The China Bride

by Mary Jo Putney

  After exploring the farthest reaches of the gardens, Kyle was returning to the house when he looked across a pond and saw two figures enter an octagonal pavilion built over the water. Sure the taller one was Troth, he circled the pond and went after her.

  He’d almost reached the pavilion when a small, brightly garbed female flitted out of the structure, swaying gracefully on impossibly small feet. Just before vanishing behind a decorative boulder, the young woman glanced back, masking her lower face with a handkerchief. She giggled, black eyes mischievous, then disappeared.

  Startled by his first sight of a highborn Chinese lady, he was gazing after her when a voice said, “Ling-Ling is very lovely, is she not? She is Chenqua’s Fourth Lady.”

  He turned to Troth, who was regarding him austerely from the doorway of the pavilion. “I hope I haven’t violated some taboo by seeing her.”

  “No harm done. I suspect that Ling-Ling greatly enjoyed having a near-encounter with a barbarian.”

  “I do my best to entertain.” He studied Troth’s face. With her hair drawn back in a queue, the sculpted planes had a cool beauty that intrigued him far more than the highly polished young woman who had just left. He reminded himself that he had no business thinking amorous thoughts about Troth. She was not a joy girl to be casually bedded and forgotten. Their lives lay half a world apart. “You haven’t been at Elliott House since our shopping expedition. Did I exhaust you?”

  “I have been needed at the English Factory, my lord.” Troth dropped her gaze. “Many thanks for your gifts. They were well chosen.”

  “I’m glad you enjoyed them.” Wondering how she looked when dressed in feminine finery, he followed her into the pavilion. It was a teahouse, the walls like carved lace. A low octagonal table stood in the center, the shape echoing that of the building, and a padded bench was built around the walls. “What a lovely place. Is this a favorite spot of yours?”

  She settled onto the bench. “I meditate here sometimes. This is the most beautiful garden in the world, I think.”

  He took a seat himself, deliberately choosing the opposite side of the teahouse. “My sister-in-law’s garden is its equal. The styles are very different, but it would be impossible to say that one is superior to the other.”

  “I’ve never seen a real English garden.”

  He studied the line of her throat, elegantly defined by the dim light. “The gardens at Warfield Park, where my brother and his wife live, were begun six or seven centuries ago, and each generation since has added and refined.”

  “Really? I think of England as a new country compared to China.”

  “There is nothing as old as the Temple of Hoshan,” he said experimentally.

  “They say the Buddha himself built Hoshan. That’s just a legend, of course, for he was of India, not China, but the temple is surely very ancient.”

  “Have you been there?”

  “My master, Chenqua, has. In his study hangs a scroll with pictures of the temple.”

  Since Kyle’s inquiries about official travel into China had been futile, perhaps it was time to see if he could arrange an unofficial journey. “I’ve dreamed of visiting Hoshan for more than half my life. Do you know of anyone who might take me there?”

  “The idea is absurd. You would be stopped if you even tried to enter Canton, much less if you traveled into the countryside.”

  “And Fan-qui are as conspicuous as giraffes,” he said impatiently. “I’ve heard all that—yet surely there must be a way. Perhaps traveling in a palanquin, so no one could see my ugly face?”

  She stared at him. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

  “Completely.” He leaned forward. “If you gather information for the Cohong, you must know many people in low places as well as high. Surely there are men who would be willing to help me if the price is right.”

  She rose and began pacing around the pavilion, back and forth like a tense tiger. “It would be very dangerous. In the Settlement you are protected, but in the country, anything might happen. You would be detected very quickly no matter what your disguise, for you smell like a foreign devil.”

  “My smell is wrong?” Kyle was taken aback.

  “Fan-qui eat too much meat. And you are too tall, and your face is impossible.”

  “What if my face and head were bandaged, as if I’ve been injured?”

  She said thoughtfully, “The Temple of Hoshan is known as a place of healing.”

