But she saw none of the beauty of it。 Her face was wet with the tears that still coursed。 She was leaning on the railing at a far corner； oblivious。 The other sightseers and people waiting at the nearby bus stops left her alone … too interested in their own affairs。
〃By all the gods I made a fortune today。 。。。〃
〃I bought in first thing and doubled my fornicating money。 。。。〃
〃Ayeeyah so did I； and I spent most of the day negotiating a loan from Best Bank against my portfolio。 。。。〃
〃Thank all gods the Middle Kingdom bailed out those stupid foreign devils 。。。〃
〃I bought Noble House at 20。 。。。〃
〃Did you hear they dug out two more bodies at Kotewall and now the count's sixty…seven dead。 。。。〃
〃Joss！ Isn't it wonderful about the market！ Old Blind Tung's prediction came true again。 。。。〃
〃Did you hear about my sister； Third Toiletmaid Fung from Great Hotel？ She and her syndicate bought at the darkest time and now she's a millionaire。 。。。〃
Casey heard nothing； saw nothing； misery overwhelming her。 People came and went； a few lovers。 The only Europeans were tourists with their cameras。 Casey hid from them as best she could。
〃Say； can I help？〃 one of them said。
〃No； no thank you；〃 she replied； her voice flat； not looking at him； helpless to stop the tears。
I have to stop； she thought。 I have to stop。 I have to begin again。 I have to begin again and be strong and live； for me and for Linc。 I've got to guard him and his； I've got to be strong； be strong。
But how？
〃I won't let go；〃 she told herself aloud。 I won't。 I have to think。
I have to think about what the tai…pan said。 Not about marriage； oh Linc； not about that。 I have to think about Orlanda。
〃Is it too much to hope they'd be friends？〃 Did he really say that？
What to do about her？
Bury her。 She took Linc away from me。 Yes。 But that was within my rules； the rules I set down。 Ian's right。 She's not like Quillan and it was Linc … he fell for her； he went out with her。 She's not like Quillan Gornt。
Quillan。 What about him？ He had e to the hotel this afternoon； again offering her whatever help she needed。 She had thanked him and refused。 〃I'm okay； Quillan。 I have to work this out myself。 No； please don't see me off。 Please。 I'll be back in thirty days； maybe。 Then I'll be more sensible。〃
〃You're signing with Struan's？〃
〃Yes。 Yes； that's what I want to do。 Sorry。〃
〃No need to be sorry。 You've been warned。 But that doesn't preclude dinner the first night you're back。 Yes？〃
〃Yes。〃
Oh Quillan； what to do about you？
Nothing for thirty days。 Linc must have the next thirty days。 Totally。 I have to protect him against the vultures。
Seymour Steigler for one。 This morning he had e to her suite。 〃Hey Casey； I'll get the coffin arranged and… 〃
〃It's done； everything's done。〃
〃That a fact？ Great。 Listen； I'm all packed。 Jannelli can take my bags and I'll be at the airplane in good time so we c… 〃
〃No。 I'm taking Linc home alone。〃
〃But hell； Casey； we've got a lot to talk about。 There's his will； there's the Par…Con deal； we got time now to figure it good。 We can delay and maybe get us a few extra points。 We… 〃
〃It can all wait。 I'll see you back in L。A。 Take off a couple of days； Seymour。 Be back next Monday。〃
〃Monday？ For chrissake there's a million things to do！ Linc's affairs'll take a year to untangle。 We gotta get counsel fast。 Sure； the best in town。 I'll do that first thing； the best。 Don't forget there's his widow and his kids。 She'll sue on their behalf； of course she'll sue … and then there's you！ For chrissake you're entitled to a fat share。 We'll sue too； haven't you been like a wife to him for seven ye… 〃
〃Seymour； you're fired！ Get your ass out of here an… 〃
〃What the hell's with you？ I'm only thinking of your legal rights an… 〃
〃Don't you hear； Seymour？ You're fired！〃
〃You can't fire me。 I've got rights。 I got a contract！〃
〃You're a son of a bitch。 You'll get top dollar to settle your contract but if you take after me or Linc or Linc's affairs I'll see to it you get nothing。 Nothing。 Now get the hell out of here！〃
