she felt shy at speaking so intimately, Lalitha looked at the plans on the desk and asked:
“Will you take me this afternoon, as you promised, to see your Elizabethan house?”
“I meant to do that,” Lord Rothwyn said, “but I am going to ask you if you will excuse me, Lalitha, and let me take you tomorrow. I had forgotten an appointment in London which I think I ought to keep.”
He saw the disappointment on her face and said:
“I gave my promise and so I think you will be the first to agree that I should keep it.”
The curiosity in her eyes made him continue:
“A friend of mine, Henry Grey Bennet, is Chairman of a Parliamentary Select Committee. It deals with a number of injustices and various disorders, including the terrible traffic which is taking place at the moment in shipping young girls, many of them little more than children, to the Continent.” Lalitha’s eyes widened as she asked:
“What for?”
Lord Rothwyn chose his words with care:
“They are sold into what amounts to slavery,” he answered. “There are places in Amsterdam where English girls can be bought by the highest bidder as if they were cattle. Some of them are taken even further afield, to countries like Morocco, Turkey, and Egypt.”
“And the girls have no choice in the matter?”
“None at all!” Lord Rothwyn replied. “Many of them are kidnapped from off the streets. There is, I understand from my friend, a number of women who meet young girls when they come up from the country, at Coaching-Inns.”
“Why do they listen to strangers?”
“They have never been to London before and when a kind person offers them a bed for the night or the chance of lucrative employment, they agree eagerly— never to be heard of again!”
“How horrifying!” Lalitha exclaimed.
“This traffic is assuming such proportions,” Lord Rothwyn said, “that it is time that something is done about it officially. At the moment the law is very lax and those who operate what is called the ‘White Slave Trade’ are seldom brought to justice.”
“And do you think you can get a new law passed to prevent it?” Lalitha asked.
“My friend’s Bill has been accepted by the House of Commons,” Lord Rothwyn said. “This afternoon it comes before the House of Lords.”
He paused to add:
“My friend is not very confident of success, so I think, as I promised I would support it, I should go to London.” “But of course you must!” Lalitha agreed. “It is important, very important! I cannot bear to think of those poor girls.”
She paused for a moment and then asked in a low voice:
“Are they badly... treated?”
“If they do not do what is required of them,” Lord Rothwyn said, “they are beaten or drugged into submission.”
He saw the little shudder that went through Lalitha before she said:
“Then you must try to get the Act passed.”
“I will do my best,” Lord Rothwyn said, “but it means that I should leave for London almost immediately.”
“You will be back tonight?”
“I hope quite early in the evening,” he answered, “but definitely in time for dinner. Shall we dine together?”
“Could I do that?” Lalitha asked. “And I could wear one of my new gowns?”
“We will make a party of it,” Lord Rothwyn told her with a smile. “Your first evening downstairs. I think that calls for a celebration!”
Lalitha put up her hands, laughing.
“You are only making it an excuse to stuff me with more food,” she said. “I am getting so fat that all my beautiful new gowns will have to be let out!”
“When that happens I will buy you more!” Lord Rothwyn promised.
Lalitha hesitated a moment and then she said in a low voice:
“I would not... wish Your Lordship to . . . spend too much... money on me.”
He smiled as he replied:
“I promise you that what I have spent will not bankrupt me!” “You have given me ... so much,” Lalitha said, “I do not know how to ... thank you.”
“Shall we talk
“Will you take me this afternoon, as you promised, to see your Elizabethan house?”
“I meant to do that,” Lord Rothwyn said, “but I am going to ask you if you will excuse me, Lalitha, and let me take you tomorrow. I had forgotten an appointment in London which I think I ought to keep.”
He saw the disappointment on her face and said:
“I gave my promise and so I think you will be the first to agree that I should keep it.”
The curiosity in her eyes made him continue:
“A friend of mine, Henry Grey Bennet, is Chairman of a Parliamentary Select Committee. It deals with a number of injustices and various disorders, including the terrible traffic which is taking place at the moment in shipping young girls, many of them little more than children, to the Continent.” Lalitha’s eyes widened as she asked:
“What for?”
Lord Rothwyn chose his words with care:
“They are sold into what amounts to slavery,” he answered. “There are places in Amsterdam where English girls can be bought by the highest bidder as if they were cattle. Some of them are taken even further afield, to countries like Morocco, Turkey, and Egypt.”
“And the girls have no choice in the matter?”
“None at all!” Lord Rothwyn replied. “Many of them are kidnapped from off the streets. There is, I understand from my friend, a number of women who meet young girls when they come up from the country, at Coaching-Inns.”
“Why do they listen to strangers?”
“They have never been to London before and when a kind person offers them a bed for the night or the chance of lucrative employment, they agree eagerly— never to be heard of again!”
“How horrifying!” Lalitha exclaimed.
“This traffic is assuming such proportions,” Lord Rothwyn said, “that it is time that something is done about it officially. At the moment the law is very lax and those who operate what is called the ‘White Slave Trade’ are seldom brought to justice.”
“And do you think you can get a new law passed to prevent it?” Lalitha asked.
“My friend’s Bill has been accepted by the House of Commons,” Lord Rothwyn said. “This afternoon it comes before the House of Lords.”
He paused to add:
“My friend is not very confident of success, so I think, as I promised I would support it, I should go to London.” “But of course you must!” Lalitha agreed. “It is important, very important! I cannot bear to think of those poor girls.”
She paused for a moment and then asked in a low voice:
“Are they badly... treated?”
“If they do not do what is required of them,” Lord Rothwyn said, “they are beaten or drugged into submission.”
He saw the little shudder that went through Lalitha before she said:
“Then you must try to get the Act passed.”
“I will do my best,” Lord Rothwyn said, “but it means that I should leave for London almost immediately.”
“You will be back tonight?”
“I hope quite early in the evening,” he answered, “but definitely in time for dinner. Shall we dine together?”
“Could I do that?” Lalitha asked. “And I could wear one of my new gowns?”
“We will make a party of it,” Lord Rothwyn told her with a smile. “Your first evening downstairs. I think that calls for a celebration!”
Lalitha put up her hands, laughing.
“You are only making it an excuse to stuff me with more food,” she said. “I am getting so fat that all my beautiful new gowns will have to be let out!”
“When that happens I will buy you more!” Lord Rothwyn promised.
Lalitha hesitated a moment and then she said in a low voice:
“I would not... wish Your Lordship to . . . spend too much... money on me.”
He smiled as he replied:
“I promise you that what I have spent will not bankrupt me!” “You have given me ... so much,” Lalitha said, “I do not know how to ... thank you.”
“Shall we talk
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