The Tea Planter's Club by Ann Bennett

Author:Ann Bennett [Bennett, Ann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Andaman Press
Published: 2020-07-14T16:00:00+00:00

* * *

October 1939

Since Lord and Lady Dundas visited, Robert has been involved in planning something else with the city council. From the hints he’s dropped, I realise that it could well be the Viceroy of India who is coming this time. It is many months away yet, but it certainly won’t be anyone from Britain. The war in Europe, that started in September, has stopped all travel to and from Britain to India and Burma.

Ye Win has again been asking me for minutes of the council meetings, the route the Viceroy will take, anything I can lay my hands on. He’s been quite brazen about it this time. I suppose he thinks our relationship is on stronger ground now, that he has a right to ask me to help him, and that after what I witnessed on Pyay Road the day of the last visit, I’m more sympathetic to his cause.

We were lying on Ye Win’s bed in his tiny bedroom when he last asked me. It was hot in there, the ceiling fan hardly stirring the air. Both our bodies were covered in droplets of sweat.

‘How can you ask me that?’ I said, looking into his eyes.

‘Easily. I know you’re with us now, Betty. You’d be helping something you believe in. Why wouldn’t I ask you?’

I stared at the ceiling, mulling over his words.

‘Supposing I could get hold of the papers, Robert would know they’d gone. He would be suspicious then. He might even find out about us.’

‘Does he ever leave the papers at home during the day?’ he asked.

‘Probably. They must be in his study. I don’t suppose he would take them to work with him.’

‘Well, all you need to do, is to get them to me in the morning. I can arrange for them to be copied in a matter of hours, so you can return them before he comes home in the evening.’

My stomach was filled with butterflies at the prospect of doing this. What if someone saw me? What if the papers were damaged while they were being copied? And besides, I would be betraying my country, not just my husband.

‘I thought you said you’d do anything for me,’ said Ye Win. ‘I thought you loved me, Betty, as I love you.’

‘I do love you,’ I said instantly, not even trying to keep the desperation from my tone. ‘You know that. More than anything in the world. It’s just…’

‘You wouldn’t want to lose me, would you?’

There was an edge to his voice and those words hit me like a physical blow. What was he threatening? How could he blackmail me like this? But I was weak, completely in his power.

‘I’d hate to lose you,’ I answered, looking earnestly into his eyes. ‘You know that. Look, if it means that much to you, I’ll get you the papers. If it takes that to prove my love for you. Of course, I’ll do it.’

So, this morning, once Robert had left for work, I crept into his study.

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