Free Doctor Frigo by Eric Ambler Page A

to bring you in. Provincial half-wits!’
    I was by now quite angry but did my best not to show it.
    ‘Is Don Manuel aware of this manoeuvring of yours, Uncle Paco?’
    He smirked. ‘That’s better. I was waiting for you to call me that. Had to annoy you first though.’
    ‘I asked if Don Manuel knows that …’
    ‘Of course he doesn’t know.’ He spoke sharply. ‘Foreign affairs – and in our case that means relations with the governments that kindly tolerate our presence on their territory – are my business. And a very squalid business it can be. You know that even though you’ve tried to keepout of it. But someone has to take the kicks and see that the leader keeps his dignity. It’s too easy for conspirators in exile to become ridiculous. That, too, you must know.’ He paused. ‘I was sorry to hear about your mother.’
    ‘Thank you.’
    ‘Though I think you were wise not to relieve your feelings legally on those thieves who swindled her.’
    ‘You know about that then?’
    ‘That, and a great deal more, Ernesto. More perhaps than you realize. I made it my business to keep tabs on Florida. And on you of course.’
    ‘Avuncular interest, Don Paco?’
    ‘Certainly not. Your name’s Castillo. Do you think it’s forgotten at home?’
    ‘Sentimentally remembered by a few perhaps. For political purposes, I would think, quite forgotten.’
    He shook his head. ‘Even those Florida fools know better than that. They designated you heir to the Party leadership. There was even talk of making you president in exile. Oh, I don’t blame you for keeping your distance from that kind of foolishness, but that’s not to say that there was no element
at all
of sense in it.’
    ‘There’s gold in every litre of seawater I’m told. That doesn’t make it worthwhile to keep bottles of the stuff.’
    He grinned. ‘So that’s the way you see it. I am both glad and relieved. But I should warn you, Ernesto. Don Manuel thinks differently. His view is that those Florida idiots always mishandled you’ – he leaned forward slightly – ‘that you have never been
effectively tempted.
’ The moment he had said the words, he flung up his hands defensively as if I had been about to strike him. ‘You must make allowances, Ernesto, please. Many things have changed with us recently, things I cannot yet discuss even with you. Don Manuel has been subjected to unusual, sometimes terrible, pressures. We all have.’
    ‘So I would imagine. One oil company would be badenough. A consortium of five, plus –’ I hesitated elaborately – ‘plus other interested parties must be quite oppressive.’
    I hadn’t really expected much of a reaction; all I had meant to do was try out Elizabeth’s theory on someone to whom, even if there were only a grain of truth in it, it might mean something. The result was surprising. Uncle Paco’s dewlaps suddenly became still.
    ‘I suppose Gillon has been talking,’ he said finally. ‘Or was it Delvert?’
    ‘It wasn’t Gillon and I don’t know anyone named Delvert.’ I stood up. ‘My appointment here was for eleven o’clock. It is now ten past. My patient is leader of the Democratic Socialist Party and entitled to respect as well as courtesy. I don’t think I should keep him waiting any longer.’
    The smile returned but very faintly. After a moment he nodded towards the terrace door.
    ‘There’s a bell there,’ he said. ‘Ring it. The man, Antoine, will show you up.’
    I found the button and pressed it, but as the sound of the distant bell reached the terrace he spoke again.
    ‘Don Manuel will try to change your mind.’
    I looked back. He was pointing his cigar at me and moving the end in small circles as if he expected it to cast some sort of spell on me.
    ‘About what, Uncle Paco?’ I asked. ‘Oil consortia?’
    He giggled. ‘No, Ernesto. About the amount of gold in seawater.’
    By then the butler was approaching. It was to the butler he spoke as I turned