The amusement on Priyamvada's face lessened by half. "Your family has still not taught you how to speak to your elders," she remarked with a faint sneer.

"They taught me how to behave with humans and other creatures of this earth. They didn't have the knowledge to explain how I must interact with demons," Nandini said amiably. "I learnt that from experience after meeting you."

Priyamvada's features tautened . "Delightful as it is to witness proof of your ghastly upbringing, I must ask you to leave," she commanded harshly. "You're intruding on a family discussion."

"Family matters should be discussed in the privacy of the home," Nandini said flatly. "Not in a hotel."

Priyamvada feigned admiration. "I'm surprised you have the sense to know that." Then she glanced at Rajeshwari, and a mask that had been worn with difficulty for some minutes slid off. There had been controlled anger and disdain in Priyamvada's eyes as she gazed at Nandini. Those sentiments mutated into the deepest disgust and rage as she looked at her niece.

"Ideally, yes. That is how it should be. But you see...I prefer to catch people red-handed when they're about to defile the family's name through their perverted plans," Priyamvada said very softly.

As Rajeshwari cringed, Nandini impassively said, "The only person in this room who is capable of making those sorts of plans is you. And in case you didn't know, your family's name was defiled the day you were born."

Priyamvada looked at Nandini malevolently, and said, "When I look at you, I only see an annoying insect that refuses to learn from the past. It makes me wonder...why is it that you are trying to risk whatever peace you have in your pathetic life by annoying me over a matter that has nothing to do with you?" she pondered sardonically. "Do you think you will create a space for yourself in Rajeshwari's life and win her affection by pretending to stand by her for altruistic reasons? And that will create a path that will lead to Prithvi? Tell me, Nandini, are you still holding a candle for my son?" she enquired with an amused smile.

Nandini smiled back thinly. "If I'm holding a candle, it's only with the dream of burning you alive with it."

Fury sparked in Priyamvada's eyes. "You expect me to believe you had no ulterior motives for approaching Rajeshwari in the market that day? And for agreeing to host her without knowing the purpose of her stay? Yes, your best friend here has told me everything," she taunted.

"We see the world as we are," Nandini said serenely. "That is why you expect cheap, psychopathic behaviour from everyone."

Priyamvada's fingers clenched on the arms of the chair. But then she looked furiously at her niece. "Rajeshwari, stop clinging to her like a creeper and stand straight," she ordered tersely. "Is this how the women of our family are supposed to behave? Have I taught you nothing?"

Wincing, Rajeshwari obeyed the order. She moved away from Nandini and stood facing her enraged aunt.

"Your family traditions are interesting," Nandini said bitingly. "The women must not seek support when they are in pain. But it is an act of great honour to be a sadistic bitch towards your own niece?"

Priyamvada struggled madly to control a raging wrath. Then her face turned blank, and she rose slowly from the chair

"You seem determined to make an enemy out of me," she said meditatively. "Fortunately for you, I have no interest in your childish games. My opponents need to have at least a tiny bit of importance in my life. You don't qualify. Because the day I realised my son no longer cares a whit for you, you ceased to be of interest to me. You're aware of how he responded when Rajeshwari asked him if she could be in touch with you. Did you understand its significance?" she enquired. "Or did it give you hope? If it did, I must disabuse of you of any misconceptions. You see...anger, sadness, hurt...even hate...the presence of any one of these emotions suggests that a...romantic attachment still exists. But indifference...indifference is the end of the story," she said softly. "It signals the complete annihilation of love. It doesn't leave any room for hope. You aren't even a chapter in my son's life anymore, Nandini. For Prithvi, you are just a cancelled footnote, which was trivial and stupid to begin with. So, these efforts you're putting in for Rajeshwari...they will go to waste."

Priyamvada looked at Rajeshwari, and acidly said, "You repaid everything I did for you by standing by and watching her insult me repeatedly. Only because I stopped you from committing an unspeakable mistake that could have ruined lives. But what else can be expected from you? For your selfish purposes, you befriended the girl who hurt your brother...the brother who loves you and considers you to be the most naïve and childlike woman in the world. You believe Nandini is your friend or protector. She's neither of those things. She's using you, just as you planned to use her. Now that I think of it, I think this association can go far...as you have two things in common with her – an innocent face and an immoral, cunning mind."

"I'm leaving now," Priyamvada continued rigidly. "Because I cannot tolerate either of your faces anymore. Rajeshwari, I hope you have the good sense to stay out of my sight for a long time. If you wish to meet me again, you will have to be prepared to give me the promises I've demanded. And yes, if you flout my orders, the first thing I will do is to inform Prithvi of the...virtuous plans that brought you to Shamli. Is that clear?" she asked acerbically.

"No, Bua," Rajeshwari cried out. "No, please, you mustn't."

The heartfelt cry broke Nandini's reverie.

"I don't want to...because I don't wish to hurt my son by revealing your true nature to him," Priyamvada said cuttingly. "But I will not wait for long."

