“Baba, my home is with my husband. I’ll live in a tent, a house, or under a tree. Besides, you know the workers will finish the officers’ quarters in a month. We will live there, won’t we?” She looked over her shoulder at Rob, realizing there was much they hadn’t discussed before her shocking declaration.
“We can live there until we build a house for us. Married officers are entitled to their own home and staff.”
“My daughter is not living in a tent surrounded by the very type of men who entered our home and threatened to force her.” Chandra shook her head. She put her hand on Surat’s arm, and he looked down at his wife of nearly twenty-five years. There’d been resentment between them when they first married. Chandra’s parents essentially did what Sarla described. Neither of knew until their wedding day that they were marrying. They’d met a few times, and they suspected their parents negotiated a union. But it came as a shock when they learned their wedding would begin that night. It took two years before they admitted they’d fallen in love. Before that, the early months had been rife with bitterness. Neither wanted that for their daughters. It was why Surat dragged his feet about signing Vinita’s marriage contract.
“You come to live in our home.” Surat’s declaration made Suniti sigh, and once he felt her calm, Rob relaxed. “I suppose we have a celebration to plan.”
Rob slipped his hand into Suniti’s as they followed her parents to the palace. Will and Theo followed behind Sarla and Vinita. The other two couples didn’t know what to make of Suniti and Rob’s elopement, of sorts. They wondered if that was their fate.
“I can’t believe you announced to any and every one that you have a Gandharva marriage.” Sarla whispered after dinner. She and her sisters sat across the room from the men. Chandra was in the kitchen overseeing the servants as she planned a wedding celebration in a fortnight. She’d barely spoken to Suniti since they arrived home.
“It was that or watch Baba lop off Rob’s head, or worse. We’d just been discussing marriage. We’d already agreed that was what we want. He even said he would happily have a Hindu ceremony and forego the English church one.”
“Do you think Will would agree to the same thing? I mean, a Hindu wedding, not necessarily a Gandharva.” Sarla was desperate to ask Will, but there’d been no chance. And she wasn’t sure she could be so forward.
“I do. I’ve seen you together. He looks at you the same way Rob looks at Suni.” Vinita smiled at her sisters, but she felt demoralized after hearing her mother say her father needed to complete the marriage contracts. She expected her parents to announce she was leaving for her new home as soon as they finished celebrating Suniti and Rob. She wasn’t convinced anyone but the three couples would be celebratory.
“Theo looks at you like that, too. Nita, I think he’s the one Baba should worry about the most. I saw how defensive he was of you that night. We all did. He didn’t look like a man willing to forgive. I heard he drowned the man after practically flaying him alive.” Sarla whispered the last sentence.
“What?” Vinita turned to look at Theo before shifting back to face Sarla.
“Yes. I overheard two Company men talking about it the next day. They all know better than to come near us, but apparently, it was so out of character for Theo that people haven’t stopped talking about it.
“You both need to get caught with your man.” Suniti’s blunt statement made the decision sound obvious.
“Like you?” Sarla saw the suggestion’s merit.
“They caught us kissing in the market. It was bad, but Maan and Baba could have still married me off if I hadn’t spoken so loudly. You need to ensure they can’t marry you to anyone else.”
“Are you saying I should bed Theo?” Vinita didn’t sound shocked. She sounded intrigued.
“Maybe not that far, but we know there is plenty to do short of that.” Suniti planned on exploring everything and coupling once she and Rob could be free of her family.
“I’d let Will, but I don’t think he would agree. I think he won’t agree unless we’re already married.”
“Rob made it clear he wouldn’t consider anything less than marriage, and nothing has ever made me happier.”
“You look happy, Suni. I’m glad for you.” Vinita embraced her older sister, and Sarla joined them until Rob walked over. He waited until Suniti accepted his hand. He pulled her against his side to whisper.
“It’s time to make you my wife.”
“You really don’t mind that we haven’t had an official ceremony?”
“Do people consider Gandharva real?”
“Yes.”
“Then we had a ceremony when you declared it. Do you want one?”
Suniti bit her bottom lip before she nodded. She wanted to ensure no one could ever doubt the legitimacy of their union.
“Do you wish to wait to consummate it until after that ceremony?” Rob watched as her cheeks pinkened. She glanced toward the family chambers and shook her head. Chandra already told her which chamber would be theirs. They would move their belongings in the next day. For now, Suniti wanted to retire in private with her groom.
“Our felicitations once again, my lady.” Will bowed to Suniti before clapping Rob on the arm. He moved aside for Theo to do the same. Will stepped closer to Sarla.
“Will I see you tomorrow?”
“Yes. I hope we can talk.”
