Basu Begum aur uski British Bhadralok
Vidya Basu x Christian De Clare
"When Christian chooses his choice of bride, all the Dozen's heads are turned with shock....Just how audacious was he!?"
Divider credits: @uzmacchiato and @angeliicide
All characters are owned by Romance Club.
CW: mentions of cannabis, torture and dumb societal expectations for women in the early 1900's
This shouldn't be yet it is.
After a night of convincing Lord De Clare to choose a bride in the Dozen, not just any bride too...
He chooses someone else completely!
Someone who isn't an heiress at all!
At the Doobay estate terrace, The high ranking noble families of the Dozen sat around Vidya, all expectant to hear who Lord De Clare chose as his bride.
The beige parchment felt like dread in her hands when she held it but now that she opened it, a wave of anger and embarrassment washed over her.
"What does it say Vidya?" Kamal asked as he clutched Devi's hand under the table, silent support from mentor, lover, to pupil.
Everyone knew who De Clare would pick...Or did they?
"The woman I wish to wed from the Dozen is none other than you Lady Basu. I wish to wed the lioness Vidya Basu and no other for I haven't specified that I would wed an heiress. Should the maharani disagree, there will be no other alliance." the words in perfect cursive stated along with the Lord's signature at the end.
This wasn't a prank, De Clare was better than that but, this letter was almost a mock to the Dozen despite the simple intent laced in the words.
"What does it say?" Deviya asked now, impatient for an answer. Was it her? But can she handle being the Lord's betrothed and share a bed with him?
Vidya grit her teeth and threw the letter on the table. "Take a look yourselves..." She bit out, "We're doomed..." The older woman massaged her temples as they all reached for the letter.
The look of horror etched onto Raj's features as he was the first to take the letter to read. He let Amrita take the letter next.
"THIS IS DEBAUCHERY! IT IS SLANDER, A MOCK!" Kamal yelled as he hit the table in anger. Deviya stifled the urge to cry as she looked up at Vidya with worry.
Saraswati stood up in anger.
"Who does he think he is!?...This is my mother. She is widowed, she has Radha and I to worry about...Now she has to worry about this!?" The young lioness thundered.
Insults to De Clare and questions were thrown across the table.
"How can he ask for the maharani's hand? She is a family head!"
"De Clare wants to really taste Doran's khanda."
"I could sacrifice him for asking for my mother's hand!"
"ENOUGH!" Vidya silenced them all before turning to Ram and Ratan.
"What is Kali-ma whispering to you?" She demanded from Ram.
The brahmin, who was quiet this whole time, removes his eyepatch and gazes upon Vidya. He hears the mother's whispers as he usually does, although surprisingly faint.
"....... Delica-....Act wi-.....Vidya mus-....or deat-..."
Ram frowned. This never happened before. He, the beloved child of the dark mother is unable to hear her for something as important as this.
"I'm sorry maharani....I cannot hear the mother." He apologized then looked to Ratan to speak.
The poor demi-god's eyes were welled with huge blobs of tears. Never once he thought the maharani's hand would be sought again especially by someone as young and handsome as Lord De Clare.
It stung his ego and broke his heart as Vidya held a somewhat 'special' place in his heart.
"I need my bhang..." Ratan said sadly and vanished to Tamas-Vitala to drown himself in his cannabis, abandoning the Dozen to their fate.
Vidya grimaced at the sheer cowardice before her. Everyone shook in rage and barked about how they wanted to kill Lord De Clare but, no one was going to question him.
"Why her?...Why not any other woman from the Dozen?...Why the most influential house's lady?"
As always, she needed to take matters into her own hands. She turned to everyone, specifically Saraswati.
"Go home to your sister...I need to pay the Lord a visit." She ordered her younger daughter.
"Do as I said!" Vidya almost roared before her attention shifted to the rest of the Dozen members present.
"Everyone retires for the day, We will meet tomorrow at my estate where I will brief you on what the outcome of my meeting with De Clare brings."
"What if things get out of hand, at least let me come." Raj offered but, Vidya held her hand up to stop him.
"I can handle my affairs...this is personal now." She ended with finality and departed from the Doobay estate to the Governor's residence.
