Chapter Five Nuritov took the news of Kati’s demise calmly. Nanda did not. ‘Kati?’ she gasped. Konrad began to wish he had chosen a better time, or better circumstances. He had found her in the theatre, rehearsing with Eino, Nuritov and and Denis Druganin. At least, ostensibly they were rehearsing; when Konrad walked in, all four had scripts gamely in hand, but the conversation appeared to be more general. He’d purloined Nanda and Nuritov on pretence of being eager to rehearse — an attitude which endeared him to Eino on the spot — and taken them away to a quiet corner. ‘I am sorry,’ he whispered, panicked in the face of her white-faced shock. Nanda collected herself. ‘It is not your fault.’ ‘I did not know… did not realise that you were close.’ Sinking with a sigh into the nearest