Sometime earlier
Kuki was speeding towards the town that Afzal had mentioned. Her little pony carried her as fast as it could but got exhausted by the time it reached the outskirts. She had to give it some rest and food. There was a temple ahead with lots of greenery around. Kuki decided to take a short break. There was a lush green wild patch on the farther end of the temple.
She tied her pony to a tree there and walked towards the temple.
The temple had quite a considerable number of visitors inspite of its being on the outskirts. Offering her prayers, Kuki turned to leave when she remembered the time her Shah Sahib had accompanied her to Ambe Ma temple in Parnagarh. Though he was unaccustomed to the practices, he had been very understanding and patient. She remembered the various occasions he had been such a sweetheart - making laddus and nimbupaani for her, taking her out on boatrides and teaching her to ride on Naaz and gifting her a special ladder cum chair for her to help her mount it.
Her eyes clouded and she felt upset at herself for her rashness in rushing out to check out on him. He was working for the Mansabdar and would have to follow orders if asked to work with the farmhouse Sahiba. But why did he have to hide it from her - nagged a little voice in her. Maybe he had reasons. Reasons that he would explain when he came back. She had to trust him. And wait. He was at work afterall.
Kuki thanked KaliMa for giving her clarity. Since it was an unexpected visit she hadn't brought any offerings. Looking around Kuki saw hibiscus flowers at some distance from the temple around and above some rocks. She would offer them to KaliMa and turn back and go home.
The rocks were rugged but Kuki was determined. She mounted them and was plucking the flowers when she heard voices on the other side of the rocks. Was it her Sahib's? Oh! She was hearing him everywhere! Why would he be here! He would be at work. And then the dulcet tones of a woman. And then some singing together. Unable to contain herself anymore Kuki peeped over the rocks and froze at the sight of what she saw.
Her Sahib and the peanut farm lady alone, laughing happily singing songs and talking in soft tones!
At the Parnagarh Haveli
Ibrahim Mirza was worried. This cannot be a lone incident. A few days back, Mustafa who was on guard outside the Mansabdar's rooms too had mentioned feeling dizzy for a while. But he had recovered soon enough by himself. And then the papers went missing necessitating the latest mission. Could it have been the flowers then too? He had to ask Mustafa if he had smelt any flowers adorning the passage to the rooms. In fact Ibrahim had inspected for anything suspicious when Mustafa, an otherwise healthy and sturdy fellow had informed him of an unexpected short spell of dizziness. But never thought of the flowers. Flowers came from the haveli gardens only...no no...some special varieties also came from a flower farm. He made a mental note to inquire Mustafa and also ask Gauri for details of the flower farm. And if such flowers were decorated in and outside the Mansabdar's rooms. Even Heera Sahiba had mentioned that the zergul flowers from the stable were not from the haveli gardens.
The Mansabdar was due to return that evening and he had to be ready with verified details.
While Afzal standing next to him planned to slip out of the haveli after work and check out the zerguls outside his Kuki didi's house.
Later that evening
Jaswant slowly sipped the drink he had bought from the food stall. The skies were assuming a deep shade of red that slowly dissolved into gray. The winds were louder than usual. The stall was best suited to him. Not only was it a little out of the way from the hustle of the regular bazaars, but the owner was a garrulous old man Bajrang who had been a resident of Parnagarh ever since he remembered. Also the food especially the drinks, was good.
It had been a week since he had come to Parnagarh. He had been at the haveli for the last two days and in disguise at an inn for the first five. This stall had been his favorite haunt since then. It was dimly lit and the visitors were not the busy alert types but the tired weary ones who halted at the place after work on their way home or in the middle of a journey. He could remain obstrusive here and see and hear others without being seen or heard himself.
At the haveli, he had figured out that the rooms under constant vigilence and protection, apart from that of the Mansabdar and his Begum Sahiba were three in number. Two of them opened into a library like office, and right now Ibrahim Mirza had the keys to both and never left them open. He had to find a way in...
What was that?
He thought he saw Ibrahim Mirza walk surreptitiously behind a faroff tree. Sunlight had already receded but it wasn't completely dark as yet. He lifted the torch from the stall and looked intently.
There was no sound. Not even a hustle.
He quietly paid for the drink and followed the direction he thought he saw him go. He spotted Mirza again and he seemed to follow someone else. Mirza paused as though he heard something and turned back. Jaswant quickly hid himself behind a tree. When he peeped again he saw Mirza hiding behind some bushes and watching the silhouette of what seemed a skinny teen boy outside a house.
The house...yes, it was the same outside which he met the flowerfarm girl yesterday.
The just settling dusk showed the boy walking towards the gardens, looking at some flowers and coming back to knock the door of the house not realizing that he was watched not just by one but two men.
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