“And the rani’s hair,” Heera added.
We looked at Kashi. She had seen the rajkumar dozens of times. “You’ve never seen a more beautiful child,” she told us. “Nine years in the making,” she said wonderingly. “It was about time the gods blessed them.”
Kahini made a noise in her throat. “You think it was by praying she got a child?”
“Kahini, the raja is your cousin,” Heera said severely.
“And the truth is the truth,” Kahini answered.
“Well, I don’t care if she went to him dressed as an English general,” Moti said. “Jhansi has an heir.”
As we made our way to the rani’s chamber, I asked Jhalkari in a whisper why she thought the rani had gone to the raja dressed as a man. She looked at me the way you might look at a person who wants to know why breathing is essential for life.
“Isn’t it obvious, Sita? It’s because he’s passionate about men.”
The idea was shocking, mostly because I didn’t think this was even possible. Did everyone know this except me?
Then Sundari announced, “Her Highness is ready.”
The rani had never looked more beautiful. She was dressed in a cream and gold angarkha, and her hair fell in long waves over both shoulders. Thick clusters of pearls gleamed from her neck—a gift, perhaps, from Gangadhar.
“My Durgavasi!” she exclaimed, delighted to see us.
We gathered in a circle around the red and gold bassinet. The rajkumar was tightly swaddled so that only his face was visible. But with his thick, dark hair and delicate nose, he was as beautiful as Kashi had said.
“Look, he’s opening his eyes!” Heera pointed.
We all leaned forward to stare, and the rani said, “He can’t see very far, but if you put your face close to his, he can make out your features.”
“Not everyone at once!” Kashi warned. “You’ll overwhelm him.”
So we formed a line, and each of us took turns peering into his bassinet. Now, in Hinduism, we don’t believe in fate so much as karma. But the moment I peered into his bassinet, Damodar Rao gave an enormous smile. You probably think this is an exaggeration, since babies don’t even return their mothers’ smiles until they’re at least six weeks old, but this is exactly how it happened.
“Did you see that?” The rani looked at the other Durgavasi. “He smiled at Sita!”
“Perhaps he mistook her for a bhand?” Kahini offered. Meaning, a clown.
“Stop it,” the rani said. Then she looked at me. “You’re the first person whose smile he’s returned.” She watched me intently, as if she could puzzle out my secret.
But I was just as mystified. I had done nothing that the other Durgavasi hadn’t done. Maybe I had simply done something extraordinary in my past life to account for such luck.
“Someday,” she said to me, “I want Damodar to speak English. Will you come in the evenings and speak to him?” she asked.
I said quickly, “I would be honored, Your Highness.”
“When the other Durgavasi leave today, why don’t you stay?”
The other women remained in the rani’s chamber for another hour, cooing to the rajkumar and chatting with the rani, until Sundari announced that everyone should return to the queen’s room, with the exception of me.
“I’m happy to stay as well, if you’d like,” Kahini offered immediately.
“Oh, I don’t think that will be necessary. I’m sure the raja will call for you soon. I hear he has another play he’s putting on,” the rani said.
“Yes, by Vishnudas Bhave. His Sita Swayamvar was performed for the Raja of Sangli. Gangadhar has hired him to write something new, set in Jhansi. He is paying double the salary the raja paid in Sangli. A writer like Vishnudas Bhave won’t accept anything less.”
I could see the irritation on the rani’s face. “You may go,” she said.
Kahini slipped out the door. For a few moments, the rani didn’t say anything, and I remained standing above the rajkumar’s bassinet. Then she indicated the cushion next to her bed and I sat.
“Sita, I’ve been very disappointed in you these last few weeks.”
“Your Highness, I’m—”
She raised her hand, and I was silent.
“There are times when I simply need you to listen.”
Shame burned my cheeks and I lowered my head. “I’m sorry.”
“I know you are honest, sometimes to a fault. But you must understand that Kahini is family. She may be irritating and arrogant . . .”
And self-serving and malicious.
“But she has done me a great favor. You must understand by now that the raja doesn’t visit me in my chamber.”
I couldn’t meet her gaze, so I mumbled my response into my lap. “Yes.”