The Luminaries

show surprise—and her eyes became wide.
    ‘I know this man,’ she said, in a tone of astonishment. She brought her hand up to her throat. ‘I know him.’
    Anna looked from Ah Sook to Mrs. Wells, and then back again.
    ‘How?’ she said. ‘Not from Kaniere!’
    Ah Sook had acquired a film of perspiration on his upper lip. He said nothing, however, and merely bowed; perhaps they would think that he could not understand them. He turned back to Anna, feeling that if he kept eye contact with Lydia Greenway for even a moment longer, she would recall where they had met before. He could still feel her in the periphery of his eye, watching him.
    Anna was frowning too. ‘Perhaps you’re thinking of a different man,’ she said to Mrs. Wells. ‘It’s often hard to tell Chinamen apart.’
    ‘Yes—perhaps,’ said Mrs. Wells. But she was still staring at Ah Sook. Whether she had placed him already or not, he could not tell. He cast about for something to say to Anna, but his mind was blank.
    ‘What do you want, Ah Sook?’ said Anna. She did not speak unkindly, but with longing; there was a pleading, almost fearful look in her eye.
    ‘What did you call him?’ said the older woman, quickly.
    ‘Ah Sook,’ Anna said. ‘Mister Sook, I suppose. He’s the dealer at Kaniere.’
    ‘Ah!’ Her gaze sharpened immediately. ‘Opium!’
    So she had placed him. She had remembered who he was.
    At once, Ah Sook changed his tack. He turned to Anna and announced, ‘I buy you. Top price.’
    The widow laughed.
    ‘Oh,’ Anna said. She had flushed very red. ‘No. You can’t do that. I suppose nobody told you. I’m done with whoring now. I’m not a whore any longer. No selling. Not for sale.’
    ‘What you now?’ said Ah Sook.
    ‘Miss Wetherell is my assistant,’ said Mrs. Wells—but Ah Sook did not know the word. ‘She lives here now.’
    ‘I live here now,’ Anna echoed. ‘I don’t take opium any more. Do you understand? No more smoke. I—I’ve given it up.’
    Ah Sook was bewildered.
    ‘Well, goodbye,’ Anna said. ‘Thank you for calling.’
    Suddenly Mrs. Wells’s wrist shot out. She grabbed Ah Sook’s forearm in her milky hand, and squeezed it tight. ‘You must come to the
séance
this evening,’ she said.
    ‘He doesn’t have a ticket,’ Anna said.
    ‘An Oriental presence,’ said Mrs. Wells, ignoring her. ‘It will be just the thing! What did you call him again?’
    ‘Ah Sook,’ said Anna.
    ‘Oh
yes
,’ said Mrs. Wells. ‘Just think of it: an Oriental presence, at this evening’s
séance
!’
    ‘Is a
séance
an Oriental practice?’ Anna said, doubtfully.
    Ah Sook did not know the word—but he knew Oriental, and guessed that he was the subject of their discussion, and the cause, presumably, of Lydia’s sudden look of greed. It was astonishing to him that she could have changed so little over the course of a decade, when Anna, over the course of a month, had altered so very much. Looking down at her hand, wrapped tight around his forearm, he was surprised to see a band of gold upon her finger.
    ‘Mrs. Carver,’ he said, and pointed to the ring.
    The woman smiled—more broadly this time. ‘I fancy he has a touch of the prophet in him,’ she said to Anna. ‘How is that for a notion?’
    ‘What do you mean, Mrs. Carver?’ Anna said to Ah Sook. She was frowning.
    ‘Wife of Carver,’ said Ah Sook, unhelpfully.
    ‘He thinks you’re Carver’s wife,’ said Anna.
    ‘He’s only guessing,’ said Mrs. Wells. To Ah Sook she said, ‘Not Mrs. Carver. My husband is dead. I am a widow now.’
    ‘Not Mrs. Carver?’
    ‘Mrs. Wells.’
    Ah Sook’s eyes widened. ‘Mrs.
Wells
,’ he repeated.
    ‘It is very well his English is so limited,’ the widow said to Anna, conversationally. ‘That way he will not get distracted. His composure will not falter. Isn’t he handsome! He will do us very well, I think.’
    ‘He knows Carver,’ Anna said.
    ‘I’m sure he does,’ said Mrs. Wells, with a breezy tone. ‘Captain Carver has a great many Oriental connexions. I expect they’ve done business with each other here in Hokitika. Come into the parlour, Ah Sook.’ She gripped his arm tighter. ‘Come along. Just for a moment. Don’t be a baby; I’m not going to
hurt
you! Come inside.’
    ‘Francis Carver—in Guangdong?’ said Ah Sook.
    ‘In Canton; yes, it’s very likely,’ said Mrs. Wells, mistaking Ah Sook’s question for a statement. ‘Captain Carver was based in Canton. He