"We'll see."
"You never know when tostop. You're becoming as obsessed about watching that child as you are aboutyour Cinnidar."
"She's not a child."The words came too sharply again, and Ruel forced himself to smile carelessly."If you want to help, go back to the Officers' Club and see if you canfind out from Pickering if the maharajah has any passions besides his new toyof a railroad."
Ian nodded as he took out hishandkerchief and wiped his perspiring brow. "I won't argue with you. Acool drink on the veranda while being fanned by one of the club's servantsseems like heaven right now." He turned and started down the hill toward thehorses. "I'll see you back at the hotel."
"Yes." Ruel's tonewas abstracted as he turned to look down at the woman again. Jane had stoppedby the water bearer and took the dipper of water he held out to her. As shedrank, she tilted back her head, and he could see the graceful line of herthroat and the dark lashes curving against her tan cheeks as she half closedher eyes against the glare of the sun.
He waited, anticipationstirring. After she drank she would splash a little water on her cheeks andthroat and run her damp palms under the heavy braid covering her nape.
She returned the dipper to thebearer, who smiled, filled it again, and poured the water into her cuppedhands.
Ruel leaned back against therock, watching as she cooled her cheeks and forehead and then her throat andnape. It was ridiculous to feel this absurd sense of satisfaction just becauseshe had done what he had expected her to do. Yet the satisfaction persisted,escalated, as she returned the dipper back to the bearer.
Now she would retrace hersteps back to the point where the new track started and examine the ties,measure the distance between the rails to make sure it was exactly four feeteight and a half inches.
Jane whirled and walkedbriskly back along the newly laid track.
He laughed softly and tiltedhis hat until it rested on the back of his head. By God, heknewher. Hefelt as if he had never known anyone in his entire life as well as he knew JaneBarnaby. He knew every gesture, every reaction, almost her every thought.
His smile faded as he realizedthe pleasure that knowledge brought him, the pleasure a man might feel inexploring the gaits of a fine horse he had just acquired or the first sensualdiscoveries of the talents of a mistress.
The pleasure of possession.
Nonsense. He had no desire toown anyone and had a passion only for what awaited him on Cinnidar. He wasmerely bored and it amused him to predict the girl's next moves. Besides, itwould be only sensible to familiarize himself with the way she thought if shecould lead him to Kartauk.
"The work is going tooslow." Patrick stretched his long legs out before him under the dinnertable and lifted the glass of whiskey to his lips. "The maharajah paid mea little visit this afternoon and the bastard says he wants the railroadfinished before the monsoon season."
"Well, he's not going toget it." Jane looked dully down at the rice and chicken on her plate. Shefelt too tired to eat but knew she must. Food brought strength and she had tokeep strong. She picked up the fork and attacked the rice. "The rainsstart in two weeks and we've just finished the bridge across Sikor Gorge."
"That leaves only anothertwenty-five miles of track to lay before you join with the track we laid fromNarinth. At six miles a day we—"
"We're not doing sixmiles a day. We're lucky to do two."
Patrick muttered a curse."Then push them, dammit."
Jane's hand tightened on thefork. "I'm doing the best I can. You know the workers won't listen tome." She smiled mirthlessly. "Those who don't regard me as a freaklook on me only as a woman and therefore unworthy of attention."
"The crew listened to youon the Yorkshire job."
"Because most of the timeyou were on the site. They thought I was only mouthing your orders." Shemet his gaze across the table. "It might be the same here if you'd justmake an appearance every day."
He flushed. "Thisinfernal heat gives me a headache. You have Robinson to back you up."
"Robinson is only anoverseer. Come just for an hour or so. Then you can go back to Kasanpore."
He was silent a moment andthen a smile lit his ruddy face with warmth. "You're right. From now onI'll be there every day until the job is done." He studied her face."You're looking a bit ragged. Why don't you stay in bed tomorrow and getsome rest?"
"I'll be fine after anight's sleep." She took another bite of rice. "But it really wouldhelp if you'd come with me tomorrow."
He frowned. "Good God,you sound like a nagging fishwife. I said I'd come, didn't I?"
"Sorry." Shefinished the rice on her plate. "You're not eating."
"It's too hot toeat." He refilled his glass from the bottle on the table. "And evenif I were hungry I couldn't stomach this slop. I don't see why you had to sendLi Sung to Narinth. I haven't had a decent meal since he left."
She hurriedly glanced down ather plate. "Sula isn't a bad cook. I needed someone in Narinth to makesure the work on the station was going well."
