She snapped out of her reverie as the van came to a sudden halt. Looking around as she got out she caught her breath sharply. She had stepped into paradise. It was an enchanting glade, with a tiny quaint cottage that funnily fitted right into the stupendous ambience. It was the company’s club house, with an inconspicuous roof, wooden floor boards and outer walls of grey stone. In its backdrop, rising with the hill, were huge trees. Malabar squirrels scampered in the branches; jungle fowls called from their hidden perches; bulbuls, blue jays, woodpeckers and other birds chirped teasingly, playing hide and seek. To the right, roughly hewn stone steps led up to a small rope-bridge, spanning a sparkling stream that rippled musically down its pebbled course reflecting the lush trees of the forests on its banks. Much further, where it got deeper, it became a trout-catcher’s haunt.   She sat speechless, at the edge of the stream, bare feet immersed in the icy water with her back to tree-covered hills fanned out like huge emeralds reaching towards a sapphire sky dappled with fleecy clouds 

Utkarsh and Shraddha, set out the picnic lunch, with Ganesh the care-taker of the club. He had a fire crackling in the kitchen and water hissing in a pot over it. That was something he had to keep ready whenever guests were expected. The weather was treacherous at this time of the year.  

Now he was telling them in Tamil, that just yesterday a rogue elephant had passed through on the other side of the stream. There were fears that he had not gone very far. Utkarsh looked towards where he pointed. His experienced eyes picked out the tell-tale sign: a big drying cake of droppings in the trampled foliage. He was upset that he had not been warned earlier. He would not have risked coming here. He hoped the elephant had moved far into the forest during the night.  

‘Utkarsh, can one rent this place for a few days?’ Shreyana wanted to know. ‘I would love to bring Tejas here after our wedding,’ They had walked over to the other side across the swaying bridge. There were huge gaps between its planks where the wood had rotted but it was still safe.  

‘Not exactly, but I could ask them to let you use it for two days. That is if no VIPs are expected here around the same time.’ 

‘Oh, that would be lovely. This place is soooo romantic.’ 

‘Why don’t you come here for your honey-moon?’ suggested Shraddha. 

‘That’s exactly what I was thinking. This little hill-station is a lovers’ Eden. I am so excited about our marriage and life with Tejas.’  

Shreyana hummed softly to herself. There is something about the serenity of this place that brings out one’s deepest feelings, thought Utkarsh. His mind was in forward gear now, charting out what he must do to make his friend’s honeymoon hassle free. He would request the use of Hamilton guest house. It nestled amongst sprawling tea gardens, with a fantastic view of the dam. And he would give them his van and chauffer to take them to all the romantic spots here.  Yes, this was the perfect haven for lovers, if you had the company’s blessings.  

They waded back. The chilly weather, a full stomach and an inviting fire inside – Utkarsh couldn’t resist the call of the comfy bed and went off to take a nap. Shraddha had brought along a book she wanted to finish, so left to herself Shreyana went to explore the forest behind the cottage.  

She almost skipped along a narrow trail, fantasizing about how it would be with Tejas here. No television, no telephone calls unless absolutely needed, no outside disturbance of any kind, wow! I can’t wait to be back here with him. He’ll fall in love with this place just from seeing the photographs, she mused as she went click, click, endlessly. After months on the ship with only the sea for view, this would be a perfect change of scene for her darling fiancé. She wanted to capture every leaf, every living creature and every mood of the place. She must remember to pack his fishing gear. And yes, lots of woolens. Smiling to herself, wishing Tejas were here right now, she had been walking for over an hour. There was no way she could get lost, because she had to follow the trail back.  

Utkarsh woke up to the rumble of not too distant thunder. Shraddha was dozing in her chair and with no sign of Shreyana. He called out to Ganesh, startling Shraddha.

“Where is the other ‘amma’ who had come with us?”

“Sir, I was cleaning up in the kitchen and then went for a bite myself. I don’t know. I’ll go to the other side and see.”

“Go find her damn you. I want to be out from here before the weather turns foul. She has no raincoat or jacket. Take the umbrella with you fool!”  

Ganesh scampered off. Utkarsh now turned on Shraddha. “Don’t you have better sense than to let her go off alone? And with that rogue prowling around! I hope she is safe. Did you hear any unusual sounds or screams or anything?  Dammit woman.  If anything has happened to her we won’t know where to turn.” Shraddha stayed calm. He pressed the panic button at the slightest cause for alarm.  

The sky had turned a threatening dark grey with winds raging in the tall trees. It was half an hour now that even Ganesh had been gone and she too began to worry. Utkarsh’s mood was worse than the weather and he opened his mouth to shout again when he saw the two coming down the path. He ran, caught Shreyana by her shoulders and shook the bewildered girl who was already trembling from the chilly winds and now from fear. Nothing untoward had happened to her, except that she hadn’t realized how far she had walked into the forest. Utkarsh’s ghostlike face was what scared her.  

As they quickly started to drive off, the first drops began to pelt down. All were quiet. Till they were out of the rough terrain and into tea territory, it would be best not to distract Utkarsh.  He was always extremely tense when driving in such foul weather and there was the added danger of an elephant in the vicinity. It would take hours to reach home. Shreyana looked at her watch. Five-thirty? She looked again. Yes that was correct. From the look of it you would think it was at least seven in the evening. The torrential rain kept visibility at zero beyond a few feet. Only someone familiar with every bend on these hilly roads could drive safely in such weather. Now she realized why Utkarsh had wanted to leave early.  Nature too can be a violent spoilsport.  

Soon her thoughts drifted to Tejas, their wedding only two months away and then a happy life together. They not only loved each other, they were very compatible. They got to know each other very well for a whole year after they met and were certain there could be no life better than together. Now she was counting the weeks to his return. He would be back about a week before the wedding that is why he had left the honeymoon plans to her. Wherever he and his gorgeous, bubbly Shraddha were would be perfectly romantic. The romance was in their togetherness. Smiling, she remembered the boyish excitement in his voice when he told her yesterday that he would soon become a captain.

“Life is going to be full of celebrations sweetheart,” he had said, making her heart flutter with passionate anticipation.        
 

Utkarsh and Shraddha were having dinner and reviewing the arrangements they had made for Shreyana and Tejas. The great day was only a fortnight away. She had called practically every day with suggestions and requests - Don’t forget the flowers and the candles... I’ll get the champagne... Tejas enjoys good home-cooked Indian foo... does the cook know to make Punjabi dishes... can he turn out exotic desserts... and on and on... excited, enthusiastic, full of unconcealed joy. She wanted to make it a perfect and memorable beginning to their life together.  

Today she called again. When Shraddha answered she had a slight frown on her face. The voice at the other end was male and serious.

“May I talk to Utkarsh Lahiri please? I am Shreyana’s father.”

“Sure Uncle, just a moment.”

She shrugged as she handed the phone to Utkarsh.

“Hello Uncle, how are you?”

The cheer in his voice turned to pallor on his face and his eyes widened unbelievably.

“When...how...we’ll be there on the first available flight tomorrow” was all he could summon in a near inaudible whisper.

Shraddha almost slapped him to bring him out of his stupor. Painfully, slowly he brought the words out, “Tejas died of a massive heart-attack on the ship. They have flown the body to Portugal and it’ll arrive a fortnight from today. Post-mortem, formalities...,” his voice gagged.

“Why Shreya? Nobody deserves this. A widow’s garb on the wedding day! Her to-be husband’s funeral instead of baraatis!” Shraddha convulsed with sobs.