  Controlling his excitement, he said, “Perhaps a few weeks of eating only Chinese food would make me smell right. What else would need to be done?”

  “Why is this so important to you? Do you want to go where no Englishman has gone so you can boast to your friends? Do you wish to sneer at pagan superstitions?”

  “Never that,” he said slowly. “The Temple of Hoshan was included in a folio of Chinese drawings that I bought not long after my mother died. It seemed like a vision of heaven—a holy place of incomparable beauty, floating in the mountains on the other side of the world. I…I imagined that my mother’s spirit had gone there to rest. I knew it wasn’t true, but there was comfort in the thought.” Especially since he and his brother were becoming increasingly estranged at that point, and he’d badly needed comfort.

  “There are safer ways to find beauty and holiness.”

  Wondering how to explain the intensity of his desire when even he didn’t fully understand it, he said, “Haven’t you ever had a dream that captured your heart and soul?”

  “Once I had dreams,” she said in a scarcely audible voice.

  She looked so alone that he wanted to reach out and take her hand. He stayed where he was. “Then you know why this is important to me. It’s…a kind of quest. Will you be able to find someone to take me to Hoshan? I’d do it alone if I could, but as has been pointed out to me repeatedly, that would be impossible.”

  She gazed through the latticework at the still surface of the pond. Was there really a garden equally lovely on the other side of the world? “If you were caught, it would cause Chenqua great trouble.”

  “Would his life or his family be endangered?”

  Her brows drew together. “Though it’s possible, I’m sure it would not suit the government to destroy the leader of the Cohong when he produces great wealth for the city and the emperor. But he would certainly be fined heavily.”

  “The Cohong merchants are continually being fined, so that would be no great matter, especially since I would compensate him if that happened.” His voice turned persuasive. “I really don’t think that what I’m asking is so dangerous. The temple is only a hundred miles away, so the journey could be made in a fortnight or so. I’m willing to do whatever is necessary to pass undetected. All I need is a reliable guide.”

  She had been feeling a restless desire to change her life, and here, suddenly, was a perfect opportunity. All she would have to do was leave everything and everyone she’d ever known.

  Clenching her hands, she turned to him. “I will take you to Hoshan.”

  “Impossible,” he said, startled. “I can’t allow you to risk yourself like that.”

  “Because I am female? How gallant,” she said coolly. “But it is you who will require protection, not me. Or is that the problem? You don’t trust me.”

  He swore under his breath. “You’ve given me ample proof of your abilities, Miss Montgomery. But I need a guide who lives on the edge of the law, someone who understands and accepts the risks. If you were discovered helping a Fan-qui make an illegal journey, it could cost you your job and your home. Perhaps your life.”

  “I’m willing to take the risk.” She caught his gaze. “You said you would pay well. My price is your help in getting me to Britain.”

  After a long silence, he said, “I see. What kind of help do you need?”

  “Passage on a British ship, and enough money to support myself until I can find work.” She tried to guess how much she would need. “Perhaps…fifty pounds?”

  He frowne
d. “Are you sure this is what you want? Your English is flawless, but Britain will seem very strange to you.”

  “I was raised on tales of Scotland. Yes, it will be very different, but perhaps I belong there more than in China. Certainly I will never fully belong here.” Her mouth twisted. “My dream was to go to my father’s homeland. I’d given up, but perhaps it is possible after all. Shall I take you to Hoshan? Or don’t you want it enough to trust me?”

  “Trust is not the issue.” He regarded her steadily. “If you want to go to Britain, I will help you without your taking me to Hoshan.”

  He would really do that? Yes, he would, for he felt that he owed her his life. But she did not want anything from him because he felt an obligation. She had spent fifteen years being subservient. With him she wanted to be an equal, not a dependent. “I prefer to earn my passage, Lord Maxwell. If you will drop your lordly mannerisms and follow my instructions, we should be able to make this journey without incident.”

  A slow smile lightened his expression. “When can we go?”

  “The best time would be when the Fan-qui ships are departing at the end of the trading season. No one will notice your absence then.”

