Unmarriageable(55)

‘I know you have a very high opinion of yourself,’ Darsee said, ‘but you don’t know anything about Wickaam and, trust me, you don’t want to know. My advice to you is stay far away from that guy. Far, far away.’

‘Why? Oh, but of course, because he didn’t salute your highness and kiss your ass!’

‘Salute me! Kiss my ass! I find such behaviour repellent.’

‘How could you cheat your own cousin out of his inheritance? How could you betray someone who is like a brother to you?’

Darsee got up and strode out of the library.

After Alys regained her composure, she rejoined the party, keeping one eye out for Darsee in order to stay far, far away from him. In the disco room, Lady was dancing on a tabletop to Donna Summer’s ‘Love to Love You Baby’. She was dancing with Shosha Darling, who kept yelling to no one and everyone, ‘Be a winner, baby, don’t be a loser.’

Both Lady and Shosha were sandwiched between a geriatric socialite Alys recognised from Social Lights and the host Moolee. Fazool was clapping and encouraging her husband to give Lady all his tingling-mingling.

Alys yanked Lady off the table. Lady gave Alys a murderous look as Alys plonked her beside Qitty, who was browsing through a coffee-table book on Islamic art history.

Alys whispered furiously to Qitty, ‘Didn’t you see how those men were dancing with your sister? Why didn’t you stop her?’

‘I tried,’ Qitty said crossly, ‘but she started calling me fat in front of everyone, and then that senior citizen looked me up and down and said, “Mashallah, sehatmand sister” – healthy sister.’

‘Tch!’ Alys looked around. ‘Where’s Mari?’

She spied Mari standing behind the refreshments table, nibbling on mini cheesecakes, her dupatta chastely spread over her chest, her smug expression suggesting she was witnessing hell to her heart’s content.

Alys was about to go to Mari when Hammy came upon her.

‘Alys,’ Hammy said, ‘may I speak to you for a second?’

Alys followed Hammy into the entrance, where it was a little quieter.

‘Listen,’ Hammy said, ‘I just want to let you know that Valentine left the party in a huff. I know you brought up Wickaam, and so I say the following to you with the best of intentions: there is bad blood between the two cousins, and it is not Val’s fault. I don’t know the exact details, but I do know that Wickaam is a dishonourable man and that he’s done something truly unforgivable to Val, and it’s unfair that you should annoy Val like this. Of course, Val requires no defence, but still I thought it my duty to speak up for him.’

‘I’m sure you thought it your duty,’ Alys said.

‘Wickaam is a scoundrel.’

‘According to whom?’ Alys said.

‘Valentine!’ Hammy said. ‘Valentine!’

‘I see,’ Alys said. ‘Darsee speaks and you believe.’

Hammy squinted. ‘It seems to me that Wickaam speaks and you believe.’

‘Yes, I do,’ Alys said.

‘Suit yourself.’ Hammy raised her brows. ‘Well, do enjoy the party, and see you around, I guess. Happy New Year.’

Alys watched Hammy head towards the pool. She certainly didn’t sound the way the sister of a man who was about to propose should sound to the sister of the girl he was going to propose to.

‘Alys!’ It was Jena. ‘I’ve been looking everywhere for you.’

‘I was looking for you,’ Alys said.

‘I want to leave. We need to leave. Why did we even come?’

‘What’s wrong?’ Alys frowned. ‘What’s happened?’

Jena’s eyes filled for a second, but she hardened her face. ‘Darsee dragged, and I mean dragged, Bungles out of here ten minutes ago. After which Sammy tells me that they’re all so exhausted attending NadirFiede that she, Jaans, Hammy, Bungles, Darsee, and his sister, Jujeena, are going to the Maldives for rest and relaxation. She hopes to announce Bungles’s engagement to Jujeena Darsee when they return, and she’ll send me an invite.’

‘She’s bluffing.’

‘He didn’t propose, Alys.’ Jena’s voice cracked. ‘All these days, all these opportunities. I want to go home. I’m so tired. I never thought I’d say this, but I want to return to grading papers and making lesson plans and not dreaming about more.’

Alys and Jena quickly rounded up their sisters, despite Lady’s objections to leaving minutes before the New Year was going to be rung in, and they wished each other a Happy New Year in the car, quietly, without knowing when the stroke of midnight officially arrived and when it officially passed.





PART TWO




JANUARY–AUGUST 2001





CHAPTER FOURTEEN




What Will People Say

Log Kya Kahenge



PARTY SEEN: Fazool and Moolee Fazal of Cockatoo Interior Designs pulled off yet another rocking New Year’s Partay for 151 of their closest friends. The hip and happening crowd revelled till dawn. Funtastic music and a poolside countdown under the stars made this the scene to be seen. Eat your hearts out, the rest of you.

RIP MELODY QUEEN OF PAKISTAN: A little bird tells us that tempers were high in some quarters over the televised tribute to the late and great Madame Noor Jehan, whose sonorous voice has been wooing hearts for over six decades. ‘It should not,’ said one wannabe songstress, whose voice routinely scares the alley cats, ‘have been scheduled at the same time as my live concert.’