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The Whisper Valley-7
Did Khushi find the masked man? What happened after she reached whisper rock?
9/1
He was the Governor!
Willow's heart sank into her knees!
No! How could she be so dense!
She gaped at him! Opened her mouth and then shut it thinking the better of it!
"Well?" His voice boomed in the office room!
Willow squared her shoulders!
"Well! What? How do I know you are the Governor Sire? I just came from the convent in Coimbattore! Actually its your fault...er... if someone...anyone..." She saod recklessly..." in the Valley fails to recognise you!"
She held the sides of her frock tightly with her right hand!
Sweet heavens! Why was she letting her tongue loose on this man of all the people! Willow Feathers! You are in deep trouble! She closed her eyes!
"Young lady! What do you think you are saying?" His voice boomed in the room!
Willow looked to the right! On the Rose wood panel was a brass symbol representing the Simha clan! Two lions guarding something written in local Tamil script,a hexagonal plaque like thing! She gulped hard as she could co relate atleast one of the lions with the one standing before her!
"I...er...I speak truth and only the ruth Governor sir!" She said stuttering! Then she remembered sister Bridgette's self development tips!
Keep your back straight meet the eye of the opponent! Talk crisp and succintly... kill the task on hand!
She stiffened..."...All right!!!! ...er... anyways... I don't think she...er...Lady Lalitha likes me for a governess and so I think I should not be in your employ!" She said bravely!
Better say that before he anyways told her that her appointment was being revoked!
The Knight looked at her as if she had grown two heads!
"Do you need some water to drink?" He bowled her over with that question!
"Why?...er... no sir! I don't! Thank you!" She said her nose still up in the air!
"Coz I have a distinct feeling Ms.Feathers that you are shocked and are acting er...out of context!" Arnav Simha said regarding her seriously!
Willow looked away and her blood boiled!
"The mother of the child who Ia m supposed to be a Governess for, doesn't approve of me sire! So I think its not correct for me to take up the job" She said!
"How do you know?" He asked, walking round the huge Mahogany desk to her making her feel very skittish! He carried some kind of energy with him that jolted her nerves!
She simply said," She ...er...didn't even want to shake hands with me Governor!So I suppose she actually does not like me!"
He was now standing before her and he smiled at her and asked," That's the reason for your ill founded fears?"
"Nay sire! My fears are not without a reason!" She defended herself.
"Trust me Ms.Feathers! They are!" He affirmed.
She shook her head in exasperation and said," Sire! I know..."
He raised his hand then! And Willow went mute by the sheer aura of authority in the man!
He said "What if I prove to you... that its a figment of your imagination!"
"Then prove it sir...Governor! "Willow was Willow!
He was taken aback by her bold challenge and she could see it!
HA! He thought she was a ninny! She was not a dim-wit of a lady like the one who walked out when he ordered her to!
Willow regarded him warily!
He stepped forward and she smarted as his body warmth permeated the air around her but strangely it made her shudder rather than prespire!
He then held her by her elbow saying," Allow me Ms. feathers and turned her slowly for about 90 degrees and what she saw made her utter a tiny scream!
Standing right before her edged in ornate brass was a floor length mirror attached to one of the book racks!
Willow saw herself in that! Her cheek was grazed with slush! A few strands of her hair were matted near her temples, and were hanging limp! Her frock had slush drying in patches everywhere in teh fronta nd she did not have the courage to check the back side of it...and her shoes were now almost brown... they were pink before!
He slowly drew her hand out trailing his palm down her elbow sending shivers down her spine and held her palm to the mirror and she smarted at her hand! It was covered in dried mud and slush!
"Now would you blame Lalitha?" He asked meeting her eyes in the mirror!
A red blush spread across her cheek down to her neck and she just had to look away!
"Don't hover in the creek alone!It's dangerous!" He said very softly!
"I am sorry sir?" She was taken aback and turned to meet his eyes in the mirror and was mesmerised with the melting intensity in them which was only for a second! And just the next second, the cold look of disdain was back in them! How his face was transformed just for a moment!... She wondered!
"You must be Ms. Feathers! We have reports of some Bandits on the prowl and I shall not be responsible for a careless young woman who gallivants around the creek without an escort at all odd hours!"
"I was not sir!" She denied vehemently.
"What?" He asked her still holding her hand!
"...er...gallivanting! I was paying homage to the soul of my departed parent and you..." She was speaking still when he stalled her!
"Ms.Feathers! Its my responsibility to safeguard the people of the Valley! And I will not have one crazy Convent-bred missie to reak havoc with my administration!
How very rude and boorish of him! What did she do? She was just collecting some fresh blooms for her mother!
Willow's temper raised and she asked him," Do you mean to say that, The resident of the Valley does not have the freedom to even go to a church?"
"Please Do! But safely! Stick to the Long Road... and..." Arnav was still speaking when she huffed...
"Forgive me sir, I shall go as I please! I elect the Governing council and The Governor for protecting and safeguarding me as the resident of the Valley not to curb my natural freedom!
Willow was in for a shock as he pulled her by her hand into him saying," You elect the Governing Council Ms. Feathers! Not the Governor !
I happen to own the Valley!" He said softly!
How very pompous of him!
"No! ...You don't!" She saw him in the eye...
He bent slightly forward saying,"I do! The Valley and everything that belongs with it!" The last part he said running his gaze all across her face!
There was absolute silence after that as Willow stood surrounded by the aura of the strangely forboding aristrocat and she did not know how to react!
