The Peerless Dulcinea

By Susanna Godoy Lohse

Diamond earrings from Tiffany’s, her own personal nanny, a generous godmother, jaunts to New York, a chrome and hand carved wooden swing set, riding in her father’s 1950 M.G. touring car, or her uncle’s Rolls-Royce to a yacht club or a polo match . . . these are every day people and things in the life of a girl named Emmy. Emmy's father, Mr. Agostini, is a Don Quixote obsessed aristocrat, and her mother, Mrs. Agostini, is a spoiled Southern belle. Emmy is a girl given to fancy, making her life even more colorful. Nevertheless, there is trouble in paradise.

Early in the story, Emmy is told by her father that she has her own, personal, guardian angel.

The story paints clear and searing portraits of wickedness, cruelty, unconditional love, sacrifice, chivalry, wealth, arrogance, humility, and those ephemeral characteristics of hope and optimism in the face of insurmountable predicaments.

The screenplay adaptation (unproduced) of this book has already won a Gold Award at the WorldFest International Film Festival. A Gone With the Wind kind of story set in the era of Madmen (late 1950's). Emmy, the daughter of an eccentric aristocrat and her beloved nanny suffer the whims of an evil socialite.

Ages 9 and up.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Susanna Godoy Lohse
• Release date: Apr 13, 2013
• ISBN: 9780977815760

Susanna Godoy Lohse

Susanna Godoy Lohse, the daughter of an American schoolteacher and a Latin American businessman is not only a novelist and non-fiction writer, she is also an award-winning screenwriter. Her novel, "The Peerless Dulcinea," a Cuban Gone With the Wind, set against the backdrop of a communist revolution, is also an award winning screenplay, winning a Gold award at the WorldFest International Film Festival.

Book preview

Chapter 2 - A True Caballero

"Cara, cara, ca! Cara, cara, ca! Cara, cara, ca!"

That’s the way a rooster crows in Spanish, and Don Quixote’s crow was the first thing Emmy heard after they arrived back in Havana.

As the sun lit up her room, she was surrounded by yellow. Almost everything in her room was yellow, including the walls and her bedspread. Even the wooden and glass doll cabinet was painted yellow. The cheerful color of her room, however, did not compare with her state of mind, knowing that she was going to see her beloved nanny, Flora, again.

To Emmy, the name Flora, which means flower in Spanish, was the sweetest sounding name in the whole world, and she had good reason to feel that way. Each morning Flora greeted her with a kind voice and gentle manner. There hadn’t been one single occasion when Flora had spoken a harsh word to Emmy, or spanked her.

Emmy reached her arms out to Flora, and hugged her.

Flora, I’m so glad to see you.

Your daddy wants to see you at the breakfast table. Let’s get you ready right away.

Just then Emmy’s little three-year-old sister, Leticia, or Letty, as they called her, and Aurora, Letty’s nanny, both appeared at Emmy’s bedroom doorway.

Hello, Aurora and Letty! said Emmy.

Letty ran and jumped up onto Emmy’s bed, and gave Emmy a big hug.

Are you ready for breakfast, Letty?

Letty didn’t get to see you much after you returned from New York yesterday, said Aurora. We both missed you very much, Emmy.

While Flora was pale, Aurora had a rich, deep, ebony coloring, like dark, brown velvet. Even though she was no longer a young woman, she still had a beautiful smile and a warm twinkle in her eyes. Mr. Agostini aptly called her Aurora Bella, which means ‘Aurora the Beautiful.’ Letty was as lucky as Emmy to have a nanny who loved her so much. Aurora treated Letty as if Letty were her own daughter.

Me goin’ to play with the dolls, said Letty, pointing to the doll cabinet.

Letty, you know Mother won’t let us play with the dolls once they get locked into the cabinet.

Our dolls.

Yes, some of them are our dolls, and some of them are Mother’s dolls, but once they’re in the cabinet, we’re not allowed to touch them.

Not even one?

No, not even one.

Like Letty, Emmy very much wanted a doll that she didn’t have to put into the cabinet, one that she could keep with her, but for now it was not to be. Even the small replica of the statue of Liberty that Mr. Agostini had purchased for her in New York was placed in the cabinet within hours after their return.

Hurry, Emmy, we must get you ready for breakfast.

Come, Letty, said Aurora, leave Emmy alone so she can get dressed.

Bye-bye, Emmy, said Letty. See you downstairs.

Aurora and Letty left the room, and walked quietly down the hallway and downstairs, so as not to wake Mrs. Agostini, who was still asleep.

While they breakfasted, their well-behaved rooster, Don Quixote, would sometimes stand in the doorway between the breakfast room and the kitchen, clucking and prancing on his claws. He was a large old bird with multicolored feathers and a red comb. Even though he had already lived way beyond the number of years that a rooster is supposed to live, he was still sprightly and in good health.

Don Quixote is the most fearless rooster in all of Havana! said Mr. Agostini. And there is nothing a fearless rooster likes more than to be able to roam about his territory as he sees fit. A noble knight like Don Quixote must be free to accomplish his most valiant deeds.

Except that he’s not allowed in the dining room, said Carlo.

Don Quixote is a well-mannered gentleman, said Mr. Agostini. He’s every bit as noble as Sir Lancelot or King Arthur. He would die, like any noble knight, defending his turf. In any case, Carlo, freedom has its boundaries.

Yes, Carlo, said Emmy. At least he’s not penned up in his kennel, like Frito.

That is your mother’s wish, Emita, said Mr. Agostini.

Frito is Mother’s slave, if you ask me, said Carlo. Even when he’s not in his kennel, Mother keeps him on a leash.

