Amitav Ghosh - Flood of Fire

‘Baboo, you know there’s a storm coming, don’t you?’ said Zachary.

‘Yes, Master Zikri — I will go ashore this evening, for safekeeping. Burra Memsah’b will also go. We will sit in Mr Burnham’s godown — a room has been specially prepared for Burra Memsah’b. Only sailors will remain on Anahita .’

‘I’m glad to hear that,’ said Zachary. ‘And where is Mrs Burnham now? Did you give her my message?’

‘Yes, Master Zikri — Burra Memsah’b is waiting you on the quarter-deck.’

‘Thank you, Baboo.’

Zachary stepped up the companion-ladder to find Mrs Burnham standing alone by the bulwark, watching the sunset: her white carriage-dress had taken on the rosy sheen of the sky and her hair was glowing in the fading light.

Zachary came to a sudden stop: her allure had never been greater and something began to ache inside him — it was like the soreness of an old wound, a reminder not just of the injury itself but also of its cause. When Mrs Burnham greeted him by saying, ‘I am very happy to see you, Mr Reid,’ it was as if a scab had come off. He told himself that if she was pleased to see him it was only because she was impatient for news of Captain Mee — and in the wake of this the jealousy that was seething inside him bubbled up and brimmed over, spilling salt upon old wounds.

‘I am glad to see you too, Mrs Burnham,’ he said stiffly, struggling to keep his composure. ‘I came because your husband had asked me to convey a message to you.’

‘What is it?’

‘He has been detained in Canton. He will be back as soon as things are more settled there, perhaps in a fortnight or so.’

Mrs Burnham’s smile died away and a look of concern descended on her face. ‘I believe there has been much trouble in Canton of late,’ she said. ‘I was very worried — about Mr Burnham, and you … and all our other friends.’

Zachary could not restrain the sardonic laugh that now burst from his throat. ‘Oh come, Mrs Burnham! There is no need to be coy, with me least of all; if you were worried I am sure it was not on behalf of either your husband or myself.’

‘But you are wrong, Mr Reid!’ she protested. ‘You are never far from my thoughts, I assure you.’

‘But nor am I so close, I’ll wager’ — his bitterness was so powerful now that he could no longer disguise it — ‘as Captain Mee. Come, admit it, Mrs Burnham, it was for him that you were worried, weren’t you?’

‘Amongst others, yes, certainly, I will not deny it.’

‘Then I am sure you will be happy to know,’ said Zachary, ‘that the last time I spoke to him he was in the best of health.’

‘Oh?’

He had wanted to catch her unawares and was pleased to see that he had succeeded.

‘I did not know,’ said Mrs Burnham, ‘that you were acquainted with Captain Mee.’

‘I certainly am, Mrs Burnham. I made his acquaintance at your husband’s suggestion.’

This too took her by surprise, exactly as Zachary had intended. ‘But what,’ said Mrs Burnham, ‘did my husband want with Captain Mee?’

‘Surely, Mrs Burnham,’ said Zachary, ‘that question needs no answer? I think you know as well as I do why your husband likes to keep a few soldiers in his pocket — you’ve told me so yourself. It is a lucrative business and your husband has been showing me the ropes. That was why he suggested that I make overtures to Captain Mee.’

Mrs Burnham’s eyes widened. ‘Are you saying you tried to offer him a dustoorie?’

‘Exactly.’

‘And what did he say?’

‘Oh he spurned me in no uncertain terms,’ said Zachary. ‘He even threatened to report me to his superiors.’

She had evidently been holding her breath for she let it out now in a long sigh.

‘I would have expected no less of him,’ she said with quiet pride. ‘He cares nothing for money or worldly advancement.’

Zachary allowed her to feast on this thought for a few seconds. Then he flashed her a smile: ‘Well, Mrs Burnham, I trust you will not be too disappointed then to learn that I was able to bring Captain Mee around.’

She turned to him in shock, her knuckles whitening on the gunwale. ‘What do you mean “bring him around”?’

‘Only that I succeeded in changing his mind.’

‘But how?’

‘I told him,’ said Zachary, ‘that if he carried tales about me, he would run the risk of being exposed as an adulterer.’

Mrs Burnham gasped and clapped a hand on her mouth. ‘No! You did not dare!’

‘You’re wrong there, Mrs Burnham,’ said Zachary. ‘Not only did I dare, I informed him also that he was not the only one to enjoy your favours.’

‘No!’ she cried. ‘I do not believe it!’

‘Well you should,’ said Zachary, ‘because it is true.’

‘And what was his answer?’

Zachary laughed. ‘He is, as you know, an impetuous man, so you will not be surprised to hear that he was beside himself with rage — I think he might even have killed me. But once again I was able to get the better of him.’

‘How on earth?’

‘I told him that I had kept all your letters and in the event of my death they would be found among my effects — in other words, that you would be ruined. This had a rather touching effect — you could even say that it was a tribute to his attachment to you.’

Mrs Burnham brushed a hand across her eyes. ‘Why? What happened?’

‘Oh, the bluster leaked out of him like air from a puffed-up bladder. He was evidently quite stricken at the thought that you might suffer harm. I saw then that it would be easy to take him in hand. I told him that it was in order to protect you that he should accept my offer; that he should think of it as a small sacrifice on the altar of love.’

‘And then?’ The sunlight had faded now and her face had turned an ashen grey.

‘I gave him a few weeks to think the matter over — since his brain is scarcely his swiftest organ I thought he would need the time. I will not conceal from you that I rather doubted that he would come to a sensible decision. But I must confess that he surprised me; the last time I saw him he was perfectly amenable, quite docile in fact. His words, as I remember them, were “What do you require of me?”‘

‘Oh no!’ Mrs Burnham’s hands flew to her cheeks. ‘Mr Reid, I cannot believe that you would be so ruthless, so cruel.’

‘Oh but it is you who deserves all the credit, Mrs Burnham,’ he shot back. ‘It was you who taught me cruelty — and as you know I am a quick learner.’

She put a hand on the gunwale, to steady herself, and looked at him with imploring eyes. ‘Please, Mr Reid,’ she said, ‘you must release him from this dreadful bargain.’

‘I am sorry, Mrs Burnham,’ said Zachary. ‘I am afraid the matter is not in my hands any more. It is your husband who is dealing with Captain Mee now. My part was only to reel him in.’

Mrs Burnham bit back a sob. ‘Poor, poor Neville,’ she said. ‘He prizes his honour above all things. For him there could be no worse fate.’

‘Oh but there could, Mrs Burnham,’ said Zachary. ‘I think his fate — and yours too — would be far worse if your husband were to twig on to the history of your little dalliance.’ He paused to scratch his cheek. ‘And all it would take, you know, is a brief chat with the captain’s havildar — that is how I myself found out. I’m sure it would not be difficult to arrange for your husband to meet him too.’

‘But you wouldn’t!’

‘Well, Mrs Burnham, that depends,’ said Zachary, studying his fingernails. ‘It depends on you really.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I expect,’ said Zachary softly, ‘that you have forgotten a promise you once made to me — that when it came time for us to part, we would have one last night together. I think the time has come for you to redeem your pledge.’