More on this book
Community
Kindle Notes & Highlights
Read between
April 12 - April 13, 2019
it was a heavy responsibility to be the only woman solicitor in Bombay.
“The Farid widows live in strict seclusion. With my late client gone, the only male in the household is the baby son of the second wife.” “Purdahnashins don’t speak with men,” Mustafa said as he came around with the silver teapot. “My mother and sisters didn’t close themselves in—but many of the wealthy do. Especially Hanafi Muslims.”
“Stop talking for just one moment.” Cyrus’s voice rose. “I’m telling you clean that I want you to be my bride.” He had proposed.
“I’ve fallen for you, Perveen,” Cyrus said, stroking her hair away from her face. “Now I know what love is.”
It made Perveen wonder about how Omar Farid’s relationship with each woman had been, whether he had shown a different side of himself to each one, or if he had loved one more intensely than the others.
“Razia-begum, it seems that you are chained to some people and a large old house that you cannot fully enjoy.” Razia looked warily at Perveen. “Is that not the meaning of family?”
“What then? What do you want to be?” “Why do I have to be something? Can’t I simply be myself?”
Perveen was surprised to feel herself envying the girls their satchels. It had been easy to leave the law school, but she missed the camaraderie of the Elphinstone campus and all her female friends.
“This is your house now. And I love my son enough to wish him to stay in good health. Don’t you understand about your dirty condition?” “It is called menstruation,” Perveen answered, using the English word. “I don’t enjoy it. But it is natural and my own business. That’s why I’d like you to allow me to return to my room.”
She had won. Although still married to Cyrus, she’d never have to see him again. Every day of the month would belong to her. Her life was her own again.
She had been meant to die, yet she’d cut her way out of that fate and back to the world she loved.
“In the month just after my husband passed, I believed all that Faisal said. But when you spoke to me and showed me the papers and spoke about Razia, I realized that he could not use funds as he said.” A tight grimace twisted Sakina’s beautiful face. “We would have lost our security. He deserved to die for taking everyone’s money.”
“I’ve enjoyed staying in your home, but I’d like to take a flat in the same building as Mumtaz,” Razia said, putting her hand lightly over the other widow’s. “We will have each other as friends—and our daughters can live as sisters,” Mumtaz said, her face finally relaxing into a warm smile.
“To the power of women!” Alice toasted.
