Eliza spotted a group of vultures on a rocky outcrop.
He grinned. ‘See what I mean. You’d never have had a chance if you were taken ill back then.’
‘Golly, perhaps I’m lucky to be here now.’
‘No doubt about it. But look at how beautiful the landscape is. These hills stretch for miles and miles. The vegetation is mainly tropical thorn, and mixed deciduous and dry teak species, but I worry about future deforestation.’
‘Is that likely?’
‘It’s already happening.’
As they talked more about life in Rajputana, the Prince seemed very relaxed. He clearly loved the land of his birth and, despite his British education, it was obvious that this was where he belonged. The early tension she’d felt when they set out the previous day had completely dissipated and by the end of the second day in his company, Eliza was feeling relatively content.
As they approached the fair on the final day they passed a man with an enormous handlebar moustache and a haunted look in his eyes. He was leading a camel on which a woman sat side-saddle, her red scarf billowing out but still covering her face and hair and with tinkling bangles circling her ankles. Clasped to her side was a tiny child with black hair sticking up around its head. The bright colours of their clothing stood out in sharp contrast to the incredible blue of the sky.
‘Can you stop,’ she said. ‘I have to take a picture.’ Though sadly the colours could never be seen in her monotone photographs.
‘Ask the man’s permission first,’ Jayant said, and put his foot on the brake. ‘I was told you speak the language. Though I have no idea how.’
‘I lived in Delhi as a child.’
‘No, wait,’ he said, as Eliza opened the car door. ‘Better if I ask. The dialect is different here.’
Prince Jayant climbed out, and after a dialogue with the other man during which both were smiling he handed over some coins and came back to the car.
‘All set,’ was all he said.
She took the photograph using her Rolleiflex, hoping she’d caught the haunted look of the man, and they continued on past a lake, disturbing enormous white birds with impossibly long beaks. As they took off in unison from the surface of the water, she gazed in wonder at their huge wingspan and the beautiful black feathers at their tips.
‘How incredible!’
‘Pelicans,’ he said. ‘You’ve not seen them before?’
‘Not in the Cotswolds,’ she said and could see that he smiled.
‘The level is lower than it ought to be,’ he said, as he gazed at the water.
When they neared the fair Eliza gasped at the sight of hundreds of camels spread across the flat land. Men sat in small groups beside smoking fires and, when the Prince stopped the car and she climbed out, the smell of smoke and dung was overpowering. She had expected to feel conspicuous, but the place was heaving and nobody noticed her.
‘Don’t stand near the back side of a camel,’ he said with a grin as he pulled her aside. ‘They are windy creatures. Grumpy too.’
On the other side of a narrow track she saw cattle, goats and horses. ‘I didn’t realize they traded all kinds of livestock here. How does anyone ever find what they want?’
‘Camels have different qualities. If you know what you’re looking for it’s not difficult.’
‘What are you looking for?’
‘Ah,’ he said, and with a wry smile on his face he paused. ‘That might take a lifetime to understand. And another lifetime to explain.’
She glanced at him. There really was something of the philosopher about this man. When she looked back at the animals she saw that they were an assortment of different sizes and different colours and mentioned it to him.
‘Just like us, wouldn’t you say? There are hardy breeds and more delicate animals too. Let us look for Indira.’
Eliza stuck close to the Prince, wondering how she should address him. So far he insisted on calling her Miss Fraser and it made her feel uncomfortable. She had avoided calling him anything at all, so decided to ask.
‘Call me Jay,’ he replied. ‘Everybody does.’
She frowned.
