Achmed shrugged. "He was a weak man."

"But a good Sergeant."

"I would be better, Sahb. Sahb."

Villiers smiled. "Well, you must prove that to me." He took out his pack of cigarettes and gave them to him. "Go on, you rogue, but no mention of this to the others."

"It will come out, Sahb, Sahb, these things do." these things do."

"Let it be in its own time."

Achmed faded into the darkness and Villiers went inside and approached the bar. A matter of honor. A matter of honor. That was supremely important to the Bedus, and perhaps Kate Rashid also saw it that way. That was supremely important to the Bedus, and perhaps Kate Rashid also saw it that way.

"Cigarettes, Abdul," he said. "Marlboros."

Abdul pa.s.sed a pack across. "A lager now, Colonel?"

Before he could reply, a voice said, "Why, Tony, how nice," and he turned to find Kate Rashid entering the bar, Dauncey with her. She wore a simple white shift, and magnificent diamond earrings and necklace. He wore a linen suit and a pale blue shirt.

"Countess." Before he could say more, she reached up and kissed his cheek.

"I've told you before, it's Kate to my friends. This is my cousin, Major Rupert Dauncey, Marine Corps. And this, Rupert, is the famous Colonel Tony Villiers."

They shook hands. "My pleasure, Major," Villiers told him.

"No, mine. I've heard a lot about you."

"Champagne on the terrace, Abdul-you must join us, Tony, and for dinner," Kate said.

"How can I refuse?"

Her eyes glittered and there was an excitement in them, for as she and Rupert had been leaving the villa, Abu had appeared.

"Are all things well?" she'd asked.

"It is done, Countess."

"Good. It's a nice night for a walk. You will accompany us."

He'd fallen in behind them, his hand on the hilt of the jambya, jambya, the curved Arab knife at his belt, although not a soul in Hazar would have gone against him. the curved Arab knife at his belt, although not a soul in Hazar would have gone against him.

"The dog died, is that it?" Rupert shook his head. "G.o.d, but you're a hard woman, harder than I ever could have believed."

"This is a hard land, darling, and being hard is the only way to survive." She slipped a hand in his arm. "But no sad songs. I want to enjoy myself this evening."

8.

THE NIGHT WIND BLOWING IN FROM THE SEA WAS WARM and perfumed, a touch of spices there. Kate was sitting on a swing seat, Rupert and Villiers opposite her across a cane table. Abdul was serving champagne.

"You look absolutely splendid, Tony. All those medals. He's got everything except the Victoria Cross, Rupert."

"So I can see."

"You and Rupert have things in common," she told Villiers. "The Gulf War, Serbia, and Bosnia."

"Really?" Rupert said. "That's very interesting. Which unit?"

"SAS." Villiers decided to push it. "I'm surprised you didn't know. Kate certainly knows everything about me."

"Now then, Tony, you're getting fractious. On the other hand, I know you've had a h.e.l.l of a day. To paraphrase Oscar Wilde, to lose one man might be considered careless, but to lose two..."

Villiers turned to Rupert. "One thing you'll discover about this place is that news travels fast. Nothing stays secret for long. I did lose a man when we stopped at the pool at Hama on the way in."

"Tough luck," Rupert said.

"Yes, but the second man, my Sergeant, Selim, was only murdered a short while ago down on the docks." He smiled at Kate. "You must have remarkable sources."

"It's the secret of my success, Tony. But enough of this. Let's order."

The meal was excellent, for the chef had a French mother, and had trained in Paris. Rupert Dauncey and Villiers, as soldiers will, discussed their personal experiences in the Gulf War and the former Yugoslavia.

"So you were behind Iraqi lines with the SAS?" Rupert asked. "How long?"

"Oh, before the war started. We knew it was coming and exactly what Saddam Hussein intended." Villiers shrugged. "People like me with a working knowledge of Arabic were at a premium. Like Kate's brother Paul."

"Did you know him?"

"We were in the same regiment, the Grenadier Guards, but he was long after my time. I knew him there, though. He had his men kill my second-in-command, Cornet James Bronsby. The Rashid have a very effective technique. They slice the skin down from the chest. It takes a long time. The loss of masculinity is the final touch, but then Kate will have told you all this."

"Actually, I hadn't," she said.

"Why? Were you ashamed?"

"No. My people expected it. It's their way." She shrugged. "And you got your revenge, Tony. Dillon killed four of my men the following morning. And one of them was my brother George."

"If he couldn't take the consequences, he shouldn't have joined."

Abdul appeared with three gla.s.ses of cognac on his tray. Kate sipped a little of hers. "I hear you have a new second-in-command, another Household Cavalryman?"

"Yes, a Lifeguard this time, Cornet Bobby Hawk. A nice boy. You'd like him."

"Perhaps he he shouldn't have joined." shouldn't have joined."

The threat was implicit and he was angry now, tired of playing games, so he swallowed the cognac down.

"Oh, you can do better than that, Kate. Tell me, why didn't Abu go for a head shot on me out there at Hama?"

"Why, Tony, I'm shocked. You're far too important, not only to Hazar but to me. You're the best commander the Scouts have ever had. And you follow the 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 Sahb will join them soon, I think. You stay and watch him. When he leaves, follow. Take one of our Land Rovers." 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 pa.s.sed 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."

Abu 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. Sahb. He must have gone." 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 Sahb commands." commands."

Villiers turned and went. Achmed and his comrades moved out. Only then did Abu get to his feet and walk away.

Knowing 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 pa.s.sengers. 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 b.l.o.o.d.y 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."

There was an airstrip at Shabwa, an enormous oasis with palm trees and a pool the size of a small lake, plus many, many tents, horses, camels, herds of goats, and several Land Rovers. The Scorpion landed, and as Kate Rashid got out, people surged forward, not only warriors with rifles but women and children. Several rifles were fired into the air, children cried out in delight, and the crowd milled around, trying to touch her.

The warriors pushed them away and formed two lines. Two young boys ran forward, each with a robe, and helped Kate and Rupert into them.

She raised an arm to the warriors, fist clenched. "My brothers."

They roared their approval and more rifles were fired into the air. She led the way to where a huge awning had been prepared, with a carpet and cushions to sit on. Two of the sub-chieftains squatted cross-legged beside her and engaged in a lively conversation in Arabic. Rupert lit a cigarette and was served thick sweet coffee in a metal cup, and seed cakes. The two old chieftains were also busy with coffee, and many people sat and watched.

"Unbelievable," Rupert said. "I've never seen anything like it."

"These are my people, Rupert."

"And yet this is only half of you. When you took me down to Dauncey the other month, the villagers were just the same, in a strange way. Dammit, when we went in the Dauncey Arms for a drink, everybody who was sitting down stood up."

"That's because they are also my people, and they're as dear to me as those here. Dauncey roots go deep, Rupert, and they're your roots, too."

"Something to live up to, all that," Rupert said, and somewhat to his own surprise, realized that he meant it.

Women appeared with various dishes: rice, lentils, plenty of unleavened bread, and a hot stew.

"What the h.e.l.l is in that?" Rupert asked.

"Goat, darling, and don't say no or you'll give offense."

"Dear G.o.d," Rupert said.

"No knives and forks. We eat by hand here and make sure you use your left left hand." She smiled. "Now eat it up like a good boy, then we'll carry on to Fuad." hand." She smiled. "Now eat it up like a good boy, then we'll carry on to Fuad."