Li stirred and stretched. She felt warm and comfortable but couldn't remember where she was, for an instant. Then she smiled, she had found her father and he had taken her in. He and his fiancée had helped her into bed, loaned her clothing, given her a drink and made her feel welcome. She knew Jean had noticed her belly, had noticed she was pregnant. She wasn't ashamed, because although she wore no ring she was married. Her husband had been imprisoned by the authorities for being a landowner. He was likely to be executed. She had sold her possessions including her wedding ring to enable her to buy her ticket to Australia, knowing she had to get out of China as soon as possible. Her last few shillings had allowed her to take a taxi from the station to the end of his drive. So here she was. As she lay there thinking about what could happen next there was a light tap on the bedroom door. It opened and the smiling face of Jean peered in. She showed the cup she was carrying.
'Tea?' she asked.
Li smiled her thanks. It had been so long since she had spoken English it had all but escaped her and she decided not to try it on Jean. She sat up and Jean gave her the drink, then went to open the curtains to let the morning sun in. Another knock on the door and Lucien peeped in. He smiled as he saw his daughter sitting drinking tea.
'Morning, Li.' Although he spoke fluent Mandarin he wanted Li to get used to hearing and speaking English and he would try to converse with her in English more than her usual tongue.
'Lucien,' Jean chided him, 'give her time to settle in first.'
The tone of Jean's voice told Li that she was letting her father know he should not tax her too much, and she smiled at Jean, grateful.
'Good morning, daddy,' she said, her accent thick but the words discernible. Jean noticed she called him 'daddy.' But when she last saw him that's who he was. Lucien wasn't going to stop her and Jean thought it was sweet.
Jean left the doctor and his daughter to talk. Lucien would let her know what was going on in due course.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Lucien came out of Li's room and took Jean aside.
'Jean,' he sighed heavily, saddened by what he had heard, 'Li's husband has been arrested, in all probability executed. He is, or was, a landowner and they are, shall we say, frowned upon by the authorities in China. She has come to us because she has nowhere else to go.'
'So she comes to her father, where else does a girl go, but to her father. I know I would have.' Jean smiled, 'It's alright Lucien, I understand.' She kissed him, not something she would have done before last night, but they were engaged now and she felt she could kiss him whenever she pleased.
'She sold everything to get here, even her wedding ring.' Jean raised her eyebrows at this information, 'Jean, she noticed you noticed she wore no ring.'
'Oh, I hope I didn't upset her.' Jean hadn't realised she'd been that obvious.
'No, don't worry, one of us was bound to. She expected to have to explain herself to me.' He squeezed her hand, affectionately.
Jean turned to get on with breakfast, 'Will Li eat bacon and eggs?' She had no idea what Chinese food was like, even though there was a Chinese restaurant in town, she'd never been.
'Unless she's changed Li will eat anything.' He laughed at the memory of Li pinching food of his plate when she was young and she had inherited his inquisitive nature. 'Don't worry, you're cooking will be perfectly acceptable. Anyway, I've never known anyone turn down one of your meals.'
'Only a fool would turn down Jean's cooking,' a voice from behind them stopped Lucien from bringing Jean into a more passionate embrace. Charlie was up and about. 'Morning.'
'Morning, Charlie.' Lucien greeted their lodger. 'Charlie, we have another lodger, as of last night. My daughter has come to stay.'
'Oh, were you expecting her?' Charlie didn't think they were that close.
'No,' Lucien admitted, 'she's managed to get out of China. I'll tell you all about it later, but she's expecting so no surprised looks. Oh, Jean's agreed to marry me.' He picked up the paper and went to wait for breakfast in the living room.
Charlie stood there with his mouth open for a second, then turned to a lightly pink faced Jean.
'Congratulations, Jean.' Then turned to the doctor and called through, 'Took you long enough!'
Jean flicked a tea towel at his arm and smiled.
Jean prepared a breakfast tray for Li and asked Lucien to take it to her. He looked at her and noticed she appeared a little shy at being with his daughter. He expected it was just the communication difficulty, so he picked up the tray and headed to the guest room. Li was sitting up when he knocked and went in with a cheery 'Breakfast!'
Li smiled, she felt so much easier in her mind that everything would be alright now.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Li's clothes were not dry enough to wear so Jean leant her her blue robe to go over the pyjamas. She tackled Lucien over the issue when Charlie had left for work.
