The descent wasn’t as steep as the ascent, but it was just as bumpy. When we reached relatively level ground Feisal picked up speed and I opened my eyes.

He was watching me in the cracked rearview mirror ‘The worst is over,’ he yelled. ‘Not long now.’

‘Don’t look at me,’ I yelled back. ‘Keep your eyes on the – you should excuse the word – road.’

Experience is broadening, all right; never again would I complain about any road surface, anywhere. Compared to what we’d been through, this stretch was a piece of cake. I now had leisure to realize how hot it was. The air was bone-dry; I could feel my skin stretching and cracking. After approximately an hour Feisal pulled up and turned off the engine.

‘Almost there. People come this way occasionally, so we’d better lie low until dark.’

Stretched out on the hard ground, we finished the water. I was bone-tired but not sleepy; I waited till John had dropped off, or passed out, whichever came first, before I spoke. ‘He can’t go on much longer.’

‘I know. But there’s nothing we can do for him now. Get some rest, Vicky. You worked like a hero today.’

‘What’s going to happen when we reach Amarna?’

‘He’s got something in mind, but don’t ask me what. He told me where to go and what to say, but he did not condescend to explain further.’ Feisal stretched out with a long, heartfelt sigh. ‘At least we can be sure no one has followed us. Only an idiot would attempt this route. Don’t worry, love, we’ll bribe or bully someone into helping us.’

‘We haven’t any money.’

Feisal’s long fuzzy lashes were drooping. He opened his eyes a little wider and grinned at me. ‘We’ll sell something. You, perhaps. A woman who can work that hard should fetch a good price.’

I let him sleep. I tried to, but I couldn’t, so I lay still counting John’s breaths and watching the sky darken and the stars brighten against the night.

Finally Feisal stirred. ‘Did we finish the water?’

‘There’s some fizzy lemonade. I’ve been hoarding it.’

‘Well done. All right, let’s do it. Johnny?’

‘I told you not to call me that,’ said a grumpy voice from the darkness.

‘I assumed you’d prefer it to “blue eyes.” Someday perhaps one of you will explain those esoteric comments to me.’

‘A cold day in hell, perhaps,’ John said.

When we emerged from the widening mouth of the wadi the moon was shining down on the plain of Amarna. Lights twinkled among the dark bank of trees along the river.

Nobody felt like cheering. Not yet.

‘Head north,’ John said. ‘I suggest you follow the cliffs as long as possible. Less chance of our being observed.’

‘If people don’t know we’re here, they’re deaf,’ I remarked.