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〃God knows！ But thousands are going to lose their knickers in this crash！〃
〃Hey； tai…pan！ Are you going to let your stock plummet or are you going to buy？〃
〃The Noble House's strong as it ever was； old boy；〃 Dunross said easily。 〃My advice to you is to buy！〃
〃How long can you wait； tai…pan？〃
〃We'll weather this slight problem； don't worry。〃 Dunross continued to push through the crowd； heading for the exit； Linc Bartlett and Casey following； questions being fired at him。 Most of them he dismissed with a pleasantry； a few he answered； then Gornt was in front of him and the two of them were in the middle of a great silence。
〃Ah； Quillan； how did you do on the day？〃 he asked politely。
〃Very good； thank you； Ian； very good。 My partners and I are 3 or 4 million ahead。〃
〃You have partners？〃
〃Of course。 One doesn't mount an attack on Struan's lightly … of course one must have very substantial financial backing。〃 Gornt smiled。 〃Fortunately； Struan's're roundly detested by lots of good people and have been for a century or more。 I'm delighted to tell you I've just acquired another 300；000 shares for sale first thing。 That should just about bring your house atumbling down。〃
〃We're not Humpty…Dumpty。 We're the Noble House。〃
〃Until tomorrow。 Yes。 Or perhaps the next day。 Monday at the latest。〃 Gornt looked back at Bartlett。 〃Tuesday for dinner is still on？〃
〃Yes。〃
Dunross smiled。 〃Quillan； a man can get burned selling short in such a volatile market。〃 He turned to Bartlett and Casey and said pleasantly； 〃Don't you agree？〃
〃It sure as hell isn't like our New York exchange；〃 Bartlett replied to a general laugh。 〃What's happening here today'd blow our whole economy to hell。 Eh Casey？〃
〃Yes；〃 Casey replied uneasily； feeling Gornt's scrutiny。 〃Hello；〃 she said； glancing at him。
〃We're honored to have you here；〃 Gornt said with great charm。 〃May I pliment you on your courage last night … both of you。〃
〃I did nothing special；〃 Bartlett said。
〃Nor did I；〃 Casey said unfortably； very aware she was the only woman in the room and now the center of so much attention。 〃If it hadn't been for Linc and Ian 。。。 for the tai…pan and you and the others； I'd've panicked。〃
〃Ah； but you didn't。 Your dive was perfection；〃 Gornt said； to cheers。
She said nothing but she was warmed by that thought； not for the first time。 Somehow life had been different since she had taken off her clothes without thinking。 Gavallan had called this morning to ask how she was。 So had others。 At the exchange she had felt the looks strongly。 There had been lots of pliments。 Many from strangers。 She felt that Dunross and Gornt and Bartlett remembered because she had not failed them。 Or herself。 Yes； she thought； you gained great face before all the men。 And increased the jealousy of all their women。 Curious。
〃Are you selling short； Mr。 Bartlett？〃 Gornt was saying。 〃Not personally；〃 Bartlett told him with a small smile。 〃Not yet。〃
〃You should；〃 Gornt said agreeably。 〃There's a great deal of money to be made in a falling market； as I'm sure you know。 A great deal of money will change hands with control of Struan's。〃 He put his eyes back onto Casey； excited by her courage and her body and by the thought that she would be ing sailing on Sunday alone。 〃And you； Ciranoush； are you in the market？〃 he asked。
Casey heard her name and the way he said it。 A thrill took her。 Beware； she cautioned herself。 This man's dangerous。 Yes。 And so is Dunross and so is Linc。
Which？
I think I want all three of them； she thought； heat rushing into her。
The day had been exciting and grand from the first moment when Dunross had phoned her so solicitously。 Then getting up； feeling no ill effects from the fire or the emetics of Dr。 Tooley。 Then working away happily all morning on all the cables and telexes and phone calls to the States； tidying business problems of Par…Con's far…flung conglomerate； cementing a merger that had been on their agenda for months； selling off another pany very profitably to acquire one that would further enhance Par…Con's stab into Asia … whomever they were in business with。 Then； unexpectedly； being invited for lunch by Linc。 。。。 Dear handsome confident attractive Linc； she thought； remembering the lunch they had had atop the Victoria and Albert in the great； green dining room overlooking the harbor； Linc so attentive； Hong Kong Island and the sea roads obscured by the driving rain。 Half a grapefruit； a small salad； Perrier； all perfectly served； just what she wanted。 Then coffee。
〃How about going to the Stock Exchange； Casey？ Say 2：30？〃 he had said。 〃Ian invited us。〃
〃I've still got lots to do； Linc； an… 〃
〃But that place is something else and the things those guys get away with's unbelievable。 Insider trading's a way of life here and quite legal。 Jesus； it's fantastic … wonderful … a great system！ What they do here legally every day'd get you twenty years in the States。〃
〃That doesn't make it right； Linc。〃
〃No； but this is Hong Kong and their rules please them and it is their country and they support themselves and their government only creams off 15 percent tax；〃 he had said。 〃I tell you； Casey； if you want drop dead money it's here for the taking。〃
〃Let's hope！ You go； Linc； I've really got a pile of stuff to get through。〃
〃It can wait。 Today might be the clincher。 We should be in at the kill。〃
〃Gornt's going to win？〃
〃Sure； unless Ian gets massive financing。 I hear the Victoria won't support him。 And Orlin won't renew his loan； just as I forecast！〃
〃Gornt told you？〃
〃Just before lunch … but everyone knows everything in this place。 Never known anything like it。〃
〃Then maybe Ian knows you put up the 2 million to start Gornt off。〃
〃Maybe。 It doesn't matter； so long as they don't know Par…Con's on the way to bee the new Noble House。 How 'bout Tai…pan Bartlett？〃
Casey remembered his sudden grin and the warmth flooding out at her and she felt it now； standing on the floor of the Stock Exchange； watching him； crowds of men around her； only three important … Quillan； Ian and Linc … the most vital and exciting of all the men she had ever met。 She smiled back at them equally； then said to Gornt； 〃No； I'm not in the market； not personally。 I don't like gambling … the cost of my money es too high。〃
Someone muttered； 〃What a rotten thing to say！〃
Gornt paid no attention and kept his eyes on her。 〃Wise； very wise。 Of course； sometimes there's a sure thing； sometimes you can make a killing。〃 He looked at Dunross who was watching with his curious smile。 〃Figuratively； of course。〃
〃Of course。 Well； Quillan； see you tomorrow。〃
〃Hey； Mr。 Bartlett；〃 someone called out； 〃have you made a deal with Struan's or not？〃
〃Yes；〃 another said； 〃and what does Raider Bartlett think of a raid Hong Kong style？〃
Another silence fell。 Bartlett shrugged。 〃A raid is a raid wherever；〃 he said carefully； 〃and I'd say this one's mounted and launched。 But you never know you've won until you've won and all the votes are counted。 I agree with Mr。 Dunross。 You can get burned。〃 He grinned again； his eyes dancing。 〃I also agree with Mr。 Gornt。 Sometimes you can make a killing； figuratively。〃
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