The Indian Tycoon's Marriage Deal (7 page)

Her mouth full, she glanced at him, as if to say something but thought better of it and continued demolishing the food on her plate. As she polished off the last crumb of the sweet and creamy
kheer
, she noticed Krish take a second helping of the syrupy
gulab jamun.
‘Aha, so you have a sweet tooth!'

Krish smiled sheepishly. ‘Never could resist GJs.'

Sighing contentedly she said, ‘That was truly the most amazing meal I have had in a long time.'

Krish looked at her, wonder-struck. ‘And you had a pretty decent appetite to do justice to it. Wonder of wonders, you aren't worried about losing your figure!'

She shrugged nonchalantly. ‘If I need to shed pounds, I will jog. But wasting such delicious food would be downright criminal!'

Krish's throaty laugh made her nerve ends tingle. ‘You know, you're an amazing woman, full of surprises.' And added in a husky whisper, ‘I can't wait to unwrap the others that you have in store for me.'

The fire in his eyes belied his teasing voice. It held a promise of passion that found an echo deep within her. She looked away, trying to steel her mind against the temptation. But her body rebelled, as it responded with sparks of fire of its own, spreading heat and warmth that crept its way right up to her cheeks in a fiery blush.

Tearing her eyes away from his gaze, she murmured, ‘I need to change first before we leave.'

As Maya made good her escape to the washroom, she pondered over the way she was reacting to Krish. There was something in his eyes that had the heat of fire—at times they were all aglow like embers, at times alight with the flame of mischief, and always there was a hint of controlled, fiery passion. She wondered how they would blaze when he finally let go of that control. The traitorous thought sent a hot wave of sensation down to her innermost core as she doused her face with cold water.

* * *

As Krish deftly manoeuvred the Prius through the city traffic towards the green outskirts beyond the cityscape of malls, multiplexes and multi-storey apartment blocks, Maya marvelled at the sight of the flame of forests. Blood-red flowers on trees that were stark and bald. The hotter the Delhi summers, the brighter the
gulmohur
blossoms. Sprawling farmhouses were spaced out between huge acres of farmland. The houses themselves, nestled deep in greenery behind formidable walls topped by barbed wire, were private and secure. These were the farmhouses of the rich and famous—and some even went the extra mile by posting gunmen to protect their property and privacy.

Turning on to a narrow track off the main road, the Prius passed by acres of fenced-off sheds topped with the distinctive green covering sported by hothouses. The air was different—it had the feeling of space and greenery but also of seclusion and secrecy. For all the serene beauty, there was an edge of menace that chilled Maya's heart. She felt a bit like Alice crashing into an alien Wonderland. A knot of tension gnawed away at her insides.

To shake off the ominous feeling, she asked, ‘These are the Dev Group hothouses?'

‘Yes. In total, the DGE hothouses are spread over more than one hundred acres. And these supply cut flowers to destinations abroad as well as to the rest of India. After you have settled in, I will show you around. Most of these hothouses, though not all, are completely climate controlled. I'm sure you would find it interesting to check out some of the exotic floral species that are grown. Though, honestly speaking, this is one of the least profitable of the DGE businesses and its potential hasn't been harnessed the way it could have been.'

‘Spoken like a true management consultant,' she muttered.

Krish simply shrugged. ‘Yes, but I don't do consultancy for the DGE.'

Maya was taken aback. ‘Why not?'

‘KD believes in hands-on management and he has no faith in management consultants.'

‘Not even you, the heir to his empire?' Maya was incredulous.

Krish's eyes were focused on the road ahead. ‘Technically,

I would be his heir. Realistically, I would be little more than a puppet on a string.'

‘So if you're not interested in heading the DGE empire, wouldn't it be best for all if you simply walked away?'

A nerve throbbed in his jaw. ‘Let's just say it's complicated. And leave it at that.'

The adamant set of his jaw, the dark look in his eyes, telegraphed a stay-away-from-this-subject message. She was more than happy not to interfere in father-son issues. The less involved she got, the better for her. She was not here to stay, despite signing his marriage contract—and maintaining her distance would be the wisest thing to do.

