House of Trembling Leaves, The by Julian Lees Read Free Book Online Page B

manipulated his food, guiding curry into his mouth, working the fingers of his right hand gracefully through the basmati, shaping the long-grain rice into balls and using his thumb to flip the fragrant portion through his parted lips.
    â€˜â€˜You eat like a swan,’’ Sum Sum declared with delight.
    He smiled, waggled his head and dipped his hand in a fingerbowl before drying it with his napkin.
    Stan cleared his throat. ‘‘So, tell me, what’s your story? What are you both running away from?’’
    â€˜â€˜What makes you say that?’’ Lu See said indignantly.
    â€˜â€˜You’re either running away from somebody or you’re running to someone. Which one is it?’’
    â€˜â€˜I don’t know what you mean.’’ Lu See folded her own napkin. ‘‘Why on earth do you think we’re running?’’
    â€˜â€˜Instinct. I’m a policeman, remember.’’ He tapped the side of his nose. ‘‘And my pal here rarely lets me down.’’
    â€˜â€˜Why can’t we just be travelling, off on a European grand tour?’’
    â€˜â€˜At your age, without a chaperone – unlikely.’’
    â€˜â€˜Well, you’re wrong.’’
    â€˜â€˜Am I?’’
    â€˜â€˜Yes.’’
    â€˜â€˜Ha!’’
    Lu See felt Sum Sum give her a kick under the table. ‘‘Well, all right, if you must know I’m running from someone my family wants me to marry.’’
    â€™â€™Heading for?’’
    â€˜â€˜England.’’
    â€˜â€˜To Picalilli Circus,’’ Sum Sum added.
    â€˜â€˜Where I hope to get engaged to the man I love.’’
    â€˜â€˜You hope to get engaged.’’ Stan tilted his head.
    â€˜â€˜Yes. I also HOPE to win a place at a top university.’’
    â€˜â€˜University, eh? Well … good luck. And how about your cousin? Sum Sum, what about you? Are you in love with a man too?’’
    Sum Sum smiled, blushed, and smiled once more. ‘‘ Aiyo, nobody to fall in love with. I’m not pretty like Lu See.’’
    â€˜â€˜Begging your pardon, for it is here that you are grossly mistaken, young bibi .’’ It was Aziz speaking. His head was dancing on his shoulders. ‘‘You are vastly pleasing to the eye and if I may be so bold to saying you remind me of the village cows in Hyderabad.’’
    â€˜â€˜Cows, lah?’’
    â€˜â€˜Most engaging creatures. Strong udders and noble facets, bibi .’’ He held his palms upwards towards the ceiling, tilting his face to one side in appeasement. ‘‘We have very pretty cattle in my home village. Their eyes are like sparkling Indus river water flowing over pebbles from an enchanted mountain stream.’’
    Sum Sum’s mouth broke into a wide grin. She looked at the well-groomed Indian and coloured.
    Stan shifted uncomfortably in his chair. ‘‘A man of fine taste is Aziz. Rarely says much, but when he does he sounds quite poetic, don’t you think?’’
    â€˜â€˜Your skin is very pale for an Indian man,’’ observed Sum Sum.
    â€˜â€˜My grandfather had Pathan blood.’’ Aziz wobbled his head and grinned boyishly.
    â€˜â€˜Why do Indian men do that shaky-shaky with head, lah?’’ asked Sum Sum.
    Aziz raised a finger in the manner of a professor. ‘‘It is a quiet way of saying you may trust me, that I meaning you no harm. That I am your trusted friend.’’ The finger brushed the skin of Sum Sum’s hand and from some place deep inside her she felt a warm tingling, first inside her tummy and then spreading gradually to her chest.
    â€˜â€˜ Aiyo Sami! ’’ She squirmed. ‘‘You speaking like a snake in the grass now. Quit talking and eat, lah. Too much talk-talk causes hindi-gestion!’’
    Â 
    Time drifted like