‘Just about to,’ said Steve.

They took Tim’s recommendation for food and also ordered coffee and fruit juice. Then Grace jumped right in. ‘I can see why you were captivated by K’tut Tantri’s book. It’s like an adventure novel. Steve has read your book, but I haven’t got to it yet.’

‘How did you get such personal insights into her life?’ asked Steve. ‘Though I notice there are some questions left unanswered.’

Tim gave a shrug and a slight smile. ‘You might say it was a bit like a duel. This was no forgotten heroine anxious to have her story told and go down in history. K’tut felt she’d done that already, so she saw no need to explain herself any further.’

‘Feisty, eh?’ said Grace.

‘To put it mildly.’

‘But she agreed to let you base your PhD thesis on her life,’ said Steve. ‘She must have wanted some glory.’

‘God no,’ said Tim. ‘She had become a recluse – refused to see me, actually, or anyone else, for that matter. I discovered by accident that she was living in Hyde Park Plaza in the centre of Sydney. So I sent her a letter saying my thesis was based on her autobiography. I told her I had been going to Bali for years and specialised in Indonesian history and politics, so her story had captured my imagination. But I didn’t say that I had plenty of questions about the veracity of parts of it.’ He stopped while the waiter placed their drinks in front of them. ‘Actually, that’s what got me interested – sifting out what was romantic hyperbole and how much was true. I mean, the basis was true, there’s no disputing that, but her rather colourful descriptions had me wondering where the line between truth and fiction really was.’

‘So she agreed?’ said Grace.

Tim gave a short laugh. ‘No way. Once I found out where she was staying, I tried calling, but she’d given the hotel instructions not to put calls though. In fact, the receptionist wouldn’t even admit K’tut was staying there and the letters I sent were returned.’

They paused again while their food was served, and then Steve asked eagerly, ‘What did you do?’

‘Kept calling every month or so,’ Tim replied. ‘Then I got lucky one day when there was a temporary operator on the switch, who let slip her room number, telling me Ms Tantri wouldn’t take the call. So I went up to Sydney to the hotel.’

‘Wow, that was lucky,’ said Grace.

‘Sort of. She refused to answer the door.’

‘Oh no.’ Grace gasped.