Where the Secret Lies (16 page)

 
in a long skirt that
covered her ankles and a blouse, which accentuated her slim figure. Tehzeeb
peered from her veil, an intensity radiated from her whole being. Surrounding
her were her children. Anjali did a quick count; one was missing.

‘Namaste didi (sister),’ said
Tehzeeb.

‘This is Shabnam, Ram, Imran,
and Zakira,’ Mohan introduced her children. Anjali would not think of them as
his.

‘Where is Anu?’ asked Anjali.
Why was she able to remember the missing child’s name?

Mohan shook his head sadly.

‘Oh God,’ exclaimed Anjali.

A single tear and Mohan took
Tehzeeb into his arms. Anjali stared.

‘I have to go, I’m sorry,’ she
ran out of the house.

Anjali gulped fresh air, squashing the pain deep inside her.
Was the air cold or was it only her who felt it? Why did this happen to her?
Why did bad luck follow her?

‘Anjali, are you alright?’ Mohan
came out.

‘No Mohan ji, I am not. I did
not...I do not want her or her children here in my house. Tell her to go away!’

‘They are my children as well. Anjali,
Tehzeeb is my first wife – she is an elder sister to you now. You will show
respect and bring love to my other children as you do for Deepika and Kajol.
Tehzeeb understands this and is willing to adjust and so must you,’ Mohan’s
tone had changed.

‘Will you sleep with her?’
Anjali asked.

‘I will do my duty by her as
well as by you.’

Anjali watched in shocked
silence as he went back into the house.

ARIANNA

TWENTY

Rani hugged Arianna. ‘Thank you for helping me, I am able to
breathe now.’

They were at the airport
terminal waiting for the calling time for the flight to London. Rani was going with
Arianna’s parents, agreed by her father after a heated discussion between Rani
and her mother. Arianna assured her auntie this would be good for her. This was
her time and she must make the most of it. Marriage will come again - right
now, Rani was not ready. Arianna remembered yesterday’s conversation.

Arianna, Rani, Khushboo, and
Tianna sat together. They listened to the elders talk, not speaking a word but waiting
with high anticipation of a good outcome. Rani had initiated the discussion.

‘It would be a delight,’ said
Arianna’s mother. ‘Since neither Arianna nor Tianna want to come back with us,
it is nice to know someone wants our company.’

Arianna knew her mother was trying
to make her and sister feel guilty. She was a little miffed at the prospect of
not having any of her daughters with her when they go back to London. Since she
and Tianna were born, neither had left her sight for more than twenty-four
hours. Now, Arianna and Tianna would be away from her for two weeks!

‘Mum, we are not leaving the
planet,’ Tianna rolled her eyes.

‘Ma, what do you say? Can I go?’
Rani asked her mother.

‘Why are you asking me? You have
already decided,’ her mother retorted.

‘I want you to be happy for me
Ma,’ said Rani. ‘Why can’t you like me?’

‘How dare you!’ her mother rose.
She turned to her husband who seemed tired. ‘Look what our daughter has turned
into, a vicious witch!’

Rani’s mother stormed out
leaving everyone in complete and utter shock. Rani’s composure crumpled and
tears spilled.

Arianna, Tianna, and Khushboo
accompanied Rani to her room.

‘Why does she hate me?’ Rani
cried into her handkerchief. ‘She has done nothing but hate me.’

‘I am so sorry, Rani,’ Arianna
said.

‘She is not my real mother, you
know. Perhaps that’s why she never loved me.’

‘What?’ said Tianna and Khushboo
together.

‘My mother is my maasi – my
mother’s younger sister. My biological mother died a few days after giving
birth to me. My maasi clasped my father’s hand and said she will marry him and
look after me. My poor father had no choice. He was vulnerable and emotional
and he needed someone to be a mother to me.

 
‘My grandparents agreed to this marriage whole
hearted, so my father and she married. When I was thirteen, my dadi
(grandmother) told me that Papa never got over my real mother. My maasi was
jealous of this and equally jealous of my and Papa’s relationship – she was not
able to bear her own children. Ma sneered at my achievements from childhood, even
now. She was never happy to be my mother.’

