Sentence:  It transpired that my <WSD>welcomers</WSD>, without whose kindness I should now have been in tears, had made me an honorary member of the Sind Club, a palace of comfort, good food, and eternal drinks, set in a compound of flowering trees, where I found myself in possession of a suite of three rooms and the usual offices. 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  Something or Someone who welcomes people, especially newcomers.