She glanced up quickly, momentarily surprised to be addressed in her own tongue by a white man, then her gaze dropped again and her hands picked at the folds of her sari as she replied. ‘Yes, sahib. After the attack I complained to the colonel. He said he would investigate. Then, two days ago, I heard that Dodd sahib had had his pay suspended for six months.’ She looked up again, and Arthur saw that tears were flowing down her cheeks. Her lips trembled as she continued. ‘Six months pay, sahib, that is all Basur’s life was worth . . . Now I have no husband; the children have no father. We want justice,’ she concluded defiantly.

‘I understand.’ Arthur nodded, rising to his feet. ‘And I thank you for bringing this to my attention.You have my word that it will be dealt with at once.’

His guests stood up and Purneah spoke softly to the woman. She nodded and bowed to Arthur and turned and walked out of the office. When the door had closed behind her Purneah fixed Arthur with a penetrating stare. ‘Sahib, this is a most serious situation.Word of this killing has filled the markets and streets of the city. The people are watching and waiting to see how much weight the promises of Wellesley sahib carry.’

‘I am aware of the gravity of the offence,’ Arthur replied formally. ‘And it will be dealt with according to the law.’

Purneah gazed at him a moment, before bowing and leaving the office.

Arthur turned to his aide. ‘Find out which battalion Dodd is in, and then I want to see both him and his colonel, at once.’

It was late in the evening before Fitzroy returned to the Dowlut Baugh with the two Company officers. Arthur was watching the gravel drive from his office window and saw them approaching the palace. Several hours had passed since he summoned them and the initial anger he had felt had given way to a cold, calm determination to make this man Dodd pay for his crime. He returned to his desk and waited until the sound of boots echoed down the corridor outside his office. They stopped and at once there was a rap on the door.

‘Come!’