Enchantress

Every year, on the 24th of August, Mr Reginald Batter calls his many
friends for a grand party. The reason-his only son's birthday falls on
that date. The food is always exceptional, the music great. And the
drinks are just out of the world. It is no different this year. About
250 guests have come this time. Among them is a beautiful girl, Tina.
Few people know anything about her. She is extremely pretty in a
classical way. So pretty that you cannot take your eyes off her. Many
young men have tried to speak to her this evening. She has been more
than courteous to all without showing any enthusiasm. Mr Batter tried
very hard to remember who she was. After asking his wife, and
consulting the manservant he was able to recall that Tina was the
daughter of his friend Mark Roy. He had gone to school with Mark, he
recollected. Mark had disappeared thereafter to resurface last year.
Mark was not keeping well. His wife had died two years back. Mark was
known among his friends for his great looks. He was truly
perfect-looking. It was thus expected that his daughter should have
superlative looks. Mr Batter did not want to call Mark to his party
this year. He was neither rich like the other invitees nor was he known
to be articulate. Nevertheless an invitation was sent. And Tina had
come.
Ian Batter is eighteen years old today. He is rich and he is handsome.
Wherever he goes he is accosted by girls wanting to make him their
husband. Nobody seems to impress him though. He is not even known to
smile when a beautiful girl greets him. Every year his father
celebrates his birthday with the biggest party in town. He is never
overwhelmed by the attention he gets at these gatherings. He always
takes the ample praise in his stride. The eighteenth birthday has been
special. He has grand plans for a three day celebration. Today is just
the beginning. He has a dawn to dusk party with friends scheduled for
tomorrow. This party will be held on his own yacht. The third and last
party will be held on the third day at the biggest night club in the
city with the hottest DJs in attendance.
Ian was feeling a little lost. He neither liked his garrulous friends
today nor his doting family. Suddenly, there was a tap on his back. It
was Tina. "Maybe we can dance?" she said. Ian found himself saying,
"Yes, why not?" Indeed, Ian's favourite song was being played by the
live band. Some young people were already dancing. Ian and Tina joined
them. Ian did not know what was happening to him. All his self-control,
his much-vaunted dignity and his inhibitions were giving way. He liked
Tina, there was no doubt in that. He was enchanted by her and
desperately wanted to submit to her charm. But he did not know how to
begin. Though Tina was dancing with him, she seemed aloof and so very
far away. Her eyes were like steel and she seemed determined to remain
thus forever. Suddenly, Ian said somewhat timidly, "Can you give me
your phone-number?" Tina smiled haughtily as if in rebuke. Then she
said, "Maybe, you can ask me at the end of the party." Ian felt
disappointed, even cheated. No girl had ever refused him thus before.
And no girl he had met before was as beautiful as Tina. She was perfect
like a chiselled statue that had been granted life. Ian wanted to be
with this older-looking girl. And at any cost.
Tina did give Ian her phone number. With a little effort he was able
find out her address. Ian cancelled all his coming-of-age parties. He
was more interested in making Tina his girl. Five days after Tina and
Ian met for the first time Ian sent her five trucks filled with
flowers. There were five kinds of flowers, five hundred of each of
them. Tina's house did not have enough space to accommodate all the
flowers. She took them anyway. Seven days later Ian met Tina's father.
He asked him for permission to take Tina out for a film. Though Mark
Roy knew all about Ian and his family he still asked him a few routine
questions. Just to make sure that he was sincere about his love and
honest. When Tina entered the film hall about five minutes before the
film started, along with Ian, she was a little startled. All the seats
except the dress circle seats they occupied were empty. They remained
thus even after the film started. When the lights came on during the
interval Tina tried to confirm what she suspected. Indeed, Ian had
bought all the tickets for this show and taken the two seats he liked.
Tina was amazed and embarrassed but she did not let Ian know it.
Ambrosia Island is situated in the sea at some distance from Calcutta.
It's an hour's journey by boat. Ian decided to show Tina his boat which
he had recently renamed Tina. The next Sunday he took Tina to the
harbour. As the yacht started moving towards Ambrosia, Ian offered a
rose to Tina. He then said, "I love you". Tina replied without batting
an eyelid, "Same here." Ian took Tina to his personal cabin and they
watched films on DVD.
Early next morning Tina called Ian. "Ian dear" she said, "You love me,
don't you?" Somewhat mesmerized, Ian said, "Yes, yes, yes". "Will you
do anything for me, anything?" Tina asked. "Just anything you ask."
said Ian with emphasis. "Will you give me your signature?" was Tina's
question. "Certainly." replied Ian. That evening Ian visited Tina and
put his signature on ten blank sheets of paper. For the first time Tina
kissed Ian on his lips.
The news was in all the papers a day later. Ian Batter, the son of the
industrialist Reginald Batter had defrauded Loan Bank of ten million
pounds. Due to some unknown reason Ian had decided to confess his crime
in letters written to the chairman of the bank, police chief, mayor and
other high-ranking officials. It was not clear, why, a person like Ian
who had access to a lot of money, had committed a crime like this one.
What did not appear in the papers was that Tina Roy and her father Mark
Roy had suddenly deposited five million pounds with Credit Bank and
purchased a spanking new house on the beach and a swanky sports car.
While Ian went to jail, the Roys began to plot their next crime.