Chapter 37

Kim was at his brother's house in Bradford. They were standing facing each other in the sitting room next to the family shrine. Both their faces were contorted with anger.

"I can't go. I have two vital experiments going on and I am the only one there to supervise. I'm not a student any more, Jamil. I'm an important man. I am in charge of important work. I cannot just leave the country."

He turned his back on his brother and stamped across to the other side of the room.

Jamil's face was set in fury. "How dare you. How dare you say these things in front of the family shrine? You pollute my house with your behaviour. Our father is dying. We must go to him. You, especially, must go. You are the eldest son. The family comes first, you know that."

Kim turned to face him again. "You should have been the eldest son, Jamil, not I. I have no love for these things any more. I am an Englishman now. You believe in them. You believe in tradition. You are the son they want, not me. You go."