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Dunross was startled。 〃He knew he was going to die？〃
〃I think so。 He said the marriage contract was for five years only but that we should have no children。 He took me to an advocate in Zurich who drew up a contract for five years。〃 She opened her purse； her fingers trembling but not her voice； and pulled out an envelope。 〃Hans told me to give you these。 They're copies of the contract； my； my birth and marriage certificate； his will and birth certificate。〃 She took out a tissue and pressed it against her nose。 〃Please excuse me。〃 Carefully she untied the string around the envelope and took out a letter。
Dunross accepted it。 He recognized AMG's handwriting。 〃Tai…pan： This will confirm my wife； Riko Gresserhoff … Riko Anjin … is who she says she is。 I love her with all my heart。 She merits and merited far better than me。 If she needs help 。。。 please please please。〃 It was signed Hans Gresserhoff。
〃I do not merit better； tai…pan；〃 she said with a sad； small confident voice。 〃My husband was good to me； very good。 And I'm sorry he is dead。〃
Dunross watched her。 〃Was he ill？ Did he know he was going to die from an illness？〃
〃I don't know。 He never told me。 One of his asks before I 。。。 before I married him was that I would not question him or question where he went； why； or when he was to return。 I was just to accept him as he was。〃 A small shiver went through her。 〃It was very hard living thus。〃
〃Why did you agree to live like that？ Why？ Surely it wasn't necessary？〃
Again Riko hesitated。 〃I was born in Japan in 1939 and went as an infant with my parents to Berne … my father was a minor official in the Japanese Embassy there。 In 1943 he went back to Japan but left us in Geneva。 Our family is … our family es from Nagasaki。 In 1945 my father was lost and all our family was lost。 There was nothing to go back to and my mother wanted to stay in Switzerland； so we went to live in Zurich with a good man who died four years ago。 He 。。。 they paid for my education and kept me and we had a happy family。 For many years I knew they were not married though they pretended and I pretended。 When he died there was no money； or just a little money。 Hans Gresserhoff was an acquaintance of this man； my； my stepfather。 His name was Simeon Tzerak。 He was a displaced person； tai…pan； a stateless person from Hungary who had taken up residence in Switzerland。 Before the war he was an accountant； he said； in Budapest。 My mother arranged my marriage to Hans Gresserhoff。〃 Now she looked up from the carpet at him。 〃It was 。。。 it was a good marriage； tai…pan； at least I tried very hard to be whatever my husband wanted and my mother wanted。 My giri； my duty was to obey my mother； neh？〃
〃Yes；〃 he said kindly； understanding duty and giri； that most Japanese of words； most important of words that sums up a heritage and a way of life。 〃You have performed your giri perfectly； I'm sure。 What does your mother say is your giri now？〃
〃My mother is dead； tai…pan。 When my stepfather died she did not wish to live。 The moment I was married she went up the mountain and skied into a crevasse。〃
〃Terrible。〃
〃Oh no； tai…pan； very good。 She died as she wished to die； at a time and place of her choosing。 Her man was dead； I was safe； what more was there for her to do？〃
〃Nothing；〃 he told her； hearing the softness of her voice； the sincerity； and the calm。 The Japanese word wa came to his mind： harmony。 That's what this girl has； he thought。 Harmony。 Perhaps that's what's so beautiful about her。 Ayeeyah that I could acquire such wa！
One of his phones sounded。 〃Yes； Claudia？〃
〃It's Alexi Travkin； tai…pan。 Sorry； he said it was important。〃
〃Thank you。〃 To the girl he said； 〃Excuse me a moment。 Yes； Alexi？〃
〃Sorry to interrupt； tai…pan； but Johnny Moore's sick and he won't be able to ride。〃 Johnny Moore was their chief jockey。
Dunross's voice sharpened。 〃He seemed all right this morning。〃
〃He's running 103…degree temperature； the doctor said it might be food poisoning。〃
〃You mean he's been tampered with； Alexi？〃
〃I don't know； tai…pan。 I only know he's no good for us today。〃
Dunross hesitated。 He knew he was better than the rest of his jockeys though the extra weight Noble Star would have to carry would load the deck against the horse。 Should I or shouldn't I？ 〃Alexi； schedule Tom Wong。 We'll decide before the race。〃
〃Yes。 Thank you。〃
Dunross replaced the phone。 〃Anjin's a curious name；〃 he said。 〃It means pilot； just pilot； or navigator； doesn't it？〃
〃The legend in my family is that one of our forebears was an Englishman who became a samurai and advisor to the Shogun Yoshi Toranaga； oh very many years ago； long long ago。 We have many stories but they say first he had a fief in Hemi； near Yokohama； then went with his family to Nagasaki as inspector general of all foreigners。〃 Again the smile and the shrug and the tip of her tongue moistened her lips。 〃It is just legend； tai…pan。 He is supposed to have married a highborn lady called Riko。〃 Her chuckle filled the room。 〃You know Japanese！ A gai…jin； a foreigner； marrying a highborn lady … how could that be possible？ But anyway； it is a pleasing story and an explanation of a name； neh？〃 She got up and he got up。 〃I should go now。 Yes？〃
No； he wanted to say。
The black Daimler pulled up outside the V and A； the Struan arms discreetly on the doors。 Casey and Bartlett waited at the top of the stairs； Casey wearing a green dress； self…conscious in a pert green pillbox hat and white gloves； Bartlett broad…shouldered； wearing a blue tie to match his well…cut suit。 Both were set…faced。
The chauffeur approached them。 〃Mr。 Bartlett？〃
〃Yes。〃 They came down the steps to meet him。 〃You our limo？〃
〃Yes sir。 Excuse me sir； but do you both have your badge tickets； and the invitation card？〃
〃Yes； here they are；〃 Casey said。
〃Ah； good。 Sorry but without them 。。。 My name's Lim。 The； er； the custom is for the gentlemen to tie both badges through the hole in their lapels and the ladies usually have a pin。〃
〃Whatever you say；〃 Bartlett said。 Casey got in the back and he followed。 They sat far apart。 Silently they began to fix the small； individually numbered badges。
Blandly Lim closed the door； noticing the frigidity； and chortled inwardly。 He closed the electric glass partition window and switched on his inter mike。 〃If you want to talk to me； sir； just use the microphone above you。〃 Through his rear mirror he saw Bartlett use the switch momentarily。
〃Sure； thank you； Lim。〃
Once Lim was in the traffic he reached under the dash and touched a hidden switch。 At once Bartlett's voice came through the speaker。
〃。。。 going to rain？〃
〃I don't know； Linc。 The radio said it would but everyone's praying。〃 A hesitation； then coldly； 〃I still think you're wrong。〃
Lim settled back happily。 His trusted older brother Lim Chu； majordomo to the tai…pans of the Noble House； had arranged for another younger brother； an expert radio mechanic； to install this bypass switch so that he could overhear his passengers。 It had been done at great cost to protect the tai…pan and older brother Lim had ordered it was never to be used when the tai…pan was in the car。 Never never n