“I… You want to marry me?”
“Did I not say I was in earnest?”
“Water spaniels are earnest, Phineas. So are clergymen and Parliament. Well, perhaps we could argue about Parliament… But come, it is too early in the day to jest with me.”
“I speak the truth, Isabella. I seek your hand in marriage. I have given it much thought, and I believe it is the only way.”
“The only way for what?”
The servants clattered the dishes as they went about their work. Phineas drew two chairs into the corner and bade me sit. “I did not believe anyone saw us last night at the bow, but suppose they had? Brother and sister do not dance so closely. Nor kiss as we did.”
I flushed. “That is true.”
“And our entire charade about being related… suppose it were found to be false. What would happen?”
“We would not only be pegged as liars but as…” I trailed off, my flush deepening. “Do you suspect that the truth has been discovered?”
“Julia Whipple informed me that one or two of the seamen suspect our relationship. She gave them a few coins, enough to buy their silence until we reach China, but even after that, gossip could prevail.”
“So your solution is marriage?”
“Yes. The Dignity must leave Mrs. Akers, Mrs. Harrison, and Julia Whipple in Macao, as foreign ladies are not allowed in Canton. We, too, will disembark. There we will marry in secret and find another means of transportation to Canton.”
“And from there?”
“You will find the missionary work you seek. It is the best plan to protect your reputation, Isabella. Even if someone should discover our ruse later, they will know we have done the honorable deed by marrying.”
“If I find my missionary work, as you call it, where will you go?”
“With you, naturally. And you, with me. I know a Christian couple in Macao who are Chinese. They can help us.”
I rose, trembling. “This is… this is too soon. It is too sudden. Sir, you take me quite unawares by your declaration.”
Why oh why had I allowed him to dance with me? My foolishness had gotten me into trouble yet again. And what of him? Had he not enticed me into that most intimate of dances, one that I had heard was not even accepted without permission at balls at Almack’s in London? For the first time in my life, I felt that I might swoon not only from the memory but from what he asked of me.
He must have noticed my faintness, for he helped me to sit again. I could not have been more embarrassed. To be caught in such a feminine act as swooning! Yet in truth I could not tell if it was fear or excitement that caused my head to swim so alarmingly.
“Isabella.” He dropped to one knee before my chair, holding my hand. “You may think that China is a heathen nation where a lady’s reputation does not matter, but I assure you that it is not so very different from England in certain regards. I seek to protect you from more than just idle gossip, however. You may speak the language tolerably well, and no one can doubt your ability to handle a sword in your own defense. But there are some instances in which the protection of my name, my position as your husband, would allow you more freedom to pursue your purpose.”
I could scarcely hear what he was saying over the horror pounding in my heart. “Please do not kneel so,” I whispered. “The servants are staring.”
He sat in the chair, his eyes still beseeching. “As my wife, you can travel where no English lady can go. You can be the missionary that you have always desired-without being limited to Macao.”
The thought did appeal to me. Though I spoke the language, Phineas’s presence would allow me access to China. But something seemed amiss. Phineas never bargained without getting something in return. “What would be the advantage for you?”
He studied me for a moment. “I esteem my mother highly, of course, but she has long wanted me wed.”
“To a Chinese maiden, I suppose?”
“Yes.”
“That does not meet with your approval?”
He shifted uncomfortably. “I wish to travel between China and England at will. I cannot imagine a Chinese wife adapting to the change.” He smiled. “However, I might have once said the same about you.”
I folded my arms across my chest. “You would present me as your wife simply to satisfy your mother?”
He nodded. “We would both accomplish our purposes, and your reputation would be safe.”
What he said made a certain amount of sense. What did it matter if I were married? Matches were arranged all the time at home. Hadn’t David entered into one with Cathy for mutual advantage?
And hadn’t I told Phineas when we first met that I never felt that young ladies were much concerned with love but with making a good match?
“This would be a good match for us both,” I said.
“Match?” He looked at me quizzically.
I nodded. “You once said that a lady who settles for love generally settles beneath herself.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Are you settling, Isabella?”
