Prithvi... [Volume 4]

Chapter 91

Nandini's voice had wavered with pure shock. Prithvi's query had reverberated with immeasurable happiness.

The girl too had apparently noted the joyous ring in the other question, Uday mulled warily.

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Nandini glanced angrily at Prithvi, who was grinning.

He looked at her, and instantly realised his mistake. His exultant smile vanished. Subduing a host of unholy impulses, he hastily attempted to appear solemn, innocent and displeased about the best - the most unbelievably beautiful - surprise he had received in his life so far.

It didn't take.

Nandini speedily stormed to the side of an alarmed Sumer Singh and stood slightly behind him, using him as a barricade between herself and Prithvi.

Striding ahead, Prithvi nervously spluttered, "I didn't know! I swear! If I had any idea, I wouldn't have allowed it," he lied unashamedly as he halted beside Uday, looking uncharacteristically anxious.

"Throwing me under the bus eh?" Uday asked dryly under his breath.

"I'll do it for real if it makes her happy," Prithvi admitted in a mutter, his attention hungrily transfixed on Nandini.

"Atta boy," Uday murmured proudly.

Uneasy about the whispered conversation, Nandini suspiciously surveyed the two men, and then incredulously asked a clearly uncomfortable Sumer Singh, "Uncle, you knew?"

Sumer Singh guiltily looked at the ground. "I wasn't involved in the plan but I suspected."

"I didn't even suspect," Prithvi claimed hurriedly.

She came horrifyingly close to laughing, but managed to control the urge and did her best to infuse scorn into the look she directed at him. She had to be strong... she had to resist the pull of the quietly blazing fervour in his gaze that could devour her if she let her guard down...

Directing her words to the only person with whom she still felt some kinship, Nandini rigidly said, "Sumer uncle, please ask Prithvi to leave."

"I'm not leaving until I talk to you," Prithvi stated bluntly.

"You'll have to wait here for eternity in that case," Nandini snapped.

With an oddly rueful smile, Prithvi replied, "I can wait longer,"

Uday astutely examined Nandini's expression. It was difficult to say if the blush on her cheeks and abrupt silence were caused by pleasure or fury. He sensed it was a bewildering combination of both. But on the whole, it was easy to see that she was highly upset, and considering her sweet and angelic looks, the antagonism she was exuding was quite daunting. This was obviously not a time to make an appeal on Prithvi's behalf. This was a time to offer an explanation that would pacify her temper, offer medicine for her bruised self-respect and concede to all her demands.

He looked at Prithvi and softly said, "Do as she says."

Prithvi shot him a coldly intimidating glance. "I will not."

"If this gift meant anything to you at all, you will leave," Uday murmured serenely.

Taken aback, Prithvi stared at him, and then his face darkened ominously.

"You have to trust me in this matter, Prithvi," Uday requested in an undertone. "I will smoothen the road ahead for both of you," he promised. For a tense second, Prithvi glared at him. Then without looking at the girl again, he wordlessly strode away.

Nandini heaved a sigh of relief. She didn't know what Uday Singh had said, but it had worked. Prithvi was leaving.

It was a small victory. And she would be able to think coherently hereon. She was just relishing a tiny sense of triumph when Prithvi halted at the gate and looked at her again.

A stark, heartbreaking desperation flickered in his eyes. Then he turned and left.

Shaken by that glimpse, Nandini wrung her fingers mechanically. She had never seen him look so forlorn and depressed before.

Suddenly, the reasons for her anger and bitterness were starting to seem utterly frivolous...

"Sumer," Uday said carelessly.

Immediately, Sumer Singh bowed his head, spun and offered her a highly apologetic face, and exited the compound before she could protest the loss of an ally.

Feeling more perturbed by the minute, Nandini waited uncertainly as Uday Singh approached her with the help of his cane. She had not behaved well in the past few minutes. Regardless of her feelings about his trickery, she should have been respectful towards him instead of sulking like a bad-mannered brat and hiding behind Sumer Singh. She didn't know if she had created a good impression during their last visit. If she had, it was probably destroyed by now.

But Uday Singh didn't seem to have taken her behaviour to heart. He smiled and bowed gallantly.

"I apologise for the deceit, Nandini. But I am sure you will understand and forgive once you hear me out," he said earnestly. "You see... Janki is a dear friend of mine. I heard she was taking you to her home in Vishranti Nagar, and this town is on the way...so I requested her to make a short halt here. She didn't know my actual purpose. Neither did Prithvi. It was wrong of me to manipulate events, but I had the best of intentions. I hope you will let me explain," he requested humbly.

Thankful that he had overlooked her impoliteness, and wishing to redeem herself, Nandini quickly nodded.

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