A Garland of Marigolds (23 page)

A very old man, his wrinkled face hidden behind an enormous white beard, cackled with laughter.

“
No, it will not rain then,
”
he assured me.
“
The sun will be out. People from many villages will be here. It will bring much honor to our doors and to the door of the research station. We will all rejoice together and the gods will be pleased.
”

As soon as I awoke on Saturday I pattered over to the window and raised the blind to see what the weather was like. The red soil was transformed by the sudden green growth of plants that had suddenly sprung forth from the earth. The trees looked clean and shining and the whole world smelled of the brightness of the sun. It was going to be a lovely day, and I wondered how the old man had known, but perhaps wishing had made it so, just for once, a tiny miracle for one of my last memories of India. For I had to go, I knew that now. I could no longer listen through the nights for Julie to come to bed, nor could I smile any more when she teased and scolded Gideon at mealtimes. Clearly she had his approval and—I had to face it some time—his love.

I stood at the window and thought back to the day Gideon and I had walked back from the metalsmith
’
s shop.

“
You look pale,
”
he said.
“
Is there something wrong?
”

I swallowed.

“
We can
’
t all be beautiful!
”
I responded miserably.

He looked me straight in the eyes and said:
“
I have always believed that beauty was largely in the eye of the beholder. Wouldn
’
t you say that, Miss King?
”

Miss King again!

“
No, I don
’
t!
”
I had exclaimed bitterly.
“
I think some people can always attract by their looks no matter what they are, and others—and others can only stand by and watch!
”

He looked rather pleased with himself and grinned.

“
Are you hinting at something, Suki?
”
he asked.

“
I should have thought it was obvious!
”
I said.
“
But you know your own business best!
I
should have thought she was most unreliable!
”

And he grinned all the harder.

“
Now would you indeed?
”
was all he said, and I hadn
’
t seen him alone since then.

I sighed and turned to wake up Camilla. She gave a grunt of dismay when she saw the time and leaped out of bed.

“
I promised Joe I
’
d help him with the bunting,
”
she explained as she tore into her clothing and fussed over her makeup.
“
Suki, did you know there
’
s to be a proper ceremony and that you
’
re to be the center of it?
”

“
Well, a ceremony,
”
I amended.
“
But it
’
s only someone from t
he
government who is coming to inspect it.
”

Camilla applied her lipstick with care.

“
Joseph says—
”
she began, her eyes twinkling.
“
No, perhaps I
’
d
better not tell you what he said! But look out for Julie
’
s wrat
h
won
’
t you? Something tells me she
’
s not going to enjoy today very
much.
”

“
I don
’
t suppose she will,
”
I said.
“
Do you think Gideon will wa
nt
her to be on the platform?
”

Camilla flicked her hair into position and made a face at herse
lf
in the mirror.

“
I
’
m beginning to wonder if he cares what happens to her,
”
sh
e
said flatly.

“
But he must!
”
I exclaimed.

Camilla threw me a brief kiss as she departed.

“
I don
’
t see why! He
’
s no fool, my brother. Hadn
’
t you better ge
t
ready? Don
’
t forget that on this occasion it
’
s you who is to be quee
n
of the ball!
”

Still sitting on the edge of my bed I watched her disappear out o
f
the door. Then I shook my head. It was too much to hope tha
t
Gideon would see through Julie. But Camilla
’
s warning made m
e
feel uncomfortable all the same.

Joseph had already gone to the railway station to pick up th
a
t government official when I made my appearance on the verandah. Gideon rose slowly to his feet and came towards me.

“
Very nice!
”
he said quietly, for my benefit alone.

I blushed, and he smiled at me. Julie stood up also and came languidly across the verandah.

“
My dear!
”
she began in a soft, drawling voice.
“
Do you think that hat is quite suitable?
”

“
I wouldn
’
t have it on if I didn
’
t
,
”
I retorted with a sudden spurt of temper.

She pouted.
“
We-ell, if you really think
so...”
She paused, slowly pulling on her gloves.
“
My parents are coming to see the fun,
”
she told me.
“
Gideon invited them!
”

“
Is it time to go?
”
I asked.

The village band was already in position, sitting on the bank of the reservoir and playing all the best-known songs in answer to the various requests from the onlookers. And there were so many onlookers! They stretched all the way from the concrete heart of the dam to the banks that we had so laboriously made and across the muddy, newly planted fields.

“
They
’
ll trample the crops!
”
I said in dismay.

Gideon grinned at me.

“
They won
’
t do much harm. They
’
re all farming folk.
”
He turned and took me by the hand.
“
You
’
d better take your place on the platform. They
’
re waiting for you.
”

Julie stepped down from the jeep ahead of me. She put her arm possessively around Gideon
’
s, pulling him away. With infinite patience he released himself.

“
Sorry, Julie. You
’
d better find your parents and see that they
’
re comfortable. I
’
m on duty today and so is Susan. I
’
ll see you later.
”

Julie gave me a spiteful look.

“
She shouldn
’
t be here at all!
”
she protested.
“
I think it
’
s ridiculous to make all this fuss over her. You
’
re the man behind it all!
”

But Gideon only ignored her.

“
Are you ready?
”
he asked me grimly. I took his hand and jumped down beside him and, without a further glance in Julie
’
s direction, he led me toward the official space that was reserved for us.

“
Do you think we ought to leave her alone?
”
I asked anxiously.

Gideon
’
s hand tightened on my elbow.
“
Why not?
”
he replied briefly.

With fierce determination he hurried me up the bank toward the dam. I could hardly keep up and was breathless as well as anxious by the time we reached the top of the bank. I looked back over my shoulder and to my relief Julie waved.

“
She
’
ll be all right,
”
Gideon said roughly.
“
Don
’
t worry about her. I
’
ll see she doesn
’
t bother you.
”

“
But—
”
I protested.

He stopped and looked down at me with a gentle expression on his face.

“
I told you not to worry,
”
he said.

I have to admit that I forgot all about her as we reached the little clearing on the top of the bank. The old men of the
panchayat
stood
in
a little semicircle overlooking the rapidly filling reservoir. We
greeted them
individually, putting the palms of our hands together in the traditional Indian greeting and then shaking hands. We
were
only
halfway
through this little ceremony when the
Swami
came striding through the crowd toward us. He sank to
the
ground, apparently oblivious to everyone around us, and contemplated a small patch of ground in front of him. No one paid the slightest attention to him. They knew he would join us when he was ready.

I
could see the jeep approaching. Joseph and Camilla had decorated it with scarlet bunting and the Indian flag flew from the windscreen, proudly declaring that this was an official occasion.
The
crowd silently made room for the vehicle to pass. I found myself as eager as
everyone
else to see the official.

“
Where
’
s Camilla?
”
Gideon
asked me urgently.

I peered
down
at the
jeep coming toward us.

“
Isn
’
t
she
with Joseph?
”

He
shook
his head.

“
Never mind,
we haven
’
t
time to look for her now. I
’
ll go down and welcome
our guest if
you and the
Swami
will wait here and keep things
moving.
”

The
Swami
awoke from his
dream and stood up. He came over
and stood beside me, smiling
gently.

“
I think this is
as
much your
great day as it is the village
’
s,
”
he
commented gravely.
“
You
have made yourself very much one of
us. A
lot of people would be sad if you were to leave us now—Lakshmi particularly. She tells me you were instrumental in
her
becoming engaged to some young man?
”

I blushed.
“
Hardly,
”
I replied, embarrassed by his approval.
“
All I
did was to mention it to Gideon.
”