Veils of Silk(120)

"You've given me so much already," Laura protested.

Kamala's elegant brows arched. "It is easy for me to give, and I take great pleasure in it. Will you deny me that pleasure?"

Laura laughed. "Put that way, I don't suppose I can."

The maharani signaled to the servant. Knowing what was expected, the girl came forward and presented Laura with a folded length of exquisite, lavender-colored silk.

"It's a sari," Kamala explained. "The fabric is so fine that it can be drawn through a ring." She removed one of her gold rings and demonstrated, pulling the whole length of gauzy fabric through the circle. It came out none the worse for wear.

"Thank you, Kamala. It's exquisite." Laura stroked the gossamer silk. "This color is perfect for me."

"I know," the maharani said. "The sari is a very graceful garment, and one as fine as this will drive a man to madness." Her dark eyes sparkled. "I speak as one who knows."

Laura laughed, though she would wait before wearing the sari for Ian. It was too blatant for her at the moment, since she was still the next thing to a virgin. But she was willing to change that.

* * *

By midevening, Laura had given up hope that Ian would return when he unexpectedly walked into the apartment. Even dust-covered and fatigued, he looked good enough to eat. The thought brought the Kama Sutra to mind, so she said hastily, "You're home! I'd decided you wouldn't be back until tomorrow."

"Rajiv Singh was anxious to return tonight, so we rode through rather than stopping."

Laura considered giving him a welcoming kiss, but decided against it. Though her husband seemed pleased to see her, there was a wariness in his expression that did not encourage her to come closer. She would wait until later, when he was more relaxed. "Shall I order a bath for you?"

"Splendid idea. And some food as well." He ran a tired hand through his auburn hair. "I might as well take advantage of the fact that we're staying in a palace. After a few nights of camping, I'll look back on this luxury with longing."

"Did the maharajah persuade you to take over his army?"

"He tried, but finally accepted defeat." Ian smiled. "We played chess several evenings. I managed to beat him about half the time, which apparently doesn't happen often. It made him even more regretful that I was unwilling to enter his service, but he's been a gentleman about it." He glanced at the journal Laura had been reading. "Have you found anything interesting?"

Grateful that she had been studying Pyotr's papers rather than the Kama Sutra, Laura said, "There are lots of interesting things. I may try to publish Pyotr's memoirs in London. He's very witty and he led an incredible life. But so far, there's nothing like what we're looking for."

"Maybe there's nothing to find," Ian said. "But I like the idea of publishing some of his work. Memoirs of a Russian Secret Agent has a ring to it. My brother-in-law Ross is a writer. Perhaps his publisher would be interested."

Laura nodded absently before she made the connection. "Good heavens!" she gasped. "Is the Ross who is your brother-in-law the travel writer, Lord Ross Carlisle?"

"Yes, though he's become the Marquess of Kilburn since his last book was published.''

"His work is excellent," Laura said, more awed by the writing than the lordly title. "I've read all his books. It's not just what he says, but how he says it."

Ian grinned, more relaxed than when he first returned. "Tell Ross that and you'll make a friend for life."

Laura made a face. "I don't know. He now sounds as intimidating as the alarming Juliet."

Ian smiled and went into his bedroom. Laura summoned a servant and ordered a bath and food. While her husband cleaned up, she changed into her prettiest nightgown and robe and brushed her hair out. She wanted to look desirable, in an unobvious way.

Apparently she was successful, for when Ian came into the drawing room, his expression shuttered after a single glance. As he ate supper, he avoided looking at her and hardly spoke except for a few terse comments about his trip.

While glad that he wasn't indifferent to her appearance, Laura was also frustrated, for she had no idea what to do next. She couldn't quite bring herself to say, "By the way, Ian, I've changed my mind about lying with you. Shall we adjourn to the bedroom?" A pity that the Kama Sutra's varied advice didn't cover this particular situation.

As soon as he finished eating, Ian got to his feet. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to bed. We were up riding before dawn to get back to Manpur today."

Part of Laura advised waiting until tomorrow, when Ian was rested, but she couldn't bear another day of delay. Maybe the best approach was to hope that proximity would do the work, as it had in the past. If Ian was too tired, the moment could pass without embarrassment for either of them.