Page 59 of A Shimla Affair
I grabbed Charles’ gun before sprinting off.
I heard voices as I got closer to the bunkers, even laughing noises, so at least I was assured that our cover was not yet blown. Noor, standing closest to the door saw me immediately, her face showing concern when she didn’t see Lady Sinclair. But I nodded at her, signalling to the Viceroy.
Noor went up to the Viceroy, whispering something quietly. I patiently waited outside and, at some point, he emerged, looking irritated. I immediately looked down.
‘What is it?’
‘It’s Lady Sinclair, Your Excellency,’ I said softly. ‘She … she is not feeling well and requests your presence.’
‘What have I got to do with her?’
I kept my head down. ‘She—she feels faint, Sir. She has been vomiting and entrusted me to let you know. She said it’s important.’
‘Then inform her family, what do I have to do with it?’
‘She … she says she is pregnant, Sir,’ I whispered.
He was furious I could tell but readied himself to follow me. He signalled to Wagner to remain in the room, and I walked slower now. I just had to get the Viceroy out of the bunkers before Guruji … but thinking of Guruji made me dizzy again and my step faltered … why hadn’t either of my sisters or Ratan Babu turned up behind us yet?
‘What’s going on now? Are you fine?’ I heard the Viceroy talking over me, but it was too late. I felt the world blur around me, and my legs weren’t solid any more. He caught me before I could slip down the stairs, for which, despite the political circumstances, I would be forever grateful.
I willed myself to stay conscious for the sake of all that I knew and loved. As the Viceroy paused, I held on to the wallto steady myself. He bent closer, stinking of tobacco and opium and alcohol, it made me squirm.
‘Aren’t you the one Nayler likes?’
Charles’ name brought me back to life, and, in the same moment, Noor followed. The Viceroy stepped away.
‘What’s going on?’ Noor asked.
‘Your sister almost passed out!’ The Viceroy burst out, sounding indignant. ‘I don’t know what she was trying to manage. Perhaps trying to seduce me, does she think that all English men would fall in love with her?!’
‘Sir, there must be a mistake, she would never—’
‘Why would she not? That’s exactly what women of your kind do!’
Blood rushed to my ears as I heard this pathetic, old man shout, and what happened next would be justified in the pages of history till the end of time.
I took Charles’ gun and thrust it into the Viceroy’s belly, so he would feel it, pushing him back against the wall. The gesture seemed to have knocked all the air and speech out of him, for he breathed loudly, looking at me and Noor in shock. We stood that way for a few seconds, perhaps even minutes, as I savoured the moment. How many people in the world had the sweet chance of pointing the nozzle of a gun into the belly of a callous head of an empire?
‘Wha— wha …’
We both ignored him, as Noor finally accepted what I had done.
‘I couldn’t stand it, his lies—this man—’
‘I know,’ Noor said. She held the Viceroy’s arms together, pulling and twisting them as he writhed in agony. He tried shouting for help before I poked him with the gun again.
We heard footsteps approaching us.
It was Guruji.
On seeing the Viceroy compromised, he began laughing, his arms in the air, looking almost maniacal. He threw Noor a piece of rope, and she used it to tie the Viceroy’s hands. Guruji came forward, laughing some more, trembling with excitement.
‘What— what’s happening …’ the Viceroy stuttered. It’s funny, how the fear for one’s life can render even the most eloquent men to a pitiful mess.
‘The hotel is under siege, Your Excellency,’ Guruji said, with the delight of a madman.
‘What does—it mean …’
