Текст книги "The Palace Tiger"

Автор книги: Barbara Cleverly

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The Palace Tiger

Also by Barbara Cleverly

The Last Kashmiri Rose

2001

Ragtime in Simla

2002

The Damascened Blade

2003

THE PALACE TIGER

Barbara Cleverly

Constable • London

First published in Great Britain 2004

by Constable & Robinson Ltd

55-56 Russell Square

London WC1B 4HP

www.constablerobinson.com

Copyright © 2004 Barbara Cleverly

The right of Barbara Cleverly to be identified

as the author of this work has been asserted

by her in accordance with the Copyright,

Designs and Patents Act 1988

ISBN 1-84119-812-9

eISBN 978-178033-768-5

Printed and bound in Great Britain

A CIP catalogue record for this book

is available from the British Library

For Stephen and Rebecca

Chapter One

Northern India, 1922

Putli’s mother, her hands on her hips, straightened painfully, glad after two hours to break the rhythmic coordination of arm and shoulder, glad to stand back and count the mounting bundles of tall cut grass that had fallen to the steady swish of her sickle. The weight of the coming baby was beginning to unbalance her and slow her down. There was no doubt of that, but an early start while the oat grass was still wet had paid off and she was pleased. She called out a practised musical cry answered by her daughter working a few yards behind her on the steep slope that led up to the forest beyond the village. Glad to share this pause, mother and daughter smiled with wordless tenderness.

Her mother looked with satisfaction at the eight-year-old girl. Yesterday had been the most important day of her daughter’s life. She had been fêted and spoiled by the whole village and fed to bursting with puris and rich milk and sweetmeats. It had been her wedding day. Putli’s mother had been proud to see the pretty girl, her eldest child, dressed for the first time in the costume of a married woman. No longer the infant in simple cotton dress, she was now wearing the tight blue bodice, the short skirt and the chaddar of the women of her tribe.

Putli’s mother remembered the two small brown right hands clasping each other as the bride and groom made their marriage vows and she had been happy to see that the boy chosen from a neighbouring village was as strong and handsome as her daughter. The bridegroom’s mother, a distant cousin, had earned her approval too and this was very important for Putli’s mother. In a few years Putli would leave her family home and go to join her young husband as his wife and become a part of his family. This was the way of it with girl children. Putli’s mother acknowledged and accepted it but she would be sad. Oh, she had two good sons who had come after Putli and of these she was rightly proud, but it was her oldest child who was secretly her joy. She had a loving husband who had allowed her without question to rear Putli although not all mothers of first-born girl children were so lucky. And her care had been rewarded by the constant good humour and energy of the child. She would miss her sleepy smile as she rose uncomplaining in the early morning to help with the meal and polish the cooking pots; she would miss her chatter as they brought back the cows or harvested the wheat. The light of her life would too soon be shining at another woman’s hearth.

Putli opened her mouth to shout something to her mother but her mother never heard the words. In deep and stealthy silence a gold and black shape detached itself from the grass behind Putli and leapt at her. An iron-clad paw scythed through the air and severed the slender neck with one blow. The dark head, still entangled in its chaddar, fell to the ground and the tiger, seizing the body in its jaws, turned to make off through the long grass towards the trees above. With a despairing howl, Putli’s mother swung about. Rage, disgust and hatred gave strength to her slim arm and she hurled her sickle in a glittering arc at the savage face. By the grace of the jungle spirits, the spinning blade hit the tiger in the eye and, half blind, his shattering roar changed to an almost human cry of pain and affront. Releasing his prey, the beast shook the sickle from his great head, turned and in a second was again a shadow amongst the grasses. The crumpled body of Putli lay at her mother’s feet.

Chapter Two

Simla, May 1922

Ambling down the Mall, Joe Sandilands steered his sweating hireling through the thickening crowds to return it to the stables at the Chummery, enjoying, as always, the early morning sounds of the waking town. Simla, the summer capital of British India, rose early and went about its business at a brisk pace. Uniformed men were striding between the military establishments along the Mall, red-coated chaprassis, message boxes on hips, were speeding from Post Office to government buildings, their energy fuelling the flow of information spreading out from this unremarkable street and pulsing around the world. Joe shook his head half in admiration, half in disbelief. The eccentric little town perched in the Himalayan foothills half-way between the scorching plains of India and the frozen summits of the Tibetan mountains looked like nothing so much as a displaced Godalming. And yet, between March and November, the mighty British Empire was governed from here and that meant half the world, Joe supposed, conjuring up a memory of the pink-coloured lands he’d studied on his globe as a child.

