In Denial (9 page)

His Cantonese was fluent by the time he was eight and in the Yong household all five of them could discuss anything in either Cantonese or English. They used to drift from language to language, each choosing the word or phrase that was most expressive. Adam and Lucinda were in the same class at the local school and Patrick two years above them. All three children were deemed to be of above average intelligence, the headmistress’s way of saying that they were academically a class above many others. Adam and Lucinda were in the top grades for all subjects and each evening their homework was attended to with great enthusiasm and, what was to be more important, together.

*  *  *

‘
We’re so lucky,’ Joseph told his wife, his arm round her waist as they watched the group of nine, ten and eleven-year olds enjoying themselves. ‘It’s hard to believe that five years ago we were facing possible ruin.’

‘
You never told me that,’ Christina said without taking her eyes off Adam and Lucinda. As usual they were together. They were giving most of their attention to their guests but every now and again they caught each other’s eye, and smiled. Christina was more watchful than Joseph. She was only too aware how close the two children had become and to some extent to the exclusion of Patrick. He was at the party as well, and he too was watching his sister and brother very closely. He’d never said anything to his mother, but she had sensed there was resentment.

‘
I didn’t have to tell you. You knew but you were too tactful to say anything. If the company hadn’t been bought so swiftly we could have gone under very quickly.’ He tightened his grip on Christina’s waist. ‘But we didn’t and thanks to your brilliance we’re now doing as well as we were before.’

This time Christina did look at him. ‘I wouldn’t call it brilliance but I have to admit I am pleased with the way things have gone. I was talking with Peter Walker today and he thinks we’re ready to expand even further. He thinks maybe the time is right for us to move into Europe.’

‘
Did he? Well I think he’s taking too much from you for what he does.’

‘
If accolades are to be handed out then he deserves them. We’ve already staked our claim on Kowloon, Hong Kong and Macao, with Japan next. He says we have sufficient capital to think about expanding even further.’

Joseph waved as he caught Lucinda’s eye. ‘Putting more money in his pocket, you mean.’

‘
And ours.’ Christina took her husband’s arm from around her waist. ‘Just what have you got against Peter? He’s been totally professional in every way. He’s told us where and when to invest, where and when to buy, and he’s taken care of the marketing. In fact without Peter Walker, the number of Colombo Dragons would probably still be just the one.’

‘
It’s not what he’s done for the business that worries me. I admit he’s been, well, very conscientious but you have to admit that we’ve made him a very rich man.’

‘
I would put it another way,’ Christina said. ‘Yes, his bank balance is better than it was but he has kept our heads above water too. Without him we might have had to sell this place.’

Joseph held up his hands. ‘All right, I accept all of that. It’s just that -’

‘
Are you jealous?’

‘
No, I’m not jealous. I respect his abilities, his foresight. It’s -’

Christina took her husband’s hand in hers. ‘The attention he pays me? Is that what it is?’

Joseph looked away. As usual Christina had been able to read his mind. He might not have noticed how close two of his children had become but he’d seen Peter Walker looking at his wife, and not just looking, he’d seen the longing, the challenge.

Only two days ago at a cocktail party to celebrate the launch of yet another of Chok Wah Ho’s supermarkets, he’d seen Peter and Christina laughing and joking with each other. He’d seen the way they looked at each other, the way they exchanged little touches. It was all so innocent for those who didn’t watch as closely as he did but he saw what was happening. Peter Walker wanted his wife and he wasn’t too sure that Christina might not in a moment of weakness give in.

Joseph loved his wife.

Even when they had come up against hostility about their relationship from not just their families but also his supposed friends and work associates, he had tried to explain it away as simple resentment and in some cases jealousy. Some of the resentment had caused long-standing friendships to die, others to turn into open antagonism.

But they had weathered the storm.

To Joseph, Christina was beautiful in every respect. She was the most understanding and intuitive woman he had ever met and she had cared for his every need. When Patrick and then Lucinda were born and he had to share her, she didn’t change. She always put him first. There were times when the children were very young, he would arrive home quite late and find her lying exhausted on top of their bed. Although he would try not to disturb her, invariably she sensed she was not alone and would cook his evening meal and then, while watching him eat, she would listen attentively to what had happened during the day.

Most of the hostility had been purely racial.

She was Sinhalese, he was Chinese and in some people’s eyes the two didn’t mix. However, although some friendships waned and then stopped, others fortunately lasted.

Patrick had inherited a lot of his father’s genes. It was only his nose that suggested he might be of mixed blood. Lucinda, though, was definitely her mother’s daughter. From the day she was born, Christina and Joseph used to stand beside her cot holding hands, and look down at the tiny sleeping figure thinking of the hearts she was going to break in the future. She not only inherited her mother’s colouring and looks but also her temperament. Whereas Patrick was a moody and sometimes a downright disobedient child, Lucinda was compliant and far less troublesome.

By the time Adam came into their lives on a permanent basis, Patrick had, as a direct result of his father’s strictness, also begun to conform. But Joseph was not fooled: underneath the surface there was a time-bomb ticking and one day it would explode. Joseph just prayed that when the time came he would be able to harness the energy and use it rather than let it ruin his, and maybe other people’s, lives.

Peter Walker had appeared on the scene soon after Adam’s adoption, and Joseph had to admit he had worked absolute wonders with Colombo Dragon Enterprises. Peter wasn’t asked to help market the expansion; he suggested it.

