Nat turned and watched Su Ling walk slowly toward him and recalled the day they had first met. He had chased her down a hill, and when she turned on that occasion, she'd taken his breath away.

"Do you have any idea how lucky you are?"whispered Tom.

"Could you please concentrate on your job. Now, where's the ring?"

"The ring, what ring?" Nat turned and stared at his best man. "Hell, I knew there was something I was meant to bring with me," Tom whispered frantically.

"Can you hold things up for a moment while I go back to the house and look for it?"

"Do you want me to strangle you?" said Nat, grinning.

"Yes please," said Tom, gazing at Su Ling as she advanced toward them. "Let her be my last memory of this world."

Nat turned his attention to his bride, and she gave him that smile that he remembered when she'd stood at the entrance to the cafe on their first date.

She stepped up and took her place beside him, head slightly bowed as they waited for the priest to begin the service. Nat thought about the decision they had made the day after the election, and knew he would never regret it. Why should he hold up Su Ling's career on the off chance of winning the presidency? The idea of rerunning the ballot during the first week of the following term, and having to ask Su Ling to hang around for another year if he failed, left him in no doubt what he should do. The priest turned to the congregation. "Dearly beloved. ."

When Su Ling had explained to Professor Mullden that she was getting married, and her future husband was at the University of Connecticut, they immediately offered him the chance to complete his undergraduate degree at Harvard.

They already knew of Nat's record in Vietnam and his success on the cross-country team, but it was his grades that tipped the balance. They remained puzzled as to why he hadn't taken up his place at Yale because it was clear to the admissions office that they would not be carrying Su Ling's husband.

"Do you take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife?"

Nat wanted to shout "I do." "I do," he said quietly.

"Do you take this man to be your lawful weddedhusband?"

"I do," said Su Ling, head bowed.

"You may kiss the bride," said the priest.

"I think that means me," said Tom, taking a pace forward. Nat took Su Ling in his arms and kissed her as he lifted his left leg sharply and kicked Tom in the shins.

"So that's what I get for all the sacrifices I've made over the years? Well, at least it's my turn now." Nat swung around and took Tom in his arms and hugged him, while the congregation burst out laughing.

Tom was right, thought Nat. He hadn't even remonstrated with him when he refused to appeal to the elections committee, although Nat knew Tom believed he would have been victorious in a rerun contest. And the following morning Mr. Russell had phoned and offered Nat the use of their home for the reception. How could he even begin to repay them?

"Be warned," said Tom, "Dad will expect you to join him at the bank as a trainee once you've graduated from Harvard Business School."

"That may turn out to be the best offer I get,"

said Nat.

The bride and groom turned to face their family and friends. Susan made no attempt to hide her tears, while Michael beamed with pride. Su Ling's mother stepped forward and took a photo of the two of them in their first moment as man and wife.

Nat didn't recall much about the reception, other than feeling that Mr. and Mrs. Russell couldn't have done anymore had he been their own son.

He moved from table to table, especially thanking those who had traveled a long distance. It was only when he heard the sound of silver against crystal that he checked to make sure his speech was still in his inside pocket.

Nat quickly slipped into his place at the top table just as Tom rose to speak. The best man opened by explaining why the reception was being held in his home. "Don't forget that I proposed to Su Ling long before the bridegroom did, although inexplicably on this occasion she was willing to settle for second best." Nat smiled across at Tom's auntAbigail from Boston, as the guests applauded.

Nat sometimes wondered if Tom's jokes about his love for Su Ling didn't betray an underlying truth about his real feelings. He looked up at his best man, recalling, because he was late-thank you, mother-how he had come to sit next to the tearful little boy at the end of the row on their first day at Tail. He thought how lucky he was to be blessed with such a friend, and hoped it would not be long before he was carrying out the same duty for him.

Tom received a warm reception when he sat down to make way for the bridegroom.

Nat began his speech by thanking Mr. and Mrs.

