“That spoiled brat sent you as her errand girl?” Father was steaming mad, but trying not to take it out on me.

“She had to go meet her new in-laws,” I squeaked.

“Why did you let her do this to you?” he said. “You should have more pride. Let Emily do her own dirty work.”

“She knew you’d be upset with her.”

“And now you’ve come to take her punishment. You’re a fool, Violet. So is your sister, but not in the same way.”

I bowed my head.

“Hilda Selwyn-Clarke was here this afternoon with some news. It seems Dr Selwyn-Clarke and Professor Ride think you are talented. They’ve found a scholarship to cover your dormitory fees at HKU. You’ll have to wait for a space to open up, but once it does, you can live there and concentrate on your studies. You can acculturate yourself more deeply into the life of the university as a medical person.”

He didn’t say, And get yourself out of that decaying Chinese house where no one knows what time it is. Where no one knows what part of history they are supposed to inhabit. But I understood him. Perhaps he was right.

“I don’t know,” I said.

“Think about it, Violet. Only if you decide to go, remember to come to the Kimblewick on the weekends to visit your lonely old father and learn how to run a company. Dream Horse will be yours when I’m gone.”

“What? But I’m the second child. And I will be a doctor. You should leave it to the eldest, Emily.”

“You think I’m going to leave my estate to the son of Cheung Chiu-Wai? My mortal enemy? Have you lost your mind?”

“Of course not. I—”

“And when you see that traitorous sister of yours, tell her to bring me her shameful news herself.”

CHAPTER 8DINNER AT TAI HANG

July 8, 1937

The water got choppier as they motored in the direction of Tai Hang Village, where Cheung’s family had relocated from Wong Nai Chung Village in 1920 after a massive typhoon—all except his mother, who to this day refused to leave, and his sister, who’d stayed behind to look after her. Because the family wouldn’t give up the Wong Nai Chung house, Cheung had had to pay for the house at Tai Hang that they otherwise would have been given in compensation by the colonial government. Fortunately, there was the compensation money Old Mah had paid out after Cheung’s father’s death. It wasn’t enough for a very big house, but there was enough space for him, his wife Yim-Fong, and their two sons. There was also enough room for his mother and sister to squeeze in, if only they would come.