'You are stupid. How often have I told you not to entertain this fanciful idea? If Colonel Taylor finds out he will have you slaughtered.'
'Lovers have to be prepared to sacrifice themselves for their love. But at least now I have a piece of my love with me.'
'What? What have you got?' I climb down from my bed. 'Shhh . . . I can only show it to you if you swear not to reveal it to anyone.'
'OK, OK, I swear. Now show me what you have got.'
Ramu pushes his hand underneath his pillow and brings out a piece of red fabric. He holds it close to his nostrils and inhales deeply. Even I can smell a faint perfume.
'What is it? You have to show it.' Ramu unfurls it like a flag. It is a red bra. I jump up in shock and hit my head against the wooden rail. 'Oh, my God! Where the hell did you get this from?
Don't tell me it is hers.'
'Here, see for yourself.' Ramu hands the bra to me.
I turn the bra up and down. It seems like a very expensive piece, full of lace embroidery. It has a small white label near the hooks which says 'Victoria's Secret'.
'Who is Victoria?' I ask him.
'Victoria? I don't know any Victoria.'
'This bra belongs to Victoria. It even has her name. Where did you get it from?' Ramu is confused. 'But . . . but I stole it from Maggie's room.'
'Oh my God, Ramu! You know you are not allowed to go to the children's bedrooms. Now you will get into real trouble.'
'Look, Thomas, you promised not to tell anyone. Please, I beg you, don't reveal this secret.'
I cross my heart as I climb back into my bed. Soon Ramu begins snoring. I know he is dreaming about a girl with blue eyes and golden hair. But I am dreaming about a jeep with a flashing red light. I am convinced that Ramu is heading for trouble. Because Colonel Taylor is The Man Who Knows.
Sure enough, two days later a jeep with a flashing red light comes screeching to the house. A Police Inspector wearing goggles swaggers into the drawing room. He is the same Inspector Tyagi who took away Ajay. He asks for Ramu, and the constables drag the cook out of the kitchen and take him to his room. I scamper behind them. It is my room too. They rummage through Ramu's bed. They find the money he keeps inside his mattress. They also discover a diamond necklace nestling under his pillow. How it got there I have no idea, but I know Ramu is no thief. Then the constables start rummaging through my things. They find my Australian Geographic magazines, neatly stacked in one corner. They find my keyrings and my T-shirts.
And then they find a crumpled red bra underneath my mattress. How it got there I have no idea, but I know it is the same bra Ramu stole from Maggie's room.
I am brought before the Taylors like a notorious convict. 'Taylor Sahib, you were only talking about one crook in the house, and we did find the diamond necklace and a lot of stolen cash in his bed. But look at what we found in this little bastard's bed. We found these magazines, which he must have stolen from the children – ' he drops the stack of Australian Geographic on the floor, 'and we found this.' The Inspector unfurls the red bra like a flag.
Maggie begins crying. Ramu looks as if he is about to faint. Colonel Taylor has a murderous glint in his eyes.
'Strewth! You too, Thomas?' says Mrs Taylor, in complete shock. Then she goes into a rage and slaps me four or five times. 'You bloody Indians,' she rants. 'All of you are just the same.
Nothing but ungrateful bludgers. We feed you and clothe you and this is what you give us in return, trying to flog our stuff?'
Colonel Taylor comes to my rescue. 'No, Rebecca,' he tells his wife. 'Fair crack of the whip.
Thomas is a good bloke. That bastard Ramu hid this in his bed. Trust me, I know.'
Colonel Taylor proves yet again that he is The Man Who Knows. His omniscience saves me that day, and I get back my collection of Australian Geographic. But the beaches of Queensland and the wildlife of Tasmania do not entice me any longer. Ramu weeps and confesses to pocketing the bra, but continues to maintain that he did not steal the necklace. He points an accusing finger at Shanti. But it is all to no avail. The Inspector takes him away in his jeep. He also takes away a bottle of Black Label whisky from Colonel Taylor, smiling toothily. 'Thank you very much, Taylor Sahib. Any time you need my services, just give me a ring. It will be a pleasure to serve you. Here's my card.'
Colonel Taylor takes the card abstractedly and leaves it on the side table in the drawing room.
* * *
There is a lot of excitement in the house. The Taylors have got a pet dog for Maggie. The Colonel brings him in on a leash. He is small and furry, with a tiny wet nose and a long tail. He looks like a doll and yelps rather than barks. Maggie says he is an Apso. She decides to call him Rover.
* * *
