Eliza gulped her water then put the glass down, spilling it on a beautiful mother-of-pearl table. ‘Oh, I’m so sorry, I’ll –’
Laxmi waved her apology away and rang a little silver bell. ‘The handmaiden Sahili will see to it. She is very skilled. Do you know she came with me when I was a girl?’
‘Really?’
‘She was part of my dowry. Now look, my dear, I do not object to you spending time with my son. I hope you understand that. Indeed, it was I who suggested he take you to the camel fair and to the village.’
It was true. Laxmi had definitely brought them together, though of course not fully realizing what might happen. Was she now about to pull them apart?
‘He had spent so long at school in England. He seemed bored and I assumed he would relish some English company.’
She had spoken in a consoling tone of voice but Eliza held her breath.
‘But he will never be able to offer you anything more than friendship. Do you understand that, Eliza?’
Eliza took a quick breath at the certainty behind Laxmi’s gentle probing. ‘Yes, of course.’
‘It really isn’t just that you’re English. There once were many marriages between Indian royals and European aristocrats, sometimes not even aristocrats. They used to be recognized as legitimate wives and their children as legitimate heirs. Then Lord Curzon passed a law that meant that no child of an Indian ruler from his European wife could succeed to the throne.’
‘I didn’t know.’
‘Although Jay isn’t on the throne, he would be if anything happened to Anish. Anish has no sons. A kingdom with no heir is wide open for the British to take over. But there is also a bigger issue. It is not that you are English, nor is it even that no child of yours could succeed to the title.’
Eliza frowned. ‘I’m not sure what you mean.’
‘He cannot marry a widow. Other than the wife of his predecessor.’
So that was it. She struggled to know what to say for a moment, but then managed to speak. ‘But I’m not looking for a husband, Laxmi. I promise you.’ She tried to push Jay to the back of her mind.
‘Then that is good. I just don’t want you to raise your hopes or see you hurt, or end up little more than a concubine, or maybe a second or third wife, hidden from the world. I hope you understand. Marriage here is not a romantic matter. It is a complicated case of working out a strategy that will improve the fortunes and status of both families.’
There was a brief silence.
‘I daresay you will be happy to leave after the trouble with Chatur. Yes, I do know about it … so maybe it will be a good thing that you are gone before the rains, and not stay the full year,’ Laxmi added.
This last comment struck Eliza with force and she was stunned by the implications. She stared at Laxmi’s intelligent face and wondered what the older woman was up to. She had always planned to be here for the start of the rains, and beyond. Not only did she want to photograph the finished initial stage of Jay’s project, she really wanted to capture something of the rains themselves. Everyone spoke of them in such reverent tones that she wanted to see for herself. Jay had said she should see the clouds rolling in above Udaipore, the city of lakes.
Eliza nodded, but did not speak at first. Before the rains was too soon, and leaving was not in her plan. Clifford had arranged for a year.
‘I admit I like Jay,’ she said after a few moments, ‘but I need to be here for the rains and then the start of autumn. You need have no fear about my expectations.’
‘Be that as it may, let me explain a little more so that you truly understand. I’m thinking of you, my dear. It is prearranged that a Maharani is allotted higher status than a Rani, or second wife. A Maharani has a gorgeous apartment, eats off golden plates, wears beautiful clothes and is showered with gifts of jewellery. A Rani, whether she is second, third, fourth, or no matter what, will only have one room to call her own, maybe with her own small court, maybe not. A concubine is unlikely to even have a room of her own. So you see, status is everything.’
‘Like I say, I have no expectations regarding your son,’ Eliza said rather hastily.
Laxmi nodded approvingly. ‘Women from European cultures are never truly accepted by our people. Our relationships with those we govern are specific and very special. The ordinary people would never accept a widow, you see.’
There was a brief silence. Eliza didn’t know what more she could say to convince Laxmi that Jay was safe from her.
‘Anyway, I’m delighted to say that I have consulted horologists and several priests and it looks as if I have found an auspicious match for my son. A wonderful girl from a royal family who has an important dowry. I hope they will be married before long.’
Laxmi had spoken with animation and was now smiling broadly, but Eliza struggled to conceal her shock. Did Jay already know? Had he already agreed to this? It was as if fate stood motionless above her, poised to mete out its punishment for that kiss, and she felt like crawling away to lick her wounds.
‘So I think we understand each other now. There is a strong practice of spying in all palaces and castles. Nothing goes unnoticed, my dear. Nothing. I would have said something before, only I didn’t want to interfere if there wasn’t anything to worry about.’
‘And you think there is now, even though he is to be engaged?’
‘I understand my own son.’ Laxmi paused and, in the pause, there seemed to remain a worry.