No one knew how deeply troubled she really became after everything at the Doobay estate.
Lord De Clare was supposed to be a backing for Deviya so her post as the Sharma family head remains unchallenged. Him so brazenly asking for her hand instead, could cause a huge rift in the Dozen.
The Basu's will amass more influence and power that could threaten the Doobay's influence. If a man as clever as Raj is left alone with his thoughts on this situation, the outcome could be ugly.
She needs to solve this now. Nip the flower of discourse at the bud so it doesn't blossom and ruin this fleeting peace after that horrifying disaster from 5 years ago.
When she arrived to De Clare's estate, the servants trembled when they saw her. Her face seemed carved from wood; cold, stern and emotionless but her eyes were full of fire.
"I need to see Lord De Clare."
Christian was in his study all morning. His mind reeled from the festivities the previous night and from a certain woman...
Her confidence, fierceness and fearless nature had him impressed, a rare phenomenon for a man who is usually as cold and stoic as him.
All his life he was a pariah in the British noble circle. He lacked that confidence and fierceness Vidya had yet one night of conversation with her, which really was just her force-feeding him information on Lady Sharma, he never wanted to hear someone speak more.
He will admit that asking for her hand was a bold move considering she was much older and experienced than him along with the fact that she was a widow.
But at the same time he couldn't imagine settling down with any other heiress of the Dozen.
Deviya was too reckless. He noticed her loving glances to Kamal Rai and Ram Doobay.
Radhika Basu seemed to have eyes for Amrita Rai's fiance, Raj Doobay.
Saraswati is said to be sworn to Erit Thakur although it seems unofficial.
None of them had the elegance, confidence and regalness he wanted in a partner. They had their own interests that did not require him at all.
Then there was Vidya. A widowed matriarch with a hundred enemies just waiting to tear into her but wouldn't as they fear not only her wrath but, her brother too.
If he married her, no one would dare question her authority or undermine her. The other families in the Dozen would be far beneath her in power, so far that they'd have to kiss her sandals to speak.
The thought made a cold and calculating smile appear on his face.
"Long live Maharani Basu..." Christian murmured to himself as he shut his file and reach for his lukewarm tea.
Yet just before his lips touched the gold rim of the blue porcelain, Diana burst in without knocking.
"You need to work on your manners." He chastised her in a low tone.
"My manners are the least of your worries!" Diana began, "Maharani Basu is here to see you...she demands it."
Christian set down his teacup. It's just he expected. She is here definitely to ask him 'Why her?'
"Prepare new tea and send her in...oh and make sure it is adhrak chai." He ordered his assistant.
Diana left to do as she was told whilst Christian neatened his table. He didn't want the maharani to think he was untidy because of his workspace.
Once the tea was brought in and the workspace was neat, Christian was ready for Vidya.
When she came in, he was standing.
"Good afternoon Maharani Basu." He greeted her and offered her a chair to sit at. Not just any chair, his chair behind the desk.
Vidya scoffed and took a seat in a chair on the opposite side, clearly a sign of distrust in him. Christian, slightly disheartened, took his seat again.
"What was that stunt you pulled Lord De Clare?" She asked sternly, not bothering with greetings or chitchat.
She was clearly pissed off and he could see that.
"I understand that you are upset-
"Upset is an understatement." Vidya cut him off, "You disrespected me by asking for my hand over the eligible heiresses the Dozen has to offer!"
Christian sighed. This rage and outburst was expected but now that it was happening, he felt something twist in his gut.
If he doesn't choose his words right, things could end badly.
"I have not disrespected you." He began calmly, "I merely lived up to my announcement that I would wed a woman from the Dozen and that woman is you for obvious reasons."
"And what are those obvious reasons?" The lioness shot back, keen on hearing why he would reject 3 worthy heiresses for her.
Christian chuckled before straightening up in his seat and speaking now in a voice of detachment.
"Your Saraswati is unofficially sworn to the Thakur heir. Your Radhika clearly has a pash on Raj Doobay. Deviya Sharma, although needing my aid, shares loving glances between 'The Bear' and Ram Doobay...None of them would ever let go of their passions for a man such as me."
