It was a feeble effort, but it did cause him to reel back a little. He regained his balance immediately and was coming nearer. Those seconds seemed to go on for a long time. It amazes me, thinking back, how much can pass through the mind at such a moment. My first thought was: Has Ayah betrayed me? Is it for this she brought me here? No. She would never do that. She loved the children. She was fond of me for what I had done for Roshanara. It was an unworthy thought. I believed in that fearful moment that this was the end. I shall never see Fabian again, I thought. And who will look after the children?

Then there was a shattering explosion. The Khansamah threw up his hands. I heard the knife fall to the ground; he reeled drunkenly before he collapsed in a heap at my feet.

Fabian was coming towards me, a pistol in his hand.

"Drusilla!" he said.

I felt faint with shock. I thought I must be dead and dreaming.

His arms were round me. He was holding me tightly against him. I was trembling.

I heard him mutter, "Are you all right? Thank God you are safe ..."

"Fabian," I whispered. "Fabian ..." Repeating his name seemed to relieve me.

"Let's get inside ... away from that."

"He's dead," I murmured.

"Yes, he's dead."

"You ... saved me."

"Just in time. The old villain. It's his just deserts. Tell me ... I've wondered so much ... such nightmare thoughts. You're shivering. Come into the house. Don't be afraid. They've all gone ... none of them stayed when we came in. The house is safe now. There's so much to say ..."

He put his arm round me and led me into the house. It was quiet.

"I'll find some brandy or something," he said.

A soldier in uniform came into the hall.

"Can you find some brandy, Jim?" said Fabian. "There's been a nasty accident out there. Get rid of the body, will you? It's an old rascal who used to work here. He tried to kill Miss Delany."

"Yes, sir," said the man. He was clearly no more moved by one request than the other.

We went into the drawing room, which no longer looked familiar, and after a few moments the man returned with the brandy and two glasses.

Fabian poured it out. "Drink this," he said. "You'll feel better."

I took the glass with trembling hands.

"That man ..." I began.

"Stop thinking of him. It was you or him. So he had to go. Moreover, he has caused a lot of trouble. He's had that coming to him for a long time."

"Lavinia ..." I said. And I told him.

He was deeply shocked. "My poor foolish sister ... she never learned, did she?" He took a sip of brandy and stared ahead of him. He had cared for her, I knew, although he had deplored her conduct and had usually treated her with an affectionate contempt. He had done what he could for Fleur's future. It was a terrible blow to him that she was dead.

"It was that man ..." I said, and I heard myself blurting out what I had seen. "The peacock-feather fan was at her feet. It was spattered with blood. He must have put it there."

Fabian put an arm round me and held me close to him. I fancied we comforted each other.

"I have avenged her, then," he said at length. "I am glad I was the one. We have been looking for him for some time. He was one of the leaders. Fancied himself a Nana Sahib. Thank God we've got him now. It will be over in a little time, Drusilla. But there's a good deal to do yet. We'll get away from it all ... we'll be able to put all this behind us ... once we are out of this mess."

I started to talk about the children ... about Salar and his workshop and the way in which he had sheltered us all this time.

"Good man. He shall be rewarded."

"He doesn't want rewards," I said. "He wants to pay his debt for what we did for Roshanara."

"Yes," he said. "I understand that."

"What was the Khansamah doing here?" I asked.

"Probably trying to get me. He was lurking in the grounds, I suspect. So that must have been his idea. We have some of the military here and I daresay there were attempts at sniping. We'll have to take the greatest care."

"And Dougal?" I asked. "Where is Dougal?"

"I haven't heard from him for some time. I think he may be in Lucknow. Alice and Tom will be there, too."

I shivered. "If only this were over."

"It will be," he assured me. "But there is plenty of danger yet. You must go back to Salar's shop. You've been safe there so far. The children must stay there. How are they?"

"Restive ... but otherwise all right. I can't tell you what I owe to the ayah and her brother. It's really all because of Roshanara."

