The Ascot mansion perched atop a hill at the end of a long driveway. But as the hansom cab carried the Kingsleighs up the drive, Alice's eyes were drawn instead to the rambling woods lining the road. Leaning forward in excitement, she recognized the gnarled tree that marked the entrance to Underland. 

"Look, Mother! The rabbit hole!" Alice said. 

"Please don't start that, dear." Helen Kingsleigh's hand floated up to her forehead, as though she had a headache. 

The carriage pulled to a stop, and a footman rushed forward to open the door and help the ladies out. 

"I do wish you'd worn that yellow dress," Helen muttered to her daughter as they approached the mansion. 

Alice grinned, running her hands down the traditional Chinese silk costume she'd chosen for the occasion. The collar was cut to imitate the petals of a f?lower, in panels of pink, yellow, and red, and beautifully embroidered butterflies circled the purple jacket. Hanging straight down from her waist, a pleated skirt of green and yellow fabric swung cheerfully against her legs. She knew nobody in London would combine those colors, let alone wear that style, but she adored it. 

"If it's good enough for the Dowager Empress of China, it's good enough for the Ascots," Alice said. 

"Alice, must you be so headstrong?" Shaking her head, Helen sighed as they swept inside the mansion, servants slamming the grand oak doors behind them. Unbeknownst to the servants, they'd closed the doors in the face of the blue butterfly, who fluttered crossly. 

Inside, Alice strode toward the grand hall, her mother lagging self-consciously behind her. They paused in the entryway. Dressed in their f?inest, London's elite f?littered about on the gleaming floor. 

"Miss Kingsleigh?" someone called. Turning, Alice saw James Harcourt, the clerk, approaching. "What are you—" 

"I've come to give my report to Lord Ascot, Mr. Harcourt," Alice said. 

James nodded and gestured for them to follow him. 

They wove through the crowd, and a ripple of whispers followed in their wake as guests raised their eyebrows and muttered about Alice's costume. Helen wrung her hands in embarrassment, but Alice couldn't have cared less. 

Under a shimmering chandelier, they found Lady Ascot, Hamish, and his wife, all smiling benevolently at their audience. Hamish's chest was puffed out in self-importance. At his side, his prim and proper wife, Alexandra, balanced their son in her arms. 

His piggish eyes landed on Helen Kingsleigh and the oddly dressed woman with her. That tiresome clerk, Harcourt, was leading them toward him. Blinking in shock, Hamish realized that the f?igure in the garish tunic was none other than Alice herself. 

Lady Ascot noticed the two interlopers as well. "Helen! What a surprise!" Lady Ascot pronounced, her eyebrows raised ever so slightly to register her disapproval of their breach in etiquette. She reached forward and clasped Helen's arm before turning to her daughter. "And is that Alice? My, the sea and salt air have done wonders for you. When you left, you were so pale and peaked." 

"Thank you," Alice said. Only Lady Ascot could f?ind a way to combine an insult with a compliment. 

F?inally having collected himself, Hamish cleared his throat. "Alice! Welcome home. Only a year late." He rocked on his feet. "We were afraid you may never come back with our ship!" 

"My ship," Alice said, correcting him. "Hello, Hamish." 

Next to them, Alexandra sniffed loudly. "It is proper to refer to my husband as Lord Ascot. It is why we are having this little soiree, after all," she said, her words clipped. 

"Miss Kingsleigh," Hamish said formally. "This is my wife, the new Lady Ascot." 

Alice and Alexandra eyed each other. 

"So. Hamish tells me you've traveled the world these last three years," Alexandra drawled. 

"Yes, I have just returned," Alice replied. 

"Well, then! How was it?" Alexandra said. 

"The world?" Alice asked. 

"Yes!" Alexandra said brightly. 

Alice couldn't help teasing her. "Highly enjoyable. You should visit it sometime." 

Behind her, James covered his mouth to muffle his laugh as Alexandra's face registered her astonishment. 

"I've come to give my report, Lord Ascot," Alice continued smoothly. 

