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〃It will go that low？〃
〃No。 Just a habit I have。 20 is better than 21。〃
〃Yes。 Good。 Then let us see what tomorrow brings。 I wish you good joss。 Good night； tai…pan。〃
Dunross put down the phone and sipped the last of his champagne。 He was up the creek without a paddle。 That old bugger Tightfist； he thought again； admiring his cleverness … to agree so reluctantly not to sell or barter any Struan shares； knowing that only 1；000 remained； knowing the revenue from almost 600；000 was already safe … that old bastard's a great negotiator。 It's so very clever of both Lando and Tightfist to make the new offer now。 100 million！ Jesus Christ； that'd stop Gornt farting in church！ I could use that to smash him to pieces； and in short order take over Asian Properties and put Dunstan into an early retirement。 Then I could pass the House over to Jacques or Andrew in great shape and 。。。
And then what？ What would I do then？ Retire to the moors and shoot grouse？ Throw vast parties in London？ Or go into Parliament and sleep in the Back Bench while the bloody Socialists give the country to the munists？ Christ； I'd be bored to bloody death！ I'd 。。。
〃What？〃 He was startled。 〃Oh sorry； Penn； what did you say？〃
〃I just said that all sounded like bad news！〃
〃Yes。 Yes it was。〃 Then Dunross grinned and all his anxiety dropped away。 〃It's joss！ I'm tai…pan；〃 he said happily。 〃You've got to expect it。〃 He picked up the bottle。 It was empty。 〃I think we deserve another 。。。 No； pet； I'll get it。〃 He went to the concealed refrigerator that was set into a vast old Chinese scarlet； lacquered sideboard。
〃How do you cope； Ian？〃 she asked。 〃I mean； it always seems to be something bad； ever since you took over … and there's always some disaster； every phone call； you work all the time； never take a holiday 。。。 ever since we came back to Hong Kong。 First your father and then Alastair and then 。。。 Isn't it ever going to stop pouring cats and dogs？〃
〃Of course not … that's the job。〃
〃Is it worth it？〃
He concentrated on the cork； knowing there was no future in this conversation。 〃Of course。〃
To you it is； Ian； she thought。 But not to me。 After a moment she said； 〃Then it's all right for me to go？〃
〃Yes； yes of course。 I'll watch Adryon and don't worry about Duncan。 You just have a great time and hurry back。〃
〃Are you going to do the hill climb Sunday？〃
〃Yes。 Then I'm going to Taipei； back Tuesday。 I'm taking Bartlett。〃
She thought about Taipei and wondered if there was a girl there； a special girl； a Chinese girl； half her age； with lovely soft skin and warmth； not much warmer than herself or softer or trimmer but half her age； with a ready smile； without the years of survival bowing her … the rotten growing…up years； the good and terrible war years； and childbearing years and child…rearing years and the exhausting reality of marriage； even to a good man。
I wonder I wonder I wonder。 If I was a man 。。。 there're so many beauties here； so anxious to please； so readily available。 If you believe a tenth of what the others say。
She watched him pour the fine wine； the bubbles and froth good； his face strong and craggy and greatly pleasing； and she wondered； Does any woman possess any man for more than a few years？
〃What？〃 he asked。
〃Nothing；〃 she said； loving him。 She touched his glass。 〃Be careful on the hill climb。〃
〃Of course。〃
〃How do you cope with being tai…pan； Ian？〃
〃How do you cope with running a home； bringing up the kids； getting up at all hours； year after year； keeping the peace； and all the other things you've had to do？ I couldn't do that。 Never could。 I'd've given up the ghost long ago。 It's part training and part what you're born to do。〃
〃A woman's place is in the home？〃
〃I don't know about others； Penn； but so long as you're in my home all's good in my world。〃 He popped the cork neatly。
〃Thank you； dear；〃 she said and smiled。 Then she frowned。 〃But I'm afraid I don't have much option and never had。 Of course it's different now and the next generation's lucky； they're going to change things； turn things around and give men their euppance once and for all。〃
〃Oh？〃 he said； most of his mind back on Lando Mata and tomorrow and how to get the 100 million without conceding control。
〃Oh yes。 The girls of the next generation aren't going to put up with the boring 'a woman's place is by the sink。' God how I hate housework； how every woman hates housework。 Our daughters are going to change all that！ Adryon for one。 My God I'd hate to be her husband。〃
〃Every generation thinks they're going to change the world；〃 Dunross said； pouring。 〃This's great champagne。 Remember how we did？ Remember how we used to bitch； still do； about our parents' attitudes？〃
〃True。 But our daughters have the pill and that's a whole new kettle of fish an… 〃
〃Eh？〃 Dunross stared at her； shocked。 〃You mean Adryon's on the pill？ Jesus Christ how long 。。。 do you mean sh… 〃
〃Calm down； Ian； and listen。 That little pill's unlocked womanhood from fear forever … men too； in a way。 I think very few people realize what an enormous social revolution it's going to create。 Now women can all make love without fear of having a child； they can use their bodies as men use their bodies； for gratification； for pleasure； and without shame。〃 She looked at him keenly。 〃As to Adryon； she's had access to the pill since she was seventeen。〃
〃What？〃
〃Of course。 Would you prefer her to have a child？〃
〃Jesus Christ； Penn； of course not；〃 Dunross spluttered； 〃but Jesus Christ who？ You 。。。 you mean she's having an affair； had affairs or 。。。〃
〃I sent her to Dr。 Tooley。 I thought it best she should see him。〃
〃You what？〃
〃Yes。 When she was seventeen； she asked me what to do； said most of her friends were on the pill。 As there are various types I wanted her to have expert advice。 Dr。 Too… What are you so red about； Ian？ Adryon's nineteen now； twenty next month； it's all very ordinary。〃
〃It isn't by God。 It just isn't！〃
〃Och laddie but it is；〃 she said； aping the broad Scots accent of Granny Dunross whom he had adored； 〃and my whole point is that the lassies of today know what they're aboot and dinna ye dare mention it to Adryon that I've told ye or I'll take my stick to your britches！〃
He stared at her。
〃Health！〃 Smugly she raised her glass。 〃Did you see the Guardian Extra this afternoon？〃
〃Don't change the subject； Penn。 Don't you think I should talk to her？〃
〃Absolutely not。 No。 It's a 。。。 it's a very private matter。 It's really her body and her life and whatever you say； Ian； she has the right to do with her life what she pleases and really nothing you say will make any difference。 It'll all be very embarrassing for both of you。 There's face involved；〃 she added and was pleased with her cleverness。 〃Oh of course Adryon'll listen and take your views to heart but you really must be adult and modern for your own sake； as well as hers。〃
Suddenly an uncontrollable wave of heat went through his face。
〃What is it？〃 she asked。
〃I was thinking about 。。。 I was just thinking。〃
〃About who was； is or could be her lover？〃
〃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 o