Ricky could hear Jadu’s swallow. “No, you have certainly not.”
Another chuckle. “I like you, merchant. I perceive you have the heart of a warrior. Are you certain you are not Rajput? Some raja’s bastard?”
Jadu stiffened. “While I appreciate the Rajputs for their martial prowess, I am Gujarati, not of the warrior caste, and quite content with my place in life.”
“You tell me more things I do not need to know. Come, I see the arms of your companions begin to tremble with the weight of those repeating firearms. We must come to an agreement before they can no longer defend you.”
Which was bullshit; Ricky had the elbow supporting his shotgun resting on the railing, so the weight was negligible, but he did appreciate the man’s style.
“Well then, if you’ll give me your name and some sort of surety, perhaps we can bring our negotiation to a close.”
“Very well. I, Mohtashim Khan, offer you my protection. You and yours will not be harmed, by me, nor any other. What happens after you are presented to my general, well, that is up to him.”
Ricky almost missed the tight little smile that came and quickly disappeared from Jadu’s lips.
“May I confer with my trading partners?”
Another shrug. “Of course.”
“What?” Ricky whispered.
Jadu’s eyes glittered in the torchlight. “I thought I recognized him. He is son-in-law to Asaf Khan. Married the sister of Mumtaz Mahal. He is a very, very well-connected man.”
“Does that mean we’ll be safe?”
Jadu nodded without hesitation, but then qualified: “At least until Asaf Khan decides what to do with us.”
“Why not drop Asaf Khan’s name immediately if he serves the big boss?” Bobby asked.
“Good question, friend. Perhaps we were right, and Asaf is gravely ill…And the man in his place is still consolidating?”
“Jesus, these are some deep waters.”
Jadu nodded.
“I grow impatient, merchant.” Mohtashim Khan’s smile was evident in his voice.
Shrugging, Jadu wordlessly asked the up-timers’ permission to accept the man’s offer.
Ricky nodded. Bobby sucked his teeth a moment before nodding agreement.
“Mohtashim Khan, we accept your honorable surety.”
Palace west of Patna
“Christ, could this take any longer?” Bobby grumbled, wiping sweat from his brow.
“Of course it could. This is Mughal India, after all,” Ricky opined.
Jadu favored the younger men with an old-fashioned look meant to silence them.
Ricky stared back, his patience nearing its end. Mohtashim Khan had brought them to a not particularly well-appointed palace just outside Patna, disarmed them, and placed a guard to watch them. Nearly twelve hours ago.
Seeing the look would not suffice to silence the younger men, Jadu said, “Should not be long, now.”
“How do you know?” Bobby asked.
“Because everything happens according to our dharma, our fate. And my fate is to die at home, among family and enjoying the wealth made in a lifetime of trading.”
“That’s some answer,” Ricky said, then regretted it.
Bobby just looked as if he’d bitten into a lemon.
Jadu waggled his head. “Mohtashim Khan told us we would at least meet the diwan today.”
“Another day, another diwan,” Bobby grumbled, in English.
Surprise cracked Jadu’s control. His snorting chuckle drew a disapproving glance from the snobby eunuch who’d been stonewalling them since arriving this morning. Ricky suspected the eunuch, like every DMV employee ever born, resented everything that was unexpected—and most things routine—about their job.
“Seriously, Jadu, this is taking too long. The armies of the pretenders will be marching on Agra if they haven’t alr—” He stopped, shaking his head.
“What?” Bobby asked.
“I can’t believe I just said that with a straight face. Like a line out of Lord of the Rings or some shit.”
Bobby grinned. “Never read it, but we for damn sure ain’t in Kansas anymore, Toto.”
They both laughed.
The merchant sighed, stopping Ricky. He looked at Jadu, found the man’s good mood had vanished, replaced by an intensely thoughtful expression. “Perhaps you’re right,” he mused in quiet tones. “I had hoped our trade would drive interest in our presence, and, based on last night’s events, it did. But I was not prepared for this…” He gestured at the guards beside the door. “And we were done trading. I have little left to sell, having made all the most profitable trades of the season in our first weeks here…Had this court not proven so impenetrable, I would not have exposed us to this risk.”
“What with the fighting we heard went on at the governor’s palace, it’s no wonder Mohtashim Khan and his men were primed and ready for violent resistance when they came to the house,” Ricky said, equally quietly.
“Very true—” A man entering through the door behind the eunuch interrupted Jadu. He crossed the floor to mutter quietly in the eunuch’s ear. That worthy stared at the slave, hissed something harsh, and started toward the up-timers and their companion on slippered feet.
“This bodes ill,” Jadu said, watching thin lips turn into a pout.
“The diwan will not see you today, Jadu Das.”
“He will not?” Jadu asked, glancing at Ricky as if to say, “Of course!”
Ricky cocked his head, weighing their response.
The eunuch bowed deeply. “I am afraid not.”
Expecting more empty platitudes, all three of them were caught off guard when the eunuch said, “You are summoned.”
“Summoned?” Ricky and Bobby blurted at the same time.
“By whom?” Jadu asked, more sensibly.
A shrug of round shoulders. “An umara of great importance.”
“May I ask the name of this great personage?”
“I am forbidden to say.”
“You are?” Jadu asked, incredulous.
“I am,” the eunuch said, standing erect from his bow. “You are to follow that one”—he gestured at the messenger—“to the appointed place.”
The messenger, still standing where he’d been left, bowed deeply. Ricky noticed he wore slippers. So…somewhere in the palace.
Jadu must have been on the same page, because he took one look at the messenger and said in English, “Witness the rich robes…and slippers. He’s at least as richly dressed as this one.”
“Yup,” Bobby said. Ricky just nodded.
The messenger bowed deeper still, turned, and led them deeper into the palace.
* * *
The trio were ushered into a chamber with no less than three ceiling fans pushing the warm,
