Sultan's instructions."
"Which means your instructions."
"I rule the Empty Quarter, Tony, and I don't need the Scouts there. I don't want them. Police the border country, the high country, but stay on your side of the line."
"Why? Do you have something to hide over there?"
"That's my business. Next time you speak to Charles Ferguson, tell him to mind his." She nodded to Rupert. "We'll go now. We have an early start in the morning."
He pulled back her chair and said to Villiers, "It's been an interesting evening, Colonel."
Villiers stood up. "You could say that. Goodnight, Kate."
She smiled and led the way out, and Villiers said, "Another cognac, Abdul," and went back to the terrace to think things over.
Kate Rashid and Rupert walked back to the villa, Abu behind. "He's quite a man," Rupert said. "But he's right. Why don't you have him killed?"
"That might come later, but not for the moment. As I said, his work in the high country with the Scouts is useful to me, and good for Hazar."
"But what about his link with Ferguson?"
"Villiers can't tell him anything if he doesn't know anything. That's all that matters."
"Well, you're the expert. What's our schedule tomorrow?"
"The helicopter will be ready at seven. We'll call in at Shabwa, it's expected of me, then we'll fly on to Fuad Lake."
"How far?"
"Another hundred miles deeper into the desert." They had reached the steps leading up to the door of the villa and she turned to Abu. "Where are the Scouts at the moment?"
"They've been operating out of El Hajiz. There's good water there, but they may have moved."
They were speaking in English. "Villiers Sahb will join them soon, I think. You stay and watch him. When he leaves, follow. Take one of our Land Rovers."
"What are your orders?"
"I think he needs another lesson. He's proving difficult."
"The new officer?"
"Perhaps a fright will be enough. It is all as Allah wills. I leave it with you. Goodnight."
The copper door opened as if by magic, the houseboy appeared, and she passed through, Rupert following.
"Remind me never to give you cause to become annoyed with me," he said.
"As if you would." She smiled. "You're perfectly safe, darling. After all, you are a Dauncey."
A bu went straight down to the bazaar, a neck cloth obscuring his face, and went to the cafe, which he knew the Scouts used regularly when in Hazar. They were seated at a table, drinking coffee, Achmed and his four comrades. There were people all around, some squatting against the wall. Abu pulled the neck cloth higher over his face, covering it almost completely, squatted there, head down, and listened to Achmed and his friends talk.
Achmed had not told them of Selim's death, had not even hinted at it. For the moment, he told them that Selim had received a message about some family trouble and had decided to go home.
At that moment, Villiers appeared and they all scrambled to their feet. Achmed told him, "Selim was upset. I think it was bad news from the family. He's not been around, Sahb. He must have gone."
"Then you are now Sergeant," Villiers told him. "We leave at dawn for El Hajiz. Get the Land Rovers ready and pick me up at the hotel."
"As the Sahb commands."
Villiers turned and went. Achmed and his comrades moved out. Only then did Abu get to his feet and walk away.
K nowing the Scouts' destination, Abu left the villa before dawn in a Land Rover. Kate Rashid and Rupert were driven by the houseboy to a small landing pad she had constructed on the outskirts of Hazar, where a Scorpion helicopter waited with room for eight passengers. The pilot was Ben Carver, who was crouched beside it in blue RAF flying overalls.
"Good morning, Ben," she said. "This is my cousin, Rupert Dauncey. How's the weather?"
"Well, it's going to be bloody hot, but there's nothing new in that. Shabwa's fine, but there's a chance of a sandstorm in the Fuad area."
"We'll just have to tough it out. Let's get moving."
T here was an airstrip at Shabwa, an
"Which means your instructions."
"I rule the Empty Quarter, Tony, and I don't need the Scouts there. I don't want them. Police the border country, the high country, but stay on your side of the line."
"Why? Do you have something to hide over there?"
"That's my business. Next time you speak to Charles Ferguson, tell him to mind his." She nodded to Rupert. "We'll go now. We have an early start in the morning."
He pulled back her chair and said to Villiers, "It's been an interesting evening, Colonel."
Villiers stood up. "You could say that. Goodnight, Kate."
She smiled and led the way out, and Villiers said, "Another cognac, Abdul," and went back to the terrace to think things over.
Kate Rashid and Rupert walked back to the villa, Abu behind. "He's quite a man," Rupert said. "But he's right. Why don't you have him killed?"
"That might come later, but not for the moment. As I said, his work in the high country with the Scouts is useful to me, and good for Hazar."
"But what about his link with Ferguson?"
"Villiers can't tell him anything if he doesn't know anything. That's all that matters."
"Well, you're the expert. What's our schedule tomorrow?"
"The helicopter will be ready at seven. We'll call in at Shabwa, it's expected of me, then we'll fly on to Fuad Lake."
"How far?"
"Another hundred miles deeper into the desert." They had reached the steps leading up to the door of the villa and she turned to Abu. "Where are the Scouts at the moment?"
"They've been operating out of El Hajiz. There's good water there, but they may have moved."
They were speaking in English. "Villiers Sahb will join them soon, I think. You stay and watch him. When he leaves, follow. Take one of our Land Rovers."
"What are your orders?"
"I think he needs another lesson. He's proving difficult."
"The new officer?"
"Perhaps a fright will be enough. It is all as Allah wills. I leave it with you. Goodnight."
The copper door opened as if by magic, the houseboy appeared, and she passed through, Rupert following.
"Remind me never to give you cause to become annoyed with me," he said.
"As if you would." She smiled. "You're perfectly safe, darling. After all, you are a Dauncey."
A bu went straight down to the bazaar, a neck cloth obscuring his face, and went to the cafe, which he knew the Scouts used regularly when in Hazar. They were seated at a table, drinking coffee, Achmed and his four comrades. There were people all around, some squatting against the wall. Abu pulled the neck cloth higher over his face, covering it almost completely, squatted there, head down, and listened to Achmed and his friends talk.
Achmed had not told them of Selim's death, had not even hinted at it. For the moment, he told them that Selim had received a message about some family trouble and had decided to go home.
At that moment, Villiers appeared and they all scrambled to their feet. Achmed told him, "Selim was upset. I think it was bad news from the family. He's not been around, Sahb. He must have gone."
"Then you are now Sergeant," Villiers told him. "We leave at dawn for El Hajiz. Get the Land Rovers ready and pick me up at the hotel."
"As the Sahb commands."
Villiers turned and went. Achmed and his comrades moved out. Only then did Abu get to his feet and walk away.
K nowing the Scouts' destination, Abu left the villa before dawn in a Land Rover. Kate Rashid and Rupert were driven by the houseboy to a small landing pad she had constructed on the outskirts of Hazar, where a Scorpion helicopter waited with room for eight passengers. The pilot was Ben Carver, who was crouched beside it in blue RAF flying overalls.
"Good morning, Ben," she said. "This is my cousin, Rupert Dauncey. How's the weather?"
"Well, it's going to be bloody hot, but there's nothing new in that. Shabwa's fine, but there's a chance of a sandstorm in the Fuad area."
"We'll just have to tough it out. Let's get moving."
T here was an airstrip at Shabwa, an
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