The Far Pavilions - Mary Margaret Kaye [185]
For this reason, if for no other, he had cause to be grateful for the injuries that tied him to his bed, as they not only gave him time for thought, but postponed the need for action. There was nothing he could do at the moment beyond encouraging Jhoti to spend as many hours as possible in his company, and trusting to Mulraj to keep an eye on the child for the rest of the day. Though there was always the night… But possibly Jhoti was safer then than at any other time, for he slept surrounded by his personal servants, all of whom, according to Kaka-ji, were devoted to him. Or if not to him, decided Ash cynically, at least to his interests, which must also be their own.
On the face of it, these men had taken a grave risk in order to let the little prince enjoy himself for a strictly limited time – possibly only for a day or two, supposing a search-party had set out at once to fetch him back, and at best a few months, since after that both he and they must return. How did they expect to be received on their return? Did they, like Kaka-ji, hope that the lapse of time would have cooled the Maharajah's wrath and allowed him to regard the episode as no more than a childish prank? Or was there some other plan?… Perhaps the murder of Nandu, who had as yet no son, and whose Heir Apparent was still his younger brother, Jhoti?
But then it was not Nandu but Jhoti who had very nearly been murdered – and here in the camp; though to the best of Ash's knowledge (it was a point on which he had taken the trouble to inquire) no one had followed after them or joined the camp since he himself had taken over from the District Officer in Deenagunj, nor had there been any messages from Karidkote. This suggested that the attempt had no connection with the boy's escape but must be the work of one of the rival party; some adherent of Nandu's, who, like Ash, concluded that there must be something more behind Jhoti's unexpected arrival than a ‘boyish prank’, and had decided to take no chances, but to scotch any further plotting by the simple expedient of killing the heir.
If only I could talk to Juli,’ thought Ash. She if anyone would know what went on inside the frowning walls and fretted wooden screens of the Hawa Mahal. The things that were whispered in its planless maze of rooms and corridors or gossiped about behind the purdahs of the Zenana Quarter… Juli would know, but there was no way of reaching her; and as Kaka-ji had taken fright, it would have to be Mulraj instead. At least Mulraj should know whom to watch, for the number of suspects must be limited to someone who was out with the hawking party that day. There had not been very many of them, and all those with alibis could be eliminated as a start.
Mulraj, however, had not proved helpful.
‘What do you mean, “not very many of them”?’ he demanded. ‘It may have seemed a small party to you, but then your thoughts were not with us that day and you did not even see the game we put up – let alone who was there. Do you know how many there were? One hundred and eighteen, no less – and two thirds of them paid servants of the state, which means the Maharajah. Of what use to interrogate them? We should hear nothing but lies and would only succeed in putting the true assassins upon their guard.’
‘Well, why not?’ inquired Ash, ruffled by the impatience in Mulraj's voice. ‘Once they realize that we know there has been an attempt on the boy's life, they may think twice before they make another. It will be too dangerous to try such tricks again, knowing that a watch will be kept.’
‘Just so,’ said Mulraj dryly. ‘And were you dealing with your own people, your plan might be a good one. I myself