The Pearl of Penang by Clare Flynn (best books to read for students txt) 📗

to tell you next. And Jasmine. But as you say, it’s finding the right moment. And it’s still quite early. Less than twelve weeks, the doctor says.’

Mary glanced at her friend’s stomach. ‘Certainly no sign of it yet.’

‘Looks like I’m going to have get ready for a conversation with Jasmine about the birds and the bees.’

‘Not the horse’s mouth!’

‘No, not the horse’s mouth. Gosh, don’t children grow up quickly these days?’

‘They feed off each other’s curiosity. But it’s probably best to tell them as little as possible. Preserve their innocence as long as we can.’

‘So, what do you think I should do?’

‘Nothing. Jasmine will probably have forgotten soon. Maybe when it starts to look obvious you can tell her the baby’s in there. But she’s far too young to be told how it got there.’

Evie laughed. ‘Oh goodness me! I certainly wouldn’t go that far - she’s only recently turned eight!’

Dragging Jasmine and Penny away from the pools was quite a challenge, but Mary was keen to get most of the drive back to the ferry done before it fell dark. The little girls chattered away in the back seat and to Evie’s relief, there was no further mention of babies.

After about an hour in the car, Jasmine announced that she needed to go to the lavatory.

‘I told you to go while we were in the changing rooms. There’s nowhere around here. You’ll just have to hold on, darling,’ said Evie.

‘I didn’t need to go then but I’m desperate now.’

‘You drank too much pop.’

‘Please Mummy! I don’t want to wet myself.’

They were passing through a kampong and there were many Malays about.

‘Once we’re out of the village I’ll try and find a place to stop and you can go behind a tree.’ Mary glanced over her shoulder at the little girl.

Just then, Evie saw a sign at the roadside. Batu Lembah. Barrington Rubber. ‘Turn off here, Mary. It’s my husband’s estate. We can call in and Jasmine can use the bathroom. Better than having to go by the roadside.’

Mary swung the car onto the gravel track. ‘Looks like the bungalow and offices are over there,’ she said. ‘It’s good we don’t have to go far.’

A few hundred yards ahead, the rubber trees gave way to a padang that Evie guessed was where the musters were held. A line of wooden dwellings ran along each side of the open grassy area, and just beyond was a small building raised above the ground in the traditional Malay style, with a veranda running around it and stairs leading up to the open front door. It had a shabby air of neglect.

Mary parked the car at the side of the house and Evie and Jasmine jumped out. ‘We’ll only be a few moments. I won’t hold us up,’ said Evie. Thinking better of it, she added, ‘Tell you what. Why don’t I get the housekeeper to make us some tea before I go? You can meet my husband.’

Mary flicked the ignition off and she and Penny followed them out of the car.

Jasmine was already running up the steps, excited at the unexpected chance to see her father. Evie followed close behind her.

Douglas didn’t notice them at first. He was sitting at the table, his head turned towards the woman standing behind him. Bare to the waist and shoeless, he was wearing a sarong and the woman was massaging his neck and shoulders.

Evie froze on the threshold as Jasmine cannoned across the room, bouncing up and down. ‘Daddy, Daddy, I need the bathroom. I’m bursting and I’m going to wet myself.’

Doug’s head whipped round and his face signalled shock at seeing his wife and daughter.

Behind Evie, Mary reached the top of the steps and, taking in the significance of the scene immediately, she grabbed Penny’s hand and led her back to the car, hissing to the girl to be quiet, as she started to protest.

Doug flicked his head sideways to the Malayan woman and spoke to her rapidly in her own language. The only words Evie recognised were bilk mandi, which she remembered meant bathroom. The woman was slight, with delicate features, waist-length hair and of an indeterminate age, although Evie guessed she was older than she appeared. Feeling her knees buckle and her throat dry up, Evie watched, mute, as the woman took Jasmine’s hand and led her out of the room.

Evie’s eyes swept around the room. It was spartan – barely furnished apart from the table, on which were the unwashed dishes from an interrupted meal. Behind her husband, she glimpsed an unmade bed through an open doorway. She felt the bile rise in her throat. Her hands flew to her mouth as her body began to shake. Leaning back against the door frame, she tried to gather her thoughts. How was this happening? How could he? Like a punch in the stomach, her world and everything she believed in crashed around her. No! Oh God, no!

Douglas said nothing, staring at her in shocked silence.

She hissed at him, ‘I don’t want that woman near our daughter.’ She stumbled along the corridor where she found the woman waiting outside the closed bathroom door. Pushing her out of the way, Evie opened the door and found Jasmine inside pulling up her knickers. She waited, numb and in shock as the little girl dipped the dipper into the large Shanghai jar, poured it into the ceramic wash bowl and washed her hands.

‘Come on, darling. Do hurry up.’ She tried to keep the emotion out of her voice but realised she was almost croaking.

‘Miss Helston always says we must wash our hands when we go to the lavatory.’ Then, ‘Why are you crying, Mummy? What’s the matter?’

Her step-daughter’s lip was trembling so Evie forced herself to breathe deeply and gather her composure. ‘I’m not crying, darling. I’ve just got something in my eye. We need to go right away as Miss Helston doesn’t like driving in the dark and we don’t want to miss the ferry.’

Expecting Jasmine