‘Scary,’ somebody muttered.

Mandy agreed. Suddenly he become a new man, one capable of terrible deeds. She wondered how she could ever have thought him lightweight.

He began to curse in Italian, speaking softly but in a way that made the underlying violence more alarming. At last he controlled himself and said, ‘I have to go after him. The rest of you are going down with the party that’s just arrived. Get moving.’

Nobody felt inclined to argue with him in this mood. Mandy slipped into the bedroom and packed up her things ready for departure. A resolution was growing in her. She couldn’t tell from whence it came, but instinctively she knew that she must not let Renzo go after Henry alone.

‘Are you ready?’ Renzo asked when she appeared.

‘Yes, but I’m not going down. I’m coming up with you.’

‘No way. That fool could do anything.’

‘Then you might be glad of backup,’ she said defiantly.

‘Look, I don’t know what’s going to happen, but he’s capable of landing us all at the bottom of a ravine.’

‘Fine, I’ll let you tackle him, and if he takes you down with him, I’ll still be alive to tell the world what happened to you.’

He stared at her, speechless.

‘Look,’ she persisted, ‘I’m coming whether you like it or not. I can either go with you in relative safety, or I can go on my own and take my chances.’

‘Is there any use saying no to you?’ he snapped.

‘None at all, so why are we wasting time?’

Joan and Peter emerged at that moment and Renzo appealed to them. ‘Can you talk some sense into her? She thinks she’s coming with me.’

‘Great idea,’ Joan said. ‘I’ll come too to keep an eye on her.’

‘Me too,’ Peter said.

Renzo tore his hair. ‘When we get out there, you do as I tell you, and if we see Henry, you stay clear.’

Toby was gathering his party ready for departure, asking if anyone was joining them. Mandy, Joan and Peter folded their arms stubbornly, but the rest trooped out, ready to descend the mountain. There were goodbyes all round, and then Renzo was left alone with the other three.