He held out a hand to her and she allowed him to pull her up. ‘You’ve made me a very happy man. I’ll not let you down.’
She bowed her head for a moment and then met his gaze. Her throat felt tight and constricted. Could she say it or would it just come out as a strangled sound? With a puzzled expression he inclined his head as if he already knew there was more, but wasn’t sure what.
‘Is it about your mother? We can bring her out if you like. Or it won’t be too long before I might be able to get a transfer to London. Whatever you want. Your wish is my command. Just fire away,’ he said, now beaming happily as if nothing could spoil this moment for him. ‘You have made me the happiest man on earth.’
He leant across to kiss her but she shook her head and pulled back, feeling guilt-ridden. She tried to clear her throat before speaking. ‘I’m afraid there is one condition.’
There was a slight pause, and she heard the sound of some kind of hooting bird outside in the garden. Probably anooloo, she thought. Perfect name for an owl. Strange the things that slip into your mind even at such a moment as this. She pulled herself together and summoned her courage.
‘I will marry you,’ she said, ‘but I want you to release Jay with no slur on his reputation and no repercussions. All charges against him must be dropped and I need your assurance that he will not be arrested again.’
‘I’m delighted you have decided not to throw your life away on an Indian. But Eliza, you make this very hard for me.’
She swallowed. ‘I’m sorry.’
He shook his head. ‘I need time to think.’
‘There is no time. He must be released today. He has to sign the agreements with his investors in Delhi. If he fails he loses everything. The irrigation project will fail.’
‘He means an awful lot to you?’
‘He means a lot to me, yes, but so does the irrigation project. He wants to do good, Clifford, you must see that. His brother has done nothing for the people, and when I first met Jay his life seemed so aimless. Now he has a purpose and it’s a good one. You know he would never sabotage his own project. It makes no sense.’
‘And the pamphlets?’
Eliza thought for a moment, and couldn’t help feeling that Chatur was lurking somewhere near the bottom of all this.
‘I think someone has framed him,’ she said. ‘If I were you I’d be looking to question Chatur.’
‘You’d stake your life on that?’
‘I would.’
‘And you’re willing to marry me in order to secure Jay’s release.’ He paused for a moment before looking right into her eyes. ‘Eliza, I have one question.’
She nodded.
‘Do you think you could ever love me?’
She could see the utter sadness in his eyes and gazed back at him, but with the memory of Jay etched within her whole being she could not say yes. ‘I can promise to try.’
‘Well, maybe that will have to suffice. I will need to speak to him again, but consider Prince Jayant a free man the moment I have. Do you realize this little arrangement between us must never be spoken of? It would ruin my reputation. You understand that?’
‘Of course.’
‘I mean it, Eliza. You can’t even tell Jay.’
She nodded.
He went to his office to telephone, and when he’d made his arrangements he came back.
‘So,’ Clifford said. ‘What about a little trip up to Shimla, just the two of us? We can go the day after tomorrow, as long as that gives you time.’
‘Clifford, I’m going to England. As soon as I’ve packed.’
He frowned.
‘Oh goodness! With everything else I forgot to tell you. My mother is terribly ill and in hospital. I have no choice but to go to her. She has nobody.’