Her frosty eyes shifted to Nandini. "And you, Miss Nandini Bharadwaj," she said affably. "Pay a visit to your family shrine on the way back, and thank the lord for your insignificance in the lives of my son and myself. But also pray for a little common sense to avoid coming in my way in the future. It was your good fortune that you escaped an unpleasant fate last time. Don't strain your luck again," she forewarned mildly.

Priyamvada glanced disparagingly at Rajeshwari, and then began to walk to the doors.

"You're wrong."

Priyamvada halted, and turned to look guardedly at Nandini's profile. "Excuse me?"

Nandini turned towards her...an inferno of hate, anger and pain in her gaze.

"I'm not the one who escaped. You are," she said quietly.

Priyamvada looked at her derisively, then walked elegantly towards the doors with a heart that was chilled with fear.

***********************************

Disha stared fearfully at the doors of the banquet hall. She was desperate for them to open to put an end to her tension, but she was also terrified of finding out what had happened.

Nandini's ferocious reaction to the mention of the queen had given a dramatic new twist to the tale but it was definite that she would be the first person to come out of the room...probably in tears, Disha imagined wretchedly. No matter how aggressive or courageous Nandini was...the queen was in a different league altogether.

The bodyguards were stoical as usual, but she was sure they were going insane with anxiety. The queen would take them to task later for permitting Nandini to enter the room.

Yet, they were not in as much trouble as she was.

Disha reflected bitterly that she had made one senseless decision after another since last week. She should have informed Sumer Singh immediately when the princess, who had been unusually happy and excited over the last ten days, had shared her foolish and dangerous plans. But the desire to hold on to this extremely well-paying job had forced her to stay quiet about the princess's actions. And the need to fulfil her foremost duty – that of keeping the princess safe at all times – had impelled her to drag an innocent outsider like Nandini into this mess.

Now the princess had landed in hot soup, and she would probably lose her job, Disha imagined miserably. However, Nandini was the one facing the gravest danger.

Irrespective of the chaos unfolding in the banquet hall, the princess would be back to normal in some days. Rajeshwari's innocent behaviour and appearance were hugely misleading. She was a tough, and very strange, woman...

As for her job, she did have one ray of hope, Disha reminded herself. And that was the princess's brother. Although Prithvi's trust in her would be damaged severely, he would forgive her for the serious lapse in judgement if she explained her predicament with full honesty.

But Nandini...

It was clear that there was already bad blood between her and the queen. She did not have anyone to protect her. And she was not related to the family. So, she was the most vulnerable.

Disha looked at her phone. Only Prithvi had the ability to keep the queen in line.

She could follow the usual route of conveying her message to Sumer Singh, and requesting him to inform Prithvi. But the princess had made her swear that she would keep this visit to Shamli a secret. And even if that wasn't the case, she felt reluctant to give Sumer Singh any indication about what had happened. She could not control the spread of rumours about the princess's scandalous behaviour, but she could avoid contributing to it.

There was another option. Apart from Sumer Singh, she was the only one who had the number that the prince used when he was in the mountains. It had been given to her solely because she was in charge of Rajeshwari's wellbeing, and Sumer Singh had strictly warned her against using it unless there was a critical emergency related to Rajeshwari.

This was an emergency.

But how could she tell Prithvi that his sister, whom he treated like a child, had planned a rendezvous with an unknown man in a hotel in this small town, and had gone to the extent of booking an entire floor of the luxury hotel for the sake of privacy...

There was a sharp knock on the banquet doors from the inside.

The bodyguards hurried to open the doors.

Priyamvada strode out of the room with an unusual swiftness, but then slowed on seeing Disha

Donning a gracious smile, Priyamvada walked to Disha and halted in front of her.

Sick with fear, Disha greeted her deferentially with folded hands.

Priyamvada kindly asked, "I hope you've been well, Disha."

"Yes, your majesty." Disha murmured, keeping her terrified eyes lowered.

"And I hope your family is doing well too," Priyamvada said innocently. "Your divorced sister and her teenaged children live with your parents, don't they? And they are dependent on you financially, I hear. I've also been told it is a very close-knit family. It can be very painful when the members of loving family are separated from each other. I hope you will not have to face any painful situations of that kind," she said benignly. "Anyway, when you meet your family, please convey my regards to them. And...please do tell them that you're very fortunate that you were hired by my son. And yes, please continue to take good care of Rajeshwari...just as you've done so far," she murmured.

Disha succeeded in appearing still until the queen and the bodyguards had left the floor. Then with a sharp intake of breath, she leaned the wall for support, unsure of the strength in her legs. Her body was shaking...

************************************

Nandini fought for a moment to slam the door on her turbulent emotions. Then she looked at Rajeshwari, who was standing motionless, staring at the floor. Tears were still sliding out of her eyes.

Not looking at the high-back chair in the room, Nandini hurriedly brought a chair from the stacks that lined the wall and gently coerced Rajeshwari to sit down. She drew up a chair for herself, and dropped her handbag to the floor. She sat next to Rajeshwari, and wiped the tears from the devastated face.

With scarcely any understanding of what had transpired, there wasn't much she could have said even if she was not broken on the inside. As it was, she didn't really know what was she saying. Still, she tried her best to console Rajeshwari, and spoke with affection and compassion. Pacifying...encouraging...