They passed a curving driveway with perfectly manicured lawns on both sides. Up ahead was an opulent stone-façade farmhouse—no, scratch that—a palatial mansion. Right adjacent to it stood a smaller bungalow built in the British Raj style. Krish waved at the mansion as he drove past. ‘That's the main house—my father lives there, and that's where all the entertaining is done. The bungalow is his office.'

‘But I thought the DGE headquarters were located in Connaught Place,' she said, bemused.

‘Yes, this is more of a home-office. For the times when KD doesn't want to make the trip into Delhi. Besides, the horticulture business is handled out of this office.'

Krish kept driving further away from the mansion and turned on to a narrow tree-lined path. ‘When I came back to India after finishing my studies, I had no intention of living anywhere close to my father. After squabbling over it for months, we finally came to a compromise. I would have my own private quarters within the complex and we would meet each other only when we needed to.' What Krish didn't tell Maya was that KD was wont to forget his promise. Recently, he had become more demanding and had begun to seek his son's direct involvement in DGE. Then came the pressure to tie the knot and the endless arguments about the duties and responsibilities of the ‘heir to the Dev empire'. But at the heart of these tussles was just one issue. His father would do anything to ensure that he stayed in control but Krish was damned if he would give up his independence. And now he had finally outmanoeuvred his father—and reclaimed his life. He couldn't wait to see his reaction when he walked into his mansion this evening with Maya by his side.

Krish took a turn and, as the car crunched the gravel underneath, Maya saw nestled among the greenery a compact little cottage. The stone exterior was covered in green ivy. It was something straight out of a homes and gardens magazine. Elegant and yet homely, with none of the ostentatious architecture of the main mansion. Its striking simplicity made it look more like a cosy holiday hideaway. She couldn't help but gasp in admiration at the perfectly serene surroundings. She stepped out of the car and took in the fragrance of the bougainvillea, climbing in a profusion of pink and white flowers over the awning on the front porch.

An enigmatic smile played on his handsome face. ‘I would love to say “welcome home”. But I guess it's too early for you to consider it home.'

‘It's…beautiful,' she whispered as she looked around.

Suddenly there was a rustle of leaves as something came hurtling through the greenery at them.

‘Uh-oh. I should have warned you…' But, before he could finish his sentence, a huge ball of slobbering red hair, flapping ears and sparkling eyes hurled itself at Krish. For a split second, Maya was taken aback at the sudden assault but soon recovered when she realised that the huge dog was trying to bark, dance, slobber and pant all at the same time.

‘Baloo! Come here, boy!' Krish called out, laughing, as he wrestled playfully with the ecstatic dog. ‘Oh, I have missed you too!'

Krish struggled to bring the hysterically happy dog under control. ‘Enough now. Calm down. Okay, good dog! Stay, Baloo! Stay!' A few more commands and the dog quietened down before turning his attention to Maya. If it weren't for Krish's restraining hand on the dog's collar, she was certain he would have launched himself on her and given her an equally enthusiastic licking.

‘Maya, this is Baloo…he is an excitable goof. Has a habit of knocking people down…but is the gentlest soul ever born on the face of this earth.'

And then he suddenly looked at Maya as if the thought just crossed his mind. ‘I hope you're not scared of dogs.'

Maya shook her head. ‘No…I am not. What breed is he?' She sat down on her haunches. ‘Hey, Baloo!' That was all the encouragement he needed. Pulling away from Krish, the dog was soon slobbering all over her. And she was laughing and wrestling to keep him away from licking every inch of her face.

‘Irish Setter.' Krish grinned. ‘That does it…you have got yourself one slobbering devotee for life.'

‘I think I can live with that.' She laughed.

Krish felt his heart twang yet again. She was definitely one hell of a surprise package. What would she surprise him with next? he wondered uneasily.

A young woman in her early twenties came rushing out and rescued them both from Baloo's crazy antics.

Krish led the way to the cottage. Just as they were about to cross the threshold, the same woman came forward with a traditional
thali
—a brass plate holding an earthen lamp and assorted colourful condiments and a pot full of rice grains. ‘
Bhaiyaa, Bhabhi,
one minute.'

