Evelyn enjoyed her day at work – she managed to have a natter with Sunaina as well as her some of her other colleagues, and managed to give a few more lectures on what to consider when speaking to their elderly customers, all of which went splendidly. She even managed to have a quick talk with Sonny who had come to the call centre to meet his now wife-to-be. Evelyn congratulated them on their engagement, privately lauding Sonny for doing the right thing in the end. He in turn managed to slip in how happy he was that Mr Ainslie had decided to stay, offering her a knowing and somewhat cheeky expression.

The weather had been delightful too – the sky a glorious, cloudless blue, the air warm but comfortably so with a cool breeze providing relief. But despite the gloriousness of the day, Evelyn found it to be extremely dragging. Five o'clock seemed as if it were never going to arrive. She tried not to watch the clock. She tried to keep her mind busy, but the minutes resembled hours.

And when finally the end of her shift did come around, she felt as if she could skip back to the hotel. Yes, skip. That's how happy and elated and excited she was feeling, she could barely contain it. It was most childish and she berated herself for being so giddy about it all, but at the same time it was half-hearted because she realised she loved how youthful and alive she was feeling.

It was a wonderful surprise when she reached the bottom of the staircase and main entrance to find Douglas sat waiting for her, leaning against a wall watching the bustling road ahead. Her lips unconsciously turned upwards in a broad, gleeful grin. After a few moments of thought, she approached him, gently placing her hand to his arm as she neared. He turned to her, momentarily not knowing who it was but when he saw her, his face immediately lit up.

"What are you doing here?" Evelyn asked coyly – even though she was blissfully aware of the reason, she just wanted to hear him say it.

He gave a humble shrug.

"I thought perhaps I could accompany you home," he smiled hopefully although Evelyn knew that she couldn't very well refuse him seeing as he was already here. Not that she'd have wanted to anyway, not at all.

"Very kind of you," Evelyn replied as they started to amble through the lively street.

"How was your day?"

"Good. A bit slow, but yes, I had a fine day," Evelyn said, appreciating his interest. "And you, how was yours?"

"Yes, good, very good. I didn't do anything special though, just had a wander. Oh and I managed to fix that tap - it started leaking again."

"That blasted thing," she answered with a grin.


As Evelyn had said the night before, they both got back to the hotel at just about five, at which point Douglas led her to the main terrace of the hotel, where a pot of tea sat waiting on a small table. With an enthusiastic hop, he moved ahead of Evelyn to pull out a chair for her. She sighted the light in his eyes as he beheld her, the way it made her feel beautiful and loved, as did the affectionate smile he so often put her way. She had always perceived the way Douglas could be so much more content and joyous when he wasn't around Jean, and only now had Evelyn began to understand that she was a major part of that happiness – she sparked that soft adoration in his features, as he undoubtedly did in hers.

She took the seat, expressing her thanks as he seated himself opposite. He immediately made to pour the tea, adding a dash of milk to both their cups as well as a smidgen of sugar in his own.

"It's so beautiful here," Evelyn remarked as she looked out upon the greenery that spread out behind the hotel in the pinkish evening haze. The twitter and melodious songs of the exotic birds merged with the distant bustle of the Jaipur streets and it all seemed so gloriously familiar now, comforting. With only a brief glance at the landscape, Douglas hummed an agreement as his eyes once again fell upon her. Evelyn felt a shy blush tinge her cheeks, and she hid her face in her teacup as she took a sip. Absent-mindedly, she thought how quintessentially British it was to be having tea in such heat. It was an especially wonderful cup of tea though.

"Evelyn, I was wondering if you'd like to come with me to the Hawa Mahal Palace this weekend," he asked. "I told you about it – mistakenly calling it Badi Mahal at the time – but when Graham… well, I never got to go and it would be lovely to go with you. If you'd like."

Evelyn remembered. It had been the night when Graham had finally reunited with Manoj, and Douglas had pulled her away from the reckless motorist, and then they were serenaded by a pleasant group of musicians. Her lips twitched into a faint smile at the memory. But it hadn't occurred to her that he'd never managed to go. The fact he was asking her elicited a small flurry of excitement as she replied, "Oh yes, certainly."

Douglas smiled and slurped at his tea. He suddenly felt as if he had to tell Evelyn how he felt about her, right at that moment. To see her sat there with him, glowing in the evening sun, beautiful to behold as her smile was, and suddenly Jean didn't matter anymore, his marriage didn't matter. Evelyn mattered. And he hadn't yet told her he loved her. He was sure she knew, of course, but he hadn't yet voiced it. Hadn't he come to the conclusion a while ago that time waits for no man. There was never a wrong time to do anything as long as it mattered. He began to reach forward, to grasp her hand within his when Norman's voice commandeered the moment.

