The old clerk stepped forward and handed parchments to Joe and Edgar.
‘Read it. It will look familiar. I would like you to sign the document exactly as you did before. I want you to take one of the copies away with you and present it to Sir George. You will note that the wording is the same, only the date has been changed. We now see that on today’s date, I, Udai Singh, Prince of Ranipur, name as my heir and future ruler of the state, my third son, Bahadur.’
He smiled to see their confusion. ‘It seems the astrologers had it right, after all!’
Chapter Twenty-Five
They looked helplessly at Sir Hector for guidance. What were they witnessing? Euphoria? Madness? Some mental state of delusion brought on by the drug Udai had consumed? Hector gave a reassuring smile and made a fluttering sign that all was well.
The energy of the dying man was burning itself out rapidly and no one was more aware of it than himself. With shining eyes, he was watching and enjoying their reaction, Joe guessed. A strange piece of deathbed manipulativeness. When he had relished their discomfiture sufficiently, he smiled and spoke breathlessly in a voice beginning to lose its clarity.
‘An hour ago my world was ending,’ he said. ‘Ending in misery. My three dear sons were all dead. The succession come to nothing. And then my beloved Shubhada came to see me. She is not Rajput by birth but she has the spirit of a Rajput ranee! And she came to tell me that she carries a child. A son. My son who will grow under her care to be a prince of Ranipur. I have asked her to name him Bahadur. The prophecy will be fulfilled, you see!’
Joe was the first to collect his wits. While Edgar murmured congratulations and shed another tear, Joe looked hurriedly through the parchment he’d been handed. Not much time. There was no way he could wrap up in courtly phrases what he had to say.
‘Your Highness,’ he said, ‘we will be delighted to sign these documents but may I suggest one amendment. . as I see we have the scribe in attendance, this will be easily done?’
The maharaja looked puzzled and with a wave of the hand invited him to continue.
‘When we come to the clause concerning the appointment of regents for the Prince Bahadur until he attains his majority — you name, of course, his mother Shubhada but also the person of Mr Claude Vyvyan. We are looking at a span of possibly more than seventeen years. Who knows, with the way promotion is going in the Empire at the moment, where Vyvyan will be in so many years’ time? Would it not be more circumspect, sir, to strike out the name of Vyvyan substituting simply “the current Resident of Ranipur” and allow the regency to go along with the office and not the individual?’
Udai looked to Zalim for guidance, his mind beginning to fog, Joe calculated and he held his breath. Zalim was quick to respond. ‘Splendid idea, Sandilands! A piece of diplomacy worthy of Sir George. How very thoughtful.’ Udai nodded his assent to the clerk who made the necessary alterations. These were initialled by Udai with his last strength. Joe and Edgar signed the documents and the ceremonial red silk ribbons were attached. With a sigh, Udai nodded to his footmen who came forward and gently lifted him from the divan and placed him on the straw.
At a sign from the doctor, Joe and Edgar tiptoed from the room.
‘Where are we going?’ said Joe as they walked back down the corridor.
‘No idea, old man. I was just following you,’ said Edgar, and Joe realized that if he were ever to see true emotion in Edgar’s ugly features this was the moment.
‘Poor old Udai!’ said Joe. ‘But at least his last hour was a relatively happy one. Sorry — what a commonplace thing to say! — but he dies with his eyes not on the past but on the future and full of hope. And, surely, that is an unusual and blessed state?’ A sideways glance at Edgar showed that his attempt at consolation had gone wide of its target. He chose another approach. ‘But, come on now, Troop! We still have work to do. There are people about in this place who deserve their comeuppance. By the way, did you hear the click as the last piece of the jigsaw went home?’
‘Click? Deafening report more like! Shubhada pregnant? And how the hell does she know it’s going to be a boy?’
‘She doesn’t, of course. The astrologers do though, and their predictions cut some ice in Ranipur, especially with the ruler who is quite desperate for this piece of news. Extraordinary! That Udai should be succeeded by his third legitimate son!’
‘Well, at least it explains why she’s taken to walking about in full Rajput regalia,’ said Edgar thoughtfully. ‘She’s showing the ruler and the whole court that she’s the new Rajmata. She’s going to be mother of the next maharaja as well as regent for the next eighteen years. And she’s really entering into the role! She has, after all, an unquestionable stake in the kingdom now. And, you know, Joe. .’ Edgar’s furrowed brow creased a little more as he struggled to order his thoughts and speculations. ‘I begin to wonder whether this new maternal princess might find her interest in the Resident is beginning to wane? Perhaps it already has?’
‘But her news explains why Bahadur had to die. The moment she announced her pregnancy to the ruler, Bahadur’s claim to the throne would disappear like smoke and what could they expect him to do but rush to his father with his story? No more playing around with threats and practical jokes!’
‘And what would be Udai’s reaction? Could this story about Shubhada possibly be true? Was there a sinister reason for her sudden pregnancy? The proof of the pudding, of course. . only time would tell. . nine months to be precise before anyone would see who the child favoured. I’d bet my last shilling that it’s Udai’s child but, the seed of suspicion once sown. . And Udai was under pressure — he had only days not months to come to a decision. There was a strong chance that he’d play safe and denounce Shubhada, send Claude away, his career in ruins, or simply feed the pair of them to the crocodiles. . I don’t know.’
‘Could be arranged,’ agreed Edgar. ‘Ghastly accident while out fishing one evening, brave Resident hears screams, dives in to lend assistance. Snip! Snap! Gone to Delhi.’
‘And the fear of this retribution signed Bahadur’s death warrant.’
‘Yes. . The boy was damn dangerous and no longer of any use to them. They didn’t need an unruly little Yuvaraj with a dubious claim to the throne when Shubhada was about to produce a legitimate heir. I think you’re right, Joe.’
‘And that’s a bad sign, Edgar! You’ve stopped arguing with me. We could be talking ourselves into a most embarrassing piece of jumping to conclusions. You may not know where you’re going but I’m heading for Lizzie Macarthur’s rooms. No, don’t groan! We need. . I need a spot of Scottish scepticism and good sense. I also want to offer her my sympathy for her bereavement. She loved Bahadur, you know. Very much.’
Lizzie looked surprised and not at all pleased to see them. She invited them to come in and take a seat in a voice that was only just polite. Her hair was dishevelled, her face pale and her eyes still swimming with tears.
They sat down awkwardly side by side on the battered sofa. Lizzie didn’t make the customary offer of a drink which, for once, Joe would have been glad to hear, but eyed them balefully, settling down on a lab stool opposite. Joe had felt similarly intimidated in his housemaster’s study twenty years ago.
‘Don’t blame us, Lizzie!’ he plunged straight in. ‘Hear what we have to say, will you? You must be thinking that we’re the most incompetent pair of bodyguards to have let Bahadur die. That’s not what happened. The child was murdered. His killing was arranged in the most cold-blooded way.’
She listened in chilly silence but without interruption to the tale which Joe and Edgar between them hacked out, correcting and reminding each other as they went.
Finally, she looked at Joe directly. ‘You are telling me that Bahadur was killed by Claude and Shubhada, working together?’