The Widows of Malabar Hill

After tea, Perveen makes her excuses and leaves for home. Sir David insists that she use his driver, and she asks if she can stop by to visit a client. At the Farid bungalow, the watchman is unfriendly but allows her in when she says that she is a solicitor and Mukri requests her. Mukri is hostile, especially because Perveen is a woman, and is reluctant to give her the papers and receipts she asks for. He repeatedly insists that the widows want to give their money to the wakf and that all outstanding household bills have been paid, following Muslim custom. Perveen is not convinced, and she finally persuades him to allow her to return the next day and visit the widows herself.

Returning home to the Parsi Colony, the neighbors, who call the Mistrys “English lovers,” jeer at the government car. Perveen is annoyed when her brother continues teasing her at dinner. She defends her choice to ride home in the car and says that Alice is her friend, and she cares for her apart from her father’s high status in the government. After dinner, she returns to her room and feeds Lillian, her parrot, who belonged to her grandfather.

At work the next day, Perveen pores over a Muslim law text and prepares for her meeting with the Farid widows. She translates Mukri’s letter into Hindustani and has the translation notarized so that the widows will be able to read it themselves.

Jamshedji returns to the office, and he and Perveen chat about the Farid case. She must try to establish that all the widows have their mahr, or dowry, in their possession but is troubled to discover that Razia was given four acres of land and that there is no deed in her name for them. The other issue is that the land now houses the Farid company’s mills. Jamshedji says that they could make the land a trust and lease it back to the mills, but that this will require complicated legal work. He and Perveen agree to wait until the widows decide what to do with the mahr.

At the Farid residence, Perveen is admitted to the zenana entrance for women only. A young girl opens the door, explaining that she and her brother are the household’s servants. Their father, Mohsen, is the unfriendly guard who admitted Perveen yesterday. Though Perveen knows that child servants are a fact of life, she is troubled by the fact that the young girl is not in school. Perveen also meets the three widows and their children, including Razia’s daughter, Amina, who is excited about Perveen’s visit and curious about the outside world. She wants to practice her English with Perveen and asks her about the difference between Parsis and Muslims. Mumtaz, the youngest wife, entertains the children with a music lesson while Sakina says she will speak to Perveen first. Perveen is taken aback that Sakina, as the second wife, is taking the authority to go first.

Perveen gently questions Sakina about what visitors they have had and if they can access the household’s telephone. Sakina is prickly about this and reminds her that they choose purdah. Perveen feels chastised but still worries about how isolated they are, thinking that they are vulnerable to Mukri’s manipulations if he is unscrupulous.

Sakina shows Perveen her jewelry and asks her to explain the rest of the papers. Perveen tells her that the second part of her mahr is a sum of money, and Sakina says that it should go to the wakf and benefit Muslim boys for school. Perveen explains that the purpose of the wakf cannot be changed without paperwork, but that it is Razia’s decision since she oversees the wakf. Sakina is horrified to discover this and says she believed that Mukri oversaw it since it was originally her husband’s. She cries, saying that this must be proof that their husband loved Razia best. Perveen reminds her that if she doesn’t give the jewelry and money to the wakf, it could provide security for herself and her daughters. She leaves Sakina to think it over.

Perveen meets next with Razia, who insists that Amina remain with her. She teaches Amina the word “confidential,” and explains that whatever she hears there must remain private. Razia explains that she founded the wakf with her husband because their fabric company made so much money from military uniforms. She felt guilty for profiting off death and set up the fund to help wounded soldiers and the surviving families of soldiers who were killed. She is shocked when Perveen mentions Mukri’s plan for the madrassa, or educational institution, and explains that she was never told about this. Perveen privately thinks that the women need to get rid of Mukri as their agent since it seems clear that he is not being honest with the women.

After speaking with Razia, Perveen goes to the garden to speak with Mumtaz. She is horrified to find the woman lying slumped with her eyes closed. After she gives her water, Mumtaz insists that she is just tired and resting. She tells Perveen that she does not want to part with her musical instruments but does not mind giving up the other part of the mahr if she can stay in the home with the others. Perveen begins to tell her about her options, but Mukri, who was eavesdropping from the other side of the wall, interrupts them. He threatens to hit Perveen, and she flees in terror but realizes she left her briefcase inside. She convinces her driver to wait for her, and she sneaks in through the back. She hears women speaking in Razia’s room but cannot hear what they are saying. Inside the hall, she finds Mukri’s body slumped by the jali, or partition, with a knife protruding from him.