The White Amah (28 page)

‘But surely the police would have told Tuff’s lawyers if there’d been a robbery,’ Benny argued.

‘Not necessarily. The prosecution is not required to disclose evidence that they don’t intend to rely on in court. It’s not unknown for them to sit on evidence because it doesn’t fit in with their hunch as to who committed an offence,’ explained David.

‘The policeman who arrested me had it in for me right from the start,’ wailed Tuff.

‘Don’t worry, Ducky. We’ll sue his arse off when you get out
of here,’ said Benny, his mind already calculating the damages claim he planned to mount as soon as she was released. ‘Sweetheart, you’re a genius, and I’d kiss you if your mother and fiancée weren’t watching,’ he said to Mei Li with a disarming grin

‘Does this mean I get out of this hellhole?’ asked Tuff.

‘It rather depends on what we can find out,’ said David. ‘If there’s evidence of theft your lawyer can start the appeal process immediately. I’d like to have a word with the governor to let her know our intentions. Perhaps we should leave Mei Li and Tuff to get better acquainted, Benny.’

‘A nod is as good as a wink to a blind man. It’s been a pleasure to meet you, Mei Li. You’re a bright girl. If ever you want a job don’t hesitate to let me know, though you’d be a fool to let this lovely lady loose in the big bad city, Davy. Cheerio for now, Ducky. I’m heading back to the office to compose the hottest story. Believe me, your website is going to be molten.’

Tuff signalled
Don’t leave me,
but Benny just grinned at her

‘So you bagged a lawyer,’ Tuff said to Mei Li once they were on their own. ‘I wish I’d had the brains to marry a rich man when I was your age. The men I fell for weren’t the marrying kind. But I never meant for you to end up living in squalor. You were supposed to be adopted by some rich expatriates. It was all agreed. What sort of monsters were they, abandoning you? I mean, really!’

‘Them not family,’ said Mei Li in a low voice, the unspoken accusation like escaping gas fumes poisoning the atmosphere, pressing down on Tuff’s chest as heavy as stones.

‘Look, I’ve said I’m sorry. I can’t change what’s happened. Why don’t we put all this behind us? Forget about all the unpleasant stuff. It’s in the past. I’d like to make it up to you when I get
out of here. I’m a very rich woman. I know all the right people. I can open doors. You don’t have to tie yourself down to that stuffy solicitor. I can introduce you to some seriously rich gogetters. We’ll have fun, dating and hanging out. You’re in need of some serious fashion help. But you’re in luck. I could have had a career as a style guru if I wasn’t a rock star. You’ll be an entirely different person by the time I’m through with you. The paparazzi will wet themselves when we step out together,’ Tuff crowed, feeling happy and excited. She’d get a real kick out of launching her daughter. ‘Wait till you see my house.’ Her eyes shone as she raved about the improvements she’d made to the Elizabethan manor house, the sound studio, heated indoor pool and state-of-the-art gym.

Tuff would have been surprised if she had been able to read Mei Li’s mind. Rather than being impressed by her mother’s glitzy lifestyle Mei Li felt sorry for her, living in that big house without her friends and family around her. How rich her own life had been in comparison with her mother’s solitary existence. Mei Li remembered steamy nights, a long wooden house and Grandma Lada, tired from working in the paddy fields, gently brushing the tangles out of her long hair while she sang Mei Li to sleep. She breathed deeply for a moment and closed her eyes. She felt peaceful and quiet, as if the jungle was inside her.

‘Aren’t you listening?’

‘I beg pardon,’ said Mei Li, coming back to earth with a rush. ‘House sounds very good. I like to see one day.’

‘I just invited you to
live
with me,’ Tuff said with a trace of annoyance in her voice. Didn’t the girl realise what a fabulous opportunity she was offering her?

‘Sorry … cannot. I going back home, leaving very soon.’

‘Don’t be a fool. This is a great opportunity. You don’t want to spend your life in a backwater when you could be jetsetting around the world.’

‘Grandma and Granddad need me.’

‘This is where you belong, with me. You’re my daughter. Those people are not your grandparents. They’re not even family.’

