They picked themselves up and ran to the car.
The officer looked towards them, a hand above his eyes to shield them from the rain. He leaned down and said something and his driver got out from behind the wheel and joined him.
It was only in the final moment that Chavasse realised that he was too late. That the driver carried a machine-pistol. That the officer was Jack Murdoch.
As he and Asta halted, waiting helplessly, a Land Rover roared out of the mist behind them and skidded to a halt. Max Donner got out and ran forward, his face cold and angry.
'You know, you've been asking for this, sport,' he said and his fist swung, connecting high on the right cheek, sending Chavasse back into the ditch.
Asta turned and ran and further along the road, Stavrou slid down to the road and moved to meet her, As he dragged her back, Hector Munro and Rory appeared from the plantation above.
'Get down here,' Donner called. 'You're going to ruin everything.'
There was a track on the other side of the road and he nodded to Stavrou. 'Drive the Land Rover in there and make it quick. We haven't got much time.' He pulled Chavasse to his feet and produced a Mauser from his pocket, a bulbous silencer on the end of the barrel. 'Into the trees, sport,' he said grimly. 'I had plans for you, but I can always change them.'
Asta ran past him to Chavasse's side and together they moved across the road into the pine trees as Stavrou drove the Land Rover out of sight. The Munros followed looking slightly bewildered.
They all halted beside the Land Rover, screened from the road by trees and Donner turned to face them. 'And now we wait.'
It was quiet with the rain hissing down through the trees and then in the distance, they heard the sound of a vehicle approaching from the south. As the sound drew nearer, Chavasse realised that there was more than one engine-probably two, which seemed reasonable. A troop carrier for the men, a staff car for the officers.
They started to slow and through the green screen of the pine trees he was aware of movement and then the engines stopped altogether and Murdoch's voice was raised, warm and pleasant, eager to please.
'Captain Bailey, sir, with Colonel von Bayern's party?'
'That's right,' a strange voice said. 'What's all this, then?'
'Lieutenant Grant, sir, attached to Movement Control, Mallaig. There's flooding on the road up ahead, sir, due to last night's heavy rain. My C.O. thought I'd better come to meet you with an alternative route in case of trouble.'
'Surely it can't be as bad as all that if you got here?'
'I only just managed to get across the bridge at Craigie,' Murdoch said, 'and the water was three feet deep then and rising fast. I don't think anything else but a Land Rover could have made it.'
'All right then, what about this alternative route you mentioned?'
'We go through the pass into Glenmore, sir. Poor roads I'm afraid and a longer way round, but we've arranged for you to halt for lunch at Glenmore House.'
'Well, that sounds promising at any rate,' Bailey replied. 'You take the lead. We'll follow.'
There was the slam of a door, followed by another, a strange, hollow silence and then the engines coughed into life. As they died into the distance, Donner turned to Chavasse and grinned.
'Simple when you know how, sport.'
13
Donner stood in front of the fireplace in the library, adjusting the collar of his uniform. He fastened the top button, placed the peaked cap at a slight angle on his head and nodded in satisfaction.
Behind him, the door opened and Asta entered, Stavrou behind her. Donner turned with a grin and held his arms wide. 'Will I do?'
Asta's eyes burned with hate. 'If I had a gun, I'd kill you, Max,' she said flatly.
He took off his cap and crossed in two quick strides, holding her shoulders gently. 'Asta, I love you. I've always loved you. Just a few hours and I'll be back and we'll fly away from this place-far away where no one can touch us.'
She shook her head. 'I won't go, Max.'
'Give yourself a chance. You'll come round,' he said confidently.
'You murdered my mother,' she said. 'When you touch me, I want to be sick.'
He took an involuntary step back and there was real horror in his eyes. 'Now look, Asta, you've got it all wrong….'
She didn't give him a chance. 'Ruth told me. It's no use trying to deny it now. And I saw what you did to Fergus. I can believe anything after that.'
His face hardened. 'You don't leave me much choice, do you?' He nodded to Stavrou. 'Put her in the cellars with the rest of them and send Munro in here.'
She turned without a word and went out, Stavrou at her heels. Donner walked across to the desk, picked up the Mauser with the bulbous silencer on the barrel and checked the magazine.
The door opened and Murdoch entered with Boris Souvorin. The Russian wore the uniform of a sergeant- major in the German Army and Murdoch, who was to take Bailey's place, had Intelligence Corps insignia on the shoulders of his battledress tunic.
'We're ready when you are,' he said.
Donner nodded. 'Get the men into the truck. I'll be with you in five minutes.'
They went out quickly and he slipped the Mauser into his hip pocket and lit a cigarette. The door opened and Hector Munro came in followed by Stavrou.
Donner turned to face him. 'We're leaving now. Stavrou is staying, but he has things to do, so I want you and your son to help guard the prisoners in the cellar.'
'Well now, I'm not so sure about that,' the old man said. 'I don't like the way this thing is shaping up and that's a fact.'
'And what do you intend to do about it?' Donner said. 'Go to the authorities?' He shook his head. 'I thought you had brains, Hector. You're already in this up to your neck. No turning back now.'
The old man stood there, indecision on his face and Donner slapped him on the shoulder. 'Five hundred apiece for you and Rory when I get back this evening. After that, you can go where you want.'
Munro's eyes brightened. 'By God, that's money, Mr. Donner. Real money.'
'Get to it then.' Donner said and the old man turned and went out quickly.
Donner put on his cap and picked up his gloves. 'You are leaving now?' Stavrou said in Russian.
'I've one small thing to attend to first,' Donner said. 'Come with me.'
He went out into the hall, mounted the stairs quickly and moved along the landing. When he opened the door to Ruth Murray's room, she was lying on the bed, a glass in her hand.
She put it down and got to her feet. 'Max, darling, I haven't seen you all day.'
When she was close enough, he struck her heavily in the face, knocking her back across the bed. She got to her feet again, dazed, blood on her lip.
'What is it, Max? What have I done?'
'You bitch,' he said savagely. 'You told Asta about her mother-about what happened at Lesbos.'
She looked genuinely bewildered. 'No. Max! No-it isn't possible.'
He picked up the brandy decanter and held it front of her face. 'It was this-don't you realise? You were drunk, as you always are. So damned drunk you didn't know what you were doing.'
He tossed the decanter across the room and shoved her back on to the bed. She was completely sober, her eyes wide with horror. 'I didn't mean it, Max. I didn't mean any harm.'
'You never do, angel.'
'What are you going to do?' she whispered hoarsely.
