were either side of their mother. ‘Your Mummy and Daddy asked if anything ever happened to them that I, I mean we, would look after you. You have a new family now. There are a few things to sort out with the authorities -’
‘ Joseph,’ Christina scolded, ‘there’s no need for him to know about what the authorities have to do. All he needs to know is we will take care of him. He has a home.’
Joseph turned to look at his wife. ‘It’s not a question of what the authorities have to do, Chrissie. There are two sets of grandparents in England who just might want their grandson with them.’
Christina looked down at Patrick. ‘Why don’t you and Lucinda take Adam and show him his room? Then you can take him round the house and let him see where everything else is.’
* * *
Christina Yong watched the three children disappear before she spoke again. ‘But I thought that was all sorted. Stuart even wrote in his will that we should have Adam if anything were to happen.’ She crossed over to the chair beside the glass veranda doors and sat down.
‘ It’s not as simple as that. People normally leave money, possessions and property in their wills, not children. And anyway, Maggie didn’t leave a will, so other than what she said to us we don’t know whether it will be accepted that she was in agreement.’
‘ But the child was born here. He’s only been to England once and that was just for a few weeks. He speaks Cantonese as well as our two do. He’s as much Hong Kongese as they are, as you are.’
‘ You’re not including yourself?’ Joseph asked teasingly.
‘ You, Patrick and Lucinda, and now Adam were born here. I was born in Colombo. I was Sinhalese then but I suppose I’m Sri Lankan now.’
‘ I think I have noticed.’ This time Joseph let a broad grin cross his face. ‘You are still Sinhalese and proud of it.’
‘ Well, I am.’
‘ And you have every reason to be.’
‘ You’re mocking me. Stop it.’
‘ I wouldn’t dare, but anyway, back to the point. It’s only been a matter of days since Stuart and Maggie were killed. That poor child has to come to terms with their deaths before he becomes a mere pawn in some legal battle.’
‘ That poor child, as you call him, doesn’t have the faintest idea what has happened let alone what is going on.’ She stopped as she listened to a sudden burst of giggling coming from outside at the pool. ‘You see what I mean?’
‘ It will take time but one day soon he will understand.’
‘ Fortunately he is so young. One day he might know and he might question, but maybe he will never understand.’ Christina tucked her legs under her, letting her light blue sari brush against the tiled floor. ‘Have you heard any more about the cause of the accident?’
‘ All I know is the Cessna was serviced only two days before it happened and the chief engineer has assured me whatever is done on such occasions was all done properly and recorded in the servicing log.’
‘ But the plane went into the side of Lion Rock on a clear day. There was hardly any wind and it was broad daylight. Surely -’
Joseph shook his head. ‘Accidents happen under all circumstances. It could take weeks before something is known.’ He thought for a moment. ‘I wouldn’t be surprised if it isn’t put down to pilot error. Jack could be a bit of a show-off on occasions and you know he fancied Maggie Harrison, he -’
‘ I don’t think now is the time to be suggesting -’
‘ Why not, Chrissie? When Stuart was away he was always going over to see if she was all right. I wouldn’t be surprised if they weren’t -’
‘ No, you’re very wrong there. Maggie was my best friend and I won’t have you saying such things.’
‘ Even best friends can stray.’
‘ She wouldn’t.’
‘ That was the wrong tense, dear.’
‘ All right, she didn’t, and stop being so superior. Maggie loved Stuart and she wouldn’t, didn’t, ever stray with
‘ Joseph,’ Christina scolded, ‘there’s no need for him to know about what the authorities have to do. All he needs to know is we will take care of him. He has a home.’
Joseph turned to look at his wife. ‘It’s not a question of what the authorities have to do, Chrissie. There are two sets of grandparents in England who just might want their grandson with them.’
Christina looked down at Patrick. ‘Why don’t you and Lucinda take Adam and show him his room? Then you can take him round the house and let him see where everything else is.’
* * *
Christina Yong watched the three children disappear before she spoke again. ‘But I thought that was all sorted. Stuart even wrote in his will that we should have Adam if anything were to happen.’ She crossed over to the chair beside the glass veranda doors and sat down.
‘ It’s not as simple as that. People normally leave money, possessions and property in their wills, not children. And anyway, Maggie didn’t leave a will, so other than what she said to us we don’t know whether it will be accepted that she was in agreement.’
‘ But the child was born here. He’s only been to England once and that was just for a few weeks. He speaks Cantonese as well as our two do. He’s as much Hong Kongese as they are, as you are.’
‘ You’re not including yourself?’ Joseph asked teasingly.
‘ You, Patrick and Lucinda, and now Adam were born here. I was born in Colombo. I was Sinhalese then but I suppose I’m Sri Lankan now.’
‘ I think I have noticed.’ This time Joseph let a broad grin cross his face. ‘You are still Sinhalese and proud of it.’
‘ Well, I am.’
‘ And you have every reason to be.’
‘ You’re mocking me. Stop it.’
‘ I wouldn’t dare, but anyway, back to the point. It’s only been a matter of days since Stuart and Maggie were killed. That poor child has to come to terms with their deaths before he becomes a mere pawn in some legal battle.’
‘ That poor child, as you call him, doesn’t have the faintest idea what has happened let alone what is going on.’ She stopped as she listened to a sudden burst of giggling coming from outside at the pool. ‘You see what I mean?’
‘ It will take time but one day soon he will understand.’
‘ Fortunately he is so young. One day he might know and he might question, but maybe he will never understand.’ Christina tucked her legs under her, letting her light blue sari brush against the tiled floor. ‘Have you heard any more about the cause of the accident?’
‘ All I know is the Cessna was serviced only two days before it happened and the chief engineer has assured me whatever is done on such occasions was all done properly and recorded in the servicing log.’
‘ But the plane went into the side of Lion Rock on a clear day. There was hardly any wind and it was broad daylight. Surely -’
Joseph shook his head. ‘Accidents happen under all circumstances. It could take weeks before something is known.’ He thought for a moment. ‘I wouldn’t be surprised if it isn’t put down to pilot error. Jack could be a bit of a show-off on occasions and you know he fancied Maggie Harrison, he -’
‘ I don’t think now is the time to be suggesting -’
‘ Why not, Chrissie? When Stuart was away he was always going over to see if she was all right. I wouldn’t be surprised if they weren’t -’
‘ No, you’re very wrong there. Maggie was my best friend and I won’t have you saying such things.’
‘ Even best friends can stray.’
‘ She wouldn’t.’
‘ That was the wrong tense, dear.’
‘ All right, she didn’t, and stop being so superior. Maggie loved Stuart and she wouldn’t, didn’t, ever stray with
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