There were six of them gathered round the table, the four who had arrived in Kareem’s car and two other men out of her direct eyeline – Asians in their late twenties from Pakistan or Bangladesh, Sara guessed, hardly making them out in the dim lighting of the restaurant. Sara and Maryam automatically sat down next to each other, Kareem placing himself to Sara’s left.

‘You were one person I had not expected to see,’ he said.

‘Why?’

He lowered his voice. ‘I never forget what you said. Perhaps your eyes have since been opened.’ She felt the charge in his use of the word ‘eyes’ as his burned into hers. She winced, fearful of his ability to beguile her and flushed with irritation at his assumption of superior knowledge.

‘If you’re speaking of 9/11, my eyes have seen what followed,’ she said. ‘Of course I’ve had to rethink. Hasn’t everyone?’

‘In that case it has had its effect.’

‘Of which you approve, I suppose.’

He stared inscrutably at her. ‘Or perhaps of which I was prophetic. The war of the West against the East, reaction and counter-reaction. The Bush and Blair folly of Iraq. My God, can you imagine a surer way of arousing our world against theirs?’

‘Our world?’

‘Of course, our world of Islam.’

‘No, that is not our world of Islam. It may be yours. But if I manage to find my world of Islam, it will be a world I want to share, not one I want to dominate others.’

‘Sara, you are still too young. Too blind.’ She felt herself warming, anger building at the condescension, the arrogance that was now insufferable. Why had she not seen that early enough? He moved closer, whispering. ‘Great things have happened in the world. Great deeds. There will be more to come. Believe me.’

‘What do you mean, Kareem?’ He watched her silently, adopting his most mystical expression. ‘What are you talking about?’

‘Can you not feel it all around you? Not just the Middle East but the whole world beyond. Even here, in this, our – I mean your – country. Do you ever think, Sara, that you should be trying to do something, not just be part of the chorus on the sidelines? Instead, become an actor at the centre of the stage.’

‘What is your play?’

‘Who can predict that? You are an intelligent young woman.’ He lowered his voice even further to a murmur, his lips almost touching her left ear. ‘History will dictate that the rain of death on our people cannot go unavenged.’