"Do you think you will ever do that?" "We have to try."
"What would you do if you found the murderers?"
"Hang them."
"Would that be wise? They are following what seems to be a religion with them. It is the worship of the goddess Kali that makes them do such things."
"You are a clever young lady, my dear Drusilla, but in these matters you are ... infantile."
"Then why do you bother to tell me of them?"
"Because I think we should all be warned. Keeping doesn't like the way things are going. He says he is aware of an undercurrent. He has detected insolence in certain people. He is trained to recognize these moods. He is a very experienced man, and he is disturbed."
"What should one do about it?"
"Take great care. Watch the way the wind blows. It is no use talking to Lavinia."
"No use at all. But why do you talk to me?"
"Because I expect you to be ... sensible."
"In what way?"
"Be watchful. Tell one of us if you see anything that may seem strange. We are going through an uneasy patch. We have them from time to time. We must be careful not to offend ... not to show arrogance ... to respect their customs."
"Except thuggery."
"That is true. But we are hoping that this is an isolated outbreak. If we could track it down and put an end to it there might be no more. If it goes undetected it might grow."
"I understand your anxiety. Thank you for telling me."
"I daresay Tom Keeping will tell Miss Philwright. In fact, I am sure he will. He has a great respect for her intelligence. He seems to be very interested in her."
"It was obvious when we travelled with him."
"And she ... what are her feelings?"
"I am not sure. She is not one to betray them."
"There are some like that," he said, smiling at me.
"It is often wise."
"I am sure anything Miss Philwright—and you also— would do would be wise. Tom Keeping is a good fellow ... a very faithful member of the Company. I owe him a good deal."
"Yes, he is clearly very efficient."
"You owe him something, too."
"You mean because he looked after us during the latter part of our voyage?"
"He looked after you very well. I don't think you are aware of how well."
I waited.
He went on, "Do you know he rescued you from a rather tricky situation?"
I looked at him in surprise. "I know he was very kind and helpful."
"How good a student of human nature are you, Miss Drusilla?"
"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."