Casey wiped away her tears； remembering her exploding rage。 Well he is a son of a bitch。 I was never sure before but I am now。 I'm glad I fired him。 I'll bet any money he'll e sniffing around like a hyena。 Sure。 I'll bet he'll go see the ex…Mrs。 Bartlett if he hasn't already called her and work her into a frenzy； to represent her brood to attack Par…Con and Linc。 Sure； I'll bet any money I'll see him in court； one way or another。 Well； God help me； I swear he won't beat me。 I'll protect Linc whatever。
Forget that bastard； Casey。 Forget the battles you're going to fight； concentrate on the now。 What about Orlanda？ Linc； Linc liked her … loved her maybe。 Did he？ I don't know for sure。 And never will； not now。
Orlanda。
Should I go see her？
91
8：05 P。M。：
Orlanda was sitting in the dark of her room at the Mandarin Hotel staring out at the night。 Her grief was spent。
Joss about Linc； she told herself for the ten thousandth time。 Joss。 Now everything's as before。 Everything has to start again。 The gods laughed at me again。 Perhaps there'll be another chance … of course there'll be another chance。 There are other men 。。。 Oh God！ Don't worry； everything will be as it was。 Quillan said not to worry； my allowance would contin…
The phone jangled； startling her。 〃Hello？〃
〃Orlanda？ It's Casey。〃 Orlanda sat bolt upright； astonished。 〃I'm leaving tonight but I wanted to see you before I go。 Is that possible？ I'm downstairs。〃
Her enemy calling her？ Why？ To gloat？ But they'd both lost。 〃Yes； Casey；〃 she said hesitantly。 〃Would you like to e up？ It's more private here。 363。〃
〃Sure。 363。〃
Orlanda switched on a light and hurried to the bathroom to check her face。 She saw sadness and recent tears … but no age。 Not yet。 But age is ing； she thought； a shiver of apprehension taking her。 A b to her hair and a little makeup on her eyes。 Nothing else needed。 Not yet。
Stop it！ Age is inevitable。 Be Asian！ Be aware。
She slipped on her shoes。 The waiting seemed long。 Her heart was grinding。 The bell rang。 The door opened。 Each saw the desolation of the other。
〃e in； Casey。〃
〃Thanks。〃
The room was small。 Casey noticed two small cases standing neatly beside the bed。 〃You leaving too？〃 Her voice sounded far away to her。
〃Yes。 Yes I'm moving in with friends of my parents。 The hotel's a； it's a bit expensive。 My friends said I could stay with them until I can find another apartment。 Please sit down。〃
〃But you're covered by insurance？〃
Orlanda blinked。 〃Insurance？ No； no I don't think so。 I never 。。。 no； I don't think so。〃
Casey sighed。 〃So you've lost everything？〃
〃Joss。〃 Orlanda half…shrugged。 〃It doesn't matter。 I have a little money in the bank and 。。。 I'm fine。〃 She saw the misery in Casey's face； and her passion reached out。 〃Casey；〃 she said quickly； 〃about Linc。 I wasn't trying to trap him； not for anything bad。 Oh yes； I loved him and yes； I'd've done anything to marry him； but that's only fair； and honestly I believe I'd've been a wonderful wife for him； I'd've tried so very hard to be the best； honestly。 I did love him and 。。。〃 Again Orlanda shrugged her tiny shrug。 〃You know。 Sorry。〃
〃Yes； yes I know。 No need to be sorry。〃
〃The first time I met you at Aberdeen； the night of the fire；〃 Orlanda said； rushing on； 〃I thought how foolish Linc was； perhaps you were for not 。。。〃 She sighed。 〃Perhaps it's as you said； Casey； there's nothing to talk about。 Now most of all。〃 The tears began again。 And her tears； the reality of them； brought tears from Casey。
For a moment they sat there； the two women。 Then Casey found a tissue； dried her eyes； feeling awful； nothing resolved； wanting now to finish quickly what she had begun。 She took out an envelope。 〃Here's a check。 It's for 10；000 U。S。 I th… 〃
Orlanda gasped。 〃I don't want your money！ I don't want anything fr… 〃
〃It's not from me。 It's Linc's。 Listen a moment。〃 Casey told her what Dunross had said about Bartlett。 All of it。 The repeating of it tearing her anew。 〃That's what Linc said。 I think it was you he wanted to marry。 Maybe I'm wrong。 I don't know。 Even so； h