‘They won’t do anything to me,’ I said, giggling insanely. I do that when I’m upset, and his lashes were tickling me. ‘I’ll tell them – ’

‘It is not a sensible idea,’ said John, ‘because that may not be the police. And if it isn’t, and if they catch you, I’ll go after you and then we’ll have to repeat the whole tedious performance.’

‘Would you?’

‘I told you not to ask silly questions. Say it again.’

‘I love you.’

‘That’s what I thought you said.’ He lifted himself on his elbows, freeing my hands. I wrapped them around the back of his head and drew his face down to mine.

I was a trifle distracted, however, not only by the unnatural heat of his skin but by a far-off sound. Turning my head I murmured, ‘We’d better stop this.’

‘Discretion would seem to suggest a more responsible course of action.’ Instead of moving, he kissed the corner of my mouth. ‘I couldn’t tell you the truth. I couldn’t even let you begin to wonder. They had me so boxed in – ’

‘I know. Feisal told me.’

‘I must have missed that part. I hope he portrayed me in a favourable light?’

‘You came out looking like Sir Galahad and me like something that had crawled out from under a . . . Oh, God. John – ’

‘Sorry. Did I hurt you?’

‘Yes. Do it again. No! No, don’t, we’ve got to – ’

‘I did hurt you – that night, after you danced with Feisal. While you were laughing and giving him languishing glances, she was leaning against my shoulder, watching you, and smiling, and saying things under her breath . . . Schmidt turned up in the nick of time. I couldn’t have kept my hands off her much longer. And then when I saw you – you’d been so cool and indifferent, I thought you didn’t care, and . . . But that doesn’t excuse what I did. Can you – ’

‘John,’ I said desperately, ‘isn’t that a dog I hear?’

‘Probably. There are dozens of them around and they howl at . . . Oh.’ He lifted his head and listened. ‘You mean a dog, as opposed to dogs in general. Damned if I don’t think you’re right. That puts a different complexion on things. We might elude human searchers but man’s best friend is another matter. I’m beginning to detest the bloody creatures. First that diabolical hound of yours – ’

‘Get up this minute!’

The lights were closer now. Three separate beams – flashlights, I thought. Not the police, then. They’d have more effective equipment, and they’d be making a lot more noise.

‘How could they know we’d end up here?’ I demanded.