But more than her words, it was the gentle strength exuded by her that helped the aggrieved woman by her side. And after a while, Rajeshwari's tears stopped and some life returned to her pallid face.

Relieved, Nandini promised to be right back and hurried to the doors, intending to request Disha bring some water for Rajeshwari. But when she opened the doors, it was to find Disha approaching the room with a loaded server trolley. Grateful and highly impressed, she smiled warmly at Disha and held open the doors for her.

Disha gave her a weak smile and rolled the trolley into the banquet hall. She stopped near a pitiful figure who didn't seem aware of her presence.

She took a phone out of the pocket of her coat and diffidently extended it to Rajeshwari. "Your highness, your phone was with me. It rang once when I was arranging the refreshments. The number was not registered on your phone."

Rajeshwari seemed undecided initially, but then she took the phone. However, she silently refused the offerings of water and tea and other eatables.

Nandini made a reassuring gesture to Disha, indicating that she would do the needful.

Feeling very thankful, Disha offered a more genuine smile, and signalled that she would be waiting right outside.

Nandini waited for Disha to leave, and then, sat down near Rajeshwari. It took some time, but her cajoling skills triumphed in the end. She had taken an empty cup from Rajeshwari and was placing it back on the trolley when the latter broke her silence.

"How could Bua talk to me like that?" Rajeshwari whispered brokenly. "How could she think I had such – such disgusting ideas in my mind?"

"What she thinks about you is a reflection of her own nature," Nandini said compellingly. "It doesn't have anything to do with you."

Not seeming to have heard Nandini, Rajeshwari mumbled, "Bua was always so kind and patient towards me. I used to believe she loved me very much. But today...the things she told me..." Rajeshwari shuddered. "I won't forgive her for this. I won't. And I won't forgive him too. How could he betray me like this?" she asked with an eruption of grief and anger.

Startled by everything that Rajeshwari had said, Nandini couldn't think of any response this time.

Rajeshwari glanced at her phone, and stood up. "I have to make a call."

Nandini rose from the chair quickly, saying, "I will wait outside."

Rajeshwari looked at her in alarm and requested, "No, please don't go. I'll feel stronger if you're here."

Touched, Nandini smiled and nodded.

But she felt uneasy as she watched Rajeshwari walk slowly to a far corner of the large room to make the call. It was obviously going to be a private conversation, and she didn't want to overhear any part of it.

Nandini strolled to the opposite corner of the room, and was automatically drawn to the huge windows that overlooked a beautifully illuminated lawn.

Behind her, she could hear a whispering. The chat had begun, and though Rajeshwari was thankfully speaking in a very low tone, there was no mistaking the vehement emotions in her voice.

Trying to block out Rajeshwari's murmurings, Nandini attempted to analyse the strangeness of the day.

From morning onwards, her brain had obsessively concentrated on four factors – Priyamvada's malicious, vengeful temperament ...her revelations about Harshvardhan's treachery...Rajeshwari's inexplicable terror outside the store...and the extremely odd preparations she had made for the visit to Shamli...

When pieced together like a jigsaw puzzle by her hyperactive imagination, those factors had seemed to insist that Rajeshwari was petrified of something or someone, and was in real physical danger. And if Disha had not sent her that message, she would have been talking to Sankatmochan at this time and would also have been planning to approach the police, Nandini thought ruefully. Now she felt a little silly about those plans, but she would have definitely gone through with them if she hadn't found out what was happening.

She still wasn't fully certain that her fears were unfounded. Rajeshwari's talk about Priyamvada had stunned her. She couldn't believe it. The only logical explanation was that Priyamvada had pretended to be good towards Rajeshwari because of...her son. But the pretense had failed today. And Rajeshwari had finally understood that her aunt was a soulless woman...

Indifference is the end of the story. It signals the complete annihilation of love. It doesn't leave any room for hope. You aren't even a chapter in my son's life anymore. For Prithvi, you are just a cancelled footnote, which was trivial and stupid to begin with...

The dagger in her heart was twisted sadistically again by an unseen hand...

Nandini realised with a start that Rajeshwari was talking to her.

She spun around and smiled hastily. "Sorry, I was thinking about...did you say something?". She noted with surprise that the telephonic conversation had brought about a perplexing change in Rajeshwari. The hurt and anger hadn't reduced...but an unexpected confidence was visible now on Rajeshwari's features.

"Yes, I was asking you if I can stay with your family for some days, like I had planned originally?" Rajeshwari asked hesitantly.

"You don't have a choice," Nandini informed her firmly. "I won't let you leave Shamli otherwise."

Rajeshwari smiled feebly, then said, "I still don't want my family to know I will be staying with you. But I will stay under my own name and identity...as Rajeshwari Singh, who is Prithvi's sister," she said fiercely. "He didn't have any problem with us being friends. That's all that matters to me. I don't care what - anyone else thinks. And you can forget all the rules I told you. I will mingle with your family and I will eat the same food as all of you. I would have come with you today itself, but I don't want your family to see me in this state. I will feel better by tomorrow. I usually do," she said matter-of-factly. "So, tomorrow evening, after your office, can you come to the hotel and pick me up?"

