I was in no condition to pursue the subject. ‘If you’ll remove yourself from my lap I’ll get you a drink.’

‘Country matters, lady?’ I might have known he couldn’t resist that reference. A truck thundered towards us, the bright light and contrasting shadow giving his upturned face and tumbled hair the look of a cheerful scarecrow, but I was too familiar with the cadences of his voice to miss the signs. He sat up, yawning. I heard the rustle of cloth and a faint click. Time for two of those little yellow pills? How many more could he take before he started climbing the walls?

I bent over and rummaged in the basket Granny had packed. She must have emptied her larder. There was enough food for a dozen people – bread, boiled eggs, fruit, a six-pack of soda. I opened one of the cans and handed it to John.

‘I don’t know what this is – ’ I began.

‘Neither do I. It tastes like battery acid. Never mind, it’s liquid. Where are we?’

‘A quarter of an hour from Nag Hammadi,’ Feisal answered. ‘I hope it was only a morbid fancy that made you mention roadblocks? If we don’t cross here – ’

‘There are other bridges farther north. And, if memory serves, a road of sorts on the east bank?’

‘Yes, to both. You didn’t answer my question. What makes you think they might be waiting for us at Hammadi?’

‘Foggington-Smythe followed Vicky out of the hotel. He was watching when we left.’

‘Why didn’t you say so earlier?’ Feisal demanded.

‘Why should I? Either he saw us or he didn’t. If he did, and if a lot of other equally unpleasant surmises are correct, they could be waiting for us at Nag Hammadi.’

‘But how – ’ I began.

‘Oh, Christ, do I have to spell everything out for you? Use your head. Your guess is as good as mine as to what Blenkiron will and can do, but his resources are extensive. Always anticipate the worst, remember?’

He had edged away from me and was sitting bolt upright, staring straight ahead. Ten minutes, I thought. Give him that much, at least.

Feisal began, ‘What are we – ’

I leaned forward. ‘How well do you know the roads?’

There was a perceptible pause before Feisal answered. ‘That depends on what roads you mean. The main north-south highway crosses the river at Hammadi and runs along the west bank from there to Cairo. There’s a secondary road on the east bank, but parts of it haven’t been completed.’

‘Where are the bridges?’ I asked.

I was trying to buy John a little more time, but as Feisal expanded on the geographical features I found myself wondering how Schmidt meant to employ same. Damn it, I knew the old boy better than John did, I ought to be able to follow his thinking.