Ten years ago

Joohyun had fallen in love with the small, quaint village at first sight, and especially the land around the house, where her father had inherited from his English mother.

“Dad, it’s heavenly!” she said when she first saw it. “I want to stay here forever and ever.”

He laughed. “All right, pet. Whatever you say.”

He was like that, always willing to indulge her without actually considering what she was saying, much less what she was thinking or feeling.

At fourteen all she saw was the indulgence. It had been just the two of them since her mother had died two years before. Andrew Bae, successful manufacturer of electronic products, and his bright, pretty daughter.

He had factories all over, continually moving the work to wherever the labour was cheapest. During her school vacation they travelled together, visiting the outposts of his business empire, or stayed at this small town. The rest of the time she finished her schooling in London. During long school holidays she begged to be allowed to stay in the estate.

“I just want to live at this village from now on, Dad.”

And, as always, he said, “All right, pet. Whatever you like.”

He bought her a horse, and she spent happy days exploring the forest and flower fields surrounding the estate.

She had a quick ear, and had learned to speak the countryside dialect. Her father spoke languages badly and the servants who ran his house found him hard to understand, so he soon left the domestic affairs to her. After a while she was helping with the estate as well.

All she knew of her father was that he was a successful businessman. She never suspected a darker side, until one day it was forced on her.

He had closed his last factory in to open one here and had taken off to America, in hopes of broadening his empire. During his absence Joohyun went for a ride and found herself confronted by three grim-faced men.

“You’re Bae’s daughter,” said one of the men. “Andrew Bae is your dad. Admit it.”

“Why should I deny it? I’m not ashamed of my father.”

“Well, you damned well should be,” another man shouted. “We needed our jobs and he shut down the factory here overnight just because it’s cheaper elsewhere. No compensation, no redundancy. He just vanished. Where is he?”

“My father’s not here at the moment. Please let me pass.”

One of the men grabbed the bridle. “Tell us where he is,’ he snapped. ‘We didn’t come all this way to be fobbed off.”

She was growing nervous, sensing that they would soon be out of control.

“He’ll be next week,’ she said desperately. ‘I’ll tell him you called; I’m sure he’ll want to speak to you—“

This brought a roar of ribald laughter.

“We’re the last people he wants to speak to—he’s been hiding from us…won’t answer letters.”

“I’m sure my father would—“

“You can stay with us until he comes for you,” the most unpleasant-looking man snapped, still holding the bridle.

“I think not,” said a hard voice.

It came from a young Asian man that nobody had noticed. He had appeared from between the trees and stood still for a moment to make sure they had registered his presence. It was an impressive presence, not so much for his height and breadth of shoulder but for the sheer ferocity on his face.

“Stand back,” he said, starting to move forward.

“Get out of here, kid” said the man holding the bridle.

The stranger wasted no further words. Turning almost casually, he made a movement too fast to see, and the next moment the man was on the ground.

“What…” said one of the others.

But his words died unspoken as the stranger scowled at him. “Leave here, all of you,” he said sternly. “Don’t come back.”

The other two hastened to help their companion to his feet. He was trying to staunch the blood from his nose and although the look he cast his assailant was furious he was too wise to take