They were on the arm of a chair where he had laid them down and, as impatiently he turned towards them, Skye moved too.

She sprang from the couch with a swiftness born of desperation and, as El Diablo’s hand went out towards the box of matches, she grasped his revolver in hers.

He turned swiftly, but he was too late.

Skye placed the table between him and her.

“Keep back!” she panted.

He put his hands in his pockets and leaned back against the stone of the fireplace.

“That was careless of me,” he muttered.

“Very,” Skye agreed drily, “and now I am going to kill you.”

“Let me warn you, that gun pulls a little to the left. If you want to make a good job of it, you must aim a foot lower than your target, allowing for the kick.”

“I have used a revolver before,” Skye retorted.

“Good. I would not like to be mangled.”

He made himself a little more comfortable and asked mockingly,

“Am I allowed time to say my prayers?”

“Did you give the man you hanged time to say his?”

“Who? Alejo’s spy? As a matter of fact, I did. He swore that he was a Catholic, although I very much doubted it, but we gave him five minutes to make his peace with God.”

“Then I will give you five minutes and you had better start praying.”

“You wouldn’t like to hear my last confession?”

“No!”

“Why? Afraid of being shocked?”

“Not in the slightest and you don’t seem to be taking this seriously – I intend to kill you!”

“I believe you. You are very ferocious. Look how long you have managed to fight me as it is?”

“Flattery won’t save you.”

“I never thought that it would, but if a man cannot speak the truth in the last moments of his life, when can he? Shall I tell you something? You are very different from what I expected.”

“What did you expect?” Skye asked, curious in spite of herself.

“I will tell you. A pretty but boring English girl, full of clichés, tiresome enthusiasms and repressed sex.”

Skye could not help smiling.

“I am sorry you were disappointed.”

“On the contrary, I have enjoyed myself more than I have enjoyed anything for a long time. Shall I tell you something else that surprised me?”

“If you wish – your time is getting short.”

“Taking into consideration the social background and the vast dollar resources of the rich spoilt Miss Standish, I have been astonished into believing that she has never, like so many of her contemporaries, indulged in any serious love affairs.”

Steadily Skye kept her eyes on El Diablo’s face, but try as she would, she could not help the colour creeping up her cheeks, deepening the flush that was already there, the blush rising till it touched the curls shining against her forehead.