Nandini felt amazed by the shift in Rajeshwari's behaviour. She had intended to somehow persuade Rajeshwari to come home with her, and she was still reluctant to leave without her. But her anxiety about Rajeshwari's emotional state had lessened a bit...

"Of course," Nandini smiled, then she tentatively added, "I can stay with you here tonight..."

With an understanding look, Rajeshwari shook her head. "Thank you for being so kind to me, Nandini. But I'm not as weak as you think I am. I used to be. But not anymore. I can deal with anything. I just need time. Now...about tomorrow, your family doesn't know anything about you and Prithvi, do they? So, they will wonder how we know each other," she said uneasily. "Should I call up your mother and ask -"

"You don't have to do anything," Nandini said calmingly. "I will talk to Moch – Sankatmochan and arrange everything."

"But you must not tell Sankatmochan anything about me...about what happened today," Rajeshwari said sharply, agitation spiking in her eyes. "You must not tell anyone. Promise me!"

"I won't tell a soul," Nandini promised pacifyingly. "I promise..."

*****************************************

Nandini took her phone out of the bag as soon as she'd sat in the rickshaw and called up her home. Prakash answered the phone. She informed him that she was on the way, and asked him to convey the message to their mother. Then she typed out a message to Sankatmochan. He called her up within minutes.

"It's done," Sankatmochan declared.

The sweeping statement brought a smile to Nandini's face. "What's done, Mochi bhaiya?" she asked amusedly.

"Whatever help you want, consider it done," he explained stoutly.

Nandini chuckled. "Thank you. Now can I tell you about the help I need?". Then she quickly asked, "You're alone, aren't you? I hope grandpa is not nearby..."

"No, I came to my room as soon as I saw your message," Sankatmochan assured, strolling in front of the barred windows. "Bhoothnathji is chatting with his friends in the veranda."

Nandini took a deep breath. "Okay...Mochi bhaiya, do you remember I had gone with my friends to watch a dance performance some weeks ago? I...it was just coincidence...but I happened to meet Rajeshwari that day," she said awkwardly.

"You met whom?" Sankatmochan asked confusedly, sure that Nandini was not referring to the person who was Prithvi's cousin sister.

"Rajeshwari...his sister," Nandini mumbled.

Bamboozled, Sankatmochan stopped pacing. He had industriously avoided mentioning Prithvi or his family in front of Nandini for years. It had eventually become a routine for him to ensure that she was not in the vicinity before he discussed the Rathore family with anyone...and that her name didn't slip out when he was talking to Prithvi. He had segregated his loved ones into two halves with frightful difficulty years ago. And now it was proving equally tough to imagine the boundaries being erased in some places...

Then a basic doubt occurred to him.

"How did you recognise Rajeshwari?" Sankatmochan asked, mystified. "Had you met her before?"

"She'd come to the college once," Nandini mumbled.

Sankatmochan wasn't surprised by the revelation, since he had always been aware that he knew less than a fraction of the love story that had unfolded some years ago in Shamli. But it was strange that Nandini had run into the princess in a close-by town. Then he remembered that Rajeshwari had been travelling extensively for over three months now...

"Oh...alright. So, you met Rajeshwari...what happened then?" Sankatmochan asked, trying to sound casual while suppressing his burgeoning curiosity and exhilaration at this peculiar development. What was happening? How had they met all of a sudden? Was this a random coincidence? Or was there something more to it? After so long, a huge crack had appeared suddenly in the wall of silence. The wall that should never have come up in the first place. Was it going to be shattered at last...

"She wasn't keen on talking to me because of...everything. But I convinced her assistant to take my phone number. Then...we - we spoke a few times after that," Nandini said guiltily, altering the story extensively. "Rajeshwari seemed a little lonely, so I asked her to visit us in Shamli and stay here for some days. She has agreed, and will be coming home tomorrow. But...my family doesn't know of any...connections between us," she said uncomfortably. "And I also think it would be better if no one in her family finds out that she's staying with us."

A short silence followed as Sankatmochan's brain went haywire while digesting the information.

From where had this strong connection between Nandini and Rajeshwari sprung up? He could deduce the heart-stirring reasons that must have driven Nandini to approach Rajeshwari. But despite believing that Nandini had broken Prithvi's heart, why had Rajeshwari befriended her? And why did Rajeshwari want to stay in Vrindavan? Nandini was definitely keeping a big secret from him. But again, why? Was he reading too much into it? Was a larger force at play? Was it possible that this visit of Rajeshwari was a beginning of - yet another beginning?

But his brain was digressing from the issue at hand. He would be able to solve the problem if he looked at it in isolation, and not as the first of a series of possible scenarios. Rajeshwari wanted to stay in Vrindavan for some days. And it would be best for everyone if the news did not spread beyond Shamli. That was the issue in a nutshell. He could easily help the girls...but he had to voice a major misgiving before taking up the task.

