"It is merely truthful. I wish you were not so afraid."

"I am not afraid of you, you know."

"Afraid of yourself, perhaps?"

"I assure you I am by no means overawed or in terror of myself."

"I didn't mean in that way."

"I must go."

He took my hand and kissed it.

"Drusilla, you know I am very fond of you."

"Thank you."

"Don't thank me for what I can't help. Stay awhile. Let's talk. Let's stop hedging, shall we?"

"I was not aware of hedging."

"It's built up between us. You planted the seeds and they grow like weeds ... of the most prolific kind. I know what started it. It was that business in France. It had more effect on you than it had on Lavinia. You decided that all men are liars and deceivers and you have made up your mind never to be lied to or deceived."

"I think you are talking about something of which you are quite ignorant."

"Well, give me a chance to learn. I shall be your humble pupil."

"I am sure you would never be humble ... nor take instruction from me. So I'll say good night. I will remember what you told me and hold myself in readiness for departure at any moment."

"I hope it doesn't come to that."

"Nevertheless I shall be prepared."

"Do you insist on going?"

"I must," I said. "Good night."

I went upstairs in a mood of exhilaration. I wished that I could believe it when I told myself I was indifferent to him.

Alice showed me a letter Tom Keeping had left for her to read after he had gone. He was expecting to return before long and then perhaps she would have an answer for him. He was asking her to marry him. He knew that she would not want to give a hasty reply and would need time to think. They had known each other such a short time, but he himself was certain that he wanted to marry her.

"The times are somewhat uneasy," he wrote. "I shall be here for some years, I imagine. You would be travelling with me. It could be dangerous at times and there would be occasions when we would be apart. I do want you to consider all this. I thought it better to write, for I did not want my feelings to carry me away to such an extent that I glossed over the difficulties. Everything will be different from what you have known. But I love you, Alice, and if you care for me I should be the happiest man on Earth."

I was deeply moved when I read it. It might not have been an effusive love letter, but it conveyed a deep sincerity.

I looked at Alice and I did not have to ask what her answer would be.

"I would not have believed such a thing could happen to me," she said. "I never thought for one moment that any man would want to marry me ... and a man like Tom. I feel I must be dreaming."

Dear Alice! She did look bemused, but incredibly happy.

"Oh, Alice," I said. "It's wonderful. It's a beautiful romance."

"That it should happen to me! I can't believe it. Do you think he really means it?"

"Of course he means it. I'm so happy for you."

"I couldn't marry him yet."

"Why not?"

"What about my job here? The Countess ..."

"The Countess wouldn't care about you if it suited her. Of course, you must marry him. You must begin this wonderful life as soon as you can."

"What about the children?"

"They have a good nurse in Ayah and an excellent governess in me."

"Oh, Drusilla, we have been such friends!"

"Why the past tense? We are good friends. We always shall be."

It was wonderful to see the change in Alice. She was like a different person. She had never thought to meet someone like Tom Keeping who would love her and whom she loved. She was very fond of children and wanted to have her own; but she had long thought that it would be her mission in life to look after other people's.

A wonderful vista was opening out before her. An adventurous life ... travelling through India with a man who had a most unusual and exciting job—and she would be with him forevermore.

She looked at me rather wistfully, and I guessed that, like many people in love—unselfish ones like Alice, that is—she wanted to see others in the same state, and especially me.

"I wish ..." she said rather sadly.

I knew what she was going to say and added quickly, "You wish that Tom would come back quickly and you are wondering when you can be married. It will be quite simple, I imagine. Think of all the girls who come out to be married. They must be quite used to it by now."

"I was wishing that you could find someone ..."

"Oh," I said lightly, "there aren't enough of Tom Keeping's kind to go round. Only the fortunate ones get them."

She was frowning. "I shan't like leaving you."

"My dear Alice, I shall be perfectly all right."

"I shall worry about you."

"Oh, come, Alice. You know I'm not a wilting blossom. I shall manage the children perfectly with Ayah's help."

"I wasn't thinking of that, Drusilla. We have been very close. Oh, I feel I can talk to you. How do you feel about Fabian Framling?"

"Oh ... an interesting man. Very much aware of his own importance."

"How important is he to you?"

"I suppose the same as he is to everyone else. He seems to be quite a power around here."

"That isn't quite what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?"

"I think he is not indifferent to you."

"He is not indifferent to anything that goes on around here."

"You know what I mean. He's interested ..."

"In seduction?"

"Well ... I did think of something like that."

"And I think it might enter his mind ... as it would where any youngish woman was concerned."

"That is what I'm afraid of. It wouldn't be wise to feel too strongly."

"Don't worry. I know him very well."

"Isn't that Lady Somebody coming out to marry him?"

"I should imagine all that is shelved because of the uneasiness here."

"But eventually the marriage will take place."

"I think it is Lady Harriet's will ... and that is usually obeyed by all."

"I see. I wish you could come away with me when I go."

"I don't think Tom would want a third person to share his honeymoon."

"I do hope you will be all right. Of course, you are very sensible. I don't like your being here ... with the Countess, who is very reckless and selfish ... and as for her husband ... I think he is half in love with you."

"Don't worry, I tell you. Dougal would always be half in love ... never wholly so."

"I don't like the situation at all. You must never let anyone take you off your guard."

"Thank you. I suppose you feel that as an about-to-be-married woman you should look after your less experienced and fragile sisters. Oh, Alice, just concentrate on being happy. For I am happy for you."

Lavinia was amused when she heard that Tom and Alice were to be married.

"Who would have thought it of her! She seems a born old maid. Frankly, I can't understand what he sees in her. She's very plain."

"There is more to people than waving tendrils and tigerish looks, you know. She's highly intelligent."

"Which, you imply, I'm not."

"Nobody could call you plain."

"Nor intelligent either?"

"Well, the way in which you behave does rather suggest a scarcity of that valuable asset."

"Oh, shut up. Anyway, I think it's funny. Nanny Alice and Tom Keeping. And what about the children? Mama will be furious. She sent Alice Philwright out to look after the children, not to get married."

"The matter will be passed out of your mother's jurisdiction. She may rule Framling, but not all India."

"She'll be extremely put out. I wonder if she will send out another English nanny."

"I wouldn't think so. After all, your time out here is not very long, is it?"

"Thank you for reminding me of that blessed fact."

"You might not enjoy such male adoration on the Carruthers country estate as you do here."

"No. That is a point. And Mama will not be so far off. I shall have to reconsider. Perhaps I shall persuade Dougal to stay after all."

"I think he longs to get home."

"To those dry old books, which he can't get here. Serve him right."

"Such a dutiful spouse," I murmured; and she was laughing.

Fabian's reaction to the news was one of surprise.

We were at dinner when the matter was brought up.

"I thought Keeping was a confirmed bachelor," he said.

"Some men are until they meet someone they really care about," I replied.

He threw me an amused glance.

"Nobody could be more surprised than I," said Lavinia. "I thought people like Nanny Philwright never got married. They're supposed to be devoted to their charges all their lives and in the end live in a little house bought for them by some grateful one who visits Nanny every Christmas and on her birthday and makes sure she is comfortable for the rest of her days."

"I am not surprised at all," I said. "They are a delightful couple. I could see there was a rapport between them from the moment they met."

"On the road across the desert," said Fabian, smiling at me significantly and reminding me how Tom Keeping, at his command, had saved me from a fate too horrible to contemplate.

"It means we are losing our nanny," said Lavinia. "That is a bore."

"The ayah is very good," I reminded her. "I shall help to look after them, as I always have done. But we shall all be very sad to see her go."