I think I might have turned back then. I needed another drink. I needed to keep myself drunk. But when I glanced towards Avin I saw the figure of a man trudging up the road towards me. I turned George and cantered towards him.
It was Sansevino all right. I pulled Zina’s little automatic out of my pocket. But I needn’t have bothered. The man was too shaken with fear to try any tricks, and he was literally glad to see me. I think he’d been coming to the villa anyway. He needed company. I remembered how I’d felt alone on that roof watching the lava steadily encroaching. It wasn’t nice to be alone while you’re waiting for the lava to reach you.
I hauled him up in front of me and we trotted back to the villa. As we turned off the road on to the track through the vineyards he said,’ Suppose I could show you a way to get out of here?’
‘How do you mean?’ I asked.
‘I will make a bargain with you. If I tell you how we may be able to get away, will you all give me your word of honour as gentlemen that you will not say anything of what has happened?’
‘I don’t bargain with people like you,’ I snapped. ‘If you know a way out you’ll tell us to save your own miserable hide.’
He shrugged his shoulders. ‘Later perhaps, when the lava is close, we make a deal.’
He had no trace of American accent now. He had dropped the personality of Shirer entirely. He was an Italian speaking English.
I didn’t even bother to question him about his proposition. I knew there was no way out.
‘Is Maxwell badly hurt?’ he asked.