Hey everyone, here's the new chapter. I've been trying to write this one since a few days and wasn't very satisfied with the outcome. But as someone said " if I waited for perfection, I'd never write a single word", so here we are. Kindly vote and comment. Waiting for your reviews and positive criticism.

Also I realised the feedback has quite reduced after the leap. If that is so, I'd request you to give it a chance once. I'm quite certain you won't be disapointed.

Anirudhh shifted on his feet as he didn't feel so triumphant now, unable to do anything to get them out of the jail since three hours. The cops denied them any phone call despite the rules and being Indians didn't help much.

Bondita huffed for the seventh time and slumped on the bench nearby him finally giving her to and fro mid-of-the-day walk.

"Have patience! I'm thinking." Anirudh sighed.

"I utterly believe you." She deadpanned. The sarcasm was very obvious but he didn't bother it. " If today's day is gone, we won't be able to come out for next two days. I wonder what kind of bland food they serve."

Anirudh rolled his eyes as her concern shifted towards more important things. Note the sarcasm.

Although there was an unexplainable fuzzy feeling in his heart trying to bubble out of him due to her presence after an eternity but the jail was obviously not the place to be happy about. They had to come out before things went downhill.

" Pati babu! I've an idea."

"No Bondita."

"Atleast listen to me--"

"I said no."

"That's the only option--"

"N-"

"If it doesn't work, I would agree with everything you say."

Anirudhh looked at her. How he wished she would remove her goggles and that stupid hat. Her hair wasn't visible too. But he was too stubborn to make such requests.

"Sure?" He asked.

"Yes."

"It shouldn't be dangerous."

"It's not."

"Nor stupid."

"You think so low of me." She huffed.

"We ought to remain incognito."

"Ohho, pati babu! Trust me."

" Raiiiighhhttt! " He drawled.

She smiled with a mirth. Anirudh had a creeping feeling that this wasn't going to be a good idea but he had no other option than to try.

Anirudhh knew this was a bad idea, why did he bother even?

" Somebody please help! Oh my god! What happened to this lady?" Anirudh screeched as Bondita laid down on the dirty floor much to his disgust but tried to control nose from wrinkling while Bondita was unfazed with her eyes closed. The only struggle she was facing was her bubbling laughter she was trying hard to stifle. They waited till the lunch break for their plan to take place with only one officer and a sergeant remaining to guard them.

As he heard his voice the cop frowned. "What happened? What games you playing at?"

"We ain't playing any game sir. But this lady here seems pale and sick. I think she is in trouble." Anirudhh pointed at Bondita.

"She will be fine soon. Women ought to faint now and then. No big deal." The officer dismissed him.

" What if... what if something happens to her in your custody? As the protector of law, you might be knowing it could land you up in trouble." Anirudhh made a point.

The cop rubbed his chin in thought with his index finger and nodded. " Fine. Sergeant! Call some quack or a cheap medic." The sergeant saluted and went to do the task at hand.

As the sergeant walked out, only the cop was left.

"Sir, it's taking too long. Can you provide some water? Maybe we might not even need the doctor then? " Anirudh prodded after a few minutes.

The cop nodded reluctantly and picked up a canister to give him. As he forwarded his hand, he realised the canister was quite big to pass through rails. He groaned. "No over smartness boy or you don't want to know what kind of tortures I've learned in my thirry years of job." He warned Anirudh. .

" I wouldn't dare, sir." Anirudh raised his arms in surrender.

The officer drew the keys from his belt and opened the iron gate. As he neared Bondita, he crouched on the ground and eyed her gingerly.

Noblewoman or not, she really was a piece.

He opened the bottle slowly taking his own time, raking her body with his lustful eyes. Anirudhh was having a hard time controlling his hands from attacking this man. Even he knew he couldn't beat this physically endowed cop.

"You stand in that corner." He said to Anirudhh. Anirudh complied reluctantly.

The cop slightly hovered over her figure and forwarded his hand to open her lips so that he could make her drink water, although he was more interested in feeling the texture of her lips. Anirudh's patience was at brink of breaking. Strong or not, if he dared touch her, he won't hesitate from breaking his jaw or crushing his already broken nose. He was ready to pounce on him when Bondita opened her left eye sneakily and smirked , taking the cop off guard and then the next moment, her pointed parasol met with his crotch in full force. The cop howled in pain grabbing his crotch and the canister fell on the floor from his hand spilling the water.

