Page 28 of The Secrets of the Tea Garden
‘Will you stay?’ Libby asked. ‘I mean stay on in India once Independence comes?’
Her uncle glanced around as if fearing he might be overheard.
‘It’s still not certain when that will be,’ he answered. ‘We might have a few years left.’
‘The talk in Britain,’ said Libby, ‘is that it will come sooner rather than later.’
Her uncle spoke more briskly. ‘I will leave that decision up to your aunt. I would quite happily retire to Northumberland or the Borders and spend my days fishing but it’s different for Helena and her father. I’m not sure they could stand the climate, for one thing.’
‘I think the weather would be the least of it,’ Libby said forthrightly. ‘I can’t imagine Aunt Helena enjoying retirement in a country cottage without servants or the club. And all her friends are here.’
Johnny sighed. ‘There has been talk among some of them about whether to move home.’
‘But it isn’t home, is it?’ Libby persisted. ‘Not for people who have never lived there. I can’t tell you what a shock it was for me to land up in England at the age of eight. Imagine what it would be like for someone the age of Colonel Swinson!’
‘We’d look after him well,’ said Johnny a little defensively.
‘I know you would, Uncle Johnny,’ said Libby, ‘but his home is here. Besides, colonial attitudes like his don’t go down well in Britain these days – and I agree with that.’
‘Tilly warned me you were a bit of a socialist,’ he said with a wry look. ‘So what would you do with an oldkoi hailike my father-in-law?’
Libby didn’t hesitate. ‘Let him stay here and live out his life on his veranda, overseeing his tropical garden.’
‘So have you come back to India to stay?’ asked Johnny. ‘Despite all the uncertainty.’
‘Yes, I hope so,’ said Libby. ‘This is my country and I love it.’
Her uncle placed a hand on her shoulder. ‘You sound like James,’ he said, smiling. ‘Just as strong-willed and just as brave.’
They dropped their empty pottery cups on to the pile by the chai-wallah’s stall and walked back to the car. On the way down Free School Street, Libby asked her uncle, ‘Can we find Hamilton Road? I think it’s off Park Street. I have a card I’d like to deliver there.’
‘Of course,’ said Johnny. ‘Did you forget to go there with your aunt the other day?’
‘Not exactly,’ said Libby. ‘I didn’t think she’d approve.’
‘Oh, so who lives there?’
‘DrFatima Khan. She’s a good friend of Adela’s and Sam’s from their Simla days. Now she works at the Eden Hospital.’
Johnny nodded. ‘Ah, the women’s hospital.’ He glanced at her as he negotiated the traffic. ‘I think you are being a bit unfair on Helena. She isn’t as prejudiced against Indians as you think – especially educated ones.’
‘But she might be,’ said Libby, ‘if she knew that DrKhan’s brother lives there too – and that he has been to prison for anti-British actions. According to Adela, Ghulam Khan blew up the Governor of Punjab’s car when he was only eighteen.’
‘Good Lord!’ Johnny exclaimed.
‘Sam says he’s calmed down a lot, but I think he’s still a bit of a communist,’ said Libby.
‘So you’d quite like to meet him?’ Johnny guessed.
Libby blushed. ‘He does sound interesting, but it’s DrKhan I’d like to make friends with. Both Adela and Sam really admire and like her. And Sam’s sister is married to Rafi Khan, one of Fatima’s other brothers.’
‘Oh, that family!’ said Johnny as realisation dawned. ‘The one Cousin Sophie married into?’
‘Yes.’ Libby saw her uncle frowning. ‘So I’m right: Aunt Helena wouldn’t approve?’
‘Well, she doesn’t have a very high opinion of Sophie since she married Rafi,’ Johnny admitted. ‘Helena had a soft spot for Sophie’s first husband, Tam Telfer, a forester. She thought Sophie behaved badly – leaving Tam and becoming a Muslim to marry Rafi.’
‘I think she was very brave to do so,’ Libby replied. ‘And Mother always said that Tam didn’t treat Sophie at all well.’