Already the first nursemaids pushing baby carriages down the street were greeting each other, their fluting voices a treble accompaniment to the distant pounding of marching feet. As he wove through the purposeful crowds, Joe felt a stab of puritanical guilt to be at leisure when this small world was at work.

Not all of this small world though! He took comfort in the thought that his own temporary lack of occupation was as nothing to the endemic sloth he would find at the house he was about to visit. Eight o’clock. The four inhabitants of the Chummery would most certainly be still in bed sleeping off whatever had been the indulgence of the previous night, or, at best, tremulously astir. With any luck he would be able to sneak off back to the Residence without announcing himself. But then he remembered that there was in his pocket a telegram. He had been charged by Sir George Jardine, his host, the acting Governor of Bengal, to deliver this to Edgar Troop. Edgar, the leader of the louche côterie that inhabited the once grand house on Mount Pleasant, earned his position in the group by being the oldest, the most enterprising and the most unscrupulous. Unaccountably, he seemed to have Sir George’s confidence. He did not have Joe’s confidence and though they had stood shoulder to shoulder in dangerous circumstances in the wilderness with that instinctive understanding and trust that two military men fighting towards the same objective experience, Joe found Captain Troop enigmatic, his style of living repellent. When he asked himself why he continued to spend more than a polite five minutes with the man, he had to admit that Edgar’s cheerful cynicism and his appetite for life were ultimately seductive.

‘You’ll be returning your horse to the Chummery? Well now, when you get there I’d like you to deliver this to Edgar in person,’ Sir George had said. ‘Don’t entrust it to anyone else in that hopeless establishment! Why? I don’t often call at the Chummery but the last time I did so there were two telegrams on the mantelpiece. One was a year old and the other – goddammit! – was nearly two years old. Both unopened and one was from me! This could be important and I don’t want it to go astray.’

Joe didn’t want to do this. He knew that if he was intercepted it would be nearly impossible to avoid a second breakfast leading to a drink or two, a morning of inconsequential gossip shading off into tiffin and imperceptibly into an afternoon moving lethargically round the snooker table. He wondered whether, if he rode round the back, he could hand his horse over, leave the telegram with a servant and make a discreet withdrawal, and this he resolved to try. To no avail. He had hardly turned into the compound before a window banged open and a cheerful voice summoned.

‘Must have smelled the coffee, Sandilands!’ Hospitably, the beaming face of Jackie Carlisle appeared at the window. ‘Come on board and tell us the latest news! You who have the ear of the great and good must have something interesting to tell us in this otherwise uneventful town.’

Joe knew that he was caught and Jackie continued, ‘Heard someone say the other day, “Where Sandilands goes, trouble follows.” Come on, Joe, live up to your reputation – enliven our dull lives.’

Reluctantly, Joe handed his horse to a syce who had hurried forward on hearing the hooves on the gravel. In the Chummery, Joe had discovered, the grooms knew their business, but the house servants, of whom there seemed to be a number varying from day to day and from two to ten, seemed to take their pace from their employers. He let himself into the house and made for the breakfast room. Here at least there was order. The table was laid for four with piles of bread and fruit and a large steaming bowl of porridge. A large pot of coffee too – good coffee. That you could count on. Three of the inmates were already gathered around the table and dressed in their usual crumpled white linen suits. Jackie Carlisle entered clad in a silk dressing gown and made his way to the sideboard. Joe watched in awe as Jackie poured himself out a drink and threw it down in one gulp. His eyes bulged and his purple face took on a darker shade. He crowed, he stuttered as he fought for breath.

‘Christ!’ said Joe, impressed. ‘What was that, Jackie?’ and he waited while Jackie spluttered on.

‘Oh, for God’s sake – someone loosen his stays,’ muttered Edgar.

‘Only thing that gets me going these days,’ Jackie managed at last. ‘Want some?’

‘I’d need to know what it was,’ said Joe guardedly.

