101. A Call of Love (12 page)

“I will try to get in touch with Papa and, please, it would help me if you tried too, my Lord.”

“Of course I will, but I am afraid I am a very practical person and I find it difficult to believe that these things happen, even though it has been actually proved to me that they do.”

“It does seem wrong, when we fancy ourselves as an advanced nation, with our education better than most, that we don’t try to emulate some of the amazing results of thought that are achieved by people in this country and in other countries in the East.”

“I know exactly what you are saying,” he replied, “but, as I have said, we are not an imaginative people and we like everything that is set in front of us to be positive. Also intelligible, so that we can add it up and find that two and two make four.”

“But the monks have told you their brains can fly into the sky and reach each other hundreds of miles away, while we can painstakingly only build a railway or a road if we want to reach some distant place.”

“That is called being civilised,” Lord Kenington said with a smile.

“I think you are laughing at me, my Lord, but Papa would understand.”

“And I assure you I understand too, but I am trying to make you practical and let me say you are behaving wonderfully well and very sensibly.”

“I am trying to, I am really trying very hard,” Aisha replied. “But I want to scream and run and find Papa for myself. I am sure if I tried, I could find him!”

He was sure that she did not really mean it.

He merely put his hand over hers and said,

“We must both be very careful not to let anyone else know that we are worried. On occasions like this it is always wise to think of the person you are looking for. You are acting a part, but not for one moment must you let people be aware that you are acting. That is why you have to concentrate and be exceptionally intelligent.”

“I will try, I really will try,” Aisha promised. “But you must admit, my Lord, that, having come all this way, it is terrifying that Papa was not waiting for me.”

“Of course it was, but he would be the first person to tell you not to endanger him or anyone he is with by letting anyone else know that you are actually perturbed.”

“I will pretend that I am enjoying this lovely place and find everyone in it very agreeable,” Aisha said. “But you will have to help me and it’s not going to be easy if, as the hours go by, there is still no sign of Papa.”

“Of course I will help you, Aisha, and, as I now see people approaching in the distance, we might go into the wood and enjoy the shade of the trees.”

She jumped up at once and they moved away from the people coming towards them.

Despite the Viceroy saying that Peterhof was too small, there were always people staying there and, as Lord Kenington well knew, there would be a large number of guests for luncheon and for dinner every day.

When they had luncheon, Aisha found that she was seated between two good-looking young men who had come to Simla to play polo.

They were both experienced players and were very determined that their team should beat everyone they were playing against.

They talked of their sport and at the same time they paid Aisha endless compliments, which she found amusing rather than embarrassing.

Watching her from the other side of the table, Lord Kenington thought that she was putting on a very good act.

In fact she appeared completely carefree and out for enjoyment and she was also looking extremely attractive.

He was well aware that, because they had arrived together, the other women staying in Peterhof were already linking them and this irritated him

He had, with great dexterity, avoided being married for many years now and he had no intention of rushing up the aisle.

He was accompanying a young girl he was very delighted to be with simply because of her father.

When he had said goodbye to the Earl and Countess of Dartwood, they had asked him somewhat pointedly, he thought, when the marriage between Aisha and his cousin would take place.

“I have not the slightest idea,” he had responded, “when Jack will get leave or if his ship is required on duty in some obscure part of the globe where wives are not particularly welcome.”

He deliberately made the whole scenario sound as vague as possible and as if he himself was not particularly interested.

Equally he was not at all sure if the Countess was deceived and he knew that if it was reported that he was travelling alone with a young girl who was as beautiful as Aisha, the whole of London would be discussing it.

In which case there would be no escape.

He had not told the same story when he arrived in India for the simple reason that there was no need for it.

He had met Aisha travelling on the ship, he said, and immediately became aware that she was the daughter of Major Warde and he would have been very stupid if he had not made himself pleasant to her.

If no one else understood the reason, the Viceroy would.

He made a mental note to make sure if possible that no one in Simla became aware that Aisha had come from England alone and un-chaperoned, as he knew the mere fact that they had arrived together to stay with Lord Lytton would be enough to set the tongues wagging.

And especially if they knew that they had shared a private drawing room on the train and that no other woman had been present.

To stop these tongues Lord Kenington decided that now he should concentrate on flattering and flirting with the pretty women staying in the house.

He realised that he must pay as little attention to Aisha as possible, although they shared the secret of her father’s disappearance.

He knew that she was relying on him to help her and to keep her from being more distressed than she was already.

Therefore he had to be there if she wanted him and he felt that it was his duty to support her in every way he could.

*

The day passed slowly.

Shortly after tea Lord Kenington went alone to the Viceroy’s private room and found him working at his desk.

As he closed the door behind him, he asked,

“Is there any news? I know it’s a silly question as you would have sent for me if there had been.”

“Of course I would,” the Viceroy replied. “Do sit down, Charles, and tell me about this lovely girl you have brought with you. I had no idea that Harold Warde had a daughter. She is certainly one of the most beautiful women I have seen for a long time.”

“I felt exactly the same when I first saw her,” Lord Kenington replied. “And she has the most amazing brain, which naturally she must have inherited from her father.”

“You can be sure of that,” the Viceroy agreed. “I can tell you in all sincerity that Harold Warde is one of the most brilliant men I have ever met. “If we lost him it would be an absolute disaster. I cannot tell you how magnificent he has been these last few months and what priceless information he has managed to obtain for us.”

“That is exactly what I want to talk to you about, Robert, and why the Prime Minister has sent me to you.”

“I am aware of your mission, but Prime Minister or no Prime Minister, I am delighted to see you, Charles. I am sure that you can help us with some of our problems, which seem to grow more difficult every day.”

