If Colin had still been in the cantonment, John would have sent his friend round to see how Alice was. But the artillery officer had been posted to a fort in the Khoord-Kabul, the first of many passes on the way to Jalalabad.
He tried one last time. ‘Alice,’ he whispered, ‘I know you are there. If ever you need me you must send word with Ravi. Wherever I am, I will come to you, my love.’
Turning away with a troubled heart, John made his way back to the city.
Alice stood rigid with distress, listening to John’s footsteps fading into the night. How she had longed to open the door and let him in! His loving words were like balm to her battered body.
The attacks had begun the day after Dinah’s wedding when she had locked Vernon out of Lotty’s room. He had waited for her to emerge and then dragged her by the hair into his bedroom, shutting the door in the face of a wailing Lotty. Vernon had punched and bitten her till she had collapsed on the floor, yet the worst torture had been her daughter’s screaming.
‘Mummy, Mummy, Mummy!’
Finally Ayah Gita must have managed to pull the girl away and calm her, for Lotty’s distraught weeping had subsided before Alice had fainted. She had been covered in bruises, including to her face. Alice could not go out. She sent round a note to Emily to say she had fever and would not risk being near baby Walter.
‘Look what you made me do,’ Vernon had accused, blanching at her swollen face. ‘If you would just be a dutiful wife . . .’
Alice’s cut lips made answering too painful.
‘You know I don’t want to discipline you,’ he said, ‘but I had no choice. Just the thought of you being with Sinclair maddened me.’
He left, shamefaced, and did not return for two days. Alice wondered if he was violent towards Raiza. She knew the girl’s name now; she had made John tell her. And she knew that Raiza called the boy Ali. Gita had tended Alice’s injuries, bathing and rubbing ointments on her bruises and cuts. The ayah’s gentleness had made Alice weep far more than the pain had.
She had swallowed her fear of Vernon and decided to defy him on his return. But he had struck back in a way she had not thought him capable of. Grabbing Lotty and lifting her onto his lap, he had said to the girl, ‘Mama has been very naughty. What shall we do with her?’
‘Put her down,’ Alice had pleaded, seeing the alarm in her daughter’s face.
‘Not until you promise to behave,’ said Vernon. ‘Otherwise I will have to smack Lotty. Like this.’
Abruptly, he put the girl over his knee and whacked her bottom. Lotty howled in shock.
‘Stop it now!’ Alice had rushed to intervene, seizing Vernon’s hand. ‘I’ll do what you want – just don’t touch Lotty!’
After that, Alice had submitted to Vernon. On the few occasions that he chose to stay at home she would share his bed and let him have his way. She would close her eyes tight and imagine herself somewhere else. It was too distressing to think of John so Alice went far back in her mind to a place of safety: the lighthouse. She emptied her thoughts of everything but the lamp-room with its view over the restless sea and the jagged rocks to the far horizon where a pink dawn divided the silver sky from the water.
There was never anyone else in the lamp-room – to think of the Browns and their kindness at such a time was painful – just the hiss of the bright lamp and the dazzle of the lenses. This way she endured Vernon’s hateful presence.
When he was absent in Kabul, Alice was overcome with self-loathing for allowing him to dominate and humiliate her. What had become of spirited Alice Fairchild? She would never have let any man treat her so. But she wasn’t that Alice; she was a fearful mother who lived in dread of her daughter being harmed by this unpredictable monster who ruled their lives.
Lotty was confused by her father; fearing him and yet wishing to please him – wanting his love.
Alice had stayed indoors for two weeks, until any lingering bruising could be disguised by powder. She resumed her visits to Emily and the baby but this seemed to annoy Vernon. He resorted to slapping her for imagined slights, a question asked or a roll of the eyes. After his initial assault on his wife, he had taken care not to cause injury to her face again.
But she lived with the queasy dread that he would beat her senseless and then there would be no one to look after Lotty. She could not imagine how she had ever had feelings for this man or he for her. Yet she saw how he could still charm and flatter women; her friends had little inkling of what he was really like. They knew he was possessive but she had confided in no one about the sudden increase in violence against her. Alice felt too ashamed to admit she had made such a mistake in her second marriage and deep down felt guilty that she had provoked Vernon’s anger by seeing John behind his back.
