The warm night wrapped itself around her and the skies above her were pin-pricked with millions of stars; she was on her own, but she did not feel lonely. If she could reach out beyond the stone walls she felt that the answer to everything was within her grasp. Kate sipped the last of her rapidly cooling coffee, smiling at her own folly. If she remained here in Audley House she might succumb to the idle lifestyle of so many of the ex-patriots who had chosen to spend their lives in this fascinating but dangerous country. But that was not for her: tomorrow she must face reality. Her talk with Colonel Lambert had made her think hard as to Harry’s motives for leaving Joe in hospital, and she could only imagine that he might have gone in search of Ashok. He knew how much she had cared for her handsome Indian soldier, and perhaps he thought by bringing her news of Ash he might lay a ghost from her past. He must have had good reason for his trip to Thana, and whatever had led him there it was likely that he would return by the same route. If it would serve any useful purpose she was quite prepared to meet every train that arrived at Bori Bunder station, but if Harry returned to Bombay he would almost certainly go straight to Joe in the hospital. She would have to curb her impatience and wait a little longer. Kate rose to her feet and made her way across the paved yard to the house. She would sleep on it and hope that in the morning a clever plan might have formed in her brain.

Next morning at breakfast Kate confided in Annie, who listened patiently.

‘I agree that you can’t camp on the station platform, Kate,’ Annie said gently. ‘If Harry has gone to Thana he might return on horseback or in a carriage, and you would have wasted your time. That’s if he actually went there in the first place.’

‘I know. It’s all a matter of supposition, but surely Harry wouldn’t simply abandon Joe in hospital. He came all this way specifically to take care of Joe and to bring him home. I can’t believe that he would simply walk away.’

Annie smiled as she buttered a slice of toast. ‘You really do love him, don’t you?’

‘I never said I did.’

‘You didn’t have to, dear. You’ve been fretting for him ever since we arrived at the hospital and discovered that he wasn’t there.’

‘Yes, well, that’s true, but anything could have happened to him, and I hate mysteries. I want to know why he went and where he is now.’