〃Yes。〃
Penelope Dunross sighed。 〃For your own sanity； Ian； don't！ She's very sensible； over nineteen 。。。 well； quite sensible。 e to think of it I haven't seen her all day。 The little rotter rushed out with my new scarf before I could catch her。 You remember the blouse I lent her？ I found it scrumpled up on her bathroom floor！ I shall be very glad to see her off on her own and in her own apartment。〃
〃She's too young for God's sake！〃
〃I don't agree； dear。 As I was saying； there's really nothing you can do about progress； and the pill is a marvelous fantastic unbelievable leap forward。 You really must be more sensible。 Please？〃
〃It's 。。。 Christ； it's a bit sudden； that's all。〃
She laughed outright。 〃If we were talking about Glenna I could unders… Uh for God's sake； Ian； I'm only joking！ It never really occurred to me that you wouldn't have presumed Adryon was a very healthy； well…adjusted though foul…tempered； infuriating； very frustrated young lady； most of whose frustrations spring from trying to please us with our old…fashioned ideas。〃
〃You're right。〃 He tried to sound convincing but he wasn't and he said sourly； 〃You're right even so 。。。 you're right。〃
〃Laddie； dinna ye think ye'd better visit our Shrieking Tree？〃 she asked with a smile。 It was an ancient clan custom in the old country that somewhere near the dwelling of the oldest woman of the laird's family would be the Shrieking Tree。 When Ian was young； Granny Dunross was the oldest； and her cottage was in a glade in the hills behind Kilmarnock in Ayrshire where the Struan lands were。 The tree was a great oak。 It was the tree that you went out to when the deevil … as old Granny Dunross called it … when the deevil was with you； and alone； you shrieked whatever curses you liked。 〃。。。 and then； lassie；〃 the lovely old woman had told her the first night； 〃。。。 and then； lassie； there would be peace in the home and never a body has need to really curse a husband or wife or lover or child。 Aye； just a wee tree and the tree can bear all the curse words that the deevil himself invented。 。。。〃
Penelope was remembering how old Granny Dunross had taken her into her heart and into the clan from the first moment。 That was just after she and Ian were married and visiting for the second time； Ian on sick leave； still on crutches； his legs badly burned but healing； the rest of him untouched in the flaming crash…landing but for his mad； all…consuming anger at being grounded forever； she so pleased secretly； thanking God for the reprieve。
〃But whisht； lassie；〃 Granny Dunross had added with a chuckle that night when the winter winds were whining off the moors； sleet outside； and they all warm and toasty in front of the great fire； safe from the bombing； well fed and never a care except that Ian should get well quickly； 〃。。。 there was a time when this Dunross was six and； och aye； he had a terrible temper even then and his father Colin was off in those heathen foreign parts as always； so this Dunross would e to Ayr on holiday from boarding school。 Aye； and sometimes he would e to see me and I'd tell him tales o' the clan and his grandfather and great…grandfather but this time nothing would take away the deevil that possessed him。 It was a night like this and I sent him out； the poor wee bairn； aye I sent him out to the Shrieking Tree。 。。。〃 The old woman had chuckled and chuckled and sipped whiskey and continued； 〃Aye and the young deevil went out； cock of the walk； the gale under his kilt； and he cursed the tree。 Och aye； surely the wee beasties in the forest fled before his wrath and then he came back。 'Have you given it a good drubbing；' I asked him。 'Aye；' he said in his wee voice。 'Aye； Grandma； I gave it a good drubbing； the very best ever。'
〃 'Good；' I said。 'And now you're at peace！'
〃 'Well； not really； Grandmother； but I am tired。' And then； lassie； at that moment； there was an almighty crash and the whole house shook and I thought it was the end of the world but the wee little bairn ran out to see what had happened and a lightning bolt had blasted the Shrieking Tree to pieces。 'Och aye； Granny；' he said in his piping little voice when he came back； his eyes wide； 'that really was the very best I ever did。 Can I do it again！' 〃
