He briefly considered whether he could fight his way out and quickly dismissed the idea.He wasn’t sure he could take on Singh Rao even if they hadn’t been surrounded by his soldiers.The man exuded strength and competence.
His mind whirled desperately as he tried to think of how to respond.The answer came to him from somewhere else—his gut.
Which had always done a better job of steering him right anyway.
Tell the man the truth.
Adam forced himself to meet the officer’s gaze.“That a problem?”
Singh Rao didn’t answer.
Borthwick glanced back from ahead of them.His eyes stopped on Adam for a breath, then moved on, unconcerned.
The subedar hadn’t pulled Adam aside for an interrogation.They were walking amid the other soldiers.From where Borthwick stood, it probably looked like the pair of them had just ended up in the same part of the line.
Had Singh Rao done that because he didn’t want Borthwick to notice that they were talking?
Singh Rao studied the line of men marching in front of them as he spoke.“I am an officer of the Indian Army.I took an oath to be loyal to the crown and to follow orders.I take my oaths very seriously, Mr.Bates.”
“I don’t doubt that,” Adam replied—and found that he meant it.
Singh Rao paused as the trail climbed a steep ladder of stone.“That does not mean I always agree with those orders.”
Surprised understanding hitched in Adam’s chest.“You didn’t like what he was doing.”
Singh Rao’s words were careful.“I did not like what he was doing.”
“Would you have stopped me?”Adam pressed.
He was following his damned gut again… which was telling him, strongly and against all common sense, that this man was not his enemy.
“Yes,” Singh Rao replied flatly.
Adam took a bigger risk.“And what if they come into conflict?Your oath to protect the crown—and your orders?”
“That would be a very unusual circumstance,” Singh Rao returned deliberately.“One that I should not expect to meet on this expedition.”
Adam heard the warning that lay between the subedar’s words.
Borthwick was Singh Rao’s commanding officer, and the bar for betraying that—and subjecting himself to a potential court-martial—was going to be pretty damned high.
Singh Rao might not personally agree with Borthwick’s methods or his mission, but he wouldn’t move against it.
Not unless things got very damnedunusual.
Singh Rao nodded.“Mr.Bates.”
“Subedar,” Adam returned—and watched the man walk away.
?
As they crested the ridge once again, Singh Rao signaled to his men with crisp gestures, and low whispers moved down the line.The sepoys readied their rifles, slipping between the thinning trees until they reached the top.Once there, they crept forward through the sparse grasses and low brush until they reached the place where the mountain fell away steeply in the remnants of an old landslide.
The mules lingered behind a little further down the slope.Ellie dismounted and joined Adam where he stood at a nice, healthy distance from the drop.
He noticed the slight hitch in her pace.“How’s the leg?”
“A little sore, but nothing more than that.I don’t see why I have to be stuck in the back with the luggage.I’m perfectly capable of walking.”