  “Will you be able to leave without arousing comment?”

  “I will think of a way.” She hesitated. “May I take some of my possessions with me? Only small things, because I must smuggle them from my room one at a time.”

  “Of course. I’ll get you a trunk and arrange for it to be shipped to Britain with my own belongings.”

  It was a relief to know she would not be starting her new life with no more than the clothes on her back. “Thank you.”

  He offered his hand. “We have a bargain then.”

  She was no longer surprised by the jolt of chi that flooded her when she took his hand, but her reaction made her sharply aware that they would be together day and night for a fortnight. Perhaps longer if they sailed to Britain on the same ship.

  Once they sailed, he would be a lord and she would be nobody—but during the journey to Hoshan, they would be man and woman together. Perhaps, briefly, she might fulfill a different dream….

  Chapter 12

  Kyle poured fragrant tea into two cups. “I’ve been playing with different blends. What do you think of this one?”

  Gavin drank. “Outstanding. What flavoring did you use?”

  “Bergamot. I found some at a shop on Thirteen Factories Street, and thought it might work even better than lemon or a regular orange.”

  “Write down the proportions so we can blend it in large quantities. And don’t tell anyone what the secret ingredient is—we might as well keep the competition baffled as long as possible.” He sipped more. “We can call it Lord Maxwell Tea.”

  Kyle winced. “My father would be horrified to see a family title on a crass commercial product.”

  “Are you sure? Earl Wrexham Tea would be even better.”

  “No.”

  “Mmm…all right. Perhaps Earl’s Blend then. Surely he can’t object to that.”

  “I suppose not. But you’re a snob at heart, I fear.”

  “Just a good businessman. Earl’s Blend Tea will make Elliott House very rich. You’ve just justified your otherwise lazy existence here in Canton.” Gavin poured another cup. “The trading season is almost over. What do you think of your visit?”

  “China is fascinating.” Kyle decided it was time to break the news. “I won’t be sailing to Macao with you. I’ve made arrangements to visit the Temple of Hoshan.”

  Gavin swore under his breath. “I’d hoped you’d given up that idea. Did you find some local criminal willing to take you there? That could be dangerous.”

  “Not a criminal. Jin Kang.”

  Gavin clinked his cup down. “Damnation, I thought the boy had more sense!”

  Kyle had discussed with Troth how much to tell Gavin. “There’s nothing wrong with his sense. When I asked if he knew someone who would take me to the temple, he offered to do it himself. He’s half-Scottish and wants my help in relocating to England.”

  “Good Lord. The way he hides his face, I had no idea he had mixed blood,” Gavin said blankly. “His father was a trader?”

  “Yes, a man called Hugh Montgomery.”

  Gavin frowned. “I never met him—Montgomery died in a shipwreck a couple of seasons before I came East. There was some kind of scandal attached to him, but I never heard the details. I didn’t know he’d left a son, either.”

  A scandal? Kyle hoped that Troth never heard that suggested. Her fierce loyalty to her father had been obvious. “Jin left Macao after Montgomery’s death. Chenqua gave him a home and found uses for his language skills. He speaks with a rather nice Scottish accent when he isn’t pretending to be a simpleminded interpreter.”

  “Hell. If he was raised by a Scottish father, he must understand every word he hears.” Gavin gave a wry smile. “That wily old devil Chenqua had an even better spy than I realized. A good thing I’ve had nothing to hide.”

  “Young Jin is a most remarkable character.” Kyle smiled to himself. “What I’m telling you is confidential, but I wanted you to know in case something happens to me and he needs your help.”

  “Of course. I’d have been happy to help him if I’d known he had Scottish blood.” Gavin looked hopeful. “If I send him to England, will he drop this absurd plan to take you inland?”

  “No. I made the same offer. He refused. Jin Kang has his share of pride.”

  “If he’s half-Scottish and half-Chinese, his pride must rival Lucifer’s.” Gavin chuckled. “He certainly had me fooled. Since I’m planning to set up a London office, I’ll offer him a job. With his language and clerical skills, he should prove useful.”

