Finishing the tale, Husna was silent for a moment, then narrowed her eyes, collecting herself.
Reaching the annex, Husna sat on the bed and buried her face in her hands.
For the next two days, Husna stayed in the annex, without once going out.
In the dining room, the coolest room in the house, Husna felt the most intimidated.
Husna brought her shabby luggage to the house on Aikman Road, a brown suitcase, bulging and strapped.
They began walking, Husna taking two strides to every one of his, clicking along in her heels.
Soon afterward, a servant came to ask Husna if she would join Harouni for tea in the garden.
For a moment, Husna and K.K. looked at each other, his face lined and grave, hers puffy with sleep.
Riffat can only come for tea or for a few hours, but Husna is here whenever I need her.
To Husna it felt like a validation, almost like revenge, and yet with the bitterness of triumph after humiliation.
Husna cautiously walked up the straight, long drive, bordered with bougainvillea and jasmine.
Encouraged by K.K., given tea and cakes, Husna forgot herself, falling into the common, rich Punjabi of the inner city.
Husna knew that she could never hope to attract or marry a young man from one of the rich established families.
Husna continued going for lessons, and thrice in the next weeks walked with K.K., who then sent her home in the car.
Sarwat rose from her place at the head of the corpse, touched Husna on the head with both hands, but said nothing.
The conversation wandered, and Riffat looked meaningfully at Husna once or twice.
As Husna prepared to get into the car, the General stopped her.
Unable now to meet the occasion, Husna followed the conversation from face to face, the skin around her mouth taut, as if frozen.
Husna, who had taken a seat half-way through this monologue, although she had not been invited to do so, looked down at the floor.
Husna came into the room, wiping her face, adjusting her clothes.
After Husna had a few times complained of not having money, of wearing torn clothes and broken-heeled shoes, K.K. instructed that she be given a tiny allowance.
The butler, knowing that Husna served the old Begum Harouni in an indefinite capacity, somewhere between maidservant and companion, did not seat her in the living room.
They envied him the possession of Husna, while at the same time being mildly relieved on returning to their lugubrious homes after a few hours in her company.
When Husna emerged from her bedroom and looked again at the drive, she saw men putting up a tent, where the male guests would mourn during the janazah.
Husna looked out from under her eyelashes and smiled weakly.
Usually, he went from one end of the serpentine back garden to the other, but a few days after Husna began her lessons a winter rain wet the grass.
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