Seduction

Chapter Two

Relena sat in the deeply upholstered barouche* inhaling the scent of leather and wax polish. She looked out at the strange and unfamiliar landscape. Beside her sat her mother, pale and thin. Mrs Darlian's eyes were closed and at first glance Relena thought that she was asleep. But then she caught the frown that marred her mother's normally smooth brow and noted the hands clenched together on her lap and knew that she was not asleep, but in some discomfort. Relena reached out a hand and touched her mother's in concern and received back a squeeze of reassurance. Mrs Darlian did not open her eyes.

Across from Mrs and Miss Darlian sat the Minister, Rev. Darlian who was also watching his wife closely. Relena noted that her father was avoiding all eye contact with herself and Relena felt an uncomfortable sense of foreboding. She was uncertain as to why he had been avoiding her of late but suspected it was because her mother's illness was more serious than he thought she supposed. The Minister was a kind-hearted man and Relena knew it would be just like him to spare her from the truth. However, Relena had suspected that her mother's illness was most serious for some time; why else would her father give up his much loved ministry in China.

Rev. Darlian was a member of the London Missionary Society** and in his youth had been impressed by the non-denominational society's policy of spreading the Christian faith and peace around the world. The turning point in his life had been when he had met Robert Morrison*** through the society. They had found they had similar ideals and had, along with their families, travelled to China in 1807 with the intention of setting up a mission. Rev. Darlian had been determined to translate the Bible into Chinese and he had achieved this goal with the help of the man who was currently sitting at his side.

Chang Wufei had come to the attention of the Minister and his wife at an early age. He was one of the orphans attending the school attached to the mission. Wufei was a fierce child but once his trust was gained very loyal. He took a special liking to the very young Relena and would chase off older and bigger children when they started to taunt Relena because of her yellow hair. To Relena he was her elder brother, protective and with a keen sense of what was right and what was wrong. Because of the kindness that he showed to a little girl the Darlian's invited him into their home and over time they considered him their son.

Wufei had been one of the first to attend the Anglo-Chinese college that the Darlians helped to set up in Malacca, had been the first to be baptised and had gone on to help Morrison and Darlian compile a Chinese dictionary. Eventually Wufei decided to dedicate his life to protecting the weak by following his adopted father's footsteps by studying to become a clergyman. No one was more proud than Rev. Darlian when Wufei was ordained. When the Darlian's decided to return to England they had persuaded Wufei to return with them to work with Rev. Darlian as his Curate. There was an element of danger in him remaining in China, Rev. Darlian could see the tide turning against the British as the Emperor became more and more disgruntled with the opium trade.

Relena studied Wufei as he watched the landscape that had claimed her attention earlier. She felt sympathy for him. As much as she felt out of place travelling through the English countryside, it must be so much more difficult for him. He was the one who attracted all the stares when they disembarked at Portsmouth on their arrival from China, and he would always stand out as different no matter how British he acted. It might now be Relena's turn to protect Wufei from unkind taunts.

Wufei looked in her direction and she smiled at him, a wistful smile that tried to convey all the reassurance and empathy she could muster. He acknowledged her attention by nodding but made no comment. Relena understood. Whilst England was a strange place to them both, she was returning to her home country whilst he had little prospect of returning to his.

Relena sighed. There was so much grief in this return to England. She turned her attention to the countryside again. It was so strange to her. The rolling down lands, the narrow lanes bordered with their green hedgerows, villages whose houses were so close to the roads that Relena could catch glimpses of the interiors as they went past, villages whose houses grew progressively larger with each new story so that they hung lurching over the street. How unlike the ordered architecture of Malacca, where buildings were constructed on the principal of balance and symmetry.

Relena knew little about the area that they were heading towards. Her parents had been spare with what details they had given her. She knew they were going to live in the county where her parents had lived in before joining the Mission and that their new living was in the gift of the Marquise of Zechs, Millardo Peacecraft. Relena also knew that Millardo had won renown in the on going war against Napoleon and that Millardo had recently married the Lady Lucrezia Noin, a daughter of a fellow officer. The newly weds had met at Court and Millardo had apparently been smitten with his lady and had asked her father for her hand in marriage the day after they had first been introduced.