“I agree to your offer. I am entering into an agreement suitable for us both.” I shifted uncomfortably.
He cupped my face with his hand. “Beautiful Isabella, on my part there is more to the offer than mere convenience. Do you settle for love as well as the arrangement?” He lowered his voice. “I would have it so.”
His gaze and words transfixed me. I nodded, unable to speak.
He smiled then took my hand, and we rose. He did not look away from me, however, but continued to study my face. “Is something amiss?” I said.
He leaned closer, whispering. “I would seal our agreement with a binding kiss, but the servants may be watching. We must keep our engagement secret until we land at Macao and can wed quietly. Is that acceptable?”
“Of course.” I could not believe that he would bypass what we had both desired last night. I laughed. “Are you certain you will wait for the kiss?”
“You may depend upon it, my future Mrs. Snowe.”
Oh, how I longed for the arms of Flora in which to be hugged and advised. I was engaged to be wed, and yet I could tell no one, not even Julia Whipple. Uncle Toby… would he be happy by my news? Would he think a marriage of convenience to be better than none at all? But was it indeed only for convenience? Gentlemen desired wives, but not always for love. Companionship and intimacy, yet. But love?
As for myself, I was quite fond of Phineas Snowe, but did I love him? I had once imagined myself in love with David Ransom, but when he had married Catherine, I had not felt heartbreak so much as bewilderment that he had simply not spoken to me in advance about his plans.
No, Phineas sought only to protect me and to relieve his mother’s worries. And I… I would finally be the missionary I knew I was called to be!
The days passed with extraordinary swiftness, a contrast to the weariness of all aboard ship. Mrs. Akers had been heard to snap at Mrs. Harrison, who, to the amazement of all within earshot, seemed to possess enough wakefulness to snap back. Mr. Harrison and Mr. Akers, in turn, pretended nothing was amiss, perhaps relishing the day they could bid adieu to their wives in Macao for six months while they lived in Canton during the trade season.
The sailors, of course, were ready for their own free time on shore. I wondered at the lives they led, those aboard ship and those on land. Their grumbling had increased the farther away from England we had sailed, yet apparently they returned to a life at sea again and again, so they must find some enjoyment.
Mr. Calow never flagged in his enthusiasm for seafaring, though I accounted it all to his youthful nature. Since the voyage began, he had not only become quite proficient in tying the required naval knots but had also, from all reports, excelled in navigation. I believe Mr. Gilpin had a distinct hand in the midshipman’s tutoring, though the first mate himself seemed to have regained a sort of youthful enthusiasm of his own.
Julia may have had something, in turn, to do with his change of nature, for she remained his constant companion. No longer did I see her go below for hours at a time-for what purposes I had never asked, of course. She and I did not study together, either. Rather, she spent her time in her cabin reading one of Gilpin’s books or listening as he read aloud to her while they strolled the deck. They seemed quite devoted to one another, but it was still with some surprise that I received her news one day when we chanced to meet alone on the poop deck.
“What do you think?” she said. “Mr. Gilpin has asked me to marry him!”
I could have fallen overboard and not been more surprised. “I knew that you had favored each other’s company lately, but…”
“But he has made his opinion about me clear from the beginning of the voyage,” she finished for me. “That is what you were going to say?”
“Well… yes.”
“He said that no one could have given him better care while he was wounded, and he realized that it was not just physical care. He did not understand why I would want to change his bandage every day or help him with simple tasks like sitting or walking when he had never regarded me as a person of any character.”
I sat silent, unable to speak. Had we crossed some sort of invisible line in the ocean whereby society’s standards had been tossed overboard? “Please continue, Julia.”
“I told him that though I was a fallen woman, I yet considered myself a Christian, and it was my duty to help those in need. Once we spoke plainly with each other, we found the freedom to discuss more, such as the books we read, where we had been raised, and so on. He was unaware that I came from Portsmouth and was so familiar with the sea. You can imagine that we had much to discuss on that account.”
“Naturally,” I said. “Mr. Gilpin seems particularly fond of the naval life.”
