Dishonored (36 page)

Indi stuffed the last of her shirts into her bag and hollered down the stairs for Jimmy to come and help her close it up.
He was sitting drinking coffee with Aunt Clare. He ran up the three flights of their Chelsea town house and swept Indi up
into his arms.

“Jimmy! Stop it!” she squealed. He dropped her, slapped his own wrist then knelt on the floor beside her bag. His mood was
jubilant. It had taken every last ounce of effort, every last breath of persuasion to get her to come but he’d done it. They
were on their way; nothing could stop them now.

“Right! Is that everything?”

“I think so.”

“I bloody well hope so because I’m not unzipping this once I’ve got it closed. It’s stuffed full!”

Indi knelt beside him. “Sorry,” she said sheepishly. He was right; it was her only bag but she’d made up for that by the sheer
size of it. She pressed the sides together while Jimmy yanked on the zip, stretching the fabric of the bag to its full tilt.
They struggled, heaved, swore a couple of times and finally got it done. Indi was ready. She checked her small rucksack for
her essentials and valuables, then looked at Jimmy.

“I’m ready,” she said. “Let’s go!”

He picked up the bag, moaned at the weight and, grinning, he followed her down the stairs to Aunt Clare.

“Indi?” Aunt Clare stood in the doorway of the kitchen and watched Indi swallow down her travel sickness pill with a glass
of water. She hesitated a moment before saying, “Indi, I just wondered if you might want to, erm, er, phone Gramps?”

Indi glanced up. She saw the look on Aunt Clare’s face and sighed. “I’ve tried,” she said quietly. “Three times this week.
No reply.”

“Try one last time?”

Indi hesitated. She understood nothing and it hurt as much now as it had two weeks ago. “I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I don’t
understand him, Clare, I don’t know what I’ve done, except want a bit of independence.”

Clare touched her shoulder. “He has his reasons.”

“Yes, that’s what he said.” Indi was silent for a few moments. “May I use the phone, then?”

Clare smiled. “Go on, we don’t have to go for five minutes or so.”

Indi walked into the hall and dialled West Sommerton. She stood, her back slumped against the wall, and listened to the empty
ringing tone, then she dropped the receiver back in its cradle. “No answer,” she said sadly.

Clare shrugged. “Right!” She covered her disappointment. “Let’s get off then, give you plenty of time to check in.”

Indi smiled. “Thanks, Clare, thanks for putting me up and taking me to the airport with Jimmy. I really—”

Clare came across and kissed Indi’s cheek. “I’ll miss you,” she said, “and so will Dad.” Then she hugged her niece and together
they walked back into the hall where Jimmy was waiting with the bags.

John parked the car in the short-term car park and hurried toward terminal three, praying that they hadn’t already gone through
to departures. He spotted the British Airways desk across the concourse, put his spectacles on, and saw Indi’s figure checking
in. He shouted, waved his arms in the air and, seeing her turn and catch sight of him, he made a dash toward her. They met
somewhere in the middle.

“Indi!” John hugged her tightly and closed his eyes for a moment. Then he pulled back and looked at her. “I thought I might
miss you!”

Indi took a hanky from her sleeve and blew her nose loudly. “Well you didn’t,” she said. Then she smiled and hugged him again.
“Thank goodness!”

She took his hand. “D’you want to come and meet Jimmy? He’s over by the check-in.”

“Yes, yes of course!” John held her back for a moment as he dug in his top pocket. “Indi, I have something for you,” he said,
“something important.” He brought out a package; it was wrapped in cloth and tied with a leather thong.

“What is it?” Indi peered at it. “I’m not going to get stopped at customs for it, am I, Gramps?” She grinned.

John held it out. “Indi, be serious for a moment, it’s important.” She glanced up at him. “I was given this when you arrived
in England. I’ve never opened it, I have no idea what it is but I can only assume it is something to do with your parents.
It belongs to you; I was keeping it until…” He broke off, then he shrugged. “Until I thought you were ready for it, I
suppose. Here.” He handed it to her. “Take it, put it away safely and look at it when you want to.”

Indi turned the package over in her hands, then she unzipped the hidden pocket in her rucksack and slipped it inside. “Thank
you,” she said. John leaned forward and kissed her.

“Always remember who you are, Indi.” He gently tucked a loose curl of hair behind her ear and she smiled “And that you are
very special, to me. I know what I said, but,” he shrugged, “I am always here for you, remember that too.” He stood back a
pace. “Now, I suppose I had better meet this young man of yours.”

