WESTBURY,ENGLAND,KIRPALSINGHSTOODwherethehorse’ssaddlewouldhavelainacrossitsback.Atfirsthesimplystoodonthebackofthehorse,pausedandwavedtothosehecouldwhoheknewwouldbewatg.LordSuffolkwatchedhimthroughbinoculars,sawtheyoungmaharmsupandswaying.

    Thenhedesded,downintothegiantwhitechalkhorseofWestbury,intothewhitenessofthehorse,carvedintothehill.

    Nowhewasablackfigure,thebackgroundradicalizingthedarknessofhisskinandhiskhakiuniform.Ifthefothebinocularswasexact,LordSuffolkwouldseethethinlineofcrimsonlanyardonSingh’sshoulderthatsignalledhissapperunit.Tothemitwouldlooklikehewasstridingdoermapcutoutintheshapeofananimal.ButSinghwassciousonlyofhisbootsscuffingtheroughwhitechalkashemoveddowntheslope.

    MissMorden,behindhim,wasalsoingslowlydownthehill,asatcheloverhershoulder,aidingherselfwitharolledumbrella.Shestoppedteabovethehorse,unfurledtheumbrellaandsatwithinitsshade.Thensheopeneduphernotebooks.

    “youhearme?”heasked.

    “Yes,it’sfine.”Sherubbedthechalkoffherhandsontoherskirtandadjustedherglasses.Shelookedupintothedistand,asSinghhaddone,wavedtothoseshecouldnotsee.

    Singhlikedher.ShewasihefirstEnglishwomanhehadreallyspokenwithsincehearrivedinEngland.MostofhistimehadbeeinabarracksatWoolwihisthreemonthstherehehadmetonlyotherIndiansandEnglishofficers.AwomanwouldreplytoaquestionintheNAAFIteen,butversationswithwomenlastedonlytwoorthreesentences.

    Hewasthesedson.Theoldestsonwouldgointothearmy,thebrotherwouldbeadoctor,abrotherafterthatwouldbeeabusiness