What a vile thing to say, thought Mei Li. Her mother didn’t know what she was talking about. Family was more than shared ancestry. All she and her mother shared was a physical resemblance. Whoever Mei Li was, she had learned her beliefs and values from her grandmother. ‘Grandma was the one who was always there for me,’ yelled Mei Li, angry tears spilling onto her flushed cheeks. ‘I had no one and she took me in, clothed, fed and sheltered me. She was my real mother. You gave me life but she loved me.’

‘Get out,’ Tuff screeched, her face distorted with rage. ‘You know what? You’re
borrring.
Open the door. Open the door, yer freak. She’s leaving,’ she yelled to the guard.

Almost immediately the door opened and a prison officer strode into the cell. She put a motherly arm around Mei Li. ‘Your friend is waiting for you in reception. Come with me and I’ll show you out.’

Tuff held back her tears until the key turned in the lock.

An entry in the Protective Custody unit’s journal recorded that the prisoner had a restless night, sobbing and crying out in her sleep.

‘You won’t credit it,’ the night officer told her relief. ‘She’s got a heart, after all. Do you know, she kept the whole wing awake, calling for her daughter?’ Mei Li and
Mummy
… easy to confuse.

A
DELE WAS VEXED
.
Everyone had something exciting to do except her. Madam Ling, who was getting ready to go out, was impatient when she complained about having nothing to do.

‘Why don’t you go for a walk? It’s a lovely day. Who’d have thought it after yesterday’s storm. Take the dogs. You could all do with some exercise,’ said Madam Ling, eyeing the roll of puppy fat above the waistband of her chubby daughter’s lowslung jeans.

Since they’d come to England Adele had refused to wear the pastel pyjamas that made her look like a pretty China doll. Madam Ling would get Adele into more suitable clothes once they were home again, but at the moment she was too preoccupied by her husband’s blatant infidelity to put her foot down about her daughter’s inappropriate get-up.

‘You know I’m scared of dogs,’ protested Adele. She still woke up in the night in a cold sweat after one of her vivid dreams when she was chased by a ferocious black dog, even bigger and more wolf-like than Alpha.

‘Well, read a book or watch a DVD.’

Madame Ling had been looking forward to today; she needed a distraction. Her life had been a nightmare since she’d found out Joe had brought that little whore he’d been running around with for years to England; his shame was her shame too. At least the murderer was found immediately and no suspicion had fallen
on the family, but she’d be glad when they were all safe home in Miri.

She glanced down at the notes she’d made about bidding. Lady Entwistle had been teaching her how to play bridge and she liked it nearly as much as mah-jongg. They’d signed up in a tournament at the Women’s Institute and she wasn’t going to let her moody daughter spoil it for her.

She massaged her face with anti-ageing cream. ‘And don’t bother Mrs Smith. It’s her half-day and she’ll want to get off on time.’ It was strange how the English didn’t have any idea how to manage servants. She would never let a housekeeper dictate to her.

Adele wandered into the kitchen, where Mrs Smith was down on her hands and knees scrubbing the floor. ‘Don’t walk on my clean floor,’ she warned gruffly. She’d spent the whole morning preparing dinner and the kitchen was filled with the smell of grilled pork, chicken soup and steamed castle puddings. Adele looked at the puddings longingly. ‘Don’t even think about it, dear. There’s only just enough for your dinners.’

‘Our cook always makes me special treats like pineapple tart with mango ice cream, not plain boring puddings like you make,’ complained Adele.

Mrs Smith had spent all morning cooking and now she had to go home to make her old man’s dinner. Spoilt little madam, she thought indignantly. Thank goodness they were leaving. She’d be glad to see the back of the whole pack of them.

‘Tell me some other time, dear. I washed those seat covers for Pau. Nasty-smelling things they were too. Take them up to his room, there’s a good girl.’ She picked up her bucket and went into the scullery, banging the door behind her.

Adele didn’t see why she should help Pau out after what he’d said to her. She struggled to carry the heavy lambswool seat covers, still warm from the dryer, up the staircase. Pau had really hurt her feelings. She’d been too ashamed to tell her mother what he said when she’d asked if she could go to the races with him and Clarence. The tears started to prick as she remembered his hurtful words.

‘There isn’t room for you, Fatty,’ he’d said when she’d asked why she couldn’t go with them.

