Jadar took the bottle and gingerly swallowed a swig. He stood motionless for a moment and then coughed violently.
"Merciful Allah! Now I understand why the Prophet forbade its use." He shoved back the bottle. "But I wanted to drink once with you, Captain. I'm told it's a European custom. You've eased my mind."
"Eased your mind! I just told you how your camp will be devastated at sunrise."
"Absolutely. I will regret losing these tents." Jadar's tone grew pensive. "You know, some of them have been with me since my first campaign in the Deccan, years ago."
"How about your Rajputs? And your women? Will you regret losing them as much as your tents?"
"I don't expect to lose them." Jadar took Hawksworth's arm and led him around the last tent. In the firelight baggage elephants were being loaded with women from the zenana. The elephants were covered with pakhar armor, steel plates around the sides of their bodies and a special steel casement for their head and trunk. The women were being helped up tall ladders and into their elephants' howdah, an octagonal box of heavy boards strengthened with iron plate.
"Why are you loading the women now?"
"But we're leaving, Captain."
Hawksworth stared at him speechlessly for a moment, then noticed Shirin walking toward them, carrying a bow and two quivers of arrows.
"You're leaving?"