。 There are certain papers she will give you； some for transmission。 Please deliver them personally when convenient。 As I said； it's rare to find someone to trust； I trust you。 You're the only one on earth who knows about her and her real name。 Remember； it is vital that neither this letter nor my previous papers go out of your hands to anyone。
〃First； to explain about Kirk： Within ten years or so I believe the Arab nations will bury their differences and use the real power they have； not against Israel directly but against the Western world … forcing us into an intolerable position： Do we abandon Israel 。。。 or do we starve？ They use their oil as a weapon of war。
〃If they ever manage to work together； a handful of sheiks and feudal kings in Saudi Arabia； Iran； the Persian Gulf States； Iraq； Libya； can； at their whim； cut off Western and Japanese supplies of the one raw material that is indispensable。 They have an even more sophisticated opportunity： to raise the price to unprecedented heights and hold our economies to ransom。 Oil is the ultimate weapon for Arabia。 Unbeatable so long as we're dependent on their oil。 Hence my immediate interest in Kirk's theory。
〃Nowadays it costs about eight cents American to get one barrel of oil to the surface of an Arabian desert。 From the North Sea it would cost seven dollars to bring one barrel ashore； in bulk； to Scotland。 If Arabian oil jumped from its present three dollars a barrel on the world market to nine 。。。 I'm sure you get the point immediately。 At once North Sea bees immensely possible； and a British national treasure。
〃Jamie says the fields are to the north and east of Scotland。 The port of Aberdeen would be the logical place to bring it ashore。 A wise man would start looking at wharfing； real estate； airfields； in Aberdeen。 Don't worry about bad weather； helicopters will be the connecting links to the rigs。 Expensive yes； but viable。 Further； if you will accept my forecast that Labour will win the next election because of the Profumo scandal 。。。〃
The case had filled the newspapers。 Six months before； in March； the Secretary of State for War； John Profumo； had formally denied that he had ever had an affair with a notorious call girl； Christine Keeler； one of several girls who had suddenly sprung to international prominence with their procurer； Stephen Ward … up to that time just a well…known osteopath in London's high society。 Unsubstantiated rumors began to circulate that the girl had also been having an affair with one of the Soviet attachés； a well…known KGB agent； mander Yevgeny Ivanov； who had been recalled to Russia the previous December。 In the uproar that followed； Profumo resigned； and Stephen Ward mitted suicide。
〃It is curious that the affair was revealed to the press at the perfect time for the Soviets；〃 Grant continued。 〃I have no proof； yet； but it's not just a coincidence in my opinion。 Remember it is Soviet doctrine to fragment countries … North Korea and South； East Germany and West； and so on … then to let their indoctrinated underlings do their work for them。 So I think the pro…Soviet Socialists will help fragment Britain into England； Scotland； Wales and south and north Ireland （watch Eire and Northern Ireland which is a ready…made arena for Soviet merrymaking）。
〃Now for my suggested Contingency Plan One for the Noble House： To be circumspect about England and to concentrate on Scotland as a base。 North Sea oil would make Scotland abundantly self…sufficient。 The population is small； hardy and nationalistic。 As an entity； Scotland would be practical now； and defensible … with an abundant exportable oil supply。 A strong Scotland could perhaps help tip the scales and help a tottering England 。。。 our poor country； Mr。 Dunross！ I fear greatly for England。
〃Perhaps this is another of my farfetched theories。 But reconsider Scotland； Aberdeen； in the light of a new North Sea。〃
