spaces.
She found Ling-Ling in the lily pond courtyard, perched on the edge and gazing down at the golden carp that glided soundlessly through the depths. As always, Chenqua's Fourth Lady was exquisitely gowned and made up, her beauty almost unreal.
"You have emerged from your rooms early," Troth remarked as she seated herself on the stony rim of the pool.
Ling-Ling glanced up dreamily. "It is certain, Jin Kang. I carry my lord's child." She spread one hand over her stomach, honoring the mystery of burgeoning life.
"How wonderful!" Troth said, trying not to be too envious. "May this be the first of many strong sons. His lordship and the First Lady must be most pleased."
"They are." Ling-Ling smiled. "The tai-tai says it has been too long since there was a baby in the house."
The tai-tai was Chenqua's first and most important wife. Shrewd eyed and silver haired, the First Lady ruled the household with firmness and wisdom. By personally choosing her husband's and sons' wives, she assured harmony in the compound. She'd always been kind, in a remote way, to the half-blood orphan her husband had brought home. Troth said, "In two days I'm going to Macao to visit the graves of my parents."
"Will you burn grave goods there, or don't Christians do that?"
"It is not a Christian custom," Troth admitted, "but I will still honor my mother and father in the Chinese way, since they lie in Chinese soil." Ling-Ling toyed with the golden blossom of a water lily. "You won't be coming back, will you?"
Troth froze. "Why do you say such a thing?"
"There are many in Macao with mixed blood. You belong there, not here. In Macao, you might find a husband who will honor you and give you sons."
"You have guessed correctly," Troth said reluctantly. "I… I must seek a life elsewhere."
"My lord will be sorry to lose you."
"Please don't tell him!"
"I shan't give you away. You have the right to leave, since you're not a slave, but it will be easier if no one knows your plans." Ling-Ling flicked water from her fingertips, creating a cluster of expanding circles on the surface of the pool. "I've always known your path did not lie here in Canton."
"Really?" Troth said, startled. "I didn't know that myself."
"You were unawakened. But you have met a man who stirs your senses, have you not? You have been different in the last weeks. Will he make you one of his ladies?"
Troth watched her friend in fascination. Ling-Ling's youth and playfulness made it easy to underestimate her perception. "There is a man who has started me thinking," she said carefully. "He will help me establish myself in my new home, but he has no wish to make me his lady." Ling-Ling arched her elegant brows. "You have much to learn of men, Mei-Lian."
"That is the first time you've ever called me by my true name," Troth said softly.
"It is fitting, since you are leaving to become a woman." Troth touched her hand. "I shall miss you, Ling-Ling." Tears glimmered in Ling-Ling's eyes. "And I shall miss you. There is no one else who lets me tease as you do." She glanced at her bound feet in their embroidered lion slippers. "I would not want your life. Yet… sometimes I envy your freedom."
It was said that feet were bound so wives could not run away. Ling-Ling was proud of her position as one of Chenqua's wives and would never dream of fleeing, but her life was a narrow one, and would become narrower still. Widows couldn't remarry, so with a husband forty years her senior Ling-Ling was likely to spend most of her life sleeping alone. She might be content with that—but Troth wouldn't be.
Feeling better about her uncertain future, she returned to her bedroom and washed. Then she opened her treasure box to choose what she would carry across the river today.
Gradually she'd moved her most valued possessions to the sturdy brass-bound trunk that Maxwell had provided. Her father's Bible had gone first, followed by her mother's jewelry and the women's garments that had meant so much
She found Ling-Ling in the lily pond courtyard, perched on the edge and gazing down at the golden carp that glided soundlessly through the depths. As always, Chenqua's Fourth Lady was exquisitely gowned and made up, her beauty almost unreal.
"You have emerged from your rooms early," Troth remarked as she seated herself on the stony rim of the pool.
Ling-Ling glanced up dreamily. "It is certain, Jin Kang. I carry my lord's child." She spread one hand over her stomach, honoring the mystery of burgeoning life.
"How wonderful!" Troth said, trying not to be too envious. "May this be the first of many strong sons. His lordship and the First Lady must be most pleased."
"They are." Ling-Ling smiled. "The tai-tai says it has been too long since there was a baby in the house."
The tai-tai was Chenqua's first and most important wife. Shrewd eyed and silver haired, the First Lady ruled the household with firmness and wisdom. By personally choosing her husband's and sons' wives, she assured harmony in the compound. She'd always been kind, in a remote way, to the half-blood orphan her husband had brought home. Troth said, "In two days I'm going to Macao to visit the graves of my parents."
"Will you burn grave goods there, or don't Christians do that?"
"It is not a Christian custom," Troth admitted, "but I will still honor my mother and father in the Chinese way, since they lie in Chinese soil." Ling-Ling toyed with the golden blossom of a water lily. "You won't be coming back, will you?"
Troth froze. "Why do you say such a thing?"
"There are many in Macao with mixed blood. You belong there, not here. In Macao, you might find a husband who will honor you and give you sons."
"You have guessed correctly," Troth said reluctantly. "I… I must seek a life elsewhere."
"My lord will be sorry to lose you."
"Please don't tell him!"
"I shan't give you away. You have the right to leave, since you're not a slave, but it will be easier if no one knows your plans." Ling-Ling flicked water from her fingertips, creating a cluster of expanding circles on the surface of the pool. "I've always known your path did not lie here in Canton."
"Really?" Troth said, startled. "I didn't know that myself."
"You were unawakened. But you have met a man who stirs your senses, have you not? You have been different in the last weeks. Will he make you one of his ladies?"
Troth watched her friend in fascination. Ling-Ling's youth and playfulness made it easy to underestimate her perception. "There is a man who has started me thinking," she said carefully. "He will help me establish myself in my new home, but he has no wish to make me his lady." Ling-Ling arched her elegant brows. "You have much to learn of men, Mei-Lian."
"That is the first time you've ever called me by my true name," Troth said softly.
"It is fitting, since you are leaving to become a woman." Troth touched her hand. "I shall miss you, Ling-Ling." Tears glimmered in Ling-Ling's eyes. "And I shall miss you. There is no one else who lets me tease as you do." She glanced at her bound feet in their embroidered lion slippers. "I would not want your life. Yet… sometimes I envy your freedom."
It was said that feet were bound so wives could not run away. Ling-Ling was proud of her position as one of Chenqua's wives and would never dream of fleeing, but her life was a narrow one, and would become narrower still. Widows couldn't remarry, so with a husband forty years her senior Ling-Ling was likely to spend most of her life sleeping alone. She might be content with that—but Troth wouldn't be.
Feeling better about her uncertain future, she returned to her bedroom and washed. Then she opened her treasure box to choose what she would carry across the river today.
Gradually she'd moved her most valued possessions to the sturdy brass-bound trunk that Maxwell had provided. Her father's Bible had gone first, followed by her mother's jewelry and the women's garments that had meant so much
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