Taking the chance, Anirudh pulled her up from the floor in a swift motion and pushed the man who was trying to get up so he fell again in the middle of the prison. They ran to the opened door and Anirudhh grabbed the keys stuck in the unlocked lock from the latch, when Bondita ran inside the prison again, to his utmost horror.

"Bondita! No!" He tried to catch her but she ran swiftly to the cop and kicked in his side with her pointed belly shoe , making him cry out more in pain.

Finally these belly shoes could hurt someone other than her feet! How dare he arrest my Pati babu!

The cop caught her foot , making her fall on the ground. In an attempt to snatch her foot back as she scrambled up, the belly shoe came off in his hand.

Wow! What a Cinderella moment!

Anirudh rushed in time and pulled her on her feet before kicking the man in the face with his boot. Before the cop could gain his composure they both ran outside the prison and locked the gate hurriedly. Anirudh didn't forget to pick her passport from the table before they ran outside the police station without looking back.

Bondita kicked away her another shoe as she staggered in running because of only one shoe. The ice cold floor of the port bit her socks covered feet mercilessly but she kept running as Anirudh didn't give her option to stop as his hand held hers tightly.

"Pati babu! Wait! My luggage!" She saw the same porter she had hired and ran towards him. The porter took them to the 'lost and found' section and kept her luggage on the carriage they had hailed on the snow-cleared road. She thanked him earnestly and when he sketched a bow, she reciprocated him again by a chaste bow, making him go wide-eyed and scrurrying away hastily. Anirudh facepalmed at her behaviour.

Some noblewoman she was! Bowing like men!

As they came out of the port, she hesitated to cross the snow-laden side of the road to reach the carriage which was on the other side of the road. When Anirudh looked at her quizzically, he realised that she was shivering and shifting from one foot to another.

"Pati babu! It's so cold." She breathed.

Anirudh looked here and there for some salvage but found none.

"Why don't you lift me and take me to the English bullock cart? "

" That's carriage, Bondita."

" Same same different different." She rolled her eyes.

She noticed Anirudh didn't answer her question and was looking everywhere but her.

"Hurry up! I'm freezing." She breathed shivering.

"Do one thing. Wear my shoes!" He started opening his boots when she stopped him.

"No! I can't. Then you'll feel cold."

"I won't. Just take them. I'll run and come."

"No pati babu. You'll catch cold. Wait, I'll think something. " She looked here and there and then suddenly her eyes shone. Anirudh looked in her line of view and shook his head.

"No! Not at all."

"Yes. Yes . Yes." She jumped.

"Ughhh!"

Bondita looked up at Anirudhh and grinned as he pushed the iron cart used to carry luggage on the snowy road with her sitting in it. The wheels dug in the snow as they stepped on the road and Anirudh pushed the cart harder towards the road.

"Am I too heavy pati babu?" She asked him innocently.

"Noh!" He panted. " Not at all." He spoke with gritted teeth.

"Didn't you always say it's good to do some exercise in cold mornings? It heats up the body, you know."

" Raiiiighhhttt!" He rolled his eyes. "Uhhh! Finally! We've reached." He left the cart and blew air on his palms which had become red by pushing the cart hard.

He opened the carriage door and entered the cart. As he forwarded his hand for her to hold and jump up, he suddenly realised how her hand has grown in his, now no more smaller like a child's, but slender , thin fingers like a woman in making.

He pulled her up on the carriage before closing the gate and then scooted to the window side.

"Let me sit towards the window."

"Bondita, it's chilly outside. The cold wind will blow from there."

"No, I want window side."

"Bondita, first sit down."

" No, I'll sit only on the window sai--oooh!" The carriage moved with a jerk making her fall on his lap and when she looked up and craned her neck to see him, her hat fell backwards and her goggles came down on her nose revealing her eyes. Her long hair opened from under the hat and streamed down on her back like a black shiny cascade.

