"Oh, don't be so profound! He's a man like any other. They are all the same if you give them half an inch."

"Then stop giving away inches ... though in your case it must go into yards."

"I promise ... Drusilla, I promise. I'll behave ... only don't tell Fabian."

At length I agreed, but somewhat uneasily, for I felt that the fact that a member of the Indian household should contemplate such a relationship with the lady of the house was significant.

It was about two days later when the news was brought to the house.

I had seen the Khansamah once during that time. He was his old dignified self. He bowed his head in the customary greeting and made no sign that he remembered that scene in Lavinia's bedroom and the part I played in it.

Lavinia said that when he came to pay his daily call she received him in her sitting room and she was dressed for the day. It had gone off in a calm manner—much as many such meetings must be going on in houses in the British quarter, where matrons were discussing the day's menus with their khansamahs. There had been no reference to what had happened.

"You should have seen me," said Lavinia. "You would have been proud of me. Yes, even you, Drusilla. I just discussed the food and he made suggestions as to what would be suitable. I said, 'Yes, Khansamah, I will leave that to you,' just as I am sure the most dignified ladies do it. Then ... it was over."

"He will understand that he behaved in a way that will not be tolerated," I said. "He wouldn't apologise, of course. That would be asking too much. Besides, the fault was largely yours. He has decided to ignore the whole thing, which after all is the best way of dealing with it."

A young man came to the house. He had ridden from afar. He was quite exhausted and wanted to be taken to the Great Khansamah without delay.

In due course we learned that the message that had been brought was from the Khansamah's brother, and that the Khansamah's son, Asraf, who had recently been married to Roshanara, was dead. He had been murdered.

The Khansamah shut himself into his room in mourning. A pall of gloom fell over the house. Fabian was deeply disturbed. Tom Keeping and Dougal were in the study with Fabian for a long time. They did not emerge for dinner and, as on other occasions, trays were sent to the study.

Lavinia and I met over dinner alone. We talked, as the whole household was talking, about Asraf's death.

"He was so young," I said. "He and Roshanara have only just been married. Who could have wanted to kill him?"

Even Lavinia was shocked.

"Poor Khansamah. It is such a blow to him. His only son!"

"It is terrible," I said, and felt sorry for the man in spite of the fact that he was fast becoming a sinister figure in my imagination.

Lavinia said she would retire early and she went to her room. I was in no mood for sleep. I felt very disturbed. I wondered what would happen to Roshanara. Poor child, she was so young.

I sat in the drawing room in the dark, with the curtains drawn back so that I could look out on the beauty of the moonlit garden.

Just as I was thinking I would retire, the door opened and Fabian came in.

"Hello," he said. "Still up? Where is Lavinia?"

"She has gone to bed."

"And you are sitting here alone?"

"Yes. All this is so disturbing."

He shut the door and advanced into the room. "I agree," he said. "Very disturbing."

"What does it mean?" I asked.

"It means that for some reason Asraf has been murdered."

"Perhaps it is one of those thugs. They murder without reason."

He was silent for a while. Then he said, "No ... I do not think it was the thugs this time ... though it might be connected with them."

"You think that someone murdered ... not just for the sake of killing ... but for a definite reason?"

He sat down opposite me. "It is imperative that we find out what is going on."

"I understand that."

"It could be of the utmost importance to us. I don't like the way things look. I have been discussing with Dougal and Tom the possibility of getting Lavinia and you away with the children."

"Away! You mean ..."

"I should feel happier." He smiled at me a little sardonically. "I don't mean happier ... exactly ... I mean relieved."

"I don't think Lavinia would go."

"Lavinia? She will go where and when she is told to go."

"She has a will of her own."

"It's a pity she hasn't some sense to go with it."

"I don't think I would like to be sent here and there ... like a parcel."

"Please don't be difficult. Things are hard enough to decide, so don't make them worse."

"It is just that one wants to have a little say in what happens to one."

"You have no idea what is going on and yet you want to make decisions. Women and children should not be here."

"You raised no objections to Lavinia's coming out here. The children were born out here."

"She came with her husband. I could not arrange where the children were born. I am just stating that it is unfortunate that she and they and you are here. But all that came about naturally enough. I blame myself for bringing you and Miss Philwright out."

"You did not bring us out."

"It was my suggestion that you come."

"Why?"

"I thought perhaps you would have some influence on Lavinia. You did in the past and, as I believe I told you ... or implied at least ... I also considered the benefits your presence here would give me."

"Because you think with your mother that it is necessary for the children to have an English governess and an English nanny."

"But of course ..."

"And now you regret it."

"For one reason only. I don't like the situation here and I think it would be better not to have too many women and children around."

"I think your concern does you credit."

He said with a touch of sarcasm, "You know the real reason why I manoeuvered your visit. It was because I wanted a little pleasure for myself."

"I am surprised that you should think I could provide it."

"You can't be. You know, for one thing, how I enjoy these spirited conversations ... also, I wanted to get you away from the odious Colin Brady."

"I thought he was regarded as a devoted Framling subject."

"All the more reason why I should dislike him. I wanted to see you ... so I arranged it. Besides, what would you have done at home? You couldn't stay at the rectory without marrying Brady. Where would you have gone?"

"Where I did go. To my old nurse."

"Ah yes, that good woman. I wanted you here, that was all. In spite of your indifference to me, I am fond of you, Drusilla."

I hoped I did not show the pleasure I felt. He was irrepressible. He must know that I would never indulge in a light love affair with him; but he never gave up.

I changed the subject. "Why are you so disturbed now?"

"This Asraf business."

"The murder?"

"Exactly. Why was he killed? He was little more than a boy. Why? It is something we have to find out ... quickly. If it were the Thugs, I think I would feel easier. But this was an isolated killing. Thugs deal in numbers. The blood of one innocent boy would not placate Kali for long. As much as I would deplore further outbreaks, I feel that would be more understandable than this mystery. You see, this comes back to our own household. I have a feeling that that is significant."

"Can you question the Khansamah?"

He shook his head. "It might be dangerous. We have to find out what is going on. Why was Asraf murdered? We must know whether it was a ritual killing or for some other reason. Tom has left at once for the tea plantation. We may have some news when he gets back."

"It is all very mysterious."

"There are many mysteries in this country. Drusilla, I think I should warn you. I may decide that you would have to go at a moment's notice. I should have sent you off before now, but travelling is so difficult and the journey might prove more dangerous than staying here. It might be necessary to move you to another town here in India. But we have to understand what this murder means first. So much depends on what is behind it."

There was silence for a few moments. Then he said, "How peaceful it seems out there ..." He did not go on. I stood up suddenly. I wondered what Lavinia would think if she came down and found me in this darkened room with her brother.

I said, "I will say good night."

I heard him laugh. "You think being here alone with me ... is a little improper?"

Again he was reading my thoughts, which surprised and disconcerted me every time I discovered it.

"Oh ... certainly not."

"No? Perhaps you are not quite so conventional as I sometimes think. Well, you came on a very hazardous journey. You came with great risk across the desert ... so it is hardly likely that you can be afraid of me just because we are alone and in a darkened room."

"What an idea!" I said lightly.

"Yes, it is, isn't it? Stay awhile, Drusilla."

"Oh, I am very tired. I think I should go to bed."

"Don't worry too much about what I have told you. I may be wrong. There could be a logical answer to all these things ... chains of coincidence and that sort of thing. But one must find out and be prepared."

"Of course."

"I would be most unhappy if you had to go."

"It is kind of you to say so."