she put an end to their lukewarm romance. She suspected that he had only come to ask her father’s permission to marry her as a face-saving act after pressure from his own family to follow Clive’s lead and get married.
Not wanting to have her mother and Yvonne interfering, Stella arranged to meet him under the clock tower in the Saradan gardens. He was waiting for her, his expression wary.
He kissed her lightly on the cheek. ‘How are you?’
‘I’m okay, thank you. Keeping busy.’ To put him at his ease, Stella suggested, ‘Let’s walk through the park.’
For several minutes they strolled a little aimlessly, Stella talking about the family and the hotel. ‘You were right about war breaking out,’ she said. ‘That’s all the residents can talk about.’
‘I’m not happy to be proved right about it,’ Monty said glumly.
‘It all seems so far away, though,’ said Stella, ‘that I find it hard to believe it’s actually happening.’
‘But it is,’ said Monty, becoming animated. ‘And it’s already causing division in India, with Congress holding a gun to the government’s head, saying they’ll only support the war effort if they get independence at the end of it.’
Stella wasn’t greatly interested in politics, but she held the same opinion as her father had had: that one day – perhaps in her lifetime – India would become self-governing like other former colonies, such as Canada and Australia.
‘Some day, that might happen anyway,’ she pointed out.
‘Don’t say that!’ Monty exclaimed. ‘Imagine what would happen to the likes of us. We’d be left high and dry if the British handed over rule to Indians. It’s unthinkable.’
Stella was more optimistic about such a future but decided to say no more on the subject. They walked on in silence.
Abruptly, Monty stopped. ‘Stella, can we sit down? I’ve something to tell you.’
Stella nodded, her insides knotting. Now was the moment she was going to have to let him down as gently as possible. They chose a bench in the shade of a peepal tree.
Monty turned to her, his look resolute. ‘I’m leaving my job. I’ve enlisted with the army.’
Stella gaped at him. ‘Enlisted? When?’
‘Last week,’ he said. ‘I’ve been accepted for military training with the King’s Own Bengal Sappers. I’ll be leaving in a couple of weeks. Their headquarters are at Roorkee in United Province. A couple of days’ train ride away.’ He gave her an earnest look. ‘I’ll try and get back to Pindi as often as I can.’
She was trying to absorb his surprising news when Monty took hold of her hand. ‘Stella, I know this is a shock but it’s made me think more than ever about what I want for the future. I hate to leave Pindi and everyone here – but especially you. Do you think before I go – that we – that we could become engaged?’ His hand felt hot and sticky as he clasped hers. ‘Stella, will you marry me?’
Stella squirmed. ‘Monty, I do care for you but I don’t want to get married.’
He looked crestfallen. ‘Is there someone else? Someone in Kashmir? Is that why you go there every hot season?’
‘No,’ Stella said. ‘There’s no one in Kashmir. I go there because I love Gulmarg and working for the Lomaxes.’
He carried on clutching her hand, his words turning desperate. ‘Do you mean you don’t want to get married yet – or you never want to marry me? Because it would mean such a lot to know that you might one day – if I could go away knowing that you hadn’t dismissed it altogether.’
Stella’s resolve began to weaken. ‘I don’t know if my feelings will change – or if yours will either. Everything seems so uncertain at the moment – I don’t want to make promises . . .’
‘Even if you agreed to keep an open mind,’ said Monty quickly, ‘I’d be happy with that. You’re right; we’re at war and nothing is certain. But couldn’t we just say there’s a bit of an understanding between us – see how things are after I’ve completed my training? I won’t hold you to it if you still feel the same then.’
It seemed a fair request. She had told him how she felt; if he wanted to believe she might change her mind in the future then that was up to him. Stella was sure that Monty didn’t really love her either; he wanted to join the army on this new adventure and be able to say he had a girl waiting for