‘I’m not fat, am I, Clarrie?’ she’d asked Clarence, her dimpled chin quivering.

‘Fat? You’re so fat Dad had to buy two airline tickets for you,’ Clarence joked. He winked at his brother and they both laughed when she glared at them.

She dropped the seat covers on the bedroom floor and looked at the clutter in distaste. Clarence and Pau were used to having an army of servants pandering to their every whim, but this wasn’t Miri, and the overstretched housekeeper had neither the time nor inclination to pick up after them. The room the brothers shared looked like a bomb had exploded: clothes were strewn all over the carpet and hanging half out of drawers; and the dressing table, sticky from the gel Pau used on his spiky, multi-coloured hair, was littered with balled tissues, overflowing ashtrays, chewed gum and expensive toiletries. How can they stand to live in such a muddle? Didn’t they notice the smell?

She crossed to the window to let in some fresh air and caught a glimpse of herself in the spotted cheval mirror. She looked at her reflection in dismay. No wonder David liked Mei Li better than her. Tears of self-pity rolled down her cheek. David was Adele’s first love and she spent many long hours daydreaming
about him. In her fantasies she imagined him falling in love with her when she was a grown-up lady, so she had been taken by surprise at dinner when David had proudly announced that he was going to marry her amah.

‘I won’t be going into chambers tomorrow, Pa. Mei Li and I have some things to see to in town,’ he had said without explaining the reason for the trip, guessing Mei Li wouldn’t want everyone speculating about the meeting with her mother.

‘Take as long as you like, dear boy,’ said his father.

‘You’ll have to take me too or you can’t go. Mei Li’s just an amah and she has to do what I say,’ Adele had told him, trying not to cry.

David turned on her angrily. ‘She’s quitting. And don’t let me hear you talk to my fiancée like that again, ever. Is that understood?’

The way he looked at Adele made her feel small and ugly. It wasn’t fair. He’d been
her
friend until Mei Li came along and spoiled everything. She hated the way the two of them had stood there holding hands with silly grins on their faces. She stood at the mirror, willing the tears into her eyes. I hate her … I hate David … I hate Pau and Clarence … I hate them
all.
Smarting from the sting of unreturned love, she threw herself on the closest bed and burst into tears of rage. Then, exhausted by her fit of temper, she fell asleep.

When she woke up she was surprised that only half an hour had passed. Nobody would be home for hours and there was nothing she wanted to do. She looked at the unmade beds with distaste. Tidying up her own room was one of Mei Li’s jobs, and sometimes Adele would help. Once the household jobs were finished her amah was free to do fun things like stringing beads
to make the colourful, intricate necklaces the Dayaks sold in the local market. Maybe if she tidied up the boys’ room they would play with her when they got home.

Competently, Adele smoothed the sheet and plumped up the pillows on Pau’s bed. She picked up, hung or folded their clothes, and put the tops back on their toiletries and lined them up neatly in a row on top of the tall boy. That looked better. Now all she had to do was find a place for the seat covers. She opened the crammed closet; the only possible place they’d fit was on the top shelf. Standing on a chair, she surveyed the luggage distributed haphazardly on the shelf. The bulky seat covers needed more space. If they were to fit she’d have to move a few things around. She pushed one of the suitcases to the side and put an overnight bag on top of it.

She saw something interesting right at the back of the shelf in a corner. She hadn’t noticed the box at first because it had been hidden by the bag. It was made of steel about the size of a shoebox and it felt heavy. She shook it curiously, disappointed because the box was securely locked. She wondered what Pau had in here that he didn’t want anyone to know about. She was excited at the prospect of discovering her brother’s secret. She knew the security box must belong to Pau because she knew all Clarence’s secrets. Back home she snooped in his room all the time and she’d never seen this box among his things.

The numbers on the combination lock ran from nought to nine and there were thousands of possible combinations. But Adele didn’t know that and she began to twirl the numbers randomly. After a while she became confused and looked round for a pen and pad. It was just a matter of being organised. It had to be four numbers, so that ruled out birthdates, car regos and
phone numbers. There’s no rush, she told herself as she wrote down 1-2-3-4. It was just a matter of being patient and she had plenty of time.