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As he moved into the channel, Orlov joined him in the wheelhouse. 'Do you think they'll come after us?'

Manning shook his head. 'There wasn't anything in harbour fast enough. It's the pillbox they've got on the point at the mouth of the channel that I'm worried about. If the thing's manned, we may be in for trouble.'

'I'll get the old man and the girl down into the cabin,' Orlov said, 'then I'll come back. Perhaps a little answering fire will cool their ardour.'

Manning strained his eyes into the mist. They passed the fortress on the left and he could see the dark headland jutting out into the sea and suddenly a great coloured stream of tracer soared into the night from their right.

'Heavy machine gun,' Orlov cried as he rushed in. 'Keep moving. I'll handle them.'

The boat shuddered as a stream of bullets thudded into her hull and Orlov leaned out of the side window and returned the fire with his submachine gun. For a little while, the Cubans answered and then, quite suddenly, they stopped.

A few moments later, the Cretan Lover ran out into the open sea.

14

Exuma Sound

The water was being whipped into whitecaps by a strong east wind that blew steadily out to sea carrying the fog before it. Visibility was becoming better minute by minute and after a while, the moon moved from behind a cloud.

Manning took a quick look at the chart and altered course several points as Orlov came in.

'What's the situation below?'

'The old man's still unconscious. The girl's seeing to him now.'

'Any damage?'

'Bullet holes all over the place. Good thing she had the sense to get down on the floor.'

'She's quite a girl,' Manning said.

The Russian nodded and glanced down at the chart. 'Where are we making for?'

'Spanish Cay. I think Morrison would like to know about Kurt Viner as soon as possible.'

'Have we enough fuel?'

'We filled the tanks before leaving Harmon Springs. That gives us a range of more than seven hundred miles.'

'Good enough,' Orlov said. 'I'd appreciate a bath and about fifteen hours in a decent bed.'

Manning glanced sideways at him. 'You're not worried at all?'

'Why should I be? All the authorities in Nassau can do is pass me on to our ambassador when they hear my story.'

'Perhaps they won't want to let you go.'

The Russian grinned. 'Don't think the thought hasn't occurred to me. After all, men with my background are at a premium. I could probably teach the gentlemen at Canaveral a useful trick or two.'

'They wouldn't like that sort of talk in the Kremlin at all.'

Orlov smiled again. 'But I'm not in Moscow, am I? Would you like me to take the wheel for a while?'

Think you can handle her?'

'I've had experience.'

'All right. Try and get some sleep. Come back up in about three hours. We'll spell each other through the night.'

When the Russian had gone, he pulled the seat from the wall, suddenly drained of all his strength. The wheelhouse seemed unbearably warm and he opened a window and leaned out, breathing deeply on the good salt air.

The door creaked open and closed again. Without turning, he was acutely aware of her presence.

'Coffee, Harry?'

He held the mug in one hand and drank the contents down, grateful for the new life it gave him. 'How's your father?'

'He'll be all right. It's happened before.'

'Once too often can kill a man.'

'All sorts of things can do that,' she said calmly. 'Cigarette? I found a pack in the cabin.'

He took one gratefully. A match flared in her cupped hands illuminating her face as he leaned forward for a light. She had never looked more lovely and he instinctively put out a hand and touched her cheek.

And then she was tight in his arms, her face turned up to him. 'Why, Harry? Why?'

He held her close, one hand on the wheel, and explained about Maria Salas and how she had died and of the trail he had followed to Nassau that had ended with the death of Pelota.

When he had finished, she was silent for a while. 'You must have loved her a great deal.'

'I'm not even sure