That Japanese book

My thanks to Jennifer and Cryna who both wrote to me with 'free translations' of the content of the Japanese book I mentioned yesterday. Those free translations can be quite hyterically funny - and strange - but the summary of the plot they came up with ran like this:

I have become pregnant the child of the son of a noble, pierced earring of the
distinguished family who Natali who works as the teacher of a/the kindergarten
has dying for love from the time when was 10 reigns. Although the pierced
earring offers marriage right away the marriage for him is "duty" and
"responsibility" and was not "love"..

or

In the entryway of the house of ナタリー which works contents as a teacher of
the preschool a certain night, it loved from time of a teen and the man who
yearns appeared suddenly. The mother of ナタリー the son of the name house which
worked as a housekeeping lady, it was the pierced earring. He is the
circumstances which have finished to become emaciated. So, why here? As for him
the expectation which is engaged before the certain two months. When the is
questioned to the pierced earring, you say that engagement was cancelled
unilaterally. How ナタリー has, and others so it pities the pierced earring, lodges
him in the house finally, but helping also the feeling that, we would like
consoling, it exchanges love. And then about one month later, the actuality,
pregnancy attacked ナタリー. That you probably will get married directly, it
approaches the pierced earring to her. Is, but the word which comes out of that
mouth, "obligation" is, "responsibility" is, that ナタリー would like to hear, you
ask, "love" was not....
ナタリー which works contents as a teacher of the
preschool (from "the MARC" database), love the son of the name house which
yearns and the child of the pierced earring becomes pregnant from time of the
teenager. The pierced earring requests marriage directly, but as for marriage
for him "obligation" and "responsibility" being, "love" was not....

And the title given is Obligation and Marriage!

Both Jennifer and Cryna wondered if this was a Japanese translation of The Italian's Forced Bride (see sidebar) as the blurb on the back of that book says:

“As long as I want you, you stay — and you only leave when I give you permission to go”
Alice spent six passionate months as Domenico’s mistress. But she knew he would never love her back and would soon discard her — so she left him.
But now Domenico wants her back in his bed, and his terms of possession are the same as before — until he makes a discovery that changes everything: Alice is carrying his child.

So there is the marriage because of a child in that story. But what puzzled me was the fact that this Japanese translation is a 'Classic' which usually means a reprint of a book that has been published before.

And I was right. It was the name Natali that gave it away. Alice is the heroine in The Italian's Forced Bride but Natalie appears in The Unexpected Child which appeared in 1997. Doesn't this sound much more like the plot described - sort of - above?

Natalie had been in love with Pierce Donellan since she was eleven (for '10 reigns') and when he came knocking on her door again she just couldn't turn him away. But she hadn't considered the possible consequences.

When he learned she was pregnant, Pierce insisted on a wedding. But Natalie's unexpected child was the only part of Pierce's heart she was ever likely to possess. Although Pierce did seem determined to make their marriage a real one . . .

I think that fits with the translation above - and it fits with the title of Obligatin and Marriage - and it makes it a Classic reprint as The Unexpected Child was originally published (complete with Rita Hayworth lookalike heroine - in Japan in 1997. But I have no idea at all where that 'pierced earring' comes in - unless - just thought - maybe it's meant to be the hero's name! Pierce - pierced earring!

But without Jenifer and Crynna I wouldn't have worked this out - so ladies if you'll send me your postal addresses, I'll send you one of my Kate Walker bookbags as a thank you prize.