The Sapphire Child (The Raj Hotel #2) - Janet MacLeod Trotter Page 0,90

lighter turn as they discussed the imminent monsoon and the flowers Stella had picked on the marg to press into her diary.

Soon Hugh was excusing himself.

‘This has been a delightful final dinner,’ he said. ‘I couldn’t have asked for better company. Thank you very much. I hope you don’t mind me taking Stella for a final walk around the garden – we have so little time left together.’

‘Of course we don’t mind,’ said Esmie.

Outside, the air was cooler after the rain. Stella linked arms with Hugh and they strolled down the garden path and across the springy turf. The lower slopes were dotted with lights from private cabins, Nedous Hotel and the club. Overhead, the sky was littered with a myriad of stars.

‘I feel selfish keeping you all to myself this week,’ said Stella. ‘You haven’t been once to the club or mixed with the other bachelors on holiday.’

Hugh answered, ‘Why would I want to spend my time with boring officials when I’ve got you here? You’re the only reason I came, Stella.’ He stopped and regarded her. ‘You have no idea just how attractive you are, do you?’

She gave a laugh of embarrassment. ‘You make me feel attractive.’

He kissed her gently on the lips. ‘Let’s make the most of our last night together, eh? I’ll come to your room when all is quiet.’

Their love-making in the dead of night was passionate. For Stella there was a new urgency about it; in a few hours they would be parted. Afterwards, as she lay encircled in his arms, she began to weep.

‘Shush now, don’t cry,’ he whispered.

‘I c-can’t bear the thought of you going,’ she answered, trying to smother her sobbing.

‘I’ll come back as soon as I can,’ he promised.

‘I wish I could go with you,’ Stella said with yearning. ‘What if I came with you to Calcutta? We could get married there before you have to leave. Then at least we would be husband and wife – it would give me such comfort.’

Hugh kissed her tenderly on the forehead. ‘You know how much I wish for that too. But there isn’t time. I’ll be sailing next week or the week after, at the latest. And I won’t risk taking you to Calcutta and leaving you to make your own way back. I would worry too much.’

‘Perhaps Esmie could come with me?’ Stella suggested in desperation.

‘Stella!’ Hugh chided. ‘You shouldn’t ask that of Mrs Lomax. She has enough on her plate running the hotel and looking after Mr Lomax – you’ve told me that yourself.’

‘I know, I’m sorry.’ Stella was ashamed of herself. Her needs were frivolous in the face of what Esmie had to cope with. ‘I’ll just miss you so much.’

‘And I, you.’ Hugh sighed. ‘But it will give me comfort to think of you here – to remember this magical week we’ve had together. I’ll always be grateful for that.’

Stella didn’t like the way his words sounded final, as if he feared for the future and had been making light of the danger he might be soon facing. Then he began kissing her again and soon she was losing herself in the moment and banishing dread thoughts.

Before dawn, Hugh slipped out of her room. Stella couldn’t sleep, so got up early. She was exhausted, but she was determined not to miss a minute of being with Hugh on their final day. After an early breakfast, Hugh said farewell to the Lomaxes.

‘Good luck, Mr Keating,’ said Tom, exchanging firm handshakes.

Esmie said, ‘We’ll take good care of Stella for you until you come back.’

‘Thank you,’ said Hugh, looking grateful. ‘You’ve both been very kind.’

Bijal, Tom’s long-time bearer, was to drive the travellers to Srinagar and return with Stella that evening. They set off while the sky was still pink from the dawn. They rode on mules downhill, birdsong filling the still air while the pockets of snow on the surrounding peaks turned golden in the rising sun.

At the foot of the settlement, Bijal transferred Hugh’s luggage from the baggage mule to the Lomaxes’ van.

‘I’ll drive us there,’ Hugh told Bijal, ‘and Miss Dubois will sit up front with me.’

The sturdy Pathan glanced at Stella and when she nodded in agreement, he helped her up into the front seat and then went round the back and climbed in with the luggage.

As the van rattled along the rough road descending towards Srinagar, Stella sat close to Hugh, holding his left hand while he drove with his right. He sang popular songs to