At Parnagarh
Kalgiakka and Jaswant were ambling along under the moonlight, as she recounted her childhood memories to the ardent caring listener.
"We knew each other since we were children. She used to love the flowers at my farm and i used to love staying over at her mansion. She used to read a lot and tell me stories of princes and princesses. She cares a lot for everyone around her. Everyone at the mansion once gave her a special card for being so caring. She has travelled a lot and used to bring me gifts every time she went out. She has many friends but i am her best friend"
Shy coming!! I am so generous and good hearter and caring!! **Fanning myself** I hope the Mansabdar is aware of all these qualities of mine?? 🤔 Let me hope and dream for a caring hug in future from The Man himself!! Ab sochne mein kya jaata hai? 😉😆 Ab dil se kuch chaho toh kayanaat bhi jhook jaate hai woh dilane mein aur yeh toh sirf ek jhappi ki baat hai! 😉🤣
"She has friends at the Haveli too?" Jaswant questioned carelessly.
"Oh yes," Kalgiakka rattled on. "She is friends with even the Mansabdar and his team and helps them in their work, like choosing horses and things like that...Had she been here she would have spoken to the Mansabdar for me. But my bad luck, she has gone out of town on some work for Khan Sahib"
There she goes blabbering the whole history to a stranger whose name she doesn't know yet!! She is smitten by his muscular arms and genteel voice!! Kalgiakka, wake up, jaago!! Now this guy will be snooping about me! 🤔"That's interesting" came the vague reply from the man who seemed to be lost in his thoughts.
"Here we are! We have reached my flower farm. Had it not been so late in the evening, i would have invited you in Sir. You don't know. More than half of my farm became uncultivable because of lack of water. It was my friend who gifted me this stretch of land between her farm and mine and provided the waters from her farm too. I have so much to thank her for."
Oi hoi, ek baar iss ko dekho toh sahi!! Next, after the invitation there would be delicacies served I am guessing, 'Tea, coffee or...?' Okay I will let it pass this time!! First time in her life she fell and was held so many times in strong muscular arms with genteel voice, so our gullible gossiper has gone for a toss!! I know the feeling!! 😉🤣
"You can, in a few years grow flowers on the other side as well. The Mansabdar is planning to construct canals to irrigate ths valley and that is why i am here for."
Kalgiakka smiled widely, "So kind of you Sir and the Mansabdar...and Goodnight" She reluctantly bade him goodbye.
"Goodnight and goodbye Kalgi." Jaswant wished her softly and turned to leave.
"Kalgi...how sweet my name sounds the way he says it..." thought Kalgiakka to herself as she entered her house unaware that her cheeks could now rival the crimson daisies in her farm.
KALGI!!! 😲 Aai hai, yeh banda toh chance pe dance kar raha hai!! 😆 And Madamji, control, control, first ask his name before you go all googly-eyed smitten by him bitten by the love bug!!
The Mansabdar's chamber:
Akbar Mahmoud Khan stood with his back to the door looking into the gardens of the haveli. Even in the moonlight he could see the yellow rows of the zerguls competing with the red rows of the Roses and complementing each other. What mysteries and secrets lay concealed beneath their beauties. Dangers from the most unexpected quarters. And what betrayals in the most unexpected persons. In his style of work he had learnt to expect the unexpected. Yet surprises were not uncommon.
Afzal, he had always believed to be a sincere loyal innocent boy. He never showed the inclination for warriorship like Azeez and Sayyid did even as little boys, but was astute and clever and fierce in loyalty like his other men. As a three year old orphan picked up from the streets of Aidabad he knew of no world outside his. Yet he had stealthily sneaked out to check the gardens of a locked house. Could he have erred in his judgement of the boy?
No no KS, never doubt your judgement, you are never wrong!! Just like you are never wrong to include me in your circle!! 😳😆
"Akbar, he is here..." Ibrahim's voice shook him out of his reviere. Afzal followed Ibrahim into the room and looked positively intimidated.
Khan Sahib's eyes never left the boy's face as he slowly assumed his seat in the comfortable divan. Afzal stood trembling under the gaze of his Sahib.
"Where were you in the evening?" Khan Sahib came straight to business.
"In the haveli..."
"I presume this is the first time you are telling me a lie Afzal. I've never seen you waver from the truth even once in all your years with me Afzal."
Khan Sahib's face was as inscrutable as ever. Anger, disappointment ...Afzal couldn't decipher his Master's thoughts. Whatever it was he couldn't bear the thought of his Master being displeased with him.