“Yes, and I shouldn’t wonder that he will be the captain of his own ship one day, for he works hard, as I am certain you have noticed.”
I nodded. “What of his mother?” I said, disliking that my curiosity forced me to broach the subject, but it was a rather important one if they had discussed marriage.
Miss Whipple twisted her hands in her lap. “You know of her?”
“I have heard him speak of her, yes.”
“We believe it best not to speak of my past in her presence, of course. He says that my personality is remarkably akin to her own. One of the purposes of a union between Mr. Gilpin and myself would be for me to live with his mother and care for her while he was at sea.”
She did not have to mention the beneficial purpose to herself, which would involve the abandonment of her former way of life. It was peculiar that she had mentioned the word purpose, just as Phineas had done when discussing our own marriage. Thomas Gilpin would have a wife with a dubious past, but he would be at sea for a great part of each year, so he would not have to look upon her often enough to be reminded. She, in turn, would have a home, and the elder Mrs. Gilpin would have a compassionate companion in her declining years.
It seemed as calculated as the navigation Mr. Calow performed with his compass.
“Julia, you may think me forward,” I said, “but has the word love entered into your conversation with Mr. Gilpin at all?”
“Love?” She blinked. “That is a luxury for certain people, Isabella.”
“Yes, of course,” I murmured.
I wished that I could unburden my heart to her. There was no lady aboard ship my age, no one with whom to confer. I forced myself to smile, and in thinking on their future, I did find joy. “I wish you all happiness.”
“We will marry in Macao, and I would consider it a great honor were you to attend… Phineas as well.”
“I would not miss it,” I said. “I cannot speak for Phineas, of course.”
She peered at me thoughtfully. “I thought perhaps you two seemed closer these days. Is it so?”
I schooled my expression. Julia Whipple knew many of Phineas and my secrets, but this was one to which she could not be privy. Particularly if she was Thomas Gilpin’s future wife. “Phineas and I are friends, naturally, but we have our own plans once we reach China.”
“Then you will go your separate ways, I suppose?” She shook her head. “It is probably for the best, no matter how I had hoped… Never mind. It is of little consequence.”
Our fellow passengers delighted themselves with the news. Unlike the proverbial leopard, the spots on Julia Whipple’s character seemed to abruptly change. She was now hailed as the heroine of the Dignity for giving her time so unselfishly to the wounded-particularly Thomas Gilpin. After the impending wedding was announced after dinner that day, Mrs. Akers took Julia under her wing without another mention of the past.
“I knew that those two were bound to wind up in matrimonial bliss,” Mrs. Akers declared loudly to everyone at the table. “You can see that they are quite compatible and evenly paired in temperament. Mind, I do not consider myself a matchmaker, but I thought I detected a hint of marriage in the air among us. I must confess that at first I thought it might be Mr. Gilpin and Miss Goodrich, but after that unfortunate incident with those heinous Frenchmen, I knew I was wrong.”
Captain Malfort cleared his throat, glancing at me briefly. “We are all pleased with the impending nuptials, which are to take place in Macao. The East India Company has a chaplain there.”
“Indeed!” Mrs. Akers looked at Julia Whipple. “But you must have a true clergyman, my dear. Without, it is simply unthinkable!”
“Chaplains are authorized to perform marriage ceremonies,” Miss Whipple said. “We thought it might be difficult to find a Church of England clergyman in Macao. After all, Catholicism is the dominant religious practice.”
“Papists!” Mrs. Akers fanned herself. “Oh my, no! You are right, indeed. Besides, it is rather romantic to be wed aboard ship, for after all, it is where you met.”
“Perhaps Miss Whipple and Mr. Gilpin did not intend to hold the ceremony on the Dignity,” I ventured.
“Of course they will,” Mrs. Akers said, staring at me coldly as though I had suggested they grow gills and marry underwater.
“We have not decided on a location yet,” Miss Whipple said, trying to smooth the conversation.
Captain Malfort raised his wine glass. “I would like to propose a toast, since this is our last dinner together before docking in Macao. To the new relationships that have been forged aboard the Dignity, in both hard times and good.” He smiled at Mr. Gilpin and Miss Whipple. “May they be blessed by the Almighty.”