Edgar intervened. ‘Don’t touch the bloody stuff!’ he said. ‘It’s wormwood. Absinthe.’

‘Absinthe?’ said Joe, surprised. ‘I thought it was illegal?’

‘Yes,’ said Jackie, wiping his mouth and looking round vaguely, ‘I believe it is.’

‘So it should be,’ said Bertie Hearne-Robinson. ‘It’ll kill him sooner or later.’

Edgar picked up the glass and sniffed it. ‘This is nothing,’ he said. ‘When I was in the Russian army, most of my fellow officers imbibed it nasally.’

‘Edgar, is that linguistically possible?’ Joe asked.

‘Possibly not. But certainly physically possible! Witnessed it many times. They’d pour out a little cupful and snuff it up. Jackie may be in a bad way but he’s not quite as bad as that. Not yet.’

‘It’s boredom,’ said Johnny Bristow. ‘Poor old sod! Who can blame him? Nothing much happens. I know how he feels. When Joe’s been up here a bit longer, goodness knows into what he’ll be driven by boredom.’

‘Or into whom,’ leered Bertie. ‘Couldn’t help noticing that Margery Phelps was showing more than common interest at the Gaiety last night . . . and Colonel Phelps is in Burma, I understand. Like me to fix it up for you, Joe?’

‘Oh, come on!’ said Johnny. ‘The Commander can do better than the garrison hack! Handsome young chap like him, chestful of medals, friends in high places, all the charm in the world, he can have his pick! Let’s think . . . Now, little Maudie Smithson’s still unbacked, I believe. She’s quite a strider! What about it, Joe?’

The conversation diverted into an informed comparison of the attractions of the available ladies of Simla and much speculation as to the attractions of the unavailable.

‘This is nothing but talk!’ said Edgar. ‘Not one of you has anything going if the truth be told. Young chaps like you ought to be making things happen. When I was your age –’

Bertie hurried to cut him off. ‘When you were our age, you were Emperor of all the Russias! Don’t tell us!’

This was beginning to turn into a mild Chummery quarrel and Joe didn’t want to listen. Mercifully, he remembered his telegram. ‘Oh, by the way, Edgar – telegram for you. Or rather a telegram for Sir George for passage on to you. It’s probably nothing but he said I had to put it into your hand. Hold out your hand!’

He passed a buff form across. Not much privacy here. All crowded round to read over Edgar’s shoulder. As he watched he wondered very much how the leaky ship that was the Chummery stayed afloat. He knew that Jackie Carlisle was paid a substantial allowance by his wife’s family to stay in India. He knew that Johnny Bristow carelessly but seemingly successfully bought and sold horses, had horses for hire and carriages for that matter. Bertie Hearne-Robinson was widely believed to have contacts over the border and not to be above a little gentlemanly smuggling in concert with a number of gentlemanly Pathans and all under the cover of the house lettings and sales agency he ran from an office in the Mall.

Then there was Edgar. What about Edgar? An accomplished shikari, he managed shooting trips for passing visitors. He arranged contacts and some of the contacts he was fabled to arrange were of a rather dubious nature. It was widely known that Edgar enjoyed shares in a prosperous and select brothel in the lower town. Perhaps it was no wonder that the respectable did not care to be seen to be associated with the Chummery, but at the same time perhaps it was clear why the adventurous sought their company, admired their style and, on annual return to Simla, found their way there. Want a game of polo? Johnny would fix it. Want to dispose of a few stones? Bertie was your man. Want to raise a small holiday loan? Jackie might be able to help. Easy terms, only needing a promissory note.

It was clear to Joe that demand would always create supply and when you had a town full of men – full of women too – on pleasure bent, the procureur, the middle man, would always prosper. That was what kept the Chummery going!

‘Could we,’ he enquired mildly, ‘have a look at this fabled telegram? And could we – I beg your pardon, gentlemen – have a little privacy to do so?’

All were at once contrite. ‘Yes, old boy, of course. Good gracious! No problem at all!’

They rose in turn from the cluttered breakfast table and left Joe and Edgar alone.

Joe considered the once handsome square face opposite as Edgar studied the telegram. He seemed to be spending a disproportionate amount of time on such a short missive and had clearly read the text three times before Joe asked impatiently, ‘What’s it all about, Edgar?’

