Chapter 225

Chapter 306: That Name Again

You may remember Kushi had volunteered to go to the market to acquire some exceptional flowers with which to bring back the cheer in Lady Anjali's chamber.

With animated willingness, Jayprakash offered to escort Kushi, and both his brothers sniggered as they watched him stroll smugly in the direction of the stable. It was, of course, no secret why he had been so keen to volunteer.

When JayPrakash halted the carriage at the marketplace and directed her to the florists' corner, Kushi was speechless.

Being the first day of the week, flowers from all over Arhasia had been brought to the florists', filling stalls and carts with fragrant colours of dreamy flora. Their myriad variance captivated every fibre of her aesthetic eye and rendered her utterly incapable of deciding which particular posies would best honour the sombre chamber of Lady Anjali.

Across the road, in the Inn which had glass windows that overlooked the market street, a man was sipping his coffee with the hat on his head turned down, such that his eyes were under the shadow of the hat rim. Since he is sitting, it is hard to ascertain his height, but by the looks of his long legs, crossed one over the other, it was obvious that he was a tall, lanky figure.

Beside him sat another man, shorter but stockier and without a hat, hence revealing his slightly balding forehead. Both men were of the same age but, most importantly, they were new to the place.

Underneath the table, close to the tall man, a black cat sat propped against the length of his boot, licking its paws leisurely.

It was at this point that Kushi moved about in the vicinity, walking amidst the cartloads of flowers in an eager attempt to make her pick.

Exactly at that moment, the man with the hat looked up from the parchment of newsletter he was reading from and noticed, through the window, the girl in the brilliant gown and the cheerful hat.

He stilled for a second, staring at the vision.

And then he frowned.

Closing his eyes for an instant, he opened them again and beheld her in the same poise as before.

The frown deepened.

Not taking his eyes of her, he cleared his throat to address the other man, "You see that girl there?"

The balding man looked in the direction indicated, the scanning eyes of his pudgy face falling directly on the well-attired woman who stood out in the crowded scene, "Yes, Master."

The tall man leaned forward as though he were about a reveal a whispered secret, "I want you to go up to her and ask her something."

The bald man looked at his Master, "Right now?"

"No, ten years later," said the man calmly and then scowled, "Yes, right now, you fool!"

The balding man stumbled to his feet, "What must I ask her, sir?"

"What are these called?"

Nodding to the yellow flowers that had red streaks across its petals, Kushi asked the man in the stained apron, standing beside the colourful cart of flowers.

"Dey're Evening Glories," replied the man fervently, in an offbeat accent, "Dey're found at de foot'ills North t' Arhasia."

"They come from a long way," mused Kushi, bending her head to get a whiff of their exotic scent.

"Dey're good flow'rs," replied the man, pulling one out by its green strand and then offering it to Kushi, "Dey last sev'n days if dippt in col' wat'r, lookin' bright an' new fo' the entirety o' de week."

"I'll take a bunch of them," declared Kushi, "What do you think, JayPrakashji?" She looked over her shoulder, expecting his prompt reply, but she found that he was not where he was a minute before.

Looking around, she tried to locate her unmanageable manservant and, sure enough, her anticipating gaze found him by the backdoor of an Inn where JayPrakash was leaning passionately against the frame of the door and talking to the blushing girl at the doorway. She was wearing an apron which meant it was her work hour and here was Kushi's untimely escort, bound to break the rules of the Inn.

Sighing, Kushi turned to the man who owned the flowers, "Wrap a few bundles ready, would you? I will fetch my escort immediately to collect them from you."

The man nodded and turned to the flowers while Kushi turned in the direction of the Inn. She was wading through the crowd and around the magnificent loads of flowers when she paused.

A basket of jasmines stood at one corner of a cart and she was impelled to approach it.

Her eyes moistened from forgotten memories and her hand tenderly reached for the jasmines. The strong smell wafted up her senses and she closed her eyes, lost in the familiar smell of the faded figure.

Just then, a voice broke into her thoughts, "Excuse me, Ma'am."

Kushi's eyes shot open and she turned her head to find a slightly balding man beside her.

"Yes?"

The man waved his hand apologetically, "If you will forgive my intrusion-"

"It's alright," Kushi turned to him, "What is it you want?"

"My Master has sent me with a query for you," the man said respectfully, his hands clutching his bowler hat.

"Has he?" Kushi looked around, hoping to get a glimpse of this Master who should be looking in their direction if he had sent his servant on his curious errand, "What answer does he seek?"

The man looked at her, "He asks if you know the name Chandraki."

Kushi did a double take, staring in astonishment at the man.

Yes, she knew the name, or more rightly, was not new to it. But she had discerned no further into its relevance, knowing nothing about it save what she made out of it by her own interpretations. She wasn't sure what answer to give him.

For strange reasons, Kushi found herself calmly denying the knowledge, "No, I am afraid I know not this name."

"Of course, Ma'am," nodded the man, "Forgive me for the error, my Master must have mistook you for someone else. Good day, my lady."

"Good day, sir," nodded Kushi, watching him turn and walk away, all the while her mind engulfing in the mystery of that one word.

"She is not familiar to the name, Master."

The tall man, still relaxing in the chair within the Inn, nodded from under the shadow of his hat and then, "She is not called Chandraki?"

"She is not, sir," replied the balding man, who had wisely made a few enquires, "She is the daughter of the Guptas who live up in the North Village."

"I see," the man said, pushing aside his emptied coffee cup, "I suppose I was mistaken, then."

"You could have been, sir," the servant replied humbly.

The man shot him a glare.

The servant corrected hastily, "But I could investigate further about the girl, if you wish it so."

"No," ascertained the man firmly, "We do not need to tardy our time on frivolous things when greater matters need our immediate attention. Did you get in touch with our aide again?"

"Yes, sir, just this morning too I had a talk with him," said the servant.

"No one saw you?"

"No one, sir," assured the servant.

"And what is the state as of now?" the man asked, "Does he know?" giving due stress on the he in the question, as he watched the servant's features for hints of hesitation.

"He hasn't a clue, sir," the servant answered with conviction.

"Very well, get on with it," asserted the man as he wiped his hands on the napkin with a foreboding sense of finality. "Our Mission awaits and the sooner we get done with it, the better."

The servant nodded in support, "After years of wandering, finally on the threshold we are, sir."

Without bothering to reply, the man arose from his chair, standing to his towering height, barked, "Astrophe!" which earned the cat's attention, signed to his servant to pay for their beverages and then picking up his gold-falcon-headed walking stick, sauntered out of the Inn, followed by the nimble cat and the servant who fumbled with the bowler hat on his head.