Ian had laughed。 〃That's all a story； I don't remember that at all。 You're making it up； Granny！〃
〃Whisht on you！ You were five or six and the next day we went into the glade and picked the new tree； the one you'll see tomorrow； lassie； and blessed it in the clan's name and I told young Ian to be a mite more careful next time！〃
They had laughed together and then； later that night； she had woken up to find Ian gone and his crutches gone。 She had watched and waited。 When he came back he was soaked but tired and at peace。 She pretended sleep until he was in bed again。 Then she turned to him and gave him all the warmth she had。
〃Remember； lassie；〃 Granny Dunross had said to her privately the day they left； 〃if ye want to keep your marriage sweet； make sure this Dunross always has a Shrieking Tree nearby。 Dinna be afeared。 Pick one； always pick one wherever you go。 This Dunross needs a Shrieking Tree close by though he'll never admit it and will never use it but rarely。 He's like the Dirk。 He's too strong。 。。。〃
So wherever they had gone they had had one。 Penelope had insisted。 Once； in Chungking； where Dunross had been sent to be an Allied liaison officer after he was well again； she had made a bamboo their Shrieking Tree。 Here in Hong Kong it was a huge jacaranda that dominated the whole garden。 〃Don't you think you should pay her a wee visit？〃 The tree was always a her for him and a him for her。 Everyone should have a Shrieking Tree； Penelope thought。 Everyone。
〃Thanks；〃 he said。 〃I'm okay now。〃
〃How did Granny Dunross have so much wisdom and stay so marvelous after so much tragedy in her life？〃
〃I don't know。 Perhaps they built them stronger in those days。〃
〃I miss her。〃 Granny Dunross was eighty…five when she died。 She was Agnes Struan when she married her cousin Dirk Dunross … Dirk McCloud Dunross； whom his mother Winifred； Dirk Struan's only daughter； had named after her father in remembrance。 Dirk Dunross had been fourth tai…pan and he had been lost at sea in Sunset Cloud driving her homeward。 He was only forty…two when he was lost； she thirty…one。 She never married again。 They had had three sons and one daughter。 Two of her sons were killed in World War I； the eldest at Gallipoli at twenty…one； the other gassed at Ypres in Flanders； nineteen。 Her daughter Anne had married Gaston deVille； Jacques's father。 Anne had died in the London bombing where all the deVilles had fled except Jacques who had stayed in France and fought the Nazis with the Maquis。 Colin； the last of her sons； Ian's father； also had three sons and a daughter； Kathren。 Two sons also were killed in World War II。 Kathren's first husband； Ian's squadron leader； was killed in the Battle of Britain。 〃So many deaths； violent deaths；〃 Penelope said sadly。 〃To see them all born and all die 。。。 terrible。 Poor Granny！ Yet when she died she seemed to go so peacefully with that lovely smile of hers。〃
〃Perhaps it was joss。 But the others； that was joss too。 They only did what they had to； Penn。 After all； our family history's ordinary in that。 We're British。 War's been a way of life for centuries。 Look at your family … one of your uncles was lost at sea in the navy in the Great War； another in the last at El Alamein； your parents killed in the blitz 。。。 all very ordinary。〃 His voice hardened。 〃It's not easy to explain to any outsider； is it？〃
〃No。 We all had to grow up so quickly； didn't we； Ian？〃 He nodded and after a moment she said； 〃You'd better dress for dinner； dear； you'll be late。〃
〃e on； Penn； for God's sake； you take an hour longer than me。 We'll put in a quick appearance and leave directly after chow。 Wh… 〃 The phone rang and he picked it up。 〃Yes？ Oh hello； Mr。 Deland。〃
〃Good evening； tai…pan。 I wish to report about Mme。 deVille's daughter and son…in…law； M。 Escary。〃
〃Yes； please go ahead。〃
〃I am sad to have the dishonor of bringing such bad tidings。 The accident was a； how do you say； sideswipe on the upper Corniche just