The Discovery of Chocolate Read Free Page A

not be right? How could I remain faithful now?
    I looked at Doña Marina.
    ‘Do as he says,’ she said.
    ‘But Isabella …’ I pleaded, ‘my betrothed …’
    ‘You will be the better prepared to love her …’ she continued, ‘and no one need know.’
    The girl led me into a small dark room with a low bed. A fire burned in the corner, and rose petals lay strewn around the floor.
    She took off her skirt and lay down on the bed, motioning me to do likewise.
    I did not know what to do, but began to remove my doublet. The girl pulled at my breeches and removed my stockings.
    Then she placed her naked body against me.
    As she pressed her lips to mine, and I could feel her breasts against my skin, my body surged with excitement.She pulled me down towards her. Her nipples hardened into sharp tips, and she began to move underneath me, pulling me inside her. I was unsure what to do, being, I must confess, a virgin, but let her rock me back and forth. I closed my eyes, imagining that she was Isabella, but then opened them again to look at the rise and fall of her breasts. Her eyes widened and she pushed me deep inside her. Within seconds I was brought to the peak of excitement and exploded like cannon shot. It seemed that we could not be more fully conjoined, our sweat and flesh mingling as one body. For a few minutes we lay panting to regain our breath, until the girl pushed me away from her, put on her skirt, and left the room.
    It was over.
    I was no longer a youth but a man.
    Pedro trotted in through the now open doorway. He sniffed at me, rather contemptuously I thought, and then lay down as if to sleep. I began to dress, and made ready to rejoin the men.
    When I finally emerged, with a tired Pedro following reluctantly, I saw that my companions had been waiting for me.
    Doña Marina came forward.
    ‘That didn’t take very long.’ She smiled.
    It seemed that nothing I did would ever be secret, and that everyone must know my business.
    ‘I’m not sure …’ I began.
    ‘If she was a virgin? I hope she wasn’t …’ Doña Marina replied.
    ‘I cannot marry her,’ I said firmly.
    ‘You are not required to do so. Would you like to see her again?’
    ‘No,’ I said, but then thought of her breasts against me. ‘How long will we be here?’
    ‘Seven nights.’
    Doña Marina looked at me, taking my silence as assent.
    ‘I will send her every night.’
    I did not know whether guilt or excitement was the stronger of the two emotions flowing through my body, but I knew that I had failed the very first test of my quest.
    In the next seven days we began to plan our approach to the magnificent city of Mexico, for we had heard that this was where the greatest treasure lay. The Tlaxcalans urged us against such an undertaking, so outnumbered would we be by the forces of that great city. Even if peace was offered, we were not to believe any of the promises made by its chieftain, Montezuma. But Cortés was adamant, arguing that the whole purpose of our journey was to reach Mexico. He then asked the Tlaxcalans about the best path to the city.
    A volcano stood before us, impeding our progress. This was Popocatépetl, and the local people held it in great awe as it rose out of the hills, threatening to spew forth rocks and hot lava over all that surrounded it. We had never seen such a sight and I decided that this was the moment to try my bravery. I offered to climb to the top and report on the best possible route ahead.
    Cortés was amused by my boldness, asserting that the loss of my virginity had given me renewed courage, and granted me permission for the ascent. Two chiefs from the nearest settlement of Huexotzinco were to be my companions. Theywarned that the earth could tremble, and that flames, stones and ash were often flung from the mountain top, killing all in their wake; but I was determined to meet the challenge, whatever the dangers.
    It was a difficult ascent and we had to stop at several stages to regain our