September 1969 Nuwara-Eliya
Jega insisted they stop for a meal in Nuwara-Eliya, and it was almost noon when they headed towards the manse.
‘There it is!’ Shiro pointed to the wooden sign on which the words ‘Reformed Church of Scotland’ were painted in black. An arrow below the words pointed to a mud road winding up and away from the township of Nuwara-Eliya. ‘That’s where Bobsy and Grace live.’
Jega swung the car up the road.
Shiro felt queasy. Was this the right thing to do? Did she want to know? What if Anthony was happily married in England? Had a child? Wouldn’t it be better to hold on to her dream? A dream that maybe – No. Jega was right. She needed closure.
She sneaked a side glance at him. Jega smiled. Steering the car with his right hand, he covered her fingers with his left. ‘It will be all right. Whatever you learn about Anthony, I’ll be there. I will help you get through today.’
Shiro clung to his fingers. Yes, she could trust him.
One final turn in the mud path and they were there. The sun bathed the minister’s manse and the little sandstone church on the hill. The wrought iron gate stood open. Jega drove up the muddy drive. The heady smell of roses and jasmine blossoms invaded the car.
Jega pulled up outside the manse. A slim, dark woman dressed in an ankle-length, print cotton skirt and jumper stood on the veranda looking towards the approaching car. ‘Look, Shiromi,’ Jega pointed, ‘that’s probably the maid or the nanny. Let’s ask her where Reverend Kirkland is.’
‘Dear God!’ Shiro gasped.
Jega swung around to Shiro. ‘What’s the matter? Are you –’
Shiro didn’t wait for Jega to park the car. She wrenched open the passenger side door and leapt out. ‘Lakshmi!’ Shiro screamed as she ran towards the woman on the veranda.
The woman shaded her eye against the glare and stared at Shiro’s flying figure. Then with a matching scream of ‘Shiro Chinnamma,’ she jumped off the veranda and ran towards Shiro.
Shiro hugged Lakshmi as she sobbed. ‘God, God, you have answered my prayers.’
Keeping her arm around Lakshmi, Shiro moved a half-step back. ‘So this is where you have been all along. What’s the big secret? Why didn’t Mum want me to know? No, don’t answer. It’s to do with me making high class friends who are not from the plantation.’ She laughed and hugged Lakshmi again. ‘I’m babbling! Tell me, is your child here also? Surely Bobsy would have let you keep him? Why did you say he had to be adopted?’ She hugged Lakshmi again. ‘It’s good to see you.’
Lakshmi smiled and disentangled herself from Shiro’s arms. ‘No, Chinnamma, I came here only a few days ago. I was working at Hemachandra Mudalali’s till then. And yes, my son is here.’
Even as she spoke a little boy toddled down the veranda steps. ‘Amma,’ he called.
Shiro dropped to her knees before the boy. Lakshmi squatted by her side. ‘His name is Daniel, Shiro Chinnamma.’
‘My, you are a sweetie,’ Shiro took the pudgy hand of the little olive skinned boy. The sun glinted on his brown-gold hair.
The boy reached out and touched her hair. ‘Pretty,’ he lisped.
Shiro looked into the cobalt blue eyes and felt a cold chill creep through her veins. ‘Lakshmi,’ she whispered, ‘Daniel’s father, the man who raped you.’
Daniel turned at the sound of footsteps on the veranda. He pointed. ‘Da-da.’
Brown leather shoes led up to a creased pair of brown wool trousers. Still on her knees, Shiro tilted her head up. A brown leather belt, then a white shirt open at the neck and tucked into the trousers. She gazed into cobalt blue eyes the exact colour of Daniel’s.
The moment froze. Shiro’s breath caught in her throat. Anthony was Daniel’s father. Anthony had raped Lakshmi, and not knowing that she was pregnant – or knowing and not caring – continued on to romance her by the stream. Now he had come back from England to marry Lakshmi and adopt his son. She held her breath.
