disbelief.
“Yes, at least that long, sometimes even longer. More often than not, the man and woman’s family plans their union even before they are born. Such was the case with my father and mother. She was of Berber descent. The Berbers were and still are a proud North African tribe that inhabits the land in northwestern Libya. As a way to maintain peace between the Berbers and the Arabs, a marriage agreement between my mother, an African princess, and my father, an Arab prince, was made. Therefore, I am of Arab-Berber descent, just as the majority of the people of Tahran are. My parents were married a little more than a year when my mother died giving birth to me.”
Delaney leaned back against the counter. At the moment what he was telling her was more interesting than making a sandwich. “What if your father, although pledged to your mother, had found someone else who he preferred to spend the rest of his life?”
“That would have been most unfortunate. And it wouldn’t have meant a thing. He would still marry the woman he’d been pledged to marry. However, he could take the other woman he fancied as a mistress for the rest of his days.”
“A mistress? And what would his wife have to say about something like that?”
He shrugged. “Nothing. It’s common practice for a man to have both a wife and mistress. That sort of an arrangement is accepted.”
Delaney shook her head. American men knew better. “That’s such a waste, Jamal. Why would a man need both a wife and a mistress? A smart man would seek out and fall in love with a woman who can play both roles. In our country wives are equipped to fulfill every desire her husband may have.”
Jamal lifted a brow. He could see her fulfilling every man’sdesire since he saw her as a very sensual woman. She would probably make a good American wife, if you liked the outspoken, sassy and rebellious type. She would keep a man on his toes and no doubt on his knees. But he had a feeling she would also keep him on his back—which would be well worth the trouble she would cause him.
He sighed, deciding he didn’t want to talk about wives and mistresses any longer, especially when he knew how possessive American women were. “Are the sandwiches ready?”
Evidently, she wasn’t ready to bring the subject to an end and asked, “The first day we met you indicated you were to marry next year.”
He nodded. “Yes, that’s true. In my country it’s customary for a man to marry before his thirty-fifth birthday. And I’ll be that age next summer.”
“And the woman you’re marrying? Was your marriage to her prearranged?”
Seeing she would not give the sandwich to him until her curiosity had been appeased, he said, “Yes, and no. My family had arranged my marriage to the future princess of Bahan before she was born. I was only six at the time. But she and her family were killed a few years ago while traveling in another country. That was less than a year before we were to marry. She was only eighteen at the time.”
Delaney gave a sharp intake of air into her lungs. “Oh, that must have been awful for you.”
Jamal shrugged. “I guess it would have been had I known her.” Like I know you now, he thought, watching her eyes lift in confusion. The thought of anything ever happening to her…
“What do you mean if you had known her? You didn’t know the woman you were going to marry?” Her mouth gaped open in pure astonishment.
“No, I had never met her. There was really no need. Wewere going to marry. Her showing up at the wedding would have been soon enough.”
“But…but what if she was someone you didn’t want?”
Jamal looked at her, smiling as if she had asked a completely stupid question. “Of course I would have wanted her. She was pledged to be my wife, and I was pledged to be her husband. We would have married regardless.”
Delaney inhaled slowly. “And you would have kept your mistress.” She said the words quietly, not bothering
“Yes, at least that long, sometimes even longer. More often than not, the man and woman’s family plans their union even before they are born. Such was the case with my father and mother. She was of Berber descent. The Berbers were and still are a proud North African tribe that inhabits the land in northwestern Libya. As a way to maintain peace between the Berbers and the Arabs, a marriage agreement between my mother, an African princess, and my father, an Arab prince, was made. Therefore, I am of Arab-Berber descent, just as the majority of the people of Tahran are. My parents were married a little more than a year when my mother died giving birth to me.”
Delaney leaned back against the counter. At the moment what he was telling her was more interesting than making a sandwich. “What if your father, although pledged to your mother, had found someone else who he preferred to spend the rest of his life?”
“That would have been most unfortunate. And it wouldn’t have meant a thing. He would still marry the woman he’d been pledged to marry. However, he could take the other woman he fancied as a mistress for the rest of his days.”
“A mistress? And what would his wife have to say about something like that?”
He shrugged. “Nothing. It’s common practice for a man to have both a wife and mistress. That sort of an arrangement is accepted.”
Delaney shook her head. American men knew better. “That’s such a waste, Jamal. Why would a man need both a wife and a mistress? A smart man would seek out and fall in love with a woman who can play both roles. In our country wives are equipped to fulfill every desire her husband may have.”
Jamal lifted a brow. He could see her fulfilling every man’sdesire since he saw her as a very sensual woman. She would probably make a good American wife, if you liked the outspoken, sassy and rebellious type. She would keep a man on his toes and no doubt on his knees. But he had a feeling she would also keep him on his back—which would be well worth the trouble she would cause him.
He sighed, deciding he didn’t want to talk about wives and mistresses any longer, especially when he knew how possessive American women were. “Are the sandwiches ready?”
Evidently, she wasn’t ready to bring the subject to an end and asked, “The first day we met you indicated you were to marry next year.”
He nodded. “Yes, that’s true. In my country it’s customary for a man to marry before his thirty-fifth birthday. And I’ll be that age next summer.”
“And the woman you’re marrying? Was your marriage to her prearranged?”
Seeing she would not give the sandwich to him until her curiosity had been appeased, he said, “Yes, and no. My family had arranged my marriage to the future princess of Bahan before she was born. I was only six at the time. But she and her family were killed a few years ago while traveling in another country. That was less than a year before we were to marry. She was only eighteen at the time.”
Delaney gave a sharp intake of air into her lungs. “Oh, that must have been awful for you.”
Jamal shrugged. “I guess it would have been had I known her.” Like I know you now, he thought, watching her eyes lift in confusion. The thought of anything ever happening to her…
“What do you mean if you had known her? You didn’t know the woman you were going to marry?” Her mouth gaped open in pure astonishment.
“No, I had never met her. There was really no need. Wewere going to marry. Her showing up at the wedding would have been soon enough.”
“But…but what if she was someone you didn’t want?”
Jamal looked at her, smiling as if she had asked a completely stupid question. “Of course I would have wanted her. She was pledged to be my wife, and I was pledged to be her husband. We would have married regardless.”
Delaney inhaled slowly. “And you would have kept your mistress.” She said the words quietly, not bothering
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