"To divert the Portuguese fleet. It's so obvious. He somehow discovered
Queen Janahara had paid the Portuguese Viceroy to ship cannons to Malik
Ambar. If the Marathas had gotten cannon, they could have defended
Ahmadnagar forever. So he tricked the Portuguese into searching for the
English fleet that wasn't there. The Portuguese are a lot more worried
about their trade monopoly than about what happens to Prince Jadar. He
knew they would be."
"I know you support him, but for my money he's still a certified
bastard." Hawksworth studied her for a moment, wondering whether to
believe her words. If it were actually true it would all make sense,
would fill out a bizarre tapestry of palace deception. But in the end
his ruse had done Jadar no good. "And for all his scheming, he was
still defeated in the south. I hear the rumors too." Hawksworth rose
and took Shirin's arm. She started to reply, then stopped herself.
They began to walk slowly back toward his tent. "So he deceived
everyone to no purpose."
As they rounded the curve of the slope and emerged into the sunshine,
Hawksworth noted that some of the war elephants had already been led
back to their stables and were being harnessed. He looked across the
valley toward the tents of the Imperial army and thought he sensed a
growing urgency in the air, as though men and horse were being quietly
mobilized to move out.
"But don't you realize? The prince is not retreating." Shirin finally
seized his arm and stopped him. "No one here yet realizes that Malik
Ambar has . . ." Her voice trailed off as she looked ahead. A group of
Rajput officers was loitering, aimlessly, near the entrance to her
tent. "I wish I could tell you now what's happening." Her voice grew
quieter. "Just be ready to ride."
Hawksworth stared at her, uncomprehending. "Ride where?" He reached to
touch her hand, but she glanced at the Rajputs and quickly pulled it
away. "I don't want to ride anywhere. I want to tell you more about
England. Don't you think you'd like to see it someday?"
"I don't know. Perhaps." She shifted her gaze away from the Rajputs.
For an instant Hawksworth thought he saw her make a quick movement with
her hands urging them to leave. Or had she? They casually moved on down
the hill, their rhino-hide shields swinging loosely from their shoulder
straps. "After . . . after things are settled."
"After what? After Arangbar signs the _firman_?"
"I can't seem to make you understand." She turned to face him squarely.
"About Prince Jadar. Even if you got a _firman _it would soon be
worthless."
"I understand this much. If he's thinking to challenge Arangbar, and
the queen, then he's God's own fool. Haven't you seen the army
traveling with us? It's three times the size of Jadar's." He turned and
continued to walk. "His Imperial Majesty may be a sot, but he's in no
peril from young Prince Jadar."
As they approached the entrance to his tent, she paused for a moment to
look at him, her eyes a mixture of longing and apprehension.
"I can't stay now. Not today." She kissed him quickly and before he
could speak she was moving rapidly down the hill, in the direction the
Rajputs had gone.
Queen Janahara studied Allaudin thoughtfully as he strode toward her
tent. His floral turban was set rakishly to one side in the latest
style, and his purple gauze cloak was too effeminate for anyone but a
eunuch or a dandy. She caught a flash from the jewel-handled katar at
his waist, too ornamental ever to be used, and suddenly realized that
she had never seen him actually hold a knife, or a sword. She had never
seen him respond to any crisis. And Princess Layla had hinted he was
not quite the husband she had envisioned, whatever that might imply.
Suddenly it all mattered. It had only been a week since Jadar's demands
had been refused, and already he had taken the initiative. Now, she
sighed, she would have to protect her _nashudani_, her "good-for-
nothing" son-in-law. He could never protect himself, not from Jadar.
"Your Majesty." Allaudin salaamed formally as he dipped below the
tapestried portiere of her tent, never forgetting that his new mother-
in-law was also the queen. "The princess sends her wishes for your
health this morning."
"Sit down." Janahara continued to examine him with her brooding dark
eyes. "Where is Nadir Sharif?"
"The eunuchs said he would be a few moments late."
"He always tries to irritate me." Her voice trailed off as she watched
Allaudin ensconce himself with a wide flourish against a velvet
bolster. "Tell me, are you content with your bride?"
"She is very pleasing to me, Majesty."
"Are you satisfying your obligations as a husband?"
"Majesty?" Allaudin looked up at her as though not comprehending the
question.
"Your duties are not merely to her. Or to me. They're also to India.
Jadar has a male heir now. Such things matter in Agra, or weren't you
aware?"