part0029

After the incidents at the Forest Chowki the situation quietened down for the next few days, although the atmosphere was charged with foreboding. Where the next blow would fall; whom it would strike; was anybody's guess.

Forces of evil were abroad and threatened everywhere. The rebel leaders had gone underground but would reappear and cause another outbreak at any time.

And over all, lay the shadow of the man-eater!

Ted Baker made two visits to Neville Gardner's little bungalow or rather the unburnt half of it which he and June were now occupying as part of his official inspection duty. More frequently he visited the Greystone home, ostensibly to see that everything was safe and to have a chat with the planter.

At least, that was the reason he tried to make himself think was his purpose in going there. Deep down inside, he knew he was lying. He tried to shelve the thought; he tried not to admit it. But in his saner moments, when he caught up with himself, he knew he was going for the sake of Ruth Greystone.

He asked himself if he was falling in love with her. He thought frankly about the answer to that question.

But he could not come up with an honest reply. Was he in love with Ruth? Or only with her body?

John Greystone and Chicka had tethered a heifer as bait on the bed of the Karadi Arr below a suitable tree on which a machan could be built if occasion arose. Another they had tied half-way up the hill, in line with the cave that the little man had found, and near a rock where John could later hide himself and try to shoot the tigress.

That Wednesday morning, he had gone to inspect the baits by himself, and Ruth was alone, when Ted Baker called in his car at about 10 o'clock.

By this time both Ruth and the policeman had come to acknowledge their feelings towards each other.

She welcomed him beneath the portico as he alighted.

"Darling, I'm glad to see you. We shall be alone at least for a couple of hours as John has gone; to check on his baits".

Ted followed her into the drawing-room and sat himself on the edge of the wide sofa. He appeared to be nervous and ill at ease.

"Come, have a drink" Ruth offered, "a whisky?"

"Not today thank you. I don't feel like it", he replied. Hesitating awhile, he added, "To be perfectly candid, I'm worried about ourselves".

"Worried? Whatever about?" she inquired in surprise, with a little ripple of laughter, "Do tell me. What's upsetting you?"

"Well", he rejoined, choosing his words carefully "it's like this. You know how matters have turned out between us. The point is; what are we going to do about it?"

"Do about what?" asked Ruth.

Ted shuffled his feet and scratched the side of his nose with annoyance. Why is this woman being so difficult, he thought; or is she just plain dense? Surely she knows what I am driving at. She can't possibly be that stupid. He tried to explain himself.

"You know quite well what I mean. Are we being fair to John? It's quite evident that he trusts you and me implicitly. In face of that, it seems a very caddish thing for us to deceive him in this manner. I can hardly look him in the face".

Then he dropped his voice to the merest whisper as he leaned towards her and said, "I'm certain that servant of yours knows everything. He may have seen us on some occasion. I have caught him looking at you once or twice, and believe me, if looks could kill, you would have dropped dead long ago.

"Why does he hate you so much, Ruth?"

"I'm sure I don't know", she replied lightly, "perhaps the beast hates me just because I hate him. He has made no secret whatever about loathing white people. Why, he once openly said so, although I must admit he appears to have a deep regard, if not affection, for John”.

"Another thing I can't stand is his perfectly ghastly habit of appearing and disappearing from nowhere. It gets on my nerves and frightens me".

"Anyhow, there it is Ruth. If you know he hates you as much as you say he does, while I feel he watches us closely and has often seen us, what's there to prevent him whispering a word to John? I wouldn't like him to find out. To say we're letting him down is to put it mildly".

Ruth was growing impatient, "Don't say you're getting cold feet, Ted?" she asked caustically.

Baker looked up quickly, his face a dull brick-red. He was vexed.

"It's not a matter of cold feet. I wish you wouldn't speak so thoughtlessly", he said ill-temperedly, "it's a matter of playing the game as one man to another".

Ruth recognised in time that she had made a faux pas by trying to scoff at him. Ted was the sort of person who did not like to be pushed, far less ridiculed. He must be won over by other means and methods.

Ruth was an adept at using these other approaches. She had often employed them on him in the past, and she had always succeeded.

"Let's not talk about it any longer, darling", she said, changing her tactics, "here, do have a drink and we'll speak of something else".

"Not for me, thanks", Ted replied stubbornly, still ruffled. And then, "I really don't know what there is to talk about".

Sensing that it might displease him, Ruth did not take a drink herself. Instead, she moved closer to him on the sofa.

"I think I understand you", she said reconcilingly. "We have come to mean such a lot to each other that I for one, just cannot forget you because of John. But I could very easily forget John—for you", she whispered.

Ted was silent. Then he asked earnestly, "Do you really mean that, or are you saying it to flatter me?"

"Of course, I mean it", she answered.

The Superintendent did not reply but continued to stare moodily at the carpet.

Slowly, Ruth rested her head upon his shoulder. She reached out with her hand and toyed with his fingers. The closeness of her body seemed to break down the resistance he was trying hard to build up against this lovely creature who was dragging him to perdition.

