The Unventured Passions

An Evening of Events

The new highroad leading to the Ray Bahadur palace was moderately crowded with motor cycles and cars speeding lazily on their way back home.
The black luxury car that Barrister Anirudh drove was a reason for the passerbys to stop and turn around.

Bondita had leaned against the car seat and gazed out the window, trying to frame a picture of the city roads.

"Dada, any idea by what time would we be back?" Batuk suddenly asked breaking the silence inside the vehicle.

"A little later in the night... I'm guessing 10." Anirudh looked up from the rear glass, eyeing the passengers on the backseat.

"Oh..! That would be late then." Batuk let out a sigh.

"Rudhi would probably be asleep by then!" Bondita lazily remarked.

"Hm.. and I'm hoping Mani Kaka doesn't fall asleep before her." Batuk chuckled softly.
"We should have got Rani didi here with us, you know."

Bondita let out a sigh and turned around once again to stare back at the window with a slight sting in her heart.

Rani was Rudhita's wet nurse. Being a new mother herself, Rani had proactively offered to feed baby Rudhi after the Zamindar couple had decided to adopt them.

It took about 20 minutes for the car to finally reach the parking lot of their designated destination.
A guard dressed in British uniform opened the door for them, assisting Anirudh with the car parking.

"Thank you." Anirudh smiled politely at the man as he got down and opened the door for Bondita, holding his hand out for her.

Bondita accepted his offered assistance as she got out of the vehicle with an aura of elegance reflecting from her demeanor.

The Assistant Governor General saw Anirudh from a far and walked towards him, greeting him with a warm smile.

"The famous Barrister Roy Chowdhury... I'm pleased to see you at the party." The man smiled brightly at the couple.

"Thank you Sir Leonard. Meet my wife, Mrs Bondita Roy Choudhury."

The middle aged British officer turned towards Bondita and smiled warmly as she raised the back of her right palm to him. Bondita saw his red square face and the neat black tux shining in the artificial evening light. She smiled again as he kissed her hand in courtesy and bowed to her.

"Lady Roy Chowdhury, you are truly beautiful."

"Thank you." Bondita smiled politely.

Batuk, meanwhile had joined his brother as he stood behind him with a drawn face. The muck strains on his new shiny shoes had dampened his spirit considerably. He gestured Anirudh towards his shoes and his elder brother rolled his eyes at him.

"How did this happen?" Anirudh hushed the question.

"I got down on the wrong side I guess... Or, just bad luck." Batuk sighed.

"Any problem Barrister?"

Anirudh turned around and smiled as Sir Leonard offered them help understanding the situation.

"What are my guards for?" Sir Leonard beckoned one of the
Indian guards and asked him to dry clean Batuk's shoes as Anirudh's eyes fixated on a familiar British guard who stood afar on his post.

"Um... This are Northampton shoes, Sir Leonard, I doubt how much this Indian man would do justice to this!" Anirudh spoke in his British accent and shrugged his shoulders in an aristocratic gesture.

"Ha ha... A true English man you are Sir Anirudh!" Leonard let out a happy laugh.
"Just born in the wrong country."

Anirudh pressed his lips faking an arrogant smile, trademark to the British officials.
"I practically lived in England all my life Sir Leonard, you can't blame me!"