“I thought I would find you here,” he observed.
He walked towards her and to Ilesa’s surprise Rajah did not get up to greet the Duke.
He waited until the Duke sat down on the other side of him and then he turned his head towards him.
“I came early,” Ilesa told the Duke, “because I could not bear to lose any time ‒ when I could be with Rajah and Che Che.”
She gave a little sigh.
“I shall miss them both ‒ when I go home.”
“As I am sure they will miss you,” the Duke commented.
“They will have – you!” Ilesa replied.
“And I shall miss you too,” he answered.
There was silence.
Then, because Ilesa was aware that something was on his mind, she looked up at him.
“I was just wondering,” the Duke next said quietly, “what you are going to do about us.”
Ilesa was very still.
“I-I don’t – k
