Muskaan

Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

The deafening whistles of trains combined with shouts and laughter awoke me from my slumber. The long journey from Surat to Amritsar had come to an end. I subdued a yawn as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. . Three hours in metal boxes connected to each other by a coupler and pulled along by a screeching engine is not exactly seventh heaven even for a first class passenger. A porter knocked at the glass door of my compartment.

"Luggage saab ?" , he asked when I opened it.

"Yes.Just that bag over there." I pointed to my oversized trunk.

He heaved it onto his head with ease . He was a small man and i wondered how he managed so well. The station was a vibrant collage of men and women, rich and poor alike as they eagerly welcomed the weary travellers. Beggars squatted on the rough cold floor. Hawkers pestered the people with endless babbling promoting their products. Policemen positioned here and there kept an eye on the activities. Street dogs searched the ground for food. Children threw bits of food to the few lucky ones. I looked around for Jacob, our butler.

"Master Hunt !" I spotted a plump figure pushing his way through. Soon he was by my side.

"Good to see you Master Hunt. Been a long time."

Good to see you too, Jacob. I see time has had no effect on you. You look exactly the same. "

"Don't flatter me sir! I have recently disovered a bunch of grey hair on my black head."

I grinned as i followed him to the car. It was a Ford. Ford Model T to be precise, My father had brought her along with him when he first came to India. She was a gift from a good friend in America.

"Car nice, Saab" , said the porter as he stowed the bag inside.

"Thankyou my dear fellow.",beamed Jacob and tossed him a coin which he accepted with a bow.

The Ford was the love of Jacob's life and his best friends were anyone who praised her. Jacob had even gone to an extend of naming her Emma after his late wife. She shuddered to life and we were on our way. Jacob must have sounded the horn a thousand times as we weaved through cattle and people who had decided to take up residence on the road. I could see the Golden Temple at a distance, shining like a bride decked in gold. A little while later, our bungalow came into view. It was an impressive stucture that stretched over two acres. A man opened the gates. He looked like Father Christmas except for his attire. Dressed in a long tailored shirt with side slits up to the waist (Kurta), and a coloured turban, he beamed at us.He ran alongside the car to the house.

"Welcome home saab."

"Master Hunt, meet Jasdeep Singh. He is to help me run the house while you're here."

"hmm."  Was he here to run the.house or ruin it?

"Come, Come. My wife make food" .

"Great! Another indian! How.many did Jacob want under one roof?"

He escorted us inside, his belly wobbling like a jelly.We passed through the living room into a broad passage which led to the dining room. The round table was cramed with food. Rice, fish, meat and stew. I gulped. Was i supposed to finish all this by myself? Jasdeep drew out the chair and gestured me to sit. A plump woman stood near the table. She folded her hands and bowed. Must be his wife, I thought. She dug into each dish with a large spoon and dumped huge lumps into my plate.

"How's Miss Anne, sir? Will there be a marriage soon?", asked Jacob, while I forced the unfamiliar food down my throat .

"I don't know Jacob", I replied, and got up from the table,"She hasn't said anything yet."

Jacob guided me to my room.

I dozed off as soon as my back touched the bed. I dreamt of Anne. Her slim frame and long golden hair. Her eyes, her lips and her clear laugh. We were standing at the altar. She opened her rosy lips to say, "I do". Thud ! Thud ! Two loud knocks interrupted my dream. I rolled off the bed and fell on the hard, wooden floor. Muttering curses I opened the door.

"Can't a man sleep in peace?" I snapped at Jacob.

"I'm terribly sorry, sir. But I have Miss Anne on the line. She..."

"Anne!"

I took off like a hurricane, down the stairs, past a bewildered Jasdeep who definitely wasn't used to seeing an Englishman run a marathon inside a house and into the living room, where the telephone sat on a table. I grabbed the reciever and glued it to my ear.

"Jordan darling, is that you?"

"Anne! I was just dreaming about you."

"Oh you were? How sweet ! Life's so dull without you. I would give anything to have you back here with me."

The moment I had been waiting for had come. The perfect opportunity. It was now or never.

"Anne, I -I wanted to ask," I stammered and struggled to get the words out. "What is your decision?"

If you think wooing a woman is an easy task, allow me to tell you, you are absolutely wrong. You start sweating, stammering and breathing heavily like you've been caught robbing the Bank of England.

"About what dear?"

Did she forget? My body became numb. It could be possible. Men fell at Anne's feet. How could they not? In charm, beauty, popularity and wealth, she was in a higher position than all other women except the Queen who was richer.

"Marriage sweet. You remember I asked you."

She laughed.

"I remember. I was just teasing you."

"Well?"

"I need more time."

"But we've known each other for a two years. Surely there's no need to think so much."

"Jordan, don't rush me." Her sugary voice turned sharp.

"I am not rushing you."

" Yes, you are."

"Alright, I'm sorry."

"Why do you always let me win?", she asked, sugar back on.

"Because I love you and I hate it when we fight."

She was silent.

"Anne?"

"I should go now. Weston's here with my dress. It's his original design. Can you imagine me in it. I shall be the most beautiful woman at the dance tomorrow. You don't mind if I go with Kingsly do you? "

"No of course not. But just for one dance right?."

"Don't get jealous. You are the one that I love, not him. Bye now. I have to try my dress on."

The line went dead.I dragged myself back to my room and collapsed on the bed. If I was given the power to ban something, dresses would be on the top of my list. I would be doing a huge favour to men from all walks of life. Dresses. The greatest enemy of man. Women planned their life around them. We couldn't even have a proper conversation without the word 'dress' butting its head in. Dresses !