Madeline wore a double-flounced pagoda sleeved gown when she returned to the atelier the next evening. As promised, he had brought his son to meet her. Only a few years older than Madeline, he was a nervous gentleman, shy and bespectacled, nothing like his grinning father. He introduced himself as Mumin.
‘I hear from my father that you are a collector of diamonds,’ he said politely.
‘Ah, well, not exactly. I am here to conduct an empirical enquiry,’ Madeline said.
‘She wants to know about Kollur diamonds,’ Jalal piped in.
Mumin’s eyes blazed with excitement. ‘What distinguishes Golcondan diamonds from the vast majority of other diamonds is that they are pure carbon, devoid of nitrogen which present in other diamonds, lends stones a slightly yellowish tinge. As a result, diamonds from Golconda have a clear, transparent nature that makes them look like ice cubes. This is not to suggest that Kollur diamonds are always colourless. Occasionally, they are brown or pink, and still rarer are those infused with a delicate blush of blue or gray. They sell at three times the price of diamonds from other mines but really they are priceless.’ He blushed. ‘I am afraid I have said too much? I must be boring you.’
She had never met anyone as interested in the mineral aspect of diamonds as herself. Despite his unimpressive appearance, this man was learned. Madeline opened her notebook. ‘Please, tell me more.’
‘There are 23 mines in Golconda, 15 in Bijapur. There is one in Kollur that is special.’
‘Have you been to it?’ Madeline asked, hanging on to every word. There was something endearing about this man.
‘I have been to the secret mine,’ he said. ‘It lies beyond the Valley of the Moon.’
Goosebumps rose on Madeline’s arms. ‘Can you show me on a map?’
‘No maps mark the whereabouts,’ said Mumin cautiously. ‘Are you a cartographer?’
‘No, a natural philosopher,’ she said. ‘It is of utmost importance to the medical world that you help me find the mines. The Deccan diamonds have healing properties that I must document for humanity.’ Her lies were becoming increasingly outlandish.
Mumin seemed to believe her story. He nodded empathetically. ‘The Ruby Monkeys can help you with your noble pursuit but Chatgaon is far from here.’
‘What a fortunate coincidence, Chatgaon is where I am headed tomorrow!’ said Madeline. Everything was falling into place. Luck was turning in her favour.
Jalal produced two cups of masala serbet.
‘Shall I send a pigeon with word ahead then,’ offered Mumin. ‘Telling them you are on your way and have requested a meeting.’
‘Thank you ever so much!’ gushed Madeline.
‘I travelled with a gem merchant who was a guest of the Emperor himself,’ said Mumin. ‘We travelled blindfolded. I brought one diamond back.’
Jalal held out the diamond on cue.
Madeline gazed at it lovingly as though it were her first born.
‘With the sale of this diamond, I intend to pay for my son’s wedding. What say you, Mumin?’ Jalal ruffled his son’s hair.
Mumin offered a weak smile.
‘What’s the matter?’ asked Madeline politely.
‘Nothing,’ replied Mumin.
Jalal nudged him to speak up.
Mumin blushed. ‘I’m not very charming,’ he explained. ‘Women find me boring.’
‘Not at all! You are lovely,’ Madeline blurted out.
Mumin blushed more.
‘She said you’re lovely!’ said Jalal, slapping him on the back.
Madeline blushed too. What had gotten into her? The strangeness in the air had loosened her bearings.
‘The finest diamond is not in Golconda,’ said Mumin. ‘It is right here in Bengal.’
‘This one?’ asked Madeline, gazing at his precious stone.
Mumin chuckled. ‘Much finer than this one,’ he said. ‘It is known as Kalinoor.’ He glanced around. ‘Hauntingly beautiful but it brings bad luck to its owners.’
‘Who is its owner?’ asked Madeline.
‘The Subedar of course,’ said Jalal.
Madeline was unable to contain her surprise. She chatted a bit longer then thanked Mumin and his father for the serbet and headed back to the ship.
Her poor father had been imprisoned by King Louis for selling him fake pearls that he had meant to present to Madam de Maintenant for their wedding. To secure her father’s liberty, Madeline had promised King Louis a map of the secret Kollur mines. France had yet to penetrate the diamond market. Tavernier was the only European with this information but he wasn’t sharing it with anyone — especially not the King, now that he had fallen out of favour with the court. There was room for someone with ingenuity to make a name for himself. Or herself, as the case may be.