“He’s a carpenter?” Mandar asked.
“And an artist. He carved the image of Durga that Kahini broke.”
For the most part, none of us mentioned Kahini, for the same reason most of us tried not to think about what life would be like if we were somehow made wealthy and found ourselves free to quit the Durga Dal. Because really, what was the point?
“It’s a shame she’s so close to the rani,” Mandar said. “I bet she’s in the rani’s chamber right now.”
We hadn’t seen either the rani or Kahini all afternoon after Sundari had told us to spend the remainder of the day in leisure.
“Well, in ten days,” Kashi said, “we’ll be with people who’ve never even heard of her.”
But that wasn’t how it happened.
The next day, just as we were leaving for our walk to Mahalakshmi Temple, Sundari took me aside. “Thank you for volunteering,” she said. “I know how difficult it is to be away from your family, so I understand the sacrifice.”
I didn’t understand what she was thanking me for. “What?”
“Your offer to remain with the rani over Durga Puja. One Durgavasi has to stay behind and it was very kind of you to volunteer. And of course, the rani is grateful.”
I could feel the blood rushing to my face. “No! But I—”
Sundari waited for me to finish. “You did offer, didn’t you?” she asked.
Kahini had tripped me again. More than anything in the world, I wanted to be with my family for Durga Puja. But if I said that now, I would disappoint the rani. I felt a crushing pressure in my chest as I made my choice. I said, “I am happy to do it.”
For the next week I watched as all of the other Durgavasi prepared to go home. Everyone understood what Kahini had done, but it had been my own choice not to disappoint the rani by telling the truth. A part of me wished I had spoken out, and the night before everyone was going to leave, that feeling very nearly became a wave of emotion, threatening to overwhelm me.
The Durgavas was filled with packing chests. Jhalkari was laughing with Moti, warning her not to eat all of the laddus her mother baked, or she’d be sorry when she returned to the maidan. Kahini and Rajasi came in from the courtyard, trailed by two older women who had once been Durgavasi themselves. “I was very specific when I said I wanted my yellow sari cleaned for today,” Kahini said. “Tell me, Rajasi, wasn’t I specific?”
“I heard you tell them myself.”
“So where is it?” Kahini demanded.
“I’m very sorry,” the oldest woman said. “It’s very delicate cloth—”
Kahini reached back and slapped the woman’s face. “I didn’t ask for excuses!”
I rose from my bed.
“It’s not your business,” Jhalkari whispered. “Sit down.”
“I’m sorry,” the woman wept. “I’ll do it now.” She left at once, and the other woman hurried out behind her. Kahini saw that I was watching and her face lit up. “Decided that your village wasn’t worth going back to after all?” she asked.
“Your behavior in this Durgavas is shameful,” I said.
The other women turned around. I knew it was foolish of me to speak, but what did it matter? She had already taken from me what I wanted the most—to visit my family.
“Really?” Kahini said, drawing out the word as if this was the most interesting piece of information she’d heard. “I’m sorry. Which one of us was raised on a farm, and which at court?”
“Leave her alone,” Mandar said.
“You keep out of it! Sita here thinks that she knows more about palace life than I do. Well,” she said as she walked toward me. Her slippers slapped against the floor. “I guess we’ll find out over the next three days. A favor which you never even thanked me for.”
She was standing so close to my bed that I could smell the jasmine perfume on her skin. I wanted to hit her hard enough to make her regret every petty thing she’d ever done to me. But then I would be dismissed. And Anu would have no future.
“You see, I thought you would enjoy not having to return to that hole you call a village. How much better is it to be here, with beds and toilets and running water?”
“Enough,” Mandar said.
“And good luck with the raja. I’m sure that when he visits the rani you’ll have all sorts of entertaining things to talk about.”
Mandar rose threateningly from her bed, but Kahini only smiled and walked away.
The next morning, I watched from the courtyard as the women left, and my heart felt as if it were made of stone.