A Garland of Marigolds (16 page)

“
No,
”
I agreed,
“
probably not.
”

“
Then you would have missed one of the finest sights in the world!
”
he concluded enthusiastically.

We walked past the marble stall of the emperor
’
s Grand Vizier, which stood in front of the throne dais, and went on into the private apartments and through into the Rang Mahal, or Painted Palace.

I was intrigued by the central marble basin through which ran a water channel passing right through the palace, its bottom carved in the shape of a lotus flower. It was known as the Canal of Paradise.

“
Do I look so much in need of a bath?
”
I retorted lightly.

Joseph stood back to allow me to pass ahead of him into the royal bathrooms, the
hammams,
exquisite Mogul and therefore Moslem baths, similar in function to our Turkish baths, but for them an essential part of the preparation for solemn prayer. It was no surprise therefore that a short distance away stood the Pearl Mosque, designed by Aurangzeb, one of the Mogul rulers, for his personal use and for that of the royal ladies at his court. It was too ornate for my taste and I was glad when we escaped its sugary atmosphere into the gardens outside.

“
There is something to be said for purdah,
”
Joseph went on.
“
I should like to take you away from the anxieties of working and keep you to myself.
”

“
Oh, would you?
”
I said haughtily.
“
Well, let me tell you the price would be too high!
”

“
I think I could change your mind,
”
he said abruptly. He pulled me close and tried to kiss me. At another time I might have suffered the kiss with better fortitude, but at that moment I was only conscious of the fact that I was hot and that I didn
’
t want to be touched.

“
Please don
’
t, Joe,
”
I said gently.

“
What? Change your mind?
”

I shook my head.

“
Please don
’
t kiss me. I don
’
t feel like it.
”

His pride was hurt and I was sorry. To cover the awkward moment I bent over and picked a flower that was struggling for life despite the heat and put it in his buttonhole with a flourish. We exchanged slightly embarrassed laughs, both aware that we were not the right people in the right moment, despite the beauty all around us. Almost as if he had appeared to order one of the Sikh guides, in his white
jodhpurs
and tweed jacket, came over to us.

“
Do you wish a guide?
”
he asked.

Joseph shook his head.
“
We have already seen all that we want to.
”

“
Perhaps those other people would like a guide,
”
I suggested as a small group came into the gardens. The guide looked over his shoulder, saluted smartly, and went off in their direction. Joe took a look and went quite white in the face.

“
What
’
s she doing here?
”
he demanded between clenched teeth.

I took a closer look at the little group and was surprised to recognize Julie.

And at that moment she saw us.

“
Why, look who
’
s here!
”
she exclaimed in her little girl voice.
“
They
’
re friends of Gideon
’
s! Well, not friends exactly, but they work with him!
”

Her companions glanced at us without too much warmth.

“
That fellow who runs the research station?
”
one of them asked.

Julie
’
s lips tightened angrily.
“
He
’
s very important in our locality!
”
she said sternly.

They grinned, humoring her. It was obvious that they didn
’
t think anything was important but their own interests.

“
What are you doing in Delhi?
”
I asked her.

She turned to me immediately and smiled quite charmingly.

“
I was so worried about Gideon that my parents thought it would be better for me to get away for a while. I
’
m staying here with friends.
”
She smiled again, quickly and impersonally.
“
And you?
”

I explained about the dam we were building, trying hard not to get carried away by my own enthusiasm.

“
I don
’
t really understand you at all!
”
she complained breathlessly.
“
I suppose it
’
s because all professional women are so terribly efficient and unfeeling! I mean we have so much more time to care about people, haven
’
t we? You have your job to consider first all the time, and having to compete with men in their own sphere. I
’
m so glad that I don
’
t have to bother with all that!
”

I found that I resented the insinuation that I was unfeminine.

“
Most women have jobs of some sort nowadays,
”
I said pacifically.

Her eyes glinted.
“
I
’
m afraid my father would never allow me to work,
”
she said with a tinkling laugh.
“
Don
’
t your people miss you when you are so far away?
”

I shrugged my shoulders, refusing to answer.

“
Dear, dear,
”
she said.
“
Poor Gideon! When I get back I shall see that he has some fun! I can tell that he doesn
’
t get much with you and Joseph around. I don
’
t suppose you ever talk about anything else but your work and plant diseases.
”

I bit my lip, almost sure that she was right. Poor Gideon probably could do with some light relief, but I didn
’
t think the Burnetts were the right ones to achieve this. It had already cost Gideon one broken leg.

One of the men with Julie pulled at her arm to attract her attention.

“
Are we going to stand around here all day?
”
he asked her plaintively.
“
Surely you see enough of these two when you
’
re at home!
”

Julie tossed her head so that her pale hair was lifted in the wind. It was a very pretty and well-rehearsed gesture.

“
Hush, sweet! One has to be polite!
”
She giggled, maliciously aware that her remark had been hurtful.

The young man pulled her away, kissing her on the cheek as he did so. She bridled and giggled again, pleasantly embarrassed by his attention. I hope I didn
’
t look as disapproving as I felt.

