“I’m quite well, thank you.”
“The praise to Allah. You would have the packing-cases up here, effendi?”
I nodded.
“But it is against the orders of the Captain and the other effendi. Nasr Hussein calls for them to-day. I must obey my orders, effendi.”
“You must obey my orders.”
“It is not in my agreement. It is impossible, this.”
He was evidently prepared to defy my authority.
I stood up and looked at him.
“Jakoub, if those cases are not all here in one hour, I shall send for the police to take charge of them.”
I suppose he saw in my eyes that I knew all that was involved in this decision, to Edmund and myself as well as him, and realised that I was determined to take the consequences.