Chapter 222

Chapter 304: A Heart of Autumn

It was only after three days had passed that things began to alter.

In the expanse of the days that preceded, Lady Anjali had mulled over everything that had led to her desolated reality: Every accusation made against her husband and every crude statement uttered by him.

And then, the frantic dance they endured, before departing, filled her mind. A strange sense of conviction swayed her spirits as she remembered, through the fog of sorrow, what she had seen in his eyes and felt in his touch.

The morning of the fourth day, when Lord Arnav was leaving for the Industry, as had become habit, he checked on his sister, knowing he would find her crumpled up in bed.

But, on the contrary, he was amazed to find her sitting by the window, dressed in a beautiful gown and thoughtfully sipping her steaming cup of coffee.

"Di?" He stepped into the chamber, wonderingly.

She looked up at him and smiled faintly, "Chotey."

"Di..." The relieved joy in his voice could not be hid as he strolled towards her, attaining the full prospect of her morning appearance.

Her eyes still looked exhausted and reddened from excessive crying but her lips had retained the beautiful smile. It lit his world up.

"Di!!" He exclaimed and genuflected before her on one knee, reaching out one warm hand and holding her cold one.

Lady Anjali kept her cup aside and placed her other hand on his, "Chotey, are you not late for the Industry?"

Lord Arnav looked at her, suspicious of this sudden casualness of tone. If her swollen eyes didn't betray signs of her remorse, one would suppose she had not been hit by a tragedy.

What made him apprehensive was the possibility that she was faking it and a greater heartbreak of mental malady was about to ensue.

He would have to tell the others to keep an eye on her.

He arose and slid into the armchair opposite hers, "Di, are you alright?"

"I feel much better," nodded Lady Anjali, picking up her cup of her coffee again.

Lord Arnav's eyes moistened with emotion as he watched his storm-ridden sister bravely sipping her coffee like some content soul who was unshakably convinced that life couldn't be more beautiful.

Painfully, he asked, "Are you not angry with me?"

"Whatever for, Chotey," asked Lady Anjali, not looking up.

"For having kept all this from you," he said cautiously, watching her every move.

"You did it with good purpose in mind," his sister replied, looking at him, "Did you not?"

"Yes, we did," began Lord Arnav, and then he failed in words to justifying his concealment of the truth.

Lady Anjali noticed that he had used the collective pronoun in his affirmation.

"You have always protected me, Chotey," said Lady Anjali, gazing distractedly at the dregs of coffee remaining in the cup, "Always so protective..."

Something about her tone alerted Lord Arnav's intuition but he maintained a composed voice, "I treasure you, Di. You know that." His voice cracked slightly, "You are the only one of my blood. Born of the same womb."

Lady Anjali looked up, and her eyes had a concerned light in them, "How much we suffered, did we not, to be what we are now?"

Lord Arnav swallowed and nodded, "Yes, we have come so far from...everything..."

"Then let us go home," said Lady Anjali with a sigh, "Did you not say yourself that we would?"

"That is what Nani wishes," said Lord Arnav, frowning at the floor, "Though it will never be home to me as Arhasia is." Then he looked at her, affectionately, "But if it is your bidding too, I will make immediate preparations. Before this year turns into the new, we will have left for India."

Lady Anjali didn't reply but gazed sadly out the window, "Oh, beautiful Arhasia," she whispered, words inaudible to her brother, "I must leave you. Everything you are reminds me of him..."

Lord Arnav had seen her lips move but hadn't quite made out the words, "Di? Did you say something?"

Extracting herself from her thoughts, Lady Anjali looked at him and smiled, "Yes. I was wondering if you would, on your way out, tell Kushiji to bring Anarkali to me? I have missed my child immensely."

"I will," Lord Arnav assured warmly, "But won't you come out, Di? Everyone misses you."

"I know I had you all worried," Lady Anjali sighed, "But it took time for me to make sense of it all."

"Sense of it?" Lord Arnav wondered aloud but he smiled, "But you are better now, Di."

"Yes, much better, my little one," she brushed her fingers on the back of his hand that rested on his knee, "And how YOU must have worried!"

"Would I not," he lifted her hand to his face and kissed her on the palm, before arising from the armchair, "I will sent Kushi to you, Di. She never leaves the living room, always remaining there with Anarkali and keeping an eye on your door, praying you be better. This news will cheer her up!"

Lady Anjali nodded but gave no response.

Without hesitation, Lord Arnav reached down and embraced her, emphasising by this gesture his grateful elation of having her recovered so. She patted him lightly on his shoulder and then, when he had withdrawn, she leaned back in her armchair and sadly watched him happily saunter out of the chamber.

The next chapter is being narrated in the post right after this...