Mémère was relieved when she saw Max’s sudden change in attitude but Marianne knows her brother never does anything for anyone but himself. She hopes he is not fool enough to jeopardise their relationship with Lady Jing.
She almost gets up to follow Max, but stops herself in time. It would only make him more ornery.Later, she thinks. She’ll figure out how to deal with her brother later; in the meantime she pulls her attention back to the blond head in the vase. She asks in Mandarin, ‘May I know your honourable name?’
‘My name is Rune.’
Ah Lang glances at Rune with a frown, but quickly loses interest.
‘And where do you hail from, Rune?’
‘The Celestial lands,’ he says. He must notice Marianne’s confusion, given his blue eyes, blond hair and distinctly European features. ‘Oh, you mean where am Ifromfrom. I’m not originally from Tian. A minor Celestial deity found me as a baby floating down a river in a bamboo basket. I was presented to the Jade Emperor, who searched for my parents to no avail. Since no one claimed me, a niece of a neighbour of Lady Gi’s uncle alerted my kind father, who took me in and raised me as his own.’
Marianne nods, slightly confused by the convoluted tale. ‘That’s quite the story,’ she finally says. ‘No wonder your Mandarin is so good.’
Rune responds in perfect French. ‘Language is a passion of mine. Since my best friend and I travel a lot, I’ve been able to hone my skills in a number of languages. To truly appreciate poetry one must experience them in their original tongue.’
‘Impressive,’ Marianne says. Learning Mandarin was difficult enough – but to master so many was a feat. I hope you don’t mind me asking, but do you always reside in a vessel?’
Rune blushes. ‘Unfortunately, I suffer from qugu. My bones dissolve when my energies are imbalanced. But do not worry. In a matter of days, I shall be back to my usual winsome self.’
On the bustling sun-soaked street outside the green metal gates of Mémère’s hôtel particulier idles a dark blue Delage. A waifish young woman with slicked-back hair and owlish eyes leans against the sleek hood. Marianne takes in the woman’s outfit – a crisp white shirt, paired with a dark teal waistcoat and matching trousers – with an appreciative eye.
On seeing the group, the young woman immediately bows.
‘I am Ahn, Special Emissary to Tian. Lady Gi—’ she says, but Ah Lang steps forward carrying Rune, and bows.
‘Special Emissary Ahn, it is good to meet you. I am Ah Lang.’ He gestures with his chin, ‘Rune here, Lady Gi, Tony Lee and Lady Jing offer you our abundant gratitude for coming to fetch us so quickly.’
The Special Emissary blinks slowly, and bows again. ‘It is my honour.’ She opens the car door. ‘Please get in,’ she says, before turning to Mémère and Marianne, her gaze cool.
Marianne glances at Mémère, ready to remind her, but her grandmother is already folded into a deep bow. Marianne follows, grateful Max isn’t here to cause more problems.
‘Special Emissary Ahn, contain House Durand’s deepest apologies for the circumstances of our meeting. Our desperation was extreme though it does not excuse our transgressions.’ With both hands held palm up, Marianne offers the emissary a carefully worded letter, detailing their request for assistance. ‘We have laid out in honest detail the cause of our unhappy situation and hope the venerable Jade Emperor finds compassion and understanding in his heart.’
The emissary takes the proffered envelope and offers a perfunctory bow in return before wordlessly getting into the Delage and driving away.
Marianne watches the car gliding down the street, pondering the emissary’s inscrutable expression. ‘May the Jade Emperor show us compassion.’
Mémère sighs. ‘We’ve done all we can. Now we wait.’ She turns to head back to her garden but pauses at Marianne’s expression. ‘What is it?’
Marianne hesitates. Max has always been the golden child, the chosen one, the one who could do no wrong. Mémère always sided with him. Habit, born of a desire to protect herself, tempts Marianne to drop the issue.
Earlier, Mémère had asked why she’d taken the blame for the ban, hadn’t tried to defend herself in all these years when she had been in Yunnan, hadn’t even stepped foot in Shanghai. Perhaps it was the presence of the Celestials whose account of the incident Mémère could not refute, or perhaps it was witnessing Mémère scolding Max for the first time ever that gave her the courage to answer truthfully.You are blind to Max’s failings,she’d said.You never doubt his word, whereas you never take me at mine. All you see are my failings. If I had told you then that Max was lying, that I had done nothing to incur the wrath of the Jade Emperor, would you have believed me?
Marianne takes a deep breath and shares her worries.
Seventeen
The Manor of Gathering Elegance
The Paris streets pass by in a blur. So much has happened in the last twenty-four hours I don’t know which way is up anymore. So many revelations. Too many. We’re all in a state of shock.
All my life I’ve avoided asking about my father. My mom often had ‘bad spells’ – nights when she cried herself to sleep and days when she’d disappear; and when she returned, nothing I did or said could get her attention. Her mind was somewhere I couldn’t go. I knew she was like that because of him and I hated him for it. I also ended up hating her because I thought she too had abandoned me.
I got everything so wrong.
Gigi gently squeezes my hand. It’s only then I notice my face is wet with tears. I quickly swipe them away with the back of my sleeve. Tony sits on my other side, head against the window, face pinched and pale, eyes shut. A migraine, he said earlier. I let him rest.
We drive along wide leafy avenues that could have been plucked from the French Concession in mortal Shanghai. Grand buildings glide past, each carved stone doorway more beautiful than the last – some adorned with ornate sculptures, while others striking for their simplicity and gentle curves.
