Terror in the Sun by Barbara Cartland

Author:Barbara Cartland
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781788671798
Publisher: Barbara Cartland Ebooks Ltd
Published: 2019-03-29T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

Brucena thought that the entertainment seemed to go on interminably.

At any other time she knew that she would have been thrilled and delighted with the dancing of the women, the snake charmers and the strange musical instruments whose melody she was beginning to appreciate.

But she found it hard to prevent her thoughts from returning again and again to the little boy, who she sensed was now in the possession of the Thugs.

There was no doubt that the men she had seen him with on the road must have killed the whole party of travellers but, as she had learnt from her books, they had saved the child because he was attractive.

For what reason she did not like to question too closely.

The Maharajah who had received them was like a Prince in a Fairytale and only his face betrayed the fact that he was the villain rather than the hero.

His clothes were embroidered with gold, his achkau was sewn with jewels and there were more jewels in his turban besides a great aigrette pinned to the gold tissue, while ropes of pear-shaped diamonds were looped about it like tinsel on a Christmas tree.

Jewels flashed on his fingers and blazed on the gold on his sword belt while the hilt of his sword was encrusted with diamonds and topped by a single emerald the size of a rupee.

There were ropes and ropes of magnificent pearls round his neck and Brucena thought wryly that Amelie had been quite right in thinking that her two little strings of pearls would not be noticed.

Equally while the Maharajah was obviously prepared to be pleasant to Lord Rawthorne’s guests, she knew that there was something evil about him, just as she was sure that a great number of those present were prepared not only to tolerate the Thugs but perhaps even to encourage them.

It took away all her joy in the barbarous splendour and beauty of the evening and wherever she looked she could see only the little boy’s face and the tears coming into his eyes when he had said,

“Mother – dead.”

It was with a sense of relief Brucena realised that Cousin William had indicated that his wife was tired and it was time for her to retire.

“There is no need for you to go,” Lord Rawthorne said hastily as she rose.

‘“On the contrary,” Brucena replied coldly. “When Mrs. Sleeman leaves, I obviously must accompany her.”

“Why?” he asked. “There are plenty of other people to chaperone you, if that is what you want.”

She did not deign to answer him, but merely followed Amelie as she curtseyed to the Maharajah and then, escorted by her husband, moved towards the door.

Everyone they passed put their palms together politely and bowed their heads but, while they seemed respectful, Brucena somehow felt that the expression in their eyes belied it and she was glad to be leaving the great chandeliered hall where the Maharajah had entertained them.

Perhaps, she thought, it was as glittering as its owner’s jewels, but beneath it there was something dark and frightening and every instinct in her body shrank from it.

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