Monsoon Mists by Christina Courtenay Page A

didn’t desire her. Elisabet may be pretty on the outside, but she was spoiled and petulant, a pampered only daughter. Jamie preferred girls who weren’t shrews. He’d be damned if he wanted to spend the rest of his life leg-shackled to a tyrant in petticoats.
    Poor Brice. Still, to each his own.
    At the moment he felt nothing but sympathy for her. And as Brice wasn’t here to avenge her honour, the task must be his.
    As he turned to check that she was holding on properly, he caught a strange expression on her face but it was gone in an instant. He wondered if he’d imagined it – his brain was still somewhat befuddled with snaps after all – and decided he must have done. ‘Let’s get you home.’
    It was only later he realised that he hadn’t imagined it, but by then he was well and truly caught.
    ‘There was a message for you, Sahiba Zar. That man you insist on employing came while you were out.’
    ‘Priya, not here!’
    Zarmina put a finger on her lips to shush the maid, while checking to make sure no one was listening to their conversation. Then she ushered her into a private room, adjoining her bedroom. No one was allowed in there except the two of them.
    Priya had been her ayah , acting first as nanny and later maid and confidante, but although Zar would trust the woman with her life, Priya didn’t always think before acting or speaking. Still, she’s all I’ve got. She buried that thought as she’d learned long ago it was no use bemoaning her fate.
    ‘Now then, what did he have to say?’
    ‘Nothing new really.’ Priya sniffed. ‘Just that your stepson is still meeting with unsavoury characters.’
    ‘Anyone in particular? This is important, I need to know what he’s up to. If he’s making underhand deals, he could drag me down with him.’
    The maid shrugged. ‘The usual. And Mansukh the merchant.’
    ‘Mansukh? That’s new. Why would he be meeting with him? He’s our rival.’ Zar frowned and took a turn around the room, trying to order her thoughts. William, her adult stepson, had no head for business whatsoever, which was probably why his father – Zar’s former husband – had left half the trading company to her, his widow. She knew William had been first incredulous, then livid, when he found this out, but the will was entirely legal and there was nothing he could do about it. He’d had to accept a partnership with his stepmother, a girl who was younger than himself. Thus, she was a constant thorn in his side.
    ‘Old sahib should never have given you this role,’ Priya grumbled.
    ‘Maybe not, but I’m glad he did. It’s saved me from having to marry again.’ Zar shivered at the thought. ‘It’s given me freedom and you know I’m good at trading. It amused old sahib to teach me and I know he was surprised that I learned so quickly, but it’s been a blessing. If only I can keep the business from being dragged down by my fool of a partner.’ She continued her perambulation. ‘What is he up to, I wonder? Why Mansukh?’
    The man in question was the most powerful of the local merchants and not one to trifle with. Zar always avoided him, if at all possible, and would never make a deal which she knew went against him in any way. It was much better to stick to goods and deals he wanted no part of.
    She sighed. It would seem William didn’t have the wits to do the same. Zar came to a quick decision. ‘Priya, I’m going out again. I do believe I’ll accompany my stepson to the bazaar after all. He said that was where he was going when I met him just now.’
    ‘The bazaar? But you’ve only just come in and—’
    ‘Now, Priya, hurry please. I need to keep an eye on him and not give him the chance to do something stupid.’
    Could she really stop him though?
    Sanjiv hadn’t yet arrived in Surat, but then Jamie hadn’t expected him to. Going by ship was bound to be much faster and he knew he’d have time to kill before the fake snake charmer joined him. He decided he might