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He shook his head； warmed by her concern。 〃No。 I'm fine。 You okay？〃
〃Sure。 I've been having a wonderful time。 Peter's in great form and Old Tooley's a gas。〃 Casey hesitated。 〃I'm glad it's not your stomach。 Doc Tooley says we should be safe from those lousy Aberdeen bugs； since we haven't gotten the trots yet。 Of course we won't know for sure for twenty days。〃
〃Jesus；〃 Bartlett muttered； trying to force his mind off what Biltzmann had said。 〃I'd almost forgotten about Aberdeen and the fire and that whole mess。 The fire seems a million years ago。〃
〃To me too。 Where did the time go？〃
Gavallan was nearby。 〃It's Hong Kong；〃 he said absently。
〃How do you mean？〃
〃It's a Hong Kong characteristic。 If you live here there's never enough time； whatever your work。 Always too much to do。 People are always arriving； leaving； friends； business people。 There's always a crisis … flood； fire； mud slide； boom； scandal； business opportunity； funeral； banquet or cocktail party for visiting VIPs … or some disaster。〃 Gavallan shook off his anxieties。 〃This's a small place and you soon get to know most people in your own circle。 Then we're the crossroads of Asia and even if you're not in Struan's you're always on the move； planning； making money； risking money to make more； or you're off to Taiwan； Bangkok； Singapore； Sydney； Tokyo； London or wherever。 It's the magic of Asia。 Look what happened to you both since you got here： poor John Chen was kidnapped and murdered； guns were found on your aircraft； then there was the fire； the stock market mess； the run on our stock； Gornt after us and we after him。 And now the banks may close on Monday or if Ian's right； Monday will be boom time。 And we're in business together。 。。。〃 He smiled wearily。 〃What do you think of our tender？〃
Casey held back her immediate ment and watched Bartlett。
〃Great；〃 Bartlett said； thinking about Orlanda。 〃You think Ian will be able to turn things around？〃
〃If anyone can； he can。〃 Gavallan sighed heavily。 〃Well； let's hope； that's all we can do。 Have you put your money on the winner yet？〃
Bartlett smiled and Casey felt easier。 〃Who you backing； Andrew？〃
〃Noble Star and Winning Billy for the quinella。 See you later。〃 He left them。
〃Curious what he was saying about Hong Kong。 He's right。 It makes the U。S。 seem a million miles away。〃
〃Yes； but it isn't； not truly。〃
〃You want to stay here； Casey？〃
She looked at him； wondering what was under the question； what he was really asking her。 〃That's up to you； Linc。〃
He nodded slowly； 〃Think I'll get me some tea。〃
〃Hey； I'll do that for you；〃 she said； then she saw Murtagh standing nervously at the doorway and her heart missed a beat。 〃You haven't met our banker； Linc。 Let me bring him over。〃
She went through the throng。 〃Hi； Dave。〃
〃Hi； Casey； have you seen the tai…pan？〃
〃He's busy till after the race。 Is it yes or no？〃 she whispered urgently； keeping her back to Bartlett。
〃It's a maybe。〃 Nervously Murtagh wiped his brow and took off his wet raincoat； his eyes red rimmed。 〃Couldn't get a goddamn cab for an hour！ Jesus！〃
〃Maybe what？〃
〃Maybe maybe。 I gave them the plan and they told me to haul ass back home because I'd clearly gone mad。 Then； after they calmed down； they said they'd get back to me。 Those knuckleheads called me at 4：00 a。m。； asked me to repeat the whole scheme then S。J。 himself came on。〃 His eyes rolled。 〃S。J。 said I was full of sh… I was loco and hung up on me。〃
〃But you said 'maybe。' What happened next？〃
〃I called them back and I've been on the phone five hours in the last ten trying to explain my brilliance to them since your harebrained scheme blew my mind。〃 Murtagh suddenly grinned。 〃Hey； I'll tell you one thing； Casey。 Now S。J。 sure as hell knows who Dave Murtagh III is！〃
She laughed。 〃Listen； don't mention it to anyone here。 Anyone。 Except the tai…pan； okay？〃
He looked at her； pained。 〃You think I'm about to tell everybody my ass's chewed to hamburger？〃
There was a burst of cheering and someone in the balcony called out； 〃They're approaching the gate！〃
〃Quick；〃 Casey said； 〃go put your bundle on the quinella。 One and seven。 Quick while you've time。〃
〃Which are they？〃
〃Never mind。 You've no time。〃 She gave him a little shove and he rushed off。 She collected herself； picked up a cup of tea and joined Bartlett and all the others crowding the balcony。
〃Here's your tea； Linc。〃
〃Thanks。 What did you tell him to bet？〃
〃One and seven。〃
〃I did one and eight。〃
Another huge roar distracted them。 The horses were cantering past and beginning to mill around the gate。 They saw Pilot Fish skeetering and weaving； his jockey well up； knees tight； holding on firmly； guiding him to his post position。 But the stallion wasn't ready yet and tossed his mane and neighed。 At once the mare and the two fillies； Golden Lady and Noble Star； shivered； nostrils flaring and whinnied back。 Pilot Fish brayed stridently； reared and pawed the air and everyone gasped。 His jockey； Bluey White； cursed softly； dug his steel…strong hands into his mane； hanging on。 〃C'mon； sport；〃 he called out with a curse； gentling him。 〃Let the sheilas have a look at your dingledangle！〃
Travkin on Noble Star was nearby。 The filly had got the stallion's scent and it had unsettled her。 Before Travkin could prevent it she twisted and backed and shoved her rump carelessly into Pilot Fish who swerved； startled； to bump the outsider Winning Billy； a bay gelding moving up to his gate。 The gelding skeetered； shook his head angrily and whirled away for a few paces； almost trampling Lochinvar； another brown gelding。
〃Get that bugger under control； Alexi； for chrissake！〃
〃Just stay out of my way； ublyudok；〃 Travkin muttered； his knees conscious of the untoward tremors racing through Noble Star。 He sat very high； part of his mount； stirrups short； and he wondered； cursing； if Pilot Fish's trainer had smeared some of the stallion's musk onto his chest and flanks to agitate the mare and fillies。 It's an old trick； he thought； very old。
〃e on！〃 the starter called out； his voice stentorian。 〃Gentlemen； get your mounts into their stalls！〃
Several were already there； Butterscotch Lass； the brown mare still heavily the favorite； was pawing the ground； nostrils flared； excitement of the ing race and the nearness of the stallion sending shiver after shiver through her。 She had stall eight from the rails； Pilot Fish now entering the stall in post position one。 Winning Billy had stall three between Street Vendor and Golden Lady； and the smell of them and the stallion's brazen challenge tore the gelding's mind。 Before the gate could close behind him he backed out and； once free； fought the bit and reins； shaking his head violently from side to side； twirling like a dancer on the slippery turf； almost colliding with Noble Star who swerved deftly out of the way。
〃Alexi； e along！〃 the starter called out。 〃Hurry it up！〃
〃Yes； certainly；〃 Travkin called back but he was not hurried。 He knew Noble Star and he walked the trembling； big brown filly well away from the stallion； letting her prance； the wind under her tail。 〃Gently； my darling；〃 he crooned in Russian； wanting to delay