Next day I woke up at 7:30, Riya was not there in bed, morning was very cold, I still wanted to sleep inside that heavy Blanket. I finally won over my laziness and got ready by 8:30, surprised to see Riya cheerfully engaged in preparing breakfast and coffee. At 9:00 Lawrence appeared, with a lady in her early fifties. He introduced Rosamma, she was our maid and cook, she would be staying with us. I didn’t want Riya alone in the colossal house bordering the forest, Rosamma was a native of Mattupetty. I took Lawrence in my vehicle, we left Mist valley for farm. After a short drive we reached a barren land with shallow valleys, asphalt in the road disappeared. We reached in front of a gateway with twelve-foot pillars holding a steel arch frame; inside that arch frame the rusty letters read ‘C