Their eyes locked and they forgot to blink. Did he ever notice in all those years back, how beautiful her eyes were. Almond shaped, like that of an innocent child but so mischievous at the same time. Her eyss held his in tight grasp as if daring him to look away and face the consequences. He could feel himself drowning in them. It was like seeping in warm waters, being sucked in like a vacuum and the strange part was that he himself didn't want to come out. He wanted to stay there, swivel in there and enjoy the fuzzy feeling brimming his heart.

Dark, curly eyelashes around her pretty eyes, fanned against her cheeks making her look seraphic and her cheeks held a rosy tint. Was it because of blushing or the cold outside was a mystery to him.

Anirudh gulped at her lips parted in fast breaths. They were plump, pink and looked tantalizing. The cool wind blew her hair making them swivel on her face. Apparently, his eyes didn't like this disturbance and his hands instinctively came up to her face to brush them away so that he could take a good look at her pristine face.

Her eyes closed in response as his cold fingers brushed on her heated cheeks and a cold shiver ran down her spine. This was most definitely the cold weather. Isn't it?

But then why were her cheeks burning in shyness as if a furnace was smoldering in them. Her heart was thrumming wildly and she took shallow breaths.

The carriage jolted once more breaking their daze and he instinctively held her arms to protect her from the impact. Her hands grasped the sides of his greatcoat. He cleared his throat and she gently scooted away from the window towards the door seat.

Probably the window side was not that a good idea. She had started feeling wierd. Probably it's the cold taking toll on her already.

She could still view her outside surroundings from Anirudh's side. The cold snowflakes had started falling now. The far off sight was still inconspicuous owing to the thick fog.

"Oh my god!" She jumped suddenly startling Anirudh who was still in a daze looking at his intersting shoes. "Pati babu! Look out, there is snowfall. Like real snow. Can you imagine? Real snow! Cold and soft. Just like we saw in our geography book. Haina?" Bondita bent somewhat from her seat towards the window and stuck her hand out and collected a few in her gloved palm.

Anirudhh could smell a faint lavender smell wafting from her as she came close, towards the window to see outside.

Bondita's mouth opened in marvel as she saw the snow laden trees like inverted ice cream cones, with frosting on outside. Trees like oak, beech , ash and elm were profound and small shrubs called gorse lines the roadsides. The snow laden fences bordered the whole road. A few hut shaped houses were visible looking like a fairytale scene.

"Oh my god! Pati babu! Look! Look! A deer! And a rabbit too! No! There's two rabbits. They are so cute and fluffy. Pati babu, I want one. Chalak babu! Please stop, we want one rabbit, please."
She screamed once more for the driver to stop but to no effect.

"He won't stop Bondita. Stop shouting. And we aren't getting any silly pets for you."

"What? Why?" She jutted her lower lip out and looked at him with puppy eyes. "I want- no need a pet."

"No."

"Yes."

"And where will you keep it?"

" In my room."

" Pets are not allowed in hostel."

" Nobody would know."

" I said no."

Bondita's lips curved downwards in disappointment and she slumped back on her seat.

A strange pang felt in his chest as he saw a sad Bondita. Why is it that she has to be sad over such stupid things? As they stopped at their destination, she took in the huge hostel building. At the entrance was a big hall well-furnished and very clean. Plush sofas were giving it a classy view. A large desk was set up behind which she could see an old lady with rimmed spectacles till her nose. Her face was sketched into a frown as she scribbled on something. As they neared the desk, Anirudh kept her belongings on the floor and asked her to sit on the sofa as her soaked socks were difficult to walk in.

Bondita complied , too awed in taking her surroundings. She sat on a sofa with her legs folded on it, thus soaking the sofa in the process.

Anirudhh heard a commotion around and reached at the site to see Bondita being scolded by a burly woman with a stick in her hand. Bondita looked anything but comfortable. Rather she was far from it. He could notice her legs shivering under her gown and her lips pursed to control her sobs. Her fists were grasping the sides of her gown tightly. He rushed to her and looked at the giant woman who was scowling at her.

"Pati babu!" As soon as Bondita saw him, she ran to him and hid behind him, clutching his greatcoat at his elbow and peaked from behind him. "Please save me. I did a big mistake. I'm sorry. I didn't notice. I won't do it again."

