my own ceiling without you eavesdropping?” Ishvari retorted. She burst into raucous laughter at hearing her own crazy words. Then anger came again, crashing over her in a crimson wave. “Do you not understand plain talk, Mandakini? I do not want to see anyone! Leave food outside my door and go! You really must stop nagging me, do you hear?”

“Mistress, you must listen, you must… Ketaki’s physician is here with a message for you.” Mandakini’s voice broke. “He says the old one is dying!”

Ishvari sucked in her breath as guilt rose afresh. Truth be told, she sorely missed the feisty old woman. But unlike Mandakini and Vasudeva—who so far had held firm to his policy of not interfering with her personal business, although the scowl on his sun-darkened face mad...

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