My Splendid Concubine

by Lofthouse, Lloyd

  “That’s enough!” Ward yelled with his face bloated in anger. He bolted from the chair and spread his legs for the blow he expected.

  “It doesn’t take much to pull a trigger,” Robert said. “How big of a hole do you think this .44 caliber ball will make in you? I understand the sixty grains of black powder behind each ball makes a big kick.

  “State a price.” Robert glared at Ward. “Or name the time, place and choice of weapons. I’ll fight for her. You know I can fight.”

  “You’re desperate, Hart, aren’t you?” Ward started to pace the room but kept his distance. After a moment, he made an outrageous offer. “Five hundred pounds!”

  “Done!” Robert said. He cursed himself for being stupid. He should’ve negotiated the price down. He’d just agreed to pay more than three thousand yuan for Ayaou. Shao-mei had cost him forty-two.

  Ward was stunned. Then he smiled. “You have thirty days to get the money while she stays here.”

  “No, she comes with me.”

  Ward sat. “You’re a fool paying that amount. I’ll bet she’s not a virgin now. Besides, she’s a boat girl. She’s scum not worth the black shine on your boots. You can get three dozen virgins for five hundred pounds. You could open a whorehouse and make a fortune.”

  “You’ll get the money before the thirty days are up.” Taking Ayaou by the arm, Robert backed toward the door.

  Ward grinned. His chest and shoulders jiggled as his eyes watered. He laughed in silence. It was intimidating. Robert watched Ward’s hands and was aware of every movement Burgevine was making. Then Ward slapped a knee and broke out in loud guffaws.

  “What?” Robert said. They were at the door and in one or two steps would be outside.

  “This is my city,” Ward said, suddenly sober. “Do you expect to talk to me like that and leave Shanghai alive? You had better shoot me, because I might come looking for you.”

  Robert couldn’t move for a few heartbeats. He just stared at Ward. Then he turned and rushed from the house.

  “Are you out of your mind?” Ayaou said, once they were in the street.

  “Yes, I am.” Glancing back to make sure they weren’t being followed, Robert hustled Ayaou to the nearest corner. He wanted to get out of Shanghai as quickly as possible. He hid the pistol under his clothing before they merged with the foot traffic on a busy street.

  “But I’m not worth that,” she said.

  “You are to me,” he replied. Robert hurried from the American section of the city. When they entered the French concession, the wide, straight streets were lined with firmiana trees. Each stem looked as if it could be cut and carried away like a parasol. The trees were full of upright clusters of greenish white flowers. There were cafes with tables outside on the wide sidewalks where patrons were drinking coffee. There was hardly a Chinese face in sight. Now Ayaou stood out as if she were the foreigner. They walked past French women dressed in fancy European dresses. Couples walked arm and arm. A nanny scurried by with three children. There were also armed French gendarmes at almost every intersection. Every time they turned into another street, Robert looked back to see if they were being followed.

  They left the French concession by passing through an opening in the thirty-foot high battlements that surrounded the old Chinese portion of the city. The streets became narrow twisting about like serpents while the upper levels of the two-story buildings protruded over the street with a thin strip of sky showing. The narrow streets were not only built like this to confuse ghosts but were also designed to allow one ox cart passage. Robert realized that the same twisted streets that hindered a ghost’s passage through the city also made it difficult for anyone following them. He took Ayaou by an arm and started to pull her along faster.

  “Robert, why are we walking so fast?” Ayaou asked breathlessly.

  He didn’t want to alarm her with his suspicions that Ward might have someone following them, so he said, “There was a ghost chasing us. I wanted to lose it.”

  “You saw a ghost,” she said, shocked. She looked around. “I’ve never seen one, but I know they are there. I sometimes feel them waiting outside the gate to the city. When you walk through one, it is like a cold wind chilling your heart.”