Russell for their generosity in allowing them the use of their beautiful home for the reception. He thanked his mother for her wisdom and his father for his looks, which brought applause and laughter. "But most of all I thank Su Ling, for going down the wrong path, and my parents for an upbringing that made me follow her, to warn her that she was making a mistake."

"She made a far bigger mistake chasing you back up the hill," said Tom.

Nat waited for the laughter to die down, before he said, "I fell in love with Su Ling the moment I saw her, a feeling that was clearly not reciprocated, but then, as I've already explained, I'm blessed with my father's looks. And so let me end by inviting you all to our golden wedding anniversary on July 11, 2024." He paused. "Only wimps and those who dare to die in between will be excused attendance." He raised his glass. "To my wife, Su Ling."

When Su Ling disappeared upstairs to change, Tom finally asked Nat where they were going on their honeymoon.

"Korea," whispered Nat. "We're planning to find the village where Su Ling was born, and see if we can trace any other mem-203 hers of her family. But don't tell Su Ling's mother-we want to surprise her when we return."Three hundred guests surged out to join them in the driveway, and applauded as the car carrying the bride and groom disappeared on its journey to the airport.

"I wonder where they're spending their honeymoon,"

said Su Ling's mother.

"I have no idea," Tom replied.

Fletcher held Annie in his arms. A month had passed since the funeral of Harry Robert, and she was still blaming herself.

"But that's just not fair," said Fletcher. "If anyone's to blame, it must be me. Look at the pressure Joanna was under when she gave birth, and it made absolutely no difference to her." But Annie couldn't be consoled. The doctor told him the quickest way to solve the problem, and Fletcher happily acquiesced.

As each day passed, Annie grew a little stronger, but her first interest remained supporting her husband in his determination to be top of his year. "You owe it to Karl Abrahams," she reminded him.

"He's invested a lot in you, and there is only one way you can repay him."

Annie inspired her husband to work night and day during his summer vacation before he returned for his final year. She became his assistant and researcher while remaining his lover and friend. And she only ignored his advice when he pressed her to consider going on to graduate school herself.

"No," said Annie, "I want to be your wife and God willing in time. ."

Once he'd returned to Yale, Fletcher accepted it would not be too long before he would have to start the meat run. Although several firms had already invited him for an interview, and one or two had even offered him jobs, Fletcher didn't want to work out of Dallas or Denver, Phoenix or Pittsburgh. But as the weeks passed, and he heard nothing from Alexander Dupont Bell, his hopes began to fade and he concluded that if he still hoped to be invited to join one of the big firms it would require a full round of interviews.

Jimmy had already sent out over fifty letters andto date had only received three replies; not one of them had offered him a job. He would have settled for Dallas or Denver, Phoenix or Pittsburgh if it hadn't been for Joanna. Annie and Fletcher agreed on the cities they would be happy to live in, and then she carried out some research on the leading firms in those states. Together they composed a letter that was duplicated fifty-four times, and then dispatched on the first day of the term.

When Fletcher returned to college later that morning, he found a letter in his mailbox.

"That was quick," said Annie, "we only posted them an hour ago."

Fletcher laughed until he saw the postmark on the letter. He tore it open. The simple black-embossed heading announced Alexander Dupont and Bell. Of course, the distinguished New York firm always began interviewing candidates during March, so why should it be any different for Fletcher Davenport?

Fletcher didn't stop working during those long winter months leading up to the interview, but he still had every reason to feel apprehensive when he finally set out on the journey to New York. As soon as he stepped off the train at Grand Central Station, Fletcher was intoxicated by the babble of a hundred tongues, and feet that moved more swiftly than he'd experienced in any other city. He spent the cab ride to 54th Street peering out of an open window, taking in a smell that no other city produces.

The cab drew up outside a seventy-two-floor glass skyscraper, and Fletcher knew right away that he didn't want to work anywhere else. He hung around on the ground floor for a few minutes, not wishing to be stuck in a waiting room with several other candidates. When he finally stepped out of the elevator on the thirty-sixth floor, the receptionist ticked off his name. She then handed him a sheet of paper, which listed a schedule of interviews that would take the rest of the day.

