Jack Higgins - On dangerous ground

The small man returned. "Any more takers?" But already the other one who had been standing with the Munros was climbing into the ring. "I'll have you, that was my brother."

Grant remained imperturbable and when the bell went and the youth rushed him, stepped from side-to-side, blocking wild punches, eventually putting him down as he had the brother.

The crowd groaned and Hannah said, "This is terrible."

"It could be worse," Dillon said. "Grant could have made mincemeat of those two and didn't. He's all right."

He was suddenly aware of Morgan saying something to Marco. He couldn't hear what it was because of the noise of the crowd, but the Sicilian stripped off his jacket and was under the ropes and into the ring, beating Rory Munro by a second.

"Another sportsman," the small man called although his smile slipped a little as he tied Marco's boxing gloves on.

"Oh, dear, he's not so sure now," Ferguson observed.

"Care to have a side bet, Brigadier?" Morgan asked. "Let's say a hundred pounds."

"You'll lose your money," Dillon said to Ferguson.

"I don't need you to tell me that, dear boy. Sorry, Morgan."

The bell jangled, Marco stood, arms at his side, and for some reason the crowd went silent. Grant crouched, feinted, then moved in fast. Marco swayed with amazing speed to one side, pivoted and punched him in the ribs twice, the sound echoing over the crowd. Grant's head went up in agony and Marco punched him on the jaw, the blow traveling hardly any distance at all. Grant went down like a sack of coal and lay there and there was a gasp of astonishment from the crowd.

The small man was on one knee trying to revive him helped by the second, and Marco paced about like a nervous animal. "My money, where's my money?" he demanded and pulled off his right glove and lifted the small man up. He, in his turn, looked terrified, took the notes from his pocket, and passed them over.

Marco moved round each side of the ring, waving the money over his head. "Anyone else?" he called.

There were boos and catcalls as the small man and the second got Grant out of the ring and then a voice called, "I'm for you, you bastard," and Rory Munro climbed into the ring.

Marco kicked the spare gloves over to him and Dillon said, "A good lad in a pub brawl, but this could be the death of him."

Rory went in hard and actually took Marco's first punch, slipping one in himself that landed high on the Sicilian's right cheek. Marco feinted, then punched him again in the side, but again, Rory rode the punch and hit him again on the right cheek, splitting the skin. Marco stepped back, touched his glove to his cheek, and saw the blood. There was rage in his eyes now as he came on, head down, and punched Rory in the ribs, once, twice, and then a third time.

"He'll break bones before he's through," Dillon said.

Ferguson nodded. "And that young fool won't lie down."

Rory swayed, obviously in real pain, and Marco punched him in the face several times, holding his head with one gloved hand. The crowd roared their disapproval at such illegality and Marco, contemptuous of them, stepped back and measured Rory for a final punch as he stood there swaying and defenseless.

"Oh, God, no!" Hannah cried.

Dillon slipped through the ropes, stepped between Marco and Rory, and held his hand out palm first to the Sicilian. "He's had enough."

He turned, took Rory's weight, and helped him to his corner, taking off his gloves and easing him down through the ropes to his father and willing hands. "If I was thirty years younger I'd do for that bastard myself," Munro said in Gaelic.

"Well you're not."

Dillon turned and found Marco standing looking at him, gloved hands on hips. "You fancy some too, you Irish dog?" he said in Italian.

"That could be arranged," Dillon replied in the same language.

"Then get your gloves on."

"Who needs them." Dillon kicked them out of the ring. "With gloves I can't hurt you."

It was deliberate baiting and Marco fell for it. "Delighted to oblige."

"No, Dillon, no!" Asta called. "He'll kill you."

In motion be like water, that's what Yuan Tao had taught him. Total calm, complete control. This was no longer a boxing match and Marco had made a bad error.

The Sicilian came in fast and swung a punch, Dillon swayed to one side, stamping at the left kneecap, pivoted, and struck Marco in the side, screwing the punch as Yuan Tao had shown him. Marco cried out in agony and Dillon struck him again in the same manner and then turned his back, delivering a reverse elbow strike, smashing Marco's mouth.

The crowd roared and Dillon walked away, and Marco, with amazing resilience, went after him like a wild man and as Dillon turned, punched him under the left cheek. Dillon was flung back by the assault, bounced off the ropes and fell over, and Marco kicked him in the ribs.

The crowd was going wild now and Dillon rolled away rapidly and got to his feet. "Jesus, son, this is getting to be a bore," he said, and as Marco swung another punch, he grabbed the Sicilian's right wrist, swung it round until the elbow locked, and ran him headfirst through the ropes and out of the ring to fall on his face in front of Ferguson, Morgan, and the two women.

As Marco rolled onto his back, Dillon vaulted the ropes and put a foot on his neck. "You lie still now, like a good dog, or I'll break it."

Morgan said in Italian, "Leave it, Marco, I order you." He held out the man's jacket and turned to Dillon. "You are a remarkable man, my friend."

"A hero." Asta clutched his arm.

"No he's not, he's a bloody fool," Ferguson said. "Now let's go to the refreshment tent, Dillon, I really think we've earned a drink after that little lot," and he turned and led the way through the crowd of well-wishers, all eager to pat Dillon on the back.

It was reasonably quiet in the marquee, most people preferring to take advantage of the good weather. Ferguson went to the bar, which was laid out on a large trestle table. Dillon and Hannah sat at another of the tables and she took out her handkerchief and soaked it in the jug of water on the table. "Dillon, it's split. I think you're going to need stitches."

"We'll see. I can't feel a thing at the moment."

"Well, hold that handkerchief to it for a while."

"Better to let it dry up." He lit a cigarette.

"And you're slowly killing yourself with those things."

"A Fascist, that's what you are. It'll be booze you're banning next, then sex." He grinned. "Nothing left."

"I always thought you had a death wish," she told him, but she was smiling.

Ferguson came back with drinks on a tray. "Scotch for us, gin and tonic for you, Chief Inspector."

"I'd rather have tea, sir, and it wouldn't do Dillon any harm either," and she got up and went to the refreshment bar.

"I knew it," Ferguson said. "When that girl marries she'll be one of those Jewish mothers you read about, the kind who rules her husband with a rod of iron and tells everybody what to do."

"Jesus, Brigadier, but you must be getting old. I've news for you. There's many a man would happily join the queue to be ruled with a rod of iron by Hannah Bernstein."

At that moment, Asta appeared in the entrance, looked around, saw them, and came over. "There you are."

She sat down and Dillon said, "Where's Morgan?"

"Taking Marco down to the local hospital at Arisaig. He thinks you may have broken a rib. I said I'd make my own way back to the castle."

"What perfectly splendid news," Ferguson said.

Hannah joined them with a tray piled with cups and two teapots. "I saw you coming," she told Asta. "Help yourself."

Asta laid the cups and saucers out on the table as Hannah poured. "Wasn't Dillon wonderful?"

"I suppose it depends on your point of view."