Page 86 of The Sapphire Child
He pulled back the curtain, letting in a faint silvery light from the setting moon. Stella caught the look of desire on his face as he lay over her and began a leisurely love-making. Rapture flooded through her – even more than the first time in the woods – and she struggled not to cry out.
Afterwards, they lay wrapped in each other’s arms on the narrow bed, her cheek pressed to his chest, which rose and fell rapidly.
‘You make me so happy,’ she murmured.
He kissed her head. ‘And you me, my beauty.’
They fell asleep. Stella was woken by Hugh climbing stiffly off the bed, rubbing his bad leg. Grey pre-dawn light filtered in. She watched him pull on his clothes and ached with renewed longing. She felt reckless and would rather risk being discovered with Hugh if it meant another half an hour in his arms.
‘Don’t go,’ she urged, sitting up.
She saw the indecision on his face as he stared at her nakedness. She could see the lust in his eyes. He limped back to the bed.
‘You’ve got me under your spell, girl,’ he said with a soft groan.
They made love quickly and vigorously, with none of the slow preamble of the night. It was over in a few minutes. Hugh left her panting and yearning for more.
‘See you at breakfast.’ He blew her a kiss and was gone.
They went for their final ride together up to the marg. The sky was cloudy and thunder rumbled around the mountains, forewarning of a pre-monsoon storm. They went further into the shelter of the trees, startling a troop of monkeys that scampered away into the interior.
Hugh hurriedly laid out the rug. ‘We might not have much time before it rains.’
They shed their clothes quickly and made love with a passionate desperation. In the subdued light, Stella explored his body with kisses, wanting to remember every detail about him. She could hardly bear to think beyond the day and having to say goodbye.
She found the scar on his knee and caressed it with her fingers. ‘Did they ever catch the tribesman who did this to you?’
‘No,’ he said, catching her hand and kissing it.
She stared at the livid scar. ‘Tell me how it happened.’
‘A Baluchi, out to get me.’
‘How terrible,’ said Stella, bending to kiss it.
Before she could question him further, Hugh was pushing her gently on to her back and pleasuring her again.
Soon the sky grew darker and the wind picked up. They abandoned their picnic, packing up swiftly and heading down the slope. They arrived just as the first fat drops began. Within minutes, the rain was bouncing off the tin roofs and flooding the flowerbeds.
The servants shut the veranda windows so that the guests could settle down to read or play cards. But while they’d been out, word had spread that Stella was engaged to the genial MrKeating and people came up to shake Hugh by the hand.
‘Congratulations,’ said MrDavidson of the Public Works Department. ‘You’re a lucky man. We thought no one was ever going to win Miss Dubois’s heart.’
‘We hear you’re off to buy a ring tomorrow,’ said his wife eagerly.
Hugh seemed a little taken aback, but nodded and smiled. ‘Yes, we are. I’m the luckiest man in India.’
Esmie gave Hugh an apologetic look. ‘I’m sorry – I mentioned it to Tom and he seems to have told the world. He’s so pleased for you both.’
Stella was touched. ‘I don’t mind at all. I want people to know.’
That evening, the Lomaxes asked Stella and Hugh to dine with them in their annex. Felix had cooked Stella’s favourite spicy fish cutlets served with coconut rice and his sweet and sour home-made chutney. She was with three of the people she loved most in the world and yet she was already experiencing dread at Hugh’s going.
Tom was more animated than she’d seen him in a long time. Hugh had a way of putting people at their ease and drawing out anecdotes. To her and Esmie’s surprise, Tom even spoke about his time in the army.
‘I was stationed in Baluchistan briefly before the war,’ he reminisced. ‘Quetta was a pretty cantonment, though I hear it was nearly all destroyed by the earthquake six years ago. Terrible business.’
‘Yes,’ said Hugh. ‘Appalling. If I’d gone back to my old job I’d probably not be sitting here to tell the tale.’
