The China Bride by Mary Jo Putney Read Free Book Online

wondered how much was true and how much was mere boasting.
    By the time the guests took their leave, all signs of discord had vanished. But as Troth faded in with the other servants, she understood why Elliott had asked her to keep an eye on Maxwell. His candor could bring trouble down on that handsome head.

Chapter 6
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    Troth worked late the next night, translating and writing letters for Boynton at the English Factory. As Chen-qua's employee, part of her job was to perform any special task requested by merchants who were clients of her master. She was grateful for an excuse not to be at Elliott's hong, where she ran the risk of running into Maxwell again. He'd haunted her dreams the night before, and she'd woken hot and humiliated. A good thing he would leave soon, never to return.
    Tonight he'd intended to visit Hog Lane. Would he find the area interesting? For a man who'd traveled as widely as he, the local taverns and prostitutes would probably be nothing special. With a sharp ache, she envied him his freedom to travel. If only she had really been born male!
    Because her mind kept wandering from her work, it took her longer than usual to do the translations. Her brushwork was clumsy and several letters had to be redone. She was startled to hear the office clock striking midnight as she finished. Perhaps in the morning she'd skip her exercises and sleep late.
    Yawning, she left the English Factory. The porter who guarded the gate nodded farewell, used to her irregular hours.
    Though Hog Lane, a mere block away, hummed with lights, noise, and activity, the waterfront was quiet, with only a handful of sampans gliding silently over the water. She was heading toward a cluster of taxi boats to get a ride across to Honam Island when a dark, stealthy figure approached. "Jin Kang?"
    She recognized the whisper of a young man who worked at a drink shop on Hog Lane and sometimes supplied her with useful bits of information.
    "Good evening, Teng. What brings you away from your business at such a busy hour?"
    Teng drew close, his voice dropping. "I heard something you should know."
    He'd obviously also heard that she was working late. There were few secrets in this narrow strip of land. "It's very late." She covered another yawn. "Is your information urgent?"
    "Two toughs from one of the gangs were in the shop. I heard them discussing the money they'd earn for killing a Fan-qui , one under Chenqua's protection."
    Troth stared at him, her fatigue forgotten. "No one would dare kill a Fan-qui !"
    "Maybe not, but they were laughing over the number of taels of silver they'll earn when they break the skull of the new Fan-qui lord, Max-Well." Gods above, if he was still in Hog Lane, he'd be an easy target! "Have you seen this Lord Maxwell tonight?"
    Teng shrugged. "I don't know the man, but the street is full of Fan-qui sailors on leave. He might be among them."
    "When did you hear the men talking?"
    "Only a few minutes ago."
    Seeking help would take precious time. Hog Lane was a small area, and gods willing, she'd find Maxwell before the gang members did. She was whirling to leave when Teng caught her sleeve. "My information is valuable?"
    She yanked free. "You'll receive your reward tomorrow, I swear!" Then she bolted, racing along the silent fronts of the hongs toward the noise and lights of Hog Lane.

    Sin was sin the world round, Kyle decided. Still, the rough friendliness of the sailors at the various drink shops was a pleasant change from the suffocating respectability of the night before.
    Even dressed in his oldest clothing he was conspicuous, but since he wasn't a ship's officer he was accepted easily. It helped that he was willing to buy rounds of fiery samshu , a local liquor guaranteed to banish sobriety, and quite possibly the lining of a man's stomach along with it. He drank sparingly.
    Information usually flowed freely in the lower reaches of society, and that held true here. He ambled from drink shop to drink shop,