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〃I'm very glad to know it； Mr。 Gavallan。 I only have final say up to 20 million。〃 She beamed at them。 〃Very well； put it to your tai…pan。 Meanwhile； shall we set a time limit on the consideration period？〃
Another silence。
〃What do you suggest？〃 Gavallan said； feeling trapped。
〃Whatever the minimum is。 I don't know how fast you like to work；〃 Casey said。
Phillip Chen said； 〃Why not table that answer until after lunch； Andrew？〃
〃Yes … good idea。〃
〃That's fine with me；〃 Casey said。 I've done my job； she thought。 I'll settle for 20 million when it could've been 30 and they're men and expert； and over twenty…one and they think I'm a sucker。 But now I get my drop dead money。 Dear God in heaven let this deal go through because then I'm free forever。
Free to do what？
Never mind； she told herself。 I'll think about that later。
She heard herself continue the pattern： 〃Shall we go through the details of how you'd like the 18 million and 。。。〃
〃18 is hardly adequate；〃 Phillip Chen interrupted； the lie ing very easily。 〃There are all sorts of added costs。 。。。〃
In perfect negotiating style Casey argued and allowed them to push her to 20 million and then； with apparent reluctance； she said； 〃You gentlemen are exceptional businessmen。 Very well； 20 million。〃 She saw their hidden smiles and laughed to herself。
〃Good；〃 Gavallan said； very satisfied。
〃Now；〃 she said； wanting to keep the pressure on； 〃how do you want our joint venture corporate structure to be？ Of course subject to your tai…pan … sorry； subject to the tai…pan's approval；〃 she said； correcting herself with just the right amount of humility。
Gavallan was watching her； irritably wishing she were a man。 Then I could say； up yours； or go shit in your hat； and we'd laugh together because you know and I know you always have to check with the tai…pan in some way or another … whether it's Dunross or Bartlett or a board or your wife。 Yes； and if you were a man we wouldn't have this bloody sexuality in the boardroom which doesn't belong here in the first place。 Christ； if you were an old bag maybe that'd make a difference but； shit； a bird like you？
What the hell gets into American women？ Why in the name of Christ don't they stay where they belong and be content with what they're great at？ Stupid！
And stupid to concede financing so quickly； and even more stupid to give us an extra two million when ten would probably have been acceptable in the first place。 For God's sake； you should have been more patient and you would have made a much better deal！ That's the trouble with you Americans； you've … no finesse and no patience and no style and you don't understand the art of negotiation； and you； dear lady； you're much too impatient to prove yourself。 So now I know how to play you。
He glanced at Linbar Struan who was watching Casey covertly； waiting for him or Phillip or Jacques to continue。 When I'm tai…pan； Gavallan thought grimly； I'm going to break you； young Linbar； break you or make you。 You need shoving out into the world on your own； to make you think for yourself； to rely on yourself； not on your name and your heritage。 Yes； with a lot more hard work to take some of the heat out of your yang … the sooner you remarry the better。
His eyes switched to Jacques deVille who smiled back at him。 Ah Jacques； he thought without rancor； you're my main opposition。 You're doing what you usually do： saying little； watching everything； thinking a lot … rough； tough and mean if necessary。 But what's in your mind about this deal？ Have I missed something？ What does your canny legal Parisian mind forecast？ Ah but she stopped you in your tracks with her joke about your joke about her nose； eh？
I'd like to bed her too； he thought absently； knowing Linbar and Jacques had already decided the same。 Of course … who wouldn't？
What about you； Phillip Chen？
Oh no。 Not you。 You like them very much younger and have it done to you； strangely； if there's any truth to the rumors； heya？
He looked back at Casey。 He could read her impatience。 You don't look lesbian； he thought and groaned inwardly。 Is that your other weakness？ Christ； that'd be a terrible waste！
〃The joint venture should be set up under Hong Kong law；〃 he said。
〃Yes of course。 There's … 〃
〃Sims； Dawson and Dick can advise us how。 I'll arrange an appointment for tomorrow or the day after。〃
〃No need for that； Mr。 Gavallan。 I already got their tentative proposals； hypothetical and confidential； of course； just in case we decided to conclude。〃
〃What？〃 They gaped at her as she took out five copies of a short form； legal contract and handed one to each of them。
〃I found out they were your attorneys；〃 she said brightly。 〃I had our people check them out and I was advised they're the best so they were fine with us。 I asked them to consider our joint hypothetical needs … yours as well as ours。 Is anything the matter？〃
〃No；〃 Gavallan said； suddenly furious that their own firm had not told them of Par…Con's inquiries。 He began to scan the letter。
Dew neh loh moh on Casey bloody whatever her names are； Phillip Chen was thinking； enraged at the loss of face。 May your Golden Gulley wither and be ever dry and dust…filled for your foul manners and your fresh； filthy； unfeminine habits！
God protect us from American women！
Ayeeyah； it is going to cost Lincoln Bartlett a pretty penny for daring to stick this 。。。 this creature upon us； he promised himself。 How dare he！
Nevertheless； his mind was estimating the staggering value of the deal they were being offered。 It has to be at least 100 million U。S。； potentially； over the next few years； he told himself； his head reeling。 This will give the Noble House the stability it needs。
Oh happy day； he gloated。 And co…financing dollar for dollar！ Unbelievable！ Stupid to give us that so quickly without even a tiny concession in return。 Stupid； but what can you expect from a stupid woman？ Ayeeyah； the Pacific Rim will gorge on all the polyurethane foam products we can make … for packaging； building； bedding and insulating。 One factory here； one in Taiwan； one in Singapore； one in Kuala Lumpur and a last； initially； in Jakarta。 We'll make millions； tens of millions。 And as to the puter…leasing agency； why at the rental these fools are offering us； 10 percent less than IBM's list price； less our 71/2 percent mission … with just a little haggling we would have been delighted to agree to 5 percent … by next weekend I can sell three in Singapore； one here； one in Kuala Lumpur and one to that shipping pirate in Indonesia for a clear profit of 67；500 each； or 405；000 for six phone calls。 And as to China 。。。
And as to China 。。。
Oh all gods great and small and very small； help this deal to go through and I will endow a new temple； a cathedral； in Tai…ping Shan； he promised； consumed with fervor。 If China will drop some controls； or even ease them just a fraction； we can fertilize the paddy fields of Kwantung Province and then of all China and over the next twelve years this deal will mean tens of hundreds of millions of dollars； U。S。 dollars not Hong Kong dollars！
The thought of all this profit mollified his rage considerably。 〃I think t