Pearls (26 page)

“Shallow wood canoes.”

“Oh. Where will we spend the night? In our tents?”

“Tomorrow night we’ll sleep in a
churuata
, which is a small Indian hut with a palm roof. Hammocks encased in mosquito netting hang from the hut’s beams. There won’t be much privacy, so dress accordingly.”

She nodded and smiled. “Sounds like an adventure.”

He stared at her a moment, admiring her pretty features and regretting that the date had to end. “I really enjoyed our evening together. I wish we could spend more leisure time together. This trip will be over soon and then….”

Isabel lowered her face so he couldn’t see her expression. “I know.”

“I don’t think you do.” He hooked his finger under her chin and forced her to lift her face. Wrapping his other arm around her back, he pulled her close and bent to claim a kiss. Her hands slid around his shoulders, and her fingers curled into the hair at his neckline, sending a chill of pleasure down his back. He lingered a moment longer then broke away while he still had the willpower to do so.

“Be sure to lock your door. I’ll pick you up early in the morning.”

“I’ll be ready.”

Her door closed behind her, and the lock clicked into place. Manuel stood there a moment, savoring the lingering effect of her kiss. How had he lived without her all these years? And when this trip ended, how was he going to say goodbye?

April 25, 1515

 
I have discovered the Garden of Eden. We navigated a wide river for many days and journeyed into the heart of a strange and exotic land. The sun is hot, the rain plentiful, so that everywhere I look I see a shade of green. Trees soar to immeasurable heights and plants grow in abundance. I wonder if any European man aside from myself has seen the strange beasts like those scurrying through the trees and prowling across the land.

Karwa grows fearful when the monkeys howl and the large cats roar. Even the water harbors dangerous predators. Yet beasts abound where food is plentiful, and so we will make this land our home. Surely in this wet and wild Eden, my family can settle in peace.

Leafy treetops spread a canopy over the waterway, laying dappled light on the swift current. Isabel admired the tall ferns and flowering shrubs that vied for the coveted space at the water’s edge. The peace of the setting seeped into her being and flooded her with a deep sense of contentment. Or maybe the contentment had been there all along, and time afloat the Orinoco River simply allowed her to recognize the sensation.

Manuel seemed equally content as he and his Indian guide paddled their
bongo
alongside hers. Manuel dipped his oar in a steady rhythm while the passing breeze flirted with his hair, lifting the curls off his collar and making them dance.

He caught her staring and smiled. “Hi.”

Memories of their kiss last night pushed to the forefront of her mind, filling her with a rush of euphoria. “Hi, yourself.” She smiled back at him, tamping down the giddiness certainly plastered all over her features. Their budding romance seemed inherently right in the sensibility of daylight.

“Getting hungry?”

Her stomach jumped at the question. She nodded. “Is this a good time to stop?”

“Good as any.” Manuel turned and spoke with his guide. He pointed to a fallen tree trunk. Its massive roots clung to the shore while its length arched from the shore to the murky depths of the river. “We could tie off there and eat.”

The Indian who shared Isabel’s boat nodded as Manuel’s guide gave instructions in their native language. They adjusted their rowing and steered for the shore, slowing to a crawl as they neared their makeshift dock. Grabbing her mooring rope, she shimmied to the front of the shallow canoe, wrapped the line around a sturdy branch, and fashioned a snug knot.

The guides tied the backs of the
bongos
together to add stability then opened their lunch. Manuel joined Isabel near the front of the crafts and handed her a foil wrapped parcel. “It’s nothing fancy, but it’ll keep you from starving.”

She laid the bundle in her lap. “We ate so much in Puerto Ayacucho that I didn’t think I’d want to eat again for a week.”

Manuel flashed her a shy look. “I enjoyed our time together there.”

“You sound as if you’re surprised.”

“In a way, I was. I’ve been focused on my career for so long, I forgot how good it feels to relax and have fun with someone special.”

She smiled. “I’m glad you picked me to help refresh your memory.”

He reached across the distance between them and touched her cheek. “Me too.”

For the moment, the sky held back its unending supply of rain, and Manuel shrugged out of his rain slicker. Isabel followed his example then unwrapped her lunch and tasted the meat and cheese-filled pastries. “Good,” she muttered through a mouthful.

The sounds of jungle creatures created a symphony while the river rocked the canoes in a gentle rhythm. Isabel finished her meal and leaned over the side of the boat, staring into the river. She trailed her fingers through the cool water, creating a miniature wake.

Without warning, Manuel’s hand clamped down on her wrist and yanked her fingers from the water. Surprised, her head jerked up, and she met his intense stare. Disentangling from his grasp, she rubbed away the tenderness left after his unexpected attack. “Why did you do that?”

“If you’d prefer to keep all your appendages intact, I suggest you refrain from dangling them in the water.”

His calm demeanor seemed a sharp contrast to his rough treatment of her, and she couldn’t help but show her irritation. “What are you talking about?”

He took her hand in his and kissed a trail from her fingertips to her wrist, lessening the sting of his earlier offense. “Crocodiles and piranhas, Isabel. Your fingers are too pretty to serve as fish food.”

“You mean there’s….” She bent to stare into the water. “In here?”

“Yes.” His dark eyes held her transfixed. “So don’t put your hands or anything else in the water, please.” As if to emphasize his point, he tossed the last few bites of his lunch into the river.

Isabel watched with morbid fascination as the fish launched themselves at the morsels of bread and meat, their mouths open, teeth bared. With not enough food to satisfy all who’d come for the banquet, the larger piranha quickly turned on a weaker fish, cannibalizing one of their own.

