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research？ Would she like lunch tomorrow if you're busy？〃
〃Sorry to say but she's in the hospital。〃
〃Oh God； what's the matter？〃
He had told her about this morning and Doc Tooley。 〃I've just seen her。 She's 。。。 she's not too good。〃
〃Oh I am sorry。 Is there anything I can do？〃
〃No thanks。 I don't think so。〃
〃Just ask if there is。 Okay？〃
〃Thanks。〃
〃Linc was right to jump into the water with her； Peter。 Honestly。〃
〃Oh of course； Casey。 Please don't think for a moment 。。。 Linc did what I 。。。 he did it better than I could。 You too。 And I think you both saved that other girl from lots of trouble。 Orlanda； Orlanda Ramos。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃She should thank you forever。 Both of you。 She was panicked … I've seen too much of it not to know。 Smashing…looking bird； isn't she？〃
〃Yes。 How's the research ing？〃
〃Fine； thanks。〃
〃Sometime I'd like to swap impressions。 Hey； by the way； I found your book … I bought it … haven't read it yet but it's on top of the pile。〃
〃Oh！〃 Casey remembered how he had tried to sound offhand。 〃Oh。 I hope you like it。 Well； I've got to be off； it's the kids' teatime too。〃
〃Remember； Peter； if there's anything； just call me。 Thanks for tea； and say hi to Fleur 。。。 。〃
Casey stretched； an ache now in her back。 She got off her perch and went back to bed。 Her room was small and did not have the elegance of their suite … his suite now。 He had decided to keep the second bedroom。 〃We can always use it as an office；〃 he had said to her； 〃or keep it as a spare。 Don't worry； Casey； it's all tax deductible and you never know when we might need a spare。〃
Orlanda？ No； she wouldn't need that bed！
Casey； she ordered herself； don't be bitchy； or stupid。 Or jealous。 You've never been jealous； so jealous before。 You set the rules。 Yes； but I'm glad I moved out。 That other night was tough； tough on Linc and tough on me； worse for him。 Orlanda will be good for him 。。。 oh shit on Orlanda。
Her mouth felt dry。 She went to the refrigerator and got a bottle of iced Perrier and the nice tang of it made her feel better。 I wonder how the earth makes those bubbles； she thought idly； getting onto the bed。 Earlier； she had tried to sleep but her mind was jumbled and would not stop working； too much of the new … new foods； new smells； air； mores； threats； people； customs； cultures。 Dunross。 Gornt。 Dunross and Gornt。 Dunross and Gornt and Linc。 A new Linc。 A new you； frightened of a pretty piece of ass 。。。 yes； ass if you want to be vulgar and that's new for you too。 Before you came here you were assured； dynamic； in charge of your world； and now you're not。 All over her； not just over her； over that bitch Lady Joanna too with her so upper…class English accent； 〃Don't you remember； dear； it's our Over Thirty Club Lunch today。 I mentioned it at the tai…pan's dinner。 。。。〃
Goddamn old bitch。 Over thirty！ I'm not even twenty…seven！
That's right； Casey。 But you are all riled up like a mashed cat and it's not just her or Orlanda； it's also Linc and the hundreds of available girls you've already seen and you haven't even looked in the dance halls and bars and houses where they specialize。 Didn't Jannelli wind you up too？
〃Jesus； Casey；〃 he had said with a great beam； 〃it's like being back on R and R in my Korean days。 It's still only 20 bucks and you're the top banana！〃
That evening around ten； Jannelli had called to ask if she'd like to join him and the rest of the crew at the Royal Netherlands for a night snack。 Her heart had turned over when the phone rang； thinking it was Linc； and when she had found it wasn't she had pretended that she still had lots to do but had gratefully allowed herself to be persuaded。 Once there she had had a double order of scrambled eggs and bacon and toast and coffee that she knew she did not want。
As a protest。 A protest against Asia； Hong Kong； Joanna and Orlanda； and oh Jesus I wish I'd never got interested in Asia； never suggested to Linc we should go international。
Why did you？
Because it's the only way for U。S。 business to go … the only way … the only way for Par…Con。 Export。 Multinational but export。 And Asia's the biggest； most teeming untapped marketplace on earth and this is the century for Asia。 Yes。 And the Dunrosses and Gornts've got it made … if they go with us … 'cause we've the greatest market in the world to back us； all the cash； technology； growth and expertise to do it。
But why did you go for Hong Kong so hot and heavy？
To get my drop dead money and to fill the time between now and my birthday … the end of the seventh year。
