She had even gone so far as to look for something she might conceivably use for a weapon, but she had discarded the notion. Even with one arm, Kusum was too quick, too strong, too agile for her. He had proved that beyond a doubt this morning. And in his unbalanced state of mind, a physical assault might drive him over the edge.

And still she worried for Jack. Kusum had said he was unharmed, but how could she be sure after all the lies he had already told her?

She heard the outer door open—Kusum seemed to have been fumbling with it—and footsteps approaching her cabin. A man stepped through the splinters of the door. He stood there smiling, staring at her sari.

“Where’d you get the funny dress?”

“Jack!” She leaped into his arms, her joy bursting within her. “You’re alive!”

“You’re surprised?”

“I thought Kusum might have…”

“No. It was almost the other way around.”

“I’m so glad you found me!” She clutched him, reassuring herself that he was really here. “Kusum is going to sail back to India tonight. Get me out of here!”

“My pleasure.” He turned toward the shattered door and paused. “What happened to that?”

“Kusum kicked it out after I locked him in.”

She saw Jack’s eyebrows rise. “How many kicks?”

“One, I think.” She wasn’t sure.

Jack pursed his lips as if to whistle but made no sound. He began to speak but was interrupted by a loud clang from down the hall.

Kolabati went rigid. No! Not Kusum! Not now!

“The door!”

Jack was already out in the hall. She followed in time to see him slam his shoulder full force against the steel door.

Too late. It was locked.

Jack pounded once on the door with his fist, but said nothing.

Kolabati leaned against the door beside him. She wanted to scream with frustration. Almost free—and now locked up again!

“Kusum, let us out!” she cried in Bengali. “Can’t you see this is useless?”

There was no reply. Only taunting silence on the other side. Yet she sensed her brother’s presence.

“I thought you wanted to keep us apart!” she said in English, purposely goading him. “Instead you’ve locked us in here together with a bed and nothing but each other to fill the empty hours.”

There followed a lengthy pause, and then an answer—also in English. The deadly precision in Kusum’s voice chilled Kolabati.

“You will not be together long. There are crucial matters that require my presence at the Consulate now. The rakoshi will separate the two of you when I return.”

He said no more. And although Kolabati had not heard his footsteps retreating across the deck, she was sure he had left them. She glanced at Jack. Her terror for him was a physical pain. It would be so easy for Kusum to bring a few rakoshi onto the deck, open this door, and send them in after Jack.

Jack shook his head. “You’ve got a real way with words.”