Alice refused to give up going to see Emily and the boys but her visits to the Sales’ home diminished. Vernon had the irrational conviction that it was there that she had clandestine meetings with John. Once, Florentia and Dinah had come round to see her unannounced, which had set Alice into a panic in case Vernon returned while they were there. He would interpret their concern as criticism of him and Alice’s disloyalty. She had been on edge the whole of the visit, insisting that she was well, but Lotty had clung to her skirts and refused to talk to the visitors.
They had left, baffled by Alice’s behaviour but pressing her to visit when she could. From them she had learnt of Sir Robert’s concern at the worsening situation among the Ghilzai tribes. The military were pushing for action against them in case they threatened the trading routes to and from India.
Soon after the night where John had come seeking her out, Alice heard from Vernon that ‘Fighting Bob Sale’ was preparing to march from Kabul with the 13th Infantry.
‘Clearing the passes to Jalalabad of tiresome Ghilzais,’ Vernon said. ‘Good luck to them.’
Alice thought of Florentia and how worried she must be about her husband – and Dinah about her father. She would go round and give them encouragement. When she made ready to leave, Alice was overcome with panic and had to sit down. Gita brought her ginger tea, which calmed her, but her nerve failed. Alice took off her bonnet and cape with trembling hands and did not go out.
John knew that trouble was brewing in Kabul when he saw the merchants of the Char Chouk removing their valuables. It was late at night on the first of November. He had not been home long when his friend Khan Shereen Khan, the Kazilbashi chief, appeared at his gate in person.
‘You must leave the city at once,’ he urged. ‘British officers are going to be attacked. Burnes is the main target but I cannot guarantee your safety either.’
John was alarmed that the chief had not sent his chaprassy with the message; he must believe the rumour to be true.
‘Where did you hear this?’ John asked.
‘My brother was at a meeting at the house of Abdullah the Ghilzai,’ said Khan Shereen Khan. ‘There is anger that the chiefs are being kept in Kabul like hostages. They blame the British and want to take revenge for other grievances . . .’
John knew that his friend was referring to the dishonouring of their women. He thought how Vernon would be at risk too. A flicker of revenge shot through John at the thought of Vernon getting his comeuppance. But it was quickly quelled. If Vernon was attacked then his household might also be in danger and they would be blameless victims.
‘The British must go into the Balla Hissar or the cantonment,’ his friend urged. ‘It is not safe to stay in the city.’
‘Thank you, my brother,’ said John, clasping him in gratitude. ‘Will you shelter my servant and his family tonight while I warn Burnes?’
‘Of course,’ said the chief.
John went to rouse Rajban and his family, telling them to make at once for the Khan’s house.
‘I will stay with you,’ Rajban insisted.
‘No, you must look after your family first,’ John ordered. ‘I will join you once I’ve alerted the other officers.’
Approaching Burnes’s h
ouse, John could hear carousing from the open balcony. Instead of the street being deserted at that late hour, there were a dozen or so figures standing in the shadows, talking in excited whispers.
John slipped into the garden and up the back steps. Burnes and a handful of other officers were still sitting around on cushions, drinking and smoking.
‘Ah, Sinclair!’ Burnes greeted him. ‘Join us. We’re celebrating my new appointment as envoy.’
‘Still enjoying dressing up as a savage, Sinclair?’ Vernon mocked. He was sprawled on a divan with his arm around a young serving girl.
John, holding onto his temper, ignored the jibe.
‘I have it on very good intelligence that you are all in great danger this night,’ John said. ‘Especially you, sir.’ He appealed to Burnes. ‘There’s a plot to kill you. There are men already gathering in the street below.’
‘There are always plots in this city.’ Burnes smiled. ‘I thank you for your concern but I don’t think I’m at risk. I have too many friends here – they will protect me.’
‘They have sent word to warn you,’ said John, ‘and that is how they are trying to protect you.’
