按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
There was another burst of laughter。 Dunross used it to push through to the door。 Bartlett and Casey followed。 At his chauffeured Rolls below； Dunross said； 〃e on； get in … sorry； I've got to hurry； but the car'll take you home。〃
〃No； that's all right； we'll take a cab。 。。。〃
〃No； get in。 In this rain you'll have to wait half an hour。〃
〃The ferry'll do fine； tai…pan；〃 Casey said。 〃He can drop us there。〃 They got in and drove off； the traffic snarled。
〃What're you going to do about Gornt？〃 Bartlett asked。
Dunross laughed and Casey and Bartlett tried to gauge the strength of it。 〃I'm going to wait；〃 he said。 〃It's an old Chinese custom： Patience。 Everything es to him who waits。 Thanks for keeping mum about our deal。 You handled that rather well。〃
〃You'll announce tomorrow after the market closes； as planned？〃 Bartlett asked。
〃I'd like to leave my options open。 I know this market； you don't。 Perhaps tomorrow。〃 Dunross looked at them both clearly。 〃Perhaps not until Tuesday when we've actually signed。 I presume we still have a deal？ Until Tuesday at midnight？〃
〃Sure；〃 Casey said。
〃Can the announcement time be left to me？ I'll tell you beforehand but I may need the timing to 。。。 to maneuver。〃
〃Certainly。〃
〃Thank you。 Of course； if we're down the pipe then； it's no deal。 I understand quite clearly。〃
〃Gornt can get control？〃 Casey asked。 Both of them saw the change in the Scotsman's eyes。 The smile was still there but it was only on the surface。
〃No； not actually； but of course with enough stock he can force his way immediately onto the board and appoint other directors。 Once on the board he will be party to most of our secrets and he'll disrupt and destroy。〃 Dunross glanced back at Casey。 〃His purpose is to destroy。〃
〃Because of the past？〃
〃Partially。〃 Dunross smiled； but this time they saw a deep…seated tiredness within it。 〃The stakes are high； face is involved； huge face； and this's Hong Kong。 Here the strong survive and the weak perish but en route the government doesn't steal from you； or protect you。 If you don't want to be free and don't like our rules； or lack of them； don't e。 You've e for profit； heya？〃 He watched Bartlett。 〃And profit you will have； one way or another。〃
〃Yes；〃 Bartlett agreed blandly； and Casey wondered how much Dunross knew about the arrangement with Gornt。 The thought disquieted her。
〃Profit's our motive； yes；〃 she said。 〃But not to destroy。〃
〃That's wise；〃 he said。 〃It's better to create than to destroy。 Oh； by the way； Jacques asked if you'd both like to dine with him tonight； 8：30…ish。 I can't； I've an official do with the governor but I might see you for a drink later。〃
〃Thanks； but I can't tonight；〃 Bartlett said easily； not feeling easy at the sudden thought of Orlanda。 〃How about you； Casey？〃
〃No； no thanks。 I've a stack to get through； tai…pan； maybe we could take a rain check？〃 she asked him happily and thought that he was wise to be close…mouthed and Linc Bartlett equally wise to cool it with Struan's for a while。 Yes； she told herself； her mind diverted； and it'll be lovely to have dinner with Linc； just the two of us； like lunch。 Maybe we can even take in a movie。
Dunross went into his office。
〃Oh 。。。 oh hello； tai…pan；〃 Claudia said。 〃Mr。 and Mrs。 Kirk are in the downstairs reception room。 Bill Foster's resignation's in your in tray。〃
〃Good。 Claudia； make sure I see Linbar before he goes。〃 He was watching her carefully and though she was consummate at hiding her feelings； he could sense her fear。 He sensed it in the whole building。 Everyone pretended otherwise but confidence was tottering。 〃Without confidence in the general；〃 Sun Tzu had written； 〃no battle can be won by however many troops and with however many weapons。〃
Uneasily Dunross rethought his plan and position。 He knew he had very few moves； that the only true defense was attack and he could not attack without massive funds。 This morning when he had met Lando Mata； he had got only a reluctant perhaps。 〃。。。 I told you I have to consult with Tightfist Tung first。 I've left messages but I just can't get hold of him。〃
〃He's in Macao？〃
〃Yes； yes I think so。 He said he was arriving today but I don't know on which ferry。 I really don't know； tai…pan。 If he's not on the last inbound； I'll go back to Macao and see him at once … if he's available。 I'll call you this evening； the moment I've talked to him。 By the way； have you reconsidered either of our offers？〃
〃Yes。 I can't sell you control of Struan's。 And I can't leave Struan's and run the gambling in Macao。〃
〃With our money you'll smash Gornt； you co… 〃
〃I can't pass over control。〃
〃Perhaps we could bine both offers。 We support you against Gornt in return for control of Struan's and you run our gambling syndicate； secretly if you wish。 Yes； it could be secret。 。。。〃
Dunross shifted in his easy chair； certain that Lando Mata and Tightfist were using the trap that he was in to further their own interests。 Just like Bartlett and Casey； he thought without anger。 Now that's an interesting woman。 Beautiful； courageous and loyal … to Bartlett。 I wonder if she knows he breakfasted with Orlanda this morning； then visited her flat。 I wonder if they know I know about the 2 million from Switzerland。 Bartlett's smart； very smart； and making all the correct moves； but he's wide open to attack because he's predictable and his jugular's an Asian girl。 Perhaps Orlanda； perhaps not； but certainly a youth…filled Golden Skin。 Quillan was clever to bait the trap with her。 Yes。 Orlanda's a perfect bait； he thought； then put his mind back to Lando Mata and his millions。 To get those millions I'd have to break my Holy Oath and that I will not do。
〃What calls do I have； Claudia？〃 he asked； a sudden ice shaft in his stomach。 Mata and Tightfist had been his ace； the only one left。
She hesitated； glanced at the list。 〃Hiro Toda called from Tokyo； person to person。 Please return the call when you've a moment。 Alastair Struan the same from Edinburgh。 。。。 David MacStruan from Toronto 。。。 your father from Ayr 。。。 old Sir Ross Struan from Nice 。。。〃
〃Uncle Trussler from London；〃 he said； interrupting her； 〃Uncle Kelly from Dublin 。。。 Cousin Cooper from Atlanta； cous… 〃
〃From New York；〃 Claudia said。
〃From New York。 Bad news travels fast；〃 he told her calmly。
〃Yes。 Then there was 。。。〃 Her eyes filled with tears。 〃What're we going to do？〃
〃Absolutely not cry；〃 he said； knowing that a large proportion of her savings was in Struan stock。
〃Yes！ Oh yes。〃 She sniffed and used a handkerchief； sad for him but thanking the gods she had had the foresight to sell at the top of the market and not buy when the Head of the House of Chen had whispered for all the clan to buy heavily。 〃Ayeeyah； tai…pan； sorry； so sorry； please excuse me 。。。 yes。 But it's very bad； isn't it？〃
〃Och aye； lassie；〃 he said； aping a broad Scots accent； 〃but only when you're deaded。 Isn't that what the old tai…pan used to say？〃 The old tai…pan was Sir Ross Struan； Alastair's father； the first tai…pan he could remember。 〃Go on with the calls。〃
〃Cousin Kern from Houston and Cousin Deeks from Sydney。 That's the last of the family。〃
〃That's