Maharaja's Mistress Read online

  ‘And that’s non-negotiable,’ she said.

  ‘Surely, you’re not still worried about it?’

  She knew her eyepatch was a source of constant irritation to Ram. He always referred to it as the enemy that kept some part of her hidden from him. ‘I’m not worried about it at all,’ she said. ‘And as this is to be a quiet arrival and I shall stay in the background, it’s hardly relevant.’

  Ram said nothing. Perhaps her offer to stay out of the way was what he’d hoped for.

  They didn’t have much further to sail before the harbour itself came into view, and it was then Mia realised things hadn’t gone to plan—at least, not to Ram’s plan. She had never seen so many people waiting in one place before. The entire dock was a seething carpet of colour and life. Some people were clinging to lamp posts, while others balanced precariously on the rooftops. Every available square inch of space seemed to have been taken up by spectators, some of whom had even stacked themselves on each other’s shoulders to get a better view. ‘Wow!’ Mia grabbed Ram’s arm in her excitement. ‘That’s quite a reception!’

  But all she could see on Ram’s face was surprise and anger.

  As the noise of the crowd reached them she tried again. ‘News of your arrival has travelled fast—and that elephant you always wanted me to call for you? I think it’s here.’

  She was trying to lighten the situation, and in fairness the sheer fun and splendour of Ram’s homecoming welcome was thrilling to see. Not so for Ram, apparently. He couldn’t have worn a deeper frown—and suddenly Mia realised how that would look. Whoever had gone behind his back to arrange this could be dealt with later, but Ram should smile and show his appreciation for the warmth of his people’s welcome. She pressed on with her own enthusiastic reaction to the festival atmosphere. ‘I’ve seen elephants before, but never any as richly caparisoned as these.’

  But this fell on deaf ears too. Meanwhile, ropes were being tossed ashore and officials were lining up. She could see a limousine with blacked-out windows waiting by the side of the dock and guessed the limousine had been Ram’s preferred mode of transport before he knew anything about this reception. But he would have to adapt, and quickly, Mia realised, wondering who had designed this very different welcome home.

  It was a shame Ram was so angry, but she couldn’t help but be fascinated by all the new sights and sounds—the horns, the bells, the rapid pulse of chatter overlaid with chanting and shouting. The elephant parade was forming up now, and the mighty creatures were being fanned by the mahouts who would ride them. Judging by their elephant-sized jewels they had turned out to honour one man—though it was the people who were the jewels of Ram’s country, and, forgetting her pledge to remain in the background, she began waving to the crowd. Lots of people waved back at her, but the focus of their interest was Ram.

  Ram was Ramprakesh, Mia realised in that moment, and staring at him proudly she was glad for him and for his people. Just like the wonderfully vibrant country he was destined to govern, Ram was hot, spicy and exciting—and even a little bit terrifying, all rolled into one. ‘Oh, Ram,’ she exclaimed. ‘To think all these people have come here to see you—

  ‘Ram?’ She pulled back to stare at him.

  ‘This is not what you think.’

  ‘What is it, then?’ she demanded.

  ‘A contrivance—a set-up—call it what you will.’

  ‘A contrivance?’ Mia exclaimed. ‘You can’t fake this, Ram. There isn’t enough money in the world to pay all these people to come here.’

  ‘No, but they have been misled.’

  ‘By whom?’

  ‘Just don’t interfere in things you can’t understand.’

  Ram’s rough tone shook Mia to her foundations. He had been her lover up to that moment, but now he was someone else—someone she didn’t like too much. ‘What have I said to upset you?’ she demanded as he tried to brush past.

  ‘Nothing. Now, please let me go. I can’t keep the driver waiting.’

  ‘The driver?’ she shouted after him. ‘Don’t tell me you’re going to climb into that limousine and sweep away when your people have gone to so much trouble to come to see you?’

  ‘Well, I’m not riding a bloody elephant, even for you, Mia.’

  She blocked his path. ‘So drive away in your wretched limousine—I’ll take the elephant.’

  ‘And now you’re being ridiculous.’ He moved her aside and then was forced to shout after her. ‘Mia! Come back here.’

