Under the Sign of the Swastika

[Mr. Handy]

"Not everyone is cut out to be a chef, dear," says Elisabeth. "I'm sure Mr. Feng has other useful talents, but cooking is not amongst them."

[Tabs]

Posie favours Elisabeth with a disbelieving look; Mingzhu laughs. "Look here," says the little girl eventually, "the one I prepared earlier,"--she lifts a cover to reveal a hot plate with omelette --"is edible."

Mingzhu takes a tiny bite. "It's okay, surprisingly!" Posie thumps playfully at Aunty M. "Shall we get dressed for dinner?" asks Mingzhu excitedly, thinking about her new dress.

[Mr. Handy]

"Oh, yes, let's!" says Elisabeth, thinking about her own dress. "We'd look rather silly if we showed up in what we're wearing now."

[aine]

Santiago pointedly looks at his watch but says nothing about it. "Well, meet here as soon as you are ready." He goes for a quick wash in the yard and gets dressed in his new clothes. He is very glad to see that the Chinese tailor has done a fine job - as far as he can see for there are no mirrors that he can find in the rustic compound. Once dressed, he has a quick look over the new expedition gear while he waits for the girls; he can hear excited and happy laughter coming from their room.

[Tabs]

Upstairs, the women get ready--

Mingzhu presses the fabric of the he dress between her thumb and forefinger, "Oh, what lovely material!"

Posie slips on a white, cotton frock which has "Han" purple motifs printed on it. She frowns: "I'm covered in blue spots!"

[Mr. Handy]

"They remind me of polka dots," says Elisabeth as she changes into her own dress. "Sort of like the ones on my bathing suit. If that outfit is not to your liking, I'm sure we can find something else. By the way, I met a shopkeeper today, a Mr. Zhongshan. He practices a martial art called Tai Chi, where you use elegant and fluid moves to defend yourself. He has offered to teach us the basics of it, starting tomorrow morning. Would you like to come learn it with me? You'd have to wake up early, but it should be fun. There's also a little boy that he looks after there. He's a mischievous little scamp!"

[Tabs]

"Like your bathing suit," responds Posie, smiling happily and looking into the distance, "in that case I'll wear it."

Mingzhu ties a scarlet ribbon round her slim waist. "The spots are tiny Chinese characters, they say 'Good luck' a thousand times over."

"Really!" she says. Posie answers Elisabeth regarding the martial arts class: "Yes, I would love to learn Tea Chives; but I'm unsure about this boy--in my experience they are horrid creatures!"

~

Santiago checks their gear, he is aware of Jian's approach and that he is holding an alpenstock. "Your friend, the doctor, left this behind."

[Mr. Handy]

"Well, this one can be horrid," says Elisabeth. "He tried to nick Santiago's wallet, but he caught him." She smiles with the memory. "Mr. Zhongshan is the closest thing the boy has to a father, and he's trying to discipline him, but it isn't easy." She adjusts her dress and twirls around, its skirt billowing up a little as she does so. "How do I look?"

[aine]

Santiago takes the alpenstock and hefts it in his hands, feeling its weight and missing his friend keenly. "Thankyou Jian. Did Dr Renwick say anything about where he was going or why?"

[Tabs]

"Well, I suppose he deserves a chance," thinks Posie aloud.



"You look beautiful, Elisabeth. Let's go downstairs."


~


Jian is holding an alpenstock . . . and a rucksack.




"No, nothing," replies Jian, "though he didn't look happy. That woman, Ms. Lamarr, seemed to have him on a 'tight leash'--I think that is the phrase."

[Mr. Handy]

Elisabeth leads the way, striding downstairs with confidence and joy. I can't wait for Santiago to see me in this dress, she thinks. I'm as giddy as a schoolgirl! Hah! Not that long ago, I was a schoolgirl!

[aine]

"I knew it! That woman is up to something! Poor Henry, he's no match for her, we must find him. Jian, did they say where they were headed? Did they go by car or train?" Santiago paces up and down like a caged leopard.

[Tabs]

Elisabeth strides down the stairs and into the room with Santiago and Jian; she hears the conversation regarding Renwick and Caroline.

"I guess they'd leave by train," says Jian, "but there are none until the morning."

So has come into room, carrying a sheaf of pamphlets. "Excepting the overnight train for goods and produce."

[Mr. Handy]

Elisabeth's face falls as she hears the discussion. "What have I missed?" she asks. "Has Caroline...kidnapped Dr. Renwick? But why would she want him, apart from the obvious reason?"

[aine]

Santiago sees Elizabeth and his pacing comes to an abrupt halt. "You look... beautiful. I hadn't, I suppose we haven't, don't l..." Santiago gives up on what he's trying to say and instead walks over and takes Elizabeth's hands, he kisses her knuckles gently. "It's been rather rough hasn't it? I'm sorry. You do brush up well though!" He grins mischievously and then turns serious.

"Look, Henry left these behind." He shows Elizabeth the alpenstock and opens the rucksack to look inside. "There's no way there's anything romantic between Henry and Caroline Lamarr. And why would they leave in the middle of the night in such a hurry? Something is up. So, what time does the goods train depart?"

[Mr. Handy]

Elisabeth blushes and gives Santiago a kind smile. "Thank you, darling," she says. "Being with you has helped me get through everything that's happened." She examines Henry's abandoned possessions, deep in thought. "Perhaps Caroline wanted Henry for his skills as a doctor. I can think of a reason why a woman such as her might want one. But why leave town on a train? He could have done what she wants here with nobody the wiser. Unless it's not for her but for someone else. And how did she get him to accompany her? Could she have blackmailed him?"

[Tabs]

Santiago opens the rucksack and finds a crumpled shirt atop several items.

"You do remember," says Mingzhu, "that none of us had any possessions when we arrived?"

So says: "The goods train stops at 3 in the morning, it offloads vegetables for the market."

[Mr. Handy]

"You're right!" gasps Elisabeth. "I had quite forgotten. So where did these things come from?"

[aine]

Santiago looks to see if the shirt and other items are Henry's or someone elses. He wonders if Henry might have left a clue. "You must be right, Henry would only leave to help someone in dire need. We could drop Mingzhu and Posie back here after dinner and check out the goods yard later."

[Mr. Handy]

"Yes, I think that would be for the best," says Elisabeth, examining the objects in the sack. She's glad that he's not excluding her from this. While she'd understand if he felt protective towards her, she knows that she'd be the best person to talk to Caroline if they found her and get to the bottom of it all.