"Well, we foiled the old devil over that little matter. It is comforting to know he is beyond seeking revenge now. You have been constantly in my thoughts, Drusilla ... all of you."

"And you have been in mine ... with Dougal ... Alice and Tom."

"I know the children will be as safe as it is possible to be with you. The thing is, where do we go from here? I wouldn't want you to come to the house ... yet. I feel that would be unsafe. I am going to move heaven and earth to get you all home as soon as possible."

"You said the trouble was dying down."

"It will be a slow death, I fear. Although we are here in force there is going to be trouble yet. I'd be so much easier in my mind if I thought that you and the children were out of it. A pity we're not in Bombay. Then it might be possible to get you away. But here ... you'd have to travel across country and heaven knows what you might run into. Now what you have to do is get back to Salar's. Stay there as you were for a few days and then we'll see how things are. I shall know where you are ... and I am going to concentrate on getting you out of the country and home."

I could not think clearly. It was all-important that he was alive ... that we had met again ... that he was so moved and delighted to see me, that he was the one who had saved my life when I was on the brink of death. Perhaps in such circumstances one thinks more lightly of death than one does normally. This night I had seen a man shot dead before my eyes and I could only feel a numbed sense of shock, which was overpowered by a tremendous happiness.

He took me back to the gazebo, where the ayah was waiting. She had heard the shot and had crept out to see what had happened. She had thought at first that I might have been killed. I think she must have been relieved when she saw the dead man, for she herself had lived in fear of him for a very long time. There was no doubt that he had been arrogant, cruel and sadistic. I suppose I should not feel so disturbed because he had been treated as he had treated so many. But death is shocking and I could not throw off the effects of that shock.

Ayah was delighted to see me safe, but she was a little worried to see Fabian, and more so when he told us that he was going to see us safely to her brother's house, where I was to stay for a while longer. She was very disturbed. He must not be seen with us. Who knew who would watch?

She was really frightened, and Fabian saw reason in her fear, so it was arranged that she and I should walk ahead of him, with Fabian watchful of us but keeping his distance, his pistol ready, in case he should have to come to our assistance.

And so I went back to Salar's house.

I lay on my pallet in a bemused state for the rest of that night.

Life had changed. The streets of Delhi were safer now, though there were periodic outbreaks of violence. Nana Sahib had been defeated, but the Mutiny was by no means quelled, though the British were gaining success after success, and it was becoming clear that, although it might take time, order would eventually be restored. I could go out, but I never went far. Fabian was still at the house and I saw him now and then.

We talked a great deal about the position here. He never discussed the future. Later I thought that was because he did not believe then that there would be one for us.

Death had receded a little. It was no longer lurking beside us, but it was still not very far away.

Fabian's great concern was to get us out of the country. He was continually making enquiries as to how safe it would be for us to travel to the coast. There were big British successes at Rajpootana, Malwa, Berar and some remote places.

It was safe for me to go to the house now, but Fabian did not wish me to go there too often. He thought that some of the Khansamah's men might be around and take it into their heads to avenge his death, and they would shoot anyone connected with the house for that purpose. I was to stay at Salar's house until something could be arranged to get us out of the country.

Fabian did not leave Delhi.

He told me that this would probably be the end of the Company as such. It was being realized, he had heard, that a trading company was not fitted to govern a country; it could be said that the Company had done that, with the aid of the Army. It was not very satisfactory, and he believed that some other form of government would take its place when all this was settled.

"You mean we shall still keep our interests in India?"

"Most certainly, yes. There is no question of that. But there will be new legislation, I am convinced."

I loved those sessions with him. We seemed to grow very close. I was greatly soothed, for the terrible things that I had witnessed had changed me forever. I would never forget the sight of Lavinia, spreadeagled across that bed. I should never be rid of the memory of the peacock-feather fan. I would always remember the look of startled horror on her face. I thought so often of her ... she who had lived in a world of dreams where she was always the beautiful siren, adored by gallant knights. What had she thought when she had found herself face to face with horrific reality? Perhaps the answer was in those wild, staring eyes.