The Man and his impenetrable exterior, no wonder I flip for this guy!! Nothing can be read unless he wants you to read!! Heera Baisa, a very tough job ahead of you but nevertheless only you will be able to decipher him completely! 😃
Tears swelled in his eyes as he spoke, " Khan Sahib, some zerguls were poisoned this morning, and i remember seeing similar flowers in Kuki didi's garden. Our gardens didn't have the golden zerguls. i went to ask her if she knew if someone had taken her flowers"
Poor kachori brother!
"Kuki didi?..." Akbar raised his brows questioningly, his expression unchanged.
"She lives at a house on my way when i deliver letters at the market and i ...err...stop by sometimes."
"Don't you know it is unwise to make friends with outsiders without our knowledge?"
"But she has been very kind to me."
"Has she asked about the haveli or the going ons here."
"Sometimes. About the customs, functions here, about Shah Sahib..."
Akbar looked up at Ibrahim who shrugged.
"Where is she now?"
"I don't know. She was there yesterday and made Kachoris for me. I don't know where she is now. "
Kuki 'Shaqqi' Begum, tu toh gayi re!! Aur saath mein tere Prannath ko bhi le kar gayi!! 😉🤣
"You may leave."
"Sahib...are you angry with me?" Afzal gulped.
"I will be if you are indiscreet again."
Afzal's face brightened with joy and relief as he said, "Thank you Sahib" as he left.
"You think he is innocent Akbar?"
"Yes Ibrahim. He is transparent. But i want to know about the lady in question. Why she enquires about the happenings in the Haveli and about Azeez. Why she has been extra kind to the boy and where and why she fled this morning. I have to question her when she is brought back."
The pan will not help the lady here and neither can her Prannath as she was thinking and depending on him so much! 😆 When KS questions where will Shah Sahib hide? There will not be any caves to hide him! 😆
At the celebrations mansion Lana was seated at the bhajan mandap along with scores of others. But thw songs hardly held her attention. She looked around for Azeez for the tenth time around wondering if he had let himself into trouble as it had b een a long time since he left.
"Come, lets leave" whispered Azeez into her ears suddenly.
"Uff! You really scared me this time Azeez. Where were you?"
"Sleuthing of course. The visitor is VanRaj, brother of Kunwar Mahender's close man TejRaj. He and our host have left for the room at the far end if the mansion but it is heavily guarded. I tried all means to evesdrop but couldn't manage. Anyway VanRaj isgoing to be upset or angry at the missing scroll. We have learnt that Manswaris are behind it. So time for us to leave."
The couple bade goodbyes and Lana wrote a note of thanks to the host as he was in an 'important discussion.'
"We will reach Parnagarh by night, won't we?" asked Lana as they stepped out of the mansion. Suddenly Azeez seemed to freeze on the spot. Marching towards the mansion was Kuki and her pony. So it had been her at the fair yesterday. He knew her too well and understood in a jiffy what her wild randomly running brain would have assumed.
Taking Lana's hand he turned around and raced towards the back end of the mansion all the while trying his best to look normal to the onlookers.
Kuki seemed to have seen him as she was walking decidedly in his direction. Azeez dragged Lana behind a thick growth of creepers. There was a small hole in the wall and he just made it in time into it with Lana. He saw the silhouette of her pony and the girl herself but was well hidden.
Azeez tum aadmi ho ke pajama!! You are scared of your lady love so much?? Whole life you will be hiding out like this from the lady everytime you talk to a woman or work with someone? 🤔 You are AMK's right-hand man, remember? Act like a man!! 😡
It was a whole five minutes before he looked up. The coast was clear but the hole in the wall had actually opened into a narrow passage. As he walked a few steps further he could hear voices on the other side of the wall feebly yet clearly.
"I personally checked the papers and locked it in the safe. I can't believe it has gone missing. "
"Any newcomers here Kishanji?" came a sharp voice.
"Festival time VanRaj ji. One cannot be very discreet. But whoever took ot had to be very capable. "
"The Mansabdar is. But our Kunwarsa is more capable. He has his spy right in the Parnagarh Haveli snooping around right under his nose. We can get them back in no time. If you are assigned to play intermediate, i don't want a repetition of the debacle. As such KunwarSa is going to be highly displeased with you."
Kishan, the host swallowed hard. "I understand. If i may ask, if your spy is right within the Haveli why is the Mansabdar still alive?"
"Because the KunwarSa doesn't want him to die a martyr. He wants him defamed before he is killed. And there is no way he can recognize the black sheep who is close to our Kunwarsa."