‘I don’t understand, why
did
she marry your father?’ asked
Arianna.

‘Isn’t it obvious? For uncle’s
money of course,’ said Tianna.

‘She is right,’ Rani said
heavily.

No one had an answer to this. The
atmosphere became subdued.

‘Anyone hungry?’ asked Khushboo.

‘Have you seen my phone Ari?’
asked Tianna. ‘Oh I gave it to Gaurav. I’ll be back in a moment!’

‘Why is my life so difficult?’
sighed Rani.

Arianna half-listened, thinking
about Rani and her mother’s relationship problems, when she heard soft crying. She
glanced at Rani but she seemed content. Then...who was crying?

 
‘Khush, did you hear that?’ Arianna whispered
when Tianna went to get her mobile and Rani went to the bathroom to wash her
face and apply some make-up.

‘No, what are you talking
about?’ said Khushboo.

‘Oh nothing...hey Rani, can I ask
you something?’ Arianna asked when she came back.

‘Sure,’ she said.

‘Do you remember when I asked
you about the door...the only one not decorated with flowers?’

 
‘I remember...’

‘Would it be okay to see it?’
Arianna asked.

‘You want to see the room, why?’

‘I don’t know but I am curious.’

‘Ah...Ari, we are not allowed to
mention that room,’ Rani said mysteriously. ‘It’s a taboo subject.’

‘What’s a taboo subject?’ Tianna
arrived with her phone.

‘Shhh!’ said Arianna. ‘Please
tell me, I mean, please tell us.’

Rani looked from one curious
face to another. ‘Alright, but this conversation must not leave this room,
agreed?’

‘Agreed,’ they all chorused.

‘When I was young, I used to hear crying behind the door.
Once, I heard dancing bells too. A secret lies behind that door and I intended
to find out. I asked Ma and Papa but they forbade me to talk about the room let
alone enter it. I believe that door has never been opened.’

 
‘Have you tried?’ asked Tianna.

‘Yes, many times. My friends and
I used to go there at night when everyone was asleep. I planned it all – the
early nights, the sleepovers...we waited until all was quiet. I had already
taken the keys from Ma’s set and had them copied.

‘We tried all the keys but the
door wouldn’t open. It seemed like it was permanently wedged to the frame. In
the end, we gave up.’

‘That’s it?’ Tianna said.

‘No, there is more. I saw a
woman. She always wore the same red sari. She wore her long black hair loose at
times and her jewellery...I have not seen anything like it! She would walk
along the same corridor...once she looked my way and I ran. I was nine then.

‘As I got older the noises
stopped and I stopped seeing her. I now stay away from there. Ma did not want
it decorated; she said it was a bad omen. We found a dead black cat there, five
years ago.

 
‘Were you not scared when you saw that woman?
Sounds like you saw a real ghost!’ Tianna rubbed her arms and shivered.

‘I was but with so many people
coming and going, the door and the room, and whatever was associated with it
was forgotten.’

Arianna did not voice her
apprehensions with her cousin but she could not stop thinking about it either.
Rani mentioned crying...was it the same one she heard a few minutes ago?

‘Ari, where are you?’

‘Sorry Ma,’ Arianna hugged her
mother. ‘I will miss you.’

Arianna’s mother kissed her
cheek. ‘Please take care of yourself beta and make sure you eat properly. Tianna,
you as well. You both are too thin for your own good.’

‘Alright Ma. Now go, Papa and
Rani are waiting for you,’ Tianna said as her mother planted a kiss on her too.
She half hugged and half pushed her.

‘I will call as soon as we reach
home,’ promised their mother.

 
Their father and Rani waved and then all three
walked through the gates.

‘I miss them already,’ sighed
Arianna.

‘Me too,’ Tianna leaned against
her sister.

Khushboo put her arms around their
shoulders. ‘Let’s go home...hey Ari, are you alright? You seem a little
disturbed today.’

‘I was thinking about what Rani
said the other night, you know – about the woman she saw and that room...’

‘You think too much. It’s only a
story.’

Arianna didn’t think so. ‘You go
home with Ti. I just remembered I need to do something.’

‘Where are you going?’ Tianna
asked.