"What happened?" He said as he tried to look around for any mishap.

" See, what she did. I won't tolerate such trouble here." The burly woman who Anirudhh knew as the hostel warden pointed with her stick at the sofa which was soiled because of Bondita's dirty wet socks.

Anirudh looked back at Bondita who cowered away apologetically. He cleared his throat and tried to mellow down the situation. "Uhmm... She is new here--"

"So, she can dirty the place here?" Bondita flinched at the harsh tone.

"I apologise from her side, Miss Merrick. Kindly let it slide this time."

Miss Merrick eyed a peeking Bondita who hid again behind Anirudhh and then nodded curtly and walked away after saying "There is only one next time remember." He nodded back.

Anirudhh looked back at Bondita who looked extremely tensed. "It's okay. Don't worry so much. But take care okay. People are not very forgiving here."
Infact far from that.

Bondita calmed her racing heartbeat and then looked at him and nodded. He picked up the suitcase and walked towards her room.

"I've been allowed only today here, because we have to shift. After this I ain't be coming here. So, if you have any problem, talk to Miss Merrick."

" That dangerous woman! No no no.She looks like putna rakshasi." Anirudh shook his head in amusement.

Bondita and her analogies!

As he unlocked the room, she entered the room. The room was well furnished, painted with blue with white horizontal streaks on it. A single bed was placed at one side with a study table on the other. It was pretty decent but far from homely. The window opened towards outside. It was still snowing outside.

"Wow Pati babu! This is so pretty." She ran and touched everything. As she saw the dressing table, she shrieked in happiness as it had so many drawers, while Anirudhh checked the door for locks and bathroom for leakages if any to make sure everything is impeccable. "I'm so excited for tomorrow. You know Kakasasurji gave me a new saree to wear tomorrow. We'll go together to the university just like school times and then--"

"NOOOOO!" Anirudh said alarmed.

"Wha-why?"

"Uhh... I ... I mean....Bondita..."

"What happened?"

" Bo-Bondita. I...I mean we will leave for India after ten days. You can't stay here in London at any cost and that's final."

Bondita was feeling like this was a deja vu. The first time she wanted to go to school after marriage and he had behaved the same way. But today the hurt was more powerful , more intense and profound.

" Why? Why can't I stay here?" Her bottom lip quivered.

" Because I'm saying so."

" But why? I need a reason."

" I told you already in the letter. Looks like you didn't even bother to read it. People are not good here. I didn't know you have become so thickheaded that you won't get a simple thing and come running here. If I'm saying something, that means there is a valid reason behind it. I don't deem to be a person jesting around for fun. Do I?"

Bondita winced at his impolite worlds.
"People are different everywhere, pati babu. India is no less in harbouring bad people. And you survived here last three years, didn't you? Then why can't I? Moreover now you are here with me. What's better than that?"

" My stand is still the same. Don't unpack all your belongings. We will leave once I get my leave sanctioned. Stay here, eat, enjoy. After ten days, we'll leave for India."

" But---" Before she could protest, she heard him slamming the door and stomping out.

Bondita had a piece of her heart in London when she was in India in the form of Anirudh. The longing for him always pulled her towards London. But now that she was here, she realised he was no longer the same. She had been scolded by him many a times before but today his tone was unflinchingly brutal. Meant to hurt. Meant to demotivate.

He was not the Anirudhh she knew, who always believed in her and supported her. But some one completely different. Perhaps their exchange of those angry letters was the reason behind it. Or the fact that he really didn't want here.
She felt utterly undesirable, unwelcomed. But if he was thinking, she is going to back out of this because of him, he was absolutely wrong. It's true she came here partly for him, but not solely for him.

Her main aim was to become the best Barrister in India. Or probably the world. But for now India would do. There was no way she would let this dream be crushed under his feet. Husband or not, she was determined to fulfill her dreams.

There was nothing in this world that could stop her from becoming the best Barrister Babu. Not even him! Not without a fight atleast.

Bondita opened her trunk and take out all her belongings to organise them. This was going to be her new home for the next five years. Nothing could move her from here, not even him.