Daughter Of Fortune

Paulina’s business of importing Chile’s summer produce to San Francisco generates more profit than her husband’s gold mining by the winter of 1852. Yankees tormented the Chilean peasants who worked for Feliciano, taking the ore from months of work. Paulina, however, enjoys the San Francisco ambience, “the openness, the freedom, and the ostentation of that young society, exactly the opposite of the hypocrisy of Chile” (356). The indomitable women now pouring into the West work in all kinds of jobs, buy and sell property, or get divorced if they wish. In California, the past can be erased, and a new life can be invented.

In the new country, Jacob retained his weakness of fictionalizing even though he changed his name and clothing. As a result of Jacob’s articles, all unsolved crimes in California are attributed to Joaquín Murieta. Eliza begins to believe that her lover may be Murieta when she recalls how Joaquín tried to help the downtrodden and protested against abuses. In the summer of 1852, Eliza started to search again for Joaquín, but she returned after five weeks because she could not bear to be away from Tao. Eliza and Tao work together in Chinatown, “as close in spirit as an old married couple” (359). Eliza still wears men’s clothing because they help her remain invisible on their missions to rescue “singsong” girls.

Eliza’s unresolved connection to Joaquín and Tao’s link with Lin’s spirit haunt the pair. Unbeknownst to Eliza, the spirit of Lin encourages Tao to marry again, recognizing his love for the young Chilean woman. Neither Eliza nor Tao want to return to the constraints of their former lives in their homelands of Chile and China. Tao laughingly proposes that if Eliza does not find Joaquín within one year, she should marry Tao. This conversation causes tension in their previously easy companionship, although they are drawn to each other. Tao dreams of acquiring American citizenship and a permit to practice medicine legally in California.

The evil madam Ah Toy summons Tao to treat her asthma. Tempted to poison Ah Toy because of her exploitation of the “singsong girls,” Tao resists the impulse. Eliza realizes that Tao was correct in confronting her to set a deadline on her search for Joaquín. In truth, Eliza “had never been totally happy” in Joaquín’s arms (370), and she suspects that “she had fallen in love with love” (370). Trying to achieve closure, Eliza visits the newspaper office of Jacob Freemont to ask if he knows the whereabouts of Joaquín Murieta. Despite Jacob’s change of name, Eliza recognizes the scent of Miss Rose’s suitor. Annoyed by her questions about Joaquín, Jacob says he cannot help the Chilean youth. Only after her exit does Jacob realize that his visitor was Eliza dressed in men’s clothing.

Tao and Eliza work at night rescuing “singsong girls” and transporting them to their Quaker abolitionist friends. These Quakers send the escaped prostitutes to a network of safe houses in other states so the girls can start new lives in decent jobs.

Captain John arrives back in Valparaíso on March 15, 1853, Eliza’s 21st birthday. Captain John has transported his employer, Paulina, back to her homeland so she can give birth to her fourth child there before returning to her new San Francisco mansion. Paulina’s father, Agustín, has suffered a stroke and forgotten that he once rejected his daughter for marrying below her social class. Miss Rose is ill every year on Eliza’s birthday. Miss Rose never realized the depth of her maternal love for Eliza until the girl had vanished. Miss Rose blames herself for Eliza’s presumed death because of the secrets she kept and her failure to empathize. Captain John tells his siblings that Jacob has seen Eliza alive in San Francisco. The news gives Rose a reason to go on living. Rose plans to travel to California to find Eliza. Joaquín’s mother believes that her son died in California because she only received one letter from him.

The California governor authorizes a manhunt for Joaquín Murieta. Jacob writes in the newspaper that this mission is equivalent to a lynching since no one knows Joaquín’s true appearance or possesses evidence of his misdeeds. In her dreams, Eliza sees her Joaquín with a star of light on his forehead. Eliza begins to feel desire again, but for Tao. The rebellious Irish beauty Lola Montez arrives in San Francisco and inspires Eliza with her fearlessness. Eliza dresses again in women’s clothing and writes to Miss Rose. The leader of the manhunt kills an unguarded Hispanic man that he proclaims was Murieta. Tao accompanies Eliza to try to identify the dead man’s preserved head. Eliza sees it and states only that she is now free.