The arrest by British police of ex-Chief Minister Mohammed Ali Kasim, who is known to sympathise with the Quite India movement, signifies a further deterioration in Anglo-Indian relations. For families such as the Laytons, who have lived and served in India for generations, the immediate social and political realities are both disturbing and tragic. With growing confusion and bewilderment, the British are forced to confront the violent and often brutal years that lie ahead of them.