"Ah, of course," Hamish said. "If you would follow me, Miss Kingsleigh." After nodding to his mother and wife, he guided Alice down a hall. 

Hamish led Alice to the mansion's smoking room, which was covered in red wallpaper. The entire room of white-haired gentlemen turned to regard the newcomers. They greeted Hamish with a nod, but they stared blankly at Alice. 

"Gentlemen," Hamish said, addressing the room. "Might I introduce Miss Alice Kingsleigh. Miss Kingsleigh—the board." 

Despite Alice's polite smile, none of the men's expressions changed. Undaunted, she plunged forward with her planned speech. "Gentlemen, we must move quickly! The profits of my voyage—" 

"Scarcely outweigh the costs," Hamish interjected. 

Alice glanced at him. "Further expeditions to Ta-Kiang or Wuchang—" she began. 

"There will be no 'further expeditions,' " Hamish interrupted once more. 

"What?" Alice was f?labbergasted. What could he mean? Surely the company was not going to abandon the trade liaison she had fostered. 

"The risks are not worth the reward," Hamish proclaimed. 

"An extra year at sea, Alice. There were hard decisions in your absence. From everyone." As though he were posing for a painting, he clasped his hands behind his back and lifted his head slightly. 

Alice stared at him, finally realizing just how deadly serious he was. Nothing she could say would sway him; he had made up his mind. "But ... what am I to do?" 

"There's a position in our clerking office," Hamish offered. His mouth twitched smugly, and Alice realized how much he was enjoying the situation. "You'll start in f?iles, but, in time—" 

Alice felt her face burning, anger rising inside her. "This isn't about China at all, is it? It's because three years ago I turned you down when you asked me to marry you!" She couldn't believe Hamish would be so stupid, so pigheaded! 

"I'm sorry, Miss Kingsleigh," Hamish said, sounding completely unremorseful. "But that is all we can do for you. No other company is in the business of hiring female clerks, let alone ship's captains!" 

Several of the board members chuckled, while others harrumphed at the thought. Only James, who had slipped into the room behind Alice, stood by quietly, wishing there were something he could do. 

Alice ignored the laughter and pounded her hand on a nearby cigar table. Whatever it took, she would make herself heard. "I have voting rights and ten percent of the company! Your father set those shares aside for me—" 

"Correction," Hamish proclaimed. "He gave them to your mother, who sold them to me last year, while you were gone. Along with the bond on the house." 

Alice's anger seeped out like air from a def?lating balloon. "Her ... house?" 

"Secured by your father against the ship he bought," Hamish confirmed. 

"The Wonder?" Alice's words came out strangled. 

"Yes. Sign it over and you'll redeem the house, receive a salary and a pension." His tone might have been bored, but his eyes were fixed intently on her. 

"Give up the Wonder?" Alice was aghast. 

"Otherwise we cannot help you," Hamish said, tapping a slip of paper that had been laid out on a table. 

With a new rush of rage, Alice realized it must be a prepared contract for the Wonder. Helen Kingsleigh cautiously entered the room at that moment and glanced around. 

"Or your mother." Hamish's words sent a chill through Alice. She spotted Helen's thin shoulders from the corner of her eye, but she spun away, needing time to think. 

Shoving open the door, Alice stalked out of the room. Helen raced after her, but Alice didn't stop until Helen reached out and grabbed hold of her sleeve. 

Alice turned on her, unable to contain her aggravation. Now they had no say in the company, no control in their fate. "How could you sell our shares?" 

"I had no choice, Alice! With your sister on her mission and you at sea for an extra year ... What was I to do?" Helen's voice climbed higher and people started to turn toward them. 

Taking a deep breath, Helen pulled Alice into a hallway, f?irmly shutting the door behind them for privacy. 

"I did it for you, Alice!" her mother said fervently. "So you can make a decent start in life. So that you won't be alone." 

Alice faced her mother. "Ten minutes ago I was a sea captain." Her voice was tinged with bitterness. Her next voyage abroad could have secured them both a comfortable living. 

