“Not quite yet, but soon, very soon.” An expansive smile curved his mouth as he poured an excellent French wine into crystal glasses. Stocky, with intense dark eyes and the broad features of his Indian heritage, Díaz smiled at her over the gold-trimmed rim of the glass. “It has, at last, come to fruition. My years of work and planning, my time in exile—now is to be rewarded. I shall lead Mexico, champion liberal principles, more municipal democracy. Lerdo was too soft, and granted far too many concessions to the United States railway interests. It profited my country nothing, but I shall change that.”

“You intend to stop all foreign investments?”

“On the contrary, señora. I intend to make foreign investments more profitable for Mexico. First, we must have internal stability. Banditry is rampant, so much so that it frightens away foreign investors. Already I have started to scour the country of many of these bandits. Others, however, will be more useful to me.”

As he talked, Ginny took careful note of an unobtrusive cleric seated at an ornate desk in the far corner of the room. He scribbled constantly in a ledger, head down, seemingly absorbed in his work. In taking up the reins of power, Díaz would be assailed by many requests for favors; and now she must make her own pleas as well.

At a pause in his outline of proposals for Mexico’s future, Ginny asked, “And what of Lerdo de Tejada? Do you intend to imprison him?”

“Ah, now we get to the heart of the reason for your visit, I see. You are escorted by Rafael Luna, who is known to Lerdo as well. Do you come to ask a favor for yourself or for Lerdo?”

“Both.” Boldly meeting his shrewd gaze, she stood up and set her nearly untouched glass of wine on a table. “As a man of honor, I assured Lerdo that you would treat him with the respect due a man who has fought well for his country. A difference in politics may make men enemies, but should not make them dishonorable.”

Díaz regarded her thoughtfully. “What is it that Lerdo requires of me?”

“Safe passage from Mexico.”

“Ah, and that is all? Should I give him his freedom so that he may go and conspire against me, plot to retrieve the power he wielded so badly? I think not, señora.”

“He will be an exile, and no threat to you. He wishes to leave Mexico, to go and live with friends.”

“Such as an American senator, perhaps? You seem surprised, señora. Did you think I would not investigate, would not find out that your father has received many beneficial concessions from Lerdo? While I see the definite advantage to American investments, I do not approve of granting so much power to men who only a few years ago were our enemies.”