He’d taken one of his beautiful, voluptuous female companions to Christina’s first Colombo Dragon restaurant in Granville Circuit off Granville Road. Once they had eaten he asked if the owner was around and if so could he have a word. Christina, eager to monitor early progress was on the premises while Joseph was at home looking after the three children.

‘
Do sit down,’ Walker suggested, standing and holding a chair out for Christina, who in turn eyed cautiously the Chinese woman on the other side of the table. Although they smiled sweetly at each other, it was very evident that Christina’s invitation to join them hadn’t been a mutual decision.

‘
Thank you,’ Christina said, visibly uncomfortable.

‘
Let me do the introductions. My name is Peter Walker and I have a public relations-cum-sales and marketing company up in Mongkok. This is Sun Sat Ping, or Sunnie as she prefers to be called, my advertising secretary.’

Christina exchanged a fingertip handshake with Peter Walker but just nodded at the other woman, whom she immediately decided was anything but an advertising secretary. For a start she was probably no more than eighteen or nineteen and although the cheongsam she was wearing did suggest she was in public relations, it was undoubtedly not the branch of public relations Peter Walker had described.

‘
My name is Christina Yong. What can I do for you, Mr Walker?’

‘
It is hopefully what I can do for you.’

‘
And what might that be?’

‘
I sense a smidgen of hostility in your voice.’ He clicked his fingers at a passing waiter and Christina was pleased to see that Kai didn’t bat an eyelid.

‘
Sir?’

‘
A bottle of your best champagne and it had better be cold.’

‘
We would not dream of serving it any other way, sir.’ Kai stole a look at Christina who nodded as she allowed a slight smile to play on her lips.

‘
I should think not.’

Kai went away.

‘
Now … Christina Yong, that’s an interesting name. It’s rather obvious you’re neither Chinese nor European, so, if it’s not too impertinent, may I ask where your names come from?’

‘
It is impertinent but I’ll tell you anyway. Yong is my married name. Navarajasingham was my maiden name and Christina was added when I married my husband Joseph, to keep you Europeans happy.’

Peter Walker laughed but Sunnie remained expressionless. ‘You know, Christina, I think you and I are going to get on well together, very well indeed.’

‘
And what makes you think we’re going to get on at all?’

Just as he was about to reply Kai returned with the champagne, three flutes and an ice bucket. He expertly allowed the cork to leave the bottle with a slight pop. He filled two of the flutes but looked at his boss before filling the third.

‘
Cheers!’ Peter Walker said, reaching across the table and clicking the other two glasses with his. ‘Here’s to a profitable future.’

Christina took a sip from her glass. ‘Mr Walker, this restaurant has been open barely three months. I’m very busy and although I wouldn’t be so rude as to ignore my customers, I do have other things to do. As you can see the restaurant is full and there are other people I should be attending to.’

‘
More important than me, you mean?’

Christina looked at Sunnie who was already over half way through her champagne. ‘Probably, yes.’

Peter Walker laughed. ‘You’ll change your mind once you hear what I have to say.’

‘
I’ll be the one to decide whether I change my mind or not, Mr Walker.’ She put her flute on the table. ‘Now, what do you have to say?’

‘
I like directness.’ The smile disappeared when he saw Christina’s expression change to one of annoyance. ‘Sorry,’ he added holding up his hand. ‘I came this evening because your restaurant was recommended to me and secondly because the name intrigued me. Colombo Dragon is an interesting but simple combination and I presume, as with your cuisine, the idea was to bring together Chinese and Sri Lankan cultures.’

Christina watched him for a moment. ‘That was the general idea but I still don’t see -’

‘
Christina … may I call you Christina?’

‘
That is my name.’

‘
Peter.’ He smiled. ‘I like what I see, Christina, and I think - no I know - that we can do each other a number of favours.’

‘
Such as?’ She noticed that Sunnie was yawning and looking around the restaurant at the other customers.

‘
Expansion and consolidation.’

‘
Sounds like a contradiction to me.’ Christina slowly sipped her champagne, trying to hide the sudden interest Peter Walker had generated in her. Since marrying Joseph she’d been the dutiful wife and mother. She hadn’t objected to either role but she felt very frustrated at times, wanting to, but not openly admitting, she would have given anything to become involved with Harrison, Pennington and Yong Inc.

She had to bite her tongue on many occasions when she could so easily have put the right words into her husband’s mouth. The deaths of two of the partners, although most regrettable, gave her the opportunity she had always wanted. Joseph had recognised in her the need to do something and she had grasped the prospect with open arms and mind.

*  *  *

Three months earlier her first Colombo Dragon was launched with great ceremony. Her first night was for very special invited guests and not just ones she thought might spread the word. It was a great success and the reaction to the hot buffet which provided the best of Sri Lankan and Chinese cuisines was a tumultuous success. The accolades were still being rung when at nearly two o’clock in the morning she closed the doors on the last of their guests.

‘
Well,’ Joseph had said, taking her in his arms, ‘could you have asked for anything more?’

‘
It was free. Tomorrow evening will be the acid test.’

She need not have worried. By eleven o’clock the following morning every table was fully booked for the first week and into the next. Word had certainly got around very quickly and the response was beyond her wildest dreams.

‘
I can’t believe it,’ she exclaimed, clapping her hands together.

Joseph beamed at her. ‘You make me feel like an amateur.’

Christina sensed that her immediate success should be tempered with an understanding that her businessman husband would have to feel involved. She clasped his hands in hers. ‘Without you, darling, none of this would have been possible,’ she told him. ‘It was your foresight that saw the possibility.’