"A sea captain is no job for a lady!" Helen countered. 

"Good!" Alice exclaimed. "All the better! On the ocean I am free, as father was. Or would you rather have me be a clerk?" 

"I'm talking about marriage, Alice," Helen said impatiently. "Time is against you, and you are being careless with it!" 

"I once believed I could do six impossible things before breakfast," Alice said softly. 

"That is a child's dream, Alice," her mother said. "The only way for women like us to have a good life is to marry well." 

Alice rolled her eyes, her anger returning. Why was her mother so closed-minded? The world was changing. You didn't have to believe in magic to envision new possibilities. 

"I'm only trying to help you," her mother said softly. 

"Well, don't," Alice snapped. "Because the last thing I want in life is to end up like you." 

Alice spun on her heel and stalked off, her words hanging in the air behind her. She didn't turn back, so she didn't see her mother lift her hand to her mouth, tears filling her eyes. 

长长的车道尽头是一座小山，阿斯科特公馆就坐落于山顶上。金斯利母女乘着双座马车一路前行，而爱丽丝的目光却被道路两旁蔓生的树丛所吸引。她激动地向前探了探身子，认出了那棵多节瘤的树就是通向地下世界的入口。 

“母亲，你看！兔子洞！”爱丽丝喊道。 

“亲爱的，别再提那件事了。”海伦·金斯利扶着额头说道，似乎很头疼。 

车夫拉了一下缰绳，马车停了下来。一位仆人立刻走上前来，打开车门，扶两位女士下车。 

“我真希望你穿那条黄色的裙子。”海伦一边低声对女儿说着，一边和她朝公馆走去。 

爱丽丝笑了笑，抚摸着她专门为这个场合挑选的中国丝绸装。衣服的领子裁剪得像花瓣一样，缝缀着粉色、黄色和红色的布块。衣服上还绣着美丽的蝴蝶，好似围绕着这件紫色短上衣翩翩起舞。一条绿黄相间的百褶裙从爱丽丝腰间直垂而下，伴着她的脚步欢快地摇曳。爱丽丝知道，在伦敦没有人会把这些颜色搭配着穿，更不用说穿这种款式的衣服了。但她很喜欢。 

“如果中国的皇太后都觉得它够好，那阿斯科特家族肯定也觉得它好。”爱丽丝说道。 

“爱丽丝，你非要这么固执吗？”海伦摇摇头，叹了口气，走进了公馆。身后，仆人们重重地关上了富丽的橡木门。他们再一次将那只蓝色的蝴蝶拒之门外，蝴蝶只能生气地拍打着翅膀。而这一切，仆人们都不知道。 

进入公馆后，爱丽丝大步朝大厅走去，母亲有点不自在地跟在她身后。她们在玄关处停了下来。伦敦的社会名流都身着华服，在闪闪发亮的地板上轻快地走动着。 

“金斯利小姐？”突然有人叫了一声。爱丽丝转过身，看见詹姆斯·哈考特，就是那位公司职员，正朝她走来：“你在这儿——” 

“我来给阿斯科特勋爵提交一份报告，哈考特先生。”爱丽丝回答道。 

詹姆斯点点头，示意金斯利母女跟着自己走。 

他们在人群中穿梭，身后传来一阵窃窃私语。宾客们扬起眉毛，轻声讨论着爱丽丝的衣着。海伦尴尬地紧握着双手，但是爱丽丝才不会管那么多。 

在一盏闪烁的枝形吊灯下，他们看见阿斯科特夫人、哈米什和他的夫人都正对宾客们和蔼地笑着。哈米什的胸膛由于自大挺得高高的。他那一本正经的夫人亚利山德拉，正抱着他们的儿子站在一旁。 

他贪婪的目光落在了海伦·金斯利和她身边那衣着古怪的女孩身上。烦人的职员哈考特正带着她们朝自己走来。突然，哈米什震惊地眨了眨眼，发现那位身着花哨束腰外衣的女孩不是别人，正是爱丽丝。 