  He studied her face and saw the fear in her eyes. Telling that lie had been a mistake. He hadn’t realized that Ayaou was so superstitious. He should have known. It was obvious that most Chinese believed in ghosts. If they had not, they wouldn’t have made the effort to build their cities like labyrinths. He resolved not to frighten her again.

  They reached a corner and turned into a wider, busier street where it was easy to get lost in the surging Chinese crowd.

  They had reached the Chinese merchant district. Large white banners printed with inked Chinese characters hung above shop windows. The signs read ‘low price for sale’. There were only a few foreigners on this street.

  “How can you possibly get five hundred pounds?” Ayaou asked. “It is many times what Ward paid my father. I’m not worth it.”

  “Don’t worry about the money,” Robert said. “You’ve already told me where I can get it. What we need to do right now is to find a boat and go to Captain Patridge’s summerhouse.”

  As they moved through the crowds, a thought occurred to Robert that his parents would be shocked if they discovered he’d bought one concubine and was going for her older sister. His womanizing and drinking at college had scandalized his family. What he was doing now would probably kill his father, who seldom cracked a smile and spent most of every waking moment with a Bible. When he talked, the conversation was usually about scripture and what it meant. There was a ritual before every meal where Robert’s father asked his sons and daughters what each had done for God that day. Maybe Robert could say he’d been thinking of God when he’d risked his life to save the two sisters from a horrible fate. Robert doubted his father would accept that.

  Robert decided not to mention Ayaou or Shao-mei to any of his friends in the letters he wrote home. No one would understand anyway. Besides, someone might tell his parents. Robert looked around to make sure no one was watching. A shock raced through him when he saw a familiar face from Sungkiang. It was one of the men that laughed at him the night before the battle. The man was staring back with surprise. With heart pounding, Robert reached for his revolver.

  Chapter 12

  The man turned and ran. Robert had no way to know whether the man was running because he was a deserter or on his way to report to Ward.

  “We have to find a ship now, Ayaou!” he said.

  “We have been looking,” she replied. “None of the foreign ships are going that way.”

  “What about a Chinese junk? There are more of them. We might stand a better chance.”

  It took an hour to find a Chinese boat leaving Shanghai to Zhoushan Island. Robert used the last of the money to purchase passage. It was a heavy Ningpo junk with a painting of a Phoenix on its high stern. It must have been painted recently as the vivid paint looked fresh. The fiery image of the bird’s plumage contrasted with the dull gray brown of the hull—especially the tail of the magical bird.

  Ayaou stood close to Robert as they hired a sampan to take them to the junk. “I’ve been in China a year, and I’ve never seen anything like it,” Robert said. “Among my people the Phoenix is a symbol of rebirth, and it isn’t as colorful as this.”

  “The reason you haven’t seen it before is because the Feng Huang is the Emperor of birds. He hides when trouble is near. We see him during peaceful and prosperous times. Since the Taiping uprising, the Feng Huang has been in hiding.

  “However, I heard one of the crew members say the son of the family patriarch married recently. The father had two of these birds painted on the hull. On this side we see the male. On the other side is the female. The tail of the bird is painted in the five sacred colors: red, blue, yellow, white and black.”

  “And what does that have to do with his son marrying?” Robert asked.

 
“Because having both the male and female birds together represents immortal love.” She looked at Robert with adoration. “You said your Phoenix is the symbol of rebirth. In China when the male bird is painted on a house, it symbolizes loyalty and honesty exists in the people who live in that house.”

  “Immortal love,” Robert said. He liked the idea. If what she said were true, he’d have paintings of the Feng Huang painted on the bedroom walls wherever they lived.

  When the junk set sail and drifted down river toward the sea, Robert studied the shore looking for Ward. He also watched to see if any boats were following them. There was too much traffic on the river to tell. What if Ward didn’t honor the agreement and put a price on their heads? After all, Robert had forced Ward to agree under duress. If that happened, could Robert trust anyone?

  The junk left them on the eastern end of Zhoushan Island and sailed on to Ningpo. From where they went ashore, it was a long walk to Captain Patridge’s summerhouse on the other end of the island. It was morning when they started walking. They didn’t arrive until dark.

