“It's you who said that,” she said assuming a serious demeanor, “and I don't remember to have subscribed to it.”
“Oh, in your resistance,” he said in a placating tone, “your look and tone seem even more enchanting.”
“Thank you,” she said flirtatiously.
“It's my pleasure really.”
“Well, they could be looking for us,” she said moving away, “we better join them.”
“Your husband seems to have lost his eyes for my wife.”
“Are you jealous?”
“Don't you think that makes it easier for us to pull the wool over his eyes?”
“I don't know really,” she said feigning worry. “What if your wife comes to know?”
“I will tell you,” he said. “The world would have one more philosopher to contend with.”
“Like me, you mean.”
“Oh, don't joke,” he said. “You're too ardent for that.”
“What about her?”
“Didn't I tell you,” he said placing his hand on her, “that she's stoic at that?”
“Could she have loved and lost like me?”
“Maybe, who knows,” he said shrugging his shoulders, “but she's a devoted spouse for all that.”
“But you want me to be an unfaithful one,” she said overtly flirting. “What double standards!”
“It's just that our standard of love is different, that's the difference.”
“Why are you being a liar?” she said mockingly. “Wasn't it substandard when you preferred her to me?”
“Why rake up the past,” he said, clearly on the defensive, “when we've made up.”
“What if your wife puts her foot down?”
“Nothing matters to me now more than having you back,” he said turning hopeful. “Haven't I told you, I live only in the hope of winning back your love?”
“If hopes are dupes, fears could be liars,” she said flirtatiously. “Who was that who said that, Wordsworth or Longfellow?”
“For me it's the quote from you that matters,” he said cheerfully. “Let's join them.”
Shortly after they returned to the drawing room, the maid came with Vasavi. While that unexpected development left the Chandras nonplussed, Vasu wondered whether it could be his child after all. Earlier, to keep Vasavi out of the act, Nithya had packed off the kid to the Pearl House.
“When she didn't stop crying, peddamma asked me to take her home,” said the maid to Nithya's questioning looks.
“Oh, is she your daughter?” said Prema to Nithya, taking Vasavi into her lap. “She looks so cute, like you.”
“Thank you,” said Nithya.
“How old is she?” continued Prema.