John could have snapped her neck with one twist of those long skilled hands. When he released his hold she crumpled bonelessly to the floor, but she was still alive. I heard the rattle of painfully drawn breath. John’s hands fell to his sides. I couldn’t see his face; his back was to me.

Max sighed. ‘You surprise me, Mr Tregarth. Mr Blenkiron, I think perhaps you had better run along.’

Larry’s features were drawn with disgust and horror. ‘Yes, yes, perhaps I had,’ he mumbled. ‘The boat will be in shortly; I’ll just go down to the dock and . . . You’ll make the – the arrangements, Max?’

‘Don’t concern yourself, Mr Blenkiron. I’ll handle everything.’

‘You’re a very competent man, Max. I leave everything in your hands. Vicky, I – uh – you’ll be fine. I hope we meet again under more – uh – pleasant circumstances.’

The door closed.

John turned. His colour was bad and perspiration trickled down his cheeks, but his voice was cool and ironic. ‘A pity we didn’t have a basin of water to offer him. Don’t do anything you might regret, Max. It’s over, you know.’

He stepped back, closer to me, as Max came towards him. ‘I know,’ Max said calmly. Stooping, he lifted the unconscions woman and carried her towards the bed. Instead of putting her down he went on, out onto the balcony. When he came back his arms were empty.

It was done with such quiet unhesitating efficiency I didn’t understand what had happened until John moved, violently and jerkily, and then jolted to a stop.

‘That’s settled,’ Max said. ‘I had hoped you would take care of it for me, but evidently I overestimated you. It doesn’t matter; the onus won’t rest on me. If you two will wait here for – oh, an hour should be long enough – you can proceed on your way. Whitbread has gone with Blenkiron, and Rudi and Hans will accompany me, so you need not worry about being disturbed.’

John cleared his throat. ‘You mean you – ’

‘I am a professional, Mr Tregarth, and I don’t underestimate your intelligence. When I learned that you and Herr Schmidt had reached Cairo unscathed I knew we had lost. He would, of course, go straight to the authorities. His reputation is such that they would be forced to listen to him and, however reluctantly, act on his accusations. They would be hammering at the door by this time if they weren’t hoping you could get Dr Bliss out safely.’