“Well, here’s Mulraj!” Oliver turned to the guide. “Are you ready?” The guide smiled and bowed. He slung his bag on the seat and climbed into the jeep. Oliver looked at Ashok. “Good luck,” he said. “With everything.”
Ashok nodded. “And good luck to you, Captain Hicks.” He stood back as Oliver climbed up into the driver’s seat and started the engine. He slammed the door shut
“Goodbye!” Oliver called out of the window. He reversed, turned the wheel and swung the jeep around.
“Goodbye!” Ashok shouted as they moved off. “Goodbye, Captain Hicks!” And he stood, watching the cloud of dust all the way up the track until the jeep turned into the main road and disappeared from view.
33
IT WAS OCTOBER AND AS INDI HURRIED OUT OF THE HOSPITAL entrance, she pulled the collar of her coat up high around her face. She was tired, hungry, her legs ached and to cap it all it was freezing. She shivered, bought an Evening Standard from the news-seller on the corner and walked quickly along to the tube. It was six-fifteen, she had been on duty since four that morning and she had a mood like a thunder cloud.
At the tube station she had to queue for her ticket, she got the heel of her shoe trapped in the slats on the escalator and a month’s worth of old receipts fell out of her wallet as she got her ticket out. She stood in a crowd for the train, pushed and shoved her way on, finally found half an inch of space and managed to get the Standard out of her bag. She sighed miserably.
Ever since she had returned from India she’d felt miserable. Dr. Bennet, about to sell a major portion of the maharajah of Baijur’s jewelry collection which the legal profession had somehow decided was rightfully hers and to give a huge chunk of money to charity, should be feeling pretty damn chuffed with herself. No, she felt lousy, unhappy, dissatisfied and lonely. Lonely! Ha! She’d never felt lonely in her life before! Well, not since she went to India anyway.
Indi struggled to get the paper up and read the front page. She saw a young man out of the corner of her eye try to look at the headlines and she rustled it irritably. She turned the page.
“Erm, excuse me?”
She sighed and shifted away, holding the paper a bit higher.
“Hello? I’m looking for…”
God! Some people were so bloody tiresome! “Whoever it is,” Indi snapped as she dropped the paper, “I’m sure…” She stopped and let the paper go. It slithered to the floor, shedding its pages. “Oliver!” she croaked.
He smiled. “I’m looking for Indu Bennet,” he said, “I wanted to tell her that I love her.” There was an instant silence in the carriage.
Indi stared at his face as it blurred out of focus and Oliver silently handed her a handkerchief.
“Do you know where I might find her?”
Indi blew her nose. “Yes,” she whispered. “Here.” She wiped her eyes. “I love you too,” she murmured.
Oliver frowned. “I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you.”
Indi cleared her throat. “I love you too!” she shouted over the noise of the train. He shook his head and put his finger behind his ear. “I love you too!” she suddenly yelled.
“Good!” He smiled. “That’s settled then.” And as he leaned forward to kiss her, the entire carriage broke into a round of applause.
VENGENANCE UNBROKEN…A LOVE FORBIDDEN
In old India under England’s rule, fires of revolution make implacable foes of two families, one British, the other native. A century later, a terrible revenge and a defiant love will vie for the souls of a new generation…Phillip Mills, arrogant and imperious, stops at nothing to redeem the honor of his name, even if it means sacrificing the sancity of his marriage…Jane Mills, Phillip’s bride, channels her unmet passions into the arms of a man whose every breath whispers promise and danger…Rami Rai, poet of his people and heir to a vow of blood, must choose between hallowed tradition and the woman he loves…and Indi Mills, the child born of a forbidden union, must embark on a quest that will yield treachery and violence at every turn, and offer an undreamt-of redemption at its stunning conclusion.
In the rich storytelling tradition of Belva Plain and M. M. Kaye, Maria Barrett’s DISHONORED spans decades and continents…and touches every emotion.
“A BRILLIANT NOVEL…SIMMERS OVER THE FLAME, AS COMBUSTIBLE AS A DRY MATCH.”—Book World
Dishonored Page 37