Dur Khaima (part two)

From then on his heart was in turmoil..until fate, in the greatest Hindu tradition, dealt them both a cruel blow...

It was on one of their daily rides, after making camp, that the bridal entourage, consisting of three Royal relatives, the Brides, and their Guide, our hapless Englishman that the inevitable happened.

It was a normal evening, when the younger Bride having been safely hidden in a Ruth, escorted by her uncle and a horse master, and the elder Bride (to all intents and purposes an 'ugly' woman for an Indian high-born Bride) given to riding alone on ahead with our hero, that circumstances nearly overtook them all.

Almost without warning, a dust-storm arose, and the two parties were separated by the choking clouds.

Fortunately, the younger Bride was hastened away back to camp just in time, but our hero was left alone with his forbidden love in a post-Dante hell. With her wit and quick thinking, she guided the frightened horses through a low gully and located a long-vacated cave-dwelling. In the darkness they suddenly lost each other, and then, just as suddenly, found each other, and from that moment, two hearts became one.

After a breathtaking night, during which all sense of time was lost, the storm left, but explanations had to be made.

By good fortune, the camp was half-wrecked by the storm, and almost all were relieved on two counts.....that the younger bride was returned before the storm, and that our hero had protected the elder bride during it. Nothing else mattered. Nothing else was said.

Except inside two beating hearts that were now one.

What was to be done? How could they go on? With almost divine wisdom the elder bride decided that there was no choice. Condemned to a life inside a palace she didn't know, married to a husband she didn't love, the decision was made to carry on as if nothing had happened, as any other recourse would have meant disaster for them both.

He took it very hard, but his strength came from her as she made him realise that for one night, her dreams had come true, her guy had at last returned and had loved her. Knowing was enough.

It was more than he could bear. He now had to go through with a ceremony that meant nothing to either, as she was to be married to a husband who only wanted the pretty Bride, and there was no way to avoid it. As a British Officer it was his Duty to see it through.

And see it through he did............never imagining what was to come next.....