Prithvi... [Vol 5]

Chapter 114

Priyamvada rapped on Nandini's room and entered the room. The sitting room was vacant and so was the bedroom. She panicked briefly until she heard the sound of running water from the bathroom.

With any luck, no calls had been made to Shamli in her absence.

She'd not gone far from Nandini's room when good sense had returned to her befuddled brain and she'd grasped the risks associated with summoning any member of the medical staff for Nandini's check-up. She couldn't let anyone whose loyalty was doubtful to get an inkling of the incident until she had spoken to Nandini and done extensive damage control. Or the episode could explode into a huge long-term problem.

So, she had only gone far enough to spot a maid, and she had asked the flustered girl about the older women who took care of health-related maladies among the staff. There were usually at least three or four of those hags in every palace. And they could be trusted to keep their mouths shut. However, in the unlikely event that the girl had any serious injuries, a doctor would have to be summoned.

After sending off the servant with strict instructions, she had hurried back to Nandini's room.

She had to convince the girl to forgive and forget or this mistake was going to cost her, Priyamvada thought miserably. She could feel it in her bones. Was her right hand turning numb? Or was her mind playing tricks...

Priyamvada cursed her frayed nerves as she paced agitatedly in the sitting room. Twenty years ago, she wouldn't have made a mistake like this one. She would have maintained a cool head and dignified behaviour regardless of the circumstances. After all, impulsive actions were unbecoming for a person of her class. But the terror was too deep-rooted, and she knew she would never be free of it.

Aditya would have laughed and teased her mercilessly if she'd expressed such a fear back in the old days.

He had been amused by the superstitions surrounding the Bharadwaj family. The most prevalent of which was that any person who intentionally harmed the family would come to grief sooner or later. At that time, heady with seemingly imperishable happiness and power, she'd shown her contempt for the beliefs. But her husband had surmised rationally that the superstitions were probably the brain-child of well-wishers who had wanted to protect the naïve, altruistic members of the family from unscrupulous individuals.

Then she had learnt in the cruellest way that the old wives' tale was true.

Priyamvada's thin body shuddered in pain. Frantic to distract herself, she tried to think of alternative topics. But the Bharadwajs refused to leave her mind. The least painful subject was the surprising fact that they had allowed Nandini to stay in Aadybhoomi without a chaperone. If she remembered correctly, Siddharth had been paranoid about his daughter's safety, and the entire family had been obsessed with outdated moralities. Had they changed so drastically over the years? Or had they forgotten to inculcate their values in this particular descendant...

The train of thought was interrupted by a discreet tap on the main door. Priyamvada rushed to answer it and felt satisfied on seeing the aged woman who was bowing to her. The portly maid had a creased face, greying hair, and she was dressed in a red and green saree. There was a large red bindi on the forehead and a big old metal box in the wrinkled hands. The woman was a prototype of the 'wise old woman' variety and could be trusted.

Accepting the servant's reverent greetings, Priyamvada formally asked, "What is your name?"

"Your highness, my name is Lata," the woman replied deferentially.

"Come inside, Lata," Priyamvada ordered. And after the maid had obeyed, she shut the door.

Then she looked steadily at Lata and said, "You must have been told what has happened. Nandini fell down the stairs and hurt herself. Do what you can...and let me know if she needs a doctor. And yes...she's a little upset because of the fall. So, do not ask her anything about the incident."