  She was halfway to the gangplank when she stopped, realising she was being impetuous. It was just that she had wanted everything to go well for Ram. But he was right. She couldn’t just muscle her way into a procession intended for him.

  Ram didn’t want this fuss, so the person who had arranged it against his express wishes didn’t know him if they thought Ram was so easy to manipulate. But if he took the limousine now as he had intended it would be a colossal PR blunder. Maybe the person who had arranged this did know Ram—and meant him to do the wrong thing. If someone didn’t do something this glorious occasion could turn into a damp squib—a cheap celebrity event where the celebrity was rushed away behind blacked-out windows. And Ram was so much more than that.

  He was greeting the first person in the line of officials when she arrived out of breath at his side. She wouldn’t let him do anything he’d regret just because he was angry—

  Much to the alarm of the security staff, Mia placed herself directly in front of Ram. He couldn’t ignore her now, though he made it clear from his expression that she wasn’t welcome, and he acted swiftly. Taking hold of her arm, he led her away into the shade.

  ‘What do you think you’re doing?’ he said. ‘Is this your idea of staying in the background?’

  ‘I meant to stay in the background—but then you were so angry—and I don’t understand why. I know you didn’t want a fuss, but just think how long your people must have been waiting for you in this baking heat. All they want is to catch a glimpse of you, Ram.’

  ‘Since when has the welfare of my people become your concern?’

  ‘Human decency is everyone’s concern,’ she said firmly. ‘Or it should be.’

  ‘And now you’re lecturing me.’ Ram’s eyes held such fire Mia wondered for a moment if he would simply turn his back on her and walk away. ‘You don’t understand,’ he said. ‘And I wish for once you’d just keep out of it.’

  ‘Hard luck, Ram. You should know me better than that by now. I can’t believe you’d give a welcoming committee of important people the benefit of your glittering presence and then sweep away in your fabulous limousine with its blacked-out windows so that the ordinary people of Ramprakesh don’t even get the chance to see your face.’

  ‘Are you so different?’ Ram snarled at her, bringing his face frighteningly close. ‘You hide behind your eyepatch like the coward you are, and then you have the audacity to criticise me.’

  Mia took a step back. She could feel the blood draining from her cheeks as she stared at Ram, a man she’d thought she knew. But she didn’t know him, Mia realised. This was a man who had been hurt to his soul, and who hid his wounds as carefully as she did. ‘We’ll do this together,’ she said fiercely.

  ‘What?’ Ram demanded.

  ‘I’ve always wanted to ride an elephant.’ As she spoke she was already pulling the eyepatch over her head.

  ‘There are photographers everywhere,’ Ram said, shielding her.

  ‘So what?’ She stared at him defiantly, searching for any sign of revulsion in his gaze. Finding none, she felt her strength and determination grow. ‘If the press ask any embarrassing questions, I’m a friend of the family,’ she said, ‘and you invited me to share this wonderful moment with you.’

  ‘Mia,’ Ram said, in a softer voice. ‘They’ll never believe that. They’ll chase you to the ends of the earth, and your photograph will be flashed around the world.’

  ‘So I’ll get my fifteen minutes of fame,’ she said carelessly, t
hough her heart was thundering with alarm. ‘I’m up for it if you are…I meant it when I said I wanted to help you, Ram. I’ll help you in any way I can.’

  ‘Then get out of here.’

  ‘Not a chance.’

  He didn’t say anything for a while, and she really wasn’t sure what would happen, but she’d played her cards and now she could only wait.

  And then, miraculously, Ram frowned at her. ‘Do you really want to ride an elephant?’

  She had promised herself she would hold her feelings in, but that wasn’t always possible. She was sure her face was jumping into a smile against her express wishes as she said casually, ‘I thought I might give it a go.’

  ‘And you also thought it would be more fun if we did it together?’

  ‘Something like that…’

  The last thing she had expected was that Ram would lift his hand and trace her scars; this was the same web of scars that gave her milky eye the appearance—or so the plastic surgeon had insisted—of a moonstone set in filigree.

