He allowed her all the freedom to which her education entitled
her. Her life was that of a European and not of an Oriental
woman. She loved him in a way, but also feared him. She feared
the dark and cruel side of his character, of which, at various
periods during their life together, she had had terrifying
glimpses.
She had decided that cruelty was his vice. In what way he
gratified it she had never learned, nor did she desire to do so.
There were periodical visits from the police, but she had learned
long ago that her father was too clever to place himself within
reach of the law.
However crooked one part of his business methods might be, his
dealings with his clients were straight enough, so that no one
had any object in betraying him; and the legality or otherwise of
his foreign relations evidently afforded no case against him upon
which the authorities could act, or upon which they cared to act.
In America it had been graft which had protected him. She had
learned this accidentally, but never knew whether he bought his
immunity in the same way in London.
Some of the rumours which reached her were terrifying. Latterly
she had met many strange glances in her comings and goings about
Limehouse.
Pages:
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63