The car stopped at the driveway to the cottage as Kshitija came sprinting to greet them. Rishit followed.
"Bondita... my moon... my star... finally!" Kshitija hugged her as she welcomed them inside.
Rishit shook hands with Anirudh as they followed the trail of the two chirping ladies.

"I have read and heard a lot about you. It's great to have you here Sir." Rishit greeted Anirudh.

"Not Sir, I'm not knighted you see. " Anirudh winked.

Kshitija had planned an elaborate morning tea and Anirudh couldn't help but appreciate her extensive arrangements open heartedly.

"Lovely Elevenses Ms. Sinha. Delicious London buns... Reminded me of Chelsea Bun House." Anirudh remarked.

"Only for you Barrister Roy Chowdhury, or shall I say Anirudh Babu.." Kshitija extended a flirtatious smile at him.

"Whatever pleases you, Ms. Sinha." Anirudh laughed.

"What's an Elevances?" Bondita asked Anirudh innocently.

But before he could answer, Kshitija intervened.

"My dear silly girl, always the naive one.. Elevenses is the tea that we have in the morning." She laughed sarcastically.

"Ahh.. there.. Ms. Sinha, it's not 'We'. It's what the Britishers do. I'd still prefer a cold Aampanna in a Kulhar made by Bondita any day." He winked at Bondita playfully as he pointed his word to Kshitija.

"Whatever... But given a choice, I would choose patisseries over payesh any day" Kshitija blurted.

"And, you would also prefer the British to rule over us for another 100 years I guess." Bondita asked sharply.

"I studied in a convent and sang Long live the Queen every morning. I won't complaint." Kshitija shrugged.

"And I sang Vande Mataram to myself during those same assemblies." Bondita remarked.

Rishit, who was quietly sipping his tea and enjoying the banter, turned towards Bondita and said,
"Bondita Madam, let my sister be the fool that she is.. You are not naive, and that's what I... I mean, we like about you.. Your heart is truly rooted to the ground.. Now let's get to the pool table, shall we?" He proposed to the group.

"I'm not an expert in this English game Rishit Babu, but I'll watch."
Bondita quietly got up from her chair and walked towards the lawn where the pool table was placed.

" Barrister Roy Chowdhury, let's pair up and be a team." Kshitija held both of Anirudh's hands as she drew him out of the room.

The pool game started. It was evident from Kshitija's behaviour that she wanted to be close to Anirudh. She touched him casually on numerous occasions as Bondita stood there watching. To Bondita, it seemed that Anirudh didn't mind her ministrations at all. What crossed her more was when Anirudh followed Kshitija's request and mentored a shot standing behind her, guiding her with his expert touch.
Bondita couldn't take it anymore. Although, she had promised herself to not loose her composer at any cost, but this... this incensed her completely.

"Rishit Babu, will you accompany me outside, it's a little suffocating here." She addressed Rishit keeping her eyes on Anirudh.

"Surely, your wish is my command." Rishit bowed down extending his hand to Bondita.
Bondita looked at Anirudh, one glance, before holding Rishit's hand, and that one glance, was enough to paralyze him as he drop his cue stick on the table.

"It's indeed a little suffocating here." Anirudh spoke in a low voice eyeing Bondita's trail, "let's go outside, shall we."

Rishit and Kshitija were wonderful hosts. They persuaded their guests to stay over for lunch and more.

In a normal scenario, Anirudh would have avoided such social rendezvous. But, this was different. He was getting to spend time with his Bondita. She was smiling and talking without inhibitions, and that was enough for him to tolerate the unrestrained approaches from her friend Kshitija.
Anirudh had just kept his eyes on the prize!
But, the recent developments in the garden, where the group was strolling in the evening, left his mind demented.

Rishit had been ministering Bondita since morning. He even had the audacity of holding her hand as well. He had also tucked a stand of Bondita's hair when she got down for the hammock swing.
'How dare he..!' growled Anirudh inside.
In his mind, he had already killed Rishit a hundred times, but outside, his social senses kept him restrained with only a frail cord.

Amidst Kshitija's constant banter,
Anirudh overheard Rishit asking Bondita, " Now that you are an adult, apart from working on women education, have you thought of what to do with life?"

"Life as in?" Bondita replied sloppily.

"You know.. life... Falling in love... Marriage... All those finer sentiments of life." Rishit asked as he overtook her to cross her path.

"Haven't thought really. Plus my marriage is not legally revoked yet." Bondita tried to evade him.

" Your marriage? I thought the groom had died on the same day and you were rescued!" Rishit looked visibly surprised.

Bondita was quiet. She looked forlorn.
But before she could explain her thoughts, Anirudh intruded their conversation.

"I married her the same night, Rishit. Bondita is my wife."