His first meeting was with the senior partner, Bill Alexander, which Fletcher felt went well, although Alexander didn't exude the same warmth as he hadat Karl Abrahams's party. However, he did ask after Annie, expressing the hope that she had fully recovered from the sad loss of Harry. It also became clear during the meeting that Fletcher was not the only person who was being interviewed-six upside-down names appeared on a list facing Mr. Alexander.

Fletcher then spent an hour with three other partners who specialized in his chosen field, criminal law. When the last interview ended, he was invited to join the rest of the board for lunch. It was the first time he came into contact with the other five applicants, and the lunch conversation left him in no doubt what he was up against. He could only wonder how many days the firm had put aside for interviews with other would-be applicants.

What he couldn't know was that Alexander Dupont and Bell had carried out a rigorous sifting process months before any of the candidates had been invited for interview, and he had made the final six, on recommendation and reputation. He also didn't realize that only one, perhaps two, would be offered a position with the firm. As with a good wine, there were even years when no one was selected, simply because it just wasn't a vintage crop.

More interviews followed in the afternoon, by which time Fletcher was convinced he wouldn't make it, and would soon have to begin the long trek around to those firms who had replied to his letter and offered him an interview.

"They'll let me know by the end of the month if I've made it to the next round," he told Annie, who was waiting for him at the station, "but don't stop sending the letters, although I confess I no longer want to work anywhere but New York."

Annie continued to question Fletcher on the way home, wanting to know every detail of what had taken place. She was touched that Bill Alexander had remembered her; more so that he had even taken the trouble to find out the name of their son.

"Perhaps you should have told him," said Annie as she brought the car to a halt outside their home.

"Told him what?" asked Fletcher."That I'm pregnant again."

Nat loved the hustle and bustle of Seoul, a city determined to put all memories of war behind it.

Skyscrapers loomed on every corner, as the old and new tried to live in harmony. Nat was impressed by the potential of such a well-educated, intelligent workforce who survived on wages a quarter of what would be acceptable back home. Su Ling couldn't help noticing the subservient role women still played in Korean society and silently thanked her mother for having the courage and foresight to set out for America.

Nat rented a car so that they could move from village to village as and when it suited them.

Once they'd driven a few miles out of the capital, the first thing that struck them both was how quickly the way of life changed. By the time they had traveled a hundred miles, they had also traveled back a hundred years. The modern skyscrapers were quickly replaced by little wooden shacks, and the hustle and bustle by a slower, more considered pace.

Although Su Ling's mother had rarely talked about her upbringing in Korea, Su Ling knew the village where she had been born, and her family name. She also knew that two of her uncles had been killed in the war, so that when they arrived in Kaping with its population of 7,303-13 to the guide book-she wasn't all that hopeful of being able to find anyone who would remember her mother.

Su Ling Cartwright began her quest at the town hall, where a register was kept of all the local citizens. It didn't help that, of the 7,000 inhabitants, over a thousand shared Su Ling's mother's maiden name of Peng. However, the lady at reception also exhibited that name on the plaque on her desk. She told Su Ling that her great-aunt, who was now over ninety, claimed to know every branch of the family, and if she would like to meet her, that could be arranged. Su Ling nodded her agreement, and was asked to return later that day.

She called back in the afternoon, to be told that Ku Sei Peng would be happy to take tea with her thefollowing day. The receptionist apologized before politely explaining that Su Ling's American husband would not be welcome.

Su Ling returned to their little hotel the following night, bearing a piece of paper and a happy smile. "We've traveled all this way out here, only to be told to go back to Seoul," she said.

"How come?" asked Nat.

"It's simple. Ku Sei Peng remembers my mother leaving the village to seek work in the capital, but she never returned. But her younger sister, Kai Pai Peng, still lives in Seoul and Ku Sei has given me her last known address."

"So it's back to the capital," said Nat, who phoned down to reception to warn them they would be checking out immediately. They arrived back in Seoul just before midnight.

"I think it might be wise if I were to visit her on my own," said Su Ling over breakfast the following morning, "as she may not be willing to say a great deal once she discovers I'm married to an American."

