Chapter 30: Three's Not A Crowd

The Emir pondered long and hard how, exactly, he would break it to the two English women that he was marrying both of them and that neither would have precedence over the other. Their accommodation was not a problem, since each was using one of the junior wives' suites in the harem. They could stay exactly where they were. The problem would be two-fold; firstly persuading each of them to share him with the other. There was no worry over his already having other concubines because he had already broached that with each of them, but sharing him with another wife, especially so close a relative, could prove to be a difficulty. The other problem would be when he made it clear that their guest privileges, such as dressing in the western fashion, would end the moment the marriage took place. It would clearly have to be a simultaneous marriage to both of them; once he was married to one of them, the other would never accept second place.

The harem clothing, he decided, could just be imposed on them after the ceremony, which would be brief and very informal. If the Emir announced that two people were married, well the Emir's word was law in Kobekistan and the paperwork could be done separately by the Head of Protocol. Yes, that was the answer, he would marry them by decree in the Throne Room at a public audience; after that the Chief Eunuch could whisk them back into the harem and dress them properly. The wedding night could be three in a bed and whips would ensure the obedience due from wives to their husband. In the end he decided to tell them both at once, over tea. If they didn't like it, well they had been fun, and could go back to Hastings.

"I have a surprise for each of you," he said carefully looking between them as they sat round a table in the anteroom to the harem taking afternoon tea, for all the world as though they were in Hastings, "As you know, I am marrying again soon, but what neither of you know is that it is planned as a double wedding. I am hoping to marry both of you simultaneously."

Silence was the last thing he expected from them at this point. They both stared at him, then at each other, then back at him.

It was Diana who spoke first, "Both of us. You have been courting both of us?"

"Yes, well, yes," he said, silently cursing himself not having planned beyond the announcement, "And you both accepted. After all, I can afford it."

This broke the ice and they both laughed.

"You kept that very quiet," said Diana to her daughter.

"We didn't want to upset you," said the girl, "But you never breathed a word."

"A mother doesn't tell her daughter everything. Some things should remain private..." her voice tailed off as she blushed, remembering some of the things she had been careful to keep her daughter from knowing.

Susan also blushed deep red and nodded, "Me too," she said in a small voice, "for a while now, but we were careful."

Then silence fell again, and the two women continued to look at each other.

After a long pause, Diana asked, "When did you think of having the wedding?"

"You agree then?" asked the Emir.

"Yes," the two women chorused.

"When you like. It must be here, and female wedding guests would be difficult to accommodate, but I thought as soon as possible."

"How soon?" asked Susan.

"Half an hour?" asked the Emir.

"You have got to be joking," said Diana.

"Only half joking," he replied, "It could be then or tomorrow or any other day you want. The ceremony is very simple. I hold a public audience and you two come in, covered of course, and I announce that we are married. Then you go and prepare for the honeymoon."

"No priest, no ceremony, no wedding feast?" asked Susan.

"You asked me about this country when you first came here and I told you, my word is law here. If I say something, it is so. No Christian minister would perform what he would think of as a bigamous marriage, and I am not a member of any religion so I don't care whether a priest officiates or not. Of course, one of the local mullahs would give his eye teeth to officiate if you want a Moslem wedding."