  Would the offer stand if Gavin knew Jin Kang was actually a striking young woman? Possibly—he’d been in America long enough to acquire some radical notions. Kyle hoped he was there to see Gavin’s face when Troth revealed the truth.

  In the past weeks, they’d worked out their plans in swift, secretive meetings in corners of the hong warehouse. All of the details had fallen into place easily once the decision had been made to go to Hoshan. He was eating only Chinese food, and in his bedroom in the evening he wore Chinese clothing that Troth had supplied. The garments felt natural now, and were more comfortable than European clothes.

  Troth had been busy, too, quietly winding up the threads of her life in Canton. She’d researched the road to Hoshan, purchased the supplies they’d need, and arranged for a boatman to take them from Canton to Macao after they returned. In Macao, it would be easy to find a ship for England, and his last adventure would be over.

  “When are you leaving?” Gavin asked.

  “Next week, the same day you and the other members of Elliott House sail for Canton. I’m to be disguised as a crippled, bandaged invalid.”

  “Clever.” Gavin gave a wry smile. “I must admit that I rather envy you. Over the years, I’ve toyed with the idea of taking this sort of trip, but I’d be thrown out of Canton if I was discovered, and I can’t afford that.”

  “China should eventually open up more to foreigners, so you’ll have your chance. But I may not have another one.” Kyle’s pang at returning to England was mitigated by the knowledge that he and Troth would be on the same ship for months when they sailed for England. He’d have ample time to learn more about China from her. She could teach him some of the language and give him calligraphy lessons. Her company would make the long voyage pass quickly.

  It was a nuisance that he found her so attractive. Usually his response to a pretty woman was fleeting and easily shrugged off. But he was coming to know Troth as a person, and she was not someone who could be lightly dismissed. Her mind was as quick as her trained body, her knowledge broad and practical, her humor dry and surprising. Even though she was allowing him to see both sides of her nature, she was still an intriguing enigma who made him want to delve more deeply.

  What had it been like to be wrenched from a Europ
ean-style household and immersed in China? While she said she respected Chenqua and appreciated what he’d done for her, he was obviously no replacement for the father she’d adored. Yet she’d adjusted to a new way of life, and if she thought fate had dealt unkindly with her, she did not complain.

  He hoped that Britain lived up to her dreams.

  “Heya!” With a powerful twist of his body, Chenqua hurled Troth to the ground.

  She rolled and lithely regained her feet, ready if Chenqua chose to engage again. Instead, he bowed formally. “That is enough for this morning. My thanks, Jin Kang. Your chi is strong today.”

  “Not so strong as yours, Uncle.” She tucked her hands in opposite sleeves and bowed with equal formality, her insides knotted because she knew she could delay her request no longer. “This unworthy one has a great favor to ask.”

  He straightened his plain exercise tunic. “Yes?”

  “The trading season is almost over. Already many of the Fan-qui have left. Since my services will not be needed, I would like to travel to Macao to honor the graves of my parents.” She held her breath as she awaited his answer. If he refused permission, it would be much harder for her to slip away.

  His shrewd black eyes studied her. She dropped her gaze and forced herself to stillness, praying that she hadn’t aroused his suspicions.

  “You will sail to Macao with one of the traders?”

  “Gavin Elliott says I may sail on his ship. He leaves in two days.”

  “Very well, you may travel to Macao on your honorable mission. Let the tai-tai know when you intend to return. Do you need funds for the journey?”

  “No, Uncle.” She kept her eyes down, feeling a twinge of guilt at his offer to subsidize her false pilgrimage. Though she would eventually reach Macao and visit her parents’ graves, that did not alter the fact that she was lying to him now.

  Suppressing the urge to confess, she impulsively knelt and did a full formal kowtow, touching her forehead to the velvety turf to express fifteen years of gratitude and respect. “I am most grateful for your indulgence.”