Other passengers began to arrive from the village, joining the ones who had spent the night at the depot. Everyone seemed anxious to get on their way, and Linley could not blame them. She, too, hoped to be in Guahati before nightfall.
“Everything looks to be in order,” Archie said, taking a seat on a long wooden bench that served someone’s bed the night before. “As soon as the boilers are ready, we can board the train.”
“Thank God!” Linley’s father said. “We cannot lose any more time. The rains will be here before we know it.”
Reginald joined Archie on the bench, pulling his cigarette case out of his pocket. “I think this heat is making us all impatient,” he said, lighting a cigarette and taking a deep breath. “Why can’t we just enjoy this beautiful afternoon?”
“Because it isn’t beautiful,” Archie said, “It’s damned hot!”
Even in the shade, temperatures were climbing and it wasn’t yet noon. Sweat pooled around the men’s open collars, soaking the faded bandanas tied around their necks. Linley pulled her own handkerchief from her skirt pocket and dabbed her forehead. Somewhere in the distance, a train whistle sounded, driving a flock of birds out of the trees. Everyone watched them cut across the sky, but since trains were so common in India, no one paid the whistle any more attention. It was only when its black plume of smoke drew closer that anyone bothered to take notice.
“We may have a little traffic jam-up,” Reginald said.
Again, the train’s whistle sounded. “I don’t suppose anyone bothered to wire the rest of the stations,” Archie said. “I’ll wager that one is today’s train, still running right on schedule.”
“Then they’ll get quite a surprise when they come up on us.”
The wooden floorboards of the train depot clattered beneath their feet as the locomotive pulled into sight. Cutting from between the trees, the shiny black engine began a slow deceleration so not to crash into the back of the small train at the station. A few of the railroad employees ran out to the locomotive, waving their arms. Linley assumed they yelled up at the crew of the second train, telling them about the backup and subsequent delay.
Sir Bedford Talbot-Martin shifted from one foot to the other, resisting the urge to pace around the depot. “Perhaps we should have stayed for luncheon at the Howards’.”
Archie turned around on the bench, “It will only take an hour or so to heat the boiler, and then we will be on our way,” he said. “Besides, we can afford to lose a few more hours. Right, Schoville?”
Schoville nodded.
“See!” Archie continued. “Schoville says we can afford it, so there is nothing to worry about. And the Howards packed us a hamper to take with us on the train.”
The engine let out another long blast of the whistle, groaning to a stop behind the first train. The steward, a tall Indian man, cleared his throat and explained to everyone waiting at the depot, “We should be prepared to depart by one o’clock. Please make arrangements to be here at that time.”
Linley’s father looked at his watch—they still had an hour and fifteen minutes before they would be on their way to Guahati. “What a disaster!”
“It’s not a disaster,” Linley said. “Like Archie told you, at least the Howards packed us a hamper. You would be much more miserable if you had an empty stomach.”
“Yes, well, I believe you are right about that, Button,” he said. “Why don’t we step away from the crowd and the flies, and have our picnic under the shade?”
Linley’s own stomach grumbled, but suddenly food was the last thing on her mind. She stood transfixed as she watched the passengers from the second train step out to stretch their legs. A gentleman dressed in white linen stood on the top step of the passenger car, waiting for the woman in front of him to disembark. His face was hidden by a straw Panama hat—a hat that reminded her of the one Patrick wore in Morocco.
The man stepped down onto the platform. He paused for a minute to look around, squinting in the glare of sunlight. Linley braced her hands against the back of the wooden bench. In her heart, she knew it was Patrick. If only he would do something to prove it! She started to call his name, but she didn’t have to—at that moment, he slid the hat from his head and ran his hands through his damp brown hair.
“Patrick!” Linley nearly jumped over the bench as she ran toward him.
He looked up, shocked at first, but then he grinned and held out his arms.
Linley folded into him, wrapping herself around his neck. “Patrick!”
“So you haven’t forgotten about me,” he said, still a little in shock at the surprise of seeing her here—completely by chance—in the middle of nowhere.
“I could never!” She hugged him tighter and leaned up to kiss his cheek. “What are you doing here? How did you know where to find me?”
Patrick smiled down at her. “I didn’t know where to find you, but I took a chance,” he said. “If you weren’t going to stay in London with me, I decided I might as well go to India with you.”