More silver dishes of baked lamp appeared from inside the palace, brought by eunuchs who inspected them carefully before handing them to serving women. The music and dancing were exultant now and lasted until the light of dawn showed. The drunken guests waited reverently until Arangbar, who had gone to sleep, was carried from the hall on a palanquin. Then they began to disperse.
Hawksworth reached Nadir Sharif’s side as the prime minister was moving out through the large, tapestry-adorned doorway.
"What really happened tonight?"
"What do you mean, Ambassador?"
"The transfer of jagirs. What will Jadar do?"
"Ambassador, that's a matter for the rulers of India to decide. It's not your affair." Nadir Sharif did not look around. "Instead let me ask you a question. When will your English fleet make landfall? They are overdue, but there have been no further sightings. I'm beginning to wonder if there really is a fleet."
"Perhaps the weather's been against them." Hawksworth tried to steady himself on his feet. "After all, it was sighted by Jadar's men."
"Was it? Or did you and Prince Jadar deceive us all? If there's no fleet. Ambassador, you're in very serious trouble. There will be no firman. His Majesty is hardly a fool."
"He promised to sign the firman long before the sighting."
"You do not know him as I do. You have another week, perhaps two, and then . . . Let me merely say you cannot drink the fleet into existence. We are both going to have difficulty explaining this deception to His Majesty. You met with the prince. I'm beginning to wonder now if you both planned this. If you did, it was most unwise."