Meanwhile, Nobby Scraggs was taken to hospital for his wounds, promised the best medical care in the world. And needless to say, the expected men in suits, six of them toting submachine guns, were waiting eagerly to receive the prince and stuff his precious person into a bullet-proof limousine. ‘Wait,’ he told them, sounding quite authoritative. The suits milled uncomfortably around as Richard came to shake hands with Ben, Wolf and Madison, and thank them once again for what they’d done for him. ‘I won’t forget it.’

‘You mean we have friends in high places now?’ Wolf chuckled. ‘That’s a first.’

‘So long, honey bunny,’ Madison said, giving the prince a goodbye peck on the cheek. No doubt the first time in history that a British royal personage had ever been publicly addressed as honey bunny, and probably the last.

Early next morning, the children were taken under special escort to their new temporary home in a comfortable humanitarian camp, along with Francine and Father Bugnolio, who were already discussing plans to set up a new Christian mission somewhere safer than Afghanistan. There were emotional scenes as they said goodbye. The last thing Ben, Wolf and Madison saw of them was little Gulnaz waving from the window of the minibus as they drove off.

From Abu, duly cleaned up, rested and fed with a few stitches and dressings for their minor wounds, Ben and Wolf in crisp new western clothing and Madison wearing a black T-shirt and jeans, the remaining trio departed for England on an RAF cargo jet. They were met at the military airfield by Carstairs and a team of secret service men.

Carstairs was all smiles, and delivered a very long and very dull spiel that droned on until its concluding words, ‘And on behalf of HM Government, allow me once again to express our sincerest gratitude for your services to your country.’

Ben and Wolf looked at one another. Wolf said, ‘With all due respect, Colonel, you have my permission to shove that where monkeys shove their nuts. Now if you’ll kindly get me on a private jet to Spain asap, I’ll be on my way.’

‘Till next time, Jaden,’ Ben said as they parted ways a little while later. ‘Try and stay out of trouble, eh?’

‘That’ll be the day,’ Wolf replied. Then with a last flash of a golden grin, he turned and walked away.

‘I suppose I’ll be off home myself pretty soon,’ Ben said when he and Madison were alone again, or as alone as they could be with a bunch of secret service suits still hanging shiftily about in the background.

‘Aren’t you forgetting something?’ she asked, arching one eyebrow. ‘You owe me a cold beer.’

Ben made a big deal out of looking at his watch. ‘Oh, I think I might just about have time to squeeze that in. As long as you’re quick.’