In the Far Pashmina Mountains by Janet MacLeod Trotter

Author:Janet MacLeod Trotter [Trotter, Janet MacLeod]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Sagas, Historical, Romance, General
ISBN: 9781503903166
Google: mnI0swEACAAJ
Goodreads: 38202532
Publisher: Amazon Publishing
Published: 2018-10-14T23:00:00+00:00

Sleep eluded John. Marriage to Sultana was a ridiculous idea. It would tie him down to a fresh set of obligations just when he had shed his old one to the Company army. They didn’t know each other. She was much younger than he; they had nothing in common. He wondered what Azlan or Hercules would have done in his situation. He rather thought that they would just have gone along with it.

Had Azlan not been in a similar position years ago, arriving as a stranger in Ramanish thousands of miles from home? Yet he had embraced his new life and taken a local woman for his wife, even though they could hardly speak a word of each other’s language.

He knew that Azlan loved his Aunt Morag and that she adored him. In time, perhaps, could he grow to love Sultana? He could not deny that he had felt an attraction for her on the one occasion he had been allowed to visit. Again it unsettled him that she had reminded him of Alice. The light-coloured hair and the mesmerising eyes . . .

John’s insides clenched at the thought of Alice. She was like a fever that had entered his bloodstream. Would he ever be cleansed of thoughts of her? Perhaps marrying Sultana would help rid him of his desire for Alice once and for all.

It struck him that he would like the companionship of a woman, someone with whom to share his life in the way that Azlan shared his with Aunt Morag. He could settle with her in the Kohistan – in time they would have a sweet daughter like Ariana or a son to carry on the name of Sinclair. Or he might take her to Kabul where she would keep house while he worked for Burnes or at the court of Dost Mohammed. Dost’s mother was a Kazilbashi so he might find favour with Afghanistan’s amir if he were married into their clan.

‘What should I do?’ John asked Rajban, his thoughts in conflict.

Rajban shrugged. ‘Only you can decide. I will come with you, either way.’

‘Thank you,’ John said gratefully, wondering what he would do without his loyal friend.

By morning, with only snatched sleep, John had made up his mind. He would be firm and say no. He didn’t want to be burdened with a wife. An itinerant life, roaming Central Asia as an interpreter, was no life for a married man. He would keep his word to deliver Sultana and Aziz safely home to the Kohistan but after that his obligation to them would be over.

He found the brother and sister together in Sultana’s small chamber, the pair peering disconsolately out of the narrow window. With a pang of pity, John thought of how deeply they must be grieving for their father and uncles.

Aziz’s face lit up at his appearance.

‘Uncle John, you’ve come! Isn’t it a great thing that the amir has suggested? Have you come to say yes?’

John’s heart sank. He braced himself for the boy’s disappointment.

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