The girl was unconscious, as Suresh helped Anirudh get her inside the car. Bondita sat behind, letting the girl rest her head on her lap, while the two men sat infront.

" Take a right turn Barrister Roychowdhury, straight." Suresh gestured his hand guiding Anirudh with the path.

"So, you are sure, the girl will be treated properly in the camp?" Bondita asked raising her voice a little loud.

"Probably, not as properly as you were treated by our kind Barrister here, but she'll live." Suresh sniggered.

Both Anirudh and Bondita were clearly annoyed at this direct sardonic remarks, but both preferred to be quiet, keeping the priorities in mind. Suresh was a local doctor, familer with the norms and ways of local medical system. His help would really be indispensable.

Accordingly to Suresh, he and his fellow team of doctors run a local medical camp a little away from the main town, where they treat poor women and children abandoned by their families. The camp runs from the charity money that the local aristocrats such as Kshitija's family donates. Suresh hailed from a lower middle class Brahmin family from Chittagong. He had completed his degree from the Medical college in Mumbai. Although, he wanted to pursue his studies further, but couldn't due to monetary restraints. Later, he was posted in Dehradun where he had made good acquaintance with Ranger Sinha and his family. About, two years ago, on Kshitija's 18th birthday, Ranger Sinha had officially announced his engagement with his daughter, entitling him to half of his estate shares.
Suresh never liked Kshitija much. Of all things, it was her superficiality that had repulsed him the most. But the match was too good for him to refuse.

It was a thirty minutes drive as they finally reached the medical camp site. Suresh carried the unconscious girl in his arms inside the camp. Anirudh and Bondita followed.
It was not a spacious one. A simple 3 roomed house with modest dorm beds and a tin sheet for a roof. Three women, dressed in simple white sarees were working around tending to the patients. Suresh had laid the girl on an empty bed as one of the women immediately started to dress her wounds.

"She will live Barrister Roy Chowdhury." Suresh looked up to face Anirudh and sighed. " The problem would be after she lives."

"I'll take care of it. Just make sure she recovers. And yes the expenses." Anirudh took out his wallet and handed Suresh a bunch of notes.
He thanked Anirudh and assured about the treatment of the girl.

Bondita came out of one of the rooms with distress clearly written all over her face. She looked at Anirudh and spoke in a low strained voice.

"Barrister Babu, we need to do something for them."
Before Anirudh could respond, Suresh intervened.

"Your Barrister Babu is already doing something my dear Madam, starting with marrying this poor girl. " He chuckled hard looking at Bondita while his fingers pointed towards the unconscious girl lying in the bed.

"Dr. Suresh, I appreciate your efforts. But may I know the reason what abhors you so much?" Anirudh questioned calmed.

"Abhors... You?... My my... You are everything opposite to abhorrence my dear sir. It's just that your kind repulses me." Suresh said.

"My kind?"

"Yes... 'The rich landlord who can buy anything they want' kind, to be precise." He looked at Bondita in disgust and chewed his words, " even love!"

.....................

Bondita was silent the entire way back to the Banglow. She was clearly vexed at the way Suresh had spoken to Anirudh, but what crossed her more was Anirudh's silence.

It was in the evening that Anirudh finally got to see Bondita standing by the railing of their Banglow. The worn out sun was about to set and the last rays painted a strange melancholy on Bondita's beautiful silhouette.
Anirudh came closer. He held her by her shoulders and turned her around to face him. He lifted her chin up as he spoke.

"Bondita, are you alright?" Anirudh finally broke the silence and asked her lovingly.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Bondita blurted out.

"Say what?" He asked politely.

"He clearly insulted you, without a reason. Why did you let him,ll Barrister Babu?" Bondita's eyes teared up recalling Suresh's words.

Anirudh took a deep breath. He kissed Bondita's forehead and spoke gently.

" Suresh is not a bad person Bondita. It's just that his ideologies are different. I'm guessing he had a difficult childhood which has resulted him growing a deep resentment towards all those whom he calls 'previledged'."

"But you should have atleast..." Bondita objected.

" Tigress, I have taught you that this world is a battlefield and you always need to be prepared." He paused,
"But you need to choose your battles carefully. Not all are worth fighting."

He put his arms around her waist and pulled her closer. Bondita wiggled in his embrace to free herself. Anirudh bent down to reach her lips. He planted a soft kiss on her lips and whispered,
"For example, this battle is not worth fighting tigress."
He gripped her even tighter before plunging his lips onto hers.

The sun had already set, painting the western sky in a darker shade of orange. Anirudh and Bondita stayed still, unwary of the whole world, as their tongues danced in the rhythm of untamed passion.