“Well, I couldn’t stay away from my little family, could I? You and Navya are all I have left now.”
I waited for her to drag out her loving mother act until she got bored of it and get to the point. After she pushed Navya’s sticky hands away from her pristine outfit the third time, Nilanjana turned to the nanny with a shudder.
“I think it’s time for the princess to take a shower,” she said firmly, ignoring Navya’s protests.
She waited till the door shut behind Navya and the nanny before she turned to me with a rapacious look in her eyes.
“I hear you’re attending the Mirpur gala,” she said.
I nodded in response without taking my eyes off my newspaper.
“Sam, I was thinking…maybe we could attend the party together,” she said demurely. “Put up a joint front. For Navya’s sake. After all, you don’t need the meddlesome Rani Ma trying to find you a wife, of all things, when you have bigger issues on your plate.”
She was right. I didn’t need that at all. But I also didn’t need what she had in mind. The very thought of going anywhere with her made me want to projectile vomit right into her lap. As for putting up a joint front, I knew what she was after. And she was never getting it. As far as I was concerned, she was my brother’s wife. And that’s all she’d ever be.
“Actually, I quite like the idea,” I said, as I lowered the newspaper to smile at her sweetly.
“Hain?”
“I do need an heir, and if the Rani Ma can introduce me to a nice woman, well…why the hell not?”
It was wonderful to see her complexion turn an ugly shade of white as her mouth twisted in anger.
“Wonderful,” she said, with a sneer. “I look forward to seeing what kind of woman she picks out for you.”
I merely smiled in response as Nilanjana rose abruptly and stomped out of the room in anger. Too bad I had forgotten her habit of playing dirty.
I walked downstairs on the evening of the party to find Nilanjana gone and Hira Singh looking very worried as he barked orders at his minions.
“What’s going on?” I asked absently as I fastened a gold cuff link.
“Hukum, I…I…” I looked up sharply because, for the first time in forever, Hira Singh was at a loss for words.
“Spit it out, man,” I snapped.
“Hukum, I don’t know how this happened, but there isn’t a single car available to take you to the party.”
“What do you mean?” I growled. “There’s a fleet of very expensive cars in the garage, all in prime working condition.”
“Sadly, Hukum, all their tyres are punctured. As are all the spares in the garage. And it’s too late to get new tyres.”
“Nilanjana,” I snarled, and Hira Singh nodded in reply.
She was doing her best to ensure I didn’t attend the party, just so I wouldn’t meet whatever woman the Rani Ma wanted to fix me up with. I wanted to slam my fist into the wall in frustration, but I knew it would only injure my fist since these walls were made to last centuries.
“This is ridiculous, Hira Singh. Call me a cab, then.”
“Hukum, this isn’t Jaipur. This is Deorangir. We don’t have Uber. The only taxi available belongs to Doda Khan, who is currently on Hajj.”
I blew out a frustrated breath and wondered how my life had turned into such a nightmare. But one thing was for sure. I wasn’t going to let Nilanjana mess with my plans so easily.
“Hira Singh. Choose your next words very carefully,” I growled. “Do you mean to tell me there is no vehicle in the garage that can take me to Mirpur tonight?”
“Well…Hukum…I’m not suggesting you take it, but your brother did get your great-grandfather’s favourite car restored. And as far as I know, it is fully functional,” said Hira Singh doubtfully.
“Then why didn’t you say so earlier?” I demanded wrathfully.
Ten minutes later, as my great-grandfather’s favourite car drew up outside the front door, I understood Hira Singh’s reluctance to mention it.