"Hello, you two!"

Evelyn could almost sense the hint of a playful jibe form on his lips but failed to pass them. She was thankful – she liked Norman, but he could be so terribly bothersome at times. She saw Madge approach in his wake, her face lifted by a warm smile. Evelyn supposed it was Carol that was lingering at the back, the newbie not yet wanting to intrude. It was funny; Evelyn always suspected Norman and Madge had a soft spot for each other. Maybe one of them still did.

"Hello," Evelyn replied for both herself and Douglas. She noticed how he seemed a little tense at their friends' arrival, or maybe she was just imagining it – his smile seemed welcoming enough. And had his hands been so close to hers a moment ago?

"Coming down for some dinner?" Norman questioned, with a nod in the general direction of the dining area below them. "We thought we could all have a meal together, celebrate the hotel staying open!"

Douglas felt cheated of the moment, but he could hardly say no. And Evelyn seemed to like the idea. So they got up and convened to the dining hall, where a single table adorned with candles and tasteful decoration had been set up for the group. Muriel was already there, settled at the head of the table. Evelyn took a seat next to her, as Douglas seated himself in the chair opposite. Madge joined Evelyn whilst Norman sat himself beside Carol on Douglas' side of the table.

"I don't think we've ever done this. Sat all together," Norman some odd reason Evelyn considered Graham, even briefly Jean, and thought 'not all together' but she quickly dismissed it. They all ordered their meals – all unsurprisingly of the curry variety – and the late evening was hailed in with pleasant chatter together with a few laughs. Carol was just introducing herself properly to them all – excluding Madge and Norman of course – when the food arrived. The aromas drifting from the hot plates were ravishing, alerting Evelyn to how hungry she actually was. Before they could tuck in, Norman raised his glass.

"I'd like to make a toast," he regarded everyone sat upon the table, until his eyes finally rested upon Carol sat beside him. "To new friends and new beginnings."

Short, simple, yet of complete significance to all those sat around the table now. At the words, both Douglas and Evelyn glanced at one another, raising their glasses with the others as they repeated, 'new beginnings'. Madge witnessed the look of affection and gave Muriel a knowing smile. With that they began their meal, fully aware of the siege it would most likely lay upon their stomachs later on...


"Ready?"

Evelyn heard Douglas call from outside her room.

It was Saturday and as proposed two days before, they were both off to the Hawa Mahal Palace. Yesterday they'd spent the day much like the one before it – he'd accompanied her home from work to the same balcony, where they'd substituted the tea for some crisp white wine and accompanied it with a few Chilla pancakes.
Today looked to be as wonderful as its predecessors, the sun ruthless with its parching onslaught of heat. A glance out of her window proved there to be an absence of cloud, with only the faint hint of a breeze dancing through the air. Evelyn had decided almost instantly when she had arrived in India that she loved the heat. It was so different to being back home and she hadn't liked being cold. She grabbed her bag and moved toward the door where she found Douglas leaning on the wall, a grin exploding onto his features when he saw her.

"Ready," she replied.

Douglas considered holding his arm out to walk with her, but decided against it. As they were strolling out of the hotel, Muriel spotted them and called, "Enjoy your day, you two!"

"We will thank you Mrs. Donnelly!" Evelyn replied cheerfully. "You as well!"

"Hah! Not bleeding likely," she grumbled with a wave of some papers, which Evelyn assumed had something to do with her new position as assistant manager of the hotel. They both chuckled as Muriel wheeled herself off, still relying on her wheelchair as she still wasn't too steady enough on her feet.

Once outside in the lively commotion of the street, they hailed a tuk-tuk. Douglas helped Evelyn into the vehicle, before seating himself beside her. The tuk-tuk hurtled off, flitting through the streets like a bee, whirring all the while.

"Not quite the London cab, is it?" Douglas commented as the car jolted viciously over a pothole, eliciting a giggle from Evelyn.

"No, not quite," she replied through a smile.

The journey was brief and when it came to its end beside the palace, Douglas paid the driver, stepped out and offered a hand for Evelyn. Graciously she took it, following suit with a delicate step from the vehicle. As the tuk-tuk whizzed away with a choking splutter of fumes, Douglas and Evelyn looked upward to marvel at the building which smouldered pinkly in the morning rays. They commented on its grandeur as they moved toward the entrance around the corner. Douglas mentioned something about the architecture of the palace being influenced by the crown of Krishna, evidence of his avid reading about the place. Evelyn always admired his enthusiasm, it made her smile, so she let him natter on with the random facts he managed to haul out of his memory banks. As they reached the entrance, Douglas plucked his wallet from his back trouser pocket. Not before catching a playful glimpse of his behind did Evelyn rummage in her handbag for her own.

