Red Phoenix

needs time to think so leave her alone.’ I hesitated. ‘Also, could you ask Lord Xuan to come home? I think I need him.’
    Jade bowed slightly. ‘My Lady.’ She disappeared.
    I sagged. Nothing I could do now except wait. I went back into the kitchen. Simone and I could read a book together or play with Lego until Charlie came back.
    I understood completely how she felt. I would have been that protective of him as well. John was so insensitive sometimes; he hadn’t even considered what Charlie would think, or warned her about the situation. He’d just expected her to follow orders.
    Half an hour later Simone and I had nearly built a complete castle on the living room floor when my mobile phone rang. It was John.
    ‘I’m going to be late, Emma, I’m stuck in traffic at the bottom of Stubbs Road. There’s some construction work at the bottom here and the traffic is banked back to Ruttonjee.’
    ‘That’s fine, John, whenever you’re here is okay.’ I dropped my voice. ‘This is all your fault. You could have at least told her what was going on.’
    ‘I know.’ He sounded sheepish. ‘I’ll make it up to her. I keep forgetting that Westerners need to be treated differently.’
    ‘What, with a reasonable amount of respect and care?’
    ‘Exactly,’ he said with a smile in his voice, and hung up.
    About half an hour later I heard arguing outside the front door and sent Simone into the kitchen with Monica. The front door opened and Jade entered, holding Charlie’s elbow.
    ‘She’s hypnotised all of you!’ Charlie said. ‘I don’t know what she’s done, but I’ll get help!’
    Jade wore her usual pale green tailored suit but her hair had come out of its tight bun and fell over her shoulder. ‘Charlie, it’s true. Everything I’ve told you is true. She’s worthy.’
    ‘Worthy my eye.’ Charlie saw me and glared.
    ‘Come into the dining room and talk, Charlie,’ I said. ‘I really do have everybody’s best interest at heart.’
    Charlie didn’t move.
    ‘Go with her,’ Jade said gently. ‘Let her explain. It’s true.’ Her voice softened. ‘She loves him, Charlie, a truer love than any love I’ve ever seen before. And you know how old I am. She loves our Lord and his daughter more than her own life.’
    ‘Thanks, Jade,’ I said.
    Jade smiled slightly. ‘Go with her, Charlie. Listen to her. Ask what she did in Guangzhou.’
    I gestured towards the dining room. Charlie sighed with resignation and went in.
    ‘Good luck, Emma,’ Jade said, and disappeared.
    I followed Charlie into the dining room. She sat stiffly at the table and glowered at me.
    ‘Please believe me, I’m only doing this for them,’ I said. ‘This was all John’s idea.’
    ‘John!’ she said sarcastically. ‘Lovely.’
    ‘It was his idea. I didn’t want to teach, I don’t have time.’
    ‘I’m sure it was his idea about you taking over everything as well.’
    ‘I don’t want this at all.’ I looked her right in the eyes. ‘You have no idea how hard this has been for me.’
    ‘It wasn’t hard for you to order Jade to come and get me.’ Charlie leaned back and folded her arms over her chest. ‘You had her follow me around without any trouble at all.’
    I sighed. She had a point. I put my elbows on the table and my chin on my hand. She glared at me as if I was some sort of demon.
    ‘Charlie, listen to me. I love Mr Chen more than my life. I love Simone more than that. All I want is for us to be happy together. But you know the situation.’ This was very hard; normally I didn’t talk about how I felt for John. ‘He can’t even touch me. But he’s promised. And I’ve promised. And that’s the way it is. He wants me to mind everything for him while he’s gone. I don’t know why, there are so many people who would be much better at it than me—’
    ‘No, there aren’t,’ John said. He was leaning on the doorframe and listening, holding a teapot and some tea cups. He came and sat at the table, and poured tea for Charlie, who tapped the table in thanks. ‘You are absolutely the best person for the job.’
    ‘Oh, give it a rest, John.’ I wanted to slap his arm, but I saw the way he looked at me.
    Charlie studied John carefully. He smiled at her.
    ‘Did you tell Charlie what you did in Guangzhou, Emma?’
    ‘What, the energy work? The sword stuff?’
    John leaned back. ‘Charlie, while we were in Guangzhou, we were attacked by a demon. It was the same demon that killed