So he promptly wrote an
acceptance.
He reached the Palace only half an hour before Daleham's party arrived from
another direction, and had just met his two planter friends when Noreen
entered the room. He had not known that she was to be at Lalpuri. The three
men rose and bowed to her, and Dermot looked to see if Charlesworth were
with her. But only the two women and Daleham followed Chunerbutty as he led
the way to a table at the far end of the room.
There were about twenty English guests altogether, eight or nine of whom
were from the district in which Malpura was situated, the Rices among them.
The rest were planters from other parts of the Duars, a few members of the
Indian Civil Service or Public Works Departments, and a young Deputy
Superintendent of Police from Jalpaiguri.
At Chunerbutty's table the party consisted of the Rices, one of the Civil
Servants, the Dalehams, and Noreen's friend. The planter's wife neglected
the man beside her to stare at Mrs. Smith, taking in every detail of her
dress, while Ida chattered gaily to Fred, whose good looks had attracted
her the moment that she first saw him on the platform of Jalpaiguri
station. She was already apparently quite consoled for the loss of her
Calcutta admirer.
Noreen sat pale and abstracted beside Chunerbutty, answering his remarks in
monosyllables, eating nothing, and alleging a headache as an explanation of
her mood.
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