The Sapphire Child (The Raj Hotel #2) - Janet MacLeod Trotter Page 0,72

a priority for getting back to India, so will have to wait my turn for a passage out.’

‘What brings you to Edinburgh?’

‘Well, introduce me to your friend,’ interrupted Felicity, appearing at his side. Andrew did so and she held out her hand to Hugh. ‘Felicity Douglas.’

Hugh smiled and pressed her hand lightly to his lips. ‘Charmed, Miss Douglas. Young Lomax is a lucky man.’

Felicity laughed. ‘Andrew spent half the film craning round to stare at you. I should be jealous. Where is your wife?’

Hugh looked nonplussed and then said, ‘Oh no, there’s no wife. I’m – er – visiting my cousin – Cousin Caroline. She’s just gone to powder her nose, as you ladies say.’

Hugh chatted easily to Felicity for a minute or so; it reminded Andrew what good company Hugh had been on the ship and how guilty he had felt afterwards for discouraging a romance with Stella. Poor Stella! Andrew was pretty sure that his mother had deliberately got rid of Hugh’s letter to her out of petty jealousy.

It prompted Andrew to ask, ‘Did you ever hear from Stella – our family friend on the boat?’

‘Your companion?’ Hugh queried. ‘No, never. I was very taken with her, but plainly she didn’t feel the same way. I wrote to her but she didn’t reply. Left me a broken-hearted Irishman.’ He clutched his chest in self-mockery.

‘She wanted to,’ Andrew told him. ‘She was very pleased to hear from you and wanted to write back but I think your letter got thrown out by mistake.’

Hugh seemed taken aback to hear this. His fair face coloured and he looked momentarily sad. ‘Well, that’s a great pity,’ he said. ‘A great pity indeed. If only I’d known . . .’

‘I’m sure she would still like to hear from you,’ said Andrew, trying to make amends.

Hugh gave a huff of disbelief. ‘Surely the beautiful Stella will have married long ago.’

‘No, she hasn’t,’ said Andrew. ‘At least not that I’ve heard of. She still writes to my aunt in Ebbsmouth. Stella’s father died recently so she’s been comforting her mother.’

‘Is she still at The Raj Hotel in Pindi?’ Hugh asked with interest.

‘Yes, she is.’

Felicity said in amusement, ‘Well, I’ve never heard such blatant matchmaking. Men are far worse gossips than we women.’

Andrew laughed and, to cover his embarrassment, asked, ‘Mr Keating, would you and your cousin like to come for a cup of tea with us before we drive back to Ebbsmouth?’

Hugh gave a regretful smile. ‘I would like nothing better, but I have to get my cousin home before dark or I’ll be in trouble with my aunt and uncle. In fact, I’d better go and hurry Caroline up.’ He shook Andrew’s hand again. ‘It’s been wonderful bumping into you again, Andrew. Take care and all the best of luck. Maybe one day we’ll meet in Pindi.’ He smiled and bowed at Felicity. ‘Pleasure to meet you too, Miss Douglas.’

He turned and disappeared back through the foyer doors.

Felicity linked arms with Andrew. ‘I think we’ve been dismissed,’ she said with a wry look. ‘If that woman’s his cousin, I’ll eat my hat.’

‘What do you mean?’ Andrew asked in surprise.

‘I’d say she’s someone else’s wife,’ Felicity remarked. ‘Come on, let’s not embarrass them.’

Andrew marvelled at Felicity’s perspicacity and allowed her to lead him outside.

On the road home, Andrew could only half-listen to Felicity’s chatter about the film as his mind was too full of the strange day. Why had he encouraged Hugh to write to Stella and then immediately regretted doing so? Was it because Felicity’s suspicion about Hugh being with a married woman made him worry that the Irishman might not be a reliable suitor – or was it because deep down he still harboured feelings for Stella?

He tried to push such thoughts from his mind. He was in love with Felicity and didn’t need to hang onto his ridiculous boyhood crush on the Dubois girl.

They reached Ebbsmouth as the sun was setting and Andrew turned down the lane towards the Douglases’ large Victorian villa, built as the seaside home of a Glasgow industrialist.

‘Park up out of view of the house,’ Felicity ordered.

Andrew was reluctant. ‘I must get back before it’s dark or the ARP warden will be after me.’

‘Just a few minutes,’ she cajoled.

He did so and then she reached across and started kissing him. Andrew felt desire stirring at the taste of her moist lips. They embraced and fondled each other’s hair.

‘Let’s climb into the back seat,’ Felicity suggested, a little breathless.