“Up here, Cartright. Join us.”

“We ought to have expected it would be he,” I remarked. “He appears to be in quite an unhappy frame of mind.”

Cartright took the stairs two at a time. His face was flushed and his mustache looked as if he had been chewing on it.

“You’re here,” he gasped. “All of you.”

“Obviously,” I replied. “Nefret, is there more hot water? I believe Major Cartright could do with a cup of tea. Do sit down, Major.”

The young man collapsed onto a chair and passed a handkerchief over his face. “Where have you been? We’ve been searching for days.”

“Not that long, surely,” I said. “Drink your tea. We have decided to take advantage of your kind offer to facilitate our return to Cairo. We will need petrol, water, food, and two new tires. Is there anything else, Emerson?”

Leaning against the wall, arms folded and lips twitching, Emerson shook his head. “Not that I know of. Continue, Peabody, you seem to have the situation well in hand.”

“We would like to leave tomorrow morning,” I explained. “You seem to have frightened our servants away. Persuade – persuade, I said – them to return. We have clothing to be washed and meals to be prepared.”

“Mrs. Emerson… please.” Cartright waved away the cup I had offered. “Just stop talking, will you? Professor, I want to know where the devil -”

“Language, language,” said Emerson. “There are ladies present. As for answering your questions, sir, I am not subject to your orders.”

“General Chetwode -”

“Nor his. I will report to whom I see fit and when I see fit. In Cairo, to be precise. Are you going to get us the supplies we need or must I go over your head?”

“I… yes. That is, I will get them. And go with you.”

“There won’t be room in the motorcar,” said Emerson with finality. “Oh – I almost forgot. The horses. Fine animals. They are in the stable.”

Cartright sat bolt upright. “Then it was you who… One of the troopers swore there was a woman in the party, but -”

“Me,” said Nefret with a smile. “The poor boy wants his Mary back, I expect. Tell him she has been well cared for and that I thank him for the loan.”

“That is all you have to say?” His frowning visage turned from Nefret to Emerson.

“It is all any of us have to say,” Emerson assured him. “When may we expect those supplies?”

Major Cartright’s countenance underwent a series of contortions. He had been sorely tried, but knew perfectly well that any attempt to detain Emerson against his will would result in an uproar that would reverberate through every level of British officialdom.

“I’m not certain I can obtain everything you need today,” he muttered.

“Oh, I think you can,” said Emerson, showing his teeth.

“Yes, sir. Then… I will see you in Cairo?” He looked at Ramses, who had remained silent.

“No doubt,” said Ramses.

“You are the one he would like to question,” I said, after Cartright had taken his departure. “I expect he will go haring off to General Chetwode and demand we be held here.”

“Chetwode has no authority to detain us,” said Emerson. He rubbed irritably at the cast, which was looking somewhat the worse for wear. “Nefret, can’t I have this cursed thing off?”

“Not yet, Father. As soon as we get to Cairo I’ll have a look at it.”

Selim returned from his inspection of the motorcar to report that everything seemed to be in order, and went off to commandeer some household assistance, since I did not suppose Major Cartright would consider that matter worthy of his attention. It had begun to rain, so we retreated into the room behind the open mak’ad, where we had left our baggage.

“We may as well unpack our bundles,” I said. “What with all our comings and goings, I have lost track of precisely what we still have. I gave my bar of soap to Mustafa, but here is my medical kit and my parasol -”

“You won’t need that, Mrs. Emerson. You will not be leaving the house just yet.”

I had missed one of the secret rooms. Unlike the makhba under the floor of the harem, this was a small hidden chamber whose door resembled that of a wall cupboard. He looked much the same as he had when I had seen him before, a big man with a grizzled beard and shoulders almost as impressive as those of Emerson. He had a pistol in one hand and a knife in the other.

“Sahin Pasha, I presume,” I said, after a slight catch of breath. “We ought to have anticipated that a clever man would comprehend the gravity of his predicament and escape before he could be apprehended. On the run, are you?”

“One might call it that. Now, if you don’t mind -”

“Coming here was also a clever move,” I mused. “There is a saying that the safest place for a criminal is in the police station.”

“Is there? No, my young friend, don’t take another step. I want all of you close together.”

Ramses stopped. “You daren’t use that gun,” he said. “The sound of a shot will bring the servants and a dozen soldiers.”

“If I am forced to fire, there will be more than one shot and by the time your assistants arrive it will be too late for some of you. There is no need for that. All I want is my daughter.”

“Let us discuss this calmly,” I said. “How do you propose to get her away from here, against her will, without killing all of us, which is, as you must see, impractical?”

A rather jolly rumble of laughter emerged from his parted lips. “Mrs. Emerson, it is a pleasure to meet you at last. I know you are hoping that your fascinating conversation will distract me. It won’t. But since you ask, I have already dealt with Esin. She is lying bound and gagged on the divan in the ka’ah. I found this hiding place last night. As soon as I have persuaded you to enter it, I will take her and go.”

“Go where?” I demanded. “Back into the lion’s den? You are being unrealistic if you believe you can convince your erstwhile friends that you are still to be trusted.”

The man’s strong jaw hardened. “I will prove my good faith by returning, with my daughter.”

It would require more than that. He knew it, and so did I. But if he could recapture the prisoner he had let escape… If he could herd us one by one into the secret room, leaving Ramses till last…

“Go on,” Sahin said, gesturing with the pistol. “You first, Mrs. Emerson.”

“No,” I exclaimed. “Emerson, do you see what -”

“It’s all right, Mother,” Ramses said quietly. “I think he’s bluffing. I wonder how many bullets are left in that pistol? Enough to stop all of us?”

“A good point.” Emerson nodded. “I call your bluff, sir. We are not sheep, to be herded into a pen. The girl stays with us, but we will give you… oh, let us say an hour… to get away.”

They measured one another, two men of commanding presence and stature. The Turk said slowly, “You would do that?”

“As the lesser of two evils. Your usefulness to your government has been destroyed. This way no one will be injured. You can trust us to look after the child, and when the war is over you may be reunited with her.”

“The word of an Englishman?” Sahin Pasha murmured.

“Don’t be foolish,” Ramses said urgently. “There are two – four, I mean – of us. Hand over the gun.”

Sahin smiled wryly. “Four? Ah well, it seems I have no choice. You were correct. The gun isn’t loaded. I had to fight my way out of Gaza.”

“Drop it, then,” Ramses said. He took a step forward and held out his hand. “Or give it to me.”

His eyes were fixed on the pistol. It might be a double bluff; we could not be certain, with a man so crafty. Sahin held it out – and then the knife flashed and Ramses stumbled back and fell, blood spurting from his side. Nefret flung herself down beside him.

“You never learn, do you?” Sahin shook his head regretfully. “You really ought to give up this line of work, my boy.”

Emerson had not stirred. “Nefret?” he asked softly.

Her quick surgeon’s hands had slowed the flow of blood. “It’s… not too bad,” she said.