"No need," Douglas shook his head, lifting up his wallet as an indication that he would pay. She made to refuse, but was stopped. "Please, I want to. I don't mind."

With a nod and a grateful smile, she stopped searching her bag. Douglas paid and they both set off to explore the wonder that is the "palace of winds", making sure to take the climb to the very upmost floor. There, they were able to steal the most fantastic view of Jaipur for themselves.


Evening was beginning to draw in by the time they were returning to the hotel. They were chatting, their conversation sweetened by Evelyn's laugh, when time managed to repeat itself.

Around them the road was still abustle with vendors and their customers, and a band was set up on some nearby steps singing tranquilly, the sound of their voices and instruments scattering through the clement air. Evelyn was gazing at Douglas, listening to what he was saying intently, smiling as he made little witty remarks here and there. He wasn't really paying attention to what he was saying when he saw the tuk-tuk torpedoing along the small road – along the small road Evelyn was now walking obliviously into. Momentarily, he felt almost smug that the reason she was so willingly stepping into the path of an oncoming vehicle was because she was so fascinated by his conversation. But the daft notion quickly slipped from his mind, like sand through fingers, as he launched himself forward and grabbed her. He caught the fleeting expression of confusion upon her face before he pulled her protectively into his chest as the tuk-tuk whipped by so closely Douglas wouldn't have even had to fully outstretch his arm to touch it. He could feel her hands gripping at the lapels of his jacket. They both looked on as the vehicle swerved about a corner, disappearing into the dusk.

Only once it had gone from view did Douglas release her from his protective grip, gently increasing the distance between them. Evelyn looked up at him, her hands remaining clenched into his jacket. Douglas looked down into her eyes, those wonderful, cerulean eyes. For that moment, they were only with each other – the people about them were ghosts, the sounds of the city muffled. Lost within each other's eyes, their presence.

The instance reminded them both of the first time this had transpired, but this time was different. This time there wasn't an air of overwhelming inhibition, an unwillingness to show how deep their feelings for one another ran, there wasn't the looming thought of a wife to stay true to. This time was theirs.
Now was the moment.

Douglas found himself cupping her face softly in both hands, caressing her cheekbones with his thumbs, leaning forwards unhurriedly. He gave a raise of an eyebrow to ensure that his advances were welcome. With a barely discernable nod, Evelyn rose slightly upon her toes as she gently tugged him closer by his jacket. A nervous breath escaped them both before their lips were brought together.

Into that kiss they channelled all the affection, all the yearning and devotion and love that had amassed since the very first day they had met. The 'butterflies' in their stomachs flitted leisurely about – still shyly acknowledging the newness of the situation, yet a whole lot more calmly than they had ever been before. They were no longer flurries of nerves, but flurries of excitement. Flutters of euphoria. And it had been long awaited.

A tad reluctantly they broke away from one another though not yet retreating from their closeness. Evelyn's fingers were now laced within the strands of his hair at the nape of his neck. Their lips were tugged upward with affectionate smiles in tandem with their eyes meeting. Douglas tenderly traced her cheekbone with two fingertips.

"I wish you'd be more careful around these roads," he murmured light-heartedly. She chuckled as she moved her right hand downwards to his. She slipped it between his fingers and he grasped it delicately.

"Maybe I need somebody to hold my hand."

"You certainly do."

With a comfortable moment of gazing into one another's eyes, they started back on their return to the hotel hand in hand. Douglas' thumb ran circles over hers.


"I wonder when they'll be back," Madge put the thought to Norman who was sipping at his beer.

"I wonder what they'll be doing when they get back," Norman countered. Madge raised an eyebrow, with a grin. They had both been sitting on one of the balconies of the hotel for about an hour, with Madge taking an interest in how his relationship with Carol was going – splendidly, apparently. Now they were just awaiting Douglas and Evelyn's return, the nosy buggars they were.

"We won't have to wait any longer to see, look," she lowered her voice to a whisper as she noticed the couple arriving through the arch of the hotel entrance. "They're holding hands!"

