MG FF: Maan the Arrogant: Ch14: Pg76: 13th Nov - Page 19

Chapter 6

The morning light wafted through the lace curtains, awakening the young woman from her slumber. She sat up in her bed and rubbed her eyes. She dreaded just the thought of what lay ahead. A country picnic with friends and foes, the very thought filled her with such dread that she pulled her covers over her head. When she finally managed to come down the stairs, it was well after breakfast. Geet saw Mr Prakash in the music room, sitting beside a grand piano.

"Good day, Mr. Prakash," Geet said.

"Do you make a habit of lying about all day long?" said a voice in the corner of the room. She turned quickly and saw Mr Shashank.

"Good morning, Miss Geet," Mr Prakash smiled. "Look who came to give you a lesson this morning."

"I am sorry, Mr. Shashank, for I wasn't aware we would have our lessons yet. Perhaps we could start another day," she said.

"Perhaps, since the better part of this day is over," Shashank said. He stood up and said, "Tomorrow, you shall come to my house and I will give you your lesson. You shall arrive precisely at 10:00 in the morning. My godson shall meet you here and show you the way."

That thought filled Geet with a mixture of dread and hope, which was an odd combination. She said, "I am sure my cousin will bring me."

"No, my godson shall bring you. It is all arranged. Good day, Miss Geet, Prakash." Shashank walked out of the room. Geet turned to watch him go.

She turned back to Mr Prakash and said, "Please, tell me he is not accompanying us on our picnic today."

"He is not, nor am I," he said.

"Why, Sir?" Geet begged.

"I am but a poor tutor, and will not be received among the bright, happy, young folks that will be in attendance. Do you feel sorry for me?" he asked with a smile.

"Somewhat, if that were but the truth, but I think you do not wish to come today, so on that account, I am afraid I must decline sympathy towards your plight," Geet said and Mr Prakash laughed. "However, you should feel sympathy for me, for I do wish to go today, but I am afraid I might be unwelcome as well," continued Geet.

Prakash said, "But the picnic is in your honor, so you are anticipated to frolic with the crowd."

"First a dinner in my honor, and then a picnic, as well as an upcoming ball, I must say, I don't feel adequate for such attention," she said with a sigh.

"My dear, I am sure many people think otherwise. Cheer up, and paint a smile on your face. We could have our first lesson, if it would please you."

"Yes, that would please me greatly," Geet answered.

They went to the library, and began work on some maths. Prakash found that although she did not know all the correct equations and such, she was a quick and steady learner, and she retained everything he taught, so he did not find that he needed to repeat anything. She impressed him. Dev walked by the library and said, "We are ready for our picnic. Are you sure you won't come, Mr Prakash?"

"Picnics and small talk, no I think not, Dev, but thank you," Mr Prakash smiled. Dev walked into the room and took Geet's hand.

"Is she every bit as smart as I promised you she would be?" he boasted.

"Dev, you inflate my ego," Geet said.

"Then it shall be inflated," he laughed. He kissed her hand and said, "I have an open wagon to take us all up to a pretty little meadow. We can eat, drink and be merry, and laze about in the sun all day. Would that be agreeable to you?"

"Who will be there, Dev?" she wondered.

"Most of the Rajvansh, some ladies will also be there that you have not yet met, as well as Adi Kapoor, whom you met on your arrival. I believe Adi is bringing some of his friends too. Of course, Lord Maan will unfortunately be there also."

Geet had rather wished he not come. She thought after his apparent snub to her last night, when he left in such haste after their dance, that he would not lower himself to come.

"Are you sure he will be there?" she asked.

"Yes, I am sure." Dev narrowed his gaze and said, "Do you fancy Lord Maan?"

"Cousin, you speak folly," she said with a small laugh. Dev was not sure he believed her, but he would say no more, at least at that moment.

**********

They arrived at the meadow just as most of the others arrived. Dev's servants began to set up blankets and food. Geet found herself walking through some wild flowers, when she saw Mr. Adi walking up the hill with a dark haired, finely dressed, prim woman by his side. Behind him were also two dark haired men, tall and proud. Coming up last was Lord Maan himself.

Mr. Adi approached her first and said, "Ah, there is the woman in question. Miss Geet Handa, may I present Lady Sasha Verma, Lord Preet Chopra, and the honourable Mr Anurag Mehta. And I believe you remember Maan."

"Charmed," Geet said with a slight curtsey. The men all bowed.

Miss Sasha raised her nose in the air and did not acknowledge her. She turned to Preet and said, "Lordship, if you would escort me to a shade tree, I do not wish my skin to burn." The woman already had a umbrella, so Geet wondered how her skin might burn. Lady Sasha then said, "Some of the women in our party do not even have hats or bonnets on, and will surely be affected by the afternoon sun." Geet was painfully aware that not only did she not have on a hat, but also her hair was down, which did not seem to be in fashion here. The party all walked by, as Geet turned to pick some more flowers.

Maan walked up to her, and while she was aware of his closeness, she busied herself. Maan said, "Do you pick the flowers for your intended, Mr. Armaan?"

She looked up and frowned. He was smiling. Why was he smiling? He looked too handsome when he smiled. She said, "No sir, they are for me. No one else would give me flowers, I fear, so I must get some for myself."

"You poor dear, whatever will you do at the loss?" he said, teasing her.

"I shall abide the best I can," she said, playing along.

He bent down and picked up a small yellow daisy. He handed it to her and said, "Here, a token of my esteem."

"Sir, you shouldn't have gone to the expense or trouble," she said. He could not help but smile. However, this time, she did not return his smile. She merely walked on, with him close by.

"I heard you missed your first lesson with Mr Shashank today," he offered.

