I tossed and turned the whole night. My conscience had reared its ugly head. I had kissed Inderavadhan in the heat of the moment. I had come here to reconcile with my family members. Gayatri was a part of my family. I could not hurt my sister. She would despise me if Inderavadhan broke his engagement to her.

I wondered what Ma Sahib would think of Inderavadhan's and my romantic entanglements. She would loathe me if I would upset the delicate balance of her family. I wanted Ma Sahib to forgive my parents. I did not want more slurs to be cast on my mother's name.

I had to set up some boundaries. I had to make it clear to Inderavadhan that I did not belong with him.

But he could not be mine and I could not be his.

I was feeling heartbroken.

I cried myself to sleep that night.

Morning dawned bright and clear and I was downcast.

There were shadows under my eyes and my heart was heavy.

I wanted to cry but no tears fell.

I pulled myself up wearily and drowned myself in my papers for today we had lot to do.

Inderavadhan had not come in yet.

Shanta came in bustling.

"Jasmine dear, what did you tell our Gayatri last night when you and Indu came in for she is bawling her eyes out an you also did not come down for breakfast. Ma Saheb sent me to check upon you. By the way, where were you last night. You look all pale. Are you fine? What happened ?" She asked with narrowed eyes.

I did not want to answer any questions and wanted to be left alone.

"Nothing happened. I had a headache and did not feel like eating and Inderavadhan and I are working our asses off as we are short of time. Inderavadhan had few matters to attend to and he could not give me time here So we discussed our problems as he drove and now please let me work. Gayatri should grow up and learn to trust the man she is going to marry." I said sharply.

Shanta looked at me questioningly but my angry look stopped her from quizzing me anymore.

I was confused at my own anger.

Who I was angry with, myself or Gayatri?

I gave myself a shake for I needed my wits with me today.

I sorted my papers and walked to Ma Saheb's room.

I knocked gently and her deep voice bade me to come in.

Her sharp eyes looked at me closely but she did not ask me anything.

I went and sat down at her feet as she sat on her rocking chair quietly.

"What is it, Jasmine?" She asked me.

I nodded my head and on an impulse put my head in her lap as two traitorous tears slid down my eyes.

A soft weathered hand wiped them off and she patted my head.

"When will you learn to keep your hair tidy? They look wild all the time. Get the comb and I shall braid it for you. Learn to look pretty. Girls your age doll themselves up. You are a tomboy. But I am pleased that you are not another Gayatri. I love my granddaughter. But she's a vain doll." She said with an amused smile.

I was all the more confounded. She did not seem angry about my nightly misadventures with Inderavadhan.

She braided my hair beautifully.

"See how pretty you look. I seem to like taming those wild locks of yours.'' She said.

I wanted to put my head in her lap and cry my eyes out.

Seeing my watery eyes, she gently said to me, "What is it, child? You can tell me."

I simply shook my head and said, "Ma Saheb, you are so kind to an orphan like me. I wish that I had someone like you to love and pamper me.''

She smiled and said, "You remind me of someone I was close to. And you are strong and free-spirited and talk to my cedars like me." Her eyes twinkled and she laughed merrily.

I smiled too and said "You lifted my blues, thank you for turning me into a swan. I came to ask for your permission to go to the town for I need to collect some books from my college. I shall take the bus and be back by evening .Inderavadhan is meeting me later there as he is meeting some new buyers and he is told me to come with him there. But he does not want anybody else to know about them."

"Inderavadhan has told me about me everything. You are doing a good job and I am proud of you. Go carefully." She said.

I nodded, touched her feet and walked out.

I felt lighter as if a weight had been lifted off my chest. I walked down the winding drive and the

clean ,crisp air refreshed my mind. The cedars were swaying merrily and I felt happy on seeing them .

All my troubles seem to blow away with their gentle sway and the rustling wind that blew through

them.

I walked to the bus stop and waited for the rickety bus to arrive.

If I was being followed, they will only see me catching a bus for the town and Inderavadhan and I

had deliberately avoided crossing each other's paths in the morning.

The bus was full but I squeezed in .I took care to observe the people boarding along with me.

I was a bit uneasy . A man had boarded the bus along with me and he was eying me strangely.

