With no more said they reached the café and sat down at one of the little oblong marble-topped tables - plastic had yet to find its way here. The speckled wall-mirrors did what they could to give an illusion of roominess. There, amid a buzz of chatter, among games of backgammon and what looked like gin-rummy, over cup after cup of scalding Turkish coffee, Bond gave the full account, all the way from Quarterdeck to the fire at Thomas's shop. Litsas's eyes never left Bond's face. At the end he sat for a full two minutes perfectly relaxed, without a hint of the fidgeting of hands and feet so curiously common in Greek men. When he spoke his tone was cold and measured.
'So it comes to this. You and Ariadne want me to take you to some island of which the name she won't say. There, something she calls an _event__' - the deep voice grew contemptuous - 'will take place, if it isn't prevented by some enemies. A British chief of Security has been kidnapped by the same enemies and may be made use of to damage British interests. When you get there you may think what to do next. At the moment it's clear that you have no plan. And not a very good story either. I'm sorry - I can introduce you to dozen people who will charter to you a yacht and crew to go to the islands. If you're so fussy. There are public steamers which- '
Bond interrupted brusquely. He had settled in his mind on a force of three as an absolute minimum for the task in hand and he felt sure that this man was the best available for making up the number. 'Look,' he said, 'that line of talk won't get any of us anywhere. What do you imagine is at stake for you is this? Do you think Ariadne and I have told you all this because we're out to steal one of your boats? What are you afraid of?'
'That's enough from you, Mr Bond, I won't stand- '
It was Ariadne's turn to cut in. 'Niko. Listen to me. One fact, or almost certain fact. Von Richter is involved.'
She got her effect. Litsas snarled like a wild animal. '_To poústi! To thráko, to __... That... savage! The butcher of Kapoudzona! Come on, Ariadne, I must know more. How was this found out?'
'He was seen quite accidentally by a guy who was a resistance fighter. The man told the local Party chief, and so on. We got the news yesterday.'
'So? He's in Greece. Nothing strange in that. Those German bastards are coming back here always, to enjoy in peace the beautiful country they began to love while they were burning our villages and shooting our men and sometimes also our women and children. He was on his way to Kapoudzona to enjoy his pleasant memories.'
'No. He was making inquiries about boats to... the place of the event. Yesterday we hadn't thrown away the idea that it might be coincidence. Lots of people go to this place in the summer. But I don't think now it can be coincidence. Do you?'
'No,' said Litsas grimly. 'No, I don't.' He took a deep breath and looked from one to the other with the beginnings of a grin. 'All right. You've caught your fish. I'll do anything you say. It's time for a change for me. Don't think I believe completely, though. This sweet girl here might still be lying when she tells me about von Richter. But perhaps she tells the truth and that's enough for me. I'd go halfway round the world for a chance in ten of seeing that squarehead in my sights.'
Bond's heart had lifted in relief, in exultation. He said, 'How soon can we leave?'
'Soon. We'll take the _Altair__. She's a fifty-footer with a Diesel. Strong. Not easy to be noticed. Do you know anything of boats, James?'
'A bit. I spent a lot of summer holidays years ago in a converted Brixham trawler.'
'You'll be useful, then.' Litsas turned authoritative. 'Right. If things were different you could cross the road and eat clams at Diasemos, but you must put up with what I bring you. The _Altair__ is moored along by the clock-tower. Panamanian flag. Next to a big Yankee thing for millionaires. The two of you go on board now and remain out of sight until we sail. Do you think you were followed from the hotel?'
'Doubtful. In what we stood up in and just carrying a shopping-bag we stood a fair chance of not being assumed to be leaving. Our most vulnerable moment was when we stopped for me to wire London and Ariadne to warn her people. But we had to take that risk.'
'You must take the next risk too. It's not far and nobody's on board. You have just one gun, James? Yes. Leave everything to me. Be off with you.'
Within ten minutes Bond and Ariadne crossed the afterdeck of the _Altair__ and made their way into the tiny saloon. Here everything was squared away, the floor scrubbed, the windows polished, the miniature royal-blue curtains freshly laundered. Bond guessed that the boat had been about to go out on charter, and grinned to himself as he visualized Litsas airily riding over the protests of the party who had rented her. They explored briefly. The narrow companion-way led below to a cupboard-sized galley on the starboard side, a head and shower to port. Bond lowered himself from the galley into the engine-room, gasping at the heat and the reek of oil, and looked over the single-drive 165 hp Mercedes engine. New condition; clever use of available space; maintenance up to Royal Navy standard. Bond's respect for Litsas rose a further notch.
For'ard of galley and head were a pair of cabins with double bunks and, for'ard again, another pair with tiered single bunks. They took the port midships cabin. Ariadne unpacked and stowed away their minimal luggage: changes of underclothing, handkerchiefs, a couple of shirts, toilet gear and, incongruous among these humdrum necessities, eighty rounds of ammunition for the Walther. She smoothed back a tendril of brown-blonde hair and turned straight into his arms.
With her face against his neck, she murmured, 'So I have you for a little longer. It seems like it was days and days before I thought I'd have you at all. I don't care what happens tomorrow. Now. I know I'll care if you're taken away from me. So let's use every moment we have.'
She drew her head back and desire made her eyes look unfocused, opaque. 'Don't shut the door. We're alone here.' Her breasts seemed to swell against his chest.
There on the hard unluxurious bunk Bond made long love to her, both of them taking their pleasure easily, slowly, searchingly, with none of the near-hysterical frenzy of the early hours of that day. The buzz of activity all around them, the shouted orders, the rattle of anchor-chains, the fluctuating hum and roar of engines, lost all meaning and vanished. At last, exhausted, they drew apart and slept.
Bond was woken by voices and footfalls overhead. He dressed swiftly, his eyes on the uncovered form of Ariadne, fast asleep on her back, one knee raised in an attitude of total abandonment. He stooped and kissed her warm cheek.
By the time he had moved the few yards back to the saloon Litsas was standing alone, hands on hips, among heaps of various stores, and the voices were retreating in the direction of the dockside.
'Ariadne is asleep?'
'Yes.'
The big man looked directly at Bond with eyes that were sad and pleading now, not watchful. 'You'll be good to her, won't you, James? The way you think, it isn't my business, but her father's my best friend and that means very much in Greece. If you treat her bad, drop her suddenly, make untrue promises to her and so on, then I shall come for you and neither of us would like that. Especially you. You understand me?'
'Yes. You won't need to come for me.'
'Then we shall all be happy.' Litsas slapped himself on the chest a couple of times and his manner lightened. 'I envy you, taking a girl on this trip. I couldn't have found one in the time. Five years ago things were very different. Litsas is not like he was. Anyway, if I bring one, that's not serious enough. I don't know any female spies. Honestly, James' - he shook his head defeatedly - 'to think little Ariadne is working for the Russian bloody Secret Service is fantastic. I thought she's just making cups of coffee for the workers and reading Karl Marx in the evening. Instead of this.... Oh well, it's good that the world can still surprise us.