‘Ranipur,’ said Edgar. ‘They want me to go there. Happens sometimes.’

The name was familiar to Joe. Ranipur. Familiar, but amongst so much unrelated information about India he couldn’t place it.

‘It’s a princely state,’ said Edgar and he lifted a framed map from the wall and set it on the table between them. ‘It’s about three hundred miles away. Here’s Simla. And down here there’s Delhi. Now follow the railway line from Simla down to Kalka and Umballa. That’s the way you came up last month. It’s not shown but there’s a branch line, a private line, connecting with the main one at Umballa. Here,’ he said, pointing with a splayed finger. ‘There’s a narrow gauge railway like the one up to Simla. It was put in by the maharaja of Ranipur to improve access to his state.

‘His state’s big. Oh, not when compared with some of the states of Royal India like . . . Hyderabad, for instance, but big enough. About the size of Norfolk, I’d say. It’s prosperous too. The maharaja is said to be the tenth richest man in the world. When you look at some of the competition that’s quite a proud boast. He doesn’t exactly get himself weighed in diamonds but he’s not down to his last hundred million. In his youth he was quite a tough! He needed to be to keep his feet on the steps of the throne of Ranipur, slippery with the blood of half a dozen immediate predecessors. I never quite understood the ins and outs but I tell you – his early years in Ranipur would make The Duchess of Malfi sound like one of Gilbert and Sullivan’s jolliest!’

‘Tell me some more,’ said Joe, reading the telegram Edgar handed to him. ‘Tell me about this peremptory prince.’ He read aloud, ‘“Kindly make Troop available Tuesday 15th to Tuesday 22nd. State time of arrival Ranipur.”’ He waggled his eyebrows in mock astonishment. ‘“Make Troop available”! What’s he take you for? Sir George’s errand boy?’

‘Oh, he’s a good man, Udai Singh. We’ve done a lot of business together. We trust each other. Hard to believe. You wouldn’t imagine that the respected ruler of goodness knows how many millions, the confidant of the British Raj, model innovator and blah, blah . . . you can’t imagine why such an individual would associate on intimate terms with a rascal like me but so it is.’

‘Oh, I don’t know,’ said Joe slyly. ‘I expect there are goods and services you can supply.’

Edgar laughed, leaned back and lit a cigar. ‘When I first moved here I was contacted by a tourist, a tourist who wanted to shoot a tiger. Would I arrange it? Well, the long and short of it was I did arrange it. This ass, Brigadier Montagu Wickham-Skeith, duly bagged his tiger but I made a mistake. Didn’t know the country so well in those days and I’d strayed into the Principality of Ranipur. The Brigadier and I were caught by the border guards and thrown into the deepest dungeon below the castle moat as it were. More than a possibility, thought I, that we’d be trampled to death by elephants! A custom that had only just died away. At least, I think it’s died away . . . Anyway, I knew that the ruler still had powers of life and death over his own subjects and certainly over suspected poachers.

‘But, by the mercy of Providence, the prince had a big shooting party arranged – the Viceroy, ambassadors, visiting royalty, God knows who! Now there’s one thing I’m good at – well, many things I’m good at – but preeminently I’m good at organizing a shoot and the wild duck of Ranipur are famous the world over. The Brigadier and I were led out, still in manacles, I guessed with the idea of getting us identified by one of the British grandees present, and we can’t have been looking very sharp. Hadn’t had anything to eat for twenty-four hours.

‘We were led, blinking in the sunlight, over to a couple of chaps standing about with guns. An Englishman and his Indian aide. The Englishman was a very impressive fellow but unfortunately a fellow I’d never set eyes on before, so – no use to me. He was tall and slim with a neat waist, equally neat moustache and that commanding, supercilious air you British are so good at affecting. He turned around and gave us the benefit of it. Someone with that amount of confidence I calculated could be none other than the newly appointed British Resident, Claude Vyvyan. Know him, Joe?’

Joe shook his head.

‘Well, he certainly didn’t know me. His icy blue eye passed over me with the same interest he’d have paid to a pile of camel dung but he did brighten up a bit when he saw the Brigadier. “Monty! What the hell?” The Brig danced about with relief. They knew each other well and release and explanations swiftly followed. And, of course, wouldn’t you know, Edgar Troop was found much to blame! My hunting expertise was decidedly being called into question and to break the rhythm of all the “But how on earth was it possible to do such a stupid thing? . . . Monty, old boy, in future, always refer to me for advice!”, I decided to assert myself. I looked up at the sky with what I thought to be a disparaging, dismissive and cunning air and made a remark.

