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I wound my arm through hers and led her into the palace. I refused to have the details of my personal life bandied about in the staff quarters. I tried to lead her into the small sitting room where we could talk without being disturbed, but Ma dug her heels and brought us to a stop in the big hall.
“Tell me right now, Jessie.”
“Fine! But don’t blame me if someone leaks it to the press.”
“Leakswhatto the press?”
“That I’m going to marry Deep,” I said softly.
Ma’s eyes turned round as she stared at me. I don’t know what she saw in my eyes that made hers fill with tears. She looked away and took a few deep breaths to compose herself. When she could speak clearly, she blinked the tears away and turned to me.
“Is it that bad, Jayshree?”
My lips wobbled, but I firmed them resolutely. If I even hinted at any sort of indecision, my mother would lock me in the dungeon and throw the key away, until Deep married someone else.
“Is what bad, Ma?”
“Whatever it is that is making you do this. Forcing you to throw your lot in with a man you cannot possibly love. How bad is it?”
“Nothing and nobody is forcing me to do this, Ma! I just feel that it’s time I got married, and I’ve known Deep all my life. I don’t want to marry a total stranger, you know.”
“And what about love?”
I shrugged.
“It will come in time. Just as it did for you and Baba.”
“I don’t see why you’re in such a hurry, Jayshree. You’re only twenty-five. Why can’t you wait until the right man comes along?”
I could hardly tell her that the right man had been here all along, but he was all wrong because he simply didn’t see me.
“Ma, you’re just going to accept that I want to marry Deep,” I said firmly.
He was as good as it would get, and it was up to me to make something of our lives. I would be the best darn wife that I could, I decided.
“Fine, it’s your life. Do what you like,” snapped my mother.
Just then, Munshi Ji walked in with the telephone.
“There’s a call for you, Rani Sa,” he whispered.
“Who is it?”
“The Maharawal of Tejpur.”
Ma glared at me furiously and pasted a smile on her face as she snatched the phone from Munshi Ji and flounced over to a chair.
That was quick! Deep hadn’t wasted any time. I hoped his father could sweet-talk Ma into approving of our marriage. It was time to make my escape, I decided and sidled towards the stairs, but Ma ended her call and turned to glare at me some more.
“Where do you think you’re going, Missy? Get back here right now,” she ordered.
Oh, for heaven’s sake! I wasn’t a little girl to be scolded like this. I opened my mouth to say so, but at my mother’s furious expression, the words dried up on my lips.
“You will be glad to know that Deep’s family will be attending the fundraiser tomorrow. All of them. Even his awful sister, Anika. They want to fix the date for your roka. And that’s not all. The Maharawal has proposed an exchange marriage.”
I frowned at her.
“What the hell is that?”
