When eventually he spoke adoringly about his wife, whom he called La reina de mi corazón, the queen of my heart, Lydia felt her defenses relax. Those shields dropped further still when he revealed the existence of a young mistress, whom he called La reina de mis pantalones, the queen of my pants.
'Disgusting,' she said, but she surprised herself by laughing too.
It was hardly unusual for a man to have an affair, but talking so openly about it with another woman was something else.