“I don’t know,” Kiran had said. “Why don’t you call and speak with the journalist on staff? The man who wrote the article? He probably won’t reveal his source, but he might give you a hint about what the Emersons are up to.”
So Jaya had done just that. She’d called the tabloid, spoken to the reporter, and asked him who was behind the leaked picture of Isha. She remembered distinctly how that smug, greasy little man had paused before saying: “Would it come as a great surprise if I said it was the male heir of a family that finds you Raos particularly deplorable?”
“You mean a male Emerson heir,” Jaya had said, fuming, her hand clenched around her cell. “I suppose I knew that all along. Which one of them was it? And why did they come after my sister?”
“That I cannot say,” the reporter had said, practically cackling with glee. Jaya imagined him in his stuffy, crammed office, his feet jauntily up on the desk. “But can I get a quote about how you’re dealing with the story? Do you feel a lot of rage, Jaya? And what about Isha? Is she still ‘drowning in a bottomless well of mortification’?”
She’d pressed “end” without saying another word.
Kiran had been right to instruct her to go to the source. Recently, Amma and Appa had been hinting that Jaya marrying Kiran might be a good political move for the Raos. It made sense. He was the firstborn son of the well-placed Hegde royal family. An alliance would only strengthen both estates. When the time came, Jaya would be happy to do it.
* * *
Now, at St. Rosetta’s, Jaya felt Isha’s sharp gaze on her, and took her time answering. She inhaled slowly and deliberately, trying to calm her rubbed-raw nerves. Then, pushing her hands into the back pockets of her jeans, she said slowly, “I’ve… heard of Grey Emerson. Is he here?”
“Yes, and he has disappeared again as he does,” Leo said, exchanging a glance with Rahul that Jaya didn’t understand. “But we can introduce you on Thursday, the first day of classes. Please come sit with us in the senior dining hall during breakfast.”
“We have the table all the way to the back and right,” Rahul added helpfully.
“That’s nice of you to include Jaya!” Isha chirped.
In spite of her cheerful tone, Jaya could see the worry in Isha’s eyes. All summer long, Isha had seen the embers of anger burning in Jaya’s heart. She was no stranger to the way any mention of the Emersons had flushed Jaya’s cheeks, fevered her eyes. Now she was worried how Jaya would react to the knowledge that an Emerson went to this school.
But that wasn’t all Jaya saw in her sister’s eyes. Jaya recognized Isha’s anxiety, too. As was her nature, Isha had been quick to forgive and forget the Emersons’ deception; she’d just wanted to move on with her life. But Jaya had seen how the scandal had left her usually effervescent sister flat, dull, empty. She’d worried during Isha’s blackest period that she wouldn’t come back to her whole. Now, in Isha’s eyes that were just a bit too wide, in her smile that was just a bit too stiff, Jaya saw Isha’s memories of that time resurface.
But Jaya would be her shield now. No Emerson would ever hurt her sister like that again.
Jaya smiled her most convincing smile at the boys. “Yes, thank you,” she said. “I’d really like that.” And she’d worried finding a way to get close to Grey might be difficult.
“Heyyyooo, what up?”
A pale-skinned girl with cropped, flame-red hair bounded up to the boys, her smile ebullient. Even dressed in distressed denim shorts and a cropped white T-shirt, she carried herself with the effortless grace and easy nonchalance of someone who was used to being popular and well liked. At nearly the same height as Leo, who Jaya guessed was about six feet tall, she towered over both sisters. Her green eyes wandered over them slowly. “New meat?” she asked, glancing at her friends.
Rahul pushed his glasses back, his mouth twitching with what looked like eager energy. “This is Rajkumari aka Princess Jaya and her sister, Princess Isha,” he replied. Jaya got the feeling he liked things “just so;” one of those people who believed rules and norms existed for a reason. They’d get along just fine. “Princesses, this is Daphne Elizabeth McKinley.”
“More blue bloods?” Daphne Elizabeth said, cocking her head. Her accent was American, Jaya noticed. Isha and Jaya shared a mostly British accent that came with having attended schools all over the world that emphasized the virtues of the Queen’s English accent. The irony was that they’d been back in India for less than a year before disaster struck. Perhaps they should’ve stayed away.
“Don’t we have enough of those?” Daphne Elizabeth continued. But her voice was gently teasing, inviting them to join in.
Taking her cue, Jaya laughed. “Apparently not.”
Daphne Elizabeth grinned. Her gaze falling to Jaya’s pendant, she whistled and leaned in. “I like your pendant.”
Jaya smiled. “Thank you. My father got it for me.”
“And look who is talking about blue blood,” Leo said, rolling his hazel eyes. To Jaya and Isha, he added, “Daphne Elizabeth is the heiress of the McKinley dynasty.”
Jaya saw the revelation on Isha’s face mirror hers. “McKinley Hotels!” Jaya said, smiling fondly. “Love your heated towels. Wrapping up in one after a long day is the best feeling.”
A group of boys, other seniors from the look of them, walked past them and toward the French doors to their left. Daphne Elizabeth’s eyes followed them. “Glad to hear it,” she said, forcing her gaze back to Jaya. A tinkling sound permeated the air. “Oh, that’s my cell. I’ll catch you guys later. Ta!” And off she went, pulling her cell phone from her pocket.
Leo looked after her, shaking his head. “Elle est toujours presée. Rushing, rushing, rushing.” Turning to Jaya and Isha, he said, “All right, we were going to help one of our friends unpack. You ladies are welcome to go with us…?” He tossed a questioning look at Rahul, who nodded.
“Oh, well, thank you,” Jaya said. “But I think we need some time to unpack too, and rest after our flight.”
“Okay,” Rahul said, already turning away.
“Dr. Waverly! New people!” Leo called out. Jaya turned to see a middle-aged woman with pale, fragile-looking skin turn to survey them from across the entrance hall. When she caught sight of the sisters, recognition flashed across her face and she began to hurry over. Leo waved and followed Rahul to the doors. “See you tomorrow in the dining hall!”
Isha turned to Jaya. “What was that about Grey Emerson going here?” she said, speaking quickly, before the headmistress was close enough to overhear. “Jaya… did you know about that? Because I’m pretty sure Appa and Amma don’t.” Isha was supposed to call her “Akka,” the honorific title bestowed upon elder sisters. But Jaya didn’t have time to argue that point.
She arranged her face into the most nonchalant expression she could. “Of course I didn’t know. And we probably shouldn’t tell Appa and Amma. I mean, what’s the point of worrying them? We’ll just keep out of his way and he’ll keep out of ours, okay? Remember, we’re supposed to lie low.” She was a rather good liar when she wanted to be, but still, her heart pounded. If Isha told their parents, she’d be utterly—