Acknowledgements

I would like to thank the following people:

Virginia Whetter, for her care, wisdom, and the occasional timely kick up the backside; Ta i Long, for knowing something about absolutely bloody everything, and for teaching me to breathe; Paul McWilliam, for more dinner discussions about writing and publishing than a good friend should have to endure; Jeremy Vine, for motivational pep talks when the going seemed too tough – oh yeah, and the small matter of the title.

I also wish to thank:

Jill Robinson, & the Thursday night Wimpole Street Writers, for good food and feedback; Harry Bingham, Tricia Wastvedt, and Ashley Stokes at the Writers’ Workshop for their perceptive criticism and guidance; Radhi and Vikram Mathur, for help with the finer points of Delhi slang; Jane Livesey, for long conversations on topics central to this novel; Christopher Eyden, Joseph Hawes and Piers Northam, for matters religious (AMDG!); Peter Bezuidenhoudt, for help with South African history; Laurel Remington, for heroic eleventh hour insights.

Special thanks to:

All at Duckworth, especially Caroline McArthur and Suzannah Rich, for making it happen; Michael Alcock, my agent, for his steady hand, for loving this book, and for shedding that tear.

But above all, to my husband Guy, whose precious presence in my life is both humbling and inspiring: thank you for finding me.

In memory of Christian Robertet, who made me promise never to give up on my dreams

Life is nothing without friendship