"Nandini, I can handle both those problems, but don't you think she should have asked Prithvi before coming to Shamli?" Sankatmochan asked uneasily. "I mean...after everything that happened... And now he's in those mountains, and we will not be able to find out how he feels about -"

"He'd met Rajeshwari after returning to India," Nandini said quietly. "She told him about meeting me...and asked him if she could be in touch with me. She says...he...he didn't mind at all," she said unsteadily.

Without making a sound, Sankatmochan placed his palm on his forehead and sat down on his haunches. Of all the things that could have happened, this was the worst...

In the past two years, he had spoken to Prithvi rarely. It was mainly because of Sumer Singh that he knew what was happening in his best friend's life. Based on everything he had heard, he knew that a drastic shift had taken place in Prithvi's nature over time. Yet, he hadn't stopped hoping for a miracle. But if what Rajeshwari said about Prithvi was true, it was truly...over.

But with false cheerfulness, Sankatmochan said, "That's wonderful. Now you can leave everything to me."

"Mochi bhaiya, how much do grandpa, Maa and Prakash know about his family?" Nandini asked diffidently.

"They don't know about the royal background. But apart from that, they know more than you do," he said ruefully. "So, you don't have to worry. They will not be surprised by Rajeshwari's behaviour, or wonder why the family members are scattered all over the place right now. But I will give them a reminder about everything when I talk to them. My only concern is that they might spill the beans if they happen to talk to Sumer Singh. But I will tell them that Sumer Singh is also planning to drop by and we should keep Rajeshwari's visit a secret to surprise him. We can use that excuse for a few days. Cast out all worries from your mind, Nandini! I will handle this."

Gladdened, Nandini affectionately said, "Thank you, Mochi bhaiya. You've lived up to your name again."

Sankatmochan sounded very pleased as he brushed off the compliment.

They discussed more details about Rajeshwari's visit and then ended the call.

Nandini contemplated with gratitude that this was yet another instance when Sankatmochan had shown an overwhelming sensitivity towards her. He had not questioned her about her reasons for approaching Rajeshwari or being in touch with her. And he would not question her about it later.

Just as he had not questioned her when he had seen her emerge from a specific room on the first floor one afternoon three years ago. And later, through loud conversations on the phone with an imaginary friend, he had conveyed to her that the terrace door would be left open always.

She truly owed him a debt that couldn't be repaid...

**********************************

Sankatmochan mulled over the situation carefully, avoiding only the portion that would break his heart if he thought about it.

There was something fishy about the whole situation, he decided.

Nandini's heart was untouched by wickedness. But he couldn't be equally sure about Rajeshwari.

He had met her just once, and she had seemed like a sweet little child back then. But she'd already been in her mid-twenties at that time. And who knew in what ways she had changed after that? And it was obvious that she would change. She had gone from living under the thumb of a tyrant like Rajyavardhan Singh to being spoilt rotten by a brother like Prithvi. And it was important to consider the impact of genes too...

Or was he being unfair? Wasn't it possible that Rajeshwari was honestly bored out of her skull and unhappy because she'd been staying away from her family? At this point, Prithvi was inaccessible. Priyamvada was in Devgarh, where Rajeshwari wouldn't want to go. Indrajit was...who cared where he was, Sankatmochan thought in disgust. And no one in their right mind would want to spend time with him. Uday Singh, Sumer Singh and Kadambari were wonderful but they weren't the liveliest company for young people.

And he didn't know if the princess had any friends in the country.

Under these circumstances, it would be natural for Rajeshwari to feel lonely or bored or sad or any of those unpleasant things. And if that was the case, it was his duty to help her. And the best way to make her – or any person happy was to keep them with Nandini, Sankatmochan thought warmly. Her own heart was still in pieces, but she had the antidote to everyone else's pain...

*****************************

When Nandini reached home, it was to find that Sankatmochan had done his job already, and her mother and Prakash were waiting eagerly to convey joyful tidings to her.

"Nandini, I just spoke to your grandfather and Mochi," Sarojini said in a flurry of delight and excitement as her daughter entered the house. "Prithvi's cousin sister, Rajeshwari will be passing by Shamli tomorrow. And - "

"She has heard so many good things about us from Prithvi bhaiya and Sumer uncle that she wants to visit us," Prakash chimed in proudly.

"But she had planned to stop at a hotel named Silver Swan, and had intended to just visit us for a short while in the evening tomorrow. Can you imagine that! But Mochi convinced her to stay with us for some days," she beamed. "Isn't that wonderful news?"

"It is," Nandini smiled. She kept her bag on the sofa, and then went into the kitchen.

Her mother and brother followed her, sharing more information about Rajeshwari.

Sarojini keenly said, "Rajeshwari has some work to complete till evening, so she won't be able to come home before that. She has been engaged in charity work for months! She must have such a big heart," she said fondly. 

Prakash contributed, "But she's also a shy girl, and takes long to open up to people."

"The family is very rich, and they live in big mansions and have a huge number of servants to do all the work in the house," Sarojini adjoined anxiously as her daughter drank a glass of water. "We cannot offer her those conveniences. But we must try very hard to make sure that Rajeshwari feels comfortable and happy here."

