Kane grinned and offered her a cigarette. When he had given her a light, she leaned back in her chair. 'Did everything go all right in Mukalla?'
He took a letter from his inside pocket and handed it across. 'Sorry, I was forgetting. I saw your agent there yesterday. He gave me that for you.'
As she read it, he watched her covertly, marvelling at the change of expression on her face, cold, businesslike and purposeful. Since the death of her father when she was only twenty, she had ruled Perret and Company too with a rod of iron. From the Red Sea to the Pacific her name was a legend. Scrupulously honest, but shrewder than any bazaar trader.
She frowned slightly and called, 'Ahmed - here a moment!'
A heavily built, grey-haired Arab came out onto the terrace. He wore European clothes and held a pen in one hand as though disturbed from some important work. He was the general manager of the firm and an old and trusted friend of her father's.
He smiled and nodded to Kane, and Marie handed him the letter. 'Read that, will you? Gavin has brought it from Mukalla. Laval says he can take all the sesame oil he can get. If we move fast we can buy up all available stocks.'
Ahmed nodded and was about to go back inside when Kane said, 'Just a moment, Ahmed. Perhaps you can help me.'
Ahmed turned with a smile and said in perfect English, 'What is it, Gavin?'
'There's a Mrs Cunningham in town at the moment. She's looking for her husband. When she last heard of him he was supposed to be coming to Dahrein, but no one seems to know anything about him."
Ahmed frowned for a moment and then nodded. 'Cunningham - John Cunningham. Yes, I remember him. He wanted to go up-country to Shabwa.'
'When was this?' Kane demanded.
The Arab shrugged. 'About two months ago.' He turned to Marie and explained. 'It was when you were in Bombay. This Englishman landed from the boat and visited me at the office. He wanted to go to Shabwa. I warned him of the dangers but he wouldn't listen. We had a convoy of four trucks taking equipment to Jordan. I let him go with them.'
'And when did he return?' Marie said.
Ahmed shrugged. 'I'm afraid I have no knowledge on that point. As far as I remember he paid to be taken to Bir el Madani - the nearest Arab village to Shabwa. What happened to him after that I do not know.'
He turned to Kane. 'I'm sorry I can't be more helpful, Gavin.'
Kane shook h;s head. 'You've been a lot of help. At least I know this guy got as far as Bir el Madani. Before that I couldn't even prove he'd landed in Dahrein.'
Ahmed smiled. 'Well, if you'll excuse me. I've got a lot of work on my hands.'
After he had gone back into the house, Marie said, 'What on earth could this man Cunningham be doing in the Shabwa area?'
Kane shrugged. 'He was an archaeologist. Probably looking for rock carvings.'
'On his own?' she said incredulously. 'Surely not. Only a fool would attempt to travel in that area alone.'
'Or a man who was looking for something really important,' Kane said.
As soon as the words were out of his mouth he regretted them, but it was too late. She leaned across, a slight frown on her face and said, 'You're holding something back, aren't you? Hadn't you better tell me what it's all about?'
He sighed and got to his feet. 'I suppose I had. For one thing, you might be able to help. For another, now that you've scented a mystery, you won't rest content until you've wormed it out of me.'
She stood up with a soft laugh. 'Dear Gavin, you know me so well by now. Let's walk in the garden and you can unburden yourself.'
They went down the steps and walked through the trees, her hand resting lightly on his arm, and he inhaled her sweetness and was aware of feelings he had not experienced for a long time.
He began to talk, starting with the arrival of Ruth Cunningham and ending with an account of Alexias and his journey into the desert.
When he finished, they were sitting on a seat by the fountain and there was silence for a while. Somewhere a bird called through the night and Marie sighed. 'It's certainly a fantastic story.'
'Don't you believe it?' Kane said.
She shrugged. 'The important thing is that Cunningham did. What do you intend to do now?'
Kane shrugged. Til go up to Shabwa. Question the headman at Bir el Madani and find out what happened to Cunningham.'
Marie stood up and they started to walk back towards the house. 'Personally, I don't think you or anyone else will ever see John Cunningham again.'
Kane nodded. 'You're probably right, but his wife won't rest content until she knows for sure.'
Marie leaned against the balustrade of the terrace. 'I agree with you. However, I think I can help to get this thing cleared up quickly. I'm flying to Bir el Madani in the morning to see Jordan about some equipment he needs. He's boring a test hole about fifteen miles from there. He's had his men lay out a rough airstrip for me. I'm only taking Jamal. There's room for you and Mrs Cunningham if you want to come along.'
Kane felt suddenly elated. 'That would be excellent.'
'Jordan will be waiting to take me to his camp by truck. I expect to be there all morning. You can borrow the plane. Three hours should give you ample time in which to make a quick survey of the area.'
'It would certainly save Mrs Cunningham a rough trip by truck,' Kane said. 'I was worried about that. I don't think she's up to it.'
'Is she pretty?' Marie said.
He shrugged. 'Skiros certainly thinks she is.'
'But you are more interested in her money?'
'The fee she's offering me to find her husband is certainly attractive, but I'm intrigued by the story about that temple.'
Marie laughed lightly. 'The eternal seeker. Will you ever be content with what is on this side of the hill, Gavin?'
'Probably not,' he said. 'I suppose that's the main reason archaeology interested me so much when I was a kid. That's why I stay on here, when each year I swear I'll leave. There's so much to do - as long as one has the money, of course, which means working for Skiros occasionally. But beggars can't be choosers.' He grinned. 'If it comes to that, why do you stay? You could make your headquarters in a more congenial spot. Bombay, for instance.'
She shrugged. 'This is an ancient land and my mother was of an ancient people. It's in my blood, I suppose.'