"Suits me," said Nat. "I was hoping to visit the market on the other side of the city as I'm searching for something in particular."

"What?" asked Su Ling, "Wait and see," teased Nat.

Nat took a taxi to the Kiray district, and spent the day roaming around one of the biggest open markets in the world-row upon row of laden stalls crammed with everything from Rolex watches to cultured pearls, from Gucci bags to Chanel perfume, from Cartier bracelets to Tiffany hearts. He avoided the cries of "Over here, American, please to look at my goods, much cheaper," as he could never be sure what, if anything, was the real thing.

By the time he arrived back at the hotel that evening, Nat was exhausted and laden down with six shopping bags, mostly full of presents for his wife. He took the elevator to the third floor, and as he pushed open the door to their room, he hoped to find that Su Ling had returned from visiting hergreat aunt. As he closed the door, he thought he heard sobbing. He stood still. The unmistakable sound was coming from the bedroom.

Nat dropped the bags on the floor, walked across the room and pushed open the bedroom door. Su Ling was curled up on the bed, like an unsprung coil, weeping. He slipped off his shoes and jacket and climbed onto the bed beside her and took her in his arms.

"What is it, little flower?" he said, caressing her gently.

She didn't reply. Nat held her close, aware that she would tell him in her own time.

When it grew dark and the neon streetlights began to flicker on, Nat drew the curtains. He then sat beside her and took her hand.

"I will always love you," said Su Ling, not looking directly at him.

"And I'll always love you," said Nat, taking her back into his arms.

"Do you remember the night of our marriage, we agreed on no secrets, so I must now tell you what I discovered this afternoon."

Nat had never seen a face so sad. "Nothing you found out could make me love you less," he said, trying to reassure her.

Su Ling pulled her husband toward her while lowering her head on to his chest, as if she didn't want their eyes to meet. "I kept my appointment with my great aunt this morning," she began. "She remembered my mother well, and explained to me why she had left the village to join her in Seoul." As she clung on to Nat, Su Ling repeated everything Kai Pai had told her. When she had finished her story, she eased away and looked up at her husband for the first time.

"Can you still love me now you know the truth?" she asked.

"I didn't believe it was possible to love you any more, and I can only imagine what courage it must have taken to share this news with me." He paused.

"It will only strengthen a bond that now no one will ever be able to break."

"I don't think it would be wise for me to go withyou," said Annie.

"But you're my lucky mascot, and ..."

"dis. and Dr. Redpath says it wouldn't be wise." Fletcher reluctantly accepted that he would have to make the journey to New York alone.

Annie was in her seventh month of pregnancy, and although there had been no complications, he never argued with the doctor.

Fletcher had been delighted to be invited back for a second interview with Alexander Dupont and Bell, and wondered how many of the other candidates had been short-listed. He had a feeling Karl Abrahams knew, though the professor wasn't sharing any confidences.

When the train pulled into Central Station, Fletcher took a taxi to 54th Street, arriving outside the vast entrance lobby twenty minutes early. He had been told that on one occasion a candidate had arrived three minutes late, so they didn't bother to interview him.

He took the elevator to the thirty-sixth floor and was directed by the receptionist to a spacious room that was almost as smart as the senior partner's office. Fletcher sat alone and wondered if that was a good sign, until a second candidate joined him a few minutes before nine. He smiled at Fletcher.

"Logan Fitzgerald," he said, his hand outstretched. "I heard you address the freshman debate at Yale. Your speech on Vietnam was brilliant, although I didn't agree with a word you said."

"You were at Yale?"

"No, I was visiting my brother. I went to Princeton, and I guess we both know why we're here."

"How many others are there, do you imagine?" asked Fletcher.

"Looking at the clock, I would suggest we're the last two. So all I can say is good luck."

"I am sure you mean that sincerely," said Fletcher with a grin.

The door opened and a woman who Fletcherremembered as Mr. Alexander's secretary addressed them. "Gentlemen, if you'll come this way," she said.