Burnes’s younger brother, Charles, went to the balcony and peered out. Someone shouted below at the sight of him. He returned looking anxious.
‘There do seem to be men out there.’
‘And they mean to do you harm,’ said John. ‘You should leave at once for the cantonment, sir. Staying here puts your whole household in danger.’ John looked around the room. ‘The same goes for you all.’ He held Vernon’s look. ‘You must all make arrangements to move your families and servants until it is safer.’
‘How charming,’ drawled Vernon, ‘that the savage Scotchman is so concerned for us.’
‘You can choose to heed my warning or not,’ said John, ‘but those who depend on you do not have that choice.’
‘And what happens to our wives and servants is entirely up to us,’ Vernon replied. ‘And none of your business.’
John turned from him in contempt and urged Burnes to act. ‘At least go tonight into the cantonment, sir. The mission house is practically yours anyway. The MacNaughtens are packed and ready to leave. And the threats were not idle ones – they come from Abdullah the Ghilzai.’
Burnes looked troubled for the first time. The others fell silent, waiting for his advice.
He sighed. ‘I can’t do anything to address the problems of the chiefs until I am officially in post as envoy. To scurry off into the cantonment at the first hint of a plot against me will be taken as weakness.’ He gave a fatalistic shrug. ‘And I cannot believe that my Afghan friends would seek to harm me – they know once I’m envoy here that they will get what they want from the British.’ He swung an arm around John. ‘Thank you, Lieutenant, for your concern. But I shall not be going anywhere.’
In frustration, John said, ‘At least send word to MacNaughten of the threats made. Ask for extra guards on your house.’
‘I’m sure that won’t be necessary,’ said Burnes with bravado. ‘Will you stay and have a drink with us?’
‘No, thank you,’ said John. As he left he added, ‘If you have need of me, I shall be at Khan Shereen Khan’s house.’
To his surprise, Vernon followed him out.
‘Sinclair, is it true that we’re in danger?’ he asked, no longer mocking.
‘Aye, that’s why I came to warn you,’ John said. ‘At the very least you need to put extra guards on duty.’
Vernon gave him a brief nod. As John let himself out into the street again, he saw Vernon limping towards the stables.
CHAPTER 32
Alice was woken in the early hours by Vernon arriving from the city. He looked dishevelled and his manner was edgy. He ordered Gita’s son Bali to pull off his riding boots. His clothes reeked of smoke.
‘What’s happened?’ Alice asked.
‘I need a wash,’ Vernon snapped, ordered a hot bath and went into the drawing room where he poured himself a large brandy, knocking it back in one.
After bathing and changing into his smartest uniform, he said, ‘I’m going to see Elphinstone. There’s trouble in the city.’
‘What sort of trouble?’ Alice asked anxiously, her first thought being for John’s safety.
Vernon gave her a stormy look and left without another word. As the cantonment stirred to life, Ravi reported on rumours that there were fires in the city and a mob had attacked the house of Lieutenant Colonel Burnes.
When Vernon didn’t return, Alice bundled Lotty into her winter coat and went round to the Aytons. Emily greeted her distractedly.
‘Sandy’s not here – he’s at the envoy’s house.’
Lotty perked up at the sight of Alexander, and the boy set about helping her build a tower with bricks. Alice eagerly took baby Walter from his worried mother and kissed his plump cheek.
‘Sandy’s very alarmed,’ said Emily, her fair face puckered in anxiety. ‘He’s urging MacNaughten to order Elphinstone to send troops into the city. Is Vernon there?’
‘No, he came home a few hours ago. What’s happening?’ Alice asked. ‘Vernon rushed off to see Elphinstone without telling me anything.’
‘Well, at least he’s safe,’ said Emily.
‘From what?’ Alice said, her stomach knotting.
‘They say there’s been an attack on Burnes’s house – that the Afghans are rioting. There’s smoke over the city.’
Alice was aghast. ‘Why would they attack Burnes?’
‘Sandy says we British are not as popular as MacNaughten likes to think. John Sinclair has tried to warn him but all that MacNaughten can think of is leaving for Bombay.’
