He had laughed at her struggles to get free.

“What else do you expect me to do?” he asked mockingly. “Talk? A woman’s lips were made for kisses.”

“The sort of women you know!” she had retorted angrily.

“There are only two sorts of women, those who are desirable and those who are not.”

“Your opinion would be farcical if it was not insulting.”

“Not to you, for you are very desirable.”

“For you to think so is the greatest insult I can imagine.”

He laughed at her anger.

“Think how much more humiliating it would be if you were without sex appeal, an unwanted woman.”

“I would thank Heaven on my knees if I was unwanted by you.”

“The day will come,” he reassured her. “Passion doesn’t last.”

“Only love!”

Skye was not certain why she had spoken the words.

He had looked at her strangely.

“Love,” he repeated slowly, “is something about which you and I need not worry ourselves! Let’s think instead of passion.”

His arms had tightened around her body and there had been a cruel twist on his lips as he sought her mouth.

The memory of those words stabbed at Skye now with an almost intolerable pain.

With an effort she remembered that Jimmy was waiting.

“I want you to come down and see El Diablo,” she said. “But what are you going to say? Are you going to tell him that you know who he is?”

“Why not? Although I have only your word for it,” Jimmy replied.

“I know and he has always refused to tell me his full name.”

“I see no reason for subterfuge and intrigue,” Jimmy said stiffly, suddenly becoming very English.

“All right, have it your own way. It cannot matter now,” Skye retorted.

She led the way down to the cabin. As they entered Evans was just carrying out a tray.

El Diablo was propped high on his pillows. He was wearing blue pyjamas, which accentuated his suntan, making it hard to believe that he was of British nationality.

“Hello, Ice Maiden. Have I been neglecting you?” El Diablo asked lightly as Skye went into the room. And then he saw that she was not alone.

His eyes rested on Jimmy with an expression of interrogation in them.

“My cousin, Jimmy Donaldson, has brought news that will interest you,” Skye began, going up to the bed.

“Indeed?”

She fancied that there was an atmosphere of tenseness between the two men.

“General Alejo is dead,” Skye announced. “Your men have taken control of Jācara and we are returning there at this moment.”

“So they have killed Alejo!” El Diablo said quietly.

Skye felt almost disappointed at the way that he had taken her announcement. She had expected some startled exclamation from him.

“He is no loss, I imagine,” Jimmy remarked.

“None,” El Diablo agreed, “but someone will have to take over the country.”