The horror of thinking what those tiny teeth might do to her flesh was enough to terrify her. She scanned the banks of the river, looking for partially submerged lumps indicating a crocodile’s presence.

A shudder ran through Isabel. She sucked in a deep breath, trying to calm the nervous rhythm of her heart. “What if the boat tips and I fall in? Would I be eaten alive?”

Manuel’s mustache twitched and smile lines appeared at the corners of his eyes. “If you don’t tip your boat, we won’t have to find out the answer to that question.”

His teasing embarrassed her, and she felt her defenses rise. “You should have told me about the danger earlier.”

“I thought you knew.” He packed the makings of their lunch and tucked them away, seemingly calm and unconcerned about the threat lurking just inches below their boats.

“I didn’t. Now that I do, I wish I could forget.” She shuddered.

He laughed. “Guess we better get moving. We have a lot of water to cover.”

Two days later, Manuel shifted on his cot, and his muscles screamed in protest. Rowing against the current left his arms and back sore and tender. He wondered how Isabel would feel when she awoke. She’d done her share of work without complaint. No doubt her muscles would feel worse than his. His body was accustomed to hard labor. Hers wasn’t. If he felt sore, she would be miserable.

He decided to get up and start packing. With any luck, they’d reach their destination by evening, then no more rowing for a while. He rolled from his cot and stepped outside his tent. While stretching out his stiff muscles, he glanced around. The hammocks used by the guides no longer hung from the tree.
Maybe they rose early to prepare for the day
.

Manuel walked into the woods to take care of his morning needs. When he returned, there was still no sign of the guides, and something struck him as odd. He stared at the scene for a moment, willing his tired mind to focus. Then it dawned on him. Their guides had each carried a small pack with them. The packs were gone. Manuel rushed to the boats and found some of the food supplies missing as well.

Furious, he grabbed up a nearby stick and hurled it out into the water.

Abandoned in the Amazon.
He punched the air and released a frustrated growl.
Is it asking too much to have just one thing on this trip go right?

After a moment of grumbling and kicking the dirt, he forced himself to calm down. Feeding his anger and frustration wouldn’t accomplish anything. They’d simply have to deal with the problem the best they could. Gathering supplies to make breakfast, he returned to the camp and started a meal.

Isabel wandered out a short time later, scrubbing her eyes with her fists. “Morning.” She groaned when she crouched down beside him.

“Sore?”

“Very.” She held the plate while he dished hot ham from the pan.

“Me too.” He broke a few eggs into the pan and listened to them sizzle. He scraped a spatula around in the eggs and wondered how to deliver the news. “Isabel, we need to talk.”

“Sounds serious.”

“It is.”

She smiled. “Are you sure you want to have a serious conversation this early in the morning? I’m only half awake.”

He didn’t know how to soften the news, so he just said it. “The guides are gone.”

She remained quiet for a long time. “What do you mean by gone?”

“They abandoned us.”

Her blue eyes widened. “Why would they do that? We paid them for several weeks of assistance.”

“I know.”

Isabel sighed. “Is this some kind of tourist scam?”

He shrugged. “Could be. Or it’s possible someone paid them to do it. Maybe the same people who caused the other trouble we had.”

“What do we do now?”

“Paddle back to the substation, I guess. We can float with the current most of the way. Shouldn’t be as hard as paddling further upriver.”

“Why not go on?”

“Our gear won’t fit in one boat, and I don’t think you can manage to row on your own.”

She stood and propped her hands on her hips. “I can handle it.”

“Isabel.” He moved the pan off the flame and stood to face her. “I think we need to get you back to civilization and talk to the police about everything that’s happened. You’ll be less vulnerable on familiar territory.”

“Do you think they’ve followed us here?”

Manuel considered the possibility for a moment before rejecting it. “No. A person has to obtain permits from several government agencies to enter the Amazon. They don’t let many people in. We received permission because this expedition is considered scientific.”

“Would men like that be concerned with legalities? Wouldn’t they just pay someone off like they did our guides?”

He scowled. “You have a point, but you don’t know it’s them for sure, Isabel.”

“You seem pretty certain. That’s why you’re insisting we leave, isn’t it?” She narrowed her sleepy eyes, and her tousled hair framed her face with wild abandon. She looked adorable, and he couldn’t help but smile.

“What?”

“You look cute in the morning.”

She snorted and ran her fingers through her hair. “Don’t change the subject.”

“Okay. I think we should go home.”

Her gaze dropped to the ground. “But if we go home empty handed, you lose your career, right? You’ll have to go work your mother’s farm. Where does that leave us? Will I ever see you again?”

He gritted his teeth, hating the answer he had to give her. “I have obligations. Maybe in the future when she’s back on her feet … but I can’t promise anything. It wouldn’t be fair to you.”

“Then be fair to me now, Manuel. This is our last shot at finding the pearls. Let’s at least try.”

The pleading look she gave him brought a knot to his throat. He wanted to offer her the world, but he had nothing to give. Maybe she was right. They had nothing to lose and everything to gain by making one last attempt. “I don’t like it, but I guess we could try it for one day.”

She flung herself into his arms and planted a warm kiss on his cheek. “Thank you, Manuel.”

He held her tight and cherished the feel of her in his arms. He would savor the time they had left together. The whispers in the back of his mind told him there wasn’t much of it left.

Working hard to row against the current, Isabel wasn’t watching where she was paddling. She heard a loud clunk and felt her boat jolt as she collided with a sizeable piece of driftwood.