The girls bonded really well. Sanyukta would chat animatedly with Arohi and Vishakha in Bengali about how she missed her life back in Kolkata. Sanyukta and Vidushi had been classmates but became acquainted only just now. Both were bright students and became best friends. Sanyukta became a regular at the haveli although her presence was confined to Vidhushi's room, her mother Anju had warned her off against disturbing the peace in the palatial home.

Whenever the Shekhawat parents were not in the boys and the girls spent the lazy afternoons dipping in the indoor swimming pool. While initially she was a bit awkward in Vidushi's bathing suit Sanyukta surprised them all -even Randhir had to acknowledge silently that the otherwise demure girl was as graceful as a porpoise in the water. He hardly spoke to her, being well aware of how self-conscious she became when he was around, but noted with amusement how her eyes always hero-worshipped him.

The boys paid the stables a visit when the sun came down. The handsome Marwari horses were the pride of the Shekhawats. Randhir was a natural in handling and riding them, almost as if the horses were able to read his mind. Both Parth and Sharad were happy to be coached by him but weirdly enough he would not let the girls near the stables, leaving them highly agitated.

The following day Vidhushi noticed that the entry to the stables was barred altogether. She was aware that her brother was inside with the groomsmen and the horses. She managed to convince Sanyukta to join her on a spy mission; the girls sneaked close enough to ogle at what was going on. Sanyukta being lighter of the two scrambled onto the barn window to get a better look and what she saw knocked the wind out of her lungs- the stallion had mounted the mare and was thrusting a foot-long organ onto her hindquarters while the men held her in place. He dismounted a minute later just as Randhir caught sight of the girls in the window, and rushed outside angrily to confront them. The mare had come into heat and Randhir had deliberately kept the girls away as he did not want them to witness anything they could not handle.

Vidushi ran off instinctively while her friend was left there, frozen like a deer in the headlights, to face his wrath. As he grabbed Sanyukta by her arms she spluttered an apology, shaking like a leaf, never having seen him so livid before. When he stormed off to chastise Vidushi she limped home, her head in turmoil over the over-whelming experience. That night she came down with a high fever which knocked her off for a couple of days. By the time a sheepish Vidushi came to visit her the holidays were over and the other boys and girls had left to return to school.