The High Valley. Anne Mather

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ about and he said, commandingly: “No one must move yet, please. Stay in your seats. Your instructions will be given you immediately.”

      There were several indignant exclamations, but in the main the passengers were acquiescent. They had all sensed that ominous tilting of the plane and it seemed apparent that the undercarriage had been damaged as they landed.

      The door of the pilot's cabin opened and the pilot and his co-pilot, and the navigator, came through accompanied by another of the men with a gun. The crew looked taut and nervous and Morgana sensed the ordeal this had been for them, responsible as they were for the lives of all these people. The man Morgana had seen first across the aisle at the beginning of the flight took command. She wondered who he was. She even wondered weakly whether the Salvador brothers were involved in all this. If their uncle was involved it seemed likely. And where were they now?

      “Senhores! Senhoras! Your attention, please,” the man said politely. “You will stay where you are for the present. Tonight you must sleep in the plane which should be no great hardship for you and tomorrow our leader will come to speak to you.”

      The passengers grumbled amongst themselves but no one made any official demur. They all seemed relieved that they were not to be taken elsewhere and made prisoners.

      The man continued: “Tomorrow it will be decided what is to be done.”

      Morgana's eyes were dark with anxiety. “What do you mean?” she exclaimed. “You said you would let us go!”

      Vittorio frowned warningly and she bent her head inwardly seething. The man looked down at her for a moment, and then said: “I will not warn you again, senhorita. Keep your mouth shut, is that understood?”

      Morgana chewed her lip and refused to answer him and the man gave her a hard stare before continuing with his orders. There were a young couple at the back of the plane with a baby and he agreed that milk should be brought to the plane for the stewardess to heat up for them. The baby had begun to cry a little and Morgana thought its plaintive cries were eloquent of all their feelings. No one felt like being brave or trying to tackle these men. What good would it do? There were guns involved and someone was bound to get hurt. Besides, most of the passengers were middle-aged to elderly and those few who were younger had their wives with them and obviously did not wish to bring any retribution down upon them. So everyone remained in their seats, and the doors of the plane were opened to admit the sounds of the airstrip outside. Two men were left in charge and the crew were allowed to take seats in the passenger's cabin while the other men, including Vittorio Salvador, left the plane.

      The pilot came and sat beside Morgana in the place Vittorio had vacated. He was a man of average height and build, greying slightly at the temples, and there was a strained worn expression on his face.

      “Por deus!” he murmured, speaking Portuguese. “This is too much!”

      Morgana compressed her lips. “Relax,” she said, quietly. “There's nothing you can do. There's nothing any of us can do.”

      The pilot sighed and fumbled in his pocket for cigarettes. He offered one to Morgana and although she seldom smoked she took one gratefully, glad of the diversion. They smoked in silence for a while and then the pilot said: “Do you know where we are?”

      Morgana bent her head. “Actually, yes. One of – of the men told me.”

      The pilot stared at her. “Go on!” he said.

      “We're at a place called La Nava, the high valley,” she said. “In Monteraverde.”

      The pilot looked perturbed. “La Nava!” he echoed softly. “Yes, I have heard of it, senhorita, but its actual whereabouts are unknown. It is reputed to be the headquarters of O Halcão, the Hawk, leader of the guerilla forces in Monteraverde.”

      Morgana frowned. Where had she heard that name before? But her brain wouldn't function properly and she shook her head impatiently. “You look worried,” she said. “Don't you think they will let us go?”

      “Do you?” asked the pilot, crediting her intelligence.

      She shivered. “I don't know. I don't know what to think. Why have they brought us here? What possible reason could they have?”

      “I can think of several. Either there are arms hidden on the plane, or they need us as hostages, or possibly they need the plane itself.”

      Morgana stubbed out her cigarette. “And we have no radio contact?”

      “I'm afraid not.”

      “The authorities will think we've crashed. Is there no way we can make contact?”

      The pilot heaved a sigh. “How? With guns at every angle. No, Senhorita?”

      “Mallory,” she supplied. “How many of us are there?”

      The pilot frowned. “Well, Senhorita Mallory, we will have to wait and see what they intend to do with fifty-seven of us!”

      “So many?” Morgana bit her lip. “They – they wouldn't kill us all?” She looked at him intently. “Would they?”

      The pilot shook his head. “Your guess is as good as mine. But I shouldn't think it would serve much purpose if they did.”

      “But can they let us go?”

      The pilot frowned. “That's what troubles me. If they were going to let us go why did they tell you where we were? It seems out of character.”

      “That's what I thought,” murmured Morgana uneasily. “Is – is the undercarriage badly damaged?”

      “Any damage to the undercarriage is serious,” said the pilot. “After all, it is the mainstay of landing and takeoff.”

      “Yes.” Morgana tried to calm herself. “So – in your opinion we're here for some time.”

      Her companion lifted his shoulders. “It seems the most likely suggestion,” he agreed. “Deus, I am tired!”

      Morgana saw him close his eyes and tried to relax herself. The lights in the cabin had been lowered and the darkness was comforting. The men, in the gloom, looked less menacing, their guns almost hidden from view in the darkness. But they were there, and everyone was aware of it.

      About half an hour later, when everyone except the baby seemed to be drowsing, the door of the plane opened and one of the men came forward to the front of the plane. He spoke in an undertone to one of the men who had been put on guard and then came across to where Morgana and the pilot were sitting. The pilot opened his eyes swiftly at the sudden altercation, and Morgana thought for a moment they had come for him. But to her surprise and horror the man caught her arm and pulled her up out of her seat.

      “Get your coat!” he commanded briefly, and Morgana was too astounded to protest.

      There were one or two anxious murmurs as she was escorted from the plane and she was conscious that the pilot had protested volubly to the guard as she was hustled out. Then she was at the head of a flight of steps and the chill night air hit her hot cheeks and she swayed for a moment before her escort thrust past her and indicated that she should follow him. She thought of pushing him hard from behind and causing him to fall the length of the steps, but СКАЧАТЬ