The Sapphire Child (The Raj Hotel #2) - Janet MacLeod Trotter Page 0,97
holding a telegram in his hand.
‘It’s from Calcutta,’ he said, handing it over to Stella unopened. ‘You should be the one to read it.’
Stella took it with trembling hands, her pulse racing.
‘Would you like to be left alone?’ Esmie asked. ‘Tom and I can wait outside.’
‘No, please stay,’ Stella said at once. She took the letter opener, cut the envelope and pulled out the message.
Keating in Burma – STOP – returning to Malaya – STOP – advise she writes here and I shall forward – STOP – was unaware he has fiancée – STOP – Arthur Lamont
Stella swallowed hard. She felt dizzy with relief that Hugh was all right.
‘He’s been in Burma,’ she said. ‘That’s why he hasn’t written – and he won’t have got any of my letters for ages either. I thought something dreadful must have happened . . .’
She handed the telegram to Esmie, who read it and gave it to Tom.
Esmie said, ‘I’m thankful to hear he’s just been busy and travelling, but you mustn’t waste any time in writing to him about your situation.’
Tom was frowning. ‘What’s all this about Lamont not knowing Keating has a fiancée?’
Stella blushed. ‘There was so little time before he went to Singapore that he mustn’t have mentioned it.’
Esmie added, ‘Men don’t talk about these things like women do.’
Tom looked incredulous. ‘Well, I think it’s odd that Keating wouldn’t have told his colleagues of something so important.’
‘Just because this man hasn’t heard,’ said Esmie, ‘doesn’t mean Mr Keating hasn’t told others.’
‘But why does Stella have to write to Calcutta?’ Tom continued to fret. ‘Why couldn’t he give a forwarding address?’
‘Because Hugh’s moving about so much,’ Esmie pointed out.
‘How do we know Lamont is going to pass on any letters?’ said Tom.
‘Oh, Tom!’ Esmie grew exasperated. ‘Because he says he will. I’m sure he’s perfectly reliable.’
Stella hated to see them arguing over her; it was her problem and she must sort it out. The last thing she wanted was to make Tom ill again.
‘I’ll send my letter at once,’ said Stella, ‘and I’m sure it’ll be sent on swiftly by head office. They must be sending post daily to their agents abroad. Please don’t worry, Mr Lomax. I know my Hugh and he’ll do what’s right when he hears from me.’
That day, she sent off the letter to Hugh telling him that she was expecting his baby and urging him to return quickly to marry her.
Chapter 35
Ebbsmouth, November 1941
Andrew’s departure was delayed until mid-November. Recent torpedoing of ships in the Mediterranean had meant it was deemed unsafe to risk a large convoy of troops to be taken east using the Suez Canal, so they were to travel the longer route around the Cape. The welcome reprieve gave him another snatched leave with his mother and grandmother – and also with Felicity.
Two days after Lydia had invited her round for lunch the previous month, Felicity had engineered for Andrew to stay over at her house one night. In the blacked-out rambling villa, she had come to his bedroom, armed with ‘French letters’, and seduced him. It had been very pleasurable.
‘Better than doing it in the back of your mother’s car, then?’ she had teased him, her tone triumphant.
‘Much better,’ he had agreed.
‘I suppose it was worth the wait.’ Felicity had given a throaty laugh and instigated another bout of love-making.
Andrew saw Felicity each day of his final week at home. They went for cold autumnal walks and talked about inconsequential things, both knowing that the end purpose was to find somewhere sheltered to make love. Their final time alone, he took her to Tibby’s summerhouse overlooking his favourite cove with the boathouse.
‘I’d like to have taken you there.’ Andrew pointed down at the fenced-off beach. ‘It’s a favourite spot. When this war is over, we’ll make passionate love in the boathouse.’
Felicity wrinkled her nose. ‘Doesn’t look very inviting or comfortable to me.’
‘I’ll make it comfortable,’ Andrew promised, staring down at the sandy bay and the wheeling sea birds glinting white in the low wintry sun. He had first fallen for this place as a youth – that summer with Stella when she had supervised his games with Noel. Poor Noel, who was incarcerated in a fortress somewhere in Germany. And Stella, who might already be married to Hugh.
‘So you’re planning on returning after the war?’ asked Felicity. ‘If we win it.’
‘When we win it,’ Andrew answered. ‘And yes, of course I’m coming back.’