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

I turned around as I heard a familiar and a deep baritone voice in the air.

I saw a wizened old man with silvery grey hair and twinkling blue eyes standing on the porch. His ivory complexion seemed like mine and his regal stance made him look intimidating. His immaculate suit and shiny shoes added grace to his years.

I studied him closely as he did the same. His cerulean eyes drew me in for they were the same hue of blue that greeted me in the mirror every morning.

"Sir, may I know who you are?" Inderavadhan asked the old man gentleman politely.

"I am Colonel Gregory Watson and I am here to meet this young lady standing beside you. She's my long lost granddaughter." He said primly.

"Grandfather?" I whispered.

Inderavadhan looked gobsmacked.

"Jasmine, do you know him? I..." I ignored him and ran to hug my grandfather.

I hugged him tightly.

"It is so nice to finally meet you! I have your eyes. I can't believe that you are here in the flesh!" I said and sobbed on his shoulder.

"I think I should call Ma Sahib. Sir, please come inside." I heard Inderavadhan mutter.

"Let me have a look at you young lady." He said authoritatively.

Unwillingly, I detached myself from him and stood in front of him.

He examined me from head to toe.

"You look as beautiful as my Rosalie. You have the same piercing blue eyes, ivory complexion and build as her. When I look at you, I see my daughter. Let us seat ourselves inside and have a talk." He said.

Tears were marring my vision. He gently gripped my hand and led me inside.

I could not fathom that I had just met my grandfather. As a little child, I had dreamt of the day I would reconcile with my family. As I walked inside, reality struck me. Nobody here knew who I was. I vowed to myself that I would reconcile my estranged family members. I steeled myself as I entered the visiting room of Vaikunth Niwas.

"Jasmine, Ranaut told me that you have come to Ranikhet for an internship of sorts. Why would you come to a backwater to work? Delhi is teeming with opportunities. I was livid when I learnt that you had run away to Shimla without informing me or Ranaut. Did you know that your mother and I were settled in this area during the 1940s? Your father was from this region. My little girl fell in love with him. At first, I could not forgive her for falling in love with an Indian boy. In my eyes, he was a lowly peasant. In a fit of anger, I disowned her. I should have forgiven my daughter. I still blame that boy for ruining my daughter's life. If not for him, she would have been alive and married to an aristocratic Englishman." He fumed.

"It's a pleasure meeting you Mr Watson after all these years." A soft voice said.

I turned around and clashed with the penetrating eyes of Ma Sahib. She wore a nonchalant expression and I could not discern what was going on in her mind. She looked calm and serene on the top. She was flanked by Inderavadhan and Suryavadhan and Kokila trailed behind them.

"Leave us alone!" Inderavadhan called out to the retinue of servants around.

"Mr Watson, I could use the same words for my boy. Had your daughter not bewitched my son with her charms, he would have been married to a cultured Indian girl and still be living with me! But your daughter stole away my son and I will never forgive her for that." She retorted.

"Are you trying to insinuate that my daughter was not cultured? She was the belle of the town and known for her refined demeanour. My daughter was the epitome of perfection. Many proposals of marriage came her way but she made the mistake of falling for your son and paid it with her life!" He roared.

"I lost my son too! My son worshipped the ground that I walked on and he left me for your daughter because he loved her more. I did not forgive him for that and disowned him! " She cried at the top of her voice. There were tears in her eyes. She sat down tremulously.

"I can't take it anymore. Both of you have been griping about how you lost your children Did you wonder about the child of your children? They were my parents. I lost them too. I blame both of you for their deaths. Had you accepted them, they would have been alive and I would not have been unloved and abandoned! I would have grown up with my family! If you don't mend your ways and forgive my parents, I shall disown both of you!" I fumed.

I was red in face.

"Jasmine, I believe that you are right. If I can forgive my daughter, then for your sake, I can forgive your father too. I don't want to lose again the only memory of my daughter. Forgive this old man!" He collapsed into the sofa.

"Ma Sahib will never forgive that English harlot who had bewitched my older brother. So Jasmine, you should leave us in peace! You are a living-breathing reminder of the woman who tore apart our family!" Suryavadhan said with a glint in his eye.

"My husband is right! You are a harlot just like your mother. You have bewitched my daughter's fiancée. I have made note of all those coy smiles that you keep on sending Inderavadhan's way. You say that you want to reconcile with us. Did you ever think of Gayatri? My little girl is heartbroken!" Kokila chimed in.

Gayatri let out a huge sob to perpetuate her mother's thoughts.

"You are not a sister! You are a snake! You have taken Inder away from me!" She said crying piteously.

"Shut up Gayatri! You will never grow up!" He muttered angrily.

I marched up to Suryavadhan and glared at him.

"How dare you insult my mother! People in glass houses should never throw stones at others. Every child on the estate knows why the Chotta Sahib goes to the town every weekend. Do you want me to open my mouth, Uncle?" I taunted him.

"And Kokila Aunty", I said silkily, "I can call you Aunty now. I have not stolen anybody's fiancée and don't blame for the shortcomings of your frivolous daughter!"

"I can't believe you lot! I have just tried to make peace with you people. But instead of reciprocating the gesture Mrs Singh, your wayward son goes ahead and insults my daughter and granddaughter! If this is the 'warm' reception that my granddaughter is going to get, I will take her to London with me and you all will never hear from her again!" He threatened.

"Mr Watson, I want to remind you of something. The girl whom you call your granddaughter is also mine. She is my blood and my brood." Ma Sahib said calmly.

"Jasmine has been staying here of her own volition. If she wants to leave us, she's welcome to do so."

I stared at Ma Sahib dumbfounded. I wondered what she wanted me to do.

Should I leave and never come back?

Or should I stay and revive my father's legacy?

I chose the latter. It seemed to me that my life had come full circle.

"Ma Sahib, I will stay here until the harvest season. I have come here to do a job and I am my father's daughter. I never leave any loose ends."

Ma Sahib nodded her acceptance and she looked at Inderavadhan for his assent.

He gave an imperceptible nod.

"I am willing to work with you until we complete the job at hand. After that, you are free to go." He said gruffly.

I discerned some anger in his voice.

"Good riddance! You'll be gone in two weeks!" Gayatri chirped happily.

Inderavadhan glared at her. She hid behind her mother's rotund frame.

Grandfather nodded at Ma Sahib and walked out.

I followed him outside.

"You are a brave child and I'm proud of you. You are your parent's daughter. I shall stay in Shimla until you are done with this job and then we will go back to London. If you need help, just contact me The Tribune's office in Shimla." He said.

"Grandfather, I have always dreamt of meeting my family. Today, that dream came true. I am officially my parent's daughter now. Thank you for coming here. I was tired of playing this charade and hiding my true identity. I love you but I'll not be accompanying you to London because this is my home." I said.

He hugged me and there were tears in his eyes.

"What will you do with your place if you leave from here?" He asked me.

I smiled at him and said, "Do you think I shall leave the estate? It belongs to me. I am not going to relinquish my birth right!"

He nodded and patted me.

I waved him goodbye.

I walked back to the house and was greeted at the door by Inderavadhan's furious gaze that seared through my insides.

I gulped.