jamesclavell.noblehouse-第167节
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's。〃 He put his eyes back onto Casey； excited by her courage and her body and by the thought that she would be ing sailing on Sunday alone。 〃And you； Ciranoush； are you in the market？〃 he asked。
Casey heard her name and the way he said it。 A thrill took her。 Beware； she cautioned herself。 This man's dangerous。 Yes。 And so is Dunross and so is Linc。
Which？
I think I want all three of them； she thought； heat rushing into her。
The day had been exciting and grand from the first moment when Dunross had phoned her so solicitously。 Then getting up； feeling no ill effects from the fire or the emetics of Dr。 Tooley。 Then working away happily all morning on all the cables and telexes and phone calls to the States； tidying business problems of Par…Con's far…flung conglomerate； cementing a merger that had been on their agenda for months； selling off another pany very profitably to acquire one that would further enhance Par…Con's stab into Asia … whomever they were in business with。 Then； unexpectedly； being invited for lunch by Linc。 。。。 Dear handsome confident attractive Linc； she thought； remembering the lunch they had had atop the Victoria and Albert in the great； green dining room overlooking the harbor； Linc so attentive； Hong Kong Island and the sea roads obscured by the driving rain。 Half a grapefruit； a small salad； Perrier； all perfectly served； just what she wanted。 Then coffee。
〃How about going to the Stock Exchange； Casey？ Say 2：30？〃 he had said。 〃Ian invited us。〃
〃I've still got lots to do； Linc； an… 〃
〃But that place is something else and the things those guys get away with's unbelievable。 Insider trading's a way of life here and quite legal。 Jesus； it's fantastic … wonderful … a great system！ What they do here legally every day'd get you twenty years in the States。〃
〃That doesn't make it right； Linc。〃
〃No； but this is Hong Kong and their rules please them and it is their country and they support themselves and their government only creams off 15 percent tax；〃 he had said。 〃I tell you； Casey； if you want drop dead money it's here for the taking。〃
〃Let's hope！ You go； Linc； I've really got a pile of stuff to get through。〃
〃It can wait。 Today might be the clincher。 We should be in at the kill。〃
〃Gornt's going to win？〃
〃Sure； unless Ian gets massive financing。 I hear the Victoria won't support him。 And Orlin won't renew his loan； just as I forecast！〃
〃Gornt told you？〃
〃Just before lunch … but everyone knows everything in this place。 Never known anything like it。〃
〃Then maybe Ian knows you put up the 2 million to start Gornt off。〃
〃Maybe。 It doesn't matter； so long as they don't know Par…Con's on the way to bee the new Noble House。 How 'bout Tai…pan Bartlett？〃
Casey remembered his sudden grin and the warmth flooding out at her and she felt it now； standing on the floor of the Stock Exchange； watching him； crowds of men around her； only three important … Quillan； Ian and Linc … the most vital and exciting of all the men she had ever met。 She smiled back at them equally； then said to Gornt； 〃No； I'm not in the market； not personally。 I don't like gambling … the cost of my money es too high。〃
Someone muttered； 〃What a rotten thing to say！〃
Gornt paid no attention and kept his eyes on her。 〃Wise； very wise。 Of course； sometimes there's a sure thing； sometimes you can make a killing。〃 He looked at Dunross who was watching with his curious smile。 〃Figuratively； of course。〃
〃Of course。 Well； Quillan； see you tomorrow。〃
〃Hey； Mr。 Bartlett；〃 someone called out； 〃have you made a deal with Struan's or not？〃
〃Yes；〃 another said； 〃and what does Raider Bartlett think of a raid Hong Kong style？〃
Another silence fell。 Bartlett shrugged。 〃A raid is a raid wherever；〃 he said carefully； 〃and I'd say this one's mounted and launched。 But you never know you've won until you've won and all the votes are counted。 I agree with Mr。 Dunross。 You can get burned。〃 He grinned again； his eyes dancing。 〃I also agree with Mr。 Gornt。 Sometimes you can make a killing； figuratively。〃
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 thi