阿斯科特夫人也注意到了这两位闯入者。“海伦！这简直太意外了！”阿斯科特夫人说道，她微微扬起眉毛，似乎在指责她们的失礼。她伸出手，紧紧搂住海伦的手臂，然后转头看向海伦的女儿：“这是爱丽丝吗？天哪，海洋和咸湿的空气在你身上创造了奇迹！记得你离开的时候是那么苍白，那么消瘦。” 

“谢谢您。”爱丽丝说道。只有阿斯科特夫人能将挖苦和赞美结合得这么好。 

哈米什终于回过神来，清了清嗓子说：“爱丽丝！欢迎回家。虽然晚了一年。”他晃晃脚，继续说：“我们还担心你和我们的船都回不来了呢！” 

“是我的船。”爱丽丝纠正道，“你好啊，哈米什。” 

亚利山德拉站在旁边，响亮地哼了一声。“你应该称我的丈夫为阿斯科特勋爵。毕竟我们是为此才举办的这个小宴会。”她一字一句地说道。 

“金斯利小姐，”哈米什正式介绍道，“这是我的太太，新任阿斯科特夫人。” 

爱丽丝和亚利山德拉互相看了看对方。 

“那个……哈米什告诉我，你这三年都在环游世界。”亚利山德拉慢声慢气地说道。 

“没错，我刚回来。”爱丽丝回答。 

“嗯，怎么样？”亚利山德拉说。 

“是问世界怎么样吗？”爱丽丝问道。 

“对！”亚利山德拉大声说道。 

爱丽丝忍不住想戏弄她一下：“非常好玩！改天你也应该去看看。” 

看到亚利山德拉脸上惊讶的表情，站在她身后的詹姆斯赶紧把嘴捂住，以免笑出声来。 

“我来递交报告，阿斯科特勋爵。”爱丽丝继续平静地说道。 

“啊，当然了。”哈米什说道，“请随我来，金斯利小姐。”哈米什向自己的母亲和夫人点了点头，领着爱丽丝向大厅下面走去。 

哈米什领着爱丽丝来到公馆的吸烟室，吸烟室四壁贴着红色的墙纸。房间里站满了白头发的先生们，他们把目光转向这两位刚刚进来的年轻人。他们向哈米什点头致意，却面无表情地盯着爱丽丝。 

“先生们，”哈米什向整间屋子的人介绍道，“请允许我向你们介绍爱丽丝·金斯利小姐。金斯利小姐，这些都是公司董事会的成员。” 

爱丽丝礼貌地微笑着，但大家的表情没有任何改变。她勇敢地走上前，开始发表已经准备好的演说：“先生们，我们必须尽快行动起来！我此次航行的利润……” 

“勉强回本。”哈米什打断了她。 

爱丽丝瞥了他一眼，继续开口道：“我准备去长江或者武昌进行进一步考察……” 

“不会有‘进一步考察’了，”哈米什再一次打断她。 

“什么？”爱丽丝目瞪口呆。他这是什么意思？公司肯定不会放弃她培养起来的贸易联络人。 

“冒这么大风险不值得。”哈米什宣布道。 

“爱丽丝，你在海上多待了一年，你不在的这段时间有许多艰难的决定。来自所有人的决定。”接着，哈米什把手紧紧地背在身后，微微抬起头，似乎在为画像摆姿势。 

爱丽丝盯着哈米什，终于意识到他是多么严肃了。说什么都改变不了他了，他已经下定决心。“那……我该做什么呢？” 

“公司的员工办公室还有一个位置，”哈米什提议道，他沾沾自喜地撇了撇嘴。爱丽丝意识到他有多么享受现在的局面。“你要从整理资料开始，但是，要及时整理好——” 

爱丽丝感觉自己脸上火辣辣的，心底涌起一阵愤怒，说道：“这根本就无关中国之行，对吧？就是因为三年前你向我求婚的时候我拒绝了你！”她简直无法相信哈米什这么愚蠢，这么固执！ 

