‘By all means. I was in fact reading more for the prospect here than Scotland – its observations on Mr Telford, wondering what capability he’d see in India.’

‘He’d certainly have an even emptier canvas on which to display his art. One or two of his roads wouldn’t come amiss.’

‘For sure. And Mr Stephenson’s railways. I thought I’d go and see the steam at the coal pits tomorrow, if you’ve no objection.’

‘I’ve no objection in the least. But come take a turn with me now,’ said Hervey, cupping his ear and pointing to the wall. ‘I would see how Minnie’s stood the day and all, give her a little mash perhaps, if they have such a thing.’ (If the stable, too, had ears, then he supposed that nothing could avail him in his mission here.)

Fairbrother needed no explanation. He knew his friend well enough.

And, obligingly when they were come, Minnie and the others whickered just often enough to mask their talk, muted anyway as it was. Perilous, though, for Hervey had now firmly resolved to rescue Suneyla; or rather, not simply to spirit her away from the city, but to release both her and Chintal from the tyranny of Ashok Acharya. He had, he told his friend, taken leave of her in the jasmine gardens with an assurance not to be afraid, though he couldn’t yet know how that might be.

‘And how, meanwhile, is she to preserve herself?’ asked Fairbrother.

‘That is the material point. I said she must somehow allow Acharya to believe that he’s secure. How, I can’t suppose, but she’s not without guile. It appears she can trust the bodyguard, and perhaps some of the Swiss officers that Acharya’s brought to drill the others. His numbers are formidable though.’

‘And this while you return to Sthambadree, collect your field force and come back here as knight-errant?’

Hervey scowled. Sometimes his friend tried him sorely. ‘I can’t pretend it will be easy. I don’t doubt we can deliver Chintal from Acharya, given the men, but I can’t be sure we can deliver the Ranee too.’

Fairbrother was silent for a moment, thoughtful.

‘You’ll need good intelligence in the meantime.’

‘I’d thought of that well enough,’ said Hervey wearily, for there was no obvious prospect of it.

‘Then I shall stay here.’

‘What?’

‘I can’t see another way. You can scarcely leave your dragoons. Tell the palace I’m to be Bell’s assistant, till the new agent’s appointed. And if the Ranee’s courage fails her … Well, I’ll have to contrive her escape somehow.’

Hervey shook his head. That he should have such men as Fairbrother follow him without bidding …

XX

The Chintal Field Force

Sthambadree, five days later

The troop serjeant-majors stood like petrified trees, fearing the slightest movement would bring down on the unfortunate individual the terrible wrath of the regiment’s deity of discipline.

‘I ’ave been in ’Is Majesty’s Sixth Light Dragoons for more years than any of you’ve been able to tell left from right: an’ never ’ave I seen aught like it!’