I took the first opportunity to speak to Lavinia. She was taking a rest before preparing for the evening, which would be a gathering of friends before dinner. I had been present on several of these occasions, where she graciously introduced me as her friend from England. I had been quizzed by the men, who might have thought I would be an easy conquest, but the effort of attempting my seduction must have seemed hardly worthwhile to them; and when it was discovered that I was the governess, brought into contact with them through the generosity of Lavinia, I was more or less politely ignored. These sessions had become ones which I wanted to avoid whenever possible.

She was lying on her bed, pads of cotton wool over her eyes.

"Lavinia," I said, "I want to have a word with you."

"Didn't they tell you I was resting?"

"Yes, but I came all the same."

"Something important?" She lifted the cotton wool from her right eye and looked at me.

"Very important."

"Do tell me. You've changed your mind and want to come to the party? All right. Wear the mauve Bokhara. It's the best thing you have."

"It is not that. How many servants do you employ here?"

"What a question to ask me! Ask Khansamah. He's the one who would know."

"So many that one makes little or no difference."

"I suppose you are right."

"I wanted to speak to you about the ayah."

"What about her? She'll be going soon."

"I don't think she should go."

"Well, Nanny Philwright will want to be rid of her, I'm sure."

"She doesn't want to."

"She has told you so?"

"Yes. You see, Louise loves her."

"Oh, children love everybody."

"That's not true. Listen, Lavinia. That ayah has been with those children since Louise was born. She represents something to the child. Security, stability. Can't you see that?"

Lavinia was beginning to look bored. She wanted to talk to me about a certain Captain Ferryman who was making Major Pennington Brown decidedly jealous.

But I was determined. "Lavinia, it won't make any difference to you whether the ayah is here or not."

"Then why bother me with it?"

"Because you can change everything for her. She is a most unhappy woman."

"Is she?"

"Listen, Lavinia, I want you to do something for me."

"Unto half of my kingdom, as they say in the fairy stories."

"Oh, not as much as that."

"Then it is yours."

"Be serious. I want you to let the ayah stay."

"Is that all?"

"It's a great deal to her."

"And what is it to you?"

"I care, Lavinia. I want her to be happy. I want Louise to be happy. If she goes away they will both be miserable."

"Look here, Drusilla. Why are you so intense about it? Why should I care whether the woman goes or stays?"

"I know you don't care about these things, but I do."

She laughed at me. "You're such an odd creature, Drusilla. You have the most queer obsessions. I don't care what you do. Keep the ayah if you want to, as long as Nanny Philwright doesn't mind. I don't want trouble there. She mustn't be upset. Mama would be cross, because she is her choice."

"I can assure you that Alice Philwright will agree with me. She has the welfare of Louise at heart. Alan already loves her, too."

"Pass me the mirror. Do you think I am getting too plump?"

"As far as your looks go you are beautiful."

"So it is only my soul that is black?"

"Not exactly black."

"Not shining white either."

"No. But I think you are not entirely beyond redemption."

"And if I grant your wish will you plead for me when you reap the rewards of your virtue and I am consigned to the flames?"

"I promise."

"All right then. Request granted."

"I may tell ayah that you wish her to stay on?"

"Tell her what you want to."

I went to the bed and kissed the top of her head. "Thank you, Lavinia. You don't know how happy you've made me."

"Then stop and talk to me till it is time for them to come and dress me. I want to tell you about Captain Ferryman, who is really very good looking. He's quite clever, too. They say he has wit."

So I listened and made the comments she expected until the maid came in to help prepare her.

It was a small price to pay for victory.

When I told the ayah that there was no question of her being sent away, she took my hand and kissed it reverently.

I drew it away, murmuring, "It was nothing ... it is right that you should stay."

But she continued to regard me with her soulful eyes.

Alice said to me afterwards, "The ayah looks upon you as a kind of all-powerful goddess."

I told her what had happened.

"I think you have earned her eternal gratitude," she said.