This led Relena to the conclusion that Millardo was an impetuous sort and she worried about the long-term security of her father's new post. Reverend Darlian interrupted her musing.

"Look Relena, Wufei!" he gestured out the windows towards a small but distinctive white chalk cliff they were passing. The road wound along its base and the ground to the left gently sloped down to a small river. "That is the River Ooze." He announced a smile on his face "We are over halfway there. Goodness me, how the roads have improved since our departure from England. I read about Macadamised roads****, but I scarcely believed that they would more than half our journey time." He looked towards his wife again and concern returned to his face. "Shall we stop at the next inn, my dear?" he asked.

Mrs Darlian had opened her eyes at his exclamation and had been looking out at the countryside with a small smile on her face. She now looked at her husband and nodded silently, gratitude in her eyes.

The coach slowed as it travelled down the High Street of a small town, then came to a halt outside an inn. Relena looked at it closely as she disembarked from the carriage. A long building, it was two stories in height, it's front neatly plastered and whitewashed. On closer inspection it appeared to have been two buildings made into one as there were two front doors, one much more impressive that the other. A large wooden sign swung over the door.

"Red Lyon" Relena read aloud. Her father stood beside her, his arm through his wife's giving her support.

"Yes, a fine inn." He said walking in front of her through the door. "Been an inn ever since the seventeenth century. Occasionally used to come here as a lad and enjoy a pint or two. In my day it was used as the magistrates' court, but I do not know if that is still the practice."

Relena followed him into the building, listening to her father reminisce as she walked. Her father delivered her mother into the comfort of an upholstered high-backed chair close to the fire and went to seek the landlord to order some food and drink. Relena sat opposite her mother with Wufei beside her and looked around the interior of the inn. It was dark and a little smoky, from both the fire and some gentlemen who were smoking pipes. Although there were large sash windows to the front of the building, the room was deep and the light did not penetrate far. The walls were lined with wooden panels dark with age, and the floors were bare wooden boards that made footsteps echo noisily.

Relena felt Wufei stiffen beside her and noted that he was now staring at the fire in blank determination, his hand straying to his coat pocket where Relena knew him to keep his Bible. Relena suspected that he was once again the object of scrutiny because of his oriental features. Whether he was seeking comfort from the good book or trying to remind himself to turn the other cheek she did not know. She looked around her and found that she and her mother were also the object of some amusement by the local people. Relena had supposed that she would no longer be subject to stares now that she was back in her native country and was confused until her mother spoke up.

"My dear, you must not be embarrassed." Mrs Darlian said in her soft calm voice "But I am afraid that you and I are rather behind times as far as the current fashions go."

Relena was startled at this observation, then realised that the maids that were serving in the inn were wearing very light dresses, the waists oddly high so they were directly under their breasts. Relena glanced down at her own very plain grey woollen dress with full gathered skirts, the waistline sitting on her natural waist.

"I believe that we may need to purchase some more clothes when we get to our destination." Mrs Darlian continued "Otherwise we will create too much attention for ourselves." She smiled "It will be most pleasant to have some new clothes, don't you think my dear?"

Relena nodded her agreement wondering whether or not such a gown as the maids wore would be comfortable with such a high waist. Her eyes followed a maid's progress across the floor of the inn, before they came to rest on a table not far from her own. Two gentlemen were sitting at the table having just finished a meal. Both were richly dressed in silk with fine white linen shirts and neckties knotted in elaborate bows. One was distinctive because his hair was extremely long, longer than any mans she had seen before, his face cheerful, his eyes almost twinkling in merriment as he drank his wine and talked to his companion.

Relena's gaze went to the other gentleman and she caught her breath as she found herself looking straight into the most beautifully coloured Prussian blue eyes. But what made it difficult for Relena to breath was the coldness of those eyes as they stared back at her. Never before had Relena found someone's gaze so disturbing.

* barouche ñ large four passenger carriage pulled by four horses

** London Missionary Society was founded in 1795

*** Robert Morrison (1782-1834) was in China from 1807 until his death and did compile a Chinese dictionary and translate the bible.

**** Invention of John MacAdam, basically putting a surface of broken stone on the road. Prior to 1815 the roads were unsurfaced and so became very rutted and full of potholes.