“He’s not my young man, Gramps, he’s just a Mend, that’s all!”

“Right! Then I’d better meet this young man of yours who’s not your young man, so to speak, but just a friend!”

Indi laughed. “He’s over here, with Clare.”

John hesitated a moment. “Ah, Indi, I forgot something.” He again dug in his pocket and this time gently lifted out a deep
red rose. He took the lapel of her jacket in his hands and slipped the bloom into the buttonhole. “The John Bennet Rose,”
he said. “Wear it with pride, Indi, it’s very beautiful.”

She lifted the rose and smelled it, then she smiled. “You like it?”

“I love it!” And placing his arm around her shoulder, John hugged his granddaughter, swallowed back his sadness and walked
with her over to the British Airways desk to check in for her flight to Delhi.

I
NDI GRIPPED THE SEAT AND GRITTED HER TEETH.
S
HE
squeezed her eyes shut tight, held her breath and, stomach churning, she waited for the wheels to hit the ground. The Air
India plane dipped, seemed to lift off into the air again then suddenly drop, like a stone, on to the runway. There was an
almighty bump, the fuselage went up once more, Indi’s stomach lurched, then it landed a second time with a series of thuds.
The wheels were down. Suddenly a round of applause broke out and Indi opened her eyes. The engines thrust into reverse, the
brakes came on and the plane screeched along the tarmac, the interior rattling and shaking so much that several of the overhead
lockers flew open and the man next to Indi had his bag fall out and hit him hard on the knee. It slowed, Indi’s teeth stopped
aching and minutes later it ground to a halt. She let go of the seat and glanced across at Jimmy. He had slept through the
whole experience.

“Jimmy!” She shook him gently. “Jimmy, we’re in Baijur.” Indi took out her handkerchief and wiped her palms on it; she was
sweating badly.

Jimmy opened his eyes and rubbed them, stretching and yawning. “We’re down, are we?”

“Yes, thank God!”

He glanced across at her. “You have a problem with the flight?” His tone was patronizing.

“No, no problem.” She smiled tightly, more out of relief than anything else. Then she unfastened her seatbelt and waited for
the man next to her to stand up before sliding out of her seat and squeezing into a space in the aisle to reach for her bag.
She was pushed and jostled, waited for several minutes while people shoved past her, then she lost patience and elbowed a
large man hard in the ribs as he pushed to get past her and blocked his way. She finally got her bag, called across to Jimmy
and kept the crowd behind her waiting while he clambered out of his seat, took his holdall from the overhead locker and led
the way to the exit.

Outside, on the steps of the plane, Indi felt a rush of warm air on her face, saw the pure blue sky above and smelled the
breeze, the Indian breeze. She put her hand up to shield her eyes from the sun and glanced across at Jimmy, smiling broadly
at him.

“I can hardly believe I’m here!” she called, against the noise of the airport. He nodded and, taking her arm, hurried her
down to the waiting bus.

Once they were through arrivals, Jimmy found them a taxi, paid the porter and climbed inside, anxious to be away.

“Come on, Indi,” he called out the window, “don’t dawdle!” She was straining to look at the view, up on tiptoes, gawking like
a tourist and it was beginning to get on his nerves. “Hurry up!”

Indi climbed into the taxi beside him. “What about the cameras, Jimmy?”

“I asked already,” he answered sharply. “They’ve been sent on to the hotel.”

Indi looked at him quizzically for a moment, then shrugged and settled back. He had been in an odd mood since they landed
at Delhi, impatient with her, lacking his usual sense of fun. She thought it might be the camera thing, he had apparently
sent all his camera equipment on ahead but it hadn’t turned up in Delhi and there was no sign of it now. She looked out of
the window and tried to ignore his mood. The taxi started, she glanced down to check she had her rucksack, and then went back
to the scene out of the window. They drove on in silence. Indi’s excitement took over and she forgot Jimmy’s tension. Jimmy
sat and picked at his fingernails, all his energy focused on one thing. He was almost there now, only a few more hours and
he’d have finally made it.

The taxi deposited them on the road above the boat jetty and the lake lay below, the water shimmering in the sunlight, the
palace a white carved building floating serenely in the middle. Indi got out of the car while Jimmy paid, and walked across
to the wall, looking down on the view.

“My God! It’s incredible!” she called over her shoulder. Jimmy came up behind her and followed her gaze. “Yes, it is.” He
started down the slope toward the jetty and Indi hurried after him. “Jimmy! Where are you going?”

