The perfume of love (rain-bi)

chapter 3

jenna gasped, a few minutes earlier, while hana was paying the taxi fare, she had taken a quick look round and noticed an old square-rigged brig moored close to the balconied facade of the hotel. but the only other large ship in sight had been what seemed, at a glance, to be an inter-island cruise ship anchored out in deep water.

a closer inspection showed that it was actually a miniature liner of the kind owned by Greek shipping magnates and American business barons.

"joon would have to be a millionaire to own that! you're joking... aren't you?" jenna exclaimed.

"certainly he's a millionaire. how could he afford to support me if he weren't? i have very expensive tastes these days" said hana laughingly.

her expression changed, she looked into her sister's startled eyes and said seiously

"and before the end of this trip I'll line up a millionaire for you, it won't be difficult if you play your card right"

she meant it, jenna realised aghast before she could protest that she didn't wish to have a rich husband found for her, a voice from behind them said crisply, "good afternoon"

turning, they both looked up at the unsmiling dark face of the tall white-clad man standing on the edge of the quay a few feet behind them and well within earshot of hana's last remark.

their father was a tall man but also a thin one with the stooped shoulders and indoor complexion of a dedicated scholar. the man scrutinising jenna with an anything but cordial expression in his hard brown eyes looked as if he had spent every day of his life in the sun and much of his time engaged in physical activities.

heredity had given him a large bine structure and either his work or his leisure activities had armoured his big frame with muscle.

at the same time his facial features suggested a keen of intelligence as well as physical power. she concluded he must be the Captain's chief mate or first officer, or whatever the second in command on a private cruise ship was called.

when hana said, "Oh.... hello, jihoon"

it gave jenna her third shock within a few minutes. from what her sister had said about Ocean Wanderer's Captain having spent his life in the pacific she had visualised him as a man in his fifties or older.

Captain jung looked to be in his early thirties, although a lot fitter than many of his contemporaries. there was no suspicion of incipient flab round his lean middle, no thickening of flesh at the sides of his taut, square jaw.

"jenna, this is jung jihoon our Captain and when we're at sea our complete lord and master"

said hana in a provocative tone to which some men would have responded with an affable disclaimer.

Not Captain jung, acknowledging the introduction with a nod and a clipped

"how d'you do?" he leaned over the edge of the quay to hold a string bag of books within their reach

"take this for me, would you please?"

although politely phrased, it was an order rather than a request with a definite suggestion of "and look sharp about it!"

hana, her sally ignored reacted by ignoring his somewhat peremptory instruction and saying "will niel be long? my sister has had a long trip,she's very tired"

As jenna took hold of the books and sat down with them, he answered, "niel is staying ashore as soon as you're seated, Miss kim, we'll be on our way"

pouting, hana sat down, as he joined them in the launch and turned to unite the moorning line, she pulled a childish face at his back, then looked at her sister and shrugged.

the pout and the furtive grimace were a sudden vivid reminder to jenna of the unhappy relationship hana had had with their father. admittedly professor kim had never been a loving, tolerant parent but then hana's behaviour during her mid-teens had been calculated to worry and exasperate the most easygoing father. she had never tried to keep on the right side of him, or of anybody in authority over her she had always been good at alienating people and bad at getting along with them. it seemed that the years hadn't changed her except presumably, where joon was concerned.

if hana knew that Captain jung was a dour stiff-necked man, it had been foolish of her to make that saucy remark about his absolute authority when the ship was at sea. she should have known it wouldn't amuse him.

on the other hand it was pretty offhand on his part to say only a curt "how d'you do?"

and not to add a word of welcome or any or any kind of civil pleasantry.

perhaps his unfriendly manner had something to do with his overhearing hana's promise to find a rich man for her sister. it was unfortunate he'd heard her say that. if already he didn't like her, such a statement could only increase his antipathy and make him inclined to categorise them both as gold-digging opportunists. which was not true.

Or was it?

abruptly jenna realised that just as her assumption about the size of Ocean Wanderer had been wrong, her assumptions about joon might be equally inaccurate.

I hope not, she thought worriedly.

she had been so relieved to hear that hana's succession of affairs with unsuitable men had finally led to a more stable relationship with one who wanted to marry her.

As she and joon hadn't known each other long, the voyage across the pacific would give them time to be absolutely sure of their feelings, hana had written to her sister. if all went well, as she felt certain it would, they would be married in sydney.

now the unwelcome possibility that hana was embroiled in yet another misguided relationship loomed out of what jenna had hoped was going to be literally and metaphorically,a clear blue sky.