‘I am a colonel of light dragoons. I am not a general.’

Colonel Bell smiled. ‘I ought to congratulate you on your brevet, by the bye.’

‘You are indeed well informed.’ But otherwise Hervey was inclined to keep his peace, doubting the colonel could be persuaded even on such a demonstrably provable fact as his rank.

‘And so?’

‘The Ranee suggested I call on you.’

‘I know. She told me.’

‘Ah, forgive me. I hadn’t known you were in her service still.’

‘I was never in her service, Hervey, if you recall. I commanded the subsidiary force – temporary as it was – in the pay of Fort William.’

‘That much I did know, yes, but when the force was withdrawn, I understood you to have transferred to her court.’

The colonel smiled again. ‘More lime water?’

Hervey was beginning to wonder if there really had been any purpose in the Ranee’s sending him here – beyond the natural decencies towards an old and infirm fellow-soldier and -countryman (except that the colonel was not so very old: his hair was streaked with grey; it wasn’t white. And his stick, Hervey judged, was more ornamental than essential).

‘You have a delightful establishment here.’

‘Indeed I do, and a hundred-year lease. I regret that my wife is in attendance at the palace today, but I insist you meet her during your stay.’

‘She’s one of the Ranee’s ladies? Was she at the banquet last evening?’

‘She was, and said she observed you there but hadn’t opportunity to be presented.’

Hervey thought it odd. If the Ranee was so keen he meet the colonel, why not arrange for his wife to be presented?

‘Colonel, there is something I would speak of. I have just learned that the Ranee has perpetrated a murderous cruelty on one of last evening’s nautch. I cannot pretend – I don’t wish to pretend – that I know nothing of it.’

Colonel Bell inclined his head. ‘How did you come by this?’

‘It’s common knowledge in the palace, evidently.’

The colonel smiled. ‘Accha.’

What a word was ‘Accha’: Hervey had even found himself using it of late. It encompassed so much. ‘And so?’

‘And so her design is working.’

‘What?’

‘The Ranee has asserted herself.’

Hervey recoiled. Had Bell been so long in India as to be bereft of all Christian sentiment? ‘You condone the interment of a young woman for such a purpose?’

‘I assure you, Hervey, I don’t condone it for any purpose. Nor does the Ranee.’

‘Then the story is false?’

‘Of course it is. Purposefully so. Bhikoba, the girl, is here, if you must know, and tonight she’ll be away to join the rest of the nautchers back to Nagpore.’

Hervey shook his head. ‘You’d better explain, if you will.’

‘Just so. Last evening – you found it agreeable.’

‘It was a fine evening altogether.’

‘Shreemati Bell said the Ranee was much taken by Miss Hervey. She, the Ranee, hopes very much to become more acquainted.’