In small
chambers off their rooms, with marble walls and floors, and windows
filled with thin slabs of alabaster carved in the most exquisite tracery
as delicate as lace, galvanised iron tubs to be used as baths looked
sadly out of place.
When they had freshened themselves up after their long motor drive they
went down to the dining-hall, where lunch was to be served. And when she
entered the room the first person that Noreen saw was Dermot, seated at a
small table with Payne and Granger.
On his return from a secret excursion across the Bhutan border the Major
had found awaiting him at Ranga Duar the official invitation of the Lalpuri
Durbar. He was very much surprised at it; for he knew that the State had
never encouraged visits from Europeans, and had, when possible, invariably
refused admission to all except important British officials, who could not
be denied. Such a thing as actually entertaining Englishmen of its own
accord was unknown in its annals. So he stared at the large card printed in
gold and embossed with the coat-of-arms of Lalpuri in colours, and wondered
what motive lay behind the invitation. That it betokened a fresh move in
the conspiracy he was certain; but be the motive what it might he was glad
of the unexpected opportunity of visiting Lalpuri and meeting those whom he
believed to be playing a leading part in the plot.
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