White Tiger

Leo’s smile was full of misery.

‘Okay,’ I said. ‘I don’t completely believe you, but that’s beside the point. The point is that there are people out there who want to kidnap this delightful little girl and we saw some of them this evening. There are people after her and she needs someone to care for her.’ I swiped my hand through the air. ‘All of this god stuff doesn’t matter. Simone’s safety and happiness is the most important thing.’

Leo and Ms Kwan shared a look. ‘Impressive,’ Ms Kwan said softly.

‘He was worried you’d resign after this evening, like all the others did. And then Simone would be heartbroken,’ Leo said.

‘No way will I ever leave Simone as long as she needs me.’ Then I heard what he’d said. ‘Others? How many others?’

‘At least fifteen in the twelve months before you arrived,’ Leo said. ‘He’d just about given up when you came on part-time. When the others saw the weapons they were scared away. You’re the first to find out who he really is.’

‘Leo, do you think he’ll teach me? I’d really like to learn the martial arts.’

‘I dunno, Emma, it’s up to him. But I think it’s a good idea. The more of us who are trained, the better we can defend Simone. You should ask him.’

‘I did,’ I said. ‘He said no, definitely not, and never to ask again.’

Leo glanced sharply at Ms Kwan.

‘Leave it for now then,’ Ms Kwan said. ‘I will talk to him.’

‘Any questions?’ Leo said.

‘A million, but right now I think I’ll just wait and see. I’m not completely convinced, but I’m willing to stay on for Simone’s sake.’

‘Let’s go and tell him then,’ Leo said. ‘He’ll be delighted.’

Mr Chen was sitting on one of the sofas with some Chinese tea on a side table next to him. Simone was busily drawing pictures of the Eiffel Tower, her drawing equipment spread all over the floor.

‘Will you stay, Emma?’ Mr Chen said.

‘Yes, I will.’

‘Thank you. You’re very brave.’

I shook my head. ‘No. I’m completely crazy.’

He made a soft sound of amusement, then nodded towards Simone. ‘Simone’s bedtime now, please.’

I stopped in front of Mr Chen. He was dressed all in black as usual, a scruffy T-shirt and a pair of torn cotton pants. His feet were comfortably bare and his long hair had already come out of its tie.

He saw the way I was looking at him. ‘Don’t worry,’ he said. ‘I’m not going to grow three heads any time soon.’

Ms Kwan sat in the armchair next to him and he poured her some tea. ‘Four heads, a hundred arms and a thousand eyes,’ she said.

‘Maybe only two heads,’ he said. ‘I keep forgetting. It’s been a very long time now.’

‘Two heads again soon, I am sure, Ah Wu.’

‘Not too soon,’ he said, and they laughed quietly together.

‘I am going to do some research on Xuan Wu the minute we’re back in Hong Kong,’ I said defiantly.

He seemed surprised, then grinned broadly. ‘Go right ahead.’ He crossed his arms over his chest and stretched his long legs in front of him. ‘Seventy-five per cent of what’s out there about me is wrong anyway.’ He gestured with his teacup towards Simone. ‘Bedtime, Simone.’

‘Come on, Simone,’ I said.

‘I don’t wanna go to bed. I wanna draw with Aunty Kwan.’

‘You have to go to bed now if you want us to take you to Tuileries tomorrow,’ Leo said from the dining room door.

Simone leapt up and grabbed my hand. ‘Hurry up, Emma.’

I could feel Mr Chen’s eyes on my back as I led Simone out. I turned. He was watching me, intently. When he saw me looking, he smiled and met my eyes. Something leapt inside me and I slapped it down, hard.

CHAPTER TEN (#ulink_2a6148cf-ca2a-5c62-a944-a22058f958d1)

We walked over the Pont Neuf towards Notre Dame. Simone still had boundless energy and skipped beside us.

The forecourt of the cathedral was packed with tourists from all over the world and there was a long queue curling out from the main entrance.

‘Do you want to go inside?’ I asked Simone. ‘There’s a lot of people waiting.’

‘Notre Dame’s boring,’ she said, and slowed to grab Leo’s hand. ‘Come on, Leo.’ She dragged him across the road towards some three-storey stone buildings around a gated forecourt. Wigged and gowned lawyers walked up and down the stairs. I checked my mini map of Paris: the Justice Building.

‘What are we doing here?’ I said, but they ignored me and I had to hurry to keep up with them.

We went around the corner to where a tiny, dingy chapel nestled under the walls of the office buildings. I checked my map again: Saint Chapelle.

The queue wasn’t as long as the one for Notre Dame. Simone stopped jiggling and stood quietly while we paid the entry fees.

Inside, it wasn’t very impressive. The ceiling was quite low, and there was only a small amount of stained glass.

‘The rose windows are nice,’ I said. ‘Do you want to take a photo?’

‘No,’ Simone said and pulled Leo to the back of the chapel. A curving set of very narrow stairs led upwards. As Simone dragged Leo up the stairs his broad shoulders brushed against the walls, adding to the sheen of many bodies that had been there before.

When we reached the upper chapel the beauty of the interior took my breath away. The ceiling towered above us, with narrow stained-glass windows between the even narrower stone buttresses. The windows extended from ceiling to floor in a glittering dazzle of colours. They were like insubstantial glowing curtains between the fragile stonework of the walls.

A horseshoe of benches had been set up in the centre of the chapel to allow visitors a good view of the stained glass. Simone released Leo’s hand, sat herself on one of the benches and spent ten minutes silently staring at the windows.

A group of young tourists walked past us and Leo watched them carefully. I caught his attention and raised my eyebrows. He shook his head slightly.

Simone hopped off the bench and dragged us down the stairs again.

‘We have to be back at Ms Kwan’s soon,’ I said. ‘Anywhere else you want to go before we leave for London?’

‘Do I have time to go to Boulevard Haussmann and buy some stuff?’ Simone said. ‘I like the shops there.’