She turned around and said, "He is a strange man. I was not aware we had a lesson today."

"Well, I would suggest you not miss another. That is why when I was at Sharma's Mansion today, I offered to accompany you to his home tomorrow," Maan said.

"You were at Sharma's Mansion this morning?" she asked.

"Yes, a fact you would already know if you hadn't decided to lie about in bed all morning," he laughed.

She said, "I was tired. I had a long day yesterday."

He was quick to cut her off by saying, "You need not offer me reasons or excuses. You deserved your rest, and it did wonders for your appearance today."

He confused her. He complimented her on one hand, just as he did last night, and then he told her she was inferior on the other. He asked her to dance, and then he rushed away, as if scalded by hot water. He was quickly baffling her. She turned to walk away again, but stopped. She said, "You bemuse me sir. I am bewildered by your straight talk and compliments on one hand, and your need for propriety on the other."

He laughed and said, "Oh dear, my new young friend is confused. I would think you so intelligent, nothing would confuse you."

She walked away without comment back toward the others. She sat on a small corner of a blanket, as Maan went to sit on another. Several of the other ladies were picking berries. Naintara asked Geet if she wanted to help. She was stringing her wildflowers together, to make a necklace. She declined the offer. Mr. Anurag walked up to her and said, "May I share your blanket?"

"Of course, sir," she said.

"I hear you are not from the aristocrats like the others?" he stated.

Geet was quickly becoming tired of this topic, but she would be polite for now. She said, "Yes, Sir, my mother was Dev's aunt, and she was not from the nobility. Infact my grandfather from my mothers' side was actually a farmer."

"Fascinating," he said. "Here in this community, most are upper class aristocrats you realize. So you are a bit of an oddity."

She frowned. An oddity? She placed her flower necklace around her neck, and she set to work on a headpiece. If they thought she was odd, odd she would be. Adi walked up to them and said, "Is my friend boring you, Miss Geet?"

"Not at all, he is telling me how odd I am," she said, not caring any longer.

"Well, that's not nice." Adi laughed. "Shall I thrash the gentleman?"

"I wouldn't waste your time," Geet said. Anurag laughed at that. Maan walked over. "You may thrash Lord Maan however."

"What have I done to deserve a thrashing?" he asked, sitting down on the blanket.

"Nothing, I was just making small talk," she said playfully. He liked this aloof side of her. She was trying hard to be above him, for she must be vexed with him. He thought it was charming. Let her be vexed at him all the time.

Preet and Lady Sasha walked up and Sasha said, "Look at all the Rajvansh's that are here, even the cow of a mother, and the oaf of a father. How Lord Dev can associate with such people is beyond my reason."

Preet helped her to sit and said, "Apparently, he has taken a shining to the young daughter of the family."

"What an unfortunate match for a Viscount, I hope he doesn't plan to marry her," Anurag said.

Geet wondered if she were suddenly invisible. Did not the others realize she was among their company? Did they not realize Dev was her cousin? She stopped making her wreath and stood to leave in time to hear Miss Sasha say, "What do you expect, Preet darling, he may have a title, but nothing will ever hide the fact that he his own mother was a lowly farmers daughter."

Maan stood as Geet turned back quickly and said, "Lady Sasha, it is my understanding that a lady of your status should not be saying such things among mixed company. If I am not mistaken, usually ladies do not utter such obscenities, but perhaps aristocrats such as yourself think they are above such manners. Good day." She walked off, in a very bad mood indeed.

"She told you off well, Sasha," Preet laughed.

Geet took off in a run toward a set of trees. She would hide in their shade until such time as the others came back from their berry picking.

"Miss Geet," Lord Maan said. She turned to acknowledge him. "Forgive the rudeness of the others."

"Why do you make to apologize for them, Sir, when you yourself have the same convictions? You told me so in the garden last night. You think it is an unlikely match. You think less of inferiors such as myself. Do not apologize for others, when you have yet to apologize for yourself."

Well, now Maan did not like her countenance one bit. He approached her so quickly she made to take a step back, but a large tree blocked her path, so that she was pressed up against the tree.

"I have nothing to apologise for as the fact remains that the match between Lord Dev and the young Miss Naintara is unfavorable due to her position in society, and due to her family.

Geet was even more angered . "All these prejudices baffle me. I have never been around prouder or more arrogant people in my life." She looked to the ground. He took the flower wreath from her hand. His fingers brushed hers. Without permission, he placed it on top of her hair, as a crown.

She reached up to remove it, but he reached for her wrist. He held her wrist in his strong hand and said, "Leave it, for it is fitting." He still held her wrist. Her stomach lurched at the very thought of her wrist in his hand. He removed his hand, slowly, so very slowly. Her hand lowered just as slowly. As her hand went to her side, his fingertips slid down her bare arm and then he removed it all together. Yes, she was baffled and bewildered, but more so by him than anyone else.

She looked down again, for she felt his eyes were looking straight into her heart, and she was ashamed of what he might find there. He would see the affect he had on her, if he looked inside her heart. His hand went up to her chin to raise her face to his. Her skin tingled under his thumb. She swallowed hard and did not know what to say.

"Maan, come, let us play a game," Adi yelled.

He quickly removed his hand and said, "Yes, the crown of flowers is fitting." He offered his arm. She took a steady breath, and put her hand on the crook of his arm. He put his other hand over her hand. He turned to steer her back towards the others. He looked over at her once more, and again, she blushed. He was pleased. Dare he hope that his presence caused the same stirrings in her that he knew her closeness caused in him.

He had one single thought, status be damned. He wanted Geet Handa. He walked them back toward the others, more content than he had been in a long time.

(Coming up, a compliment given, and an insult spewed.)

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