"Do you mean can I judge people? Oh, tolerably well, I believe."

"I imagine that might be so ... among ordinary people with whom you come into contact. The lady helpers at the church and the garden bazaar and so on; who must arrange the flowers in the church for Easter; who must be given that best stall at the sale of work; who is a little jealous because someone had too friendly a smile from the delectable Reverend Brady ... By the way, Brady is married. He married the doctor's daughter."

He was watching me intently.

"A very suitable match," I said. "I trust it satisfies Lady Harriet?"

"There might not have been a marriage if it had not."

"I suppose not. Colin Brady is a very docile subject."

"You were less so."

"I like to manage my own life, don't you?"

"Precisely. But we stray from the point, which was an assessment of your ability to judge human nature. I can tell you this, Miss Drusilla, you may be an expert in your narrow field, but when you stray outside that you are an utter ignoramus."

"Indeed."

"Indeed yes. You were completely taken in by the charming Lasseur."

I was startled.

"He was attractive, was he not? The attentive Frenchman. Were you just a little impressed by him? Did you find him quite attractive?"

"Monsieur Lasseur ..." I murmured.

"The very same. He was not really a Frenchman, you know."

"But ..."

He laughed at me. "You were an innocent ... a sheep among wolves. I think it would always be well to know when one is out of one's depth."

"You are talking in riddles."

"Always an amusing way to talk, don't you think?"

"No. I would like plain speaking."

"Then I will speak plainly. Monsieur Lasseur, no Frenchman but a gentleman of obscure origins, was playing a part. The gallant gentleman was out to deceive unsuspecting ladies who believe they have such a good understanding of life and its little vicissitudes that they are ready to fall into his trap. Your Monsieur Lasseur ..."

"Mine?"

"Monsieur Lasseur is what is known in certain quarters as a procurer for a very wealthy employer, an oriental gentleman who has his own country's traditional ideas about the uses of women ... with which a young lady such as yourself would never agree. In other words, Monsieur Lasseur had selected you as an interesting addition to his master's harem."

I felt myself blushing scarlet and I could see this amused him very much.

"I don't believe it," I said.

"Nevertheless, he is known to some of us. English young ladies are very desirable in certain circumstances. First, they belong to that proud country which sees itself as master of the world. They have had a different upbringing from the women of eastern countries. They have had more independence; they have not all been brought up to believe that their mission in life is to serve men in any way in which they are called on to do so. I am sorry if this conversation shocks you, but you see, if you are going adventuring through the world you must be made aware of the facts of life. Lasseur travelled with the ship from England. He was there on his master's more legitimate business; but if he could find someone delectable enough to titillate his master's somewhat jaded palate and bring her back in triumph he would win the great man's approval and gratitude. He would have done more than merely complete his master's business, which he had been sent to England to do. Well, he saw you."

"I really don't believe a word of this."

"You can ask Keeping. He saw what was happening. It would not have been exactly the first time a young woman had disappeared in the desert with him and been heard of no more. By the way, you owe a little gratitude to me. I sent word to him to look out for you when you left the ship at Alexandria. He did. He made you his concern, for he knew that was what I would wish. You look stunned."

I was. I was remembering it all. The meeting with Monsieur Lasseur ... the conversations ... the coming of Tom Keeping. And Monsieur Lasseur had intended to arrange that we travel without the rest of the party. Good heavens! I thought. It is feasible.

Fabian was smiling, reading my thoughts.

"I hope you are not disappointed to have been snatched from a sultan's harem."

"I am sure the sultan would have been, but I would have thought I was hardly worth the trouble."

"You underestimate yourself," he said. "I believe that you are worth a great deal of trouble."

He rose from his chair and came over to me. I rose too. He put his hands on my shoulders.

"I'm glad Keeping rescued you and brought you safely to us," he said seriously.

"Thank you."

"You still look bewildered."

"I have been astonished by what you have told me. I really find it hard to believe."

