Summary

In Chapter 3, Ling recounted her story. Teoh Yun Ling was born in 1923 in Malaya. Her family spoke English and she studied in England. She arrived at the Majuba Tea Estate, owned by Magnus Pretorius, in 1951. The Malayan Communist Party had rebelled against the government, causing unrest. Soldiers escorted Ling and Magnus from the train station to the plantation. They traveled through the village of Tanah Rata. Magnus and Ling talk about wars. Magnus lost his eye during the Boer War. He was in prison then. During World War II, Magnus and his wife were basically held hostage on their plantation.

There was a fence around the plantation for the safety of the residents and the workers. Inside the house, Magnus's wife, Emily, greeted Ling. They asked about Ling's mother. Ling said her mother no longer recognized anyone. For awhile, Ling's mother had constantly...