“抱歉，金斯利小姐。”哈米什说道，他的语气听起来毫无后悔之意。“但我们能为你做的就这么多了。别的商业公司根本不会雇用女性职员，更别说当船长了！” 

几位董事会成员窃笑起来，其他人对这个想法哼了几声。只有跟在爱丽丝身后偷偷溜进房间的詹姆斯安静地站在一旁，希望自己能做点什么。 

爱丽丝不顾他们的笑声，用手狠狠地拍了一下旁边放雪茄的桌子。无论怎样，她都要让大家知道自己的想法。“我有投票权！还有公司十分之一的股份！你父亲把这些股份留给我了——” 

“纠正一下，”哈米什宣布道，“他把股份留给了你的母亲，而你的母亲在去年，也就是你不在家的时候，把它卖给了我。连同房子一起。” 

如同空气从正在泄气的气球中钻出来那样，爱丽丝内心的愤怒一点点消失了：“她的……房子？” 

“就是你父亲用他买的船担保的那幢。”哈米什证实道。 

“‘仙境号’？”爱丽丝的话卡住了。 

“没错。签了字你就可以赎回房子，还能得到一份工资和一笔养老金。”尽管哈米什的语调听起来无所谓，但他的眼睛却紧紧地盯着爱丽丝。 

“你要我放弃‘仙境号’？”爱丽丝吃惊地问道。 

“要不然我们可没法帮你。”哈米什轻轻地敲了敲桌上的纸，说道。 

爱丽丝再一次愤怒起来，她意识到那一定是为“仙境号”精心准备的合同。这时，海伦·金斯利小心翼翼地走了进来，环视了一下房间。 

“或……你的母亲。”哈米什的话让爱丽丝为之一颤。她从余光中看到母亲单薄的肩膀，但她立刻转过身去，她需要一些时间来考虑。 

爱丽丝推开门，阔步走出房间。海伦跟在她后面跑了出去，伸手抓住她的袖子，爱丽丝这才停了下来。 

爱丽丝转向海伦，无法抑制自己的愤怒。现在，她们在公司没有发言权，也无法掌控自己的命运。“你怎么能卖掉我们的股份呢？”爱丽丝问道。 

“我别无选择，爱丽丝！你姐姐在布道，你又在海上多待了一年……我能怎么办？”海伦的声音越来越高，人们纷纷转过头来看着她们。 

海伦深吸一口气，拉着爱丽丝来到一个走廊，然后回身将门重重地关上，以留出她们的私人空间。 

“我做这些都是为了你，爱丽丝！”母亲真诚而激动地说，“这样你就可以开始体面的生活了。这样你就不会再是孤身一人了。” 

爱丽丝转过身对着母亲说道：“十分钟之前，我还是个船长。”她的声音中夹杂着一丝辛酸。本来，自己的下一次出国航行足以保证她们母女俩过上安逸的生活。 

“船长不是淑女该做的！”海伦反驳道。 

“好啊！”爱丽丝大喊道，“那更好了！我在海上无拘无束，和父亲那时一样。难道你想让我当个职员吗？” 

“我在说结婚，爱丽丝。”海伦不耐烦地说道，“你年纪也不小了，可是你却一点儿也不在乎！” 

“曾经，我相信我可以在早餐前做到六件不可能的事。”爱丽丝轻声说道。 

“那是小孩子的梦想，爱丽丝。”母亲说道，“像我们这样的女人要想过得好，只能嫁得好。” 

爱丽丝翻了翻眼睛，怒火重新燃了起来。为什么母亲的思想这么保守？世界在变化。不是只有魔法才能预见新的可 能性。 

“我只是想帮你。”母亲轻声说道。 

“是吧，那不用了。”爱丽丝厉声说道，“因为我一生中最不希望的事就是落得和你一样的结局。” 

爱丽丝转身扬长而去，她的话还回荡在空气中。爱丽丝没有回头，所以她没有看到母亲用手捂住了自己的嘴，眼里满是泪水。