Chapter 36-Courting His Own Wife
The flowers were a disaster.
Vikram arrived with an enormous arrangement of roses.
Vinaya stared at them.
Then at him.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"You hate them."
"I do not hate them."
"You look offended."
"They are very..."
She searched.
"Red."
Vikram stared.
"They are roses."
"I noticed."
"I was told women like roses."
"Which women?"
He had no answer.
Vinaya's mouth twitched.
"Parvati told you."
"No."
"Balram?"
Vikram said nothing.
Vinaya laughed.
"Balram."
"This was a mistake."
"Yes."
He turned toward the servant holding the arrangement.
"Take them away."
"Wait."
Vinaya stopped him.
Vikram looked back.
"I'll keep them."
"Why?"
"Because you tried."
His expression softened.
That made her immediately regret saying it.
She looked away.
The flowers remained.
But the next day, Vikram brought a book.
Vinaya forgot to be suspicious.
She took it eagerly.
"Where did you find this?"
"The royal archives."
"This edition is almost impossible to find."
"I know."
She looked at him.
Something uncomfortable warmed her chest.
"You remembered."
"You said you wanted it."
Months ago.
Once.
Vinaya ran her fingers over the cover.
"Thank you."
Vikram smiled.
Books worked.
After that, the courtship became less ridiculous.
He brought her manuscripts.
A map of old Samudrapuri trade routes.
A rare translation.
Once, simply a cup of tea because he had noticed she skipped breakfast.
Vinaya did not know what to do with any of it.
He was changing.
That frightened her.
Cruel Vikram was easy to understand.
This man was dangerous.
Because this man could make her hope.
"You are trying to woo me."
She said it one afternoon without looking up.
Vikram nearly dropped his cup.
"What?"
Vinaya turned a page.
"You heard me."
"Is it working?"
She looked at him.
"No."
He smiled.
"You hesitated."
"I did not."
"You absolutely did."
She closed the book.
"Why?"
The humor left his face.
"Why what?"
"Why are you doing this?"
Vikram was silent.
Vinaya's stomach tightened.
"Guilt?"
"No."
"Ganga?"
His eyes darkened.
"Partly."
She looked away.
"I knew it."
"Vinaya."
"What?"
"I said partly."
She looked back.
Vikram leaned forward.
"I will always feel guilty about Ganga."
His voice roughened.
"I should."
Vinaya said nothing.
"But guilt is not why I want to know you."
"Then why?"
He looked at her.
For once, the answer seemed to frighten him.
"I don't know yet."
Vinaya's heart beat harder.
"That isn't reassuring."
"I know."
He stood.
Then hesitated.
"There is somewhere I want to take you."
Vinaya frowned.
"Where?"
"Tomorrow morning."
"That was not an answer."
"No."
She narrowed her eyes.
"Vikram."
"Come with me."
"Alone?"
"Yes."
Every instinct told her to refuse.
Instead she heard herself ask:
"What time?"