Final Challenge (21 page)

Marvin point
ed to one of the white sentries
.

- By the moment the rules are well defined, a
s well as the limits of the village
- said -

Hanson made
a gesture with his head, pointing a particular point in the backgrou
nd. Then he did
an observation.

- I think there is something you may have gone unnoticed. Fix your attention at the bottom, just left of the sentry, behind the trees. 

Marvin and
Souza set their sights on the site that Hanson had told them. There was too much distance and vegetation prevented them from appreciating in detail, but it seemed that a few hundred meters to the back of town, maybe a mile, stood a kind of stone building from which could be seen only a small part ,enough to Souza drew his own conclusions.

- It seems that is as ... - he paused, turned to look it carefully, trying to ensure the veracity of
his claim - a kind of ... barricade
, but made
of stone.
A wall which probably surrounds the nerve center of the
colony, where Clerigan and his
mercenaries
have established his official residence.

- As with the feudal castles, it seems nobles live there, and at their feet, the town, the Indians.
Tw
o pins in one, dear Souza
–
Hanson said
-

- It's really a single one, a white one supported by a red one - Souza said - it is unusual. I bet by a communion of interests that we must find out.

 
They agreed that within the stockade they could find many answers to the questions raised. It
also would be very likely that
Kelly was retained there. But all three were aware of the difficulty
of accessing inside, if the village
was guarded by
at least
three white men, it was not unreasonable to think that access to the interior of the stockade would be even more complicated. Unless someone take them there, it would be very difficult to access on their own feet. Howev
er, they all agreed that their
situation was far from being mere guests there, and that their lives were in danger.  Without difficulties or not, they couldn't afford to sit idly by waiting for their chance, because they ran the risk that it never came. Their only option was to develop a plan to escape from custody to which they were subjected and access the interior of the colony.
The n
ight could be their only ally.

XXXII

Kelly had passed from surprise to astonishment, and thence to disbelief. She still didn't know the real reasons which had led to Clerigan into exile at that location, but in any case she was more concerned with his attitude. If he had nothing to hide, why had they been attacked? ... She also thought, giving to Clerigan a vote of confidence, that perhaps they were mistaken for intruders or pirates of the jungle in search of some booty, because it could not be possible that Clerigan had changed so much in so little time.

Moreover, his former professor had pampered and treated her politely, in line with the person who had always known. Yet she still didn't know anything
about Hanson and her peers
so she was very concerned about their fate. As much as Clerigan had engaged in ensuring to her that they were being properly cared for, and that didn't doubt about his word, she wasn't able to understand why Clerigan kept her away from the group. She was pretty sure that they weren't on that three-story mansion to which she had been moved, although she hadn't had opportunity to explore it in depth, because the upstairs was a mystery. Her curiosity had led her up the stairs to find only one access door closed.
When after her failed attempt
she came back to her room, could see as the housekeeper,
stationed on the ground floor,
was glancing her in a searchingly way.

She glanced around. She could not complain. Her room was very comfortable, inviting, with a perfect mix of wood and stone, not missing any details, including the lintel above her bed and cupboards handmade, decorated with the same colonial style that was present in every corner of that house. It had much merit to build it in a place where winning the pulse to the jungle was so complicated, where
men can’
t use the same resources as in the so-called civilization.
So she thought that they
should have needed much time and a lot of human resources for such purpose.

It seemed to her ironic that a scientist abreast the latest advances in technology had decided to retire to live in a mansion in the jungle, equipped with only nineteenth-century comfort, because even in that house seemed the time had stood still for many years. Abounding water in the form of rivers and springs, he was struck they didn't have a system of supply and pumping to ensure they had running water. Instead, she had observed from her window, from which she could see the front door and a lush tropical garden, various indigenous carrying wooden drums. Surely that system was more than enough for their needs, but with a little effort had been spared much suffering.  They had electrical power generated by a generator, but the production of energy in a place like that was expensive, so they only must to use it for essentials. So both her room and the house were full of candles, which gave it more charm.

 
As she dressed
in
the clothes they had
left on her bed, couldn't avoid to
feel a tingle at the thought that that night she would be able finally
to speak alone with Clerigan,
so he would get dispelled all her doubts
and fears. Neither she couldn’t
deny that she was attracted by the fact to dine with he
r lifelong platonic love in
that
  dreamy environment. The more she thought about it, the more she was convinced that dinner would be very special in every wa
y. Then Hanson came to her mind
, clouding all her thoughts. She couldn't let the emotions of the past seized her to the point of dominating her. While ancestry that Clerigan produced on her was undeniable,
it
was no less undeniable that at last she seemed to have found a man to occupy the place in her heart that had long belonged in silence, in complete anonymity, to the professor. In such situation she would have liked to be alien to reality, but she couldn't afford it.

