Mabel sat up in bed. Her window was being shaken violently, and outside on the verandah were those two persistent voices.
“See what it is, Tara,” she called to her ayah, but the woman was crouching in a corner, her teeth chattering with terror. Seeing that she was too frightened to move, Mabel threw on a dressing-gown and went to the window. Outside stood Fitz Anstruther, his face pale in the moonlight, and Ismail Bakhsh, who was armed with his old regimental carbine and tulwar. Thus accoutred, he was wont to mount guard over the house and its inmates when Dick was absent, patrolling the verandahs at intervals; but he had never hitherto found it necessary to alarm his charges at midnight.
“What is it?” asked Mabel, opening the window.
“You must get dressed at once, and bring anything that you particularly value,” said Fitz hurriedly. “We were attacked on the way to Nalapur, and there was no durbar. I’m come instead of the Major to fetch you to the old fort, for Bahram Khan and his cut-throats may be here at any moment. Will you speak to Mrs North, please? I was afraid of startling her if I knocked at her window or came into the house. Winlock is outside with twenty sowars, and he and I will see after the papers in the Major’s study.”
Mabel dropped the blind and went towards Georgia’s room, twisting up her hair mechanically as she did so. Rahah was already on the alert, and met her at the door with gleaming eyes.
“I know, Miss Sahib. The evil is at hand at last. Awake, O my lady!” She laid a hand gently on Georgia’s forehead. “The time has come to take refuge in the fort. The Sahib bade me be prepared.”
“Dick has sent Mr Anstruther to fetch us, Georgie,” said Mabel, unconsciously altering Fitz’s words, as Georgia, half awake, looked sleepily from her to Rahah. “I think he wants us to be quick.”
“Of course,” said Georgia, rousing herself. “Now, Rahah, you will be happy at last. We’ll come and help you, Mab, before Tara’s ready. Oh, but the papers!—I must see that they are safe.”
“Mr Anstruther is looking after them,” said Mabel.
“I wonder whether Dick thought of giving him the key of the safe? Very likely he forgot it in his hurry. He had better have my duplicate. Oh, thanks, Mab! There’s a tin despatch-box standing by the safe which will hold all the most important papers.”