Desert Barbarian

'We've got to get back to England and get married before I lose all my last shreds of self-control,' he said grimly.

'I can't leave Jess without anyone to look after Jeremy,' she protested; 'He needs const

ant care.'

'We'll fly someone out to take your place,' he said easily, brushing the problem aside. 'That woman who works there can take over until the new girl arrives. After all, she's been looking after the child while you were away.' He looked at her gently. 'Jess was very wor­ried about you, you know. She was intent on blaming herself for what happened. She thought that if she'd never brought you out here it wouldn't have happened, which, in a way, I suppose, is true.'

'Poor Jess,' she said. 'We must go to the bungalow right away and tell her the good news.'

'I think the King wants to ask you some questions first,' he told her. 'They want to try to catch these damned rebels, and any information you can give them will help.'

'But I don't know anything,' she protested. She knew that she did not want to help to catch the young men who had held her prisoner. They had treated her with comparative kindness. Even their threat to kill her had been a muted one.

'You saw them, didn't you? You saw their faces?'

She shrugged. 'Only in a very dim light. I wouldn't know any of them again. They were just ordinary young Indians.'

Stonor stared down at her, his brows drawn together in a frown. 'Marie, are you trying to protect them? Be­cause if you are, let me remind you that the next person they kidnap may not be so lucky. They can't be allowed to get away with this, you know.'

'I'm not hiding anything!' she protested. 'I don't know anything which could help.'

Then Stonor walked to the door and opened it. There was a slight pause as he spoke to the sentry outside, then he came back to join her.

'Better sit down,' he said. 'This will take some time.'

'I'm so tired, Stonor,' she said unhappily. 'And I'm hungry. Can't it wait?'

The King came hurriedly into the room. He smiled at them both in a friendly fashion.

'All is well between you? Good. Now, Miss Brinton, I must ask you a few questions, then I will send you back to Mrs Cunningham by car so that you may relax in the peace of the bungalow. Or if you prefer, you may stay here in the palace near Mr Grey.' His eyes twinkled. 'Which would you prefer?'

'I think I'd better join Mrs Cunningham, sir,' she said.

'I understand that she's been very worried about me, and I wouldn't want her to go on being worried for much longer.'

'You are very thoughtful,' he said. He glanced at Stonor. 'Won't you sit down, Mr Grey?'

Stonor sat down beside Marie on the low couch. He leaned over and took her hand firmly.

She looked at the King with caution.

'First, Miss Brinton, can you tell me the names of any of these men?'

She shook her head.

'They did not once address each other by name in your presence? Are you quite certain of that?'

She nodded. 'Quite sure.'

The King looked depressed. 'They are cleverer than I had thought. Well, then, where were you held? Did you recognise anything about it?'

Marie explained that she had been held in a house at which she had arrived and from which she had left in darkness.

'The room was always shuttered. I have no idea where the house was.'

'Was it in a town ? Could you hear any sounds which might give us a clue?'

'It was in the country, I think,' she said. 'I heard cows, and the wind rustling in trees.'