Part 99 (2/2)
”I don't know. Perhaps.” She s.h.i.+fted her gaze away from the Rajputs.
For an instant Hawksworth thought he saw her make a quick movement with her hands urging them to leave. Or had she? They casually moved on down the hill, their rhino-hide s.h.i.+elds swinging loosely from their shoulder straps. ”After . . . after things are settled.”
”After what? After Arangbar signs the _firman_?”
”I can't seem to make you understand.” She turned to face him squarely.
”About Prince Jadar. Even if you got a _firman _it would soon be worthless.”
”I understand this much. If he's thinking to challenge Arangbar, and the queen, then he's G.o.d's own fool. Haven't you seen the army traveling with us? It's three times the size of Jadar's.” He turned and continued to walk. ”His Imperial Majesty may be a sot, but he's in no peril from young Prince Jadar.”
As they approached the entrance to his tent, she paused for a moment to look at him, her eyes a mixture of longing and apprehension.
”I can't stay now. Not today.” She kissed him quickly and before he could speak she was moving rapidly down the hill, in the direction the Rajputs had gone.
Queen Janahara studied Allaudin thoughtfully as he strode toward her tent. His floral turban was set rakishly to one side in the latest style, and his purple gauze cloak was too effeminate for anyone but a eunuch or a dandy. She caught a flash from the jewel-handled katar at his waist, too ornamental ever to be used, and suddenly realized that she had never seen him actually hold a knife, or a sword. She had never seen him respond to any crisis. And Princess Layla had hinted he was not quite the husband she had envisioned, whatever that might imply.
Suddenly it all mattered. It had only been a week since Jadar's demands had been refused, and already he had taken the initiative. Now, she sighed, she would have to protect her _nashudani_, her ”good-for- nothing” son-in-law. He could never protect himself, not from Jadar.
”Your Majesty.” Allaudin salaamed formally as he dipped below the tapestried portiere of her tent, never forgetting that his new mother- in-law was also the queen. ”The princess sends her wishes for your health this morning.”
”Sit down.” Janahara continued to examine him with her brooding dark eyes. ”Where is Nadir Sharif?”
”The eunuchs said he would be a few moments late.”
”He always tries to irritate me.” Her voice trailed off as she watched Allaudin ensconce himself with a wide flourish against a velvet bolster. ”Tell me, are you content with your bride?”
”She is very pleasing to me, Majesty.”
”Are you satisfying your obligations as a husband?”
”Majesty?” Allaudin looked up at her as though not comprehending the question.
”Your duties are not merely to her. Or to me. They're also to India.
Jadar has a male heir now. Such things matter in Agra, or weren't you aware?”
Allaudin giggled. ”I visit her tent every night, Majesty.”
”But for what purpose? After you're drunk and you've spent yourself with a _nautch _dancer. Don't deny it. I know it's true. Do you forget she has servants? There are no secrets in this camp. I think you'll sooner sire an heir on a slave girl than on my daughter. I will not have it.”
”Majesty.” Allaudin twisted uncomfortably and glanced up with relief to see Nadir Sharif pus.h.i.+ng aside the portiere of the tent. As he entered, Janahara motioned toward the servants and eunuchs waiting in attendance and in moments they had disappeared through the curtained doorways at the rear.
”You're late.”
”My sincerest apologies, Majesty. There are endless matters to attend.
You know His Majesty still holds morning _darshan _from his tent, and has two _durbar _audiences a day. The difficulties . . .”
”Your 'difficulties' are only beginning.” She was extracting a dispatch from a gilded bamboo tube. ”Read this.”
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