Lotus looked at her and smiled in wide-eyed amazement. “You speak ver’ good Chinese.”

The blue dress fitted Margaret almost perfectly, the belt drawing it in neatly around the waist, the hemline dropping two or three inches below the knee. Lotus had a selection of sandals in the suitcase. “I borrow from my cousin and her mother,” she said. “Different size. Hope one fit.”

A pair of cream slingback sandals fitted snugly on her feet, the leather worn and soft and comfortable. There was a matching cream leather purse on a long shoulder strap. Lotus had filled it with make-up and a little spray of eau de Cologne. “Beautiful lady must look beautiful always,” she said. Margaret laid it on the bed beside her discarded clothes and saw McCord’s revolver nestling there among the folds. On impulse she slipped it into the purse and turned back to Lotus. She held her hand and squeezed it gratefully.

“Thank you, Lotus. I don’t know how I can ever repay you.”

“Oh, it nothing,” Lotus said. “You my friend.” And they embraced for several moments, breaking apart only at the sound of raised voices from outside. Li and Yongli were arguing about something. A moment later, Li brushed the curtain aside and stalked in, Yongli at his shoulder.

“Ma Yongli doesn’t want to take us to the embassy,” Li said. The colour had risen on his cheeks.

Margaret looked at Yongli, taken aback. “Why?”

“Because it is too dangerous,” Yongli said. “Where is the first place they will expect you to go? The American Embassy. They will be everywhere, waiting for you.”

Margaret glanced anxiously at Li. “He’s probably right.”

Li nodded reluctantly. Margaret looked back at Yongli. “But we’ve got to try, Ma Yongli. We can’t just stay here for ever. If it’s not possible to get to the embassy then we will think of something else.”

Lotus turned to Yongli. “Hey, lover, it’s no big deal,” she said. “Li Yan and Margaret can stay in the car. We will walk past the embassy to see if there are police around. No one will notice us if we go after nine. There are always crowds queuing for visas.”

Li looked at Yongli, who hesitated for only a moment before reluctantly nodding his acquiescence. He could refuse Lotus nothing.

“What’s happening?” Margaret asked.

“We’ll stay in the car,” Li said. “They’ll check out the street.”