bright silk dresses that not even the heat could dissuade her from wearing. Clearly Ruby had already taken the entertainment of the Major upon herself. She was leaning forward tantalizingly, offering the Major, who was smiling broadly, what Anna feared was an overabundant view of her décolletage as she handed him a cup of tea. At once Anna understood the reason for Raja Singha’s agitation. The Ceylonese were a puritanical lot, and Ruby was outside their ken.
“Thank you, Raja Singha, I’ll ring if I need you,” Anna said quietly to her shadow. With a bow Raja Singha took himself off. At that moment Major Dumesne and Ruby became aware of Anna’s presence. Major Dumesne stood up, looking a little flustered at having been caught so obviously enjoying the view. Ruby grinned unrepentantly at Anna.
“Mrs. Traverne, we’re so pleased that you were able to return to us. Life had grown very dull around here without the sunshine of your presence.”
“Thank you, Major.” As he approached her, Anna held out her hand which he shook and then carried briefly to his lips. Really, despite his clear appreciation for Ruby, the Major was a very nice man. Anna had grown fond of him and his wife, and they had helped her immeasurably in the dreadful days after Paul’s death, when she had been nearly demented with despair. “Chelsea and I are very glad to be back. I see you’ve met Mrs. Fisher, who was kind enough to accompany us on our journey.”
“Ah—yes. How delightful that you have brought with you a rose to add to our lovely garden of English blossoms.”
“A rose … now that’s what I call a pretty compliment. You certainly have a way with words, Major,” Ruby said, beaming at the Major as, following Anna’s lead, he resumed his seat.
The Major laughed, then glanced rather guiltily at Anna. She couldn’t decide if the guilt was because he had laughed in her presence—her widow’s weeds might make him feel that his merriment was somehow inappropriate—or because he was enjoying Ruby too much for a man with such a nice wife.
“And how is dear Margaret?” The inquiry was not meant to be pointed, although the Major’s smile vanished with it. The look he gave Anna was grave.
“I’m afraid I have sad news. Margaret passed way some six months ago. As with your husband it was a fever—in three days she was gone.”
“Oh, no! Oh, Major, I am so sorry! She was such a wonderful woman—I was so fond of her. How awful for you! Such a tragedy!”
Major Dumesne nodded. For a few moments he looked far older than his forty-some-odd years as lines of sorrow deepened in his face. “It has been hard on the children, of course, Gideon and Simon are at school in England, so they at least are removed from their sorrow. But Laura—she misses her mother very much. I would appreciate it if you would bring Chelsea to see her. Perhaps, given the similarity of their losses, they can console each other.”
Laura was the Dumesnes’ seven-year-old daughter. She and Chelsea had been fast friends since they could toddle.
“Of course I will. And you must bring her to see us. We’d be glad to have her any time. And you too, of course. I know how dreadful it is to lose one’s spouse.”
“That’s kind of you. Perhaps, like our children, we can console each other.” He smiled at Anna, and some of the lines in his face eased. “And now, let us speak of other things. I didn’t mean to put such a damper on good company.”
Anna regarded him with compassion. He and his wife had had a good marriage, and their three children had adored their mother. Life was horrible sometimes, she reflected. Horribly unfair.
“Would you want another cuppa, Major?” Ruby’s voice was soft with sympathy, although Anna recognized the glint in her eye as purely feminine interest in an attractive man. And the Major was attractive, Anna realized. With his graying fair hair and erect military posture, he was quite distinguished-looking. From long
“Thank you, Raja Singha, I’ll ring if I need you,” Anna said quietly to her shadow. With a bow Raja Singha took himself off. At that moment Major Dumesne and Ruby became aware of Anna’s presence. Major Dumesne stood up, looking a little flustered at having been caught so obviously enjoying the view. Ruby grinned unrepentantly at Anna.
“Mrs. Traverne, we’re so pleased that you were able to return to us. Life had grown very dull around here without the sunshine of your presence.”
“Thank you, Major.” As he approached her, Anna held out her hand which he shook and then carried briefly to his lips. Really, despite his clear appreciation for Ruby, the Major was a very nice man. Anna had grown fond of him and his wife, and they had helped her immeasurably in the dreadful days after Paul’s death, when she had been nearly demented with despair. “Chelsea and I are very glad to be back. I see you’ve met Mrs. Fisher, who was kind enough to accompany us on our journey.”
“Ah—yes. How delightful that you have brought with you a rose to add to our lovely garden of English blossoms.”
“A rose … now that’s what I call a pretty compliment. You certainly have a way with words, Major,” Ruby said, beaming at the Major as, following Anna’s lead, he resumed his seat.
The Major laughed, then glanced rather guiltily at Anna. She couldn’t decide if the guilt was because he had laughed in her presence—her widow’s weeds might make him feel that his merriment was somehow inappropriate—or because he was enjoying Ruby too much for a man with such a nice wife.
“And how is dear Margaret?” The inquiry was not meant to be pointed, although the Major’s smile vanished with it. The look he gave Anna was grave.
“I’m afraid I have sad news. Margaret passed way some six months ago. As with your husband it was a fever—in three days she was gone.”
“Oh, no! Oh, Major, I am so sorry! She was such a wonderful woman—I was so fond of her. How awful for you! Such a tragedy!”
Major Dumesne nodded. For a few moments he looked far older than his forty-some-odd years as lines of sorrow deepened in his face. “It has been hard on the children, of course, Gideon and Simon are at school in England, so they at least are removed from their sorrow. But Laura—she misses her mother very much. I would appreciate it if you would bring Chelsea to see her. Perhaps, given the similarity of their losses, they can console each other.”
Laura was the Dumesnes’ seven-year-old daughter. She and Chelsea had been fast friends since they could toddle.
“Of course I will. And you must bring her to see us. We’d be glad to have her any time. And you too, of course. I know how dreadful it is to lose one’s spouse.”
“That’s kind of you. Perhaps, like our children, we can console each other.” He smiled at Anna, and some of the lines in his face eased. “And now, let us speak of other things. I didn’t mean to put such a damper on good company.”
Anna regarded him with compassion. He and his wife had had a good marriage, and their three children had adored their mother. Life was horrible sometimes, she reflected. Horribly unfair.
“Would you want another cuppa, Major?” Ruby’s voice was soft with sympathy, although Anna recognized the glint in her eye as purely feminine interest in an attractive man. And the Major was attractive, Anna realized. With his graying fair hair and erect military posture, he was quite distinguished-looking. From long
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