‘Have you seen John?’ Alice tensed.
‘No, but Sandy has. He’s really worried about the other officers in the city.’
‘Is John in danger?’ Alice demanded.
Emily avoided her look. ‘Elphinstone will send troops to put down any trouble – Sandy’s sure of it. There’s nothing we women can do.’
‘There must be something,’ Alice said, turning away in frustration.
Rumours flew about all day long. Alice left Lotty with Emily and went out to see what was happening. She found Florentia and Dinah watching from the low ramparts of the flimsy cantonment walls. To Alice’s alarm, the road between the city and the cantonment was seething with people making a din.
‘Who are they all?’ Alice asked.
‘Who knows?’ said Florentia. ‘Tribesmen from the surrounding villages, I suppose.’
‘They’ve been pouring out of the hills all morning,’ said Dinah, her eyes wide.
‘Why is no one doing anything?’ Florentia railed.
‘If only Papa had not already set off for Jalalabad,’ Dinah fretted. ‘He would have acted by now.’
‘MacNaughten is a frightened little mouse,’ her mother exclaimed. ‘He won’t do anything without the say-so of the amir. And Elphinstone’s no better. He can’t even make up his mind what clothes to put on in the morning.’
‘Hush, Mother,’ Dinah said, glancing around. ‘You’re too outspoken.’
Late in the day, a troop of infantry was sent out and marched on the city but the gates were closed and the scenes were chaotic. Alice could hear gunfire and see the heavy pall of smoke hanging over Kabul.
She went back to the Aytons to collect Lotty and found Sandy trying to calm Emily.
‘They say Burnes and all his household have been butchered!’ Emily cried. ‘Other officers too. How has it been allowed to happen?’
‘Order will soon be restored,’ Sandy said.
‘Which officers?’ Alice asked in fright.
Sandy shrugged. ‘It’s still just rumours. Until we get messages through . . .’
‘What about us?’ Emily said, on the verge of tears. ‘Are we in danger here?’
‘Of course not,’ Sandy insisted. But his drawn face belied his words and Alice saw that Emily was nearing hysteria. Alexander had stopped playing to w
atch the adults with fearful eyes.
‘I’m sure it’s just an isolated act,’ Alice said, ‘so let’s not alarm the children.’ She took Lotty by the hand. ‘If Vernon has any news, I’ll let you know.’
It was late in the evening before her husband barged through the door, livid with the day’s events and the lack of reprisals from the British army on the rioting Afghans.
‘They murder British officers in their beds and we sit and twiddle our thumbs,’ he fulminated. ‘We should be setting the bloody place on fire!’
‘So it’s true that Burnes has been murdered?’ Alice gasped.
‘Yes,’ he growled. ‘I saw the savages attacking—’ Abruptly he stopped.
‘You saw it happening?’ Alice was stunned. ‘You were there?’
Vernon reddened. ‘There was nothing I could do to stop them – they were like wild animals. I was lucky to escape.’
‘Who else was there?’ she asked, feeling faint.
He gave a cruel smile. ‘Your lover, Sinclair, was. But he wasn’t staying to save his fellow Scotchman. Last saw him running away.’
‘Like you did?’ Alice challenged.
He barged past her and slammed out of the house. Alice was left shaking and more troubled than ever. What had John been doing at Burnes’s house? Had he even been there at all? She hardly believed a word Vernon said anymore. Was John safe? And what about Raiza and baby Ali? Had Vernon just abandoned them? She went to bed, her mind so much in turmoil that she couldn’t sleep.
The days that followed unfolded like a nightmare from which there was no waking up. Word soon spread that the British had left their envoy-in-waiting to his fate – along with other officers who included his brother, Charles Burnes – and had then hesitated to punish the murderers. Emboldened by the timidity of the foreigners, Afghans flocked to the city – the numbers swelled daily – and vented their anger at feringhi rule by setting houses on fire, looting shops and murdering anyone who had dealings with the British.
In the Far Pashmina Mountains Page 38
