Would he be all right?

What was waiting for them up at the villa?

James remembered about the robbery. Would the place seem empty and bare without all the paintings?

He had tried not to think about that until now. He had simply pictured an idyllic scene of Victor sitting sipping wine with Poliponi on the terrace, jazz music playing on the gramophone.

Amy jumped off the boat and James tossed her the rope. She tied it to an iron ring and James clambered out to join her.

Too tired even to speak to each other, they tramped up the steps cut into the rock. James just wanted to be in his bed asleep and recovering.

The thought of bed had never been so delicious. Another picture came into his mind. A picture of crisp white sheets, and a mosquito net gently moving in the breeze from an open window.

He smiled.

He was nearly there.

Soon it would all be over.

Victor appeared at the top of the steps wearing one of his Moroccan robes and James smiled.

But then he noticed that Victor looked worried and there was a nasty bruise on his forehead.

‘Victor,’ said James, ‘are you all right?’

Before Victor could say anything he gasped and dropped to one side.

Someone had hit him from behind.

Jana Carnifex stepped forward, her high heels clicking on the stones like the claws of a dog. Her make-up was smeared. Her wig was at a mad angle and straggly grey hair was falling from under it in a messy tangle about her face. Her gold dress was filthy and dusty. In her brown, silver-ringed hand she held a pistol, her long fingernails curled around the handle. She must have been holding it in Victor’s back and then struck him with it.

James looked at Victor. His hands were tied behind him and he appeared to be unconscious.

‘James Bond,’ said Jana. ‘I have been waiting for you.’ She had a crazy, wild-eyed look about her and James knew that she would not hesitate to use the gun. But what could he do? He and Amy were trapped on the steps. If they rushed her, it was possible that one of them would be able to reach her unharmed, but it was too big a risk.

Whatever happened, though, he had to try and shield Amy.

Perhaps they could jump into the sea? James knew that water bent light so that it was hard to aim at something beneath the surface. How good a shot could Jana be?

It was a slim hope, but it was all he had.

He glanced down. They weren’t as high up as the ledge he’d dived off that day with Mauro, but he’d have to be careful of the sea urchins that lay everywhere on the rocks like a black blanket.

How could he explain it to Amy, though? There wouldn’t be time.