Page 88 of The Sapphire Child
Esmie said, ‘We’ll take good care of Stella for you until you come back.’
‘Thank you,’ said Hugh, looking grateful. ‘You’ve both been very kind.’
Bijal, Tom’s long-time bearer, was to drive the travellers to Srinagar and return with Stella that evening. They set off while the sky was still pink from the dawn. They rode on mules downhill, birdsong filling the still air while the pockets of snow on the surrounding peaks turned golden in the rising sun.
At the foot of the settlement, Bijal transferred Hugh’s luggage from the baggage mule to the Lomaxes’ van.
‘I’ll drive us there,’ Hugh told Bijal, ‘and Miss Dubois will sit up front with me.’
The sturdy Pathan glanced at Stella and when she nodded in agreement, he helped her up into the front seat and then went round the back and climbed in with the luggage.
As the van rattled along the rough road descending towards Srinagar, Stella sat close to Hugh, holding his left hand while he drove with his right. He sang popular songs to her that made her laugh and cry in equal measure. All too soon, the two hours it tookto drive to the ancient town by Dal Lake were over. Hugh had arranged for a car and driver to be at the Srinagar Nedous Hotel to take him back to Rawalpindi, from where he would get the train south and east back to Calcutta.
‘We’ve just over an hour to buy your ring, my sweet girl,’ said Hugh.
Leaving Bijal to meet them at the hotel they continued on foot, crossing one of the many bridges that arched the Jhelum River, and scoured the narrow streets for jewellers. Hugh rejected the first two dark shops as being ‘too native’.
‘It doesn’t have to be grand or expensive,’ she said. ‘Please don’t spend too much on a ring. Anything you give me will be special.’
But Hugh ignored her pleas. ‘I’m not buying you a trinket to hang from your nose,’ he said with a laugh.
Finding a shop he was happy with, he ushered her inside. The owner was welcoming, inviting them to sit down on wooden chairs with gaily embroidered cushions. His offer of tea was waved aside by Hugh.
‘We haven’t time for the niceties,’ he said. ‘Show us what you have in precious stones – diamonds or maybe a ruby. And be quick about it.’
The Kashmiri made a great show of laying out a dark-green velvet cloth on a low table in front of them and then placing rings on it like delicate flowers. Stella was entranced, gasping at the jewels in their gold settings.
The jeweller gave her an encouraging nod. ‘Please, memsahib, you can try them on.’
‘Come on, let me help you find the right size,’ Hugh said.
He picked up one with a large diamond and slipped it onto her finger.
‘It feels too big,’ said Stella. She also thought it would be impractical and would catch on things when she was working, but didn’t think Hugh would want to be told that.
‘What about this emerald?’ Hugh picked up another one. ‘To match your beautiful eyes.’
It fitted, but Stella thought it too showy in its circle of diamonds. She took it off and picked up a more modest ring: a simple sapphire set in a crown of tiny gold claws. It fitted well. The Kashmiri nodded with approval.
‘I love this one, Hugh,’ she said with enthusiasm. ‘What do you think?’
Hugh looked a little disappointed. ‘If that’s the one you want.’
‘Oh, yes, please.’ She gave a bashful smile. ‘The dark blue will be a constant reminder of your handsome eyes.’
Hugh laughed. ‘Then it shall be yours.’
He began a robust haggling with the shopkeeper. Stella sat with stomach knotted in case Hugh would refuse to pay a sum that the dignified but stubborn Kashmiri would accept. To her relief, they both settled on a price. Hugh drew a wad of cash from his wallet and counted it out.
When the seller offered to wrap the ring, Stella said, ‘I’d like to wear it.’
He handed her a box to keep it in.
They walked out of the shop arm in arm into the sunshine. It was already hot and motes of dust rose from the dry unpaved streets. The rank smell of effluent and rotting vegetation from the river was growing stronger and people were calling to each other from wooden balconies that jutted precariously over the water.
‘Smells worse than a pigsty in Ireland,’ Hugh joked. He hailed a tonga to drive them to Nedous.
Stella snuggled close to Hugh. The moment of parting was almost upon them.
