It was like staring at the ancient stars of some near galaxy that was at the same time a vision of the future in which American democracy ruled the world with a Colt in one hand and a stick of chewing gum in the other. Somewhere in the tropical darkness of that Yankee littoral thousands of men in white suits were engaged in the meaningless routines of their ocean-going imperial service. In response to the cold imperative of new enemies and new victories they sat inside their floating, steel-grey cities of death, drinking Coca-Cola, smoking their Lucky Strikes and preparing to free the rest of the world from its unreasonable desire to be different. Because Americans and not Germans were now the master race, and Uncle Sam had replaced Hitler and Stalin as the face of the new empire.

Melba saw my lip curl and must have read my mind. 'I hate them,' she said.

'Who? The yanquis?'

'Who else? Our good neighbours have always wanted to make this island one of their United States. And but for them Batista could never have remained in power.'

I couldn't argue with her. Especially now that we'd spent the night together. Especially now that I was planning to do the same again, just as soon as we were installed in a nice hotel. I'd heard that Le Refuge in the holiday resort of Kenscoff, six miles outside Port-au-Prince, might be just the kind of place I was looking for. Kenscoff is four thousand feet above sea level and the climate there is fine all year round. Which is almost as long as I was planning to stay. Of course, Haiti had its problems, just like Cuba, but they weren't my problems, so what did I care? I had other things to worry about, such as what I was going to do when my Argentine passport expired. And now there was the small problem of taking a small boat safely through the Windward Passage. I probably shouldn't have been drinking but even with La Guajaba's running lights there was something about driving a boat across the sea in darkness that I found unnerving. And fearing that we might hit something – a reef, or maybe a whale – I knew I wouldn't be able to relax until it was light again. By which time I hoped we would be halfway across the ocean to Hispaniola.