The Sapphire Child (The Raj Hotel #2) - Janet MacLeod Trotter Page 0,153

– her beautiful face lit up in the sunset – had made him realise how foolish he had been to dismiss his feelings for her as just a boyhood crush. They went far deeper. Did she guess at them at all? And if so, what did he mean to her? He could tell that she enjoyed his company too – but then they had always got on well and perhaps it meant she would always just see him as no more than a good friend.

He felt weighed down with guilt. He must be careful not to do anything rash that would hurt either his fiancée or Stella.

Chapter 53

The next two days were spent riding through the forests and along ridges that gave spectacular glimpses of the mountains. Stella relished this chance to ride again.

Whenever they broke from the cover of the forests, the sun was intense and they would picnic by rivers or streams, pulling off their shoes and cooling their feet in the icy water. Stella noticed how Andrew encouraged John to chat to her and repeat anecdotes about their army life. John was an amusing and genial man, but it was Andrew’s company that she craved. She longed to have him to herself so that they could chat freely, but Andrew appeared to be avoiding such opportunities. It frustrated her. Then she chided herself for having such thoughts. No doubt he was missing Felicity, which was just as it should be.

‘Is there anywhere to swim around here?’ asked John on their penultimate day. ‘My friend Lomax likes nothing better than hurling himself into cold water.’

‘You can swim at Tiger Fall,’ said the major. ‘We must make sure you have the opportunity before you leave.’

But on the third and final day, they woke to thick mist.

‘Can’t see an inch in front of us,’ said Maclagan in frustration. ‘No point going far today.’

Stella got down to typing up the major’s notes while the young men played chess and looked distractedly out of the window. The mist cleared, but rain came on and drummed on the tin roof, making it impossible to have a conversation. When it finally eased, the major said, ‘I want to go and see the felling contractor at the next village. Does anyone want to come with me?’

‘Yes, I will,’ said John, eager to get out.

‘How far is Tiger Fall?’ Andrew asked.

‘Half an hour’s ride,’ said Maclagan. ‘You could easily do it and be back for tea. Take one of the local syces to show you the way.’

‘Stella.’ Andrew turned to her. ‘Do you want a swim?’

Her interest quickened, but she looked to her boss. ‘Do you need me, sir, or can I go swimming?’

‘Of course you must go,’ said Maclagan. ‘If anyone deserves an afternoon off it’s you, lassie.’

Stella could hardly contain her excitement as she and Andrew set off on ponies behind a local hillsman riding a mule that was carrying their swimming towels and a tiffin basket of provisions. Wisps of mist hung in the trees like giant cobwebs and the branches overhead dripped onto them, soaking their shirts and topees. But it was warm and by the time they had reached the ravine, the sun was breaking through.

They dismounted and stepped towards where the syce was pointing across large boulders that were steaming in the sudden sunshine. Stella could see a stream bubbling and frothing between the rocks and a vertical cliff towering above that was festooned in creepers and overhanging bushes of vivid green hues. They could hear the waterfall thundering nearby but couldn’t see it.

Andrew held out his hand. ‘It looks slippy.’

Stella took his hand and they scrambled over the rocks. They rounded a stony outcrop and abruptly the ravine opened into a sheltered grotto of ferns and foliage. A wall of water cascaded down the cliff face and drummed into a large pool of grey-green water.

Andrew gave a whoop of delight and pulled Stella onto a sunny ledge of beige rock. At once, he stripped off down to his underpants and plunged in. He came up bellowing at the cold and flicking water from his hair.

‘Come on, Dubois, it’s wonderful!’

Stella laughed. With a pang, it reminded her of the times they had swum together in Kashmir, diving off the baroness’s shikara into the Dal Lake. She swiftly undressed – she’d put on her costume under her clothes at the bungalow – and jumped in after him.

‘Oh, it’s freezing!’ she shrieked, splashing about.

Andrew swam towards the waterfall and dived through the