Monsoon Mists by Christina Courtenay Read Free Book Online

headed slowly for the doors opening onto the stairs.
    ‘I’m sure I shall,’ Jamie murmured, looking straight at Mrs Miller, and had the satisfaction of seeing her throw him a disapproving glare. ‘Moonlight is so beautiful, don’t you think?’ he added with a smile. She didn’t reply.
    Outside in the balmy night air, other people strolled too, but Jamie deliberately headed for an empty corner. He wasn’t going to try and seduce the woman, but he wanted to see what her reaction would be to spending time alone with him, if she was so averse to men. There were lanterns dotted around the balustrade, so the place he steered her to wasn’t all that dark, but it still felt a bit too intimate for such a short acquaintance. Jamie wondered if he was doing the right thing, teasing her this way, but then he remembered her expression earlier. As if she was doing them a favour by even talking to them. Jamie resolved to play her at her own game.
    ‘Would you like to …’ he began, holding out a hand to indicate the bench, but she interrupted him.
    ‘No, I prefer to stand,’ she muttered, turning to stare out across the river which glimmered in the moonlight.
    ‘Very well.’ Jamie moved to join her in gazing at the view and she immediately stepped to the side to create a gap between them, even though her skirts kept him well away already. He stayed where he was. For now. ‘My friend tells me you are a widow, Mrs Miller,’ he said in order to start the conversation.
    ‘Yes, my husband died last year,’ she replied, sounding less than enthusiastic at this line of questioning.
    He gathered she didn’t like to talk about this and thought that perhaps it made her sad. He bowed slightly and commented, ‘I’m sorry for your loss. You must feel it keenly, being on your own.’
    ‘Thank you, but I prefer it.’
    ‘You like solitude?’ Jamie didn’t bother to hide his surprise. It wasn’t a sentiment most women shared as far as he’d gathered.
    ‘Yes.’
    No explanation seemed to be forthcoming, so he just commented, ‘That is … unusual.’ He gestured again towards the bench. ‘Are you sure you wouldn’t like to sit for a while? You can still admire the view, you know.’
    She shot him a look which he couldn’t interpret, then shrugged. ‘We won’t be staying up here for very long, but by all means …’ She sank down, spreading her skirts so wide Jamie raised his eyebrows.
    ‘Pardon me, but unless you wish me to sit on your gown, would you mind moving the material slightly? Or are you trying to indicate that you’d prefer me to stand?’
    He saw her cheeks take on a tinge of colour, but she moved her skirts enough for him to be able to sit.
    ‘So tell me, why won’t we be staying for very long? Have you tired of my company so soon?’ he joked.
    ‘No. That is … we only came up for a quick breath of fresh air.’
    ‘Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m not in any hurry to return to the stuffiness below.’ She made no response to this, so he guessed she didn’t agree, but he’d be damned if he went downstairs quite that quickly. Surely she could give him a few more moments of her time? He continued with the small talk. ‘Tell me, do you not find it difficult being on your own here in Surat?’
    ‘No, as I said, I prefer it.’
    ‘You wouldn’t rather live in England?’
    ‘Absolutely not.’ When he again raised his brows at her, she added, ‘I grew up here. England is a foreign country to me.’
    ‘Ah, I see. Then I suppose you’ll be looking to marry someone who is planning to stay in India.’
    ‘No, I’m not.’
    Jamie was taken aback by this forthright answer, but she pre-empted any reply he would have made by standing up and turning to fix him with a glare.
    ‘Look, I may as well tell you now – I know where this is leading and the answer is no, Mr Kinross,’ she said, her voice tight and her expression one of quiet determination. ‘And … and now I wish to go downstairs