Follow a Stranger

open and he plunged out, wearing dark red pyjamas, his

black hair on end.

“What is it?” asked his mother.

He shot her a look. “Someone on the verandah ...” He

vanished downstairs, and they more slowly followed.

“Who can it be at this hour?” Mrs. Lillitos wondered.

Behind them doors opened, but, as the banging had now

stopped, after a moment, the doors closed again.

They found Marc standing in the hall with a young man

wearing a soaking wet jacket. As they arrived he ran out

again into the rain, and Marc came towards them, frowning.

“There’s been a serious rock fall on the Etrusci road,” he

said grimly. “Alex is going to try to get across to Epilison by

boat—the telephone lines are all down here.” He turned

towards the stairs. “I’ll get over to Etrusci now,” he said.

“The worst of the fall crashed on the roofs of the side street.

There are a number of people injured, Alex doesn’t know

how badly. They are just digging them out.”

“I’ll come with you,” Kate said urgently, as he turned to

go.

He stopped and looked at her, expression inscrutable.

“You?” His mouth twisted oddly. “No, stay here. It will not

be a very pleasant sight.”

“I did a first aid course last year,” she said quickly. “I

learnt how to cope with civil disasters. I can bandage,

diagnose ... do all sorts of things.”

He grimaced, hesitating. Over her head he looked at his

mother. Then he said, “Oh, very well!”

Kate ran upstairs and got out her jacket, put on a pair of

wellingtons which Marc threw at her as she passed his door,