Exocet - Jack Higgins [79]
'And then what? Back to Rio Gallegos and that Skyhawk Squadron?'
'What do you think?'
'That you're exactly that kind of holy fool. You've lost the war, Raul. It's over. You saw the evening papers. We're on our way. Those Commandos are walking across North Falkland to Stanley. Everybody said it couldn't be done, but they're doing it. The only thing standing between the British army and total victory is maybe nine or ten thousand men dug in around Stanley and what's left of your air force.'
'Exactly. While I've been playing games up here in Europe, the rest of my boys have been getting blown out of the sky down there in the South Atlantic.'
'So you want to join them?' Villiers was surprised to find he was actually angry. 'I know, don't tell me. A matter of honour.'
'Something like that.'
'And Gabrielle? She loves you, you know that and where she's concerned, I'm an expert. Oh, a failed expert, perhaps, but I know this. She never looked at me like she looks at you. I never saw her smile like that.'
'There's nothing left for Gabrielle and me, not after what's happened,' Montera said.
'Can't you understand?' Villiers told him. 'She was in a hole she couldn't get out of. Ferguson held all the cards.'
Montera laughed. 'I understand perfectly, but there's her brother to be considered.' He shivered slightly. 'He would always be between us, Tony, can't you see that?'
His name was called over the tannoy. He dropped his cigarette, put his foot on it and smiled. 'That's it, then.'
He held out his hand and Villiers took it for a moment. 'Good luck. I'm afraid you're going to need it.'
'What the hell does it matter as long as it's quick?' Montera moved to the gate and turned. 'Do your best for her, Tony,' and then he was gone.
Villiers went into the bar, sat in the corner and ordered coffee and Cognac. He felt restless and out of sorts. Damn the man. As he'd kept saying himself, he was the enemy and yet it seemed such a waste. He had another Cognac, then went out, found an international call box and phoned the Cavendish Place number.
Ferguson said, 'You're phoning from Charles de Gaulle, I presume? You've seen Raul Montera off?'
'How in the hell did you know?' Villiers demanded.
'Pierre Guyon and Section Five of the SDECE have been watching you two ever since you arrived at Brie-Comte-Robert, Tony.'
'Then why didn't they stop him leaving?'
'Because the only place they want him is back in the Argentine. The French want this one nailed down tight. It never happened, understand me?'
'Of course, sir,' Tony Villiers said. 'Just another of my regular nightmares.'
'I presume he's gone back to play heroes again?'
'Something like that.'
'Ah, well, that's no longer our concern. There is one more rather important item I'd like you to handle for me, Tony. It concerns Gabrielle. My information is that she'll be back in Paris tonight.'
'What is it, sir?'
'You see, Tony, right in the middle of things, she started to crack, as you know. Wanted out, remember?'
'So?' Villiers said, and suddenly his stomach was empty as if he knew by instinct that it was going to be bad.
'I needed to do something drastic to pull her together, so I told her that Richard was missing in action, believed dead.'
'You mean it wasn't true?' Villiers said.
'He's fine, according to my latest information,' Ferguson said. 'Still in the thick of it, of course.'
'You fucking bastard,' Villiers said and slammed down the phone.
He started to run across the concourse towards the gate into the international departure lounge and then slowed to a halt. Too late to catch Montera now. Far too late. He turned wearily and moved towards the main doors, wondering what on earth he was going to say to Gabrielle.
16
On the terrace of the big house above the River Plate outside Buenos Aires, Donna Elena Llorca de Montera sat in a cane chair and did a little embroidering. It was something