Half hour later
Ganak's entire body was literally solidified due to the cold breeze. Due to the close proximity to the pond and wilderness , the temperature was even lower by a few degrees. But he dare not stomp his legs to warm himself lest he make any noise.
The full moon's reflection in the Lotus Pond was making its water look silvery.
Suddenly, there was a snap!
Two cloaked females with a cloth covered lantern were coming towards the pond. Ganak didn't approach them immediately and waited. He slowly emerged from his hiding spot and stealthily moved around to see if there was anyone else in the periphery.
After ten minutes or so, he had determined that the two of them hadn't brought anyone else along.
He sensed the two people's impatience and jauntily walked towards them.
"Sorry to keep you waiting in the cold, Eldest Miss," he said jovially, only to receive a solid hit on his head.
With a look of disbelief on his face, Ganak crumpled down on the ground.
Ekakshi, whose whole body was trembling, also fell down on the ground despite the cold with a soft thud. She seemed to have lost her nerves looking at the fallen man in front of her.
The man who had hit Ganak dropped the log of wood on the side and quickly motioned to the person behind Ekakshi. The person removed the cloak from his head and a smooth, feminine face was revealed.
These two people were the sons of Nanny Sumana. One had taken after the mother's stocky build while the other one was reed-thin like their deceased father.
The nanny had summoned her sons during the day after leaving Dharitri's room and instructed them what to do.
Between the two of them, they tied the feet and hands of the comatose man with stones and rope, which had been prepared earlier in the night by Ekakshi behind one of the bushes.
Without wasting any time, they quickly threw him into the pond.
Splash!
They hadn't bothered to check whether the man was alive when thrown into the water or not. Irrespective, he wouldn't manage to survive under the water for long!
Ekakshi nearly screamed at the sight.
Five minutes later
"I can't see any water bubbles anymore. He should definitely be dead by now!" said the thin guy in a nonchalant manner.
"Wait for a couple of more minutes, just to be sure," came the gruff reply.
While the two of them spoke in a disinterested manner, they turned their gaze towards the white-faced maid.
"Girl, do you intend to sit here all night? Get up and give us our promised payment. Also, go back and tell your mistress that the work has been completed. My brother and I will wait for our mother's return to our house first thing tomorrow morning! Make sure that she comes to us without any harm, else..." The stocky man spoke in undertones.
Ekakshi nodded her head like a puppet on a string and got up on wobbly feet. She handed over the pouch containing ten silver coins to the thin guy. Without bothering to collect the fallen lantern, she ran away. The two men looked at the receding back of the cowardly girl and shook their heads.
They knew that their mother had been caught doing something bad and this task was a repayment against her deeds. Hence, it had to be done perfectly in order for their mother to survive.
Sumana had told her sons in a shaky voice that she would be allowed to 'retire' peacefully if this was taken care of!
The icing on the cake was that they managed to earn ten silver coins in the deal.
Twenty minutes later
"Go and retrieve the body," Trini's words were not in sync with the tranquil atmosphere and sounded jarring.
The three maidservants, who had been waiting patiently behind the cluster of shrubs for the past two hours, shrugged out of their warm clothes. They immediately dived into the near freezing pond without hesitation in their small clothes. Over the past three years, they had been reaping great benefits because of their mistress who was also their benefactor.
Finally, it was time for them to show their loyalty. How could they hang back?
"Is there any chance that he can survive this?" Katyayani turned towards Chatvari and asked the question, seemingly in a nonchalant manner.
Unlike Trini, who had been huddled with the three maids behind the shrubs some distance away from the 'crime scene', Chatvari and Katyayani were perched on top of the tree with the swing. The same tree whose trunk Ganak had used earlier to hide behind earlier on.
It was a pity that he never considered the possibility of someone monitoring him from right above his head!
"It is highly unlikely that he could be found alive after all this time. Had he been retrieved within the first five minutes of the jump, the chances of survival would have been bleak at most. But now…" Chatvari responded in a neutral voice.
Chatvari had seen her young miss's 'interest' in this boy for the past many years and was worried secretly if she had him in her heart, despite her claim of him being the love interest of her eldest cousin.
But looking at Katyayani's impassive face under the moon's reflection, she couldn't see any sadness on her face.
This meant that her young miss didn't like this guy in the past, right?
Katyayani tut-tutted softly upon hearing Chatvari's prognosis.
'I had hoped to show him my real face once and wanted to see his reaction! Nevermind! I guess I am becoming as vain as Dvi' sighed Katyayani in her heart.
Soon, her attention was pulled away by the soaked women who were staggering to come ashore with the limp body between them.
With a few grunts, they managed to pull up the body to the pond's side. Katyayani looked at Chatvari who jumped off the tree nimbly and went to check the person.
After a few moments, she looked up and shook her head.
"Trini, untie the ropes and throw them back into the water along with the stones. Leave the body here. Chatvari, make sure that neither of these three women should catch a cold or fever in the next few days," said Katyayani and leapt from the tree to another one, vanishing in the darkness.