“Hear, hear,” we said in reply, raising our own glasses. I took a sip of wine, catching a glance from Phineas over the rim. While the others laughed, distracted, he held up his glass slightly in my direction.
After all the long days, weeks, and months at sea, we docked at Macao. Phineas had told me a little of what to expect of the port. It had been a quiet fishing village until the Portuguese colonized it hundreds of years ago. It was still under their control, though it was considered a peninsula, connected to China by a small strip of land. When we docked and all were properly ashore, I felt as though I were, indeed, in a new world.
The port bustled with activity-ships of various shapes, sizes, and nationalities lay at the docks. Sailors loaded and unloaded mysterious cargo, primarily chests and crates stamped with Chinese characters. I was disappointed that the buildings all appeared British or Portuguese in their structure. Dominating the scene, however, were the mingling sounds of different languages. English, of course, and what must be Portuguese and even Dutch. For the first time, I heard someone besides Phineas speak Chinese. I was accustomed to his patient tempo, for as my teacher, he had wanted me to understand every word. Yet the workers on the ships and dock spoke so quickly I could scarce understand a word. When I said as much to Phineas, he smiled. “You will pick it up in good time, I am certain. Do not try to translate to English in your mind. Allow yourself to absorb the Chinese language on its own.”
We wandered the port together. I was no doubt as wide-eyed as a child, taking in all the sights. Birds squawked in cages, merchants hawked their wares to sailors in a peculiar language of animated Chinese and broken English. Phineas found a quiet, out-of-the-way place to eat, a tea house, where I sampled my first Chinese food-dim sum.
The building was crowded with other diners and noisy, like the vendors’ birds. A man brought stacks of bamboo baskets, steam rising as he lifted the lids, for us to choose what we wanted to eat. Phineas chose for us, speaking so quickly in Chinese that I could not catch every word. Or perhaps I was merely enchanted by the sight and smell of the food. What a selection! Some of the foods were steamed-pork spareribs and char siu bao, which were roast pork packed into fluffy white steamed buns. Some were fried-spring rolls, which were thin flour skins filled with carrots, cabbages, and mushrooms, and wu gok, a light, crispy dough filled with something called taro. (I did not inquire about its nature.) We also ate dumplings made of shrimp and wrapped with seaweed. Then dessert, my favorite, the custard tarts.
The food was sticky and sweet and fluffy and slipped from my chopsticks in my haste to eat and in my lack of skill with the foreign utensils. Phineas smiled and showed me again and again how to hold the two sticks between my fingers. Soon I was able to capture even a bit of rice.
All the while we dined on such scrumptious fare, we participated in the tradition of yum cha-drinking tea. Lots and lots of green tea, of which I could not seem to get enough. Dim sum means “to touch the heart,” and by the time we had finished eating, my heart already felt touched in this new world.
I was accustomed to a society where people spoke in polite tones and acted civilly, at least on the surface. In between the smiles and polite words, however, one could say just about anything about another person. A quick observation of the Chinese men at the next table made me realize that there was nothing polite or subtle-by my British standards-about their speech. They yelled at, berated, and argued with one another to the point that I winced. I could only understand every other word, but perhaps that was to my advantage.
As if that were not enough, the men both spat small bones from their food-not to mention saliva-directly on the floor. I could not fathom such behavior!
Phineas smiled. “You are disturbed?”
I nodded. “They lack proper table manners.”
“Those are proper table manners here. Just as you learned a different language, so must you learn a different way of life.”
A man at the table next to us rose, as did his voice. The pitch grew louder, but his words continued in the beautiful rise and fall of the Cantonese dialect. He gestured at his companion, then turned and stalked away, his long queue swinging. No longer appalled, I was now fascinated. I had sought adventure, and now I lived it.
Phineas took my hand. “We should speak of our wedding.”
He received my undivided attention with those words, a reminder that adventure of another sort lay waiting. “Yes?”
