Chapter 20: Coimbatore

I awoke in a bed. My head hurt. The level of pain was similar to that suffered after my orgy with the five female Grand Tour guides in Naples, but I knew I had not been engaged in any of sort of sexual activity as I had then. I opened my eyes. The pain intensified. I shut my eyes. I must have groaned as someone said ‘he has regained consciousness.’ Although my eyes were tight shut I was aware someone was standing close to my bed.

“I’m sorry I hit you so hard, Jack, but you were about to slaughter Krish,” said a female voice.

“Lillian?” I croaked.

“Yes, and both Krish and I are dreadfully sorry for those terrible lies we told about you, but we needed to gain the trust of Baroness de Ath and convince her of our supposed hatred of you.”

“And I am terribly sorry I sent you the sapphire pendant and made you think I no longer loved you, Jacques. It was the only way I could think to raise the demon in you and fight your way out of the temple,” Mimi said, and then laid her soft lips on mine.

The touch of those warm lips filled me with joy, and my head pained me less.

“It certainly did that,” Krish said. “By all accounts, Jack cleared a room of Nubians, thugs and dacoits practically by himself, although he took some blows and has lost a fair amount of blood.”

Mimi put a glass to my lips. “Drink this, my love. It will ease the pain in your head.”

I took a swallow and within moments the piercing pain in my head had reduced to a nagging throb. I struggled to sit up. Mimi placed a pillow behind me, and then hugged me to her.

I glanced about me. I was in one of the huts at Krish and Lillian Armityge’s hospital at Shangri La.

“How long have I been unconscious?” I asked.

“Three days, since Lillian knocked you senseless with a blow from a musket butt,” Krish said.

“For which I am truly sorry, Jack. Please believe me,” Lillian said, and then kissed me on the cheek.

“Then it is no wonder I am starving and could devour a horse. Let me up so I can eat.”

Mimi and Lillian helped me to my feet. Thankfully, someone had dressed me in a nightshirt before placing me in bed and my modesty was maintained. Food was quickly brought me, and while I ate, I heard the full story of the Armityges’ dealings with Eloise de La Zouche, the late Eloise de la Zouche. Knowing I would not now have to worry about the security of my family further eased the pain in my head, and gave the excellent food even more of a flavoursome taste.

“You certainly fooled Eloise – Baroness de Ath. You also fooled me, Lillian. I began to believe you when you shot those looks of pure hate at me when telling her of my supposed treatment of you.”

“I had to convince the evil woman that Krish and I were willing to join her in her activities, and we had to demonstrate our reasons for handing you over to her. When I was looking at you I saw only Barton Seagrave. My anger and hatred was directed at him, not at you.”

“You would make an excellent actress.” I said, and then grinned at her.

She tenderly stroked my cheek. “Telling those terrible lies about you was the most difficult thing I have ever done in my life, Jack.”

“As it was for me when telling my false tale,” Krish added.

“So be it,” I said, “I suppose the end justifies the means.”

“Indeed they do, Sir Elijah, when the end is what happened in this case.”

I turned in surprise as Brigadier Braygon entered the room.

“Thanks to you and the Armityges we have destroyed a large gang of dacoits, and eliminated an entire group of Thugees.” He sat down in the chair next to me. “I also have to apologise for taking so long to come to your aid. We first had to surround those villages occupied by the baroness’s associates. The inhabitants of the temple had no inkling of the coming attack thanks to a cordon sanitaire around each occupied village.” He helped himself to a piece of naan bread. “You serve first-rate vittles’ here, Doctor Armityge. I have fed like a fighting cock during my stay at Shangri La.” He waved the half-eaten piece of bread in the air as he continued. “When you were packed off to the temple on a stretcher, escorted by the high priest and his men, young Nathan and of his two friends tracked them. Once the temple was located, Nathan sent one of the trackers to me at Palakkad, and I moved my HQ here and called up the Madras Fusiliers. I have four companies of the Seventh Madras Native Infantry manning a perimeter around the temple complex but not encroaching on the sacred ground – sacred to Hindus that is. I withdrew the Fusiliers after they had dispatched what was left of the dacoits and Thugs. There were bevvies of young females on-site, and the Fusiliers are well known for their love of female flesh and ardent spirits.”

Braygon gave me a quizzical look. “The body of Captain Masters, who murdered a fellow officer and then escaped from Palakkad Fort, was discovered in a cellar beneath the main building with half his head blown away. I don’t suppose you know anything about that, Sir Elijah?”

“Not a thing.” To quickly change the subject I asked a question. “What happened to the Indian girls at the temple?”

