The Sapphire Child (The Raj Hotel #2) - Janet MacLeod Trotter Page 0,172
heart would burst the first time Belle climbed onto her lap and relaxed against her. Stella sang her nursery rhymes and they did hand claps together. She didn’t want to think beyond the present or having to return to Delhi without her daughter. As the snowline receded and the margs burst into full flower, she determined to enjoy this gift of time with Belle in this heavenly spot.
Halfway through May, Esmie heard from Tom. Andrew was being discharged from hospital and sent on leave. If all went to plan, they would be back in Gulmarg by the end of the week.
That Friday, Stella thought how Gulmarg was looking at its most beautiful for Andrew’s return. Was he already in Srinagar? What was he feeling? This would be his first time back in Kashmir since he left as a thirteen-year-old – it would be a very emotional moment for him.
Or would his thoughts already be racing to Scotland and a life post-war? She had no idea if Andrew’s injuries would prevent him from staying in the army. She knew how important his army career was to him and worried at what losing it would mean. Stella pushed away troubling thoughts; the main thing was that he was safe and alive and coming back to his family.
Stella looked at Belle’s animated face as the girl babbled and chased after butterflies. How she hoped that Andrew would accept the girl as part of his family.
She found the wait unbearable. Only playing with Belle kept her mind half-occupied, but after the girl had had her tea and Gabina had taken her for a bath before bed, there were still two hours of daylight left – and no arrival from Srinagar.
‘If you don’t mind, I think I’ll go for an evening walk,’ she said to Esmie.
Every time she tried to imagine what meeting Andrew would be like, she was struck by the thought that if she was nervous, then Esmie would be doubly so. Stella thought it might be best if Esmie saw Andrew on her own when he first returned.
‘You won’t go far, will you?’ Esmie asked anxiously. ‘And not into the woods. A bear was seen up by the Gujjars’ huts a few days ago.’
Stella smiled at her concern. ‘I promise not to go into the woods. I’ll just circle the golf course and the village. Watch the sunset.’
After wandering aimlessly around the settlement, Stella, still restless, retraced her steps to the high marg. It would only become dangerous after dark and from there she would see the sunset at its best.
Reaching the open meadow, she sank down against a log to regain her breath. The light over the mountains grew mellow; birds called in the surrounding trees. Stella closed her eyes and relaxed. She dozed.
Stella came fully awake. Some noise had disturbed her. In alarm, she looked around. She was in shade and the air was chilly. The sunset was now a fiery orange over the snowy peaks. It must be minutes away from darkness.
She heard it again. Someone calling her name. It sounded like Tom. Stella scrambled to her feet and peered down the slope. In the dusk, a tall figure was making a slow winding progress uphill from the back of the hotel.
He stopped and called out. ‘Stella!’
Her heart knocked in her chest. ‘Andrew?’ she shouted back.
The man waved.
Stella started running downhill, slipping and scrabbling on the dampening grass. Moments later she arrived breathless in front of Andrew. His forehead and one eye were bandaged. He held out his arms.
‘Oh, Andrew!’ she cried, hugging him tight. He winced and she pulled away. ‘Sorry, does that hurt you?’
‘I can bear it,’ he said with a grimace.
‘How are you?’ Stella couldn’t think of anything to say that would be adequate in the light of what he’d suffered.
‘Getting better,’ he said.
She sensed a reserve in him, neither of them knowing quite what the situation was between them.
‘Your poor eye.’ She reached up and gently touched his bandage. ‘Though you look very piratical in that eye patch.’ As soon as she’d said it, she regretted the remark. It sounded so flippant. ‘Sorry, I don’t mean to make light of your injuries.’
He smiled. ‘Don’t be. It’s refreshing after all the earnest faces and comments. People mean well but . . .’ His breathing was laboured.
‘Oh dear,’ said Stella. ‘I’ve made you come out searching when you should be resting. Let’s get you back.’
‘Stella,’ he said, ‘can we sit somewhere for a minute?’