I nervously fingered the knife in my purse.

I kept a surreptitious watch on the man who had a grotesque scar etched on his face and scary tattoos

on his forearm. He appeared to be some sort of goon.

It was a tiresome journey.

I wished I had come with Inderavadhan.

Thinking of him made me feel heavy –hearted.

Why did I think of him all the time?

What was wrong with me?

Suddenly the bus jerked to a stop and I stood up.

I got down and saw that man also alighting behind me.

I had to play it cool and not let know that I knew that he was tailing me .

The hide and seek game will have to be played deftly.

I walked on nonchalantly and pretended to browse through roadside stalls and do window shopping.

But he was following me persistently .I took care to walk along the crowded roads and avoided the

short-cut. I finally reached the college gates and walked inside to safety.

He would not be able to enter inside. I saw him taking guard outside the gate.

I smiled to myself and said. "Mr Tattoo.keep standing there for the rest of the day for I am off'".

I walked to the south end of the campus and sneaked out from the emergency exit.

I hastily sat in a rickshaw and headed to the Commercial Market where Inderavadhan was supposed to

meet me .

After assuring myself that I was no longer being followed, I walked to the café where we had planned

to meet.

Inderavadhan was already there and I heaved a sigh of relief seeing him.

"What took you so long? I was getting worried." He said.

I sat down and gulped two glasses of water in quick succession.

"Someone has been tailing me since I boarded the bus. But I made him go on a merry –go-round

chase all over the city and he is dutifully keeping a vigil outside my college gates." I said to him

airily.

He smiled .

"Are you sure that no one followed you here?" I asked him.

"Yes, for I am at the estate mulling over some papers for everyone there." He answered arrogantly.

"Show me the list Jas-monkey!" He said with a smirk.

"I am not a monkey!" I swatted him.

"Here is the list. There are fourteen vendors on this list. Out of the thirty-five vendors, I have selected fourteen of them with whom we have had good business relations. I'll take seven and you take seven." I said tearing the list into two halves.

"That's a very sound suggestion Jazzopaedia! I'll meet you as soon as I convince these good men to make an investment in our business." He said arrogantly.

"I'll never be able to cure you of your arrogance, Indu!" I wailed in protest and stomped my foot.

I frowned at him and went to meet the first man on the list.

I was a woman on a mission. I decided to meet Shyam Seth, the first man on my list.

I headed towards his shop. He was sitting there manning the stall.

"Hello! Mr Seth, I am Jasmine Singh from Ranikhet estate. From our past records, I have discovered that you had business relations with Mr Pratap Singh. You used to buy the produce from him. I was wondering whether you would like to resume the partnership with Mr Inderavadhan Singh Deo, the new manager of the estate. I assure you that our crops are of the highest quality."

"Go away girl! I do not want to buy anything from your estate after what that Surya did!" He said.

His face had turned red with anger.

I walked away from his shop in anguish. I visited five other traders. But they all showed me the door.

I had lost all hope of succeeding. A tear slipped down my cheek.

How was I going to make my father's legacy flourish?

"Oye! Why are you crying kudiye?" A very jolly voice asked.

I wiped the tears off my face.

I looked up to meet the eyes of a very bubbly man.

"Hello! How can I help this beautiful princess? You look very familiar. Have me met before?" He queried.

"No Sir! We have never met each other before. My name is Jasmine Singh. I hail from Delhi." I said beaming at the happy man.

"Jasmine Singh? Now, where have I heard this name before?" He wondered.

"Sir, I am working as an assistant to the estate manager of Ranikhet, Inderavadhan Singh Deo." I said trying to help solve his quandary.

His eyes lit up with excitement.

"You are Jasmine Maria Singh! My Pratap and Rosie's little doll. He had told me about his little angel in his letters. I can't believe my stars! I am meeting my best friend's daughter for the first time. You look like Rosie's doppelganger! It's a pity that he is not here to see you. I know what calamity had befallen your family, my child. He would be proud of you. Let's go meet that old tigress. I am happy that she has forgiven Pratap and has taken you in." He said jovially.