"Mochi bhaiya has given us her phone number," Prakash said brightly. "Rajeshwari Di doesn't know anything about this town. So Mochi bhaiya said it would be nice if we could go to the hotel and pick her up in the evening."

Nandini forced herself to look at the naïve faces of her mother and brother. "Give me her phone number. I'll talk to her tomorrow - from office...to make her feel more comfortable. And in the evening, I'll go to the hotel and bring her home."

"Yes, that would the right thing to do," Sarojini said eagerly, half of the load on her mind evaporating instantly. Nandini had always been able to make friends with people quickly and put them at ease. That beautiful ability had improved to extraordinary levels in the past few years...in tandem with her daughter's self-confidence...

"I can go to the hotel to pick up Rajeshwari Di," Prakash offered enthusiastically.

Alarmed, Nandini was about to protest, when her mother firmly said, "You will not. She will be more comfortable if she meets Nandini first."

"Wonderful," Prakash said grouchily. "By the time they reach home, she will be under Di's spell and she will take Di's side in all our fights.

"If she supports me, it will be because I am always right," Nandini said haughtily.

"Mochi has also said we must not tell Sumer Singhji about Rajeshwari's visit because he too might be visiting us soon," Sarojini cautioned. "It will be a nice surprise for him to see Rajeshwari here. It's strange that the family members do not know each other's whereabouts," she mused. "But Manju says rich families are like that. Nandini, you won't have to work until so late again for some days, I hope," she said anxiously. "Try to come home as early as you can every day till Rajeshwari is here."

Nandini nodded. "I will. Okay, I'm going to freshen up now."

"Don't you want tea?" Prakash asked.

"No, I had a cup in office," Nandini smiled, tousling her brother's hair on her way out.

Sarojini bustled around the kitchen after her daughter had left, getting dinner ready. "It would be great if Prithvi also visits us," she told her son eagerly. "And the rest of his family too. It would be a festival here..."

*************************************

Prithvi slung his brown jacket onto the small wooden table. Then he sat on the nearby chair and started to unfasten his boots. It was a relief to know that this was the last leg of the journey, and he would be in the cabin by noon tomorrow.

Of course, his family was under the assumption that he was already there, since he had not informed Sumer Singh that the journey that should have taken about thirty-seven hours had taken more than two weeks.

Prithvi rose and walked to the bed and slumped onto the soft mattress in utter exhaustion, face down on the pillow.

The most action-packed disaster movies wouldn't have contained as many catastrophes as he'd faced on this journey so far. Landslides that had blocked roads for days, the vehicle breaking down frequently, bad weather...

The best course of action would have been to give up his plans temporarily and return to the plains. But smartness of that sort had eluded him since childhood. If anything, his obstinacy to reach the cabin had only increased in proportion to the seriousness of the problems. And so, he had taken several detours, halted at homestays in small villages, explored many new stunning regions, and spent hours in the freezing cold without food or water at times.

He had travelled continuously and unhurriedly until he had received confirmation that the roads to his actual destination were clear and ready at last.

The mobile in the inner pocket of his jacket vibrated. It was the cell phone that he used when he was in the mountains, and only Sumer Singh and Disha knew this number. Both would not contact him on this instrument unless it was absolutely critical.

Frowning, Prithvi rolled onto his back and took the phone out of the pocket.

It was a message from Disha.

As he read the long note, he sat up automatically, with his frown deepening. He remained still for a moment after going through the message. Then he rose from the bed and walked back to the chair, and sat down to wear his boots again.

***********************************

"....and my grandfather threatened to summon the ghosts of the man's first two wives and unleash them on him. He laughed at my grandfather, but just then, a strong gust of wind pushed the windows wide open and knocked down the man's picture from the desk. It fell on the floor and the glass broke. It was just a coincidence but grandpa claimed he had made it happen," Nandini said amusedly. "And he also believes that is why the businessman got scared and dropped the idea of building a bar near our locality. The actual reason is that there was strong opposition from the resident associations, but if anyone dares to tell him that, he will sulk in a corner for an hour," she chuckled.

"He sounds adorable," Rajeshwari said with a smile.

"When you meet him, you will see that he is even more adorable than he sounds," Nandini grinned.

Rajeshwari tried not to look guilty. She didn't want to meet anyone or stay with near strangers in a small, uncomfortable house that would not have any of the luxuries to which she was accustomed. She had endured enough of that for the past three months. Now she wanted to think about her relationship with Indrajit in well-appointed settings that were familiar to her.

She had decided to stay in Nandini's house in a fit of anger over his betrayal, wishing to teach him a lesson...

But she had regretted the decision when she'd woken up in the morning. However, if she had changed her plans, it would have been ungrateful to Nandini, who was so thrilled about the whole idea. And she didn't want to do anything that would hurt the feelings of her saviour and guardian angel.

Nandini had earned her lifelong gratitude within two days. And it was not only because of what had happened yesterday...

This should have been the loneliest day of her life. Instead, she had felt incredibly comforted and supported because of the wonderful person who was sitting next to her.