〃Ridiculous！〃 Dunross exploded and he stopped reading for a moment； his mind swept； then cautioned himself； don't go off at half cock！ AMG's farfetched sometimes； given to exaggeration； he's a right…wing imperialist who sees fifteen Reds under every bed。 But what he says could be possible。 If it's possible； then it must be considered。 If there were a vast worldwide oil shortage and we were prepared； we could make a fortune； he told himself； his excitement growing。 It'd be easy to buy into Aberdeen now； easy to begin a calculated retreat from London without hurting anything … Edinburgh has all the modern amenities of banking； munications； ports； airfields； that we'd need to operate efficiently。 Scotland for the Scots； with abundant oil for export？ pletely viable； but not separate； somehow within a strong Britain。 But if the city of London； Parliament and Threadneedle Street bee left…wing choked 。。。
The hair on the nape of his neck twisted at the thought of Britain being buried under a shroud of left…wing socialism。 What about Robin Grey？ Or Julian Broadhurst？ he asked himself； chilled。 Certainly they'd nationalize everything； they'd grab North Sea oil； if any； and put Hong Kong on the block … they've already said they would。
With an effort he tabled that thought for later； turned the page and read on。 〃Next； I think I've identified three of your Sevrin moles。 The information was expensive … I may need extra money before Christmas … and I am not certain of the accuracy （I'm trying to cross…check at once； realizing the importance to you）。 The moles are believed to be： Jason Plumm of a pany called Asian Properties； Lionel Tuke in the telephone pany； and Jacques deVille in Struan's 。。。〃
〃Impossible！〃 Dunross burst out loud。 〃AMG's gone mad！ Plumm's as impossible as Jacques； totally absolutely impossible。 There's no way they co… 〃
His private phone began ringing。 Automatically he picked it up。 〃Yes？〃
〃This is the overseas operator calling Mr。 Dunross。〃
〃Who's calling him please？〃 he snapped。
〃Will Mr。 Dunross accept a collect call from Sydney； Australia； from a Mr。 Duncan Dunross？〃
The tai…pan's heart missed a beat。 〃Of course！ Hello； Duncan 。。。 Duncan？〃
〃Father？〃
〃Hello； my son； are you all right？〃
〃Oh yes； sir； absolutely！〃 he heard his son say and his anxiety fled。 〃I'm sorry to call you during the working day； Father； but my Monday flight's overbooked an… 〃
〃Damnit； you have a confirmed booking； laddie。 I'll get p… 〃
〃No； Father； thank you； that's perfectly all right。 Now I'm on an earlier one。 I'm on Singapore Airlines Flight 6 which arrives Hong Kong at noon。 Don't bother to meet me； I'll get a taxi an… 〃
〃Look for the car； Duncan。 Lee Choy will be there。 But e to the office before you go home； eh？〃
〃All right。 I've validated my tickets and everything。〃
Dunross heard the pride in his son's voice and it warmed him。 〃Good。 Well done。 By the way； cousin Linbar will be arriving tomorrow on Qantas at 8：00 p。m。 your time。 He'll be staying at the house too。〃 Struan's had had a pany house in Sydney since 1900 and a permanent office there since the eighties。 Hag Struan had gone into partnership with an immensely wealthy wheat farmer named Bill Scragger and their pany had flourished until the crash of 1929。 〃Did you have a good holiday？〃
〃Oh smashing！ Smashing； yes； I want to e back next year。 I met a smashing girl； Father。〃
〃Oh？〃 Half of Dunross wanted to smile； the other half was still locked into the nightmare possibility that Jacques was a traitor； and if traitor and part of Sevrin； was he the one who supplied some of their innermost secrets to Linc Bartlett？ No； Jacques couldn't have。 He couldn't possibly have known about our bank holdings。 Who knows about those？ Who wou…
〃Father？〃
〃Yes； Duncan？〃
He heard the hesitancy； then his son said in a run； trying to sound manly； 〃Is it all right for a fellow to have a girl friend a little older than himself？〃
Dunross smiled gently and started to dismiss the thought as his son was only just fifteen； but then he remembered Elegant Jade when he himself was not quite fifteen； surely more of a man than Duncan。 Not necessarily； he thought honestly。 Duncan's tall and growing and just as much a man。 And didn't I love her to madness that year and the next year and didn't I almost