Louise was changing. She was now a very happy child. She was ready to love anyone who showed her affection. She had her ayah and along we had come: Nanny and myself. Alice was strict but loving; she was completely fitted for the job and she filled it with efficiency. Alan loved her, too. Young as he was, I was teaching him. He liked the pictures in the books I had brought and could already pick out certain animals which I had pointed out to him.

Louise liked to sing. She loved the nursery rhymes I taught her and the strains of "Ba, Ba, Black Sheep" and "Ring a Ring of Roses" could often be heard.

It was a happy nursery. I was delighted with my task and so was Alice. But I had, though, a strong feeling of transience. This was ephemeral.

There was talk of our going to Delhi, which we must do sooner or later.

"We shall leave the Army personnel here, I expect," said Lavinia ruefully. She was enjoying the rivalry between her captain and her major. She had repeatedly tried to bring me into her circle of friends, but my reception of them was as lukewarm as theirs of me.

Lavinia was irritated. "You make me angry," she said. "You take no pains. You make no effort."

"Do you want me to roll my eyes and flutter my fan as you do?"

"You'll never get anyone with that 'keep off air of yours. You might just as well write it on a board and carry it round your neck."

"It's in contrast to your 'come hither' approach."

That made her laugh. "Drusilla, you'll be the death of me. I shall die of laughing at you."

"What I say is true."

" 'Come hither' anyway is more friendly than 'keep off.' "

"It helps to maintain that devastating attraction of yours. Your way of going on is tantamount to an invitation to all and sundry. 'Lover wanted. No lengthy courtship necessary.' "

"I wonder why I put up with you."

"There is an alternative."

"Oh, are we back at the dreary subject? I give in. You amuse me too much for me to let you go. I shall just ignore you and put on my 'come hither' look whenever I wish."

"I didn't expect anything else."

And so we continued to banter and there was no doubt that Lavinia was happy to have me here. One of the things she enjoyed most was shocking me.

One day when I went to the schoolroom the ayah was there with a young girl who must have been about eleven or twelve years old. She was a strikingly lovely child. Her long black hair was tied back with a silver ribbon and she wore a pale-pink sari which set off the smoothness of dark skin. Her eyes were large and luminous.

"This, Missie, my niece."

I said I was very pleased to make her acquaintance.

"She ... Roshanara."

"Roshanara," I repeated. "What a lovely name."

The ayah smiled and nodded.

"Is she visiting you?"

The ayah nodded. "Missie let her stay ... listen to Missie Louise."

"But, of course," I said.

And as I sat with Louise over the books, Roshanara watched and listened intently.

Roshanara was exceptionally beautiful, even for an Indian girl. Her natural grace was delightful to watch. She already spoke English tolerably well. She loved learning and it was delightful to see her rather solemn little face break into a smile when she mastered some unfamiliar word. Louise loved having her with us, and those two hours teaching were some of the most enjoyable of my days.

I learned a little about Roshanara. She was the ayah's niece, her father being a prosperous tradesman, and she was heiress to a little money, which meant that her marriage prospects were good. She was already betrothed to a young man a year older than herself. He was the son of the Great Khansamah, who presided over the house in Delhi.

"The house," Ayah told me, "where live the great sahibs ... Memsahib Countess's sahib and her sahib brother."

I found out more about this house from Lavinia. It was a Company house, as most of the houses were, and they were kept up for the convenience of important directors of the Company. The house in Delhi was grander than this one in Bombay, but Lavinia found this more cosy. I think she meant that here she was free of her husband and the censorious eye of her brother.

According to Roshanara, the house in Delhi was under the command of the Great Khansamah, who was a very important gentleman indeed. He was employed by the Company, as the Khansamah in Bombay was, and it was their duty to look after the comforts of important gentlemen sent out from England—I presumed such as Fabian and Dougal.

The man in Delhi was known as Great Khansamah Nana. Later I wondered whether this was his real name or one given to him for his authoritative attitude to all those who came under his sway. I had not heard then of Nana Sahib, the revolutionary leader who was obsessed by his hatred of the British. It seems strange, looking back, that we should have been completely unaware of the gathering storm.