To his relief, Quill heard a scratching at the door.

It was Codswallop, whose eyes widened a bit when he realized that the study held not only the master’s son but also a somewhat disheveled Miss Jerningham. And he had distinctly heard the key turn in the door after he knocked.

He held out his silver tray. “Lord Breksby’s card, sir. His lordship has indicated that his visit is urgent.”

Quill nodded to Codswallop. “Please show Lord Breksby to the study. And ask Lady Sylvia to join us,” he added.

“Oh, goodness, no,” Gabby said. Patting her hair had confirmed that most of it was lying down her back. “I shall leave you to entertain your guest, Quill.”

“He is calling for you,” Quill remarked.

“What?” Gabby, in the middle of replacing a hairpin, looked sharply over her shoulder. She didn’t seem to realize that the greater part of her hair was falling down to the right.

“Let me,” Quill said. He pulled five or six hairpins out, so that a great mass of hair fell down Gabby’s back. Then he swiftly twirled it into a bun and stuck it back on the top of her head.

“Oh, thank you,” Gabby said, clearly taken aback. “Where did you learn to do that? No, don’t tell me.” She turned around. “Why does Lord Breksby wish to see me? And who is he?”

“Lord Breksby is England’s Secretary for Foreign Affairs,” Quill remarked. “He approached me just after you arrived from India, wishing information about the whereabouts of Kasi Rao.”

“Oh, no,” Gabby breathed.

“Yes,” Quill said dryly. “Perhaps you should tell him, Gabby. The Foreign Office is not the same thing as the East India Company, and I believe that Breksby is a man of honor. If he believes that Kasi is unfit to rule, he will ensure that the boy is kept safe.”

But Gabby shook her head. “I doubt he’s to be trusted, Quill. My father’s experience with representatives of the British government has been almost as unsatisfactory as his relationships with East India men. The government seems to have no ability to control company officials. Look what happened at Bharatpur. Hundreds of people died, and yet my father said the company had no authority for an assault on Holkar territory.”

It was Quill’s turn to look rueful. “I am very sorry to say that I agree with you for the main part. But Breksby himself is not a bad sort. And he has a great deal of power here in London. If he decides that Kasi is not an adequate ruler—and how could he decide otherwise?—then the company will have to leave Kasi alone.”