‘Now, in Ranipur the climax of a duck shoot was to drive what they call the Long Pond and I can tell you – the wild duck come off it as thick as bloody sparrows! It really is the most impressive thing when they start to move. I said, addressing the remark to no one in particular, “Why on earth do you suppose they take the Long Pond from east to west and stand the guns along the south side when they could take it from north to south and everybody would get a second shot, a third or a fourth?”

‘Now the Indian aide in European clothes who’d been standing at Vyvyan’s side and listening, answered me. To my astonishment in perfect and unaccented English he said, “Say that again, will you? It sounded like an interesting idea – if a bit obvious, perhaps.” Well, I began to realize that this must be a person of some importance so I said, “Get me a drink and I’ll gladly repeat it.” As you’ve probably guessed, this insignificant figure was the maharaja of Ranipur. Without much discussion he adopted my revised plan for driving the Long Pond. It worked beautifully, just as I’d said it would, and Udai was very impressed. From that moment on – though obviously we’ve had our tiffs from time to time – I could do no wrong. When I’m in Ranipur he puts a guest house at my disposal and although Ranipur is what you might call his principal residence, there are others. The moment he wants to get away from the formalities of court he moves away into a more secluded part of his state and I’ve accompanied him many times.’

Joe looked back at the telegram once more and frowned. ‘And this enables him to order you to come and go at a whim, does it?’

‘Bit sharp, isn’t it? But that won’t have been sent by Udai. That’s Claude’s style. He usually sends the telegrams. Claude. The British Resident I was telling you about.’

‘Resident?’ Joe queried. ‘A political appointment?’

‘Yes. This is usual with the princely states. The rulers have all signed treaties with the British Government. They support the crown and in return we leave them largely alone to get on with ruling as they see fit. But, just in case, we send a trusted civil servant or military bloke of some standing to reside in the state and see that the ruler stays on the straight and narrow. He’s a sort of permanently-inplace ambassador.’

‘And does this system work?’ Joe asked doubtfully. ‘Surely autocrats like the maharajas resent someone peering over their shoulders all the time?’

‘Yes, it works. Mostly. These fellers manage to steer a clever course. Some of them have done a great deal of good, making just the sort of social improvements a chap like you would approve of. More than one ruler’s been persuaded to haul himself and his state into the twentieth century and build roads, hospitals, schools. Some are only too pleased to pass the running of the state over to a pair of capable hands.’ He paused. ‘Of course there are some rulers who are incorrigibly medieval in their behaviour.’

‘And how does a Resident deal with medieval behaviour?’ asked Joe, intrigued.

‘Decisively,’ said Edgar with relish. ‘Ever heard of the maharaja of Patiala?’

‘Heard of him? I’ve seen him!’ said Joe. ‘In Calcutta last December. He was in the parade to welcome the Prince of Wales when he opened the Victoria Monument. You wouldn’t forget seeing him!’ Joe remembered the impression the maharaja had made on the crowds. He’d swaggered about in scarlet tunic, white leggings, black thigh-length leather boots, the whole topped off with a daffodil yellow turban fastened with an emerald cluster. Well over six feet and built like a bear, he wore his luxuriant black moustaches tucked up into his turban. ‘An impressive figure,’ Joe added.

Edgar grinned. ‘Couldn’t agree more but did you know that this friend of the Prince of Wales, this loyal advocate of the Pax Britannica, this member of every polo club from Hurlingham to Isfahan has been in hot water for what I can only call medieval bad behaviour?’

‘I didn’t know,’ said Joe. ‘What did he do? Drink from his finger bowl?’

‘It was discovered,’ said Edgar gleefully, ‘that the chap had been deflowering virgins. Oh, not just the odd one but on a gargantuan scale. One a day for no one knows how many years! And all that on top of having hundreds of concubines in his harem!’

‘How tiring!’ said Joe. ‘Come on, Edgar – you don’t believe all these stories, do you?’

