do much in the way of consular work yet?” she asked, apparently keen to gloss over the reasons for her improvised escape.
“No, not really. I’ve been focused on getting my bearings, so far. I’m sure you have a wealth of experience, though. How long have you been here?”
“Almost three years. I meant what I said earlier, about the work. It really has been worthwhile.”
“You must be nearing the end of your posting, then?” A waiter passed by and they exchanged their empty champagne glasses for full ones. “Will you go back to India?”
“I haven’t really decided. I was considering something in South America,” she said, trailing off. “What about you, Charlie? What brought you to Havana?”
“Mmm,” Charlie mumbled, swallowing a mouthful of champagne while considering his answer. He knew the truth was out of the question, and decided to keep things vague. “I was looking for a change, really. I know it sounds a bit corny.”
“I don’t think it’s corny at all,” Saini said, with a genuine smile. Charlie was still considering pinching himself as he stood next to this exquisite woman in the opulence of the ambassador’s drawing room, sipping champagne and chatting, when a familiar voice brought his dreaming to an abrupt end.
“Charlie. Good to see you. Having an enjoyable evening, I hope?”
“Oh, hello, Ambass— Michael. Yes, thank you.”
“I’d like you to meet my wife, Katherine,” Stewart said, as Charlie came face to face with the tall, graceful woman with an intelligent sparkle in her eyes at Stewart’s side. “Charlie’s our new MCO,” Stewart added, pausing as he glanced at Saini.
“Oh, this is Amirjit Saini,” Charlie said, hoping he got it right — he had never been good with names. “Meet Ambassador Michael Stewart and Katherine Stewart. Amirjit’s with the Indian embassy.”
“So, you’ve just joined us, then?” Katherine Stewart asked him, after exchanging greetings with Saini.
“Just got here on Monday, yes.”
“Well, I hope you’re enjoying yourself and not letting him work you too hard,” she said, laying a slender, jewel-encrusted wrist on her husband’s arm.
“I’m doing my best.”
“Charlie was good enough to show me around the inside a little,” Saini said, looking around the room. “It really is a beautiful house, but I must be getting back outside. It was a pleasure to meet you.”
“Charlie’s got the place around the corner,” Stewart said to his wife, as they watched Saini leave. “So we’re practically neighbours.”
“It’s a very nice neighbourhood,” Charlie remarked, wondering if being so close to the official residence might be a liability. Then again, it wasn’t as if the houses were in sight of each other.
“You’ve got your family with you, then?” Katherine Stewart sipped her champagne.
“Charlie’s flying solo,” Stewart said, as Charlie noticed a slight change in his wife’s expression.
“I’m divorced,” he felt the strange need to say.
“In that case …” Her smile returned. “Havana’s just the place for you. Just watch out for the staff,” she added, a frown appearing at edges of her pert mouth. “The locals will be falling over themselves when they find out there’s an unattached man in town.”
“Really, Katherine,” Stewart scoffed, as Charlie tried to work out whether she was joking or not. He smiled anyway.
“I’ll bear that in mind.”
“Isn’t that…?” Stewart began, before his wife followed his line of sight and finished his sentence for him.
“Hector Garcia. Yes. And he’s looking bored. I’d better get over there. It was so nice to meet you, Charlie. Enjoy yourself.”
“A pleasure to meet you, too,” he said, as Katherine Stewart flitted gracefully across the drawing room toward the patio.
“He’s in charge of Havana’s protected buildings,” Stewart said, as they watched his wife greet the Cuban official with an elegant embrace. “Katherine’s been after him for weeks to let her hold a reception for one of her clubs in a heritage building near the Cathedral.” He took a sip of champagne before adding: “And she has a habit of getting her way.”
“She’s certainly very charming,” Charlie said.
“Relentless, actually,” Stewart replied. “Poor Hector doesn’t know when to throw in the— Oh, look who it is. Come with me.”
Charlie was halfway across the room, following Stewart’s long strides, when he realized they were headed toward Gustavo Ruiz, who was standing alone by the pool munching on a canapé.
“Buenas tardes, Gustavo.”
Ruiz’s smile at meeting the ambassador seemed to fade when he noticed Charlie standing next to him.
“I’d like to introduce you to Charlie Hillier.”
“Yes,” Ruiz said, shaking his hand. “We have met already this evening.”
“Well then,” Stewart continued. “The first of many meetings, I’m sure, on the way to securing a site for our new embassy.”
“I’m looking forward to working with you on that very important file, Mr. Ruiz,” Charlie said, though Ruiz’s thin smile was less than encouraging.
“There is much work to do, Señor Hillier,” he finally said, after an awkward silence.
“Well, we’re certainly keen to get started.” Stewart plucked a caviar-laden cracker from a passing tray. “These are quite good. You should try one.”
Ruiz nodded, taking a bite. “Almost as good as what the Russians once served.”
“Times certainly have changed,” Stewart said, waving off the tray. Charlie had driven by the Russians’ massive and largely deserted diplomatic site out in Miramar and imagined they must have had quite a presence in Havana in their day. He wasn’t sure whether Ruiz was dissing the caviar or just making conversation. If it was meant as a dig, Stewart was unfazed, and continued to chat easily with Ruiz, while Charlie decided to watch in awe as Stewart gradually eroded Ruiz’s gruff façade with a subtle combination of charm and humour. He was caught off guard when the ambassador suddenly patted him on the shoulder.
“Listen to me, going on. Charlie here is keen to fill you in on our property requirements, Gustavo, and I see Katherine is looking for me.”
Charlie struggled to think of something insightful to say, as Stewart slipped away and Ruiz sipped his wine for a moment, before breaking the silence himself.
“How long have you been in Havana?”
“Just a week.”
Ruiz nodded, as though he understood.