He dropped his hands on to her shoulders and smiled. 'You're a wonderful girl.'
He was suddenly conscious of the warmth of her body through the thin material of her shirt. For several moments they remained like that, staring into each other's eyes and then the smile slowly faded from her face. Kane pulled her towards him and she made no attempt to resist.
His mouth fastened on hers and she melted into him, alive and warm. After a while he pushed her away from him, holding her at arm's length. 'Damn you!' he said softly.
She smiled faintly, sensing the turmoil in his mind. 'My poor Gavin, have I disturbed the ordered pattern of your existence? But women are the devil, you should know that by now.'
'I'm only too well aware of that fact,' he assured her.
'Would you like a drink?'
He struggled with temptation and won. 'I don't think it would be advisable.'
She took his arm and they went down the steps and through the garden to the gate. She opened it and smiled up at him. 'Seven o'clock at the airfield and don't be late. I want to get an early start.'
Standing there in the moonlight she looked utterly and completely desirable. He sighed and said, 'Look, I'm sorry for what happened.'
She reached up quite suddenly and kissed him on the mouth. 'But I'm not,' she said, and pushed him through the door.
For a little while he stood there in the darkness, his hand raised to the bell chain, and then he turned away and walked down through the darkness towards the town.
When he reached the hotel, he went up to Ruth Cunningham's room and knocked on the door. There was no reply. After trying again, he opened the door and went inside, but the room was empty.
He went back downstairs and into the bar. Skiros was sitting by the window, a drink in front of him, gazing pensively out into the night. Kane crossed the room and stood over him.
The Greek looked up and smiled. 'Did you have any luck?'
Kane nodded. 'I've managed to trace him as far as Bir el Madani. He went up with one of Marie Ferret's convoys.'
Skiros raised his eyebrows in surprise. 'So, he actually did land in Bahrein. I must say I'm surprised. What do you intend to do next?'
'We're flying up with Marie in the morning,' Kane said. 'I've been up to Mrs Cunningham's room to tell her, but she isn't there.'
Skiros nodded into the darkness. 'She passed this way only a few minutes ago. I think you'll find her on the beach.'
Kane thanked him and went on to the terrace. It was cool and the slight breeze carried the faintest trace of salt spray with it. He went down the steps to the sand and walked towards the white line of surf, his eyes searching the moonlit beach.
He paused, slightly at a loss, and her voice came clearly from his left. 'Over here.' ùùù.ùùùùùùùùùùùùI.ùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùù.ù SriEBA ùù"ù"ùùùùùùùùùù"ùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùùù
She was leaning against a fishing boat. As he approached she said, 'Have you any news for me?'
He lit a cigarette, the match cupped between his hands against the wind, and nodded. 'Yes, I think everything's going to be all right now. I've traced your husband as far as a small Arab village about ten miles from Shabwa. We're flying up there with Marie Ferret in the morning. I should be able to learn something more definite from the headman.'
She gave a sigh of relief, and leaned against him, a hand on his arm. 'My God, that's marvellous.'
She sank down into the soft sand and Kane sat beside her and gave her a cigarette. The match flared in his hands, illuminating the strong line of her jaw, and tears glistened in her eyes.
He took her hand and said gently, 'Look, everything's going to be fine.'
She took a deep breath as if trying to get control of herself and nodded. 'I don't know how I'm ever going to be able to repay you for what you've already accomplished.'
'You'll have no difficulty, I assure you.' He grinned wryly and got to his feet. 'And now I think you'd better get some sleep, Mrs Cunningham. We've got an early start.'
She didn't argue and he saw her to the terrace of the hotel. He made arrangements to pick her lip at six-thirty and then walked along the water's edge to the jetty.
Piroo was squatting on a stone, head nodding. He came awake quickly and smiled a welcome, teeth gleaming in the darkness.
As they rowed across to the launch, Kane told him about his trip to Bir el Madani on the following day. 'You'll be in complete charge,' he said as he clambered over the rail and stood on the deck of the launch. 'Keep a sharp look-out for trouble. Particularly from Selim.'
He left Piroo on deck securing the dinghy and went down to his cabin. It was dark and quiet and the moonlight crept in through the porthole and touched him with ghostly fingers.
He lay down on the bunk and stared up at the cabin roof and thought about Marie. For a moment the darkness was touched by her presence and she seemed to smile at him as he drifted into sleep.
EIGHT
THE FISHING BOATS were slipping out through the harbour entrance towards the Gulf as Kane turned off the jetty and moved along the waterfront. He lit a cigarette, the first of the day, and coughed as the smoke caught at the back of his throat. He felt tired and there was a slight ache behind his right eye. For a moment he paused, watching the fishing boats dip into the Gulf current, white sails shining in the early morning sun, and then he continued towards the hotel.
He was wearing khaki pants and shirt and a battered felt bush hat. On impulse, he had slipped the Colt into his hip pocket before leaving the launch. He had many friends amongst the tribesmen of the Shabwa area, but one could never be too sure.
Ruth Cunningham was standing on the steps of the hotel when he arrived. She was wearing a white blouse, open at the neck, and cream whipcord slacks. Her hair was bound with the same blue scarf she had worn on no that first occasion, and when she smiled she looked extremely attractive.
'Will I do?' she demanded, spreading her arms slightly.
Kane nodded. 'Decorative, but serviceable.' He glanced at his watch. 'We'll have to step on it. I don't want to keep Marie waiting.'
They didn't speak much as they walked through a maze of narrow alleys and emerged on the edge of town. She had dark smudges under her eyes as if she had not slept well, and there was a strained, anxious look to her that he didn't like.