“Julia and Mr. Gilpin will wed tomorrow, for he will be expected to go with the Dignity on to Canton as soon as possible. We should wed the following day.”
“I leave the plans to you, of course, but a wedding only two days hence?”
“It is too soon?” he said, frowning.
“I thought only… oh, it is far too silly for a man to understand.”
“If it concerns you, Isabella, then it concerns me too,” he said. “What troubles you?”
In truth, I believed his concern. I smiled. “I was hoping to find a new dress for the wedding. I may have to clothe myself as a proper missionary for the rest of my life, but I want something special. I want to look truly beautiful for our marriage day.”
He took my hand. “You always appear so to me. No matter how fine the material or exquisite the design, the dress would only be secondary to your beautiful face.”
Remember your mission, Isabella. This is a marriage of convenience for us both. Primarily… Probably… Possibly…
I cleared my throat. “Speaking of dresses, perhaps we had best return to the Dignity. I should help Julia arrange for her own wedding.”
“I believe Mrs. Akers has taken it upon herself to help Julia. At least, I believe that is what I heard when we were disembarking.”
His eyes seemed far too intent, signaling his desire to spend more time with me alone. Nevertheless, I had to discourage such emotions for they could only be detrimental to both our futures. “Perhaps that is so,” I said, “but we should return at any rate.”
“Very well.” I could see the disappointment register on his face. I almost felt sorry for him, but then I recalled that one of us had to remember our ultimate purposes!
Back at the ship, we learned that Mrs. Akers had indeed arranged all things for Julia Whipple, from her dress to the location of the wedding. It was to be a civil ceremony performed aboard ship, with Mr. Gilpin asserting that his mama would probably prefer to see them wed in church back in England when they returned. Until then, a civil license would make things at least legal, if not elegant.
As for her dress, somehow a lovely white satin with tiny embroidered roses had been procured from a dressmaker in Macao, with the promise that it would be hemmed to fit by the ceremony. Julia described it to me in great detail, and it occurred to me that perhaps it was the most elegant dress she had ever owned. That was as it should be for any lady, of course, as it was her wedding day. Still, I wondered at Mrs. Akers’s insistence on it being a fancy dress, as I doubted its serviceability for Julia after the ceremony. I could not imagine that she would have many occasions to wear such a lovely dress back home. Living with Mr. Gilpin’s mother, she would have few occasions to dress formally since he would be at sea much of the year.
Julia looked as though she wished to speak to me, but every time she approached, Mrs. Akers seemed to recall yet another ceremony question. At last the younger woman gave herself completely to the older woman’s care and let herself be led away. It was probably for the better, as I might be tempted to speak to her of my own impending marriage and thus reveal the secret.
I had no notion about what Phineas planned by way of a ceremony. I knew it would be Christian, for he was such, of course, but he consulted me on no matter whatsoever. Despite my expressed desire to find a dress, the issue seemed oddly unimportant now. My chief desire was to be wed and move into the interior of China where I could at last begin to be of some use. When I asked Phineas how we would slip away to be wed, he smiled.
“It is all arranged. As soon as Julia and Mr. Gilpin’s wedding is over, we will slip away during the celebration afterward. I have already informed the captain and Mr. Harrison and Mr. Akers that I have business for the company to attend. They think that you will stay aboard ship, of course, as foreign women are not allowed outside Macao.”
“But I will leave with you?” I said anxiously, envisioning his abandonment of me at the final minute.
“Yes, of course. But, Isabella, you must be certain this is what you want, for you cannot return to the Dignity without a full accounting for your whereabouts.”
“It is what I want to do,” I said, setting my lips firmly together. “This is what I have hoped for all along, and I will not turn back.”
“Even if the accomplishment of that dream includes an unexpected husband in the bargain?”
“Even so.”
He turned away but continued to speak, as if he did not want to look at me. “You cannot take anything with you, so if you have acquired anything during the journey that you wish to keep, give it to me for safekeeping in my trunk. They are expecting me to disembark, but not you.”
