There was a little pause before he said the word ‘trust’ and Skye knew that he could easily translate it into the word ‘love’. It was Pauline who had done this to him, she thought. He had loved her, rotten though she must have been at heart. She had also been a coward. He would not be able to forgive her for that, because he respected courage and yet perhaps fruitlessly he had gone on loving her.

Skye dared not look at him lest he should see how much she understood. It was her newly-awakened love for him which had given her an understanding that she had never had before.

And then while she stood there wondering what to say, El Diablo turned to Jimmy.

“Thank you for what you have told me,” he said, “but I want my past to be forgotten. My name is now Guido Tremayna. I am a Mariposan and proud of it. As you doubtless know, my grandmother was of the Veremundo family. They were for centuries one of the finest families in the country, but the line came to an end and their estates were scattered. One day I may try to restore the family fortunes, who knows? But in the meantime everyone in Mariposa knows that I am of Veremundo blood and they respect it.”

“I too will respect your wishes,” Jimmy said, “but remember, if you take over the Government of Mariposa, Great Britain can prove a good friend to a young democracy.”

“I am well aware of that,” El Diablo said, “and I need your help.”

“I shall be glad to give it to you,” Jimmy said formally.

Evans then came into the cabin and whispered in Skye’s ear.

“We are to let the patient sleep,” she said to Jimmy. “Evans says we have been here far too long already.”

“I am not tired,” El Diablo said, but she knew that he lied.

“Sleep as long and as much as you can today. There will be a great deal to do tomorrow.”

He was asleep almost before they left the cabin.

Evans would not allow Skye to act as nurse when night came. She pleaded with him, but the Steward insisted that he preferred to sit up with El Diablo rather than toss restlessly on his own bunk, wondering what was happening.

“I am used to nursing, miss. I can sleep with one eye open like a cat. I had a bit of a lie down this afternoon, so there’s no need to worry about me. You go to bed. There’ll be plenty to keep awake for tomorrow, I’m thinking.”