  There were no ships anchored in the cove when they reached the foot of the hill Patridge’s house was built on. Light glowed from the veranda. The scene reminded Robert of the candle that draws the moth to its flames. He also saw the light as a beacon—a lighthouse sending out its beam to keep the traveler safe on his path.

  Coming closer, Robert heard people talking. He recognized Captain Patridge’s voice. The other voice sounded like Hollister. Hearing the raspy sound of Hollister’s intimidating voice tempted him to leave. He didn’t relish a confrontation with the man, and he expected there’d be one. After all, he had seduced Hollister’s woman, Me-ta-tae.

  “Curses!” he said.

  “What is wrong?” Ayaou asked, sensing from the tone of his voice he wasn’t pleased.

  “Nothing,” Robert replied. He had no choice. There was no turning back now. If he were right about Patridge, this was the only place he had a chance to borrow the money he owed Ward for Ayaou.

  “Hello.” Robert called out.

  “What? Who’s there?” Patridge said. He came to the edge of the veranda and squinted into the darkness. “By the gods, it’s Bob Hart!” he said. “We thought the Taipings caught you.”

  “It was close,” Robert replied. “I did go to the Chinese death god. He kicked me back and said it wasn’t my turn.”

  “Come and have a seat.” Patridge pulled Robert into his arms and hugged him.

  “Hello, Hollister,” Robert said, when he saw the man sitting at the table. Robert forced himself to keep his voice as friendly as possible. “I didn’t see your sloop, The Dawn, in the anchorage.”

  “My boat is anchored in another cove,” Hollister replied. “I came on horseback to say goodbye to an old friend and take advantage of his hospitality one last time.” Hollister took a cigarette from a box on the table. The girl standing behind him stepped forward to light it.

  He inhaled deeply and blew the smoke out through his nose. He studied Robert through the tobacco cloud with half-closed eyes. “Played any interesting games recently?” Hollister asked in a lazy voice. “I’m up for a game if you are, but the stakes must be higher.”

  Robert was about to ask Hollister what he meant when there was a rush of feet. A slight figure dashed out of the house and flew into his arms. It was Shao-mei. She wrapped her arms around him and held tight. She was trembling when she buried her face against his chest.

  “And yes, you have nothing to worry about,” Patridge said. “I’ve taken good care of your property. It will stay untouched, although some of my guests expressed interest in her.” He laughed.

  “Shao-mei!” Ayaou called.

  Looking confused, Shao-mei stepped back and glanced from Robert to Ayaou.

  “I can see Shao-mei is as confused as I am,” Patridge said. “How did you come by Ayaou?”

  “That’s something I want to discuss in private.”

  “All right, but where did you come from? I don’t see a ship in the anchorage.”

  “A Chinese junk dropped us at the other end of the island,” Robert said.

  “You walked that far! Good Lord! You must be famished. I’ll have food brought immediately.”

  “First I want to talk business,” Robert said. “There will be time to eat later.” He turned to Shao-mei. “Take your sister to the room and get her food.”

  The younger sister took Ayaou by the hand and started to leave.

  “Wait,” Robert said. The sisters stopped and looked at him. “Ayaou, tell what happened and our arrangement.” Ayaou nodded, and Shao-mei led her into the house.

  Hollister’s eyes followed the sisters departure until they went through the door and out of sight. Robert didn’t like that. He wanted to slap the man. Keep your eyes off my girls, he thought.

  Once the girls were gone, Hollister looked at Robert. He said, “You’ve lost weight since I last saw you. I want to hear what you’ve been up to, but first I want to play that game of chess. If you win, I’ll give you Me-ta-tae. If I win, I get Shao-mei.”

  “How is Me-ta-tae?” Robert asked, ignoring the request for a game of chess. He’d not gamble over women. He would not lower himself to this bastard’s level.

