In due course we were ushered out of the house.

Salar evidently felt relieved, for he had made his gratitude known to me.

It was a few days later when I heard that incendiary fires were springing up all over Meerut and that mutiny had broken out there.

The tension in the household increased. The Great Khansamah had grown in importance over the past weeks. He strutted about the house as though he were indeed master of us all. I was very much afraid of what he might do.

I talked to Lavinia about it.

I said, "Lavinia, aren't you afraid?"

"What of?"

"Are you completely oblivious to what is going on around you?"

"Oh, all this talk, you mean? There's always talk."

"You know that Fabian and Dougal are worried about us?"

"There is no need to. Major Cummings is here to protect us. He says he will make sure that I am all right."

"What about the children?"

"They are all right. They are only children. They know nothing of all this whispering. Besides, you'll look after them ... and Ayah, of course."

"Lavinia, you don't seem to have an inkling of what is going on. This is an explosive situation."

"I tell you we shall be all right. Khansamah will make sure of that."

"He is against us."

"He's not against me. We understand each other ... besides, he's one of my great admirers."

"I marvel at you, Lavinia."

"All right. Marvel away. It is what I expect."

I knew it was no use trying to impress on her the gravity of the situation.

It was only a day or so later when, in the evening, the ayah came to my room.

She said, "We must go ... go now. I will take the children to the gazebo. Come there ... as quick as you can. I take children ... now."

I could see that she was aware of some impending danger and that it was very close. The urgency of her voice convinced me that I must obey at once without question.

"I will go and bring the Countess."

"Quick. No time to lose."

"The children are in bed."

"No matter. I tell them new game. I keep them quiet. We will bring them. Must be quick. No time."

"Why ... ?"

"Not now. Just come. I tell ..."

I ran to Lavinia's room. Fortunately she was alone. She was seated by the mirror, combing her hair.

I said, "Lavinia. We have to go at once."

"Where?"

"Down to the gazebo."

"What for?"

"Look. There is no time to explain. I don't know myself yet. Just come. I know it is important. The children will be there."

"But whatever for?"

"Don't argue. Come."

"I'm not dressed."

"Never mind."

"I won't be ordered like this."

"Lavinia. Ayah will be frantic. Promise me you'll come at once. And come quickly. Don't let anyone know where you are going."

"Really, Drusilla."

"Look, you must have some idea of the danger we're in." She did look slightly alarmed. Even she must have been aware of the changing atmosphere.

She said, "All right ... I'll come."

"I'll go on ahead. I must tell Ayah. She'll be wondering why I'm so long. Don't forget. Don't tell anyone ... not anyone where you are going, and try not to let anyone see you. It's very important."

I went down by means of a back staircase. I reached the garden without seeing anyone, and sped across the grass to the gazebo.

Ayah was there with the children. I could see the panic in her eyes.

"We must go ... quick ... ," she whispered. "It is dangerous to wait."

Louise said, "It's a new game, Drusilla. It is hide and seek, isn't it, Ayah?"

"Yes, yes ... we now hide and seek. Come."

"I must wait for the Countess," I said.

"No wait."

"She will come down here and not know what to do."

"We must take the children now. You come, too."

I said, "I have to wait."

"We cannot. No wait."

"Where are you going?"

"To my brother house."

"To Salar!"

She nodded.

"This what he say. When time come you must be here... with Missie ... with children ... Time come. We must go."

"Take the children. I will bring the Countess there. I have told her I will wait for her here. I must stay for her."

The ayah shook her head. "No. Bad. Bad ... not good."

She had wrapped the children in cloaks so that I could hardly see them. She put the box she had brought to the gazebo into my hands. "You wear," she said. "Cover head. You look Indian woman ... a little then. Come. Do not wait."

I put on the sari and the shawl over my head.

"Drusilla, you do look funny," said Louise.

"Now we go. I take children. You come to brother. We want do this for you."

"As soon as the Countess arrives I will bring her. She can't be long. I think she is realizing the danger at last."

"Tell her cover head. Wear shawl ..."

I was dismayed, but I knew I must deal with such problems when they came.

Taking Alan's hand and commanding Louise to keep close, Ayah hurried out of the gazebo.

The stillness was broken only by the sound of insects, with which I had now become familiar. I could hear the beating of my own heart. I was aware the ayah was better informed of danger than I could be and I could see that it had become more acute.

I felt alone and helpless. As soon as I had let the children go I believed I should have gone with them. They were in my charge, but how could I have left Lavinia? The folly of Lavinia had once before had a great effect on my life. I now believed that it was about to do so again.

If only she had come with me at once. It might well be that there was no need for the flight from the house, but Ayah believed so. I went to the door of the arbour and looked towards the house. And then ... suddenly I heard shouting. I saw dark figures at the windows. It seemed that the entire household was invading the upper rooms.

My heart was thundering, my throat parched. I kept whispering, "Lavinia ... Lavinia, where are you? Why don't you come?"

There was nothing I wanted so much as to see her stealthily creeping across the grass to the gazebo.

But she did not come.

Instinctively I knew that I should go, that I should find my way to the house with the mango tree. I knew my way there. I had passed it many times.

Go! Go! said my common sense. But I could not go without Lavinia.

What if she came to the gazebo and found me gone? Where would she go? What would she do? She did not know that there would be sanctuary in that house.

I must wait for Lavinia.

I did not know how long I waited. I could see Lavinia's window from where I was. Some of the lamps had been lighted. And as I watched I saw the Khansamah at her window. So he was in her room! He was gone in a second and I wondered if I had been mistaken.

I stood there shivering. I did not know what to do. I prayed for guidance.

Go ... go now, said the voice within me. But I could not go while Lavinia was in the house.

It must have been an hour later. The night was hot, but I was shivering. I heard the far-off sound of singing ... drunken singing. It was coming from the lower part of the house.

I hesitated. Then I ventured across the grass. I knew it was folly. Something dreadful had happened in the house. I should run from it as quickly as I could. I should find my way to Salar's house, where Ayah and the children would be waiting for me.

But still I could not do it.

"Lavinia," I heard myself whispering. "Where are you? Why don't you come?"

The waiting was unbearable. I could not endure it. I knew I had to go into the house and find her.

It was folly, of course. The ayah had known that it was imperative for us to get away. She had saved us just in time. But how could I leave Lavinia there?

I told myself that my duty lay with the children. They would need me now. But they were safe with the ayah. If she had reached her brother's house they would be there waiting for me now.

I knew what I had to do. I had to find Lavinia. I could not leave without her. She should have come with me, of course; she was foolish. She always had been foolish. But still I was fond of her. It seemed to me that my life was somehow bound up in hers and I could not desert her now.

I was outside the house. I stood leaning against the wall, listening. The sounds of revelry were coming from the servants' quarters. I pictured the Khansamah there. But where was Lavinia?

She had said she would come. What was she waiting for?

The door was open. I stepped into the hall. I could hear the shouts and laughter more distinctly now. They were very merry ... the merriment of intoxication, I was sure.

Silently, fearing the Khansamah would appear at any moment, I crept up the stairs. Fortunately that part of the house seemed to be deserted.

The door of Lavinia's room was wide open. I crept along the corridor and paused there.

The sight that met my eyes was one that will be forever imprinted on my mind. Disorder ... and horror. The walls of the room were splashed with blood. And there, spreadeagled across the bed, was Lavinia's nude body. Something about its posture was obscene, and I knew it had been placed deliberately so. Her eyes were wide and staring with horror. Her glorious hair was matted with blood, and spread out at her feet was the blood-spattered peacock-feather fan. I knew then that the Khansamah had done this.