“
Good-bye, Miss Burnett,
”
I said formally.
“
We
’
re returning home tonight so I don
’
t expect we shall run into each other again in Delhi.
”

She frowned. I think she was wondering if I would carry tales back to Gideon, but apparently she came to the conclusion that even if I did he wouldn
’
t believe me.

“
I don
’
t suppose
w
e shall see much of each other—ever,
”
she said simply.

On the train that night I simply could not get to sleep. The air-conditioned compartment had been speedily and easily converted into a sleeping cabin.

It was a long time since I had slept on a train and I was terribly conscious of the rhythm of the engine and the wheels: I-think-I-can, I-think-I-can, all the way up the hills and the triumphant I-knew-I-could, all the way down again. Then I started to worry about the dam and whether I had acquitted myself well enough to please Gideon. That mattered a great deal because somehow I couldn
’
t get away from the idea that he had trusted me to do something for him. Joe had to be explained away, of course. With a sinking feeling that was more a premonition of failure, I couldn
’
t help remembering how
J
oseph had neglected to get my jeep ready when I had first arrived and how Gideon had frowned on him. I didn
’
t want to incur the same displeasure myself, and yet how was I going to avoid it? I lay and shivered at the thought. Then I realized that my sheet had slipped and that the air-conditioning was blowing straight in on me and was making me cold, so I hunched myself up under the sheet and worried some more.

It was just after midnight when I began to worry about Julie. I thought about her parents and the place where she lived, and I thought about the way her friends had treated her at the Red Fort in Delhi. One thing was quite clear and that was that she wasn
’
t nearly good enough for Gideon.

Gideon, Gideon, Gideon,
went the wheel of the train, and I became sleepy at the repetition of his name. By the time I awoke the rhythm had changed.

“
I love Gideon, I love Gideon,
”
I muttered to myself, and was promptly wide awake again. I glanced at my watch in the first light of dawn and was glad to see that it was time to get up. In half an hour we would be pulling into the station.

There was no one to meet us, but my jeep was parked in the station yard where I left it. Joseph and I climbed into it in silence. I pressed the button and in silence we started for home, back to the research station.

CHAPTER
NINE

“
Mi
ss King!
”

That
’
s torn it, I thought. I stuck my head around the door of Gideon
’
s room.

“
Did you want me?
”
I said.

He was lying in bed looking both rumpled and angry. I would have offered to tidy the bed for him, but I shied away from the look in his eyes.

“
Yes?
”
I prompted him.

“
I suppose one has to expect disadvantages when one employs females,
”
he began repressively.
“
But really! Whatever induced you to kidnap Joseph? I
’
ll bet he was a lot of help to you!
”

I frowned. I was going to have to pick my way carefully through this conversation if both Joseph and I were not to come to grief.

“
I think he felt sorry for me,
”
I began hesitantly.

Gideon laughed sourly.

“
I
’
ll believe that when I hear his side of it,
”
he retorted grumpily.
“
Did you get all the things you need?
”

I launched into an enthusiastic report. I told him about the shops we had been to and the difficulties we had encountered in finding suppliers for the machinery.

“
But you still feel you can manage?
”
Gideon asked.

I nodded.
“
Really we can,
”
I assured him.
“
Most of the digging can be done by hand. It seems the long way around, but actually I think we
’
ll get it done quicker that way.
”

“
Very likely,
”
he agreed. He paused.
“
You realize I won
’
t be much help to you while I
’
m stuck with this leg, don
’
t you?
”

I tried to tell him how sorry I was, but he cut me short. He had had enough slushy sympathy from all and sundry without my adding to it, he told me harshly.

“
I hadn
’
t realized that I was being
sloppy
!
”
I exclaimed crossly. His eyes met mine and his expression softened a little.

“
Oh, damn,
”
he said.
“
You know quite well what I mean!
”

I grinned discreetly, but he knew the way to take the wind completely out of my sails and basely he asked me,
“
You look so pleased with yourself this morning that I suppose you
’
ve heard from that boyfriend of yours?
”

The smile died on my face.

“
What do you mean?
”
I asked hoarsely.

“
The fellow in America,
”
he reminded me.

“
Timothy?
”
I cleared my throat, wondering desperately how it was that I could hardly remember Timothy
’
s face.

Gideon
’
s eyes twinkled.
“
Do you know so many people in the States?
”
he asked.

“
N-no,
”
I admitted.
“
But I hadn
’
t been thinking about Timothy, you see. In fact I haven
’
t had a letter from him since I came to India.
”

Gideon eased himself into a more comfortable position on the bed.

“
Didn
’
t he approve of your coming here?
”

I shook my head.

“
It wasn
’
t that,
”
I explained.
“
In fact he suggested that I should come. But since I
’
ve been here. I
’
ve hardly had time to write to him, and I suppose that makes a difference.
”

He gave me a long, hard look.

“
I suppose it could,
”
he agreed. I noted the careful change in wording and blushed. I didn
’
t want him to think that I had done all the running as far as Timothy was concerned.

“
He—he won
’
t have much to say about his work, you see,
”
I rushed into speech.
“
He knows that I don
’
t understand much about what he
’
s doing.
”

Gideon looked thoughtful.
“
And he doesn
’
t understand anything about you at all?
”
he suggested mildly.

