Ada was dying for him to propose. Felix was an ideal match. He would be able to support and protect her from any adversity.

He would even be able to deal with Daniel Bernard, Ada thought proudly.

4

Ada came up with a plan: she would convince Felix to emigrate with her to the United States. Betty had told her where she could get hold of a couple of U.S. passports stolen by stewards working on the cruise ships. With these, it would be easy for them to sail to Mexico, where nobody checked documents very carefully. After that, it would just be a question of starting a business in a frontier town, which would then give her and Felix the right to cross the U.S. border and settle wherever they wanted.

Ada decided to find and sell the Avro and use the money to buy their passage to America. She was sure Felix would agree to her idea, but couldn’t think how she would explain to him her property rights on the airplane. What if Felix became jealous of Daniel Bernard? Or even worse, began to suspect that she was involved in her master’s crimes?

She couldn’t put things off any longer, and one day when Felix was walking her back to the House of Hope, she asked him what his plans for the future were.

His silence and hesitation were so long that Ada began to fear that he didn’t want to marry her at all.

“I didn’t want to scare you but I must tell you the truth,” he said. “Very soon there’s going to be a war here, in China.”

Ada looked at him dumbfounded. “Why?”

“In the south, the Kuomintang nationalists are conspiring with the Russian Bolsheviks and Chinese communists. They have joined forces to create the NRA, the National Revolutionary Army, and this summer they are planning to advance north to take over China and destroy the foreign concessions.”

“Shanghai is much too big for them to handle—” Ada began, but Felix raised his hand to stop her.

“Here in Shanghai, the local people are waiting for the NRA in the hope that they will free them from the evil ‘white ghosts’ for good. As soon as the army approaches the city, there will be an uprising and that will be the end of all of us.”

“Emigrate with me to America!” Ada exclaimed.

Felix shook his head. “America isn’t my home, Russia is. A lot of us Russian White soldiers have joined the army of Zhang Zongchang, the Dogmeat General, and we intend to fight the southerners. We have combat experience, and we’ll show them what for. First we’ll destroy Bolshevism in China, and then we’ll take the fight to the Soviets. I resigned from the prison, and today I came here specially to say goodbye to you. Father Seraphim is also going to join up with me.”

Felix had obviously gone completely mad, but Ada saw that it was useless to dissuade him.

“You have to understand,” he simmered, “this is our big chance to rebuild the White Army. There is nothing for me to do in America. Do you want to condemn me to work as a jailer for the rest of my life?”

“We could start a hotel—” Ada protested.

“I’m not an innkeeper. I’m a soldier! I couldn’t respect myself if I were to do anything else.”

Ada didn’t mention the airplane. Her dream of escaping to America had gone up in smoke.

Felix promised to send her a letter as soon as he joined his new detachment, and she promised to pray for him. It all happened very simply, almost casually.

“Well, good-bye then,” Ada said as they reached the House of Hope.

She shook his hand and headed to the gate. Her head was buzzing, her eyes full of tears. It was all over.

“Ada, wait!” Felix caught up with her. “If you have any kind of problem, promise me you’ll get in touch with my friend, Johnny Collor. He works at the International Settlement Police. His station is on Nanking Road.”

“I will,” she nodded.

“Ada… Sweetheart…” Suddenly Felix grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her awkwardly and passionately. “Please don’t be angry with me! You must remember that I have loved you from the moment I first set eyes on you.”

“Me too!” Ada whispered.

She released herself from his arms and ran to the porch, sobbing.

24. THE ANCHORMAN

1

Klim invented a character called Anna for his radio show and showered this fictional woman with all the affection and attention that Nina craved. He told Anna jokes, amused and complimented her, and discussed what was bothering him with her on air. These monologues were so touching that soon he became an idol for thousands of listeners.

In a strange sort of way, Nina was jealous of Anna. To get back at Klim, she would tell him about her friendship with Mr. Sterling and hint at the major deals and negotiations she had taken part in.

