"Oh, yes, things aregoing quite nicely."
"I wouldn't have thoughtyou'd be so overjoyed at the prospect of my possible success with themaharajah. If I persuade him to sell me Cinnidar, you know I won't go back toGlenclaren."
"If Cinnidar is best foryou, then that's what I want." Ian smiled gently. "Lately I've begunto suspect there's more than gold waiting for you on Cinnidar. I'm not sureit's even the gold you really want. You need roots and a home that you'll loveas much as I love Glenclaren. That's all I've ever wanted for you, Ruel."
Christ, Ruel felt as ifsomething hard and tight were breaking up inside him as he looked at hisbrother. He wanted to reach out and touch him, clap him affectionately on theshoulder as he had done when they were boys together. Everything seemed to beshifting, changing around him since he had come to Kasanpore.
Or was Ian right and it wasRuel who was changing?
No, he couldn't accept thatthe lessons of a lifetime could be so easily discarded. He may have allowedJane and Ian to touch him on a certain level, but once he had paid his debthe'd be able to dismiss them from his thoughts and go about his own business.
"I'm glad you're notdisappointed," he said in a reserved tone. "Good night, Ian."
Ian smiled again. "Goodnight, Ruel."
"In four more days we'llbe joining the rails," Patrick said. "Lord, and it's about time. I'Dbe glad to see the last of this foul country. This last week has almost killedme."
"I could come tomorrowand help you," Jane offered.
"I wouldn't think ofit," Patrick said. "You just stay here and let me do the work for achange." He stood up and stretched. "I've got to get to bed. I'dforgotten how tired a man gets working the rails."
"But I really want tohelp, Patrick," she said eagerly. "Remember how it was in the beginningwhen we worked together in Salisbury?"
"You've done your share.Now let me do mine."
She was disappointed butreluctantly decided not to insist. Patrick had cut his drinking down to lessthan a quarter of a bottle a day since he had taken over the site from her. Ifit was responsibility that had made this change in him, she would be foolish torob him of it. "Well, if you change your mind—" She paused and thensaid casually, "Since you won't let me help with the construction, I hopeyou won't mind if I make the trial run to Narinth?"
"Why should I mind?"Patrick yawned. "I'll be glad to stay home and rest my bones after thelast week. I've got to take the maharajah and all those highbrow nabobs toNarinth the next day, and he'll probably find a hundred things wrong."
She hadn't expected any otheranswer but still felt relieved. "Then it's settled. I'll bring Li Sungfrom Narinth to engineer and I'll ride the fireman seat."
"Whatever you like."Patrick moved toward the bedroom. "It's about time Li Sung came back anddid some real work for a change. I bet he's not out in the rain working therails." He glanced back over his shoulder. "And I noticed our friendMacClaren quit us the minute the rains started. I keep telling him I'm the onlyone who has the gumption to put up with this foul weather."
"You do? When did youlast see him?" she asked with careful casualness.
"Oh, he drops in at thesite every day or so for a cup of coffee or a word."
She hadn't known Ruel had goneback to the site after that first afternoon and for an instant felt acompletely unreasonable flicker of gratitude. After all, Ruel was not keepingan eye on Patrick for her sake. He wanted the railway completed as fast aspossible so that he could get Kartauk out of Kasanpore.
Ruel staring at her acrossthe temple, his gaze searing, demanding, holding.
"Your cheeks areflushed," Patrick said idly. "Are you coming down withsomething?"
Her discomposure must beblatantly evident if Patrick, who never noticed anything about her, commentedon it, she thought in exasperation. "No, I'm just feeling the heat. Itseems worse since the rains came." She jumped up from her chair and bidPatrick good night.
She would get over this craving,she thought desperately. She was not an animal.
Yet her body's response toRuel was like that of an animal in heat. There was not a moment in his presenceshe was not aware of him. When she had met his gaze in the temple she had felta melting, a yielding that had frightened her.
She would ignore it andeventually this hunger would go away.
Dear God, ithadto goaway.
** *
Ruel carefully placed the toyin a large box and then wrapped the package in bright crimson velvet and tiedit with a flamboyant white satin bow.
An hour later he handed thepackage to the head footman at the palace, together with an extravagant bribeand the promise of an even bigger one if the maharajah received the gift atonce.