 
Somebody k
nocked on her door. It was a mulatto woman, about fifty-odd years, that Clerigan had already introduced her. Arguably, it was her housekeeper, she was responsible for tidying the house and cooking, aided probably by some Indians. Sena, that was her name, told her by signs that the time had come. She looked in a mirror, a luxury at that site, and concluded that the dress suited her phenomenal. It was definitely her size, it suited her like a glove. Just she didn't understand its origin, unless Clerigan had a female visit from time to time, what seemed to her very complicated. She descended the stairs accompanied by Sena, b
ut not without some difficulty.
Th
en Sena pointed to
a lounge. She came in.

 
As she entered the lounge remained absorbed in assessing its magnitude and charm. The colonial style was there at its best. Very spacious, closer to a dance hall than a dining room, equipped with a long table in the center on which were ready two places for dinner on the end
s and decorated with candelabras
and abundant s
ources with all kinds of fruits
. Handmade chairs with beautiful scenery in the backs and some rustic furniture from the same source.
Kelly thought that whoever was their author had a very good taste. It was particularly striking an object at the end of the room, which passed almost unnoticed by merging with its surroundings, as if it was
a piece more of furniture. As
she was close enough, could make sure it was a surprisingly small vertical piano, just over a meter high and two meter
s deep. An
unexpected touch of
glamour and romanticism in the middle of the jungle.
She remembered that Clerigan loved music, surely that little luxury was much more than a beautiful decorative object. She found the keyboard and couldn't resist the temptation to put some fingers on keys. The sound, magnified by the echoes, broke the silence in a way as deafening as solemn to the point of shaking her.

Then, as she looked at the paintings that decorated the walls, she remained ecstatic, especially when she laid her eyes on one. It showed a woman wearing a vintage dress very similar to hers, a lace parasol, gloves and a beautiful hat that extolled her majestic bearing. It was a portrait of a beautiful woman. Then she noticed another painting next to the previous one, it seemed the
same woman but when it was
a girl of only twelve years.
Engrossed and absorbed in her
inspection, she didn't realize
the figure of Clerigan, who decided not to interrupt her, until after a while he could not
avoid to
make an observation.

- Do you like painting?

Hearing the voice of Clerigan, Kelly jumped significantly, so she had to take time to get well and respond.

- It's great. That picture is fantastic. But what strikes me is the distinction and beauty of this woman. Who is she? ...

- It's Martha, my wife. - Clerigan said with sorry aspect - or, rather, was. I brought her picture, I can't live without it - he paused - that is, without her.

- Yes, I heard
what happened by the newspapers. You must have loved her a lot. 

That affected in an obvious way to Clerigan, who, with his head down and visibly upset, began to walk about without sense, while he answered slowly.

- You can't imagine how much, my lovely lady. If I am here, in some way is because her. In fact, she's still with me, always present.

At that moment entered Sena, the housekeeper, to serve dinner. It was the perfect excuse to Clerigan got well. He did a gesture with his hand to Kelly.

- But please, sit down. I hope you enjoy this humble meal we have prepared in your honor and, if possible, of my companionship.

- With pleasure - Kelly replied as
s
he sat aided by Clerigan -

Kelly felt a strange feeling when Clerigan sat to the other side of
the table. Some
scenes from old movies came to her mind, she had never imagined that one day would have the opportunity to dine in one of those l
ong and endless tables that she thought only existed in the
stages
, and less in such companionship, neither even years back, when she had been madly in love with her professor. 

Sena began serving Kelly,
who, dazzled by the environment
,
was
still
looking around trying to make sure she really was living that moment. Clerigan realized that Kelly wasn't comfortable yet at that stage and decided to intervene.

 
- I hope you feel like at home. I have to admit that, in fact, I'd love that it was yours, at least for a while.

Kelly d
idn't know whether to interpret
his words as an unforeseen, unexpected and belated declaration of love, the truth is that Clerigan was beginning to surprise her.

- I am anxious to know some details, professor. I hope you forgive me, is my way of being, I recognize that sometimes betrays me, but I need some answers. Tell me ... how could you have built such wonderful palace in a place like this?
I guess you’ve needed some help ...

- Some, yes - smile
d
- I brought from North America three full confidence persons that gladly embarked on this project. Nobody is searching them, because they are very lucky to not be known or that nobody miss them. Then, once here, in Brazil, we've slightly expanded our staff.

Although Sena, surely, not found out anything about their conve
rsation, Kelly was relieved as
, once served the table, she withdrew. T
hen she decided to ask an unarmed
question.  From her room, she had noticed how a white man came in and came out from the house with a rifle in his hand.

- But the mission of your people is not only peaceful, right? - As soon she saw Clerigan's face of surprise she decided to refocus the question - I mean, part of your people are dedicated to other tasks ... I guess they are also a kind of ... guards ... would be the right word? ...

- Well, I would not call them that. Especially Pete, my right arm, is everything to me. Believe me, rel
egate him to the role of guard
as you say, would be an offense for him.