"That is because you have lived most of your life in a rectory where cunning eastern gentlemen are unheard of."

"There are predatory creatures the whole world over, I suppose."

"Yes," he said with a smile, "but their methods would be different."

"I must tell Mr. Keeping how grateful I am to him."

"He will tell you he was doing it all as a matter of duty ... obeying orders."

"The Company's orders?"

"The Company is only those who work for it. Shall we say, my orders. I am the one to whom you should show gratitude."

"Then if that is so, I thank you."

He inclined his head. "I might ask your help one day."

"I can't imagine my feeble efforts would be of any use to you."

"You underestimate yourself again. You mustn't, you know. There is a belief that people take you at your own valuation. You see, for all his faults, the discerning Monsieur Lasseur recognized your worth. Others might too ... if you let them."

"I think I should join the children. I am usually with them at this time."

"And spoil the tete-a-tete between Miss Philwright and Tom Keeping?"

"Perhaps I should take the children off her hands. They would be able to talk more easily then."

"Drusilla ..."

"Yes?"

"Are you a little grateful to me?"

I hesitated. I still found the story incredible.

"I ... I suppose so," I said.

"You suppose! That is a very hesitant comment from a young lady who is usually so determined."

"I am grateful to Mr. Keeping, of course. What did he do to the man?"

"He will tell you. There was a stop at one of those places."

"Yes. It was where he was taken ill."

"Helped by Tom, of course."

"It must have been something he put in the wine. I remember there was wine."

"Of course. He did tell me. He slipped it into the fellow's glass, knowing the effect would be quick. He went in with him to the men's rest room so that he was handy when Lasseur began to feel strange. He looked after him, called the manager of the place and arranged for him to stay there until he was fit to travel. By the time he had recovered, the ship would be sailing from Suez, with you out of harm's way."

"It was very cleverly done. What did he give him?"

"Something to get the desired effect. In the course of his business Tom has learned of such things."

"Perhaps it was datura," I said. "The thorn apple."

"Oh, that ... Dougal was talking about it, wasn't he?"

"Yes. He explained what it looked like. I could hardly recognize it from his description."

"You have seen it, then?"

I said, "It seems the Khansamah grows it in his garden."

Fabian dropped his bantering manner. "G.K.," he said. "In his garden. But ... the cultivation is forbidden ... except in certain cases."

"Perhaps he is one of the certain cases."

"I should not think so. How did you know of this?"

I told him how Louise had brought the sprig to me.

"Good God!" he said. "He is growing it in his garden!"

"Shall you speak to him? Ayah was very upset. You see, Louise crawled under the fence and thought she was bringing me a nice flower."

"The child took it ..." he murmured. "You have said nothing of this to the Khansamah?"

"No. You know how important he is."

"I do indeed," said Fabian grimly. "Did you tell anyone about this?"

"I told Dougal, but foolishly I had burned the thing, so I couldn't show him. I am sure he thought I had been mistaken and I think he felt it was not possible to question the Khansamah."

"H'm," said Fabian slowly. "That would be difficult, I admit. Perhaps it is one of those pieces of information best hidden ... for a while. I want to see Tom Keeping. Perhaps you could go out there and tell him I'm in my study. Would you do that?"

"Of course."

I could see that the possibility of the Khansamah's growing the thorn apple in his garden had driven all frivolous thoughts from his mind.

I sat on in the garden, talking to Alice. Tom Keeping had immediately gone in to Fabian when I had told him where he was.

Alice was different. There was a lilt in her voice. I thought to myself: This is Alice in love.

She said how strange it was that Tom Keeping had come to the house.

"It's not strange at all," I said. "He is the Company's servant, as they all are. Sir Fabian has just told me the strangest thing. I don't know whether to believe him or not."

I explained.

She stared at me in amazement. "It was all rather odd, wasn't it?" she said. "The way in which he was so suddenly taken ill."