She was only partly aware of Jega’s hands on her shoulders. His voice, as always, was caring, concerned, ‘Shiromi, are you all right?’
Daniel, sensing the tension, scuttled away to his mother. Lakshmi picked him up and stood up.
Anthony’s voice. ‘Shiro?’
No. She was no longer a little girl. She was not the Tea-maker’s naïve daughter. She was a professional with a future. Yet the betrayal tore at her soul, ripped out that part of her that had hoped, dreamed, that maybe Anthony would come to her.
She leapt to her feet and bridged the gap between them. She raised her hand and brought her open palm down across Anthony’s cheek. ‘You bastard!’
Anthony caught her wrists. ‘Shiro please, let me explain.’
‘Explain? You raped Lakshmi. You got her pregnant and then said you loved me. How could you? How could you, Anthony?’ She ripped her hands away from him and pummelled Anthony on his chest with her closed fists.
She could hear Lakshmi’s voice in the background. ‘Shiro Chinnamma, aiyoo – it is not like that.’
Anthony wrapped his arms around her. He held her tight against him. ‘Please, Shiro, darling, I can explain.’
Little Daniel started wailing. Lakshmi picked him up and ran into the house.
Sobs rent Shiro’s body. ‘How could you? I loved you! You said –’
Jega’s hands drew her away from Anthony. ‘Anthony,’ Jega’s voice held a controlled fury. ‘Haven’t you and the rest of your Ashley-Cooper empire done enough to hurt Shiromi? She’s doing fine without you. Let her live her life.’
Anthony dropped his arms. Shiro felt bereft, cold. She shivered.
Anthony stared at Jega. ‘Who are you?’
‘I’m Jega Jayaseelen’
Anthony’s pupils dilated. ‘Dr Jega Jayaseelen? You are –’
Shiro tried to move towards Anthony. Jega tightened his hands on her shoulders. ‘Yes, Anthony. I am your father’s son by his sex slave. I guess you’ve heard about me.’ He glanced at the house. ‘At least you are willing to accept legitimate fatherhood of your son!’
Shiro trembled. ‘Jega.’
His hands tightened on her shoulders. He turned her away from Anthony into his arms. ‘Shiro, I’m taking you back to the hospital quarters. You’re trembling – going into shock. I think you’ve had enough for today.’
Shiro shut her eyes. Then nodded. She had been strong all day. She was now close to breaking point. Jega understood.
Jega looked at Anthony. ‘We need to leave. I’ll come back tomorrow morning.’
‘No.’ Anthony stepped towards them. ‘I need to talk to her. I need to explain.’
Keeping an arm around her, Jega held out his other to stop Anthony. ‘Not now, Anthony. Dammit, can’t you see what this has done to her?’
He guided Shiro to the car. She went with him.
Lakshmi came running down the drive. ‘Shiro Chinnamma. Wait, don’t go.’
Jega shut the door of the car.
Shiro didn’t look back.
***
Anthony stood on the veranda staring down the drive where Jega and Shiro had driven away the day before.
He had seen Shiro. She had grown up. Her dress, her demeanour, all spoke of the woman she was, not the girl he had held in his arms two years ago.
And just by being here, he had hurt her – again.
Jega had said he would be back. He would explain it all to him, ask him to talk to Shiro.
Lakshmi came out of the house. She placed Daniel in his arms. ‘Dr Jega Jayaseelen, he is your brother?’
Anthony nodded, ‘Our brother, Lakshmi.’
‘He will be back today. I am sure he will help you.’
Anthony stayed silent. What was there to say? His brother – Professor Jega Jayaseelen. He would be good for Shiro. He loved her – it was obvious. Maybe she would marry him. Anthony winced. It was good that he would be in Australia.
‘Anthony,’ Lakshmi continued. ‘I’d like to see Shiro Chinnamma again.’
