. Others were not so polite. Pilot Diego Cermeño took the girl in green by the elbow. Sailor Gonzalo de Umbria merely gestured to the girl in red. Then it was Benicio’s turn.

There was only one thing to be done. Benicio reached into his boot. Then he stood and walked to the head of the table. He placed the diamond and jadestone ring before Cortés.

A curious grin spread across Cortés’s face. ‘How came you by this magnificent piece?’

‘I found it in a stream near the fields of Potonchan,’ Benicio lied. ‘I have very sharp eyes.’

‘I will accept it as compensation for the woman in white,’ Cortés said.