〃So there's no promise？〃
〃I don't think so； but then I'm not you。 You have your own karma。 Irrespective of Orlanda … if it's not her it'll be another woman； better or worse； prettier though maybe not； because win； lose or draw； Orlanda's quality and has what it takes to make a man content； happy； alive as a man。 Sorry； I don't mean to be chauvinistic； but since you asked； I'd advise you to make up your mind quickly。〃
Gavallan hurried into Shitee T'Chung's box and joined the tai…pan。 〃Afternoon；〃 he said politely to the old couple。 〃Sorry； tai…pan； Crosse and the other fellow you wanted had already left。〃
〃Blast！〃 Dunross thought a second； then excused himself and walked out with Gavallan。 〃You're ing to the cocktail party？〃
〃Yes； if you want me there … afraid I'm not very good pany。〃
〃Let's go in here a second。〃 Dunross led the way into his private room。 Tea was laid out and a bottle of Dom Pérignon in an ice bucket。
〃Celebration？〃 Gavallan asked。
〃Yes。 Three things： the General Stores takeover； the Ho…Pak rescue and the dawn of the new era。〃
〃Oh？〃
〃Yes。〃 Dunross began to open the bottle。 〃For instance you： I want you to leave for London Monday evening with the children。〃 Gavallan's eyes widened but he said nothing。 〃I want you to check on Kathy； see her specialist； then take her and the kids to Castle Avisyard。 I want you to take over Avisyard for six months； perhaps a year or two。 Six months certain … take over the whole of the east wing。〃 Gavallan gasped。 〃You're going to head up a new division； very secret； secret from Alastair； my father； every member of the family including David。 Secret from everyone except me。〃
〃What division？〃 Gavallan's excitement and happiness showed。
〃There's a fellow I want you to get close to tonight； Andrew。 Jamie Kirk。 His wife's a bit of a bore but invite them to Avisyard。 I want you to slide into Scotland； particularly Aberdeen。 I want you to buy property； but very quietly： factory areas； wharfage； potential airfields； heliports near the docks。 Are there docks there？〃
〃Christ； tai…pan； I don't know。 I've never been there。〃
〃Nor have I。〃
〃Eh？〃
Dunross laughed at the look on Gavallan's face。 〃Not to worry。 Your initial budget is a million pounds sterling。〃
〃Christ； where the hell's a million ing fr… 〃
〃Never mind！〃 Dunross twisted the cork and held it； deadening the explosion neatly。 He poured the pale； oh so dry wine。 〃You've a million sterling to mit in the next six months。 A further 5 million sterling over the next two years。〃
Gavallan was gaping at him openly。
〃In that time I want the Noble House； oh so quietly； to bee the power in Aberdeen； with the best land； best influence on the town councils。 I want you laird of Aberdeen … and as far west as Inverness and south to Dundee。 In two years。 All right？〃
〃Yes but 。。。〃 Gavallan stopped helplessly。 All his life he had wanted to quit Asia。 Kathy and the children too； but it had never been possible or even considered。 Now Dunross had given him Utopia and he could not take it all in。 〃But why？〃
〃Talk to Kirk； beguile his wife； and remember； laddie； a closed mouth。〃 Dunross gave him a glass and took one for himself。 〃Here's to Scotland； the new era and our new fief。〃 Then he added in his most secret heart； And here's to the North Sea！ All gods bear witness： The Noble House is implementing Contingency Plan One。
67
5：50 P。M。：
The stands were empty now but for the cleaners； most of the boxes dark。 Rain cascaded from the sky； a solid sheet of water。 It was near twilight。 Traffic was snarled all around the racecourse。 The thousands plodded homeward； sodden but light of heart。 Next Saturday was another race day and another fifth race and oh oh oh； another challenge and this time the tai…pan will surely ride Noble Star and perhaps Black Beard will ride Pilot Fish and those two devil quai loh will kill themselves for our amusement。
A Rolls going out of the members' entrance splashed some of the pedestrians and they shouted a barrage of obscenities but none of the Chinese really minded。 One day I'll have one of those； everyone thought。 All I need's just a little fornicating joss。 Just a little joss next Saturday and I'll have enough to buy some land or an apartment to rent out； to barter against a piece of a high rise； to mortgage against an acre of Central。 Eeee； how I'll enjoy riding in my Rolls with a lucky number plate like that one！ Did you see who it was？ Taximan Tok who seven years ago drove a bo…pi； an illegal taxi； and found 10；000 HK on his backseat one day and hid it for five years till the statute of limitations had passed； then invested it in the stock market in the boom of three years ago to immense profit then took the profit and bought apartments。 Eeee； the boom！ Remember what Old Blind Tung wrote in his column about the ing boom！ But what about the stock market crash and all the bank runs？
Ayeeyah； that's all over！ Didn't you hear the astounding news？ Great Bank is taking over the Ho…Pak and standing good for all Banker Kwang's debts。 Did you hear about the Noble House buying General Stores？ Both such good pieces of news announced on race day。 That's never happened before！ It's odd！ Very odd！ You don't think 。。。 Fornicate all Gods！ Is it all a foul ploy of those dirty foreign devils to manipulate the market to steal our rightful profits？ Oh oh oh； I agree！ Yes； it must be a foul plot！ It's too much fornicating coincidence！ Oh those cunning awful barbarians！ Thank all gods I realized it so I can prepare！ Now what should I do 。。。
As they all headed for home their minds were consumed with growing excitement。 Most were poorer than when they came to the track； but a few were much richer。 Spectacles Wu； the police constable from the East Aberdeen Police station； was one of those。 Crosse had allowed him to go to the races though he had to be back by 6：15 p。m。 when the client was due to be interviewed again； Spectacles Wu there as interpreter for the Ning…tok dialect。 The young man shivered and his Secret Sack chilled at the thought of how quickly the great Brian Kwok had babbled his innermost secrets。
Ayeeyah； he thought； filled with superstitious dread。 These pink barbarians are truly devils who can twist us civilized people as they wish and send us mad。 But if I bee SI that'll protect me and give me some of their secrets； and with those secrets and other foreign devil secrets I will bee an ancestor！
He began to beam。 His joss had changed ever since he had caught that old amah。 Today the gods had favored him greatly。 He had forecast one quinella； the daily double and three place horses； each time reinvesting all his winnings and now he was 5；753 HK richer。 His plan for the money was already settled。 He would finance Fifth Uncle to buy a used plastic molding machine to begin a plastic flower factory in return for 51 percent； another 1；000 would pay for the construction of two dwellings in the resettlement to be rented and the last 1；000 would be for next Saturday！
A Mercedes sounded its horn deafeningly； making him jump。 Spectacles Wu recognized one of the men in the back： the man Rosemont； the CIA barbarian with limitless funds to spend。 So naive； they are； the Americans； he thought。 Last year when his relations had poured over the border in the exodus； he had sent them all down to the consulate on a roster basis； every month a different name and different story； to join the constant and evergrowing band of rice Christians or； to be more exact； rice non…munists。 It was easy to get free meals and handouts from the U。S。 Consulate。 All you had to do was to pretend to be frightened and say； nervously； that you had just e over the border； that you were staunchly against Chairman Mao and that in your village the munists did such and such a terrible thing。 The Americans would be happy to hear about PRC troop movements； real or imagined。 Oh how quickly they would write it all down and ask for more。 Any information； any stupid piece of information you could pick up if you could read a newspaper was to them … if whispered with rolling eyes … very valuable。
Three months ago Spectacles Wu had had a brainstorm。 Now； with four members of his clan； one of whom wa