“To catch the boat,” he called back, “come on!”

Indi caught him up. “What d’you mean, come on?” She fell into step with him. “Where are we going?”

Jimmy stopped and faced her. “That’s where we’re staying,” he said, “in the Lake Palace Hotel.”

“It’s a hotel?”

“Yes,” he snapped, suddenly tired, eager to have the whole thing over and done with. “It’s a hotel!” He started walking again
and Indi looked behind her at the taxi driver struggling with their bags. She followed Jimmy to the jetty and saw the boat
waiting, two uniformed boatmen standing ready to help them aboard. She grinned and shook her head. “I can’t believe it,” she
said. “Jimmy, this is amazing!”

Jimmy was already on the boat. “Yes, I suppose it is!” He looked across the water at the hotel and, for the first time all
morning, he smiled.

The porter left Indi’s bag just inside her room and she tipped him with a few of the rupees Jimmy had given her. She had travelers’
checks but she hadn’t had time to cash them yet, so she’d borrowed twenty pounds in Indian currency from him and was using
that. She walked over to the French window and opened it, stepping out on to the balcony, high above the water, to look at
the view.

“What d’you think?” She swung around. Jimmy stood in the doorway to her room, watching her.

“I think it is just beautiful,” she answered.

“Good, the lady’s satisfied, then.” He came in and dropped down on to her bed, bouncing up and down to test the springs.

“Did your cameras arrive?” Indi leaned back against the balustrade and looked at him inside.

“Cameras?” He went blank for a moment then suddenly he smiled. “Ah, yes, they were in my room waiting for me.

“Good, then the gentleman’s satisfied too.” Indi came in from the balcony. “So, what are we going to do today?”

Jimmy’s face fell. “Oh God, Indi! Didn’t I tell you?” He smacked his palm against his forehead. “I’ve got a meeting in the
city with the art director. She left a message for me at reception.”

Indi shrugged off her disappointment. “It doesn’t matter,” she said.

“Yes, yes it does!” Jimmy thought for a few moments. “Look, why don’t I arrange a guide for you at reception and you could
go off for a few hours on your own, see a few things in Baijur?”

Indi pulled a face. “Oh, I don’t know, Jimmy.”

He jumped up. “Go on, Indi, you’d have a great time, I promise. These guides are brilliant and I’ll ask for the best one they
know.”

She smiled; his enthusiasm was hard to resist. “OK. Thanks, I’d like that.”

“Excellent!” He headed toward the door. “I’ll go and fix it up now.” He turned back in the doorway. “Indi, I have to be off
in ten minutes or so, and I’ve got to change first, so, look, why don’t you freshen up, maybe grab some room service and I’ll
get reception to call you when the guide arrives.” He came back into the room and kissed her cheek. “I, my darling girl, will
catch up with you later.”

Indi smiled. As he went to leave a second time she called him back. “Jimmy?” He popped his head around the door. “What time
will you be back tonight?”

He shrugged and rolled his eyes. “To be honest, Indi, I don’t really know. These things can take one hour or twenty, with
the art director driving you to every location to sum it all up!” He came into view. “If I’m not back by dinner, then go ahead
and eat without me and I’ll see you in the morning, OK?”

She nodded.

“Oh, and give me your passport while I’m at it, and any valuables, I’ll put them in the hotel safe before we both go out.”

Indi took her rucksack off the bed and dug in it for her travel pack. It had her airline ticket, her passport, her vaccination
certificate and her travelers’ checks in it. She handed the whole thing over to him and he gently flicked her chin. She smiled.

“That’s better. You’re here on hols, remember, and, unfortunately, I’m here to work!”

“I know, I know!” She gave him a little shove. “Go on then, go to work. I don’t want you to be late for your meeting!”

Jimmy smiled. “Bye for now.” He tapped her leather travel folder on his leg and blew her a kiss.

“Bye!”

Moments later he had disappeared.

Indi’s guide, a young Indian boy, helped her into the motor rickshaw and then stood on the roadside and bargained for several
minutes with the driver while she sat inside, holding her handkerchief over her face. The traffic of Baijur’s busiest road
roared past, the dust swirled up and the exhaust fumes blackened the air. As she sat there, the life of the city swarmed all
around her, the noise, smell, color and sheer pace of it all taking her breath away, literally. She waved at a group of dirty,
scruffy children who ran shouting along the road and threw them a handful of sweets she’d bought off a roadside stall. Then
she looked across at the guide and saw that a price had been agreed; she was on her way back to the Lake Palace.