  She let one careless tear escape, but instead of wiping it away she tilted her chin at a defiant angle. She was determined weakness would not get the better of her this time, because this was Ram’s moment, not hers. The surgeon had done a good job. Why not give her some credit? Mia reflected as she waited to see what Ram would do next.

  ‘Forgive me, Mia,’ he said softly. ‘I shouldn’t have allowed you to become caught up in this.’

  But she wanted to be caught up…

  ‘Come on,’ he added briskly. ‘We mustn’t keep our taxis waiting.’

  Elation roared inside her, but she behaved with absolute decorum while Ram went to make arrangements for a late passenger in the elephant parade.

  This was the first time she’d gone without her eyepatch in public and she was shaking inside, but it didn’t matter what she looked like, or what people thought of her, because this was about Ram fulfilling his destiny, and his happiness meant everything to her. At least he hadn’t fainted with shock when he saw the full extent of her scars. He’d just given her a long, searching look that said Ram had seen everything he needed to. And now she must have that same strength for him. He was only one small step away from devoting himself to his people, and, yes, there would be enemies, and, yes, Ram still had some way to go, but he would be a great leader. She was sure of it.

  A great stillness had fallen over the crowd and the only sound to be heard was muted chanting from the priests and the occasional jingle of bells. Ram had reached the end of the receiving line, and now he indicated that Mia must join him. She was still feeling elated and proud of Ram—right up to the moment when some elderly man dressed in finery bowed over her hand, murmuring, ‘You have brought us a new queen, Majesty…How wonderful.’

  She would have felt Ram’s good mood shatter a football pitch away, but standing next to him was like experiencing a seismic tremor.

  Ram—no! She told him with her eyes. He had to get through this without incident. There was something happening here she didn’t understand, but, whatever it was, Ram’s people were still waiting to greet him. ‘I’m so very pleased to meet you,’ she blurted out, muscling in in front of a seething Ram. ‘I’m afraid I’m not your new queen,’ she explained to everyone’s astonishment. ‘I’m just a friend of the family out here to offer some advice on interior design.’ She had to admit, it sounded a bit lame, and she was glad when Ram steered her firmly away, but it also amused her that from that moment on he introduced her as his interior design consultant.

  Finally they reached the gangplank where a uniformed chauffeur was saluting by the door of the official car. ‘You’re not going to change your mind, I hope?’ she asked Ram fiercely under her breath. ‘I promise I’ll never speak to you again if you do.’

  ‘Don’t tempt me,’ he growled back at her, but to her relief what he did next brought the biggest cheer from the crowd. Walking a few paces ahead of her, he raised both his arms in greeting.

  To say Ram’s people were ecstatic at this sign of his affection would be totally understating the case. Mia thought her eardrums might explode, and it was some time before the beating of drums and cymbal clashes could be heard above the cheering, but eventually the determined drummers formed up at the head of the procession of elephants.

  There was a moment when a prolonged barrage of camera flashes made Mia feel for the eyepatch in her pocket, but she took her hand away; there could be no more dodging the issue for either her or Ram.

  Ram’s response to the adulation of the crowd was yet another incarnation of the man she loved. She had never seen him in this light before, standing with his hands clasped as if in prayer as he bowed to his people. It was a pledge of service she found both touching and inspirational. To have such a man on your side would be—

  ‘Mia?’ Ram’s eyes searched for her as he turned, and he seemed relieved to see her. ‘Your taxi’s waiting…’

  Well, she’d asked for this, Mia thought with amusement and not a little trepidation as she followed Ram’s gaze towards a huge, gentle-looking beast. The elephant was kneeling to allow her to climb into the lavishly decorated howdah on its back, and a mahout, or driver in turban and baggy trousers, stood ready to help her. Biting her lip, she laughed with nervous anticipation. There was just one more thing she had to check. ‘You are coming too?’ she confirmed with Ram.

  ‘I believe that big old tusker is mine…’

  Mia gasped. The biggest elephant she had ever seen, clothed in priceless armour of beaten gold, its crimson regalia flashing with the fire of rubies and diamonds, was a massive warrior beast almost as formidable as Ram. ‘You’re well suited,’ she said when the mighty animal raised its noble head and bellowed as if in recognition of another king.

