Page 162 of The Sapphire Child
‘Stella.’ He stopped her. ‘I know about Belle.’
Stella was startled. ‘How can you?’
‘Dad told me.’
Stella put a hand to her mouth and smothered a cry. ‘Then you know who the real mother and father are?’ she croaked.
‘Yes.’
‘You must think me such a coward,’ Stella whispered, ‘giving up my daughter and making your father and Esmie take her.’
Andrew tilted her chin towards him. ‘Stella, look at me. I don’t think there’s a cowardly bone in your body. You were put in an impossible position by that awful Keating. He’s the coward. I don’t blame you for what you did.’
‘Thank you,’ Stella said, shaking with relief.
He wiped at her tears with his thumb and kissed her.
‘I looked in on Belle as she was sleeping,’ he said, his voice tender. ‘She’s so obviously your daughter.’
Stella gave a teary smile. ‘Do you think so?’
‘Yes, I do,’ he said. ‘She’s beautiful. And if I’m honest, it makes it easier for me too.’
‘In what way?’
‘To love her. I understand now why my father and Meemee couldn’t tell me about her earlier. I don’t have to get used to her being a sister – but I could get used to her being a daughter.’
Stella gasped. ‘What are you saying?’
‘That once we’re married, Belle can live with us as our child.’
Stella clung to him. ‘You’d be prepared to do that for me? To take on another man’s child – even Hugh’s?’
‘Of course,’ Andrew insisted. ‘Belle is your daughter – she’s never been, and never will be, Hugh’s.’
Stella stifled a sob. ‘What about your father and Esmie?’
‘They won’t stand in our way,’ he said. ‘They’ll be nearby, and they only want what is best for Belle – and for us.’
Stella put her hands around his face and kissed him tenderly on the lips. ‘I didn’t think I could love you any more than I already do.’ She smiled.
Andrew smiled back, and then he was kissing her again with such warmth that she knew, whatever the future brought, they would face it together – always.
Epilogue
Peshawar, November 1945
Bright autumnal sun filtered through the yellowing leaves of the trees in the British cemetery. Behind the brick walls of the tranquil compound, the stark mountains of the Khyber Pass stood like sentries at attention. As they walked along the path, Stella saw fresh military graves in gleaming white stone and sent up a silent prayer for the bereaved families.
Andrew squeezed her hand. He always seemed to know what she was thinking; he had a gift for empathy. They’d been married for over a year now – the war had been over for nearly three months – and every day she gave thanks that he had been spared.
He’d been invalided out of the army because of his partial sight and they were planning their future between the two Raj Hotels. But The Raj-in-the-Hills was now closed for the cold season and the whole Lomax family would soon be embarking on a voyage back to Scotland for the winter. While Stella relished the thought of seeing Tibby again, she was in some trepidation about meeting Lydia, who had been less than enthusiastic about having Stella as a daughter-in-law. But she would face that encounter with Andrew at her side.
Before the sea journey, Tom and Esmie had decided on this pilgrimage to Peshawar. Although not far from Rawalpindi, Stella had never been to this border town – part ancient trading post of the Pathans, part British army cantonment – on the route to Afghanistan.
Belle broke away from Andrew’s other hand and skipped ahead, catching up with Tom and Esmie.
‘Wait for me, Meemee!’
