Free SQ 04 - The English Concubine by Dawn Farnham

legally in 1829, Governor, but it has not put an end to its practice. It goes on unabated and gives rise to bribery of my policemen who, being so poorly paid, succumb to such corruption. The vice is not checked, but being clandestine it is pursued with even greater ardour. As it stands, sir, the interdict on gambling makes a good police force impossible and the moral mischief might be better dealt with were it not concealed. If we tax opium, surely gambling is no greater an evil.’
    ‘Well, well. All this is most interesting.’
    Robert waited for further illuminating words to issue from the governor’s mouth but he seemed to be ruminating on an entirely different matter.
    ‘Well, well. So this young Temenggong calls us his tax collectors does he? Perhaps the competition might be raised if we split the farms. We would no longer be his personal tax collectors then, eh, what, what.’
    Cavenagh looked at the men around the room.
    Robert frowned. The governor’s mind seemed to hop about more often than his leg.
    ‘Sir, that might not be wise.’
    ‘And why, sirra?’ said Cavenagh, rubbing his left thigh.
    ‘It is likely that both the farmers would aim at smuggling in chandu to the others’ domains in order to undermine their rivals. It has happened before. Sir, I have a police force of fourteen officers and three hundred and eighty men in a town of over fifty thousand Chinese.’
    ‘Well, that is another matter,’ said Blackwood and smiled at the governor. ‘We lease the farm, and the farmer organises himself and his security. With the extra revenue, in any case, there may be money to increase the police force by a jemadar and a couple of peons, enough for more country stations.’
    ‘Yes, indeed,’ Cavenagh said. ‘And we shall take this prince down a peg or two. Let him gather his own revenues. We shall see what throwing open the bidding can do. We will take offers for the Singapore farm and this young sultan must offer his farm for what he might get and pay us thirty percent.’
    ‘He’ll not agree, Governor,’ said Robert.
    ‘Then he will have to settle for what we give him, won’t he. Perhaps it will deter him from war mongering.’
    The governor rose, rubbing his thigh. His face had shut down. It was clear he was in pain.
    ‘This meeting is at an end, sirs. Send Abu Bakar a letter and we shall see.’

8
    The ship loomed large as the boatman drew near. HMS Valiant was a man-of-war, bristling with cannon. Admiral Hope had arrived and soon the fleet would depart for Hong Kong.
    A week ago she would not, out of respect for Zhen, have thought to come to this ship no matter what her own wishes might have been. But his dismissive attitude had been followed by total silence. She had written once but had received no reply. For that week she had turned around her house and garden, played with Lily and fretted about him.
    The only person she had permitted to visit was Teresa for she deserved a friend, and Andrew came to play with Lily. As much as Charlotte tried to stay out of this dispute between her brother and his wife, she was not permitted to do so. She could offer little in the way of advice or guidance but Teresa had talked and she had listened. Sometimes, between women, a sympathetic and sensible ear is sufficient to offer a transitory relief from care.
    On the seventh day, she felt a slow anger burn inside her. He had said they may not come together for months, but this silence, this was hurtful. He had not written to her nor attempted to see Lily. It felt like he was punishing her for nothing when his absence was punishment enough.
    A wicker armchair was winched over the side and in this rather ungainly but quite enjoyable manner she was brought aboard.
    Edmund was waiting. She was piped into his company and the crew, lined up in formation, saluted her. It was all rather wonderful and she felt a thrill. Edmund had arranged the most military and rousing welcome for her. He knew the effect of such