Nandini had called her last night and spoken to her encouragingly for a long time. Today morning, she had visited her at the hotel before going to office. Nandini had also called up twice during the day to confirm that she was fine, and had arrived at the hotel at the exact time that was decided in the morning. She'd been so enthusiastic and talkative each time they had interacted. Her exuberance was almost infectious, Rajeshwari thought affectionately.

"Oh look, we're about to reach," Nandini said happily.

"Already?" Rajeshwari asked in surprise.

The car had slowed and was taking a gentle turn from the main road.

Nandini cheerfully said, "Yes, wait, I'll show you the temple. There...that is it. We will visit it tomorrow. And those two houses in the corner...that's Vrindavan. And the other one is Ayodhya."

"Please stop the car near that gate," Nandini requested the chauffer.

The car halted slightly away from the gate of Vrindavan. As the uniformed chauffer got down from the car, Nandini disembarked and hurried to the other side.

The chauffer opened the door for Rajeshwari. She felt horribly tensed all of a sudden. What if everything she had heard about the Bharadwajs was an exaggeration? And was it even possible for a whole family to be that good-hearted and amazing?

Rajeshwari got down from the car reluctantly. Though she was wearing a thick sweater, the chilly breeze caught her off guard and she shivered.

Nandini pulled off her cosy stole and wrapped it around the small figure, "Welcome home," she said chirpily, putting a friendly arm around Rajeshwari. "I'm the goon of this house, so you don't have to worry about anything, okay?"

Comforted by a warmth that didn't have anything to do with the stole, Rajeshwari smiled gratefully at Nandini.

"I'll help him with the bags," Nandini said, looking towards the trunk.

"Why should you?" Rajeshwari said sharply. "It's his job. Let him bring the bags to the house."

"Okay, okay," Nandini said lightly, and then she politely told the chauffer, "Bhaiya, please bring the bags inside. Come on, Rajeshwari, let's go...Maa and Prakash are waiting to meet you."

When Rajeshwari glanced at the house, two smiling people had appeared at the doors – A sweet-looking lady in a printed blue cotton saree and a thin teenaged boy in a red t-shirt and jeans.

Rajeshwari smiled awkwardly at them. Nandini gave her shoulders a reassuring squeeze as they walked towards the house.

Sarojini and Prakash walked down the steps to meet them half-way.

"Rajeshwari, this is my mother...and my brother, Pikku" Nandini introduced amiably.

"Di!" Prakash scowled.

"His name is Prakash," Nandini amended half-heartedly. "But he hates being called that. So, you must always call him Pikku," she told Rajeshwari seriously.

"Don't listen to her, Rajeshwari Di," Prakash said hotly.

Forgetting to be sombre, Rajeshwari chuckled.

Sarojini happily said, "We are so happy to meet you, Rajeshwari. We have been waiting for you since yesterday."

Rajeshwari was taken aback as she was enfolded in an affectionate hug by Nandini's mother, and then led into the house. In the simple but cute living room, she was urged towards the sofa and made to sit down.

In the meantime, the chauffeur had entered the house and placed two large bags near a rocking chair.

"Thank you," Nandini told the chauffeur politely. "Would you like to have tea or coffee?"

"No, thank you, ma'am." The man bowed his head slightly and left.

Rajeshwari felt astonished by the conversation, but Nandini's family didn't seem to have found it odd.

Sarojini picked up a glass of water from the dining table, removed the steel lid and walked up to Rajeshwari, kindly saying, "Here...have a glass of water first."

Rajeshwari took a sip of water and then placed the glass on the centre table.

"I'll make tea for you," Sarojini said, stroking her head. "Or would you like coffee?"

"Tea would be fine, Mrs Bharadwaj," Rajeshwari said shyly, confused yet strangely touched by the affectionate gesture.

Sarojini was slightly surprised by the formal nature of the address, but she reminded herself quickly that Rajeshwari belonged to a very different strata of society.

"I'll make tea for you, Di," Prakash said eagerly.

"And one cup for your other Di too," Nandini said vibrantly.

Sarojini's lips twitched as she looked at Rajeshwari. "My daughter can do without food, not tea."

Nandini giggled. "Maa's right. I love tea and I can have it at any time."

Prakash joined in by smugly saying, "It's one of the facts mentioned in my text books. Half of India's tea production is consumed by my sister."

"Since you're so well versed with your text books, I think you will do very well in tomorrow's test," Nandini nodded.

"What test?" Prakash asked suspiciously.

"The one I'm going to set for you," Nandini said brightly.

As Prakash protested vociferously and Sarojini mediated between her children, Rajeshwari watched the scene with delight. Had she really been worried about meeting these sweet souls...

The argument was settled very quickly, and ended with Prakash trying to escape Nandini's exaggerated mollycoddling by running into the kitchen.

"Pikku makes great tea. And he also makes very tasty paneer pakoras," Nandini said loudly.

From the kitchen, Prakash yelled back, "You don't need to work so hard. I've already made them."

"And that is why you're the best brother in the world," Nandini shouted back laughingly.

Sarojini long-sufferingly said, "Oh God...what will Rajeshwari think of both of you?"

"It was funny," Rajeshwari chuckled.

"See, we entertained her," Nandini said proudly.