The rate you're going； she told herself； soon you'll have no job； no future； no Linc to say yes or no to。 A sigh took her。 Earlier； she had gone to the master suite and had left Bartlett a batch of telexes and letters to sign with a 〃hope you had a good time〃 note。 When she had e back from her night snack she had gone there again and taken back everything she had left him。 〃It's Orlanda that's really got you going。 Don't fool yourself；〃 she said out loud。
Never mind； tomorrow's another day。 You can dump Orlanda easy； she told herself grimly； and now； having zeroed in on her enemy she felt better。
Peter Marlowe's dog…eared paperback caught her eye。 She picked it up； plumped the pillows more fortably and began to read。 The pages slid by。 Abruptly the phone went。 She had been so engrossed she jumped and a sudden； vast happiness flooded her。 〃Hi； Linc； did you have a good time？〃
〃Casey； it's me； Peter Marlowe； I'm terribly sorry to call so late but I checked and your room boy said your light was still on。 。。。 I hope I didn't wake you？〃
〃Oh； oh no Peter。〃 Casey felt sick with disappointment。 〃What's up？〃
〃Sorry to call so late but there's a slight emergency； I've got to go to the hospital and I've 。。。 you said to call。 I ho… 〃
〃What is it？〃 Casey was pletely zeroed in now。
〃I don't know。 They just asked if I'd e at once。 The reason I called was about the kids。 There'll be a room boy looking in every so often but I wanted to leave a note for them with your number in case they wake up； just in case they wake up； a friendly face to call so to speak。 When we all met yesterday in the foyer； they both thought you a smasher。 They probably won't wake but just in case。 Could they call you？ I'm sor… 〃
〃Of course。 Even better； why don't I e right over？〃
〃Oh no； I wouldn't think of it。 If you j… 〃
〃I'm not sleepy and you are right next door。 It's no problem； Peter； I'm on my way。 So you just go ahead to the hospital。〃
It took her only a minute to dress in pants and blouse and cashmere sweater。 Before she even pressed the elevator button； Nighttime Song was there； wide…eyed and inquisitive。 She volunteered nothing。
Downstairs； she crossed the foyer and went out onto Nathan Road； across the side road and into the foyer of the Annex。 Peter Marlowe was waiting for her。 〃This's Miss Tcholok；〃 he said hurriedly to the night porter。 〃She'll be with the kids till I return。〃
〃Yes sir；〃 the Eurasian said； equally wide…eyed。 〃The boy'll show you up； miss。〃
〃Hope everything's okay； Peter。 。。。〃 She stopped。 He was out the swinging doors； trying to hail a cab。
The apartment was small； on the sixth floor； the front door ajar。 The floor boy； Nighttime Po； shrugged and went off muttering； cursing barbarians 。。。 as if he couldn't look after two sleeping children who played hide and seek with him every evening。
Casey closed the door and peeked into the tiny second bedroom。 Both children were fast asleep in the bunk； Jane； the little one； in the upper berth and Alexandra sprawled in the lower one。 Her heart went out to them。 Blond； touseled； angelic； with teddy bears clutched in their arms。 Oh how I'd love to have children； she thought。 Linc's children。
Would you？ All the diapers； always locked in； sleepless nights and no freedom。
I don't know。 I think so。 Oh yes； for two like these； oh yes。
Casey didn't know whether to tuck them up or not。 The air was warm so she decided to do nothing lest she wake them。 In the refrigerator she found bottled water and this refreshed her and settled her racing heart。 Then she sat in the easy chair。 After a moment she took Peter's book out of her handbag and； once more； began to read。
Two hours later he returned。 She had not noticed the time pass。
〃Oh；〃 she said； seeing his face。 〃She lost the baby？〃
He nodded； dulled。 〃Sorry to be so long。 Would you like a cup of tea？〃
〃Sure； hey； Peter； let me d… 〃
〃No。 No thank you。 I know where everything is。 I'm sorry to put you to all this trouble。〃
〃It's no trouble。 She's all right though？ Fleur？〃
〃They； they think so。 It was the stomach cramps that did it； and the touch of enteric。 Too soon to tell but there's no real danger there； that's what they said。 The； the miscarriage； they said it's always a bit rough； physically and emotionally。〃
〃I am so sorry。〃
He glanced back at her and she saw the strong； bent； lived…in face。 〃Not to worry； Casey。 Fleur's all right；〃 he said； holding his voice firm。 〃The； the Japanese believe that nothing's set until after birth； until after thirty days； thirty days for a boy and thirty…one for a girl； nothing's set； there's no soul； no personality； no person 。。。 up to