  “She got herself pregnant. I’m selling her. What else can I do? I’m not willing to support a family that isn’t of my kind. Besides, I’m leaving for home soon. I’ll find a proper bride there. I’m going to sail my sloop around the world with a few friends who want to return home too. I’ve had enough of China.”

  “If you’re leaving, why do you want to gamble for Shao-mei?”

  “That’s easy. Since you were with my woman, I thought it would be sporting of you to give me a chance to get even.”

  “To risk losing Shao-mei?” Robert said.

  Hollister shrugged. “Taking risks comes with life,” he replied. “No matter what happens, you still have the other one. Her name is Ayaou, isn’t it? I heard about you and her. And if you win, you’ll have three girls to keep you company. Me-ta-tae will be happy to have you instead of me. She might not like competing with the others you’ve picked up, but she will have no choice. Getting greedy, aren’t you?”

  Angry blood rushed into Robert’s head. His hands curled into fists. He forced himself to relax and keep his face composed. He glanced at Patridge. The captain was lighting a cigarette and acting like he hadn’t heard a word.

  Hearing that Me-ta-tae was pregnant shocked Robert. What if the child were his? If so, he had a responsibility as the father. On the other hand, there was no way to know who the father was since Robert had intercourse with her only once, but Hollister had her daily. Robert still couldn’t help thinking that he was letting her down somehow. The truth was that there was nothing Robert could do to save her. It was a depressing thought. “And if you win, what happens to Shao-mei?” he asked.

  Hollister shrugged. “That’s up to me, isn’t it?” he replied.

  Robert shook his head. “There will be no game.”

  “Look at you.” Hollister went on in a spiteful tone. “You’re quite the dog. That Shao-mei reminds me of Me-ta-tae. When I bought her, she was always cheerful too. She was about the same age. What do you plan to do with them once you return to England?”

  “Who said I’m going back? I’m beginning to like China.” Robert glowered at him but put a brake on his tongue before he said something he’d regret. With no one talking, the silence turned thick and tense. Robert considered challenging Hollister to a duel, but that was a choice he could not risk. If he lost, all three girls would suffer, and he’d be dead. He had a reason to live now. He had Ayaou.

  “Excuse us, Hollister,” Patridge said, breaking the impasse. “Robert and I have business to discuss.”

  Patridge led Robert to his study. The coast was visible from one of the open windows. The captain lit a lantern and pointed to a chair. Robert shook his head. “I want to stand,” he said.

  “Is there something going on b
etween you two?” Patridge asked. “I thought you and Hollister were friends. And what is this about his woman and you?”

  “It’s nothing,” Robert replied. The trip from Shanghai had given him time to consider many possibilities, and Payne Hollister was one. “Seeing him here answers some of my questions. It tells me how he built a boat, kept a separate house, gambled away more than he earned and quit his job at the consulate. I imagine his services have saved you money in taxes and of course there is moving the opium past the Imperials. You can’t depend on the boat people for everything. I think you are looking for a replacement.”

  Patridge went behind the desk and sat. “I’ve considered that.”

  “That explains why you invited me here,” Robert said. “You knew Hollister was leaving. You wanted to find someone else in the consulate to help you save money and get your opium past the Chinese. If I am correct, I’m ready to hear your offer.”

  “What do you have in mind?” Patridge asked. He became impatient and started to tap his fingers on the desktop.

  “Simple. I want five hundred pounds and for that you will gain my help to speed the movement of cargo including opium through Ningpo. I will save you time and money. The term for this arrangement will last one full year from the day I return to the consulate in Ningpo. At the end of that year our partnership ends.”

  “Do you mind explaining why you’re making this offer? To tell you the truth, I’d written you off. You appeared to have too many scruples to do something like this.”

  “Let it suffice to say that every man has his price.”

  “It has something to do with Ayaou, doesn’t it?”

  Robert nodded.

  “Nothing like a woman to turn a man’s head,” Patridge said. A big smile spread across his face. “It’s a deal.” He offered his hand across the desk.