The Sapphire Child (The Raj Hotel #2) - Janet MacLeod Trotter Page 0,37

She should never have agreed to come. This was not her country – and however friendly and loving Andrew was, the Lomaxes would never be her family. She’d been a fool to think that it could ever have been so.

Chapter 14

The following week, Stella was heartened when Lydia invited round a boy of Andrew’s age to play tennis with him. Whether this was because Andrew had asked her to or, more likely, because Lydia was tiring of his constant company, Stella didn’t know. Noel Langley was on holiday with his grandparents who were renting a cottage in Ebbsmouth.

‘Noel is a dear boy,’ Lydia declared, ‘and his grandfather was a business friend of your Templeton grandfather. You’ll get on like a house on fire.’

Andrew seemed to quickly make friends with the smaller, stockier boy who was soon coming round every day. His grandparents were just as keen as Lydia to let the two boys entertain each other.

When the weather was fine, they played tennis or went out on bicycles. Stella was sent to supervise them on the beach, where she joined in games of beach cricket and made sure they didn’t climb the cliffs.

It amused Stella to overhear snatches of conversations about their shared love of cricket and Noel’s enthusiasm for Andrew’s military heritage.

‘Both your father, grandfather and great-grandfather were in the Peshawar Rifles?’ he asked.

‘Yes,’ said Andrew proudly. ‘My great-grandfather survived the Indian Mutiny and Grandpapa was a colonel and fought against the Afghans.’

Stella listened to Noel talk animatedly about his home and school in Durham – a city over the border in England – where he played lots of cricket and rowed on the river.

‘Perhaps you could come and stay with us before your holiday ends?’ Noel suggested.

Andrew was quick to agree. ‘I’d like that – as long as Mamma says I can.’

‘And do you think I could visit your aunt’s castle?’ Noel asked. ‘See all the swords and portraits of your ancestors?’

Andrew gave Stella an enquiring look. She knew he was wondering how to make such an arrangement without upsetting Lydia.

‘Perhaps your grandmother could ask Tibby to lay on tea for the Langleys,’ she suggested. If anyone could win Lydia round, it was Minnie Templeton.

Andrew gave her a grateful smile. ‘Yes, I’ll ask Grandmamma.’

A few days later, it was arranged that Minnie and the boys would go to The Anchorage for a round of golf and afternoon tea – and to Stella’s delight, she was allowed to go too.

Lydia found an excuse not to join them. ‘I’m meeting an old friend in Newcastle for the day, so I’m afraid I can’t be there,’ she said. ‘You will be good for your grandmamma, won’t you, Andrew?’

‘Of course he will,’ said Minnie with a smile of affection. ‘And I’ve taken the liberty of asking the Langley grandparents along too. I think they’re just as curious to see the old castle as Noel is.’

Lydia shuddered. ‘Rather them than me.’

On the day of the visit, Lydia left for an early train and the Langleys came for lunch before going round to The Anchorage. Stella, at Minnie’s invitation, joined them for the meal too, and afterwards, they all piled into the Langleys’ large Hillman Fourteen and drove to the castle.

The visit was a huge success. They were greeted by Tibby in full Highland dress – accompanied by her gardener on his bagpipes – and given a tour of the ancient tower. While Noel enthused about the muskets and moth-eaten flags, Stella was touched to see Andrew’s eyes fill with tears at being led into his father’s old bedroom in the highest castle turret.

‘Did my father paint this?’ Andrew asked his aunt, peering at a framed picture of a beach below pink cliffs and a boathouse in shadow. Stella recognised it as the beach where she’d swum with Andrew.

‘Yes,’ said Tibby, ‘and the one over there is of St Ebba’s Church and its graveyard. They were special places for him. I should really take them downstairs because the damp will spoil them sooner or later, but . . . somehow they belong in here.’

Stella saw Andrew swallow and turn to stare out of the window. She knew in that moment how much he was missing his father and had to resist putting her arms around him in comfort.

Soon, Tibby was leading them outside for golf followed by tea in the summerhouse: huge floury scones with gooseberry jam and tea served in cracked china cups. Finally, before they left, Dawan showed them around his studio