“
Oh, I wouldn
’
t say that! He was always very kind!
”
I insisted.
“
I should never have passed my exams if he hadn
’
t coached me and taken an interest.
”

“
Which hardly makes you the love of his life,
”
Gideon went on firmly.
“
Why don
’
t you write to him and break off that disastrous arrangement you made?
”

“
It was a very vague arrangement,
”
I said with a laugh.
“
But I guess I must be the faithful type!
”

Gideon snorted.
“
How you love your illusions!
”

I was hurt and showed it.

“
Don
’
t you think I can be loyal?
”
I demanded.

“
I wasn
’
t questioning that,
”
he scoffed.
“
What I wonder is if you really know your own mind. And that I seriously doubt!
”

I was furiously angry.

“
I am over twenty-one!
”
I informed him haughtily.

But he only laughed.
“
Go on, get out and go and make your arrangements. I want to have my man servant make me a little more comfortable!
”

“
Couldn
’
t I help you before I go?
”
I asked, immediately solicitous.

“
No, you cannot!
”
he retorted.
“
You
’
d like messing about far too much for my comfort!
”

“
Oh, indeed?
”
I said coldly.
“
Then be uncomfortable. I don
’
t care! I don
’
t have to sleep in that bird
’
s nest!
”

His eyes lit with amusement.

“
And aren
’
t you glad?
”
he teased me.

But it wasn
’
t the sort of teasing I was in the mood for, so I beat a hasty retreat.

Later, I happened to be passing Gideon
’
s door while he was talking to Joseph about his trip to Delhi. It was a very different kind of interview and I couldn
’
t help wondering why I had been let off so lightly.

It was a moment of great pride when I stood on the edge of the wheat field and flung the first spadeful of earth into the wheelbarrow. The dam project had begun. A variety of Indian labour had come from far and wide to dig the reservoirs, some of them, to my great satisfaction, had actually been sent by their own villages to see how it was done. Joseph suggested that I make a speech, but I was too full of emotion to say anything. Instead, I sat on the bank and allowed myself to dream of its future glory. The first of the monsoon rains were not far away and then we should see the waters swell and slowly gather into the two tanks, offering undreamed-of crops in the future. I hugged the knowledge to myself with glee. Whatever I suffered personally when the time came for me to leave India, at least I would leave something behind me that was
worthwhile
and lasting.

The
panchayat
stood in solemn assembly on the opposite bank worrying about the costs and their own disbelief that a slip of a girl could organize anything on a grand scale. From my side of the stream I could afford to smile and wave. To my surprise, and with tremendous dignity, they responded with a bow and waved back.
“
Look at them! As proud as peacocks!
”
Joseph scoffed.
“
They have something to be proud about!
”
I retorted crossly. I was becoming rather fond of this group of stiff-necked old men despite myself.

“
It wasn
’
t their idea!
”

“
No,
”
I agreed,
“
but they allowed it to happen. That
’
s quite something in itself!
”

Joe shook his head.
“
They
’
ve got you thinking in terms of symbolic action too!
”

“
Maybe,
”
I laughed.
“
But this symbol represents better things to come. You just wait and see.
”

Joseph shrugged, visibly depressed.

“
If I
’
m here long enough,
”
he grunted.
“
The great white chief is after my hide after my going to Delhi with you.
”

I was sympathetic, but I couldn
’
t pretend to be surprised.
“
Well, you did ask for it, didn
’
t you?
”

The hint of weakness in his face was exaggerated by the anger that burned up within him.

“
He should never have sent you on your own in the first place! It was an iniquitous thing to do!
”

I leaped to Gideon
’
s defence, feeling decidedly ruffled.

“
How can you say that?
”
I gave him a rather sharp glance.
“
Who did all the arranging, anyway?
”

It wasn
’
t particularly kind, I suppose, and he flushed angrily.
“
It still wasn
’
t right that you should go on your own,
”
he persisted.
“
I told him so, too!
”

“
And what did he say?
”
I asked curiously. I had heard enough of the two men
’
s conversation to know that words were spoken in anger, but I hadn
’
t been able to hear what they had actually said. Joseph shrugged his shoulders.

“
I guess I
’
d better not tell you,
”
he rumbled.
“
Not that I agree with a word he said, but I don
’
t suppose he meant me to repeat it all to you.
”

“
Perhaps not,
”
I said stiffly,
“
as it was obviously something unpleasant!
”

He flushed.
“
I didn
’
t say that!
”
he denied indignantly.
“
As a matter of fact it wasn
’
t anything against you at all. It was me he was angry with!
”

I said no more, but I was now well aware of the danger signals being up between the two men. And I had no doubt as to who was right. Gideon was a fair man and not given to being carried away by his emotions as Joseph often was.

It was something of a relief when one or two of the old men summoned me to join them on their side of the stream. Joseph showed no signs of coming with me, and I was glad, though I was slightly ashamed of that fact because he had difficulty in getting on with them recently. He considered them reactionary and they considered him brash. There was something to be said for both opinions.

“
Are you sure it will be ready before the rains?
”
the old men asked me anxiously.