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〃Did you ever manage to get outside Canton … or Peking？〃
〃Why？〃
〃Did you？〃
Dunross hesitated。 The Noble House had many associations of long standing in China； and many old and trusted friends。 Some were now mitted munists。 Some were outwardly munists but inwardly totally Chinese and therefore far…seeing； secretive； cautious and nonpolitical。 These men ranged in importance up to one in the Presidium。 And all of these men； being Chinese； knew that history repeated itself； that eras could change so quickly and the Emperor of this morning could bee the running dog of this afternoon； that dynasty followed dynasty at the whim of the gods； that the first of any dynasty inevitably mounted the Dragon throne with bloodstained hands； that an escape route was always to be sought after … and that certain barbarians were Old Friends and to be trusted。
But he knew most all of that Chinese were a practical people。 China needed goods and help。 Without goods and help they were defenseless against their historic and only real enemy； Russia。
So many times； because of the special trust in which the Noble House was held； Dunross had been approached officially and unofficially； but always secretly。 He had many private potential deals simmering for all kinds of machinery and goods in short supply； including the fleet of jet airliners。 Oftentimes he had gone where others could not go。 Once he had gone to a meeting in Hangchow； the most beautiful part of China。 This was to greet other members of the 49 Club privately； to be wined and dined as honored guests of China。 The 49 Club consisted of those panies that had continued to trade with the PRC after 1949； mostly British firms。 Britain had recognized Mao Tse…tung's government as the government of China shortly after Chiang Kai…shek abandoned the Mainland and fled to Taiwan。 Even so； relations between the two governments had always been strained。 But； by definition； relations between Old Friends were not； unless an Old Friend betrayed a confidence； or cheated。
〃Oh I went on a few side trips；〃 Dunross said airily； not wanting to lie to the chief of SI。 〃Nothing to write home about。 Why？〃
〃Could you tell me where； please。〃
〃If you're more specific； Roger； certainly；〃 he replied； his voice hardening。 〃We're traders and not politicians and not spies and the Noble House has a special position in Asia。 We've been here quite a few years and it's because of traders the Union Jack flies over 。。。 used to fly over half the earth。 What had you in mind； old chap？〃
There was a long pause。 〃Nothing； nothing in particular。 Very well； Ian； I'll wait till we've had the pleasure of reading the papers； then I'll be specific。 Thanks； so sorry to trouble you。 'Bye。〃
Dunross stared at the phone； troubled。 What does Crosse want to know？ he asked himself。 Many of the deals he had made and would be making certainly would not conform to official government policy in London； or； even more； in Washington。 His short…term and long…term attitude toward China clearly was opposed to theirs。 What they would consider contraband he did not。
Well； as long as I'm tai…pan； he told himself firmly； e hell or typhoon； our links with China will remain our links with China and that's the end of that。 Most politicians in London and Washington just won't realize Chinese are Chinese first and munist second。 And Hong Kong's vital to the peace of Asia。
〃Mr。 and Mrs。 Jamie Kirk； sir。〃
Jamie Kirk was a pedantic little man with a pink face and pink hands and a pleasing Scots accent。 His wife was tall； big and American。
〃Oh so pleased to m… 〃 Kirk began。
〃Yes we are； Mr。 Dunross；〃 his wife boomed good…naturedly over him。 〃Get to the point； Jamie； honey； Mr。 Dunross's a very busy man and we've shopping to do。 My husband's got a package for you； sir。〃
〃Yes； it's from Alan Medford G… 〃
〃He knows it's from Alan Medford Grant； honey；〃 she said happily； talking over him again。 〃Give him the package。〃
〃Oh。 Oh yes and there's a … 〃
〃A letter from him too；〃 she said。 〃Mr。 Dunross's very busy so give them to him and we can go shopping。〃
〃Oh。 Yes； well 。。。〃 Kirk handed Dunross the package。 It was about fourteen inches by nine and an inch thick。 Brown； nondescript and heavily taped。 The envelope was sealed with red sealing wax。 Dunross recognized the seal。 〃Alan said to … 〃
〃To give it to you personally and give you his best wishes；〃 she said with another laugh。 She got up。 〃You're so slow； sweetness。 Well； thank you； Mr。 Dunross； e along； hon… 〃
She stopped； startled as Dunross held up an imperious hand and said with polite though absolute authority； 〃What shopping do you want to do； Mrs。 Kirk？〃
