“Whoppers?”
“Yes, tall tales, myths.”
“Oh, I see. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. If I could speak Spanish as well as you speak English, I would be over the moon.”
Estella laughed. “I’ve never heard that expression before. I like it. Over the moon.”
We talked most of the evening, and during the next several weeks we became close friends. Neither of us was ready or eager to begin any kind of serious liaison, but we enjoyed each other’s company. Like Adaline, Estella was well-educated, having attended private girls’ schools in Switzerland. Much to my delight, I learned that she also spoke German.
One morning two weeks later, I received a cable from Colum. He had checked in with Anna Marie and, following my wishes, pretended not to know where I was. During the conversation Anna Marie infor