I laughed. “The sword you have given me is still in your trunk, as are the gospel tracts. Otherwise, the only items I have acquired during this long journey are the very dress I wear and the horrid gray one besides.”
He turned back to face me. “What sort of frock would you hope to wear for our wedding? You avowed that you wanted something special.”
“Oh, Phineas. Truly, it hardly matters. I am resigned to wearing one or the other of my normal dresses. Mrs. Akers has carried on so over Julia Whipple that I have not the strength to seek a dress of my own. I am sure that they scoured the Macao shops that cater to European ladies.”
“Will you trust me with the procurement? I think you will be pleased.”
“Very well. You can hardly do worse than my cotton dresses.”
He grinned. “I pray that I will not disappoint. Now would you care to hear how we will leave the ship?”
I nodded. When did this man ever lack for a plan?
I must confess that Julia Whipple’s wedding dress was every inch as lovely as any I had ever seen, and I was near green with jealousy. Still, I reminded myself, clothes were nothing compared to the kingdom of God, and it was a passion I needed to forsake if I wanted to truly become one of his workers.
Naturally the ceremony was lovely as well, with the ship’s deck decorated most festively with lengths of white tulle and as many flowers as possible. Julia Whipple flushed the most becoming pink, as did Thomas Gilpin. Perhaps their disparate natures would balance one another in one of those odd marriages of opposites that frequently seemed more companionable than those whose spouses had known each other for years.
Mrs. Akers managed to weep at all the appropriate moments, trumpeting loudly into her handkerchief so that I was certain it was past all future use, even with a thorough washing. She was also heard to announce rather loudly that the scene reminded her of her own dear wedding and that if the newly married enjoyed half the serenity and tranquility of her own marriage to Mr. Akers, they should consider themselves more than duly favored.
Mrs. Harrison leaned against her husband’s shoulder the entire time, but I believe I saw her eyes flutter open briefly during the blessing of the ring.
The crew had been given shore leave, so only the captain and the most major officers were in attendance. Mr. Calow looked much older than his young years, dressed in his best uniform. I hated that I would not be granted a chance to say a proper farewell, and I hoped that he would remember me kindly.
After the ceremony, I kissed Julia Whipple-nay, Julia Gilpin!-on the cheek. I longed to bid her a proper farewell but settled for the deepest sentiment of my heart. “I am pleased for you both,” I said. “May God grant you every happiness.”
Love may not have been a companion to this marriage, but something certainly shone in her eyes as she glanced at her new husband. “I am certain that we will be most happy indeed.”
For his part, Thomas Gilpin returned her gaze with a blush and accepted my best wishes as well. I caught no hint that he had perhaps wanted to place a ring on my finger, as Mrs. Akers had once asserted, for he seemed, if not overjoyed with his new bride, quite content. I prayed that his dear mama would accept her new daughter with graciousness and perhaps a bit of obliviousness as well.
Phineas, who had sat beside me throughout the ceremony then drifted away afterward, beckoned me from across the deck. His trunk had already been removed from the ship, ostensibly for him to prepare for his journey inland. I had also laid a farewell note on my hammock, explaining that I had left with Phineas and not to worry for my safety.
Now it was time for us to disembark forever and perhaps, I felt in my heart, to leave England behind as well. Who knew if I would ever return to my homeland or to Uncle Toby and Flora?
I glanced at the shipmates with whom I had spent significant time for the past few months, and a lump settled in my throat. I could not bear the thought of never seeing or speaking with them again. Yet press on I must, for the higher prize.
And so Phineas and I slipped down the tulle-covered gangplank, unnoticed in the revelry, and embarked on yet another journey, one with no apparent return.
He took my hand and led me on foot along dusty roads to a waiting wagon and driver. Phineas helped me into the wagon then spoke a few words in Chinese to the driver in such a low tone that I could not comprehend his message. His trunk, I noticed, was stored in the back.
Clouds covered the night sky, and I could not see the stars. For some reason, this troubled me, and I shivered. Phineas put his arm around me, and I stiffened momentarily at the unexpected contact. “Are you warm enough?” he said, as if to soothe my fears.
