Dedicated to StrangerSight  , Tulsi107 and Suganthii

CHAPTER 8

March 1960. Shimla (Simla), Himachal Pradesh, India

I dozed fitfully during the night.

The rugged face with simmering eyes laughed at me and darted sharp arrows of anger and mockery. But I so mesmerised by their innate strength that I seem to lose myself in their brown depths. I unconsciously rub my arm where the brute had held me.

The bus suddenly rumbled and jostled me out of my silly dream.

I pinched myself hard and muttered to myself, "Sandy is a bad influence. Turn a deaf ear to her romantic tales of knights- in -shining -armour. Only ogres exist in real life".

The day had broken. The orange-hued sky contrasted with the verdant green mountains that rolled by. The crisp morning air carried the faint fragrance of the wild blossoms that grew along the slopes. I was excited. There was a strange fear of the unknown. But I had come so far and I had miles to go.

There was warm contented feeling in my heart. I felt that I was going home. I felt safe and confident of achieving my milestone. The road was tough but I was a fighter.

The bus finally entered Shimla around noon.

I looked out and was awe-struck. It was drizzling and I could see translucent droplets drips off the eaves of the English-style cottages on to the wild pink primroses dotting the town high up in the Himalayan foothills. Everything seemed so pristine. I had fallen in love with the quaint town.

The bus finally halted near the Mall.

I got down in a flurry of excitement and suddenly felt ravenously hungry.

The whiff of freshly baked bread in the chilly air was so tantalising.

I walked across to the the Wake and Bake café nearby. As I devoured the buttery masala crepes over a cup of steaming masala tea, I took time to look around.

The people seemed nice and helpful . I could see the windows of the ramblingly medieval Town Hall opposite ,the visible legacy of Shimla's colonial past. I took the directions to reach my office quarters and decided to walk and do some recce.

I was enchanted .

In the distance, the diminutive, narrow-gauge train completed in 1891 still chugged in from the plains below .I walked along the Mall, a charming, pedestrianized shopping area dotted with antiquarian bookshops, handloom shawl emporiums and the odd neon-lit shops.

I walked past the Gaiety Theatre, which had put some hoardings of an amateur play .I made a mental note to visit it as I was a drama buff. The regal Christ Church with its pale lemon facade overlooking the town came into view. I walked into its serene chamber and felt a sense of peace as if God was assuring me.

I was happy.

I walked past The General Post Office that was mock-Tudor with Gothic twiddles. Gorton Castle, built by a British official, was baronial and enlivened by Saracenic arches.

I finally reached the office building of the Tribune which had a stony façade and wide arches. The history of the beautiful city was reflected in the building. The expansive glass windows gave me a glimpse into the life inside the two-storied building. I could clearly see the staff meandering and going about their work.

I climbed up the stony steps and walked upto the reception and asked for Mr Shankaryan.

I gingerly knocked at the panelled door,

A deep voice asked me to enter.

I walked in and had no idea of the man I was going to meet.

Mr Shankarayan was a short man who had an affable air about him. He seemed wise and had a fatherly air about him.

As I entered, he surveyed me from head to toe as if to size me up.

I felt nervous under his penetrating gaze.

"So you are the Jasmine Singh about whom we have heard so much," he said.

I looked at him blankly and felt like a child in the kindergarten being reprimanded.

"Sarita has talked very highly about your credentials and intelligence. In fact, you are here because of her recommendation. I hope you will not let her down. I am a hard taskmaster and suffer no fools."

I nodded my head silently as beads of sweat trickled down my brow.

He said. "Sit down and don't be scared. I am not going to eat you up. You will stay in the office quarters upstairs and Sarita has entrusted me with your responsibility.

You will be an apprentice here. Now we are doing a research on the rich landlords of the Raj. We are trying to study their condition and life then and now. Sarita has told me about your family and lineage. You are the scion of one of the hoariest and venerated families of this area. They live under a shroud of deepest secrecy and will not let the paparazzi feature them.

You will go there under some cover and study their full lifestyle and condition and revert back. Can you do it? Will you be our mole and unmask your own family which you have been trying to find all your life.''

I was in a quandary. Was the man playing some sort of game with me or was he only trying to test me?

I pondered for a minute and said, "Sir, I have full faith in Sarita Madam. She trusts you and so do I.I know that she will not make me do anything unethical. I can understand your concern that I will be deceiving my family by working for you but I don't have a choice. I now that they will not accept me if I go directly to them. I have to plant myself there and find my place .And I will give you all the feedback. All is fair in love and war and it's my fight"

I looked at him straight in the eye.

"You are truly blue blooded. I can understand now why Sarita talks so highly of you. And I am sure that you will succeed. You are a determined young woman."

He then showed me an advertisment of an assistant accountant's job at an estate .

When I read the name Ranikhet Estate , my eyes misted.

"Yes, you will go there as an assistant accountant with my letter of recommendation. We know that you are pretty good at figures. And you will be selected as there are no other applicants. No one wants to work there as they are not easy people. You have to be on your toes all the time if you don't want to be fired. The longest time a person stayed there was eight hours and thirty minutes. They say that the old lady is an ogre and the people around leeches.

I am not scaring you but making you aware of what you are letting yourself in for."

I smiled at him and said," I am the ogress' grand-daughter. I will flick off the leeches and win her heart. I am ready, come what may!'"

"Good, then you rest now and tomorrow you leave for Ranikhet with all your papers and let them interview you."

I nodded and took his leave.

Tomorrow a new chapter was beginning in my life.

I was nervous but excited too.

I took out my father's photo and sought his blessings, "Daddy, I am going home".

With that, I fell into deep sleep dreaming of ogres, leeches and whispering cedars.

I got up early and dressed with care .I donned a traditional outfit that Sandy had given to me as I wanted to make suitable impression.

Seeing me dressed so, Mr Shankarayan paid me a compliment and wished me luck.

Ranikhet was one hour away from the main town.

As the jeep climbed up the winding road, the whispering cedars seemed to be welcoming me.

Every kilometre covered made me quiver in nervous anticipation. But when I felt my parents smiling from up, I smiled too.

"Granny, you will be meeting your match now.''

I smiled impishly to myself. Finally the jeep stopped and I found myself at the imposing wrought iron gates.