Page 84 of The Seaside Homecoming
After dinner, Mira begged him to play a game of spillikins, and he agreed. The girl eagerly retrieved the narrow case of fine wooden sticks.
The game was a simple one: Players attempted to pick up a single stick from a tangled pile without moving any of the others. If successful, that player had another turn, and the one with the most sticks at the end won.
While they played, Mr. Hammond was called away by Monsieur Lemaire, and Claire excused herself to help Mary put the dining room to rights for the following morning. After carrying a few things down to the kitchen, Claire came back upstairs to replace the cloth on the dining room table. As she spread the fabric, she overheard some of the conversation from the next room.
Miss Patel said, “I was amazed you stayed for dinner when your British officer did not. I thought the poor sepoy would follow on his heels like a loyal hound.”
“You assume I am poor?”
“Are you not? I suppose you earned the king’s shilling as a soldier, but I expect that money is long gone.”
“Not that it is any of your concern, but I, in fact, am not poor. My father left an inheritance for me as well as providing for my mother.”
“Indeed?”
“Yes, she married Mr. Aston for love, not financial need. And, as Mr. Hammond has recently made me aware, Vanita’s father also left a small legacy for me.”
“Really?” Claire heard surprise and perhaps chagrin in the woman’s voice.
A moment’s silence followed while Claire smoothed the final wrinkles from the cloth. Then Armaan appeared in the adjoining doorway.
“Ah. There you are, Miss Summers. Please do join us again, when you are able.”
Claire did not mistake the look of appeal in his dark eyes. “Very well. If you are sure.”
“Definitely.”
When Claire sat down with them again, Miss Patel sent her a brittle smile. “Mr. Sagar was just telling me about his inheritance.” She turned back to him. “And what will you do with it?”
“I once thought of buying a property like this one. But I have little experience in domestic matters. I can understand why Mr. Hammond took on a female partner.”
Armaan gazed warmly in Claire’s direction, while Sonali kept her focus on him.
“You would actually leave Major Hutton?”
“We are not inseparable. I volunteered to travel with him from India to ensure he received the best care during the voyage and here in England. But he has recovered now and has a home and wife of his own. He does not need me as he once did. Of course, he says I am always welcome and he could not do without me. I know better. Besides, I want that too—a home and wife of my own.”
Sonali’s mouth softened, and when she spoke again, her voice sounded small and young. “Do you?”
He nodded. “To that end, I have been pondering my future. What I might take up. Where I might live. In London, I dined at the Hindoostane Coffee House and stayed at a lodging house owned by a couple from Madras. Most inspiring.”
Regret shimmered in Sonali’s eyes. “So you ... might move away?”
He shrugged. “I have yet to decide. For now I will enjoy this time with my newfound niece, an undeserved gift from God.”
20
Bright star, would I were steadfast as thou art.
—John Keats
Over the few days they had been in residence, the Cravens claimed the formal drawing room as their personal domain. They spread their magazines and fashion plates on every surface. They left books and boxes of bonbons on the side tables, and their own lap rugs over the arms of the chairs.
The Summers family primarily used the less formal parlour, so it was not a great imposition—at least without other guests to accommodate at present. And Sarah realized it was probably best to keep some distance between them.
So while Sarah sat with Mamma going over the week’s shopping list and Emily sat writing nearby, she was surprised when Mrs. Harding appeared in the parlour doorway.
“Good day, ladies. Might I join you for a moment? I’d like to have a word.”