‘His people certainly do! They’re actually proud of their ruler’s prowess!’ Edgar smirked and went on in a confiding tone, ‘There’s a yearly ceremony in Patiala. People travel for miles to see it. Went myself one year and saw it with my own eyes so I know this is no story! The maharaja parades through the streets of his city naked but for a waist-length vest encrusted with a thousand and one diamonds, acknowledging the cheers of his subjects with what I can best describe as a priapic salute!’

‘Good Lord! Seems a bit excessive!’

‘Not one to go off at half cock, Patiala!’ Edgar laughed. ‘But too strong for most tastes and someone – the Resident, it’s assumed – had a quiet word with him and told him not to do it again.’

‘A quiet word, Edgar? Would that be enough to bring about the required change in behaviour?’

‘Depends on the word,’ said Edgar. ‘If, amongst all the finger-wagging, wrist-slapping and minatory phrases a slight emphasis were put on “deposition”,’ he grinned, ‘it would do the trick. Or perhaps – horror of horrors! – HM Gov. threatened to reduce his gun salute from nineteen to eleven. Now that would have a decidedly deflationary effect! But, whatever the persuasion used, the Resident achieved his end, which was to placate the memsahibs who’ve infiltrated the state as they have all over India bringing their dire baggage of morality, religion and social justice.’

Joe knew Edgar was likely to get the bit between his teeth when the conversation moved to the modern woman. For him, the India of the East India Company was the ideal: a glamorous, masculine world of traders, fighters, opportunists, men who, discarding Western influences, took Indian women as wives and mistresses, spoke their languages and exploited their country. The world of John Company, according to Edgar, had come to a regrettable end when sea travel improved and droves of Englishwomen found themselves able to make the journey out to the East and fish for husbands in India. He hurried to divert Edgar from the anticipated diatribe.

‘I take it the Ranipur Resident has an easier life? What sort of man is Vyvyan? You speak of him with modified rapture?’

‘Oh, Claude is very good. Brilliant even. Gets on well with the prince, knows when to look the other way, works tirelessly for good relations between Ranipur and the Empire. Model situation, you could say. And far from being a strained relationship as you might expect, Claude has become his friend and confidant. It’s a tricky balancing act being ruler. Lonely too. Most of Udai’s relations are only waiting to step into his empty shoes, most of his subjects are standing round trying how best to make money out of him. Claude helps him keep balance and authority.’

‘And what role does Edgar Troop play in all this? Which of your many talents do you lay out for the ruler?’

Edgar looked pleased. ‘In my way, I suppose I’m a sort of safety valve. Udai enjoys his drink, shooting, polo, expensive trips to Europe, female company, occasionally getting married. In fact the perfect life of the Rajput gentleman that he is. I couldn’t sympathize with him more! I wouldn’t like you to know all the things I’ve done for him in my time. I wouldn’t like to mention some of the things he’s done for me. But that’s what’s given rise to this telegram. It probably means he’s bored and wants me to spice things up a bit for him.’

‘What sort of a place has he got in Ranipur?’

‘Think Buckingham Palace and multiply by ten. Perhaps a thousand rooms. Ancient. Beautiful. Parts very dilapidated, parts immaculate. Parts inhabited by storks and bats, snakes too probably. The Old Palace is kept for formal occasions and it’s home to many of his relations and all the women of the household. Udai has the sense to live elsewhere – in the New Palace. Every modern convenience! And he’s built himself several guest bungalows. He usually sets one of these aside for me.’

Servants were beginning to hover round the disordered breakfast table.

‘I think we’d better take the hint,’ said Edgar and, giving orders as he did so, led Joe out on to a cluttered terrace. He waved a hand vaguely at the overgrown shrubbery in the courtyard. ‘Must do something about this,’ he said absently. ‘Trouble is, things either grow to four times their expected size or die off and, as you see, we’ve got a fair sample of both here. Sit down. Ready for a beer now?’

It was the Chummery routine to move straight from coffee to a foaming glass of chilled ale and a servant was standing by with a tray already loaded. Edgar gulped down half his glass, wiped his moustache and looked at Joe with speculation. He leaned forward. ‘Look, Joe, I can see you’re getting fed up with Simla. Damned hard work being on enforced vacation. Why don’t you get Sir George to sign an exeat for you and come to Ranipur with me?’