Dennis carried both his and Natalie’s small cases. Hutchinson wheeled his. Natalie carried a rucksack over one shoulder.
“I don’t know about you,” she said looking at her chipped fingernails, “But I’ll be really glad to get home. I need a manicure.”
“I’ll treat you to one,” Dennis said, “What about you Jim?”
The American was slightly ahead of them and he turned his head.
“What’s that?”
“Will it be good to get home?”
“Well I’ve been thinking….”
Natalie and Dennis stopped and gave each other knowing looks.
“….About this Francis Drake, El Dorado thing.”
Dennis rolled his eyes and put the cases down. Hutchinson continued walking while speaking over his shoulder.
“Who was it who first went in search of it?”
“El Dorado was named after a Muisca king who covered himself in gold dust and threw himself into lake Guatavita. It later became known as the lost city of gold. Two Spanish conquistadors, Gonzalo Pizarro and Francisco Orellana set out from Quito in Ecuador in 1541 in search of the legendary city. They discovered the Amazon basin and were the first to navigate the Amazon river. El Dorado‘s existence has never been proved Jim.”
“And Drake searched for the city?”
“Many explorer’s have.”
“Lost city of gold eh?”
“Please don’t tell me you’re seriously considering it,” Dennis turned his attention to Natalie, “He’s not is he?”
She shrugged and put her sunglasses on against the bright sun.
“Well a man’s got to do something around here to make a living,” Hutchinson continued quietly, muttering to himself. Neither of his travelling companions heard him.
“There’s always Alexander’s sarcophagus,” he turned to them, “We never did finish that project.”
“No!” they both shouted at the same time.
Hutchinson shrugged and continued towards the plane. He said something over his shoulder just as the Hercules’ engines started up. His reply drowned out.
“To tell you the truth,” Dennis said to his girlfriend, “I’m thinking of quitting my job at the newspaper.”
Natalie lowered her sunglasses to peer over them.
“What?”
“All this action adventure stuff has got me hooked. How about Peter Dennis fortune hunter….” he gestured with his hands, imagining his name in lights.
“No.”
“Oh okay. How about Peter Dennis treasure hunter?”
Natalie picked her suitcase up from the tarmac and made to walk off.
“That’s the same thing.”
“Oh okay. How about Peter Dennis husband?”
She stopped and peered over her sunglasses again.
“What did you say?”
Dennis held his hands out by his side.
“I said, Natalie will you marry me?”
Her mouth dropped open.
“Are you serious?”
“Yeah. Why not. Come on what do you say?”
She removed her sunglasses and looked him up and down for a few moments. Then she came over and whispered her answer in his ear. Then, leaving him open mouthed this time, she turned and followed Hutchinson. At the plane she turned back. Dennis hadn’t moved. He was staring after her.
“Well are you coming or not?” she called.
Half smiling to himself he picked his suitcase up and followed her to the waiting Hercules.