Read Online The World Beyond by Sangeeta Bhargava - Free Book Online
Authors: Sangeeta Bhargava
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on her finger. He stared at them even harder, before clutching them.
‘Ya Ali, were you playing the piano a few days back at Colonel Bristow’s house?’ he asked urgently, as he turned her hands over and over, as though looking for a clue to some hidden treasure.
‘Yes, I’m his daughter.’
‘And were you in Chowk a few days back in a burqa?’ he asked as he gently rubbed the diamond on her ring.
Rachael shifted uncomfortably and took her time before answering. She remembered now why he seemed familiar. She had seen him at Bade Miyan’s shop.
‘Maybe,’ she answered softly.
‘I knew I’d recognise these hands anywhere.’
‘My hands,’ said Rachael.
‘Yes?’
‘You’re still holding them.’
‘Oh, I’m s-sorry …’ the prince stuttered as he let go of them.
‘Sir, I had no intention of stealing your horse.’
The prince raised a brow.
Fiddling with her ring, Rachael answered, ‘I was simply borrowing it as my own horse has run away. So if you would be so kind, lend me a horse and I’ll quietly take my leave.’
‘I’m afraid not, ma’am,’ the prince answered in clipped tones. ‘You’re my responsibility now. As long as you’re with me, you’re not going anywhere alone. You shall join us for breakfast and then we shall safely escort you home.’ His voice was deep, confident, authoritative.
Rachael groaned inwardly. Now she was in even more trouble. Not only had she left home when she shouldn’t have and been stranded in the forest by her runaway horse, but now she was going to be escorted home by the nabob’s entourage. She could just imagine the look on Papa’s face when he saw her regal homecoming. Not to mention how horrified he was going to be when he saw what she was wearing. It felt so liberating, though, wearing breeches, not having to sit side-saddle in an irritating long skirt over which she often tripped. How she wished she was a man.
She had not intended to stray so far. Since she was taking her meals in her room, she would not be missed as long as she managed to sneak back before late afternoon. After all, everything had worked out smoothly on the last two occasions she had sneaked out of the house. But now she was in big trouble, and all because of that prince! Rachael’s forehead creased slightly. What was his name? Not that she cared. If he had not caught her and insisted there was no way she was going out of the jungle alone, she would be home by now. That arrogant man! He had annihilated all chances of getting back home unnoticed.
Walking about restlessly, she hit the trees with the long twig that she had found. She swung it in the air, brandishing it like a sword, then poked the stones lying buried in the earth with it. Then with a sigh she sat down on the stump of a tree and watched the servants bustling about preparing breakfast and laying out the food. There were others who were busy dismantling the machan and folding the tents where the party had slept last night.
The diamond on her ring sparkled as it caught a beam of sunlight filtering in through the leaves of the tree under which she sat. Just then she noticed something glittering at her feet as well. She picked it up and dusted it. It was a black, velvet, bejewelled cap. It must belong to the prince. She put it on and walked over to the watering hole.
Peering down at her reflection, she said in a gruff voice, ‘As long as you’re with me—’
‘Interesting, very interesting,’ a voice chuckled behind her.
Rachael hastily turned around. It was the prince. With him was a rotund young man in an angarkha and wide-bottomed pyjamas. He wore a pearl necklace, earrings and a huge stone on his forefinger.
‘I’ve never met anyone like you before. An English girl in men’s trousers, wearing a nawab’s cap,’ said the prince.
Rachael gave an embarrassed grin and took off the cap.
‘May I be so bold to ask whether you work for the theatre, ma’am?’ the prince’s companion asked, looking
‘Ya Ali, were you playing the piano a few days back at Colonel Bristow’s house?’ he asked urgently, as he turned her hands over and over, as though looking for a clue to some hidden treasure.
‘Yes, I’m his daughter.’
‘And were you in Chowk a few days back in a burqa?’ he asked as he gently rubbed the diamond on her ring.
Rachael shifted uncomfortably and took her time before answering. She remembered now why he seemed familiar. She had seen him at Bade Miyan’s shop.
‘Maybe,’ she answered softly.
‘I knew I’d recognise these hands anywhere.’
‘My hands,’ said Rachael.
‘Yes?’
‘You’re still holding them.’
‘Oh, I’m s-sorry …’ the prince stuttered as he let go of them.
‘Sir, I had no intention of stealing your horse.’
The prince raised a brow.
Fiddling with her ring, Rachael answered, ‘I was simply borrowing it as my own horse has run away. So if you would be so kind, lend me a horse and I’ll quietly take my leave.’
‘I’m afraid not, ma’am,’ the prince answered in clipped tones. ‘You’re my responsibility now. As long as you’re with me, you’re not going anywhere alone. You shall join us for breakfast and then we shall safely escort you home.’ His voice was deep, confident, authoritative.
Rachael groaned inwardly. Now she was in even more trouble. Not only had she left home when she shouldn’t have and been stranded in the forest by her runaway horse, but now she was going to be escorted home by the nabob’s entourage. She could just imagine the look on Papa’s face when he saw her regal homecoming. Not to mention how horrified he was going to be when he saw what she was wearing. It felt so liberating, though, wearing breeches, not having to sit side-saddle in an irritating long skirt over which she often tripped. How she wished she was a man.
She had not intended to stray so far. Since she was taking her meals in her room, she would not be missed as long as she managed to sneak back before late afternoon. After all, everything had worked out smoothly on the last two occasions she had sneaked out of the house. But now she was in big trouble, and all because of that prince! Rachael’s forehead creased slightly. What was his name? Not that she cared. If he had not caught her and insisted there was no way she was going out of the jungle alone, she would be home by now. That arrogant man! He had annihilated all chances of getting back home unnoticed.
Walking about restlessly, she hit the trees with the long twig that she had found. She swung it in the air, brandishing it like a sword, then poked the stones lying buried in the earth with it. Then with a sigh she sat down on the stump of a tree and watched the servants bustling about preparing breakfast and laying out the food. There were others who were busy dismantling the machan and folding the tents where the party had slept last night.
The diamond on her ring sparkled as it caught a beam of sunlight filtering in through the leaves of the tree under which she sat. Just then she noticed something glittering at her feet as well. She picked it up and dusted it. It was a black, velvet, bejewelled cap. It must belong to the prince. She put it on and walked over to the watering hole.
Peering down at her reflection, she said in a gruff voice, ‘As long as you’re with me—’
‘Interesting, very interesting,’ a voice chuckled behind her.
Rachael hastily turned around. It was the prince. With him was a rotund young man in an angarkha and wide-bottomed pyjamas. He wore a pearl necklace, earrings and a huge stone on his forefinger.
‘I’ve never met anyone like you before. An English girl in men’s trousers, wearing a nawab’s cap,’ said the prince.
Rachael gave an embarrassed grin and took off the cap.
‘May I be so bold to ask whether you work for the theatre, ma’am?’ the prince’s companion asked, looking
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