“Will it be possible to keep the same driver for the whole visit?”

“Of course, sir.”

“He’ll need to speak English.”

“In this hotel, sir, even the cleaners speak English.”

“Of course, I apologize. I have one more request—could he possibly be a Hindu?”

“Not a problem, sir. I believe I have the ideal person to meet all your requirements, and I can recommend him highly, because he’s my brother.” Seb laughed. “And when would you want him to start?”

“Eight o’clock tomorrow morning?”

“Excellent. My brother’s name is Vijay and he’ll be waiting for you outside the main entrance at eight.” The receptionist raised a hand and a bellboy appeared. “Take Mr. Clifton to room 808.”

Chapter 19

19

WHEN SEBASTIAN LEFT his hotel at eight o’clock the following morning, he spotted a young man standing beside a white Ambassador. The moment he saw Seb heading toward him, he opened the back door.

“I’ll sit in the front with you,” said Seb.

“Of course, sir,” said Vijay. Once he was behind the wheel he asked, “Where would you like to go, sir?”

Seb handed him an address. “How long will it take?”

“That depends, sir, on how many traffic lights are working this morning and how many cows are having their breakfast.”

The answer turned out to be just over an hour, although the milometer indicated that they had covered barely three miles.

“It’s the house on the right, sir,” said Vijay. “Do you want me to drive up to the front door?”

“No,” said Seb as they passed the gates of a house that was so large it might have been mistaken for a country club. He admired Priya for never having mentioned her father’s wealth.

Vijay parked in an isolated spot, down a side road from where they could see anyone coming in or out of the gates, while they would be unlikely to be noticed.

“Are you very important?” asked Vijay an hour later.

“No,” said Seb. “Why do you ask?”

“Because there’s a police car parked just down the road, and it hasn’t moved since we arrived.”

Seb was puzzled but tried to dismiss it as a coincidence, even though Cedric Hardcastle had taught him many years ago to always be wary of coincidences.

They remained seated in the car for most of the day, during which time several cars and a van passed in and out of the gates. There was no sign of Priya, although at one point a large Mercedes left the grounds with Mr. Ghuman seated in the back talking to a younger man Seb assumed must be his son.

In between the comings and goings, Vijay gave Seb a further insight into the Hindu religion, and he began to realize just how difficult it must have been for Priya even to consider defying her parents.