Damon stepped toward her to take her hand in his. “Delighted, my lady,” he said.
“Miss Rangaswamy,” James continued, “I believe you know all these gentlemen.”
“Yes, yes.” She curtsied.
“Cecilia, your timing is perfect. Mr. Partridge was starting to tell us about a plant called Kalihari.”
Rani’s head flew up, and she stared first at James, then at Mr. Partridge, her eyes wide and uncertain.
“It is all right, Rani,” assured Damon. “There is no need to be afraid. You are with friends.”
“Yes, you are,” said Cecilia, coming up beside Rani and wrapping her arm around her back. Cecilia looked at the gentlemen. “Dinner is waiting. We can continue this discussion after dinner, when we adjourn to the parlor. No sitting in the dining room afterward while you blow a cloud or something.”
James laughed, and taking their cue from him, the other gentlemen did as well.
Cecilia kept the dinner conversation light, not allowing any digression into the mystery they resolved to unravel. She did allow Rani to answer questions about her childhood in India and her aunt’s knowledge in ayurveda.
“Ayurveda is—hmm—the knowledge of life,” she said softly.
Cecilia noted how her eyes shown and her face lit from within when she spoke of the practice.
“We believe disease come from imbalances within.” She wobbled her hands like a scale out of balance. “And from the stress one feels in here.” She laid a hand against her heart. “We administer herbs in special formulas for different conditions, make oils to rub on the body, give massages—all manner of tools to help a person regain their internal balance,” she said.
Cecilia knew Miss Rangaswamy had asked Mrs. Dunstan what she could do in England. Since she had a passion for this Indian form of medicine, perhaps there was something in ayurveda she could do to stay within her passion. Cecilia decided she would help her in whatever way she could.
Discussion and questions around the table about Ayurvedic practices fascinated everyone, so the meal passed quickly. Cecilia directed the footmen to serve dessert in the parlor with tea, coffee, and brandy.
Once everyone had been served, Cecilia brought the conversation back to the mystery.
“Mr. Partridge, what were your and Owen’s and Soothcoor’s plans for Paradise Medicinals?”
“We wanted to bring some of the best of Ayurvedic medicines and traditions to England. You have heard how Owen suffered from his arthritis. He thought if he could bring some relief to others who suffered, it would be profitable.”
“But, but—” interrupted Rani, fairly jumping out of her seat on the sofa.
“Yes, I know, Rani. The best relief Owen received was with medications you customized for him. We cannot hope to give everyone the same medicine and see the same results.”
“No, and what is good for Sahib may harm another person.” She shook her head, “It is not easy just to say ‘take this medicine.’”
“I know Rani. But there are other medicines that can be given to everyone. Like some of your oils.”
She reluctantly nodded her head.
“And isn’t the dosage of Kalihari that Sushmita originally gave to Owen, a dosage that could work at some extent for all?”
“Yes.”
“To provide more than that basic relief needs a custom touch. Sushmita knew that, and that is why she began looking for you when she discovered your aunt had passed,” Damon went on.
“I thought Miss Rangaswamy was hired as a nursemaid,” said James.
“She was,andas an Ayurvedic practitioner. Sushmita’s brother had been one of Abhijt Rangaswamy’s students, so Sushmita asked him to help locate Rani. When her brother learned Rani had been turned out by Manjo Rangaswamy, Sushmita decided to offer her the position of a nursemaid when they found her, and Owen would not deny her.” Damon turned to Rani. “How did they find you? I don’t think I ever heard that part.”
Rani laughed and clapped her hands together. “It was an accident! I was walking out of the rectory, still talking to Mrs. Crane, the rector’s wife. I walked backward as I talked and ran into Atul Dhar. He started to yell at me but stopped when he recognized me from his school days. He grabbed me up and swung me around, ecstatic to find me. He explained to Mrs. Crane and me that his sister was looking for me, and would I consider coming to work for her.
Mrs. Crane told me to seek it out, for she reminded me the Lord works in mysterious ways. I did, and Sushmita and I became close friends, not master and servant.”
“How did Sushmita die?” James asked. Lewis looked at him sharply.