He put his hand on Lakshmi’s shoulder. ‘Yes, I think she would like that. Once we explain everything to Jega.’
They turned at the sound of footsteps. Jega stood before them, Hands on hips, lips turned in a sneer.
‘You make a pretty picture with your Indian woman and son, Anthony. Following in your father’s footsteps and keeping her? Planning to get a British lass over soon? Maybe you’ve selected a little cottage for your mistress already?’
Anthony gasped. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘Don’t play the innocent with me, Anthony! How could you do it? Have a child with a woman, a coolie woman, and then romance Shiromi? Seeing you has hurt her again.’
‘Dear God, Jega. You’ve got it all wrong –’
Lakshmi took Daniel from Anthony. She put him down and pointed into the house. ‘Go to Aunty Grace, Daniel.’
She turned to face Jega. ‘Aiya, you don’t understand. I am not Anthony’s lover or keep and definitely not his wife.’
Jega swung round to her. ‘Then who the hell are you to him?’
‘Dr Jega, Anthony’s brother raped me when I was in the estate, and –’
‘William? The child is William’s?’
Anthony stepped between Jega and Lakshmi. ‘You know my brother, William?’
Lakshmi put a hand on Anthony’s arm. ‘Wait.’ She turned back to Jega. ‘Anthony adopted the baby. He said that Daniel deserved to grow up with the name Ashley-Cooper.’
Grey eyes and blue met and held. ‘You are a better man than your father.’
Anthony smiled. ‘You have father’s eyes, just like –’ He glanced at the woman standing by him.
Jega followed Anthony’s gaze. ‘You – you are another – God almighty! How many women did James Ashley-Cooper bed?’
Lakshmi took Jega’s hand. ‘I am Lakshmi. And I guess this means that I am your sister.’
A cough at the door leading into the house, made them all turn. Anthony turned. ‘Bob, this is Dr Jega Jayaseelen.’ He put his hand on Bob’s shoulder. ‘This is my best friend and mentor, the Reverend Robert Kirkland.’
Jega held out his hand. ‘Glad to meet you, Robert. Although I must say I have heard about you from Shiro as Bobsy.’
Bob nodded and smiled. ‘I’m so glad to hear that Shiro is doing so well at medical school. Her father Rajan was so proud when she got accepted. Yesterday was a real shock to her. Is she all right?’
Jega nodded. ‘I made her have an early night. She’s back in the wards today.’
The harsh ring of the telephone interrupted their conversation.
Grace came out onto the veranda. ‘Anthony, Janet called. She couldn’t talk for long – but left a message. William has had a heart attack or stroke. She wasn’t clear about which. He’s in hospital. She sounded distressed.’
Anthony gasped. ‘Poor Janet. Did she leave a number to call back?’
Grace shook her head. ‘I don’t think I heard her right. She said something about Shiromi going there yesterday. Apparently William went into a rage afterwards. Accused Appu and even Janet of betraying him.’
‘We were there yesterday morning. Before we came here.’
Anthony, Lakshmi and Bob turned to Jega.
Jega shrugged. ‘Shiromi insisted on doing it. She had it all planned out.’ He plunged his hand into his trouser pocket and produced a small tape recorder. ‘I have a confession from the Tea-maker, Mr Wright, saying that he and William framed Shiromi’s father. And William saying that he fixed the brakes on the car.’
Anthony frowned. ‘But William wouldn’t care that you know. Why was he so furious?’
‘I told him I would send a copy to your father. I couriered it. It will be in Father’s hands today.’
Jega turned to Grace. ‘Is William in Kandy Hospital? You better get a start if you want to get there before nightfall.’
‘No,’ Grace shook her head. ‘He was in too much pain. They rushed him to Nuwara-Eliya Base Hospital.’
Jega swung round. ‘Damn! Shiromi’s covering for the medical registrar there today. I need to get to her.’ He raced away from them and leapt in his car. They heard the skid of tires as he screeched down the drive.