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the time。〃 Thank God Penn won't be here； he thought。
〃Very well。 Next： Roger asked me to meet you at the bank at six o'clock tomorrow。〃
Dunross let the silence hang。
〃Ian？〃
〃Yes sir？〃
〃At six。 Sinders should be there by then。〃
〃Do you know him； sir？ Personally？〃
〃Yes。 Why？〃
〃I just wanted to be sure。〃 Dunross heard the governor's silence。 His tension increased。
〃Good。 At six。 Next： Did you hear about poor John Chen？〃
〃Yes sir； just a few minutes ago。 Rotten luck。〃
〃I agree。 Poor fellow！ This Werewolf mess couldn't've e at a worse time。 It will surely bee a cause célèbre for all opponents of Hong Kong。 Damned nuisance； apart from the tragedy so far。 Dear me； well； at least we live in interesting times with nothing but problems。〃
〃Yes sir。 Is the Victoria in trouble？〃 Dunross asked the question casually but he was listening intently and he heard the slightest hesitation before Sir Geoffrey said lightly； 〃Good Lord no！ My dear fellow； what an astonishing idea！ Well； thank you； Ian； everything else can wait till our meeting at noon。〃
〃Yes sir。〃 Dunross put the phone down and mopped his brow。 That hesitation was bloody ominous； he told himself。 If anyone'd know how bad things are it'd be Sir Geoffrey。
A rain squall battered the windows。 So much to do。 His eyes went to the clock。 Linbar due now； then Sir Luis。 He already decided what he wanted from the head of the stock exchange； what he must have from him。 He had not mentioned it at the meeting of the Inner Court this morning。 The others had soured him。 All of them … Jacques； Gavallan； Linbar … were convinced the Victoria would support Struan's to the limit。 〃And if they don't？〃 he had asked。
〃We've the Par…Con deal。 It's inconceivable the Victoria won't help！〃
〃If they don't？〃
〃Perhaps after last night Gornt won't continue to sell。〃
〃He'll sell。 What do we do？〃
〃Unless we can stop him or put off the Toda and Orlin payments we're in very great trouble。〃
We can't put off the payments； he thought again。 Without the bank or Mata or Tightfist … even the Par…Con deal won't stop Quillan。 Quillan knows he's got all day today and all Friday to sell and sell and sell and I can't buy ev…
〃Master Linbar； tai…pan。〃
〃Show him in； please。〃 He glanced at the clock。 The younger man came in and closed the door。 〃You're almost two minutes late。〃
〃Oh？ Sorry。〃
〃I don't seem to be able to get through to you about punctuality。 It's impossible to run sixty…three panies without executive punctuality。 If it happens one more time you lose your yearly bonus。〃
Linbar flushed。 〃Sorry。〃
〃I want you to take over our Sydney operation from Bill Foster。〃
Linbar Struan brightened。 〃Yes certainly。 I'd like that。 I've wanted an operation of my own for some time。〃
〃Good。 I'd like you to be on the Qantas flight tomorrow an… 〃
〃Tomorrow？ Impossible！〃 Linbar burst out； his happiness evaporating。 〃It'll take me a couple of weeks to get ev… 〃
Dunross's voice became so gentle but so slashing that Linbar Struan blanched。 〃I realize that； Linbar。 But I want you to go there tomorrow。 Stay two weeks and then e back and report to me。 Understand？〃
〃Yes； I understand。 But 。。。 but what about Saturday？ What about the races？ I want to watch Noble Star run。〃
Dunross just looked at him。 〃I want you in Australia。 Tomorrow。 Foster's failed to get possession of Woolara Properties。 Without Woolara we've no charterer for our ships。 Without the charterer our present banking arrangements are null and void。 You've two weeks to correct that fiasco and report back。〃
〃And if I don't？〃 Linbar said； enraged。
〃For chrissake don't waste time！ You know the answer to that。 If you fail you'll no longer be in the Inner Court。 And if you're not on that plane tomorrow you're out of Struan's as long as I'm tai…pan。〃
Linbar Struan started to say something but changed his mind。
〃Good；〃 Dunross said。 〃If you succeed with Woolara your salary's doubled。〃
Linbar Struan just stared back at him。 〃Anything else？ Sir？〃
〃No。 Good morning； Linbar。〃
Linbar nodded and strode out。 When the door was closed Dunross allowed himself the shadow of a smile。 〃Cocky young bastard；〃 he muttered and got up and went to the window again； feeling closed in； wanting to be out in a speedboat or； better； in his car； racing the corners just too fast； pushing the car and himself just a little harder each lap to cleanse his head。 Absently he straightened a picture and watched the raindrops； deep in thought； saddened by John Chen。
A globulet fell a wet obstacle course and vanished to be replaced by another and another。 There was still no view and the rain pelted down。
His private phone jangled into life。
〃Yes； Penn？〃 he said。
A strange voice said； 〃Mr。 Dunross？〃
〃Yes。 Who's this？〃 he asked； startled； unable to place the man's voice or his accent。
〃My name is Kirk； Jamie Kirk； Mr。 Dunross。 I'm； er； I'm a friend of Mr。 Grant； Mr。 Alan Medford Grant。 。。。〃 Dunross almost dropped the phone。 〃。。。 Hello？ Mr。 Dunross？〃
〃Yes； please go on。〃 Dunross was over his shock now。 AMG was one of the few who had been given this number and he had known it was to be used only in emergencies and never passed on except for a very special reason。 〃What can I do for you？〃
〃I'm； er； from London； Scotland actually。 Alan told me to call you as soon as I got to Hong Kong。 He； er； gave me your number。 I hope I'm not disturbing you？〃
〃No； not at all； Mr。 Kirk。〃
〃Alan gave me a package for you； and he also wanted me to talk to you。 My； er； my wife and I are in Hong Kong for three days so I； er； I wondered if we could meet。〃
〃Of course。 Where are you staying？〃 he asked calmly； though his heart was racing。
〃At the Nine Dragons in Kowloon； room 455。〃
〃When did you last see Alan； Mr。 Kirk？〃
〃When we left London。 That was； er； two weeks ago now。 Yes； two weeks to the day。 We've； er； we've been to Singapore and Indonesia。 Why？〃
〃Would after lunch be convenient？ Sorry but I'm jammed till 3：20。 I could see you then if that would be satisfactory。〃
〃3：20 will be fine。〃
〃I'll send a car for you an… 〃
〃Oh there's； er； there's no need for that。 We can find our way to your office。〃
〃It's no trouble。 A car will call for you at 2：30。〃
Dunross replaced the phone； lost in thought。
The clock chimed 8：45。 A knock。 Claudia opened the door。 〃Sir Luis Basilio； tai…pan。〃
Johnjohn at the Victoria Bank was shouting into the phone。 〃。。。 I don't give a sod what you bastards in London think； I'm telling you we've got the beginnings of a run here and it looks very smelly indeed。 I 。。。 What？ Speak up； man！ We've got a rotten connection。 。。。 What？ 。。。 I couldn't care less that it's 1：30 in the morning … where the hell were you anyway … I've been trying to get you for four hours！ 。。。 What？ 。。。 Whose birthday？ Christ almighty 。。。〃 His sandy eyebrows soared and he held on to his temper。 〃Listen； just get down to the City and the Mint very first bloody thing and tell them 。。。 Hello？ 。。。 Yes； tell them this whole bloody island may run out of money and 。。。 Hello？ 。。。 Hello？ 。。。 Oh for chrissake！〃 He started jiggling the plunger up and down。 〃Hello！〃 Then he slammed the receiver