'Lucien...' She finished washing the breakfast dishes, 'Li needs some clothes. I haven't seen a sign of a suitcase and she'd obviously worn those clothes,' she indicated those drying in the sun room, 'for some time.'
'Right.' He thought for a moment, he wouldn't have a clue what to get her, or what size, 'err...if I give you some money can you sort that out for her.' He looked helpless, as usual when given a 'female problem.'
'Well...I can, but ...' She didn't know what Li's taste would be.
'Anything you deem suitable for a young, pregnant woman, will be fine. Just enough to tide her over for starters. You can take her shopping with you when she's feeling up to it.'
'Well, if you think that will be alright, but I can't read the size label on her underwear, so sorry Lucien...' She looked at him, innocently. It was true she couldn't read the labels but she could hazard a guess, she was a needlewoman.
Lucien smiled, he thought he could manage that, and thinking about it, when Jean put the laundry on the line to dry he'd seen her underwear! And thinking about it made him go a little pink!
Lucien dutifully translated the size labels for Jean and she committed them to memory.
'I'll go shopping after breakfast and you and Li can have a good talk. Perhaps you can tell her how it works here, and I am pleased she felt able to come to you and us.' Jean smiled at him and leant up to kiss his cheek.
He grinned and wondered why he had taken so long to ask her to marry him, he liked the way she kissed him, almost casually, whenever she felt like it.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Jean asked Lucien if she could borrow the car to do the shopping. She had some groceries to get as well as clothes for Li.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Groceries bought and stored in the car, Jean headed to the clothes shops in Ballarat. She wished she had Mattie with her to help choose, she would have a better idea what a young woman would wear. Underwear was easy, Jean chose pretty and practical bras and panties, pyjamas and a robe. Now for the 'outer wear'. It was only when looking at maternity wear in one shop that she realised that the gossips would have a field day. She was a similar size to Li and standing in a dress shop measuring the length of a maternity style dress against herself would set tongues wagging. She smiled inwardly, and decided to play the game, tease them. Jean chose two blouses, a skirt and a dress which she would have been happy for any daughter of her's to wear. Simply styled and elegant. She hoped Li would like them and she imagined the looks on faces when she took Li into town to choose more clothing. Lucien could be indulgent at times and this was one time she was going to encourage him. She paid for the clothes with a cheque, pre signed by the doctor which would add fuel to the gossip fire, thanked the shop owner and left with a rather smug smile on her face!
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Lucien opened the front door when he heard the car pull up. He went to help Jean unload her purchases and noticed she was smiling more than she would if she had just been for groceries.
'Good shopping trip?' He asked.
'There's going to be a lot of talk in Ballarat.' She grinned, cheekily. 'I measured the length of the dresses and skirt against me, I'm almost the same height, so beware. They already think we're sleeping together, so now they probably think you've got me pregnant.' And she laughed, mischievously.
Lucien joined in the laughter. He knew what the good folks of Ballarat thought about his relationship with Jean and although he wanted to protect her from the sniping, he agreed that it would be fun to lead them on.
'Shall I take them in to her?' Lucien wanted to spare her the trouble of trying to explain to Li what had been going on.
'No, it's alright. I'll shout if I get stuck!' Jean felt she had to create some kind of bond with the young woman and this was as good a way as any.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Outside the guest room Jean took a deep breath and knocked before entering. She had the clothes over her arm and a smile on her face.
'Hello Li,' She said, gently and showed her the armful of clothes. 'Your father asked me to get you some clothes, I hope you like them'
It wasn't what Jean said but the way she said it and how she offered her the clothes. Her father had told her Jean was buying her some clothes but she did not expect the array. Living in China, everyone wore the same basic style of tunic and trousers, here was choice!
Li examined each item and held them up to her, feeling the softness and quality of the cloth, looking at the way the dress fell. Her smile said it all and they were like school girls giggling over new fashion. Li tried on everything and when she had finished and decided what she would wear for that day she hugged Jean and thanked her, in English.
They emerged from the room, two women apparently sharing a joke as they went to find Lucien. They found him in the living room, reading the paper. Well, what was a chap to do when two women were trying on clothes? He looked up and gasped. Jean had done his daughter proud, she looked lovely. He spread his arms wide and as he took Li into a hug he grinned over her shoulder at Jean and mouthed 'thank you.'
'My pleasure.' She mouthed back and went to do her housework.