I could see that Braygon would have liked to ask more questions regarding Masters, but saw he would get no more answers.

“The girls are still at the temple. The high priest wallah told me the girls were either temple dancers or tantrists – whatever that is – and both sets of females are dedicated to the Goddess Kali. I allowed the high priest wallah to carry on as normal. In Madras Presidency it is not Company policy to upset the natives when it comes to their religion. I must say the high priest wallah was most accommodating, and handed over several sacks of snuff the Baroness set much store by...”

“Those sacks contain cocaine, a highly addictive narcotic she planned to use to gain control over...” I paused as I remembered there had been an African girl in attendance on Eloise, destined to supply Eloise with blood to rejuvenate her skin. “Was there a young African girl among the females at the temple?”

Braygon nodded. “Yes, Nathan said she was African so she was brought here.” He rose from his chair.” I have to get back to my office in Palakkad and write up a full report of the action ... The Seventh Madras Native Infantry will be withdrawn from securing the temple complex and be replaced by troops from the Coimbatore garrison. The temple is not in my jurisdiction, and from now on the Governor of Coimbatore will be responsible for what happens there.”

At first I did not fully take in what he said as my head still ached, but Braygon’s mention of Coimbatore brought a memory to mind. Eloise had spent a week in Coimbatore. When she returned to the temple she was jubilant as four East India Company officials, one of them a deputy-governor, had been suborned. The thought struck me that Eloise must have snared the deputy-governor of Coimbatore!

“Eloise de la Zouche – Baroness de Ath – boasted that the deputy- governor of Coimbatore was in her control, as is a colonel of a native cavalry regiment, a local magistrate, and an East India Company accountant. Four African girls are missing, and I believe they are with those four men. We must find the girls, and then arrest the men, who are – were – being manipulated by Eloise de la Zouche, Baroness de Ath. Who knows what evil deeds they might have committed when under the influence of sex and drugs? The Baroness used the girls – virgins when first rented to the men – and Colombian snuff, cocaine, to undermine their sense of duty and honour, immuring them in debauchery and depravity until they become addicted. Once addicted they would do anything Eloise, Baroness de Ath, demanded. We must locate the girls, arrest the men and inform the authorities.”

Braygon frowned. “Coimbatore was once part of the Kingdom of Mysore, but after the overthrow of Tipu Sultan the kingdom was dismantled. Coimbatore and the surrounding area is ruled directly by the East India Company, and the Governor, Guthrie Rilversed, reports directly to Calcutta. The deputy-governor of Coimbatore District is Jeremiah Corbinn, who has powerful friends in Calcutta. The word of an African girl and a deceased Frenchwoman will not have any influence with them!”

“Corbinn has a young girl in his clutches and is probably now addicted to Colombian snuff and sex. Who knows what laws he has already circumvented at the behest of Eloise de la Zouche?” I stood up from the table. “I will travel to Coimbatore and find the missing girls; they will be the evidence that Corbinn and his dissolute friends were in association with Eloise de La Zouche, Baroness de Ath. I will then confront the Governor of Coimbatore with that evidence.”

Braygon shrugged his shoulders. “I wish you luck, Sir Elijah, and will delay sending my report to Coimbatore until after you return.” It was obvious by his attitude he thought my mission a waste of time.

“We need supplies from Coimbatore,” Lillian said. “You can take the bullock cart...”

“And Zeala,” I interrupted. “She can identify Corbinn.”

“In that case, you will also need to take N’reeta and Nathan. Zeala will go nowhere without that pair.”

It was decided that Lillian, Mimi, Nathan, and the two African girls, would accompany me to Coimbatore. We set off at dawn the next morning. As I would have to meet the Governor I dressed in European clothing. The clothes I had worn at the temple were bloodied and ripped thanks to my battle with Eloise de La Zouche’s Nubian guards. The suit I now wore was one made in Madras, and although better tailored than the one worn at the temple it was a damned sight hotter to wear. The rest of the party wore native clothing, and they all looked as cool as cucumbers.

The hidden valley of ‘Shangri La’ led into a wider valley that finally debouched at the northern end of the Palakkad Gap. We camped overnight in a clearing in the Gap and arrived at a hostelry on the edge of Coimbatore the following evening. A course of actions was decided, the first being to obtain supplies for Shangri La the next morning.

“I obtain most of the provisions for Shangri La from an establishment located just across the street from the Governor’s mansion,” Lillian said. “You could make yourself known to the Governor while I place my order, Jack.”

“Is there a shop in town that supplies artists’ materials? I have run out of charcoal, and require more watercolours,” asked Mimi.

