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The thought of all this profit mollified his rage considerably。 〃I think this proposal can form the basis for further discussion；〃 he said； finishing reading。 〃Don't you； Andrew？〃
〃Yes。〃 Gavallan put the letter down。 〃I'll call them after lunch。 When would it be convenient for Mr。 Bartlett 。。。 and you of course 。。。 to meet？〃
〃This afternoon … the sooner the better … or anytime tomorrow but Linc won't e。 I handle all the details； that's my job；〃 Casey said crisply。 〃He sets policy … and will formally sign the final documents … after I've approved them。 That's the function of the mander…in…chief； isn't it？〃 She beamed at them。
〃I'll make an appointment and leave a message at your hotel；〃 Gavallan was saying。
〃Perhaps we could set it up now … then that's out of the way？〃
Sourly Gavallan glanced at his watch。 Almost lunch； thank God。 〃Jacques … how're you fixed tomorrow？〃
〃Morning's better than the afternoon。〃
〃And for John too；〃 Phillip Chen said。
Gavallan picked up the phone and dialed。 〃Mary？ Call Dawson and make an appointment for eleven tomorrow to include Mr。 deVille and Mr。 John Chen and Miss Casey。 At their offices。〃 He put the phone down。 〃Jacques and John Chen handle all our corporate matters。 John's sophisticated on American problems and Dawson's the expert。 I'll send the car for you at 10：30。〃
〃Thanks； but there's no need for you to trouble。〃
〃Just as you wish；〃 he said politely。 〃Perhaps this is a good time to break for lunch。〃
Casey said； 〃We've a quarter of an hour yet。 Shall we start on how you'd like our financing？ Or if you wish we can send out for a sandwich and work on through。〃
They stared at her； appalled。 〃Work through lunch？〃
〃Why not？ It's an old American custom。〃
〃Thank God it's not a custom here；〃 Gavallan said。
〃Yes；〃 Phillip Chen snapped。
She felt their disapproval descend like a pall but she did not care。 Shit on all of you； she thought irritably； then forced herself to put that attitude away。 Listen； idiot； don't let these sons of bitches get you！ She smiled sweetly。 〃If you want to stop now for lunch； that's fine with me。〃
〃Good；〃 Gavallan said at once and the others breathed a sigh of relief。 〃We begin lunch at 12：40。 You'll probably want to powder your nose first。〃
〃Yes； thank you；〃 she said； knowing they wanted her gone so they could discuss her … and then the deal。 It should be the other way around； she thought； but it won't be。 No。 It'll be the same as always： they'll lay bets as to who'll be the first to score。 But it'll be none of them； because I don't want any of them at the moment； however attractive they are in their way。 These men are like all the others I've met： they don't want love； they just want sex。
Except Linc。
Don't think about Linc and how much you love him and how rotten these years have been。 Rotten and wonderful。
Remember your promise。
I won't think about Linc and love。
Not until my birthday which is ninety…eight days from now。 The ninety…eighth day ends the seventh year and because of my darling by then I'll have my drop dead money and really be equal； and； God willing； we'll have the Noble House。 Will that be my wedding present to him？ Or his to me？
Or a good…bye present。
〃Where's the ladies' room？〃 she asked； getting up； and they all stood and towered over her； except Phillip Chen whom she topped by an inch； and Gavallan directed her。
Linbar Struan opened the door for her and closed it behind her。 Then he grinned。 〃A thousand says you'll never make it； Jacques。〃
〃Another thousand；〃 Gavallan said。 〃And ten that you won't； Linbar。〃
〃You're on；〃 Linbar replied； 〃provided she's here a month。〃
〃You're slowing up； aren't you； old chap？〃 Gavallan said； then to Jacques； 〃Well？〃
The Frenchman smiled。 〃Twenty that you； Andrew； will never charm such a lady into bed … and as to you； poor young Linbar。 Fifty against your racehorse says the same。〃
〃I like my filly for God's sake。 Noble Star's got a great chance of being a winner。 She's the best in our stable。〃
〃Fifty。〃
〃A hundred and I'll consider it。〃
〃I don't want any horse that much。〃 Jacques smiled at Phillip Chen。 〃What do you think； Phillip？〃
Phillip Chen got up。 〃I think I'll go home to lunch and leave you stallions to your dreams。 It's curious though that you're all betting the others won't … not that any of you could。〃 Again they laughed。
〃Stupid to give us the extra； eh？〃 Gavallan said。
〃The deal's fantastic；〃 Linbar Struan said。 〃Christ； Uncle Phillip； fantastic！〃
〃Like her derrière；〃 deVille said as a connoisseur would。 〃Eh； Phillip？〃
Good…naturedly Phillip Chen nodded and walked out； but as he saw Casey disappearing into the ladies' room； he thought； Ayeeyah； who'd want the big lump anyway？
Inside the ladies' room； Casey looked around； appalled。 It was clean but smelled of old drains and there were pails piled one on top of another and some were filled with water。 The floor was tiled but water…spotted and messy。 I've heard the English are not very hygienic； she thought disgustedly； but here in the Noble House？ Ugh！ Astonishing！
She went into one of the cubicles； its floor wet and slippery； and after she had finished she pulled the handle and nothing happened。 She tried it again； and again； and still nothing happened so she cursed and lifted off the top of the cistern。 The cistern was dry and rusty。 Irritably she unbolted the door and went to the basin and turned on the water but none came out。
What's the matter with this place？ I'll bet those bastards sent me here deliberately！
There were clean hand towels so she poured a pail of water into the basin awkwardly； spilling some； washed her hands； then dried them； furious that her shoes had got splashed。 At a sudden thought； she took another pail and flushed the toilet； then used still another bucket to clean her hands again。 When she left； she felt very soiled。
I suppose the goddamn pipe's broken somewhere and the plumber won't e until tomorrow。 Goddamn all water systems！
Calm down； she told herself。 You'll start making mistakes。
The corridor was covered with fine Chinese silk carpet； and the walls were lined with oil paintings of clipper ships and Chinese landscapes。 As she approached she could hear the muted voices from the boardroom and a laugh … the kind of laugh that es from a ribald joke or a smutty remark。 She knew the moment she opened the door； the good humor and radeship would vanish and the awkward silence would return。
She opened the door and they all got up。
〃Are you having trouble with your water mains？〃 she asked； holding her anger down。
〃No； I don't think so；〃 Gavallan said； startled。
〃Well； there's no water。 Didn't you know？〃
〃Of course there's no … Oh！〃 He stopped。 〃You're staying at the V and A so 。。。 Didn't anyone tell you about the water shortage？〃
They all began talking at once but Gavallan dominated them。 〃The V and A has its own water supply … so do a couple of other hotels … but the rest of us're on four hours of water every fourth day； so you've got to use a pail。 Never occurred to me you didn't know。 Sorry。〃
〃How do you manage？ Every fourth day？〃
〃Yes。 For four hours； 6：00 a。m。 till 8：00 a。m。；