Charlie was introduced to Li when he came in from work that evening, she smiled shyly at him. When her father had visited her the first time he spoke of a 'Danny', but this was obviously another policeman, and he seemed nice.
As they ate dinner that evening Li listened to the unfamiliar tongue. Some words were vaguely familiar. Charlie told Lucien about a case Alice was working on, a couple of blow-ins found dead behind the Pig and Whistle pub. Apparently beaten to death. No identification, no wallets on them.
'How old, Charlie?' Lucien asked.
'Somewhere in their late twenties or early thirties, Alice reckons.' Charlie sighed and took his plate to the sink. 'Want me to wash up, Jean?'
'Thanks, Charlie.' Jean smiled. She thought Charlie washed the dinner pots more than she did these days.
Jean took Li into the living room, leaving the men to wash up. She could see Li found this strange, she was used to doing all the housework, her husband telling her it was 'women's work!'
She patted her hand and smiled, encouragingly. 'They are very helpful around the house.' Jean said as she moved to the drinks table. She poured whisky for both Charlie and Lucien and a sherry for herself. She offered Li sherry but it was declined. Lucien strolled into the living room and took the proffered drink.
'Thank you, Jean.' He turned to Li and raised his glass and opened his eyes wider repeating Jean's offer. Again it was declined, but with a smile. She had never drank alcohol, it wasn't something her husband had encouraged. She remembered her parents drinking wine at parties and dinners when she was a child. Perhaps she'd try at a later date, when she was more easy with life in Australia.
Over the following days Jean and Li found their own way of holding a conversation, sometimes it went awry but even that ended in giggles.
Li offered to help with the housework and Jean let her, reasoning it was a good way for Li to re-acquaint herself with the English language. Lucien agreed it was a good idea and he liked to see his future bride and daughter bonding this way.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Jean was mending a tear in Lucien's trousers one evening as she an Li sat in the living room. Charlie and Lucien were following a lead on the dead blow-ins so they were alone.
'Your father is always getting his clothes torn. He gets very involved in his cases.' Jean offered as explanation. Li's English had started to come back to her and even if she didn't understand the whole of what was said to her she got the gist of it.
'My mother,' she said, slowly and carefully, 'did not sew. Our servants did and my nanny showed me some.'
'I could teach you, if you like.' Jean suggested. 'I sometimes make my own clothes.'
'That would be very kind of you.' Li smiled, this woman was so very generous with her time and thoughtful in deed. Being able to sew would b a useful skill she imagined.
The click of the lock in the front door announced Lucien's arrival.
'Only me!' He called cheerfully. He walked up behind Jean and kissed the back of her neck but not before Li had gasped when she saw him.
Jean turned, 'Lucien!'
He had a graze on his cheekbone and an emerging bruise round his right eye.
'It's nothing.' He grinned, he knew he was in for it, again!
'Nothing, indeed.' Jean scolded him. 'If I'm going to marry you I'd like you in one piece. Into the surgery with you while I deal with that.' She pushed his shoulder gently, propelling him towards the surgery.
Lucien was still grinning even when she cleaned the wound with antiseptic. He was like a little boy always getting into scrapes. But it was a source of concern to Jean, one day he would be seriously hurt, even killed, and as she bathed the graze she couldn't stop a tear rolling down her cheek. She tried to sniff quietly so he did not hear but he was blessed with keen hearing and she couldn't get away with it. He opened his eyes and looked into her face filled with worry.
'Oh Jean, I'm sorry.' He kissed the tear away.
'Lucien,' Jean was cross with herself for being weak, 'I want you whole. I don't want to be visiting you in hospital after a beating, or worse...' She couldn't give voice to the fear she may have to identify his body in the morgue.
He pulled her close and wrapped his arms round her, her arms went round him and she held him as if she never wanted to let go.
'I'll try to be more careful. I hate to worry you, but you know I can't just let thugs get away with hurting others.' He moved his hand to touch her face and bent down to kiss her, gently but firmly on the lips.
'I know, but, please, Lucien...' And she buried her head in his chest, breathing in his own unique scent tinged with the cold air outside. They held each other tight until Jean broke the embrace,
'Li will wonder what we're up to,' the cheeky look had reappeared in her eyes.
'Not as much as I'd like!' Lucien raised his eyebrows and grinned naughtily!
Jean slapped his arm playfully, but after all this time of knowing Lucien, and now being engaged to him, she was, she was astounded to admit to herself, in agreement with him.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
So what are they going to do about it? Bet you can't guess!