‘I’ll tell you later okay? This
is very important. Don’t worry, I am perfectly safe. You can ring me in an hour

if I am not back by then.’ Arianna left a bewildered
Khushboo and Tianna as she hailed a taxi.

Arianna rang the doorbell and tapped her feet, waiting for
the door to open. She was nervous too, for she came uninvited.

‘Oh...hello,’ Alok opened the
door. ‘What a lovely surprise.’

 
‘I should have called,’ Arianna apologised.
‘I’m sorry. I was hoping you would be at home, I ‘m not disturbing you am I?
You are not going out?’

The old man’s face smiled. ‘As
it happens, I am free today like so many of my other days. Where are my
manners, come in.’

Alok ordered two passion fruit
juices as they sat down. ‘Am I right in suggesting you have come to hear more
of the story of the haveli?’

‘Yes, how did you know?’

‘Intuition,’ Alok said.

Arianna laughed. ‘How do you
know so much about the haveli, uncle?’

 
‘I am a retired historian. It was my job to
find information on buildings, papers, books etc of old. I hoped to find
information on my own haveli but unfortunately, it does not have such a
colourful history as your cousin’s haveli.’

Arianna took the juice from the
servant.

‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘Uncle,
do you anything about a certain door?’

 
‘Oh, you know about that?’

 
‘I know a little.’

‘That door has quizzed many. Why
it does not open, no one knows. It is a mystery. Some say a spirit is involved.
Whatever is inside, he or she wants it to be kept secret.

‘Your cousin’s family do not
speak of it for they fear it. I myself, have searched the archives in the
record offices, studied the building papers, checked websites but nothing came
forward.

‘But I found one thing and one
thing only; this was from a newspaper article which was dated... I think 1952. The
title of the news item read “Murder”.

TWENTY-ONE

Murder at the haveli?
 
Arianna’s mind buzzed with questions and the answers could only be found
in one place – the room.

The rickshaw stopped at the
haveli, jolting Arianna back from her thoughts.

‘Thank you bhaiya,’ Arianna paid
the driver.

Whom could she ask? Auntie or
uncle will not enlighten her about the murder – if they know anything about it.
The door was a taboo subject...perhaps she should ask the maid, she was sure
such stories circled amongst the working class.

Nikhil was on the phone when she
entered his room. He abruptly stopped talking and disconnected the call.

 
‘Did I interrupt something important?’ asked
Arianna.
 
She felt...unwelcome.

‘It was only a phone call. Come
here,’ he took her into his arms but Arianna felt something amiss. There was no
warmth in his hug. She released herself and looked into his eyes.

‘Where were you? Khushboo and
Tianna arrived a while ago,’ he said.

‘I went to see Alok uncle. You will
not believe what he told me about this haveli! I still can’t believe it
myself.’

‘Ari, can you tell me later? I
have something important to do,’ Nikhil pecked her on the cheek and brushed
past. Arianna stared after him. Did she say something to annoy him?

Arianna decided to ask her auntie, Rani’s mother regarding
the murder. The worst she could do was refuse.

‘Auntie, how are you?’ Arianna drew up a chair next to her.

Auntie adjusted her black-rimmed
glasses, which rested on the bridge of her nose. She picked up swabs of fabric
and scrutinised the colours and textures. Rani’s mother worked as an interior
designer. It was a small, side business and she looked very busy. Arianna wondered
if she should come back another time

 
‘Did you want something beta?’ Auntie spoke
making Arianna jump.

‘Um...auntie, there is something
on my mind...something about this haveli.’

Auntie put the fabrics down and
gave Arianna her full attention. Arianna felt her mouth dry.

‘Can I have some water please?’
she croaked.

‘Beta, you seem quite worried. What
is worrying you?’ auntie poured her a glass.

Arianna took the water and drank.

 
‘Auntie, can you tell me something about a certain
room and door which won’t open?’

Auntie raised her eyebrows.
‘What do you know about that? Why are you interested?’

‘Nothing...just I heard a few
things...’

‘Listen beta, you must stay away
from that door, do you understand? It carries a bad omen. I have had a number of
holy rituals carried out to rid the curse. Rani was adamant a spirit was the
cause of the door staying shut...’