Ted looked down at her raven black hair and drew his right arm around her shoulder. Conscious of his glance, Ruth raised her eyes to meet his. He read the message of invitation in their smouldering depths. She in turn observed the coldness of resolution die in his blue eyes and drew her face up to his. As she did so she carried his left hand that was twice the size of hers, and placed his palm against her thigh, above the knee slightly parting her legs to help his fingers which now began to grope questioningly.

Ted bent his head to kiss her throat and Ruth nestled the lovely soft hummock of her breast against his cheek as if she was giving him some gift. She pulled his right hand over her shoulder and with her fingers closed it around her right breast, covered it with her own, and squeezed tightly.

In a sudden gust of passion, Ted crushed the tender flesh mercilessly and commenced to twist it with sadistic delight.

Tears came into Ruth's eyes as she ejaculated, "Ah! You're hurting!" But in those tears was the light of unbridled passion and ecstasy.

With a moan of frenzy, she threw herself upon him and forced him back beneath her on the sofa.

In time, Ted remembered where he was.

Releasing her, with both hands he pushed her back firmly, while in a voice almost sobbing with the intensity of his craving he gasped, "Dearest, not here, in the open like this again. Suppose the servant sees us?"

With a great effort, Ruth controlled herself. Trembling violently, she sat back in her place next to him, her breathing heavy and audible.

"I must, Ted, I must", she urged in a low, husky voice, "please don't deny me. I don't care who sees us or what happens now. I want it. Please. Please".

With an effort, Ted struggled to an upright position on the sofa, pushing her aside. He had brought his emotions under restraint. In a level voice, completely himself now, he said, "Not in the bungalow, Ruth. We must meet somewhere else".

There was frustration in her eyes as she fought to overcome her desire.

She asked, "Let me come to Nilambur, then. I'll tell John I'm not feeling well and want to see a doctor. He cannot refuse as there's no doctor here. It may take a few days to persuade him. He won't want to, leave the estate at a time like this and come with me. I'll pretend to be disappointed but will tell him I'll go alone. On some pretext, I'll stay the night at Nilambur. Then...." and her voice trailed off into husky anticipation.

"Yes, do that dear", Ted acquiesced, "I'll reserve a room for you at the Moosafarkhana (Traveler’s Bungalow). It will be quite private there as it's seldom used and nobody will know if I visit you at night".

To seal the bargain of their tryst, Ted bent forward and kissed her again.

The next moment they sat back hurriedly. Chandra had entered the room and stood to one side. His dark eyes were fathomless as he looked at Ted and Ruth alternatively, but his mouth curled in derision - or maybe it was just contempt.

“Does madam want…" he began.

Ruth interrupted him irritably, "Damn it, why don't you knock on the door before you barge into a room where people are talking?"

"So sorry, madam. Won't do again", Chandra apologised as he turned to walk away. Then he stopped and looked over his shoulder. One eyebrow was raised superciliously when he said, "I didn't know you and Superintendent Sahib were…talking". There was a significant pause before the last word. Chandra went on, "I promise this last time. No happen again, madam; no, never! This very last time!"

And with that he left the room.

Ted jumped to his feet, his face scarlet with suppressed fury. "Damned impertinent devil" he rasped to Ruth, "did you notice how he hesitated before saying the word 'talking'? And he kept repeating it would never happen again. I wonder what he meant by that? If he intended it as an apology, he certainly made it sound like a threat".

Ruth remained seated but raised her hand to grip his arm restrainingly. "That dreadful man, appearing and vanishing like a shadow, positively gives me the creeps I've complained to John so often but he says it's merely the bearer's habit and takes no notice of what I say".

"He's got us under his thumb now in right earnest", Ted growled morosely. "He caught us kissing and I've a strong feeling he was watching the other day when we were....", and his voice trailed into silence. ”He may even try blackmail", the D.S.P. went on, "by threatening to tell John. I wonder if heard what we were saying just now about meeting at Nilambur?"

Ruth shrugged her shoulders. "I don't think so", she answered. "He probably came into the room in his usual silent fashion and caught us by mere accident”.

“Oh”, and here she looked at Ted inquiringly, “do you really think he saw us the other day on the sofa? What makes you say that? You never mentioned it before"?

"Perhaps I'm wrong", Ted conceded, "I sincerely hope so; but I had a sensation towards the end that we were being watched".

He turned to stoop and pick up his helmet from the floor. "I'll go along now, darling, before John returns. Perhaps it’s better that he doesn't see us alone together too often. He may begin to get ideas. Do the best you can, and if you succeed in coming to Nilambur, I'll make the reservation at the moosafarkhana as soon as I know you've arrived”.

"And you had better visit one of the doctors in town, even if you don't take his medicine". Ted smiled significantly, adding in a bantering tone, "As a good policeman, you see, I can also advise you how to cover your tracks".

Ruth walked with him to the verandah where he turned around for a moment, tweaked her chin, and then strode down the steps to his Buick.

As he reached the car, the D.S.P. stopped abruptly.

Turning to her, he asked, "Are you sure you could forget John for me?"

"Quite sure, dearest. I meant what I said".

He did not answer but waved to her before driving rapidly away. Ruth watched the car grow smaller and smaller with half-closed eyes, her thoughts racing ahead in anticipation of what was soon to happen at Nilambur.