〃Eh？ Oh。 Oh some clothes； er； I want some clothes made and honey needs some shirts an… 〃
Dunross held up his hand again and punched a button and Claudia was there。 〃Take Mrs。 Kirk to Sandra Lee at once。 She's to take her at once to Lee Foo Tap downstairs and by the Lord God tell him to give Mrs。 Kirk the best possible price or I'll have him deported！ Mr。 Kirk will join her there in a moment！〃 He took Mrs。 Kirk by the arm and before she knew it she was contentedly out of the room； Claudia solicitously listening to what she wanted to buy。
Kirk sighed in the silence。 It was a deep； long…suffering sigh。 〃I wish I could do that；〃 he said gloomily； then beamed。 〃Och aye； tai…pan； you're everything Alan said you were。〃
〃Oh？ I didn't do anything。 Your wife wanted to go shopping didn't she？〃
〃Yes but 。。。〃 After a pause Kirk added； 〃Alan said that you should； er； you should read the letter while I'm here。 I 。。。 I didn't tell her that。 Do you think I should have？〃
〃No；〃 Dunross said kindly。 〃Look； Mr。 Kirk； I'm sorry to tell you bad news but I'm afraid AMG was killed in a motorcycle accident last Monday。〃
Kirk's mouth dropped。 〃What？〃
〃Sorry to have to tell you but I thought you'd better know。〃
Kirk stared at the rain streaks； lost in thought。 〃How terrible；〃 he said at length。 〃Bloody motorbikes； they're death traps。 He was run down？〃
〃No。 He was just found in the road； beside the bike。 Sorry。〃
〃Terrible！ Poor old Alan。 Dear oh dear！ I'm glad you didn't mention it in front of Frances； she's； she was fond of him too。 I； er； I 。。。 perhaps you'd better read this letter then 。。。 Frances wasn't a great friend so I don't 。。。 poor old Alan！〃 He stared down at his hands。 The nails were bitten and disfigured。 〃Poor old Alan！〃
To give Kirk time； Dunross opened the letter。 It read： 〃My dear Mr。 Dunross： This will introduce an old schoolfriend； Jamie Kirk； and his wife Frances。 The package he brings； please open in private。 I wanted it safely in your hands and Jamie agreed to stop over in Hong Kong。 He's to be trusted； as much as one can trust anyone these days。 And； please； don't mind about Frances； she's a good sort really； good to my old friend and quite well off from previous husbands which gives Jamie the freedom he requires to sit and to think … a rare； very rare privilege these days。 By the way； they're not in my line of work though they know I'm an amateur historian with private means。〃 Dunross would have smiled but for the fact that he was reading a letter from a dead man。 The letter concluded； 〃Jamie's a geologist； a marine geologist； one of the best in the world。 Ask him about his work； the last years； preferably not with Frances there … not that she's not party to everything he knows but she does carry on a bit。 He has some interesting theories that could perhaps benefit the Noble House and your contingency planning。 Kindest regards； AMG。〃
Dunross looked up。 〃AMG says you're old school friends？〃
〃Oh yes。 Yes； we were at school together。 Charterhouse actually。 Then I went on to Cambridge； he to Oxford。 Yes。 We've； er； kept in contact over the years； haphazardly； of course。 Yes。 Have you； er； known him long？〃
〃About three years。 I liked him too。 Perhaps you don't want to talk now？〃
〃Oh。 Oh no； that's all right。 I'm 。。。 it's a shock of course but well； life must go on。 Old Alan 。。。 he's a funny sort of laddie isn't he； with all his papers and books and pipe and ash and carpet slippers。〃 Kirk sadly steepled his fingers。 〃I suppose I should say he was。 It doesn't seem right yet to talk about him in the past tense 。。。 but I suppose we should。 Yes。 He always wore carpet slippers。 I dinna think I've ever been to his chambers when he wasn't wearing carpet slippers。〃
〃You mean his flat？ I've never been there。 We always met in my London office though he did e to Ayr once。〃 Dunross searched his memory。 〃I don't remember him wearing carpet slippers there。〃
〃Ah； yes； he told me about Ayr； Mr。 Dunross。 Yes； he told me。 It was； er； a high point in his life。 You're 。。。 you're very lucky to have such an estate。〃
〃Castle Avisyard's not mine； Mr。 Kirk； though it's been in the family for more than a hundred years。 Dirk Struan bought it for his wife and family … a country seat so to speak。〃 As always； Dunross felt a sudden glow at the thought of all that loveliness； gentle rolling hills； lakes； moors； forests； glades； six thousand acres or more； good shooting； good hunting and Scotland at its best。 〃It's tradition that the current tai…pan's always laird of Avisyard … while he's tai…pan。 But； of c