His lips brushed my hair, and I shivered again. “Yes,” I said in a small voice, then cleared my throat. “Where are we going?”
He glanced at the driver, then put his fingers to his lips so that only I could see. I nodded my understanding.
Phineas and I rode into the night, forever it seemed. I grew weary and rested my head against his shoulder. Oddly, I felt safe and secure, as satisfied as a child who had just been allowed a cup of warm chocolate. However, I refused to allow myself to become accustomed to this sensation as we had no future together. None at all.
“Isabella,” Phineas whispered in my ear.
I startled awake, bolting upright. “Yes?”
“We are here.”
The driver had already descended from the wagon to haul Phineas’s trunk outside what appeared to be a bamboo house. It certainly did not appear British or Portuguese in its architecture, as the buildings I had seen since we had landed in Macao.
“Where are we?”
“We are outside the walled city,” he said. He dropped a few coins into the driver’s hands, expressed his thanks, then rapped on the door. It swung open, and a Chinese man about the same age as Phineas bid us enter. He wore a long black queue and had his forehead shaved, a fashion I had seen many Chinese men sport in Macao.
Phineas led me inside. Once the door was closed, he gestured toward the man. “Isabella, this is Choi Sing-yiu, my good friend. Choi Sing-yiu, this is my bride, Isabella Goodrich.”
Choi Sing-yiu means “To Gain Glory,” but as he was a Christian, its implied meaning is “To Gain Glory for God.” He bowed, then said in good English, “I am pleased to meet you.”
A woman appeared from a back room, a baby on her hip. Glory ushered her forward, and she approached, smiling. Introductions were again made, and I learned that this was Glory’s wife, Lui Chun-bo, which means “Precious Spring.”
“Glory and Precious Spring are Christians,” Phineas said. “Glory is, in fact, an ordained clergyman.”
I blinked. Was this one of Phineas’s deceptions?
Glory laughed. “I see by your expression that you do not believe him. But it is true. I studied in England. Phineas and I met in London.”
“Like me, Glory has a British father,” Phineas said. “He could have stayed in England, but he wanted to return here. He feels that his people need him. There are several Chinese Christians near this area.”
“Phineas has promised to take you to them, yes?” Glory said.
“He has never said anything specific,” I said, feeling confused. “I thought perhaps he was bringing me to you to help with missionary work.”
Glory and Phineas exchanged a glance. Precious Spring appeared to try to follow the conversation, but it was apparent that she spoke little, if any, English. She did smile at me, however, which put me at ease. And her baby was adorable! Much better looking, I am ashamed to say, than my nephew Lewis with his pinched, demanding face. This baby actually smiled at me, which was something that Lewis certainly never did in the entire year that I knew him.
“Is your child a boy or a girl?” I asked in Cantonese.
Precious Spring looked startled. “You speak our language?”
I nodded. “It was a five-month journey. Phineas was a thorough teacher.”
Her smile broadened. “This is my son, Choi Ka-wai.” A beautiful name that means “Honor of the Family.”
Phineas took my hand. “Our time is short, Isabella. We have come here to be married, not to visit. We do not want to bring trouble to Glory and Precious Spring by your presence.”
“Forgive me,” Glory said, “but you are a foreign woman. Outside the city walls, you will be noticed. Our plan is to dress you in Chinese style so that you and Phineas can travel together to Canton. Your hair is dark enough so that with the proper attire and your ability to speak the language, you can pass farther inland.”
“But I thought I was to help you.”
“Precious Spring and I live here,” Glory said gently. “Phineas himself can take you farther inland.”
I glanced at him, and he nodded. “We can speak of this later, Isabella, but we must be wed and leave early tomorrow.”
I looked at Glory. “So you will marry us? You are, indeed, a real clergyman?”
“I am.” He smiled.
“Precious Spring has your wedding dress,” Phineas said. “If you will make yourself ready, we can begin the ceremony.”
Glory said something to Precious Spring, who took my hand. “Come with me,” she said, smiling.
I glanced back at Phineas, who gestured me to go with her. No turning back, indeed!