“Mister Chowdraty has an extensive emporium, and I am sure he will be able to furnish you with everything you need.”

“Mister Chowdraty! Would that be Mister Rangesh Gupta Chowdraty, Merchant and Trader?” I asked Lillian.

She paused in thought for a moment. “I could not say for sure. Chowdraty is a common enough name in Coimbatore, and there are many traders. Why do you ask?”

“Rangesh Gupta Chowdraty gave me food and water when I was held captive in a pit. I need to seek him out and thank him properly.”

When we visited the emporium the following morning I was delighted to find it owned by the Rangesh Gupta Chowdraty who had been so kind to me at the temple. When he saw me he gave a great smile of welcome.

“Sahib, thanks to you I survived that charnel house known as the Temple of Death. Once you had slaughtered the Nubians, dacoits, and Thugs I walked free and made my way home as quick as lightning. I owe you my life; ask anything of me and it shall be yours.”

“One good turn deserves another, Rangesh. You gave me food and water when I was locked in The Hole. You risked your life for me, and I am glad I was able to repay your kindness.” I held out my hand, “My name is Elijah.”

We shook hands vigorously until Lillian interrupted.

“All well and good, Mister Chowdraty, but we require supplies.” She handed Rangesh a list. “Perhaps your gratitude to my friend Elijah can be repaid by giving me a good deal?”

“I always give you very much good deal, Memsahib Armityge. I am desolated that you should think I would ever cheat you.” He grinned, “But I will make extra special very much good deal for you, to give thanks to Elijah sahib for saving my life.”

He looked through the list of Lillian’s requirement, nodding his head as he did so.

I stared across the road at the Governor’s mansion, noting the constant arrivals and departures through the main gate. I interrupted Rangesh when a thought struck me.

“Could not one of your minions see to Missus Armityge’s order?” I pointed across the street to the Governor’sresidence. “You must see most of those who enter and leave that building. Would you recognise Jeremiah Corbinn if you saw him?” Zeala had given me only a cursory description of her rapist, and I needed to be certain I accosted the right man.

Rangesh shook his head. “No, Elijah sahib. I know the man is deputy governor but all sahibs look alike to me, except for you of course. However, my cousin is a chowkidar at the mansion and will know what Corbinn sahib looks like.”

“Where is your cousin now?” I asked Rangesh.

He pointed across the street. “He is the tall man with a red turban carrying a lahti. I will call him over and you can talk to him.”

Rangesh’s cousin, Sanjeev, was a mine of information. He knew Corbinn by sight and described him as ‘a tall, thin, miserable-looking sahib with grey wispy hair and a small goatee type beard. He has a new, young, mistress that he visits every afternoon.’

I asked Sanjeev if he knew where Corbinn kept this mistress. He grinned broadly. “Most of the sahibs keep their mistresses at houses in the same street, Ayiraṁ mas’hēāḷukaḷuṭe teruv. I know Corbinn sahib does as I’ve heard him tell the gharry driver where to take him in the afternoon.”

“The English translation of ‘Ayiraṁ mas’hēāḷukaḷuṭe teruv’ is ‘The Street of a Thousand Mouse Holes’. That is where the sahibs keep their vaśatt biṟṟukaḷ. It is an open secret to us natives,” Rangesh said.

I did not ask for a translation of vaśatt biṟṟukaḷ but assumed it meant something similar to ‘a bit on the side’, a low-class expression indicating an extramarital relationship. I looked at my pocket watch and saw it was approaching midday.

“What time does Corbinn leave for his assignation?” I asked Sanjeev.

“Directly after three o’clock chai. Corbinn sahib is as regular as clockwork,” he replied.

I decided to follow Corbinn to his love nest when he left the Governor’s Mansion that afternoon. Meantime Rangesh treated us to a fine lunch, Mimi purchased her sketching essentials, and Lillian received an extra special deal on her order. I told Zeala, via Nathan, what we were about, and her eyes hardened when learning we were going to confront Corbinn, and hopefully discover the whereabouts of the other African girls.

Three o’clock came and went and I was beginning to think Corbinn was not as regular as clockwork, when a tall thin man hurried from the entrance of the mansion and got into a waiting gharry. Sanjeev pointed his lahti at the moving carriage and bellowed, “Off to meet his vaśatt biṟṟukaḷ in Ayiraṁ mas’hēāḷukaḷuṭe teruv!”

Lillian and Mimi elected to stay behind at Rangesh’s establishment while I, accompanied by Nathan, N’reeta, and Zeala, followed Corbinn in a gharry driven by another of Rangesh’s cousins, Vinod.