Carlo, said Mr. Agostini, "you must always treat women with respect and reverence. A true caballero would never hurt a lady, and would always defend her honor."

Okay, Dad, said Carlo.

Mr. Agostini had named their rooster after that most famous of all knights, Don Quixote of La Mancha, who was forever immortalized in books by the Spanish author, Miguel de Cervantes.

Emmy knew the story of Don Quixote well. He was a Spanish nobleman who had read so many books about gallant knights that he became confused. He could no longer tell the difference between what was real and fantasy. Even though the days of knights roaming the countryside were over, Don Quixote took it upon himself to restore the profession to its former glory.

As all knights are encouraged to do, he dedicated all of his good deeds to his favorite romantic interest. He chose a simple farm girl named Aldonca Lorenso. Then he gave her the new name of Dulcinea, and made her the object of his love, never mind that Aldonca barely knew Don Quixote at all.

Don Quixote’s sanity was so far gone that he once mistook a group of windmills in the Spanish countryside for giant monsters, and his niece thought it would be a good idea to burn up all of his books.

Like Don Quixote, Mr. Agostini had a particular fondness for such books. In fact, he had a very large collection of them in his library.

To Mr. Agostini, Carlo wasn’t just his son, he was a young knight in training.

Carlo, he once said, a man’s true purpose is not only to protect and defend his wife, but his children and those in the world who are helpless, as well. Without this purpose he has nothing. He is like a lone wolf who preys on others, or a worthless bum who does nothing. You must be like our rooster, who has no fear when it comes to protecting his turf. Whenever a stray dog comes along, Don Quixote flaps his wings, and frightens the dog away.

As they ate, Mr. Agostini and the children often threw Don Quixote scraps of toast.

Daddy, are we going to the yacht club today? asked Emmy.

Yes, I can take you and Carlo, but first we have some errands to run. We have to drop Carlo off at his friend’s house, and I have some business to attend to at the office. After that you and I are both going to get haircuts.

Me too, said Letty.

Letty, said Aurora, you’re invited to play with Eugenia today, remember?

Oh.

Letty, drink all of your milk and Ovaltine, said Mr. Agostini.

Why, Daddy?

If you drink it all, you will have the heart of a lion, and be able to fly like an eagle.

Really?

Letty’s eyes grew wide with excitement.

Yes, my little Letty.

Okay, Daddy, I drink it all up.

It wasn’t so easy to fool Carlo and Emmy anymore. He had already tried that trick on them when they were younger, but they didn’t let Letty know. After that, Letty had no problem gulping down her milk.

When they were finished eating, Mr. Agostini spoke to Letty.

Come here Letty, he said, come and sit on Daddy’s lap.

Okay Daddy.

Emmy, too, had once loved sitting on her father’s lap, and feeling the strength of his strong arms. He strummed his fingers on Letty’s back while reciting a little verse.

"Rique Ting, Rique Tan, from the living room to the kitchen, how many fingers do I have upon you?"

Like Emmy and Carlo before her, Letty rarely guessed correctly how many fingers Mr. Agostini had placed on her back.

Flora and Aurora took Letty and Emmy back upstairs right after breakfast to wash up. Emmy followed Letty as she ran into the upstairs playroom, and climbed up onto a little chair.

Daddy said Ovaltine make me fly, said Letty before she flapped her arms, and jumped off the chair.

Letty, Daddy fooled you, said Emmy.

No, I flew. You saw.

Okay, Emmy played along. I really saw you fly.

The Agostini children were indeed fortunate to live in such a beautiful city as Havana. From the time that Christopher Columbus first discovered it, the island of Cuba was considered to be the most precious jewel in the Spanish crown. Nothing compared to its beautiful beaches and its mild, tropical climate.

There was no room for unhappiness or sorrow in their lives. They were as happy as the music of the island, with its Spanish melodies and African drums.

Just before they left the house, Emmy and Carlo went behind the mansion to see little Frito, who was still penned in his kennel.

Poor Frito, said Emmy.

Mother will take him out after she wakes up, said Carlo.

That could be a long time from now.

Most days Mrs. Agostini slept until one o’clock as she often stayed up late, attending parties. And even then, Frito might not be let out of his kennel because she often spent her afternoons having her hair done, or she had their chauffeur, Pepe, take her shopping in her black Cadillac.

The former Miss Jona Lee MacAdam had first come to Havana, from the States, like so many other Americans, looking for the excitement and glamour of an exotic and sophisticated life.

In her case, she found that glamour and sophistication when she married Señor Bernardo Agostini, who himself, had once lived in the States, but had been brought to the island by his parents as a young boy, along with his brother, Emmy’s Uncle Alonso.

With a nanny for each child, and servants to take care of the house, Mrs. Agostini was free to do whatever she pleased. And so she did.

Attending parties and dinners kept her up often until the late hours of the night, but when it came to the children and Frito, she paid them attention only when it pleased her. There were many days when the only time Emmy saw her mother was when she was on her way out the door.

Hello and good-bye, Mrs. Agostini often said, looking like a movie star, and smelling of perfumes like L’air du Temps or My Sin. Just give me a light kiss on the cheek. I don’t want my make-up mussed up.

Upon hearing the beeping horn of Mr. Agostini’s 1950 M.G. touring car, the children ran around to the front of the mansion where the car was parked in the driveway with its top down. Carlo and Emmy climbed in.

Above them, still in her nightgown, Mrs. Agostini poked her sleepy head out of the door that led to the balcony off the master bedroom.

Bernardo, I wish you wouldn’t honk the horn like that, she yelled. "You know I was out late last