He paused and glanced at his rosary. "If anything, marrying one of your heiresses seems like I would be crucifying their futures and wishes."
"And what of my wishes?" Vidya countered, "What of my post as head of the Basu family and my position in society? Have you given that a thought Lord De Clare?"
She visibly stiffened and clenched her dupatta as she continued, "A widow remarrying is frowned upon. I am the head of a family. If I do such a thing, my family will be slandered."
Christian's eyes darkened.
"Your family will be slandered if I allow the person who slanders you to live." He declared with a ferocity that one wouldn't expect from a man as cold as him. "I will make those who slander you swallow burning coals or better, I'll let your brother torture them to death."
Those words moved Vidya. No man besides her brother would protect her this fiercely, not even her late husband.
There was no reason for her reject him now, not after his declaration on how he'd protect her or his observations of the heiresses which she missed.
She drew in a deep breath before speaking now in a calmer manner.
"If I wed you, how would it benefit me?... Without you at my side, I am still feared and respected. I have my business to run and my daughters to care for...How will a marriage to you honor all of that?"
Christian calmed down when he heard her questions. She posed valid points but that wasn't what he worried about.
Vidya was considering this union and, he knew what would please her now.
"If you wed me, No one will dare slander you in shadows as much as they do now." He answered before standing up and walking to where she sat.
Once he reached her, he knelt and took her hand in his.
"You are the one who will command me my lady. You are the wind, I am nothing but the sails of a ship, drifting to wherever you want me to. I will investigate the accident that occurred 5 years ago at the Mountain Residence and back Miss Sharma so she doesn't lose her post."
Vidya remained unfazed. This was all things Doran could do single-handedly if she asked him. De Clare needed to offer something more pleasing to her.
Christian on the other hand noticed that his answer wasn't making the cut. The lioness was still frowning as if he had brought her an easy hunt. Now he decided to take the final measure and play dangerous.
"Calcutta will know me as Governor-General but in truth, you will pull the reins." He spoke now with finality. "Not Raj Doobay, not Kamal Rai, Deviya Sharma or whoever else it is in the Dozen that is in high ranking. You will pull the reins."
That was the moment a gleam of interest flickered in Vidya's eyes. Him giving her that supreme authority was practically signing Calcutta back to its people even if he governed as a facade.
"You really would go that far just to have me as your wife?" She asked him with disbelief. "Do you truly not care that I would misuse that power?"
"Misuse it?...You single-handedly governed your home, your business, the Dozen and even raised your brother along with your daughters for so many years. You already know how to wield power...Now I am offering you the greatest dahej from my end, why won't you accept?" He asked towards the end.
Finally pleased by his words, Vidya let him kiss her hand. "I accept." She answered him in a tone as gentle as the sun over a snowscape before her tone became sharp again, "But be warned. I am not one to be caged...You take away my fangs and claws, I will snuff out the flickering life in you."
Christian rose from the kneeling position, still holding her hand in his gloved one. "Believe me my lady, I have no intention of doing that to you. I would rather be the next goat you sacrifice to Mother Kali than dare to cage you."
The irony of the situation made Vidya laugh. He will still be sacrificed after they marry however, there was a benefit if she kept him alive now...A huge benefit to her.
She reached for her cup of adhrak chai, it was a good temperature to drink now. She sipped it and smiled.
"Tomorrow afternoon, come to the Basu residence. I will announce my union to you." Vidya paused as she remembered his observations of the heiresses of the Dozen, specifically Radhika. "I'll also have a word with my daughters tonight."
"As you wish my Lady." Christian replied with a hint of joy in his otherwise calm and collected face. He had secured his place in the Dozen society and got himself a bride more strategic and dare he say, beautifully cruel than any woman for miles.
Now they cannot sacrifice him as they did in his first life.
My writing has improved! 😭✨
Also, I'm not sure if I will make this a series as I have so much ongoing series. If I do, this would be a once a month update.
Let me know your thoughts in the comments and please, don't be shy to give long comments. I love reading your thoughts.
Here is a song for the story and, as always, I'll see you all in the next story update.