  ‘Just go, will you?’ Ram said, trying to look fierce, though his eyes were laughing. ‘Just go ride your elephant and give me some peace.’

  Mia relaxed into laughter, more relieved than she could say to see the fun back in Ram’s eyes. His steely core had defeated whatever the old man had said or done to hurt him, for now Mia was sure that the wily courtier played some significant role in the politics of Ramprakesh. What? She couldn’t know—but she was determined he wouldn’t spoil Ram’s day.

  Once she was up in her swaying seat, Mia could see that the crowd extended for miles in every direction. Ramprakesh in carnival mood was a scene of incredible vibrancy, and she felt an immediate affinity both for the country and its people. The sun was blazing down from a flawless sapphire sky onto what had to be an unparalleled kaleidoscope of colour, scent and music. Drab beige was nowhere to be seen, and the air was zinging with the scent of food and incense and dust—and there were more flowers than she had expected in such a hot country—worn as brilliant orange garlands, or tossed like discs of sunlight into the air so that they landed around the giant feet of Ram’s elephant.

  The howdah was more comfortable than she had expected too, though she guessed this form of transport must have remained largely unchanged over the centuries. It was a unique privilege to share this experience with Ram. He was already wearing a garland of golden flowers around his neck, and the colour was a striking contrast against the sombre black of his silk robe. But it was when he pressed his hands together in the traditional greeting that she thought like a priceless black diamond Ram’s darkly glittering glamour had finally found its true home.

  ‘Are you comfortable?’ he yelled as their howdahs drew level.

  ‘Perfectly,’ she mouthed back at him with a smile. Goldfringed rugs protected their gentle giants’ backs, while deeply padded cushions of crimson velvet invited relaxation. Each elephant wore a band of gold around its tusks and similar gold-trimmed headdresses from which spirals of gold wire and pearls cascaded down like giant-sized earrings, and a heavily ornamented brow band from which a jewelled medallion hung. She had no doubt the huge flashing jewels were real. No one had been left without a party outfit, she thought happily, wishing she could reach down to pa
t her elephant’s papery side.

  ‘Not bad for a lift from the docks?’ Ram called out to her.

  ‘Not bad at all,’ she called back. She felt a great explosion of joy inside her as she watched Ram waving to the crowds. Seeing him so happy and relaxed with people who so obviously loved him meant everything to her. But there was still one question puzzling her. If she had been mistaken for the new queen, what had happened to the old queen?

  There were many unanswered questions and only one certainty—Ramprakesh was a very different world, and one she would need a new rulebook to deal with.

  Chapter Thirteen

  THE parade was fabulous and exhausting as it lasted for hours. It wound its way slowly uphill, along a broad, dusty avenue lined every inch of the way with huge crowds. The sun was setting by the time they reached the foot of some colossal arched gates, and beyond these Mia could see a magical walled city whose stone was rapidly turning pink in the fading light. She thought it was like something lifted from the pages of an exotic fairy tale.

  It was a thrill when Ram insisted on helping her down from her lofty carriage and yet another thrill when he escorted her up the vast sweep of marble steps. ‘You don’t have to do this, you know,’ she murmured as uniformed guards with turbans and sashes and scimitars hanging from their belts opened the golden entrance doors for them, but Ram insisted, and, wrapping his arm around her waist, he said, ‘Do you think I’d ignore you? What you did there back on the dock—’

  ‘Was nothing,’ Mia insisted.

  ‘It was a little more than that,’ Ram said with matching certainty. Cupping her chin, he raised Mia’s face to his. ‘You’re the bravest woman I know, Mia.’

  ‘We both have our moments,’ she told him lightly. ‘Look at you—riding an elephant. Who’d have thought?’

  He laughed and let her go, but she hadn’t forgotten Ram’s earlier reaction when he saw what a fuss had been made for his arrival, and she filed it away for later consideration as he led her on through the entrance portico towards the long line of staff waiting to greet them.