Page 73 of Claimed By the Maharaja
“Good night, Mr. Tikku,” she replied with a small, polite smile.
As she crossed the stone steps and entered the Jogra Palace, warmth wrapped around her immediately in the form of heat, light, and the faint scent of incense and polished wood.
The palace staff waiting inside greeted in unison with a small bow, their movements graceful and practiced.
“Maharani,” one of them said softly, stepping forward. “Maharaja has asked us to inform you that he will be returning late tonight. He requests that you have dinner without waiting for him.”
Of course, he wouldn’t have dinner with her.
Yamini kept her expression neutral. “That’s fine,” she said.
“Would you prefer dinner in the dining hall or in your room?” another maid asked.
“In my room,” Yamini replied after a brief pause.
She didn't want to sit alone at that long dining table.
The maids nodded and led her through the corridors, their footsteps quiet against the marble floors. When she reached her bedroom suite, she dismissed them with a polite word and stepped inside alone.
The room was bathed in the muted glow of the setting sun. The heavy curtains framing the tall windows had been partially drawn, revealing a breathtaking view. The mountains stretched endlessly, their peaks dusted in gold and rose as daylight slowly bled into night.
Yamini walked toward the window without thinking.
She stood there for a long moment, staring out at the vastness beyond the glass. The stillness outside contrasted sharply with the restless churn inside her chest.
She turned away.
Her gaze landed, unavoidably, on the closed connecting door.
Her heart thudded.
Images from the previous night surfaced in her mind again, along with the way her body had betrayed her.
Her fingers curled slightly at her sides.
“This is ridiculous,” she muttered under her breath as her face heated. “Stop thinking about him.”
She looked away and walked toward the large bathroom.
A refreshing shower later, she stepped out in a thick toweling robe. The maids had brought in her dinner and placed it on the coffee table next to the scenic window.
The rich aromas of spices filled the air, making her stomach growl.
She thanked the maids and told them she didn’t need anything more for the evening.
They nodded politely and left.
Despite the chaos in her mind, she made a mental note to introduce herself properly to the staff soon.
The dinner was delicious. It was a traditional Jogra dish with layers of meat, rice, and spices with a generous amount of saffron. The dessert was decadent with a generous amount of nuts, dry fruits, cottage cheese in thick sugar syrup laced with saffron and pepper.
She finished it all with a satisfied sigh.
She looked at the clock and saw that it was only nearing eight o’clock.
Too early for bed.
Knowing there wasn’t anything else she could do, she covered the dishes and got up.
