Pride, Honour & Love

Chapter 12

Her maid wiped her feet, Sarah looked at her, she was employed from Calcutta and accompanied her for her journey. She was of mixed race but having been trained well by her previous employers, infact her father thought they were lucky to get someone who understands English as the problem was communication, Mary ...Sarah called out....

Mary looked up, she was a very plain looking girl and was looking very sad....

Sarah became concerned.....what is the matter Mary....

Mary hesitated, come on Mary, what is it...Sarah coaxed...

Well Miss, I will not deny, you see I am not that young already 30 I think, I mean as per my calculation and would like to settle down....but....

But what....

Mary swallowed....I know miss I am not a great looker, no proper home, with many siblings fighting for space in that small hole, thank god I got a decent job, even as my previous employers left, you came in just in time.....last few years I want to get married, I don't find even if that person is someone like me but Miss, men just want sex and nothing else and I want more than sex....

Understandable, have you found someone then....

Well I thought Toddy Bob would do fine since he is not a handsome man, infact a bit funny looking even but I won't mind, I am too no beauty and he happens to be the master's personal servant, me yours, I like this place too, so when he was leaving with the master, I gave him a note, asking him to read it and think about it while he was on tour, today he has sent me a reply through one of the messengers saying, my mother was native and he is not interested in natives but pure breed.....Mary was now crying loudly he rejected me no issues but he thinks himself to be a pure breed, well I have my doubts and in this god forsaken place where will he find a half breed, leave alone a pure breed...Mary whimpered...

Sarah did not know what to say, are the servants already planning their master/mistress's wedding and theirs too, a perfect arrangement, Sarah caught Mary's hand, she wanted to share her apprehensions, when she heard the knock on the door.....

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It was Ann once again, Sarah somehow did not feel like chatting with her but Ann walked in by passing Mary, I heard voices I think, can I have a word with you? Ann asked....

Hmmm, Sarah nodded indicating Mary to leave, closing the door behind her...

Ann roamed around the room a bit restlessly....then stopped in front of Sarah, you know what my dear, somehow I am not convinced about the status of Bani...

Sarah did not reply, she just stared at Ann,

Why has not Jacques got married so long, okay I accept that in this remote part it is not easy to get a bride upto his standard but then My Lady mixes with the crème de la crème of the society, Jacques too whenever he wishes to and My Lady still has connections with her relatives in France & England, some of them also visited here....

So?

So, open your eyes Sarah, no I am not envious of you, I have been in love with John, my cousin for so many years, infact when John wanted to come to India, it is I who proposed him saying you will need a wife in India, no way I wanted my man to stray......I allow him to flirt once in a while but the leash is in my hand, he knows his limit....

But I am not yet

Yes yes the engagement is yet to be announced but we know what is cooking...you are new from home, of course you must have heard of people like Jacques, it is quite common here and I think I am not assuming wrongly that you are the chosen one, who has the approval of My Lady ....