She placed the shiny brass pot bearing the auspicious sign of ‘Om' in vermilion on the threshold. It was filled to the brim with rice grains. ‘
Bhabhi
, this is your first time in your new home.' Maya knew what she had to do. She had to topple over the pot of rice with her right foot, an act signifying that the new bride would never want for anything in her marital home. As she crossed the threshold, the girl put a tiny mark of vermilion paste on her forehead and on Krish's before stepping aside. Krish smiled and pushed some money into the girl's hands.

‘Maya, this is Rani and if you need anything, just ask her.'

Rani bobbed her head enthusiastically. ‘Yes,
Bhabhi
,' she said in broken English. ‘I help. You ask only.'

Krish winked at Maya and said, ‘Rani only talks in English.'

Rani beamed at Maya. ‘I bringing mango
lassi.
You eating?'

Maya smiled. ‘Thank you, Rani. I would love to
drink
some mango
lassi.
'

Rani slapped her forehead with her hand. ‘Ah, yes, drinking
lassi
, eating
roti
, no?' And, before Maya could reply, she whizzed off towards the kitchen.

Maya looked around the large, bright, airy living room. Even without air-conditioning, the room was cool and comfortable. There were indoor plants everywhere and a stark simplicity about the teakwood décor. Krish gave her a quick tour of the two-storey house—which included, apart from several bedrooms with en suite bathrooms, a modern gym, a library stacked with books, a work station, a TV room leading to a sitting area on the veranda overlooking the gardens and a kitchen stashed with every mod-con imaginable. Every creature comfort that she could dream of was available. Finally, he led her to her suite of rooms, overlooking the gardens. Looking at the comfortable double bed, she wondered where his rooms were. And, in a flash, he had read her thoughts.

‘I am just across the corridor.' And then, with a hint of mischief, ‘You're most welcome to share my rooms, if you like.'

A hot blush crept up her face. ‘No, thanks, I will be perfectly fine here.'

‘It's an open offer. Feel free to change your mind…any time.'

Maya's heart had started an erratic rat-a-tat at his husky, sexy offer and she desperately tried to change the topic. ‘Who looks after the gardens? Rani?'

Krish gave her a knowing look. ‘Rani's father, Hari. Okay, I will leave you to your own devices. If you need anything, just let Rani know. And oh, I almost forgot. Tonight you get to meet your pa-in-law at dinner.'

Touching his lips to her hand in a feather-soft kiss, he said, ‘Stick close to me, and from time to time make sure to give me long loving glances…and you will do fine.'

She pulled her hand away with a jolt. ‘Right…the just-married lovey-dovey couple act. How could I forget?'

‘Eight p.m. Be ready.' Blowing her a kiss, he turned on his heel and left.

It was almost as if, with Krish's departure, the colours had suddenly become muted. The sunny warmth was replaced by a creepy chill that made Maya shiver. She dreaded the thought of facing up to KD in a house full of hostile people. Krish, it seemed, was her only ally. As if! He had made it quite clear that he expected her to play the role of an adoring bride. And she had better, or else KD would kick her off his turf in double quick time.

A sudden wave of nausea swept over her. What if she lost her nerve? What if KD saw through her? Taking a deep breath, she shook her head vehemently. She grabbed her bag and pulled out Papa's diary, which she always carried with her. Opening it on a random page, she read the words that her father had jotted down. The pages were frayed but the words were still as evocative as when Maya had first read them:

How do I rid myself of the shadow of KD? I have tried and I have failed. How I wish God would just take me away. But then what would happen to my sweet little Maya?

Even in his darkest days, his thoughts had been about her. She closed the diary and held it to her heart.
You have to do it for Papa!

A knock on the door heralded Rani's arrival with a glass of delicious mango
lassi
and a plate of savouries. She welcomed the girl's intrusion but not even Rani's exuberant Hinglish chatter could divert her mind from the impending evening. Maya tried to focus on the job of selecting her evening wear and decided on a pair of turquoise silk harem pants with a cream-coloured halter blouse with delicate Kashmiri embroidery on it.