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He was tapping buttons and making counters leapfrog over one another on the screen.
    ‘Your sympathies are better reserved for the relatives of those you killed,’ I said bitterly.
    I could see Maxixca bridle at this. Extepan nodded gravely.
    ‘It was most unfortunate. A tragic error. I trust that that was explained to you.’
    ‘An error that cost the lives of innocent people. If that’s really what it was.’
    ‘You have my word of honour.’
    His English was excellent. He motioned to chairs on either side of the fire. They were Aztec
icpallis
, made of black mahogany, tall-backed and legless, though lavishly upholstered with a chevroned cloth. I did not move.
    ‘I regret, too, your father’s passing,’ he said.
    ‘Really?’
    ‘He was a good man. I had great respect for him.’
    ‘Even though you kept him captive in his own country?’
    He looked wry. ‘Maxixca told me you would be uncompromising. I can see you have inherited all your father’s strength of character.’
    ‘Don’t patronize me.’
    Now he was distinctly abashed. ‘Forgive me. I realize you have no reason to be amused. But there is room for common courtesy, yes?’
    Again he indicated the chairs. Again I did not move. He had striking black eyebrows and greenish eyes ringed by dark brown which gave him a very direct stare.
    ‘You weren’t brought here to be humiliated,’ he said. ‘I assure you I intend nothing but honour for all your family.’
    ‘Honour? The same kind of honour that entails destroying a house of helpless civilians?’
    ‘It was a savage foolishness. I do not expect you to believe me, but I share your outrage.’
    He matched my stare.
Tap, tap, tap
, went Richard at the keyboard.
    ‘Is there any news of my husband?’ I asked.
    ‘Ah, yes, the Duke. That I cannot say with any certainty. As you can no doubt imagine, we would prefer to have him safely in our hands, but our search parties have found nothing. I think it is likely he has escaped. That is good news for you, yes?’
    ‘Very good news.’
    ‘Perhaps you would like some tea?’
    I almost laughed at this
non sequitur
. Instead, I shook my head.
    ‘We have many things to talk about,’ Extepan said. ‘But first the matter of your health—’
    ‘I’m fully recovered,’ I insisted.
    ‘That is good to hear. We can make arrangements for your family physician to be available, should you wish.’
    ‘That won’t be necessary. I feel perfectly well.’
    ‘Good. Then perhaps we can press on with our consultations.’
    ‘Consultations?’
    ‘Perhaps you would prefer to combine them with an overfly of the city? I have a shuttle available. I imagine you must beconcerned to see how your people are faring and what damage we have caused.’
    There was an almost naïve eagerness about him, but his voice also had a mocking note – self-mocking rather than directed at me. He was quite a contrast to the stiff and suspicious Maxixca.
    ‘The first thing we must discuss,’ Extepan said, ‘is the matter of your father’s funeral.’
    I sat with him and Maxixca behind the flight crew, gazing out through the slanting cockpit windows as the craft lifted from the landing pad and flew across the river.
    Sarcastically I said, ‘Do you intend it to be a full state occasion?’
    ‘Of course,’ he replied quite seriously. ‘I assume that you and your family would wish this.’
    I searched for a hint of deviousness, of game-playing, in his face, but there appeared to be none.
    ‘So you intend to make the news public?’
    ‘It is not something we could hide indefinitely from your people, is it? Nor would I want us to.’
    A fan-tailed support craft had appeared to shadow us discreetly on our overfly. Maxixca kept track of it with his eyes.
    ‘How long have you been governor?’ I asked Extepan.
    ‘Since April,’ he replied. ‘I replaced my uncle. He was assassinated by one of your countrymen while shopping at Harrods.’
    I saw Maxixca stiffen, as though aghast that