“That is not what Amrit, nor your guards, said.”
“What did they say, Maan?” Sarla attempted to keep the snideness from her voice, but she suspected she failed when her mother glared at her.
“That you shamelessly flirted with those men. If I’d known they were the same as the ones who appeared for dinner, I would have insisted your father cancel. They were like lovesick puppies the entire evening. Disgusting and shameful.”
Nothing Chandra said dissuaded her daughters. Just the opposite. Could it be true that the men were as interested as they were? Could they reciprocate their feelings?
“We wished to represent you and Baba well. We didn’t want to cause any trouble with the Company. We were polite and welcoming, but nothing improper. We behaved just as you’ve taught us.” Vinita assured her mother while keeping her thoughts to herself. And I didn’t mind that they watched us. It gave us as much time to observe them as it did them to observe us. They may not have realized it, but they were hardly as subtle as they thought. We all noticed them. Perhaps that’s what the guards tittle-tattled about.
“Stay away from them. You know your baba has plans for each of you. Nothing will come of this except a scandal.” Chandra didn’t wait for her daughters’ responses. She turned on her heel before pulling the door shut with a click.
Suniti crept to it and put her ear against it. She waited a couple minutes while her sisters continued to prepare for bed. She opened the door a crack and peered in both directions. Satisfied that no one would eavesdrop, she sat on Sarla’s bed, where her two sisters sat while Sarla brushed Vinita’s hair. They’d sat in a circle for years, each brushing the hair of the person in front of them.
“That was the longest meal we’ve ever had. There were so many times I wanted to chime it, but I had to bite my tongue. I had so many questions for Theo.” Vinita sighed, the missed opportunity saddening her.
“I felt the same way. I think Will wanted to talk to me, but he didn’t dare. He looked like he was about to say something to me several times but thought better of it.” Sarla closed her eyes, but it didn’t shut out the disappointment.
“Rob’s foot bumped mine twice under the table. I’d hoped the first time that it was a sign. But I realized the second time that his legs were too long to remain on his side. Talk about disappointment. It tempted me to brush his foot, but I never could.” Realizing both times had been an accident dashed Suniti’s hopes. He hadn’t even glanced at her when it happened.
“Can you imagine Maan and Baba’s reaction if we did? Scandal is right. Baba would run them through with his sword before putting a bullet between their eyes.” Vinita handed Suniti’s brush to her before climbing off the bed.
“I don’t care. If Rob wishes to see me again, I will make it work. I want to know if this is all in my imagination or whether it might be more.”
“It won’t matter what it is, Suni. They will never allow it. You heard Maan. They have plans for us already.” Vinita loathed the man Surat suggested. She fought adamantly against the match, but she knew it made no difference. Marrying the Maharaja of Jodhpur’s son would end the decades-long strife. At least that’s what the two princes hoped. It would take longer to convince the people of both provinces to set aside their animosity.
“Plans can change. We meant to go to the market yesterday, but it rained.” Sarla was resolute as she pulled the bug netting around her bed. Their chamber was large enough for them to each have a bed. They’d shared the room for as long as they could remember. For years, they’d loathed the idea of being apart once they married. That night, lurid scenes involving her and her preferred Englishman filled each woman’s dreams. None of them would have minded the privacy of their own room if those dreams could come true.
Chapter Three
Will scowled as three of his men fought to lift the dead tiger’s body onto a wagon. There were four others already in the bed. He disagreed with the practice, not because the magnificent animals should be allowed to roam free and kill people, but because the Company would pay these men for killing the animals on sight. There was no way to know if these beasts harmed anyone or had been innocent victims. He could justify killing one during an attack, but hunting them for sport sickened him.
“There’s nothing we can do.” Rob came to stand beside Will. “They’ll take them back and claim their reward, then look for the next opportunity to do it again.”
“And in the meantime, someone will soon buy an animal pelt to walk across with filthy shoes.” Theo shared the other two men’s repugnance at the practice. While they were in charge of the regiment of men, they could do nothing to prevent the others from hunting for the bounties. It was a companywide policy, so they couldn’t disallow the practice. They, however, limited the number they would allow, and they insisted none of the men hunt until the last day of their patrol. No one wanted a rotting carcass following them for a fortnight.
“I came for a sense of adventure, and I wish to stay because I love the land and the people. But I would gladly escape the Company.” Rob patted his horse’s neck as it bobbed its head in supposed agreement.
“I would stay on to ensure the Company does less harm. If we leave and others, like our predecessors, arrive, the people of Bikaner will suffer. I don’t wish that on my conscience.” Will shook his head as he mounted his steed.
“And Sarla has nothing to do with it?” Rob waggled his eyebrows.
Will looked around before shooting daggers at his friend. They’d talked about the women every day since they left for their mission. But he didn’t want anyone to overhear his interest. He didn’t want gossip spreading about her, and he didn’t want to hear the insulting suggestions the men would make.
“Shut up, Rob,” Theo warned as more of their men mounted around them. The three young men nudged their horses into the lead as the procession headed back to their camp. It was more like an adjacent village to the one in which the Company stationed them. The Company was building permanent structures that Rob, Will, and Theo would move into within the month. But the wait was excruciating in the heat. The only consolation was that they would be inside before the most insufferable heat arrived. People warned them that the Devil ran away from the heat in Thar Desert. It had done little to encourage them to travel north to Bikaner, but now none of them regretted it.
As the son of an earl, Rob spoke fluent French. As lesser nobles but living along the southern coast of England, Will and Theo were fluent, too. They came from long lines of smugglers who traded with the French. Most of their men would only recognize the language but couldn’t speak it. They switched to it when they wished to converse privately.
“What’re you going to do, Rob?
“Honestly, Will, I have no clue. I can’t wait around the market, hoping to stumble upon her. I can’t neglect my duties, and I can’t draw attention to myself. But I want to know whether she shares my interest and what might come of it.”
“I feel the same about Sarla. I think she does from the brief glances I caught of her at dinner. But she might have already lost interest. Do you think they’re already betrothed?”
“I don’t want to think about that.” Theo sighed. “It’s pains me and enrages me. I know Vinita isn’t mine to claim, but I would. The thought of another man calling her his wife pushes me to the brink of violence.”
“Theo, you’re the calmest of all three of us. You are not a violent man by nature.” Theo’s confession shocked Rob. The vehemence in his friend’s voice left no room to wonder about his sincerity.
“I know. I don’t know why, but I just have this dreadful feeling that Surat has, or is betrothing her to someone horrid. Someone who would hurt her. I can’t tolerate the thought.”
