Character Showcase - Arjun Das

In my new release SLOWLY RISING one of the heroine's best friends and advisers is Arjun Das, the Indian manservant of Lady Bramley's neighbor. If you read SLOWLY FELL you will know a little bit about this curious neighbor of whom her ladyship had grave doubts at first, and I daresay you'll get to know him better, as she has done, in the future. Suffice to say, in this book, you will become acquainted with Arjun Das, the neighbor's very wise, all-seeing, all-knowing gentleman's gentleman --  who is, on the surface, a valet.

Despite his very dutiful approach to the job, Arjun possesses a sly streak of teasing mischief. He loves to tell spectacularly tall tales -- although he tells them so solemnly that nobody can be sure whether they are the work of his colorful imagination or true stories. When he and his equally mysterious master, Mr. Volkov, first moved in at 17 Hanover Square, Arjun Das pretended to be mute just to amuse himself, which caused an even greater stir among the other servants on the square. And probably made him accidentally privy to a few dark secrets, since they assumed he would never be able to tell anybody what he knew.

He likes to keep folk on their toes, unable to predict what he might do next.

Our heroine takes a liking to him at once, for she feels as if he sees her and understands her as nobody else ever does. He is always ready to advise and guide her in a gentle way, and when Lady Bramley sends her to tend a new mistress at the haunted manor house called Slowly Rising, Arjun comes out of his house, even in the rain, to see her off with a few kind words of encouragement.

"Do not look down, little one. Always look to see which way the bubbles rise. They will show you the way to the surface, bravest of tiny, tiny woman creatures. If you look up, you will see and remember that there are no limits. Nothing is beyond you."

 

She will carry his sound advice with her on this adventure. To Amalie McKenna, Arjun has been a dear friend and confidant, but only much later will she realize exactly how special he is, for this gentleman's gentleman so extraordinary has other talents too. And yes, his stories are all true.

 

Well, mostly.

 

HAPPY READING!

 

JF

 

Images used here: Both paintings by Raja Ravi Varma (1848-1906). The first is a portrait of T. Madhara Rao, Indian civil servant, politician and Dewan of Travancore, who was known as a great administrator. I have been told  that he bears a good resemblance to the Arjun Das of my story. The second portrays Vishnu with his two wives on Garuda, a legendary bird of mythology -- a painting included here because its so striking. Whether or not Arjun Das had two wives, he is keeping to himself.