Madge couldn't subdue a pleased giggle, whilst Norman preferred to sport a presumptuous raise of his eyebrows. They remained unobserved as Douglas and Evelyn made their way through the hotel to Evelyn's room. Madge and Norman's eyes briefly met, waiting to see what would happen next. From the balcony, they could just about spot Evelyn and Douglas arriving at the door to her room. A few words were said and then Evelyn entered her room closely tailed by Douglas. It was all too much for the ever-assuming Madge and Norman to handle and they both let out a childish, excitable giggle.

"See, I told you!" Norman said.


Unaware Norman and Madge were making their own assumptions on the romantic progress of their day, Douglas and Evelyn came to a stop at the door of Evelyn's room.

"Would you like to come in?" Evelyn asked her voice tinged with shy hesitance.

"Um yes, if you'd like me to?"

"Of course," and with a great smile, she grabbed his hand and led him into her room. She put her bag aside before taking him further to the balcony just outside her bedroom. There, he put the bottle of wine he'd bought on the journey home upon the table just as Evelyn flicked her radio on. She didn't know what channel it was but it happened to be playing some soft jazz – perfect for the ambience of the evening. When she spun back, Douglas was stood watching her, his eyes alight with fondness, a loving smile playing upon his lips. Both stepped toward one another simultaneously and Douglas pulled her gently into his arms. She rested her head against his shoulder as they began to sway along to the leisurely rhythm of the music. After a moment, Douglas grasped her hand and twirled Evelyn about with a grin before quickly resuming their hold. Evelyn was now looking up into his eyes.

"I never knew you could dance," Evelyn commented with a grin. He gave a modest shrug of his shoulders.

"My dearest Evelyn, I happen to be a man of many talents," he replied, then sported a thoughtful expression. "Haggling apparently not being one of them."

Evelyn's enchanting laugh at his faux disappointment was ensnared within Douglas' lips as he leant down to press them against hers. Softly. Tenderly. The kiss ended, but Douglas conserved the contact by resting his forehead to hers. Their eyes were closed in contentment.

"Evelyn," her name was like honey on his tongue.

"I'm glad you're here. With me," Evelyn told him softly.

"Me too," he muttered through the smallest of smiles. "Evelyn, I feel I should have said this to you the moment I knew – Evelyn Greenslade, I adore you. I am utterly and completely in love with you."

When he opened his eyes, he saw hers staring back. They glistened in the low light and her smile was the greatest he had ever seen. He felt so stupid now for ever thinking that not telling her that he loved her would be 'of no use to anyone'. It was the most important thing he'd done in India, in his life. To see her so gloriously happy because of it made him feel as if he were about to explode with proud and gleeful emotion. Imagining he'd actually got on that plane to England with Jean, never to see Evelyn again, pained his heart. God, he had been stupid. But he had vowed just a few days ago never to make such a mistake as that ever again.

Evelyn felt her heart quicken at those words she'd been longing to hear for so long. Any great moments of happiness that had occurred in her life seemed to pale in comparison to now. She didn't think it could be possible for this smile on her face to ever wane, it felt fixed there. She realised, to her surprise that her eyes had welled up slightly. These were tears of elation and she knew Douglas would know they wouldn't be any other kind.

"And I'm head over heels," Evelyn murmured in return, leaning up to give him another soft, lingering kiss.

Both their emotions were swelling inside them, threatening to engulf them. A great swarming emotional bubble of excitement, bliss, ecstasy bouncing erratically about unregulated within them. They're hands found their way upwards, pulling each other as close as physically possible as they expressed their love, their hands running through each other's hair, caressing one another's jawlines.

A satisfied moan escaped both their lips as the kiss deepened. When they finally pulled away, their synchronised pulses hammered through them both, drowning out the music, drawing all the attention to what their presence did to the other. Their pupils were dilated.

"You're beautiful," Douglas purred a little breathlessly. Evelyn wouldn't have been surprised if someone had told her she was having heart palpitations – the amount of times her heart had been set aflutter that night was too many to count. She bit her lip.

Truly though, Douglas found more beauty in her smile than he did the stars. To him, her eyes were as dazzling as an evening sky of summer, her voice more melodious than birdsong. Everything about her was perfect. He'd lost himself within her and he could never leave.

She was gazing at him now with those crystalline eyes and he thought he spotted something, a flicker of something kindled by intense passion. He could feel the same feeling gripping him deep in his stomach, a fire borne of desire, akin to hers, burning in his eyes. He felt her hand delicately enclose his and with a gentle tug, steered them towards her room. Forgetting the wine, deserting the music.

It was only her and it was only him – the rest of the world, for this moment a distant, hazy memory. Nothing else mattered.

A calm, easy silence as they stepped into the room, the door closed.

Closed on the past for another to open, carrying them forward in their new beginning.