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oppose our marriage even if I agreed to it.”
    â€œWhy should he do so?”
    â€œOh, darling, you must be sensible about this.  Papa wants me to marry someone important.  He would prefer a man with a title, but he also wants my husband, whoever he is, to have enough money and that means quite a lot.”
    For a moment David was stunned into silence.
    He just could not believe what Stella, to whom he had given his heart, was saying.
    She was telling him all too clearly that she did not love him, as he wanted desperately to be loved.
    Because he was silent, Stella kissed his cheek.
    â€œWe will have a lovely time together and you must come to dinner tonight, David.  The Devonshires are giving a ball and I know they will be delighted for you to join us.  We are having a dinner party here first.”
    Slowly David took his arm away from her.
    â€œI thought when we were in Simla together that you really loved me.  I fell in love with you, Stella, but I knew it would be difficult for me to take a wife.”
    â€œOf course, it would be difficult,” she agreed before he could say any more.  “And it would be difficult now, but that need not stop us being together and being happy as we have been before.”
    She drew in her breath.
    â€œI do love you, David.  I love dancing with you and I love you kissing me, but I really could not face being an Army wife in a potty little house with very few servants.”
    â€œWould it matter if we loved each other?”
    The question came from deep inside his heart and he asked it without really meaning to.
    Stella gave a little laugh.
    â€œI am afraid it would and I am sure you would find it boring if I was not able to give parties for our friends and had to count every penny before we bought a saucepan, let alone a new dress.”
    She was laughing as she spoke and then she threw out her arms.
    â€œWhy worry about marriage?  We can be together without it.”
    She was about to kiss David again when a servant opened the door.
    â€œMajor Watson to see you, Lady Sahib.”
    Stella moved quickly from David’s side.
    â€œI am afraid I am rather early,” Major Watson said, as he crossed the room.  “But it was too dashed hot to stay outside and wait for the right moment to appear.”
    â€œI am so delighted to see you, Major, and of course you know Captain Ingle.”
    David had always thought that Major Watson was a self-opinionated and tiresome man, who did very little in the Army except ingratiate himself with the wives of his superior Officers.
    He was, however, invariably invited to every Social function that took place in Calcutta.
    He was notorious as a flirt and a failure as a soldier and David, like most of his contemporaries, had no use for him.
    â€œI am afraid,” he now addressed Stella, “I have to say goodbye.  As it happens I am leaving for England this evening, so we will not be meeting for some time.”
    Stella gave a cry of dismay.
    â€œLeaving for England, but why?  How can you be going away again so quickly?”
    â€œI think it all amounts to my business and that is something which is very difficult for any of us to avoid.”
    As David spoke, he looked rather pointedly at Major Watson.
    â€œIf you were to ask me,” said the Major, “business is usually an excuse for making one do something one does not want to do, so I avoid it whenever possible!”
    â€œI am well aware of that,” answered David, “and of course you are very clever.”
    There was a sarcastic note in his voice and yet he was certain that the Major was too conceited to notice it.
    He walked to the door and Stella gave another cry.
    â€œOh, David, you cannot possibly go away tonight!  I must see you.”
    â€œI am sorry, Stella, it is goodbye, perhaps for a long time.”
    â€œBut surely you know when you are coming back?”
    â€œI am not certain at the