“What is happening?” Lord Kenington enquired.

“It’s the Russians, always the Russians! They are coming closer and closer to us and I want you to get it put firmly to the Cabinet in England that we must have their support and more troops.”

“Is that really necessary, Robert?” Lord Lytton nodded.

“I am not saying they will all be used, but a show of strength will, if we use it sensibly, prevent Russia from taking the final step of attempting to wrest India from us.” “Do you really think they will be so stupid? After all, they have to come thousands of miles to meet an Army that is well-trained and provided with up-to-date weapons.”

“I think that the threat from the Russians is slightly exaggerated,” Lord Lytton replied. “At the same time they are a definite menace and I would like people at home to appreciate it.”

“That is exactly why I am here, Robert.”

“I know, but you can be certain that Gladstone’s lot will say that you have exaggerated the whole thing and that you have not delved deep enough to find the real trouble.”

“They talk and they talk,” Lord Kenington replied. “But I can assure you that I will be very firm about this and the Prime Minister said that he would value my advice above anyone else’s.”

“I agree with him,” Lord Lytton smiled, “but you know how pig-headed they all are and it would take a sledge-hammer to awaken most of them to danger.”

Lord Kenington grinned.

“It’s not as bad as that, although people do believe what they want to believe. However, I will be on stronger ground when I can hear details from Warde. What do you really think has happened to him?”

“I don’t mind telling you,” Lord Lytton replied, “that I am terrified he has been captured. He is, without exception, the best man we have in the whole of
The Great Game
and at assuming disguises he is superb.”

He paused for a moment before he went on,

“I defy anyone to recognise him when he is dressed as a Holy man or as a mere Sudra. His own mother would be deceived when he is playing such a part.”

“You have men looking for him?” “Of course we have, but so far they have drawn a blank. However, something might happen at any moment. We never know out here what is going on until it is right under our noses.”

“I know just what you mean, Robert, but I want everything possible you can give me to tell the Prime Minister when I return.”

“I will have a fully detailed report ready for you and I sincerely hope that Warde will turn up and tell you more than I am capable of doing.”

“I hope so too, if only for his daughter’s sake – ” Lord Lytton looked at him quizzically.

“She is very lovely,” he said. “Are you in love with her, Charles?”

Lord Kenington smiled and shook his head.

“I know what you are expecting me to say and the answer is ‘no’. I have no intention of getting married. I like being a bachelor and ‘playing the field’, if that’s not too vulgar a word for it.”

“But you have done that for a long time and you know as well as I do, Charles, that you have to provide an heir.”

“If you talk exactly like my mother, I will leave immediately for home!” Lord Kenington said. “I will then tell Disraeli that you are far too frivolous to cope with anything serious out here in India!”

“If you are not careful,” Lord Lytton answered, “I will throw the inkpot at you and that will spoil that very smart suit of yours!”

“Be careful of it,” Lord Kenington protested. “It’s the only really decent one I possess and I put it on in your honour!”

They were both laughing, having known each for a long time and, although Lord Lytton was older, they still behaved rather like schoolboys when they were together.

“I am now going to have a swim,” Lord Kenington announced, “and I was rather hoping you might join me.”

“I have too much work to do,” Lord Lytton replied. “It is impossible for anyone at home to realise how much is written down in India. It will all no doubt delight our grandchildren, while I find it extremely irksome.”

“I am not going to be sorry for you, Robert You know, as well as I do, that you have been a huge success so far and everyone is saying that you are the best Viceroy India has ever had.”

Lord Lytton looked a little embarrassed.

“Do they really say that?” he asked.

“As if you did not know,” Lord Kenington replied. “You are brilliant in every way and I am told that eyebrows are raised here because of your rather bold redecoration of the ballroom.”

“That is true,” Lord Lytton laughed.

“I am further told,” Lord Kenington went on, “that the Japanese wallpaper that used to be here has disappeared to some fine pictures brought from Knebworth, your house in Hertfordshire.”

“That is also true. I expect you have also heard too that now the walls clash horribly with the scarlet of the Officers coats!

“Yes, I have heard that too!” “Then they will just have to put up with it,” Lord Lytton said. “Anything is better than shabby rooms, which they become more quickly in India than anywhere else.”

“I agree with you, Robert, but you can understand it was considered quite serious news by the Cabinet.”

“It would be, but then the silly fools should have something better to talk about.”

They both laughed and Lord Kenington added,

“I will want better information than that and I am anxious to know what you are keeping from me and I shall want, as Warde is not available, to talk to some of the other top men in
The Great Game
. I have a note here of their names, which Disraeli gave me the day before I left home.”

“Let me see it,” the Viceroy said and held out his hand.

Lord Kenington gave it to him and Lord Lytton read it slowly and then he exclaimed,

“Two of these men are dead! One has resigned and, as you know, Warde has at the moment vanished.”

“What about the other two, Robert?” “They are in Calcutta, as far as I know and you will have to wait until you go back before you can meet them.”

“Then what you are really saying,” Lord Kenington said, “is that there is no one in Simla for me to talk to about
The Great Game
, who will tell me anything that I do not know already.”

“There are a lot of minor people in it here, but they will only know the particular little parts they play and will certainly not have anything new to tell you.”

Lord Kenington sighed. He thought that, if this was indeed true, his journey had been a waste of time.

He rose to his feet.

“I am going swimming,” he said, “and, if you must keep working, try to think of some way you can help me. I will feel a fool if I go home empty-handed.”

As he spoke, an equerry entered the room.

After glancing at Lord Kenington, he walked up to the writing desk.

“Major Harold Warde is here, my Lord, and asks if you can see him.”