Sir Pheroze was still a novice but enjoyed navigating his new laptop. For one, he was thrilled that it was lightweight, unlike the volumes of files that he lugged around during his Bombay High Court days, and while at the Municipal Corporation. But he was a far way off in terms of acing it, as was evident when he met Lady Flora along the steps of the Asiatic Society. She was back from a long break to the Isle of Portland, in the United Kingdom. It was her birthplace — the marble used to sculpt her was quarried from there, back in the day. “It’s lovely to return to my roots, to explore its geography and dramatic landforms,” she elaborated.

“All this sounds really nice. I never knew of Portland’s significance. But dare I seek help from these new tools that splash up on the screen while browsing through the Internet, especially if I’m keen to learn more about its historicity!” he sighed. Lady Flora was surprised. For two reasons — firstly, she was impressed by Sir PM’s familiarity with Internet lingo, and using the laptop, it was her birthday gift before leaving for Portland. Secondly, she wondered why he doubted its usage, especially related to their favourite subject — history.