The Far Pavilions - Mary Margaret Kaye [559]
‘I suppose when Cavagnari gets back from Simla.’
‘Simla! I might have known he' d be there.’
‘Faith, I think you might. He came out through the Khyber with General Sam and went straight up there to report to the Viceroy.’
‘And to be rewarded for having bullied Yakoub Khan into accepting the terms of that wretched Peace Treaty, no doubt,’ said Ash with an edge to his voice. ‘A knighthood at the least – Sir Louis Cavagnari, K.C.S.I., etc., etc.’
‘Why not?’ demanded Wally, beginning to bristle. ‘He's earned it.’
‘No doubt. But unless he can persuade his fellow fire-eater, Lytton, to hold up this Mission until Yakoub Khan has had a chance to re-establish some sort of law and order in Kabul, it's likely to prove his death-warrant. And yours too, Wally! Not to mention the jawans, and everyone else he'll be taking with him. Have the members of the escort been selected yet?’
Not officially, though it's more or less settled. Why?’
‘I wanted to know if Zarin would be going.’
‘Not as far as I know. Nor is Awal Shah. In fact none of your particular cronies.’
‘Except yourself.’
‘Oh, I shall be all right,’ said Wally buoyantly. ‘You don't have to worry about me - I was born under a lucky star. It's yourself's the one you should be worrying about, ye scutt. You can't go hanging around indefinitely in a trouble-spot like Afghanistan merely in order to keep a weather-eye out for your friends, so it's I who'll be giving you a piece of advice for a change. When you see the Old Man, get him to let you come back to us. Go on your knees if necessary. Tell him we need you – which is God's truth so it is.’
Ash looked at him a little oddly and started to say something, but changed his mind and inquired instead when this Mission was supposed to leave – if it did leave.
‘It'll leave all right, make no mistake about that. We expect to set off as soon as Cavagnari returns from Simla. But as I told you, nothing has been decided yet, and for all I know the Viceroy may have other ideas.’
‘Let's hope so. They couldn't be worse than this one,’ observed Ash dryly. ‘Well, goodbye, Wally. I don't know when I shall be seeing you again, but I hope for your sake it won't be in Kabul.’
He held out his hand and Wally gripped it and said warmly: ‘Wherever it is, it can't be too soon: you know that. And if it's Kabul, at least you'll know that I wouldn't have missed being there for anything in the world. Why, it'll be the chance of a lifetime, and if all goes well it's bound to mean promotion for Hamilton, and another long step towards getting my hands on that Field Marshal's baton. Sure now, you wouldn't want to do me out of that, would you? Sorra-a-bit! So don't say “goodbye”, say “I'll see you in Kabul”.’
Zarin had taken much the same view as Wally, when Ash related their conversation the following morning. And once again, as on the previous one, there had been that in his voice that sounded an ominous note of change and warning. A hint of impatience that verged on irritation, and an indefinable suggestion of withdrawal, as though he had retreated to the far side of some invisible barrier. He might almost, thought Ash, appalled by the reflection, have been speaking to a stranger.
Zarin had stopped short of telling him in so many words that his warnings were unwelcome, but that was made clear by his tone. ‘We your friends are no longer boys,’ said Zarin. ‘We are all grown men and can look to our affairs. Awal Shah tells me that he has spoken with the Commandant-Sahib who will see you during the afternoon, when everyone if not asleep is at least within doors.’
He would not meet Ash's eyes, but rose and went out about his duties, saying that he would be back before two o'clock to take Ash to the Commandant's bungalow, and advising him to get some sleep, because he would need to be rested if he meant to set out for Kabul that night – it being too hot to travel by day.
But Ash had not slept, for apart from the fact that Zarin's small, brick-built quarter behind the Cavalry Lines was intolerably hot, he had too many things to think of;