“Do you really think you’re going to make a half decent actor with your accent?” she railed at him on. “Why don’t you find yourself a proper job?”

“I’m quite happy with my improper one,” he replied. “I’m sorry, my dear, but I’m not going to change jobs just to impress that Mr. Sterling of yours.”

It seemed to her that he only came home to spend time with Kitty. Klim shamelessly spoiled their daughter, and eventually, she began to see Nina as “strict Mommy” always putting a stop to any fun, while Klim was “fun Daddy,” her best playmate and fellow adventurer.

He thinks that I’ve been nothing but a pox on his life, Nina thought in despair. The scars have remained, but otherwise, he has recovered just fine without me.

The fact that he was “just fine” without her was the most unbearable part.

2

Klim decided to have a big birthday party that year.

“How are we going to accommodate them all?” Nina asked in surprise as she read the list of guests.

“Relax. I’ll take care of everything,” Klim promised.

On the appointed day, girls of every imaginable nationality, from Swede to Filipino, arrived at the house. Klim introduced them as his friends, and they set about laying the tables and decorating the rooms.

Nina tried to exert a modicum of authority but no one paid her the slightest attention. She felt like a stranger in her own house.

The telephone rang, and she picked up the phone.

“Miss Nina?” It was the Secretary of the Municipal Council. “Your papers have just arrived from Washington. You can come over and pick them up whenever you’re ready.”

Nina’s heart skipped a beat. Several months ago, Sterling had promised her to find out if the Immigration Bureau could grant her family American citizenship—as an exception, outside the quotas and without entry into the United States.

Without a word to Klim, Nina got into her car and told the driver to take her to the Municipal Council. Her lips were parched with excitement and anticipation. Were they really going to grant her citizenship?

When she arrived, Sterling was busy with visitors, and Nina had to linger in the waiting room for a long time. The secretary brought her some coffee and the newspapers, but she couldn’t concentrate on anything.

Citizenship! Those who are born with it never understand how vital it is to be a subject to the laws of a civilized country. Without it, you are quite helpless, like a mouse caught by naughty children. You have zero value as a human being, and your future depends on the sort of game the children decide to play with you.

Finally Sterling asked Nina into his office.

“Congratulations!” he said, standing up to greet Nina. “The question of your citizenship has been satisfactorily resolved.”

“Thank you!” Nina said with emotion.

“But,” Sterling frowned, “there’s one setback. You applied for yourself, your husband, and your adopted daughter. According to the Immigration Act of 1924, people of Chinese origin don’t have the right to receive citizenship, and I’m afraid I won’t be able to help you there. So if you and Klim want to move to America, you’ll have to leave your daughter behind… . I’m going to have dinner at Astor House. Do you want to join me?”

“Sure,” Nina replied.

All the way to the restaurant she forced herself to smile, feeling in her heart like someone who has won the lottery only to have been robbed of her winning ticket outside the shop.

The more she thought about it the angrier she became with Sterling. Did he seriously think that she and Klim would abandon their daughter like a fondly regarded pet that is not allowed through quarantine?

Nina knew that Mr. Sterling didn’t care about her that much. The real reason behind their friendship was that he needed her to make him look a little larger than life. There were rumors that he was homosexual, and he had to prove to everybody that he was “normal.” Nina was the perfect foil. After her affair with Daniel Bernard, she had gained a reputation as a femme fatale, but she asked for little or nothing from Sterling in return and didn’t poke her nose into his private life.

At dinner he chatted about politics, and Nina nodded mechanically.

Klim’s party had already started. It was important to him as a celebration of his professional success. Ten years previously, in Argentina, he had also enjoyed a large following, and now, even out here in China, he had managed to get his life back on track. However, in a fit of petty resentment, Nina didn’t feel like celebrating his achievement. She and Klim had got themselves into the bad habit of trying to prove to each other that they were past caring what the other thought. Of course, nothing could have been further from the truth, but the cycle of self-deception and self-destruction persisted.