"Sir, I am happy to learn that you had known my father. But nobody here knows that I am Pratap and Rosalie Singh's daughter. Ma Sahib has not forgiven my mother. Her name is a taboo in that house! Surya Uncle has ruined my father's legacy. Inderavadhan and I are trying to remedy the damage that Uncle Surya has inflicted. No trader is ready to buy our produce. They all blame him for all losses that they have suffered. I have only one name left on our list. Gurdial Singh is my only hope now. But I think my plan has backfired! How will I save my family's estate?" I wept profusely in front of the kind man.

"Oh kudiye! I know Gurdial. He will certainly help you!" He said.

"But all the others have turned me away. I think this last trader will refuse too!" I wailed.

"He won't kudiye! Why would I not help the child of my friend? I am Gurdial!" He said.

"Uncle you are an angel in disguise!" I hugged the man.

"All the other men will help you too. They were all fond of Pratap. They despise Suryavadhan. When Pratap left Ranikhet, Surya had been named the estate manager. All the traders had been taken for a ride. Their money had been swindled by that lout. Before Pratap had left, the traders had made the payments to him. They had been awaiting the delivery of the produce after Pratap left with Rosalie. But Surya refused to make the delivery on the grounds that no payments had been made. When the traders went to the Union to lodge a complaint against Surya, they were met with resistance. The Union ruled in Surya's favour. That lout had bribed the officials of the Union. The families of the traders had starved that year." He explained.

"They must hate my father. If he had not left them, they would have earned significant margins."

"They can never hate that kind man Jasmine. Now, let me fetch my fellow traders. I shall speak to them and explain the situation." Gurdial said.

We walked to the market square.

"Shyam! Lakshman! Ram! Jaswinder! Anand! Rupesh! Come out!" He called.

All the men left their stalls and came out to meet us.

"This is that girl from Ranikhet! Don't do business with them, Gurdial. You know what that lout did!" Shyam said angrily.

"Shyam, calm down! Don't you find this girl familiar to a certain blue eyed beauty? This girl is Jasmine Maria Singh. She is Pratap and Rosalie's daughter. That man had never cheated us. It was his brother that had ruined our businesses. Jasmine and Inderavadhan are trying to turn things around. They want to catch Surya. I propose that we enter into an agreement with them and help them!" He said.

"She is Pratap's daughter? I owe that man a lot. He had lent me money at no rate of interest to pay for my son's education. I will support this girl." Anand said resolutely.

All the other men followed his lead.

"Thank you! I shall forever be indebted to you all. I promise you that our crops will be of the highest quality! But I have a request. Nobody at Ranikhet knows that I am Pratap Singhs' daughter. I want all of you to keep my identity under wraps."

"What should be wrapped Jas-monkey? Should I wrap you in my arms? Are you in need of one of my special hugs?" Inderavadhan drawled.

"Inder! Don't call me Jas-monkey!" I glowered.

"I see that your beauty has attracted these men like bees to a pot of honey!" He smirked.

"Tell me, you arrogant fool that did you find any buyers?" I asked him.

His face fell.

"No! I did not find anyone. Surya has his claws deep everywhere. Every one of those men turned me away." He muttered sadly.

"I have entered into an agreement with all of the wholesalers on my list because of this fine gentleman, Gurdial Singh. He was Pratap Uncle's friend. He has convinced his acquaintances to buy from us!"

"Oye munde! I am Gurdial. All of us have agreed to buy your produce. We will set up an appointment with you to come and inspect the harvest before we make the payments. I will contact you!" Gurdial thumped Inderavadhan on this back.

"Don't worry Jasmine! Your secret is safe with us. We will not let anyone know of your secret and our agreement." He whispered into my ear.

"Monkey! It's time to go home!" Inderavadhan hollered.

I paid my respects and happily took his leave and walked towards Inderavadhan's jeep.

Ranikhet was slowly feeling like home to me. There was a fluttery feeling in my belly.

I fell asleep during the journey home.

"Jasmine! Wake up! We're home" Inderavadhan said softly.

I got down from the jeep and hugged him.

"We did it! I can't wait to tell Ma Sahib!" I said happily.

"She'll be proud of us!" He said and pressed a kiss on the crown of my head.

"Jasmine, I want to tell you that...." He was cut off by a deep baritone voice.

"Colonel Ranaut was right! Indeed, you are my Rosalie's child."