Over the next hour, Rajeshwari felt continually astounded by the heart-warming and genuine camaraderie between the family members. She was amazed by many more things too. The pure, simple, innocent affection that was showered on her by everyone...the familiarity that suggested this was her hundredth visit to the house....and the unadulterated sweetness that underscored everyone's conversations with her...

They asked her about the charitable activities she had undertaken over the last three months, and she felt gratified when they expressed heartfelt appreciation for her. Nandini's mother and brother evidently loved Prithvi deeply, and asked several questions about him. She answered their queries gladly. She was very proud of her brother and loved to talk about him. There were only a couple of questions that Mrs Bharadwaj asked about her family that made her a little uneasy. But those questions were deflected by Nandini with impressive flair.

Also, no one was surprised or suspicious about Nandini's warmth towards her. The family seemed to find it perfectly natural that Nandini should be so friendly with a person she had met a very short time ago. But if she thought about it...she had just met Mrs Bharadwaj and Prakash, and she felt as if she had known them for a long time.

What was it about this family...

After the tea and snacks were consumed, Nandini took her around the house and showed her all the rooms.

In Nandini's room, Rajeshwari sat on the bed and looked around with curiosity. It was a very neat and clean room. The only strange thing was that she couldn't see any cosmetics, apart from a bottle of sandalwood oil.

"You must find this house very small," Nandini said ruefully.

Rajeshwari shook her head. "Didn't I tell you...when I was travelling for my charity work, I stayed in really tiny and horrible houses for weeks, because I wanted to understand how the poor lived. Your home is spacious and beautiful compared to those places."

Nandini smiled at her, then tentatively said, "The guest room downstairs is ready and it has an attached bathroom. But would you mind sleeping in this room? I will sleep on a mattress. I've done it often, so it's not a problem for me at all," she said quickly.

Rajeshwari thought about it for a while, then slowly said, "Okay, I will sleep in your room."

"Great!" Nandini said happily. ""I'll bring your bags upstairs."

Rajeshwari hesitantly asked, "Nandini, you've lived in this...this atmosphere all your life?"

Nandini didn't have any trouble understanding the question. "Yes," she murmured.

"You're very lucky," Rajeshwari said seriously.

"I am," Nandini accepted simply. "I'll be right back..."

She left the room hurriedly, blinking back the dampness in her eyes.

*************************

The room was in darkness when Nandini woke up. She had come out of a deep sleep with an odd suddenness, as if in response to a loud sound.

She sat up blearily and squinted into the darkness. The door was closed. On the bed that was to her right, Rajeshwari was sound asleep. The house was quiet.

Why had she woken up?

Wrapping the blanket around her, Nandini stood up grudgingly and walked to the table. She picked up her phone and grimaced as the bright light of the screen hurt her eyes.

It was five in the morning. She could sleep for an hour more. Then she would get up and take a bath and leave for the temple. She could easily return home before nine, which was apparently when Rajeshwari woke up every morning. She had applied for leave today, so there was no other rush.

Nandini fumbled her way back to the mattress and snuggled up again. But her brain was wide awake, and there were funny flutters in her chest and stomach. She tried to sleep on her left...then her right...on her back...on her stomach. No position helped.

However, unwilling to face the cold, she remained curled up on the mattress until six. Then she gave up the battle against her buzzing brain and got up grumpily.

In the next twenty-five minutes, Nandini completed her morning ablutions, managed to take her clothes from the cupboard without waking up Rajeshwari, took a bath, dressed up and then went downstairs.

Her mother had also woken up by then and was preparing tea in the kitchen. They sat at the kitchen table, drinking the hot beverage and discussing the menu for the day in quiet tones.

Nandini waited till there was considerable light outside, and she could see people moving out of their houses. Then she draped a shawl over her sweater for added warmth, and informed her mother that she was leaving for the Kali temple. Carrying a small handbag, she walked out of the house barefoot.

She tried to focus on the frosty wind and the cold earth beneath her feet to take her mind off the nameless tension and strange feelings that were continuing to trouble her. She was not going to let her heart go insane just because of some weird sensations.

She would feel peaceful once she reached the temple, Nandini decided while walking on the slightly curved stretch of the lane that led to the main road.

A gargantuan dark SVU was taking the same turn to enter the lane. It slowed on seeing her.

Nandini began to move to a side to allow the vehicle to pass but her feet stopped almost immediately.

The vehicle too came to a halt about three metres away from her.

In a stupefied daze, she stared at the man behind the steering wheel.

Prithvi looked at her unemotionally for a few moments.

Then the loud, angry blast of a horn rent the air.

Nandini flinched with shock. Bewildered, she almost looked around for another vehicle...and then realised the piercing noise had come from the SUV in front of her.

A faint impatience appeared on Prithvi's face.

The ugly sound of the horn resounded aggressively again, making her wince.

Nandini moved shakily to the side of the road.

The vehicle glided past her powerfully.

She watched its progress. If she went back a very short distance, she would be able to watch him disembark...

No longer aware of the cold or any other discomfort, Nandini turned numbly to the main road and continued her walk to the temple.

*********************************