‘Did Soma visit her before she made this?’ Bachchu Kaka is still staring at the bottom right-hand corner of the picture.

‘I think so. A month or so ago. He used to come and go so quietly, I didn’t ever know.’

‘He must have told her what was happening in the pada. She must have heard the warning in his voice.’

They are silent.

‘And Marli?’

‘She’s with Soma in a safe place.’

‘They can come and live here for as long as they want. Will you please tell them that?’

‘I’ll send a message.’

The door opens. A tall, slim woman, with hair the rich brown of tamarind seeds, enters. Haridas signals to her to join them. ‘I’ll be with you in a minute,’ she says and hurries indoors.

Bachchu Kaka stiffens. ‘Let’s go.’

‘Please have tea. It’s your first visit.’

Bachchu Kaka looks in the direction in which the woman went and says a pointed ‘No, thank you.’

Haridas grins. ‘That’s Maya. She’s half Dutch and half Tamil. Her mother used to live right here, in Matunga. Maya and I are doing some work together. By work I don’t mean . . .’

Anima sees what’s coming and warns Haridas with a sign.

But Haridas persists. ‘. . . we’re sleeping together. Not yet.’

Anima looks at the floor in despair. Bachchu Kaka goes red. ‘I have no interest in knowing who you work or sleep with.’ He gets up and dusts down his clothes.

‘Why don’t you stay a bit then?’ Haridas presses on shamelessly. ‘I’ll make us some great tea. It’s our teatime anyway. Afterwards I’ll show you my work.’

Haridas speaks with such casual warmth that Bachchu Kaka stands nonplussed. Taking advantage of the pause in hostilities, Haridas disappears into the kitchen. Bachchu Kaka is left pacing up and down near the door in helpless anger. At last he sits down. His bald head is covered in a burst of sweat. He scrubs it roughly with his handkerchief, then fists his thighs to calm himself down. Haridas emerges with the tea. His eyes are red. ‘The kitchen is not merely empty. It’s dead.’ The grief in his voice is so deep that even Bachchu Kaka loses some of his pent-up steam. Anima has seen Haridas’s face in many moods, but never like this. Bachchu Kaka doesn’t know what to say so he says, ‘Don’t worry. I’ll find you someone else in Girji’s place. There’s no shortage of destitute women in our padas.’