The Sapphire Child (The Raj Hotel #2) - Janet MacLeod Trotter Page 0,118

missed home terribly.’

Andrew tensed. He glanced at his father, who was looking at him warily. He might as well be honest with them.

‘I had my mother,’ he replied, ‘and she gave me a happy home. And there was Auntie Tibby too. Scotland is where I belong. I didn’t choose to come back to India – the army sent me. But I’m delighted that it’s given me the chance to meet all of you again.’

Hester looked momentarily lost for words. ‘And we’re delighted too,’ she said hastily.

There was an awkward pause; the men swigged their drinks. Andrew hadn’t wanted to embarrass them but neither was he going to let them talk as if his mother didn’t exist or he’d been living an enforced exile.

He decided to get the other contentious topic out of the way too. ‘So, Father, I hear congratulations are in order. You have a baby daughter. I hope mother and baby are doing well.’

Tom gaped at him, reddening. ‘Y-yes, very well. Thank you. I was going to tell—’

‘Mrs Dubois gave me the happy news.’

Tom looked stricken. ‘I’m sorry you didn’t hear it from me first. We didn’t tell anyone until near the birth . . .’

‘No need to apologise,’ said Andrew. ‘I’m very happy for you both.’ He watched his father, who seemed ill at ease.

‘Does she have Esmie’s lovely grey eyes or your blue ones?’ asked Hester.

‘Blue eyes,’ Tom answered. His expression suddenly softened. ‘She’s a contented wee thing and Stella’s convinced Belle has started smiling already. Esmie says it’s wind. She seems to like my singing. Though Belle doesn’t sleep well at night so we’re all a bit tired.’

‘Esmie will have an ayah for her, surely?’ asked Hester.

Tom knocked back his whisky. ‘Stella is helping at the moment but Gabina – Karo’s daughter – is going to come and be ayah soon.’

‘So, what will Stella do then?’ Andrew asked.

Tom looked confused. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Will she stay on and help in Gulmarg for the summer or come back here?’

‘Oh, I see.’ His father ran a hand over his face. It was a gesture Andrew had forgotten until now, a sign that his dad was agitated. ‘I think Stella wants to come back here – she hasn’t seen her family for nearly a year and misses them.’

‘Let’s have a toast to the return of our darling boy, Andrew – and the arrival of his sister, Belle,’ Hester suddenly exclaimed.

‘To Andrew and Belle!’ the men chorused.

Heart drumming, Andrew stood up. ‘Thank you.’ He smiled. ‘If you’ll excuse me, I’ll go and get changed for dinner.’

He left them ordering further refills and hurried away. It was the use of the endearment Belle that had made him emotional. Suddenly he had seen the happiness on his father’s face and realised that this half-sister really did exist. Belle was a contented baby with blue eyes. He couldn’t pretend that she was nothing to do with him. One day he would have to meet her and he didn’t know how he felt about that.

Andrew was pleased to get through dinner without any further talk about the war or family. He made sure he sat with Mrs Shankley and spent most of the meal getting her to reminisce about her time as a missionary.

He noticed how his father drank steadily throughout the meal. After dinner, the residents dispersed, some drifting along to the sitting room to play cards while others sat in the foyer under the cooling fans.

Tom fell in step with Andrew. ‘Want to go for a walk round the block?’ he suggested.

Andrew nodded.

Father and son set off down the hotel path. Andrew noticed how their strides were the same length and their shoulders at the same height – though he was broader in the chest. His father looked diminished, his dinner jacket hanging loose on his thin body. They marched in silence down the street, turning into Dalhousie and then down to the Mall. At the entrance to the Gymkhana Club grounds, Tom stopped and leaned against the wall.

‘Want a smoke?’ he offered, holding out his silver cigarette case.

Andrew took one from under the elasticated string, a frisson of memory stirring. As a boy he’d once stolen a cigarette from this very case. Esmie had caught him but let him off with a cautionary word not to take without asking. As far as he knew, she had never told Tom.

They smoked in silence, Andrew nervous at what his father might say. Would he start apologising again for not telling him about