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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 die the next year when she vanished？ 〃Well；〃 he said as an equal； 〃it really depends on who the girl is； how old the man is and how old the girl is。〃
〃Oh。〃 There was a long pause。 〃She's eighteen。〃
Dunross was greatly relieved。 That means she's old enough to know better； he thought。 〃I'd say that would be perfect；〃 he told Duncan in the same voice； 〃particularly if the fellow was about sixteen； tall； strong and knew the facts of life。〃
〃Oh。 Oh I didn't 。。。 oh！ I wouldn't 。。。〃
〃I wasn't being critical； laddie； just answering your question。 A man has to be careful in this world； and girl friends should be chosen carefully。 Where did you meet her？〃
〃She was on the station。 Her name's Sheila。〃
Duncan suppressed a smile。 Girls in Australia were referred to as sheilas just as in England they were called birds。 〃That's a nice name；〃 he said。 〃Sheila what？〃
〃Sheila Scragger。 She's a niece of old Mr。 Tom and she's on a visit from England。 She's training to be a nurse at Guy's Hospital。 She was ever so super to me and Paldoon's super too。 I really can't thank you enough for arranging such a super holiday；〃 Paldoon； the Scragger ranch； or station as it was called in Australia； was the only property they had managed to save from the crash。 Paldoon was five hundred miles southwest of Sydney near the Murray River in Australia's rice lands； sixty thousand acres … thirty thousand head of sheep； two thousand acres of wheat and a thousand head of cattle … and the greatest place for a youth to holiday； working all day from dawn to dusk； mustering the sheep or cattle on horseback； galloping twenty miles in any direction and still on your own property。
〃Give Tom Scragger my regards and make sure you send him a bottle of whiskey before you leave。〃
〃Oh I sent him a case； is that all right？〃
Dunross laughed。 〃Well laddie； a bottle would have done just as well； but a case is perfect。 Call me if there's any change in your flight。 You did very well to get it organized yourself； very good。 Oh by the way； Mama and Glenna went to London today； with Aunt Kathy； so you'll have to go back to school alone an… 〃
〃Oh jolly good； Father；〃 his son said happily。 〃After all； I'm a man now and almost at university！〃
〃Yes； yes you are。〃 A small sweet sadness touched Dunross as he sat in his high chair； AMG's letter in his hand but forgotten。 〃Are you all right for money？〃
〃Oh yes。 I hardly spent anything on the station except for a beer or two。 Father； don't tell Mother about my girl。〃
〃All right。 Or Adryon；〃 he said and at once his chest tightened at the thought of Martin Haply together with Adryon and how they went off hand…in…hand。 〃You should tell Adryon yourself。〃
〃Oh super； I'd forgotten her。 How is she？〃
〃She's in good shape；〃 Dunross said； ordering himself to be adult； wise； and not to worry and it was all quite normal for boys and girls to be boys and girls。 Yes； but Christ it's difficult if you're the father。 〃Well； Duncan； see you Monday！ Thanks for calling。〃
〃Oh yes； and Father； Sheila drove m