"I need to...go!"She said licking her lips!
He seemed to be far away but in an instant his eyes shone with luminous intensity of awareness and he slolwy extricated himself from her and stepped back saying," By all means Ms. Feathers! I wish you all the best!Good day!"
Willow felt strangely bound to him yet strangely dismissed! What was happening! She turned and reached the door and heard him say," Next time please try to be safe and...
Ms. feathers?" He called her as she turned to face him sideways...
"Try being a little neat as you will set example to a young child!Close the door as you leave please!"He said and got busy rummaging through the desk!
Willow made an 'o' with her mouth!She stormed out of the room muttering," How dared he talks to me that way!Darn!!!! As if he is some Lord ...
"He is Ms. Feathers! Her Majesty has graced him with the Knighthood last year!" An elderly man stood before her and said smiling at her!
"...er..My apologies sir! You are...?" willow asked him blushing profusely!
"Sudarshan Vishwanathan! Deewan of his Lordship!' He gave more emphasis on 'His Lordship!' And Willow grimaced!
9/2
"Ouch!"Willow fell first as Suraj landed on her and then the man away from them!
"I am sorry sir" She looked at a handsome English young man who immediately got up and helped her up apologising for no fault of his and then enquired with Suraj if he was alright!
"I am sorry..." He started...
"Feathers" She supplied..."Willow Feathers sir!"
"Good afternoon Ms. Feathers I am Edmond Saddington!" He shook hands with her and touched his hat!
"Nice to meet you sir" She said!
"Pleasure is mine Ms. Feathers and I presume... you are the new Governess to his highness?" He asked looking at Suraj!
"Oh yes sir" She said and asked," I...er... Don't know much about here as I was pursuing my convent studies at coimbattore sir! Mr. Saddington" She said.
"Thats ok Ms.Feathers! And call me Edmond or Ed!" He smiled and Willow smiled and said "...and I am Willow sir for my friends!"
They both smiled at each other and he looked at the office and said," Will be meeting you at the service this Sunday I presume..."
"Oh! Yes sir! Good bye!" Willow said blushing!
He walked away and suraj came out from behind the bush and caught her tightly throwing his hands around her waist!
"Suraj? Whats wrong my boy? "She asked him! But he just shivered and said nothing!
"Hey!" She went on her knees and asked him ..." What happened...?"
He hid his face in the lapels of her sweater!
"Ok! Come lets go in! I need to leave for the day and ..." He did not let her complete...
"No Lowey!" He cried...
"But I need to leave my dearest! I shall be back tomorrow" She said gayly!
"No!" He hugged her tighter!
Willow smiled and got up saying," Ok! I shall wait for half hour more and no studies! Just play!"
He brightened a little but not much she noticed!
He was alright till the race! what had happened to him after that!
She suddenly asked him," Do you happen to know the gentleman who passed by us just now?"
He again hugged her tight nodding his head up anddown!
"Oh! You don't like him!"She deduced for taht he nodded his head again!
She made him sit on a garden chair knelt before him, and asked him," Why?"
He looked away and she could see he was agitated!
"You can tell me Suraj! I am your friend" She tried softly!
Suraj looked at her for a moment and said," He not good Lowey!"
"Why my dear?" She joined him on the wide chair!
"He... wants to... "He gulped hard and said "He ... was telling amma He ... Suraj hugged Willow tight and said ," He will make periyappa pay and he sounded ... no good...!"
"Gosh! Child whatever did you hear!"Willow shusshed him! And said "I think you heard him wrong!"
"No!" He said! "I heard! Yesterday!He said he will give do something to Periyappa!"
Willow suddenly became alert... She saw Edmond Saddington walk across from the office to the inner quarters of the Casa!
" No!" Suraj's voice made her look to her right and she saw his nanny Mangamma get milk for him and she simply said..." Just have this and I shall be back"
She then went to the other side as if she was searching something and slipped behind one of the windows!
She did not have to do much as Lalitha's voice very clearly was saying," Are you sure?"
"Yes! And all you have to do is get it from the office! Or where ever it is!" Edmond was saying!
"But I dunno! Where it is!" She was wailing!
"Well! Find out! Oh... Ma'am this is a small gift for his highness Master Suraj" He suddenly changed his voice and Willow realised a maid had come in!
Then immediately again he satrted speaking,"Tomorrow at the temple festival we shall try to... tell him also! But you must be careful!"
"Yes! I will be! ...and don't underestimate his power!" Lalitha was saying gravely!
"No! Thats why we planned absolutely well! Now the ball is in your court Madam!"He was saying...
"Ok! If the first condition is not fulfilled, we have our second option anyways" Lalitha was saying!
"Yes! For sure Ma'am!" saddington said.
"Either ways if we get it, then... you see it becomes easy as the blame can be shifted just fine! I hope you understand!"Edmond said.
What were they talking about! Willow scrunched her nose!
"Right now I kept the packet on his table and he will open it and will make it to the place mentioned!
You will have a full hour to find it!Plus I will ensure atleast some damage is done so that tomorrow he won't be in a position to combat and perform his duties at the temple too!" He said!
"Ok!Done!" Lalitha assured!
"Good bye Mrs. Simha!"
"Good bye Mr. Saddington!" Lalitha was saying...
Willow hurried back and stared back at a guard who looked at her suspiciously!
HA! If only he knew whom to stare at!
What do I do! She looked to her right and to her left and then went straight into the lion's den- the office!
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