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you just once,’ he moaned.
    â€˜It’s impossible. Only Malek may see me. We have one night. Let’s just enjoy each other.’
    Her hands reached out for him and he accepted their invitation to a night of ecstasy and unconditional giving.

5.
    It was no wonder the morning arrived too early for David. Pleasant exhaustion still remained when he woke to the sound of a great commotion outside. Sarah lay beside him covered only by a flimsy sheet of sheerest silk, which he smoothed away from her body with a gentle sweep of his hand. She woke at his touch. He kissed her intimate parts softly, teasing her juices from her one more time, but as he rose to mount her she raised her arm and stopped him. David fell back on his elbows.
    â€˜What’s the matter?’ he asked.
    Sarah began wrapping the cloth around her to make a sari. ‘Malek granted you one night. That is over. I’m sorry.’
    â€˜But – but what about last night?’
    â€˜I enjoyed it very much, thank you,’ she replied. ‘But one night is all he has allowed.’ She made to leave.
    â€˜Wait. I don’t want you to go.’ His mind searched frantically for a reason why she should stay. ‘You know Malek regards you as a second-class wife. Come with me back to England. Start again. You could return to teaching.’
    She hesitated for the tiniest moment. ‘I’m sorry,’ she repeated before leaving the tent.
    David dressed slowly, wondering what possible hold a man could have to make a woman like Sarah Haines behave like that; to give up her career, her home, her life. Part of it was love, but part of it was training. Like the training given to the Afghan, and the training Sarah had undergone in Mashhad. That was the answer, he was sure.
    By the time David had dressed the noise outside had all but stopped. He pulled aside the tent flaps and stepped once again into the desert. Straight away a group of men began taking down the tent, while the remainder of the camp was already packed and ready to move.
    Malek appeared with morning greetings and a leather sack containing food.
    â€˜You’ve missed breakfast,’ he said. ‘We will be leaving the moment your tent is down.’ He pointed across to David’s motorcycle. ‘I had it brought over for you. It is of no use to me. For these roads you need camels. Still, I wish you luck. Just keep going west.’
    The men finished with the tent and the group began to leave. In the middle of the caravan David caught sight of the Afghan. She was wearing Malek’s facemask, and going off to who knew what. Near the rear was Miss Haines, just one camel in front of the Russian captives who were walking naked and still chained in a line. For several minutes he watched them, until eventually they rounded a bend and disappeared from view. Then he was alone in a vast expanse of searing sand and rock. He had lost the Afghan, Miss Haines had spurned his proposal, and no doubt Malek’s coffers were considerably heavier with his gold.
    The prospect of the journey filled him with awe, but for the first time in ages he felt a great sense of relief. With only himself to think about he was confident of his chances, although one thing was for certain; he wouldn’t make it through the mountains with a sidecar attached to the bike. Under the early morning sun he set about detaching the bike from the car. Searching for the tools he was amazed to discover his socks were still there, and still full of gold. So the Arabs must have considered the bike worthless, and hadn’t bothered to search it. They had let a fortune slip through their fingers. David smiled; things were turning out rather well.
    Once the bike was free David spent the rest of the day travelling in search of civilisation. He did as Malek had told him and headed west for Iran. It was no surprise then that the first village he came across was in North West Pakistan, two hundred miles to